The World of Aviation

WRITER: CHRIS FRAME * There is a new lifesaver making its mark across the vast State of Western Australia – and it’s turning heads at the Avalon Airshow. Built in Switzerland and entering Australian service in December last year, it can usually be found as high as 45,000ft travelling at speeds of more than 400kts.

Australia’s technological crown jewels, the Jindalee over-the-horizon radar system, is undergoing a $1 billion refresh to convert its dated analog systems to digital.

It touched down with a quiet grace – the first time ever a Northrop Grumman Global Hawk unmanned aircraft has landed during an airshow.

This week’s Throwback Thursday feature is Geoffrey Thomas’ story from April 2009 on the launch of new entrant on the Australia-US route, V Australia.

Australia’s competition watchdog and Virgin Australia have argued a proposed codeshare agreement between Cathay Pacific and Qantas would lead to a lessening of competition on Australia-Hong Kong routes.

Dassault has further extended its global MRO reach with the announcement that it has acquired the European maintenance activities of the TAG Aviation Group.