50 SKY SHADES - World aviation news

Aviation essential

Essential and most important aviation news

Latest essential aviation news

Boeing Sees SE Asia Aircraft Demand Worth USD$550 Billion

Southeast Asia will need 3,750 new aircraft worth USD$550 billion in 20 years from 2015, a senior Boeing executive told a press conference ahead of the Singapore Airshow. Of this number, 76 percent will be for single-aisle aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, said Dinesh Keskar, senio...

IATA highlights safety margin of audited carriers

Carriers which had passed the IATA operational safety audit were involved in five hull-loss accidents last year, but the accident rate for these operators was nevertheless three times better than for those outside of the scheme. The accident rate was 1.14 per million flights for IOSA-registered a...


Bombardier’s all-new CS100 Aircraft Kicks off Worldwide Demonstration Tours with First Stop in the Kingdom of Bahrain

Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced today that its all-new, recently-certified CS100 aircraft in the livery of first operator SWISS has kicked off demonstration tours and that its first stop will be Manama, in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In addition to stops in the Middle East, the aircraft – which is en route to the Singapore Airshow 2016 - is expected to make stops in a number of Asia-Pac...

Five bidders eye £2bn London City Airport deal

An infrastructure vehicle backed by Asia's richest man is among five short-listed bidders expected to make offers for London City Airport this week. Asia’s richest man is among five suitors that are this week expected to make final bids for London City Airport to clinch a deal that could value the business at about £2bn. Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings (CKI), the firm controlled by Hong...

Rolls-Royce Expands Asian Trent 1000 Parts Manufacturing

Rolls-Royce (R-R) has expanded its involvement in the Asia/Pacific aerospace industry with arrangements for producing Trent 1000 engine fan cases in Malaysia. The engine maker  has signed a 25-year agreement covering manufacture, assembly, and supply of the assemblies with UMW M&E, the investment arm of Malaysian conglomerate UMW, and the latter's newly established ...

Dassault Sees Weaker Market for Falcon Bizjets in Asia

Dassault Falcon is exhibiting two of its wide-cabin business aircraft, a Falcon 7X trijet and a Falcon 2000LX twinjet, here in Singapore. The Asian market, after a peak period in the early 2010s, is now much slower, but the French airframer is confident about the coming years. “Business aviation is a cyclical market, including in Asia,” Jean-Michel Jacob, senior v-p f...

This Russian jet might just give Boeing and Airbus a run for their money

When it comes to commercial airplane production, two companies essentially have the industry on lock: American-made Boeing and European-produced Airbus. Boeing’s 737, 777 and 787 models — as well as Airbus’ A320, A330 and A350 models — dominate airports across the world. Now, a Russian company is seeking to squeeze one of its planes right into the middle of the ma...

SINGAPORE: Aviage, Roketsan among newcomers at 2016 show

The 2016 Singapore air show has attracted several new aerospace firms, while retaining 75% of the companies that participated in 2014. Companies appearing at the show for the first time include Chinese avionics supplier Aviage Systems, BSB Aviation, CWT Defence Services, Dornier Seawings, and Turkish munitions supplier Roketsan. The Roketsan debut marks the first time a Turkish firm has partici...

Supersonic queen of the skies: Amazing pictures inside the first Concorde to land in the US

Prototype flew 642 hours over three years between 1973 and 1975, and test flights helped prove commercial viability It is one of two but the other was destroyed, and this is now being restored after decade on tarmac in Orly, France  Inside now being painstakingly restored by Delta Museum, near Paris, with help of British donors but won't fly again Pictures show hundreds of dials...

Cirrus Expanding Asia Pacific Presence

As Cirrus Aircraft nears FAA certification of its Vision SF50, the first modern civil single-engine jet, the company is highlighting a growing presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Regional sales director Graham Horne is on-site at the Cirrus exhibit in the U.S. Pavilion (Stand Q91). Although Cirrus didn’t bring any airplanes to the show, visitors can get upda...

