The World of Aviation

The Pentagon is looking at increasing funding for the JSF program to the tune of US$300m (A$324m), delaying the aircraft’s development program by as much as 12 months, and offloading some of the program’s financial burden onto Lockheed Martin in an effort to remove risk to the program, according to reports. Following a series of

The Qantas Group recorded a 6.7 per cent increase in passenger numbers during October, although yields remain low. The increase in passenger numbers came from Jetstar, which recorded increases of 3.6 per cent in domestic operations and 115.8 per cent for international operations. Qantas’s domestic services saw passenger numbers fall by 0.9 per cent, while

Qantas has taken delivery of a new Airbus A330-200 for domestic operations which features new seats and individual in-flight entertainment across all cabins. The A330, registered VH-EBM and named Tamar Valley, features 36 business and 265 economy seats, which have been designed in collaboration with Marc Newson. The new business seats feature a width of

Jetstar has confirmed that it will now launch four times weekly direct services from Cairns to Osaka on April 1 after earlier plans to start the service in December were set back by a disagreement with Cairns Airport over charges. “The securing of a long term partnership agreement with Cairns International Airport was a clear

The USAF’s fleet of new MC-12W Liberty ISR aircraft has logged its 1000th mission from Joint Base Balad in Iraq, just six months after entering service. Thirty-seven MC-12Ws, sensor-equipped versions of the Beech King Air 350 and 350ER, were ordered for USAF service in November 2008, and Hawker Beechcraft was able to develop and deliver

The Japanese Air Self Defense Force has grounded its fleet of more than 200 F-15J fighters for inspections after part of a vertical stabiliser fell off an aircraft during an air display on November 29. The jet lost a 2.4 metre long section of the tail plane’s leading edge as it banked away after takeoff,