Airbus has received its first shipment of carbon fibre elevators for the A350 from the Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre (HMC), a joint venture between Airbus and Chinese partners. Under an agreement signed in 2007 between Airbus and the Chinese government, Airbus agreed to allocate five per cent of the A350 airframe to be
Bombardier’s new Cseries narrobody airliner made its first flight on September 16 from the company’s Mirabel, Quebec facilities. CS100 flight Test Vehicle 1 (FTV1), registered C-FBCS, departed Montreal-Mirabel International Airport at approximately 9:55 local time before landing at approximately 12:25, during which time it reached an altitude of 12,000ft and a speed of 230kt. The flight
Eurocopter has commissioned a high precision GPS-supported instrument approach procedure for the helipad at its corporate headquarters at Donauwörth in Germany, becoming the first helipad in Europe to make use of Localiser Performance with Vertical (LPV) guidance. The new procedure supplements conventional lateral guidance systems by adding the vertical component, which enables approach guidance to be
The Australian Army’s detachment to Rotary Wing Group – Eight (RWG-8) has completed its mission in Afghanistan, marked by an end of mission ceremony at Kandahar Airfield (KAF) on September 14. The KAF-based RWG consisted of two CH-47D Chinook medium lift helicopters operated throughout the Afghan summer months as part of the American-led Regional Command South
Virgin Australia has formally launched the rollout of wireless streaming of entertainment content to passengers’ portable devices as its inflight entertainment system for domestic and short-haul international flights. The airline began trialling the technology in August 2012 and has already fitted 37 aircraft with the system. It expects rollout across its 737-800 and E190 fleets
The first Boeing 787-8 for Jetstar made its first flight on Saturday. The 1 hour 33 minute flight saw VH-VKA depart Everett for Moses Lake, Washington at 1640 local time. After a short stop on the ground at Moses Lake, the 787 then returned direct to Everett. More pictures of the aircraft on its first
