Australian Aviation

Twice-weekly A321neo flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays commenced earlier this month and will run until 26 October, with an additional Thursday service to begin on 25 June. The previous Cairns–Auckland service ended in October last year.

Australian engineering and technology solutions provider Nova Systems has teamed up with Elbit to undertake flight trials of the Elbit Systems Skylark I-LEX unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for the Australian Army.

Stage 4 of the Gold Coast light rail, a 13-kilometre stretch linking Burleigh Heads to Coolangatta via the airport, was previously estimated at $2.7 billion, but now is expected to cost up to $7.6 billion, with Gold Coast City Council expecting to foot 11 per cent of the final bill.

Civil Air members are voting until 1 May on whether to take protected industrial action, which may include work stoppages and bans on overtime and ATC training. The union says staffing levels are “critically low”, and has called out what it says is a “toxic” culture that shows little sign of improving.

Air Marshal Robert Chipman – a former Hornet fighter jet pilot and instructor – will now become Vice Chief of the ADF, to be replaced in his current role by Air Vice-Marshal Stephen Chappell.

The start-up says its UAV systems will be able to carry payloads of 60 to 90kg at speeds of 120km/h, with a maximum range of 1,100km and fuel consumption of 21km per litre.