AUSTRALIAN SUPER HORNETS GO OPERATIONAL
The Royal Australian Air Force has declared its first squadron of Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets operational, following the arrival of a latest batch of four aircraft at Amberley air base, Queensland. The air force retired its last General Dynamics F-111Cs in early December, with the Super Hornets planned to provide a stopgap capability until the Lockheed Martin F-35 enters service.
RAF TO DOUBLE REAPER FLEET
The UK is to double its Royal Air Force inventory of General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicles under a £135 million ($213 million) deal confirmed by Prime Minister David Cameron. The service, which has operated the medium altitude, long-endurance type in Afghanistan since October 2007, will grow its fleet to around 10 air vehicles.
INDIA SETS UP AVIATION OVERSIGHT ADVISOR
India is to set up a Civil Aviation Economic Advisory Council to advise India's DGCA civil aviation regulator on financial and economic issues. The setting up of this new regulatory watch dog was prompted by recent large fare hike proposals by Indian carriers. A civil aviation economic regulatory council may follow soon.
CATHAY PACIFIC BOSS TO REPLACE BISIGNANI
Cathay Pacific chief executive Tony Tyler is to resign at the end of March to succeed International Air Transport Association director general Giovanni Bisignani, who is retiring. Cathay Pacific chief operating officer John Slosar will replace Tyler.
GE'S H80 MAKES ITS FIRST FLIGHT
General Electric's new H80 turboprop engine has completed its first flight, on the Thrush 510G crop duster. The H80 is based on the M601 powerplant from Walter, which GE bought in 2008 and is now the basis for the GE's Czech operations. EASA and FAA certification of the engine is expected in early 2011.
ISRAEL SEEKS EMERGENCY LEGISLATION - UPDATE
The Israeli transport ministry has demanded the country's parliament invoke emergency legislation procedures to update Israel's 1927 aviation law to enable restoration of Israel's category 1 safety status. The US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded Israel to category 2 in January 2009 after checks revealed the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority had failed to correct a list of shortcomings.
FUEL SUPPLY 'KEY TO FATAL TUPOLEV CRASH'
Russian accident investigators examining the causes of the 4 December emergency landing of a Dagestan Airlines Tupolev Tu-154M at Moscow Domodedovo after multiple engine failure are studying fluctuations in the supply of fuel to the aircraft's three engines. Two people died and 78 were injured when the aircraft, registered RA-85744, overran the runway on landing.
MITSUBISHI TO BOOST JAPAN'S UH-60J FLEET
Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) will produce 40 Mitsubishi/Sikorsky UH-60J search and rescue helicopters for the Japan air self-defence force, replacing 40 existing UH-60Js that have been in service since 1991. The aircraft will be produced under licence and phased in over a 20-year period.
Source: Flight International
