The World of Aviation

Gulfstream’s fifth and final Gulfstream G650 flight test aircraft took to the skies on January 24, conducting a test flight for 2 hours and 46 minutes. The G650 (S/N 6005) took off from the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport at 12:07 pm local time with experimental test pilots Bill Dobbs and Al Moros at the controls

Air Nelson has announced new flights to Paraparaumu, with the Air New Zealand subsidiary to begin scheduled services between Auckland and the Kapiti Coast from October. Paraparaumu will be the 27th domestic airport serviced by Air New Zealand through Air Nelson, which plans to operate three return services a day (Monday to Friday) between the

Virgin Blue has issued a profit downgrade, saying the impacts of the Queensland floods and a slowdown in consumer spending could lop up to $40 million off its revenue for the current financial year. “The slowdown in consumer spending experienced across the discretionary retail and leisure sector, together with the recent floods in the eastern

Boeing has received a US$1.6 billion contract for low rate initial production (LRIP) of the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. To date three P-8 test aircraft have flown, with the remaining three in various stages of final fitout and final assembly. P-8 initial operating capability is planned for 2013, with the US Navy expected to

Alaska Airlines has ordered 15 737NGs, comprising 13 737-900ERs and two 737-800s. It is the first time the airline has ordered the 737-900ER variant. The contract, which includes exercising existing 737 options, is valued at US$1.3 billion at sticker prices.

EADS manufacturer Eurocopter has reported a turnover of €4.8 billion euros, after delivering 527 helicopters in 2010. The solid revenue figure represented a six per cent increase over 2009, with 2010 seeing the delivery of 28 NH90 multirole military helicopters and 15 Tiger attack helicopters. Fifty-three per cent of Eurocopter’s 2010 consolidated turnover came from