Australian Aviation

Available for public comment online, the master plan forecasts annual passenger numbers to grow from 17.48 million to 30.8 million by 2046, with aircraft movements to grow from 160,800 to 222,800 per year and air freight to reach as much as 269,000 tonnes.

Daily United Airlines flights from Sydney to San Francisco have been selected for the trial of US Customs and Border Protection’s International Remote Baggage Screening, which removes the need to re-check baggage onto connecting flights in the US.

The Bell 206L-3 LongRanger helicopter VH-JMM was operating charter services in Arnhem Land on 14 July this year when it hit a white‑bellied sea eagle, which flew through the windscreen and caused serious upper body injuries to the passenger. The bird died on impact.

Flight QF1672 touched down in Hobart at around 1:40pm on Friday afternoon aboard VH-8NQ, returning to Perth shortly before 3pm. The route revives a service last operated in 2023, and will fly three times per week, providing an extra 32,000 annual seats between Tasmania and WA.

Held at RAAF Base Richmond over the weekend, the event attracted around 80,000 people and featured both static and aerial displays such as the F-35A Lightning II, F/A-18F Super Hornet, E-7A Wedgetail, P-8 Poseidon, and No. 100 Squadron’s heritage aircraft.

Black Hawk A25-112, originally produced by American defence company Sikorsky, was operated by the Australian Defence Force alongside other aircraft seeing operational service in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor and Pakistan.