Australian Aviation

Northern Zone commences helicopter rescue contract The Westpac-sponsored Northern NSW Helicopter Rescue Service commenced its 10-year contract to provide helicopter retrieval and rescue services in the state’s north, covering an area north of Sydney’s Hawkesbury River up to the Queensland border, on March 7. NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard officially launched the service –

A most interesting New Allocation this issue is Alec Wilson’s Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc ZPX, although the actual model and provenance of the aircraft is unclear. The serial number listed, 3176, is not a genuine Spitfire serial number, and the previous RAF serial number, BS219, is also quoted for Peter Smythe’s Spitfire BZR. ZPX is

Qantas posts modest profit decline, plans to delay A320neo deliveries Qantas plans to defer deliveries of the Airbus A320neo family of aircraft in order to spread out its capital investment over a longer timeframe. The decision to push back deliveries of the next generation Airbus narrowbodies on order for Jetstar – comprising 54 of the

Aviation powerhouse Cathay Pacific Airways has slumped to just the third annual loss in its 70-year history as intense competition and overcapacity hit yields while economic jitters affected demand in crucial business markets. Cathay reported a net loss of HK$575m (A$98m) for the 12 months to December 31 2016, slumping into the red from net

MQ-8C Fire Scout nears service entry Development of Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8C Fire Scout ship-based Vertical Takeoff and Land Tactical UAV (VTUAV) is nearly complete. The MQ-8C, which was on display in mockup form at Avalon, is an enlarged development of the MQ-8B Fire Scout which has seen service off US Navy FFG frigates and the

ADF on the verge of embracing unmanned aircraft The Australia Defence Force looks to be on the cusp of an unmanned aircraft revolution – that much is clear walking around the recent Avalon Airshow. All three services have been relatively late adapters of unmanned, or remotely piloted, aircraft. The Army has led the way with