The World of Aviation

Boeing has been awarded a five year, $800m in-service support contract to support the RAAF’s Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) program. Under the contract, Boeing Defense Space & Security will provide acquisition, program management, integration and engineering services, while Boeing Defence Australia will support the program with engineering, maintenance and supply chain management

Virgin Blue has announced that it will commence three times weekly services from Perth to the Indian Ocean Territories of Christmas and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands on April 1. The airline will operate the services with a 104-seat Embraer E-190 (pictured), which it says will allow it to upload more freight and reduce flying time

Rolls-Royce and the UK Ministry of Defence have signed an agreement extending support the EJ200 engines for the Royal Air Force’s fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons out to 2019. The new agreement will see RR guarantee a level of engine availability, and follows on from an existing support contract in place since 2001. Support for the

Hong Kong Aviation Company announced on January 19 that it plans to grow its business significantly over the short term after completing the acquisition of failed lessor Allco’s aviation business. The transaction has seen HKAC, which is a joint venture between Hainan Airlines’s parent company HNA Group and private equity firm Bravia Capital, take on

The fourth modified Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter completed its first flight on January 15 in Taiwan. The Dreamlifter, which will be used by Boeing to transport large structures for the 787 Dreamliner program, was modified by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp in Taipei. The newest aircraft will complete Boeing’s fleet of Dreamlifters, which are operated by Evergreen

The ATSB has released a preliminary report into the ditching of a Pel-Air IAI Westwind off Norfolk Island on November 18 2009, noting that it plans to examine further the effect meteorological information had on the actions of the crew, fuel planning and other operational elements of the flight. According to the report, the pilot