On this week’s Australian Aviation Podcast, Jake and David compare the options for Qantas’ wide-body fleet renewal and ask whether a smaller plane can do the work of the A380.

Boresight commenced trading on Wednesday, with the aerial target drone company listing at a $0.20 price and a pre-raise market cap of just under $34 million. The Canberra-based company focuses on designing and manufacturing drones that can be deliberately shot down for counter-UAS training.

In an Australian first, Virgin says its customers will be able to surface destinations based on budget or departure city; find best-value travel periods for different dates; compare cash fares or points-plus-pay; and find the lowest fares across multiple days through the chatbot.

The Australian Space Summit & Exhibition 2026 is shaping up as the most intellectually ambitious gathering in the event’s history, with organisers confirming a final wave of world-class speakers set to take the stage in Sydney on 17–18 June.

The first commercial passenger service, JQ362, will depart WSI for the Gold Coast at 11am on Sunday 25 October, with tickets on sale from 10 June. It will come after the airport first opens to freight next month, with the maiden Qantas Freight service taking off on the evening of 27 July.

The Australia Saudi Business Council has signed a memorandum of understanding to potentially bring Saudia Cargo freight operations to Toowoomba Wellcamp and Avalon airports, with new airline Riyadh Air also potentially on the cards for premium passenger services, the AFR reports.