Jake Nelson

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) told Australian Aviation the new exam will be in place within the next few months, with drone operators no longer required to take the current IREX exam designed for planes and helicopters.

Regional Australian and South Pacific airlines will collaborate more closely after the Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) invited the Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA) to become an affiliate member.

Though an initial review has not found any safety issues from airspace arrangements, CASA has called for pilots and operators to give feedback as part of a broader investigation. CASA’s review is separate to an ongoing ATSB investigation into the crash, expected to finish in the second half of next year, but the authority will cooperate with the ATSB as part of its work.

From 1 July, the Flying Kangaroo will add four extra services to and from the SA city. It follows Rex’s decision to pull out when the council declared it would pass on the cost of security screening to airlines.

Bonza currently flies four times per week between Newcastle and its main base on the Sunshine Coast, as well as twice per week between Newcastle and the Whitsundays. The airline, which specialises in “point-to-point” travel between regional destinations, first flew to Newcastle in March.

Unveiled as part of the airline’s 2023 Investor Day, the fund will include Qantas’ existing $290 million partnership with Airbus to develop an Australian SAF industry, and will add an extra $110 million for projects such as “high-integrity carbon offsets, offshore SAF investments, and operational efficiency technologies”.