Lufthansa takes delivery of the world’s first Airbus A320neo as launching customer

Lufthansa, together with Airbus and the Pratt & Whitney engine manufacturer, celebrates the delivery of the world’s first Airbus A320neo. Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Lufthansa Group, Airbus President and CEO Fabrice Brégier and the President of Pratt & Whitney Robert Leduc invited 700 guests and media representatives to the official...

Airbus Has a Sweet Home for U.S. A320 Production

Airbus’s U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama, opened last September, could augur well for increased production in Southeast Asia. A320-family airliners are already assembled in Tianjin, China. The U.S. facility rounds out the manufacturer’s production strategy for its high-selling A320 family of aircraft:“building close to its custome...

Thales Eying Launch for Head-worn Aircraft Display

Thales is nearing the end of the proof-of-concept phase for its TopMax head-worn aircraft display and hopes to launch product development later this year. Thus far, a prototype display has logged about 40 hours of flight-testing aboard turboprop aircraft, as well as 10 hours in a simulator. The trials have shown that the right eye can be used, regardless of the pilot's dominant eye, said Thale...

A major milestone for multi-tasking

It’s “full speed ahead” for Airbus’ A350 XWB with final assembly start-up for the new-generation jetliner family’s longest-fuselage member, the A350-1000 – which was kicked off this week, as per planning, in parallel with the baseline A350-900 version’s continued production ramp-up to meet market demand.  The no. 1 A350-1000 is one of three test ai...

Upcoming events

Bahrain International Airshow 2026

18/11/2026 - 20/11/2026
Bahrain, Sakhir

AERO Middle East x Sand & Fun 2026

24/11/2026 - 26/11/2026
Saudi Arabia, Riyadh

Top of the week

From fryer to flyer: converting used cooking oil into sustainable aviation fuel

Sustainable Aviation Fuel often begins its journey in an unexpected place: the restaurant deep fryer. Through a long-term partnership, Phillips 66 and Restaurant Technologies, Inc....

Riga Airport seeks strategic investors for new aircraft maintenance centre

RIX Riga Airport has launched a tender process to attract investors for the development of new aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities, advancing its ambitions to become a major avia...

Boeing and Icelease sign deal for up to three 767-300 converted freighters

Boeing and Icelease have signed an agreement for one 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF), with options for up to two additional aircraft, as the Icelandic lessor continues to expand its dedicated...

Greece orders up to six Embraer KC-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft

The Hellenic Ministry of National Defense has signed an agreement for the acquisition of three Embraer KC-390 Millennium multi-mission aircraft, with options for three additional units. The deal was c...

New IADA-ASA partnership enhances aircraft appraisal education across the industry

The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) and the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) have formed a new educational partnership aimed at expanding professional develop...

Rolls-Royce launches transformational jet engine technology programme to drive economic growth and advanced manufacturing

The UK Government and Rolls-Royce have unveiled plans for a joint £2.5 billion, 10-year research and technology programme aimed at advancing next-generation gas turbine technologies fo...

Emirates expands Premium Economy to Durban with deployment of A350

Emirates will introduce its Airbus A350 on the daily EK775/776 service between Dubai and Durban from 1 March 2027, extending its Premium Economy offering to all three of its South African destina...

De Havilland Canada expands Canadair 515 production following strategic agreement

De Havilland Canada has announced a landmark agreement with the Government of Canada and Export Development Canada (EDC) that will enable the manufacturer to significantly expand p...

Unifi Aviation brings professional aircraft cleaning and detailing services to Jersey

Unifi Aviation, part of Unifi LLC, has strengthened its presence in Europe with the launch of Unifi Aviation Jersey, bringing premium aircraft detailing and cleaning services to business aviation...

Boeing predicts air cargo boom will push global freighter fleet beyond 4,000 aircraft by 2045

Boeing forecasts that global air cargo traffic will double over the next two decades, driving the worldwide freighter fleet beyond 4,000 aircraft by 2045, according to its 2026 World Air Car...

