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Glider makes successful first flight, begins journey to 2016 world record flight to 90,000 feet without an engine

The Perlan 2 glider, the world’s first engineless aircraft designed to reach the edge of space, achieved its successful first flight today in a historic moment about 5,000 feet above Roberts Field, the Redmond Municipal Airport in Oregon. This was the first test flight of the aircraft, which...

Transavia lets passengers download IFE content to their own devices ahead of their flight

The discussion as to whether wireless in-flight entertainment (IFE) poses a threat to the traditional embedded screens is one that rears its head on a regular basis, but the wireless IFE providers themselves face stiff competition from a new breed of companies who see opportunities to further reshap...


China Signs Deal to Buy 300 Boeing Aircraft

A group of Chinese companies signed Tuesday a deal with U.S. plane maker Boeing to buy 300 Boeing aircraft in Seattle, the U.S. The deal, signed by China Aviation Supplies Holding Company, ICBC Financial Leasing Co., Ltd., and China Development Bank Leasing with Boeing, was reached during Chinese President Xi Jinping's first state visit to the United States which was kicked off on Tues...

Falcon 7X and Customer Support Services to be Highlighted at CIBAS 2015

Dassault Aviation will feature the top of the line Falcon 7X at the China International Business Aviation Show (CIBAS) to be held at Beijing Capital Airport from September 24-26. With 35 units in service, China remains the second largest market, behind the United States, for the Falcon 7X. More than 250 7X have come off the assembly line since the airplane was introduced. “Demand for t...

Beijing's New Airport to Complete First-Stage Project in 2019

Beijing's new airport, also known as Beijing Daxing International airport, will complete its first-stage project in 2019. The new airport has selected a starfish designing scheme, and will make fine adjustments on this design. Considering the airport's large capacity in the future, a compact structure and radial layout of starfish-like facility will minimize passengers' walk...

Many Prospects For New UAS Use

To those researching potential commercial uses of unmanned aircraft systems, the possibilities seem endless, according to participants in a panel discussion Monday. Six men who have worked with the technology in different capacities gathered onstage Monday at the UAS Summit & Expo to talk about the future of the industry as it wades into commercial applications. While consumers may have...

Paint: What is Important to the Aircraft Maintenance Industry?

AMT conducted a survey in December seeking information on the use of paints and coatings to know what products you use and why. Of the respondents, 41 percent said they paint aircraft, while 33 percent said they paint aircraft parts and components. Breaking it into industry segments, general aviation was 42 percent; business jets 18 percent, helicopters 18 percent, military 11 percent, and...

Nigeria Releases Grounded British Aircraft After Payment of Fine

Nigeria on Tuesday said it had released one of the two grounded foreign registered aircrafts after its owners paid a 7 million naira (US$35,131) fine to the country. Spokesperson for the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Sam Adurogboye made the disclosure while briefing the media in Lagos, the nation's commercial hub. The aircraft, a Bombardier 700-100 with registration...

BBA Aviation Eyes Acquisition Of Landmark

British aircraft services company BBA Aviation is reported to be in talks to acquire US competitor Landmark Aviation, which could be valued at more than USD$2 billion including debt. BBA is participating in a sale process for Landmark Aviation, which is owned by private equity firm Carlyle and has attracted several bidders, including buyout firms. Landmark Aviation has been exploring a sale...

Virgin Australia director Joshua Bayliss steps down

The Virgin Group’s representative on the Virgin Australia board Joshua Bayliss has stepped down from the airline’s board after almost four and a half years as a director. Virgin Australia said on Wednesday Bayliss has been replaced as the Virgin Group’s representative by John Patrick Moorhead, who is chief financial officer at the Virgin Group and had been Bayliss’s alte...

Boeing May Set First Overseas Factory in Zhoushan, China

A scheme to build Boeing's assembly plant in East China's Zhoushan city, Zhejiang province has been reported to the State Council recently, and new progress will be made this week at the soonest, Shanghai Securities News reported. To win over this Boeing program, Zhoushan city has prepared for over two years, planning an aviation industrial park. What's more, president of Boeing Chi...

Lufthansa to Trial Inflight High-Speed Internet for Passengers

High-speed internet access via smartphones could become a feature on European airline flights following a deal involving the German carrier Lufthansa - but voice calls will be blocked at first. Lufthansa will offer Wi-Fi on its short- and medium-haul flights from 2017, provided by the satellite firm Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom. The companies claim their venture, which combin...

Tunisia’s Tunis Airport to close Oct. 14-16 for runway work

Tunisia’s Tunis-Carthage International Airport will close Oct. 14-16 for maintenance work on both runways. Tunisia’s National flag carrier Tunisair reported that all its flights to and from Tunis during this time period will be rescheduled to Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport, 175 km south of Tunis. According to several media reports, many foreign carriers...

SWISS Makes An Entrance With AIM Altitude

The welcoming entrance to the new SWISS B777-300 ER, engineered and manufactured by AIM Altitude, is already a recognisable image, despite the fact that the first of the nine new aircraft is not due to be delivered until January 2016. The composite, backlit panels are controlled by AIM Altitude Autonomous-Lighting-Dimmer (ALD) and are among the first airline applications of the new Sabic Lexan...

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Top of the week

Electra and The Atlas Group formalize airframe agreement for EL9 ultra‑short

Electra and The Atlas Group today announced a landmark airframe agreement for the EL9 Ultra‑Short aircraft, uniting Electra’s next‑generation design with Atlas’s established aerospace manu...

HondaJet Echelon advances to next phase with successful wing assembly

Honda Aircraft Company announced the completion of the first wing structure for the HondaJet Echelon test aircraft, marking a pivotal advancement in the program and moving the new light‑jet platform i...

