Australian Aviation

The government continues to labour under the misapprehension that aviation is somehow a ‘silvertail’ activity, there to be milked at every opportunity and with no payback required from good policy, sound consultation or appropriate support. Of course this ignores the facts. Aviation is a fundamental element of the nation’s transport, agricultural and emergency services. If

The carbon tax is further putting the squeeze on regional airlines’ marginal operations, while the imminent arrival of Virgin ATRs represents a new competitive threat. The two largest intrastate networks are Queensland, around five million passengers p/a, and NSW two million, but despite recent restarts 26 Queensland and 23 NSW towns that previously had RPT

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has called fresh industrial action against Qantas for this Friday, with 3800 baggage handlers, ground staff and other employees to go on strike for one hour, with negotiations over a new enterprise bargaining agreement stalled. A further 50 TWU delegates will also hold a two hour stop work meeting on

Airbus Military has handed over the first of three C295s transports on order for the Egyptian Air Force. The aircraft were ordered in October 2010, and the remaining two will be delivered by the end of 2011.

The Boeing 747-8F program has suffered a further blow with the news Atlas Air has cancelled delivery of its first three of 12 747-8Fs it had on order due to “delays and performance considerations”. “As prudent asset managers, terminating the first three aircraft was the right decision for our fleet, our customers and our stockholders,”

The Australian media worked itself up into a real frenzy after Defence Minister Stephen Smith’s comments about the possibility of acquiring more Super Hornets during his visit to Washington DC in July. Smith said that another batch of Super Hornets was the “logical option” when asked by the ABC what the RAAF would do if