New Zealand Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman has announced that the RNZAF will acquire 11 Beechcraft T-6C turboprop trainers as part of a NZ$154 million training package. The announcement says the aircraft are part of a larger training system. “This modern, safe and reliable pilot training system will enable our military pilots to be trained to
The first two of 24 MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopters have been accepted into RAN service in a ceremony held at NAS Jacksonville in Florida on January 24. The aircraft were handed over to the RAN at Lockheed Martin’s Owego NY facility in December before being flown to Jacksonville where they will be based with US Navy
Former OzJet CEO and Rex executive Hans van Pelt has been appointed as Tourism Tasmania’s Director of Aviation and Access Development. The position is a new one which Tourism Tasmania says was created as part of the state government’s response to the Tasmanian Access Report released at the end of 2012. It will have responsibility
The first Boeing 787 produced at the rate of 10 aircraft per month has rolled out of the company’s Everett, Washington facility. The aircraft – a 787-8 destined for Aeromexico via lessor ILFC – is the 155th 787 manufactured. Boeing says the build rate is the highest ever for a wide bodied airliner, and represents
The Australian Workers Union has described Qantas’s decision to send heavy maintenance work for its remaining 747s offshore as “short sighted, lazy and unnecessary.” In a January 21 statement, the AWU said options still exist for the airline to perform the maintenance locally. “Even given Qantas’ intention to move 747 maintenance out of Avalon, the
A draft report from the Pentagon’s Director of Operational test & Evaluation (DOT&E), Dr Michael Gilmore has warned that continuing software and hardware development issues on the F-35 JSF program could delay the US Marine Corps’ efforts to achieve initial operational capability (IOC) in 2015. The 25-page draft report is a detailed critique of the