Airbus is expanding its delivery capacity for the A320 family in Toulouse with a new integrated center

Airbus has officially unveiled a new delivery center at its Jean‑Luc Lagardère site, northwest of Toulouse, marking a significant milestone in the industrial ramp‑up of the A320 Family. Purpose...

Qantas unveils Adelaide Product Innovation Centre, accelerating growth, employment and skills pathways

Qantas has inaugurated its new Product Innovation Centre in Adelaide, with South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas joining Qantas Group Chief Technology, AI and Transformation Officer Rachel Yangoy...

Ten years of Riga Aviation Forum — insights from Zigmars Vestfals on growth, milestones and the road ahead

As the 10th edition of the Riga Aviation Forum was getting ready to open, 50SkyShades — a long‑standing Media Partner of the event — took the opportunity to sit down with Zigmars Vestfals,...

Drukair, Royal Bhutan Airlines selects CFM LEAP-1A engines to power 5 Airbus A320neo family aircraft

Drukair – Royal Bhutan Airlines, the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bhutan, has announced its decision to equip five Airbus A320neo‑family aircraft with CFM International LEAP‑1A engine...

Boeing, American Airlines complete first 737 MAX landing gear exchange

Boeing and American Airlines announced the successful completion of the first landing gear exchange for a 737 MAX, marking a key milestone as the company extends its longstanding Landing Gear Exchange...

Samson Sky secures $80 million to launch switchblade flying car production

Samson Sky, developer of the Switchblade Flying Car, announced it has secured an $80 million investment from Dubai‑based Matin Group. According to Sam Bousfield, CEO, Founder...

Global Jet Capital releases its annual 2026 Business Jet Forecast

Global Jet Capital has released its sixth annual Business Jet Market Forecast, outlining a confident outlook for the sector. The updated analysis anticipates steady expansion over the next five years,...

Uzbekistan Airways signs long-term support agreement

Uzbekistan Airways and Lufthansa Technik have renewed their cooperation with a long‑term agreement extending comprehensive component support for the airline’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A3...

Gol connects Europe to El Calafate and Ushuaia through its network in Brazil

Gol Airlines continues to expand its South American reach, leveraging its Brazilian network to open new travel possibilities. European passengers can now access southern Argentina through São P...

flydubai Launches dedicated freighter operations to accelerate regional trade growth

flydubai unveiled the launch of its dedicated freighter operations, a dynamic expansion that advances the airline’s diversification strategy and further elevates Dubai’s standing as a glob...

ExecuJet MRO Services to showcase MRO capabilities at AAD 2026

ExecuJet MRO Services South Africa, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, will be exhibiting at the Africa Aerospace & Defence (AAD) Expo 2026 at Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria (1...

TAROM took delivery of its first Boeing 737 MAX

Boeing, TAROM and CDB Aviation have celebrated the delivery of the airline’s first 737‑8, marking the arrival of Romania’s first Boeing 737 MAX and a key milestone in the national carrier&...

KVE celebrates 30 years of innovation and accelerates its growth within the Daher Group

KVE by Daher is marking its 30th anniversary with the inauguration of a significant expansion of its production facility in The Hague — a development that signals the start of a new acceleration...

TARMAC Aerosave and AerFin deepen their partnership, processing over ten new‑generation aircraft for dismantling and recycling this year

TARMAC Aerosave, Europe’s leading specialist in aircraft storage, maintenance, dismantling and recycling, has announced an expanded collaboration with AerFin, the global aviation asset‑managemen...

Air Charter Expo achieves third consecutive year of record‑breaking attendance

Global trade body The Air Charter Association (The ACA) celebrated another record‑setting edition of Air Charter Expo (ACE’26) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, delivered in partnership with Busines...

F1 Spanish Grand Prix Week | EHang showcases EH216-S and a 3,000-drone light show at the FIA Sustainable Innovation Series

EHang announced its extensive involvement in the FIA Sustainable Innovation Series held in Madrid during the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix week. Organized by the Fédération Internationale...

Is Australia’s regional turboprop fleet aging well? Why OEM support matters more than build year

Regional turboprop fleets show stark disparities in age, reliability, and economic viability. Many aircraft are approaching end‑of‑life, while others are increasingly difficult to operate as spare‑par...

BGS begins fueling cooperation with Airest at Kaunas and Riga airports

Baltic Ground Services (BGS), a global provider of ground handling and aircraft fueling services, has initiated cooperation with Airest, taking over into‑plane fueling operations at Kaunas (KUN) and R...

Vista House makes exclusive Asia debut amid Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix excitement

Vista is set to debut its signature hospitality concept, Vista House, in Singapore, elevating one of Asia’s most anticipated sporting weekends with a refined, members‑only experience. Conceived...

FlyBy Aviation Academy opens new pilot course (batch 26500) with 44 cadets from 14 nationalities

FlyBy Aviation Academy, one of the largest and most international EASA-approved pilot training organisations in Europe, is pleased to announce the start of a new pilot training course — internal...

Qantas charters NFL teams to Melbourne ahead of historic first game

The Los Angeles Rams have touched down in Melbourne on a Qantas charter flight ahead of Friday's NFL game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the first regular season game the league has played in Au...

Daher Aircraft is ranked No. 1 in Pro Pilot magazine’s Product Support Survey for the sixth consecutive year

Daher Aircraft has reaffirmed its leadership in turboprop aviation, securing the No. 1 position for the sixth consecutive year in Professional Pilot magazine’s Product Support Survey. In the 202...

AIRCAIRO places order for 15 Airbus A320neo aircraft

AIRCAIRO, Egypt’s National growing Air-carrier, has signed a firm order for 15 Airbus A320neo aircraft at the El Alamein International Airshow 2026. The agreement marks an important mi...