The World of Aviation

The first F-35B development aircraft, BF-1, arrived at NAS Patuxent River near Washington DC on November 15 from Fort Worth to prepare for its vertical flight test program. The aircraft had been delayed in Fort Worth for several months after completing its hover pit testing in April. The tests will comprise a ‘step down’ approach

Perth based Quickstep Holdings has signed an MoU with Melbourne’s Marand Engineering to supply vertical tail skins for the F-35 JSF. The MoU has the potential to be converted into a Long Term Agreement (LTA) to supply up to $50 million worth of the composite skins to Marand, which has a deal with Lockheed Martin

At a busy Dubai Airshow, the UAE has ordered 25 Pilatus PC-21 advanced trainers, with deliveries expected to commence from 2011. The sale is the third for the PC-21, after Singapore and Switzerland. The deal will also include related ground-support equipment, training equipment and material, and logistics support. The UAE currently operates 31 PC-7s, and

Air Austral, based on the French Indian Ocean island territory of La Reunion, has become the latest customer for the Airbus A380, with confirmation of its firm order for two announced on November 17 at the Dubai Airshow. The Engine Alliance GP7200 powered A380s will be configured in a single class, 840-seat configuration and will

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation has announced that a King Air 350ER recently completed a nonstop trans-Atlantic flight during a delivery flight to the UK Ministry of Defence for use as part of the Military Flying Training System. The flight saw the modified King Air fly from Wichita, Kansas, to Bournemouth in the UK with only a

The ATSB has released its second interim factual report into its investigation of an explosion and depressurisation of a Qantas Boeing 747-400 over the South China Sea in July 2008, which has focused on the failure of an oxygen bottle on the aircraft. “The ATSB’s second interim factual report on this accident, released today, indicates