The World of Aviation

The Royal Flying Doctor Service Central Operations has officially launched its fifth and final new Pilatus PC-12 aeromedical aircraft acquired under the Adelaide based division of the RFDS’s largest single aircraft replacement program. In service for three months, PC-12 VH-FVF was officially named in honour of retiring RFDS Central Operations board member Barry Lodge in

QantasLink has announced plans to increase capacity to the central Queensland centres of Mackay, Rockhampton and Gladstone over this month and next. From mid April QantasLink is upgrading 11 return services between Brisbane and Mackay with larger Dash 8 subtypes, adding another 572 seats a week to the market, and likewise upgrading to larger Dash

Gladstone Airport’s $65 million extended runway and expanded terminal project was officially opened by Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Gladstone Regional Council Mayor Gail Sellers on April 17. Gladstone’s runway (10/28) has been extended in length from 1635m to 1960m, making it better suited for jet aircraft operations, while the $7 million terminal

Qantas is to resume direct services between Australia and Tokyo from April 19, after having routed services via Hong Kong to allow for crew rest there following concerns about radiation levels after the earthquake and tsunami which crippled Japan’s Fukushima nuclear powerplant last month. “Qantas has been working closely with the Australian government, as well

Japanese carrier Star Flyer has ordered two CFM56 powered Airbus A320s. Star Flyer, which operates from Kitakyushu Airport, currently operates five leased A320s, with four more to be delivered.

Airbus is sponsoring an innovative two-seat electric-powered aircraft at the international Aero-Expo in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Known as ‘eGenius’, the aircraft technology demonstrator was designed by the University of Stuttgart’s Institute of Aircraft Design, with Airbus being the project’s main sponsor. Data collected from ‘eGenius’ will be analysed by an Airbus Future Project team in order