The World of Aviation

Australian border protection authorities will give air cargo shipments that have originated or transited through the Middle East greater scrutiny after a number of parcel bombs were intercepted on cargo flights operating from ports in the Middle East. The increased security screening came after a number of parcels with explosives packed into printers for delivery

Emirates has announced a 351 per cent increase in net profit for the first half of the year as passenger load factor hit a new record. The Dubai based carrier recorded a profit of AED3.4bn (A$937m) for the six months to the end of September 2010, as revenue increased by 35 per cent to AED19.5bn

Regional Express has made a submission to the Senate inquiry on pilot training standards opposing a proposal to follow recent US legislation which would prevent a pilot from airline flying unless they have completed a minimum of 1500 hours. The proposed minimum hour rule is being examined by the Senate Committee on Rural and Regional

The 2011 Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition at Avalon near Geelong will turn the spotlight on the future direction of defence capabilities. Show organisers say for the first time there will be a dedicated demonstration facility for unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned ground vehicles and intelligence surveillance reconnaissance systems, offering industry a unique

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Raytheon a US$21.3m (A$21.8m) contract to develop a new multi-mode long range air-to-air missile. The weapon, dubbed T3 for Triple Target Terminator, is due to be fielded in the 2020s and would be carried internally or externally by fighters, UAVs and bombers, and be capable

The AH-64D Apache’s Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) is to receive an upgrade after Lockheed Martin was awarded a US$65m (A$66m) four year contract to address “obsolescence issues and reliability and capability gaps.” “The Modernized DSA replaces vintage 30 year old hardware,” said US Army Apache Sensors Product Manager Lt Col