Australian Aviation

In the wake of a few years of significantly reduced budgets, a lot has been said of the lack of defence funding. Much of the argument surrounding the spending cuts have called for resourcing in line with what has been in place for the last ten or so years. But we do need to ask

For defence will it matter who wins the election? On paper there is little to split the two major sides of politics. Both are committed to growing defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP. Both are committed to big ticket items such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and building 12 submarines in Adelaide.

With a federal election tomorrow, it is timely to reflect on the role the federal government plays in Australian aviation. From CASA, to Airservices, to taxation levels, supporting research and development, to education policy, elements of the federal government, and its policies, touch aviation across a broad spectrum. But is it a force for good?

Airbus and China’s Air Traffic Management Bureau (ATMB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate on modernising the country’s Air Traffic Management System and to implement the latest Air Traffic Management (ATM) technologies. The MoU focuses on improving capacity and efficiency by harmonising China’s ATM within its own boundaries and with regional air

Delta Air Lines has placed a firm order with Airbus for 30 A321s and 10 A330-300s. Delta’s A321s will seat 190 people in two classes. Many of the aircraft are expected to be assembled at the new Airbus assembly line in Mobile, Alabama, currently under construction and scheduled to deliver its first aircraft in 2016.

A report by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) on the acquisition of the C-27J Spartan for the RAAF has concluded that the selection of the transport aircraft to replace the Caribou under AIR 8000 Phase 2 represented value for money. Defence agreed to acquire 10 aircraft through the US government’s Foreign Military Sales program