Australian Aviation

RAAF Base Scherger on Cape York Peninsula will play a central role in the largest Exercise Talisman Sabre ever hosted by Australia, including more than 30,000 personnel – almost double the number of those who attended the event in 2021.

The new service took off for the first time at 4:47pm yesterday as flight QF39, arriving in Jakarta at 8:18pm local time. It will operate three times per week using Airbus A330 aircraft, adding to the national carrier’s existing Sydney-Jakarta flights.

The primary purpose of the 100-day mission is to test the aircraft’s unique “super pressure” technology, but it will also carry a telescope from Princeton University that will image large galaxy clusters.

The Carbonix founder talks to host Adam Thorn about how uncrewed aircraft can change our world.

The airline’s private equity owner, 777 Partners, insisted it was always the plan for Rick Howell to leave after overseeing its launch.

The waves are expected to comprise aircraft including Orion AP-3C, Neptune SP-2H, Spitfire Mk IX, Grumman Tracker S-2G, Dakota C-47, two Caribou DHC-4, and Iroquois Huey UH-1B.