The World of Aviation

The latest addition to the Royal Australian Air Force fleet prefers life in the slow lane. And instead of having radar-avoiding stealth qualities, this aircraft has been designed to turn heads. The RAAF on Friday unveiled a new helmet-shaped hot air balloon, complete with Air Force fighter pilot helmet, visor, oxygen mask and oxygen hose. It replaces

Air New Zealand and United plan to expand their partnership to include revenue sharing on New Zealand-US routes. The move to deepen cooperation comes as United counts down to its return to NZ for the first time since 2003, with nonstop San Francisco-Auckland flights with Boeing 787s due to begin in July. United vice chairman

Longreach Airport says the installation of solar panels will supply almost enough energy to cover its daytime power requirements and help cut greenhouse gas emissions Taking advantage of the abundance of Central West Queensland sunlight and 30-plus degree temperatures, the airport says the 396 solar panels would lower its power bill between $30,000-$40,000 and “more

Cathay Pacific has reported a near doubling of full year net profit in 2015 and says its flights to Australia have been “satisfactory” over the past year amid a downturn in the mining sector and a weaker Australian dollar. The airline group posted net profit of $HK6 billion for the 12 months to December 31

The Board of Airline Representatives of Australia (BARA) has called for more collaboration between airports, government and airlines amid some “early warning signs” the nation’s aviation infrastructure is struggling to handle the growing number of travellers into and out of the country. At a BARA function in Sydney on Wednesday evening, BARA chairman Leanne Geraghty said

Qatar Airways has confirmed a December launch for nonstop Doha-Auckland flights, with New Zealand’s most populous city one of 14 new destinations to join the airline’s fast growing network announced overnight. The route, at 7,848nm, will be the world’s longest nonstop passenger flight when the inaugural flight takes off on December 3 with Boeing 777-200LR