Virgin Blue Airlines Group today responded sharply to engineer union allegations of short-cutting on aircraft maintenance, insisting that it  complies fully with all maintenance checks and standards required by Boeing and CASA.  Virgin says it has every confidence in the integrity of its maintenance program, procedures, and the professionalism of its engineers.

Qantas will employ 100 engineering apprentices in February 2010, in a $28 million investment to support fleet growth and the skilling of its engineering business. A Qantas engineering apprenticeship runs for four years.  The new employees will commence in February, as part of Australia’s largest civil aviation apprentice program.  Qantas currently employs 286 apprentices, increasing to 380 by February 2010.

European mega-manufacturer Airbus Industrie now forecasts a demand for some 25,000 passenger and freighter aircraft valued at US$3.1 trillion over the next 20 years,  The corporation’s latest Global Market Forecast is based on projections of emerging economies, evolving airline networks…

Boeing and FedEx Express today celebrated the delivery of the world’s largest air cargo carrier’s first B777 Freighter. Boeing says the world’s largest and most capable twinjet freighter will help FedEx Express deliver more cargo even faster, allowing the carrier to offer customers greater flexibility.

Regional airline industry leaders will meet this week at their annual conference in Coolum, united in a fight to secure the future of their threatened industry.  The Regional Aviation Association of Australia’s (RAAA) is now looking to government for decisive policies that will ensure regional Australia is not further disadvantaged by the policy vacuum they say has increasingly threatened their industry since the Ansett collapse in 2001/02.

The Flight Safety Foundation announced today the release of the Runway Excursion Risk Reduction (RERR) tool kit. The toolkit, a joint effort between FSF and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), provides an in depth analysis of runway excursion accident data, a compilation of significant risk factors, and recommendations for operators, pilots, airports, Air Traffic Management, Air Traffic Controllers and regulators to assist in addressing this challenge.

Aviation and tourism history will be made on New Year’s Eve when a Qantas Airbus A380 super jumbo operates a unique sightseeing flight to Antarctica – the first commercial flight by an A380 over the south polar region, and the only aircraft permitted to do so on New Year’s Eve.  The flight, organised by Melbourne-based Antarctica Sightseeing Flights, will originate in Sydney and fly via Melbourne to reach Antarctica… Read more

Singapore-based ST Aerospace has graduated its first batch of 16 student pilots since its ST Aviation Training Academy (STATA) began training cadet airline pilots at Ballarat (Vic) in May 2008.  Of the batch awarded their wings today, 15 are from Shenzhen Airlines in China and one is a private student from Singapore. With their wings, all students earned a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, while students from Shenzhen Airlines are eligible for a Chinese Commercial Pilot Licence when they return to fly for the airline. Shenzhen Airlines, a launch customer for the training academy, has also committed two additional batches to train with STATA.

European regional aircraft builder ATR is close to completing certification of its upgraded ATR-42 and -72 500 aircraft to a new -600 series.  The new ATR 600s will offer an increase of about 500 kg in increased maximum takeoff and zero fuel weights, offering added payload of five passengers or equivalent, or an extra 190 nautical mines (350 km) of fuel range.  The two models, seating up to 42 or 72 passengers respectively, have been fitted with an ultra-modern “glass cockpit” designed by Thales, and based on the integrated avionics systems Thales…

New Zealand based Eastland Aviation has been awarded exclusive Australian distributorship for MD Helicopters. The group plans to expand its Australian product support and sales representation footprint, building on existing alliances as well as establishing its own Australian base.  Originally Hughes Helicopters, which built the well-known Hughes 300 and 500, the US manufacturing company changed hands first to McDonnell Douglas and then by acquisition to Boeing…

“We’re one of the few airlines in the world reporting profits at the moment,” Said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce today, announcing a $181 million pre-tax profit on revenue of $14.6 billion for the 2008/09 financial year.  The modest result reflected a $288 million profit in the first half of the year, in a generally favourable operating environment with strong demand…

V Australia today announced Phuket and Johannesburg as its next two destinations, along with a strengthened focus on Melbourne just six months after launch. The carrier is about to take delivery of its fourth Boeing 777-300ER, configured in a three class configuration, adding enough capacity fly four new routes from December.

Embraer’s Phenom 100 six-seat “entry level” executive jet received the type certificate from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) in July. The certification follows the Phenom 100’s approval by Brazilian, USA and European Aviation Agencies… Read full article

Maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO) contractors John Holland Aviation Services (JHAS) has secured a five year agreement to provide line maintenance services to Strategic Airlines’ Airbus A320-200 and A330-200 aircraft. The work will be undertaken by JHAS at its Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth facilities.

China’s largest airline, China Southern (CZ), has added a third weekly flight from Melbourne to Guangzhou (formerly Canton).  The new schedule, which introduces a Saturday departure, will be introduced in two phases.  Until 26 October 2009, flights will depart Melbourne at 7.05 am on Monday, Thursday and Saturday morning, flying via Sydney to Guangzhou at 5.00pm local time.

Concerns over an apparent halt or reversal of long term airline safety improvement trends have heightened world-wide interest in new solutions. The trend will be a core topic at the Safeskies Australia International Aviation Safety Conference to be held in Canberra in October, says Safeskies chairman David Forsyth.

Despite massive slowdowns in orders and deliveries of commercial jets, Boeing and Turkish Airlines have finalised an order for seven Boeing 777-300ER (Extended Range) airliners valued at $1.9 billion at current list prices. The order is in addition to the five 777-300ERs [extended range] that Turkish Airlines ordered in April 2009, bringing the carrier’s total 777-300ER orders to 12.

Aeromil Pacific has delivered Western Australia’s first Cessna Citation Mustang to a Perth based customer, bringing the regional Mustang population to five, with another five now ordered for Maroochydore-based Singapore Flying College, further orders, and strong interest from prospective owners.