Australian Aviation

From joyflights to training device As personal computers have grown from a novelty to a necessity, recent times have also seen the world of flight simulation move forward at an unceasing rate. Along with these technological leaps has come an unprecedented level of accessibility and insight into flight for members of the greater community. One

If you were a wealthy industrialist or film star looking for an executive aircraft in the mid-1930’s your choices were somewhat limited. J Paul Getty acquired the Spartan Aircraft Company in 1935 and soon contracted James B Ford, a renowned aircraft designer of the period, to design a new ‘Standard Seven’ – a low wing

Virgin Atlantic CEO Steve Ridgway There are few stronger brands in world aviation than the Virgin name. Locally Virgin Blue has grown rapidly over the last decade to become Australia’s number 2 airline, built on the youth-ful, anti-establishment irreverence of Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin brand. But in the airline world those principles were first

The challenges of operating the F-111 On the eve of the F-111’s withdrawal from service, the commander of ACG, AIRCDRE Mel Hupfeld, the outgoing commanding officer of 6SQN, WGCDR Micka Gray, and senior engineering officer (SENGO) of 6SQN, SQNLDR Peter O’Donnell spoke to Australian Aviation about what it’s been like to fly against, to fly

F-111 in RAAF service When F-111C A8-125 callsign ‘Sabre Two’, crewed by FLTLT Andrew ‘Klo’ Kloeden and 6SQN commanding officer WGCDR Michael ‘Micka’ Gray, touched down on Amberley’s Runway 33 at 1.22pm on December 3, it brought to a close more than 37 years of RAAF F-111 operations. The event was witnessed by current and

Northrop Grumman has recorded two major manufacturing milestones of F/A-18 components at its facility at El Segundo in Los Angeles. The company, which is a major sub contractor on the Hornet and Super Hornet programs completed its 500th rear fuselage shipset on December 16, and also completed its 300th classic Hornet centre barrel. The Super