The World of Aviation

The F-35 JSF program met many of its flight test goals in 2010 but also missed a few key targets at the same time. The year was capped off with an eleventh hour first flight of the fourth CTOL F-35A development aircraft, AF-4, from Forth Worth on December 30, making a total of nine development

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to India of a package of engines, support equipment, weapons, and training as part of a possible direct commercial sale of 22 Boeing AH-64D Block III Apache attack helicopters. The package, estimated to cost US$1.4bn (A$1.39bn) includes 50 GE

Korean Air Lines will feature the lowest density seating arrangement seen on an Airbus A380 so far when its first aircraft enters service in May. The airline says it will have just 407 seats on the 10 A380s it has on order, comprising 12 first class and 301 economy seats on the main deck, and

Reports and photographs from China indicate that country will soon test fly a large stealthy combat aircraft prototype from the Chengdu facility in the country’s north. Grainy images of the aircraft, variously dubbed J-XX or J-20, show a long and wide fuselage with low observable engine intakes and a forward chine, a high set delta

Jetstar took delivery of its 50th A320 Family aircraft earlier in the week, A320 VH-VGD, with the aircraft then operating its inaugural revenue flight, JQ446 from Melbourne to the Gold Coast, on December 23. Jetstar now has 44 A320s and six A321s in service, with 14 A320s added in 2010 alone. VH-VGD’s operating crew for

Air New Zealand’s first Boeing 777-300ER touched down at Auckland on December 24 at the end of its delivery flight from Seattle, bringing with it the airline’s much vaunted new interior, including its ‘cuddle couch’ economy ‘Skycouch’. “This is the best Christmas present we could possibly imagine,” Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe said. “Four long years