The World of Aviation

Regional Express has welcomed a recent move by the federal government to extend a cap on airport charges for regional airlines at Sydney Airport until 2013. “Rex is pleased that the government has been decisive and proactive in addressing this critical issue for regional aviation in a timely and efficient manner,” said Rex managing director

DAHER-SOCATA has launched a retrofit for its TB20 Trinidad GT single engine piston with a Garmin G500 glass cockpit. The retrofit, which gained European supplemental type certification (STC) in April, features a 16.5cm primary flight display and a multifunction display as well as an attitude/heading reference system (AHRS). G500 customers also can install a tailored

One of the three 747-8F test aircraft, RC521, suffered minor damage to an engine fan cowl on May 30 when it hit a tug while being towed at its Victorville test base near Los Angeles. The impact did not damage the engine, and the aircraft is expected to resume flight testing soon.

The third Gulfstream G650 ultra-long range business jet made its first flight in late May and has joined the other two jets in the type’s test program. T3 will be used to measure aerodynamic loads and to test the G650’s new PlaneView avionics suite and ice protection systems. T1 has been employed on envelope expansion

As expected, the F-35 JSF program has been re-certified by the Pentagon as being vital for national security and as having no viable alternative in the wake of the program incurring a Nunn-McCurdy cost breach. The Nunn-McCurdy wire is automatically tripped when a program’s projected costs exceed its original estimate by 50 per cent, and means

The USAF has appointed Colonel Dawn Dunlop to head up the 412th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, the first such appointment for a female officer. Col Dunlop is a former T-38 instructor, F-15E operational pilot, and F-15 and F-22 test pilot, and was operations officer for the F-22 Combined Test Force at Edwards.