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In depthAirbus closes on key milestones for A380 flying testbed as COMPANION project nears design freeze
At some point in the next 12 months, a freshly-painted A380 will arrive in Toulouse ready for Airbus to begin a series of modifications that will eventually leave it looking like no other superjumbo in existence as it is transformed into a flying testbed for new engines and other advanced technologies.
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In depthCompetition intensifies to replace Southeast Asia’s ageing transport fleet
Southeast Asia’s ageing fleet of tactical transports – averaging 45.5 years for legacy C-130s – is creating significant replacement opportunities for Airbus Defence & Space, Embraer and Lockheed Martin, as nations modernise military airlift capabilities amid growing operational demands.
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In depthNASA strips down X-59 for post-flight inspections ahead of second sortie
NASA’s X-59 supersonic demonstrator sits partially disassembled at Armstrong Flight Research Center following its October maiden flight, with engineers removing dozens of panels to complete required inspections before resuming flight tests this spring.
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In depthSoutheast Asia accelerates fighter procurement amid heightened geopolitics
Regional air forces are recapitalising combat fleets as geopolitical tensions prompt governments to prioritise defence capabilities, with Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand leading procurement efforts despite funding constraints and fragmented acquisition strategies.
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In depthTall order: US aviation industry faces $4.5bn bill to replace 60,000 altimeters in next wave of 5G fiasco
US operators are faced with replacing or upgrading some 58,600 radio altimeters across their fleets at a cost of at least $4.5 billion under a newly proposed FAA rule designed to prevent interference from expanded 5G wireless networks.
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In depthMaterial failure involved in more than half of serious Osprey safety incidents since 2021
A multi-year review conducted the US military’s airworthiness authority for the V-22 tiltrotor found that out of 12 Class A mishaps in recent years, seven featured material failure as a causal or contributing factor.
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In depthT-38C phase out begins as USAF flight school receives first T-7A trainer
The US Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command has received its first Boeing T-7A Red Hawk trainer jet, marking a significant milestone in the service’s efforts to modernise pilot training and replace its ageing fleet of Northrop T-38C Talon aircraft.
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In depthSmartLynx Airlines closure leaves fate of sister Estonian and Maltese carriers unclear
SmartLynx Airlines’ operation in Estonia appears to have followed the wet-lease specialist’s Latvian arm and been sold to its management and Dutch company Break Point Distressed Asset Management, although there is as yet no clarity on fate of the Maltese unit. Meanwhile, crews have pointed to mounting issues at the main Latvian carrier in the run-up to its closure.
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In depthFAA ‘public charter’ regulatory crackdown stalls under Trump administration
US public charter carriers including JSX and SkyWest Charter appear temporarily safe from proposed FAA regulatory changes that threatened their business models, as the FAA reviews the initiative.
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In depthGeneral Atomics, Saab cite ‘tremendous customer interest’ in MQ-9B AEW development
Prospective customers will be in attendance when General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) and Saab fly an MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft configured for airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) duties next year, with service entry being offered before the end of this decade.
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In depthFormer Canadian military officers urge Ottawa to ignore Gripens and proceed with F-35 buy
Twelve retired senior Royal Canadian Air Force officers have written to Prime Minister Mark Carney warning against reducing Canada’s planned 88-aircraft F-35A purchase in favour of Swedish Saab Gripen fighters, as political tensions with the USA prompt Ottawa to reconsider its fighter modernisation programme.
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In depthGama opts for Sharjah over charge to DWC
Unlike the many business aviation services companies setting up shop at Dubai’s new Al Maktoum airport (DWC), Gama Aviation has chosen to build on its Middle East presence at Sharjah (SHJ), its United Arab Emirates home for the past 11 years. Source: Gama Aviation The Gama Aviation hangar ...
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In depthWhy Dubai has become magnet for the world’s jet set and their jets
Climb to the fifth floor of Empire Aviation Group’s half-built headquarters overlooking the ramps and runway of Dubai’s Al Maktoum airport (DWC), and through the haze of a September afternoon you can count more than 40 parked business jets. And that is not including the ones out of sight in ...
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In depthThe next frontier: UAE’s ambitions in space show no sign of letting up
It may not have had the speed of the race to the Moon in the 1960s, but for a nation that launched its first satellite only at the dawn of this century, the United Arab Emirates’ ascent as a space power has been stellar. Source: NASA Al Neyadi ...
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In depthHit single: Airbus’s A320 finally leaves Boeing’s 737 in its wake
Airbus’s commercial aircraft chief, Christian Scherer, is quietly satisfied about the A320 family’s landmark achievement in overtaking the Boeing 737, its primary rival, in terms of deliveries.
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In depthGE Aerospace swears by GE9X’s resilience to dust, plans larger Dubai maintenance site
GE Aerospace will open a $50 million maintenance facility in Dubai South in 2027 to support its GE9X engines, as the company emphasises the powerplant’s dust-resistance capabilities ahead of Boeing 777X service entry.
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In depthUPS MD-11F crash evokes spectre of American 191 but the depth of parallels is unclear
Confirmation that the UPS Boeing MD-11F which crashed in Louisville suffered a separation of its left-hand engine during take-off is likely to draw comparisons to the watershed McDonnell Douglas DC-10 accident in Chicago more than 45 years ago.
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In depthAfter FAA certification, Philippines’ Dornier Technology eyes expanded MRO capabilities
Philippines MRO company Dornier Technology is looking at growth opportunities in areas like end-of-lease checks, after clinching FAA certification.