Boeing and Lufthansa Technik extend strategic tailored parts agreement

Boeing and Lufthansa Technik have extended their long-standing Tailored Parts Package agreement, reinforcing a partnership aimed at enhancing parts availability, simplifying supply...

Joby brings future air mobility to Florida with eVTOL air taxi demonstration

Joby Aviation has launched a week-long series of piloted electric air taxi demonstration flights across Florida, with its eVTOL aircraft operating in Tampa, Orlando, and along the Space Coast. Th...

Airbus Corporate Jets research reveals growing government demand for business aviation

  According to Airbus Corporate Jets’ latest industry insight, based on feedback from 280 business aviation financiers and brokers globally, governments and public sector organisations a...

MEBAA Show 2026 highlights growing demand for inflight connectivity as business aviation priorities evolve

As demand for seamless onboard connectivity continues to grow, aircraft owners and operators are placing increasing emphasis on selecting connectivity solutions that align with their operational needs...

Qantas Group strengthens regional network with strategic turboprop fleet investment

  Qantas has announced a major investment in its De Havilland Dash 8 turboprop fleet, reinforcing its long-term commitment to maintaining reliable air links across regional Australia. As part...

Daher highlights growing role of Kodiak and TBM Aircraft in wildfire response operations

From the forests of Canada and the Pacific Northwest to the fire-prone landscapes of Florida, Daher Aircraft’s Kodiak and TBM platforms are playing an increasingly critical role in wildfire resp...

Jet Excellence upgrades Citation X fleet with Gogo Galileo HDX connectivity

Jet Excellence, a leading U.S. charter operator, will retrofit its entire fleet of Cessna Citation X aircraft with the advanced Gogo Galileo HDX connectivity solution. To support the fleet-w...

Embraer and Austrian Airlines strengthen E-Jets fleet support with new component pool agreement

Embraer and Austrian Airlines have signed a Component Pool Program agreement to support the carrier’s fleet of 13 E195 aircraft. Under the agreement, Austrian Airlines will gain access to Embrae...

Archer and ITA Airways drive forward vision for sustainable air taxi travel in Italy

Archer Aviation Inc. and ITA Airways, Italy’s national carrier and a member of the Lufthansa Group, have entered into a strategic partnership to advance the deployment of an all-e...

Airbus and Air France-KLM finalize joint venture for A350 component support

Airbus has launched Alpha Component Solutions, a 50:50 joint venture with Air France dedicated to delivering comprehensive A350 component support services. Jointly operated by Airbus and Air Fran...

Boston MedFlight expands critical care air transport fleet with order for three Airbus H145 helicopters

Boston MedFlight, the internationally recognized nonprofit provider of critical care transport services, has signed an agreement with Airbus Helicopters for three new H145 helicopt...

Embraer appoints FL Technics as authorized E-Jet service center in Lithuania

Embraer has appointed FL Technics as an Embraer Authorized Service Center (EASC) for its commercial aircraft fleet in Lithuania. The designation covers the E170 and E190 aircraft, further strengt...

ALSIM and ADMAL Flying Academy reinforce pilot training excellence in Malaysia with AL250 simulator

ALSIM is supporting the advancement of pilot training in Malaysia through ADMAL Flying Academy’s acquisition of an AL250 simulator. The addition of the device will enhance the academy’s Co...

FL Technics Indonesia secures EASA approval for Bali hangar, expanding European fleet maintenance capabilities

FL Technics Indonesia has successfully obtained EASA Part-145 certification for its Bali maintenance facility, authorising the company to perform maintenance on aircraft registered within the European...

HALO-Flight expands Texas Air Med fleet with additional Bell 407GXi helicopter order

HALO-Flight is set to further expand its South Texas air medical capabilities following the order of an additional Bell 407GXi announced by Bell Textron at AMTC 2026. The new aircraft will bring the o...