Report by Kaleyesus Bekele, Addis Ababa: The US Air force has shut down its drone base in southern part of Ethiopia, Arbaminch town that it has been using to fight the islamist militant group in Somalia, Al Shabab, for the past four years. In 2009-2010 the US Air Force invested millions of dollars to upgraded the Arbaminch Airport runway and built a small annex to house a fleet of drones call...
The overall air transport surplus parts market, currently estimated at between US $3 billion –US $4 billion a year, is set for annual average growth of around 5%-6%, according to Honeywell Aerospace Trading (HAT). In a White Paper just released, HAT predicts the highest growth will come from the Asia Pacific region, which is starting from a smaller volume base than the more mature North A...
Europe’s third largest low-cost airline Norwegian has reported its highest ever passenger figures in a single year - with nearly 26 million passengers in 2015 and a load factor of 86 per cent. The airline’s busiest ever year in the UK and increased long-haul operations both contributed considerably to the growth, with increased passenger numbers, more new aircraft and high load fact...
Hong Kong Airlines, an internationally-acclaimed full-service airline, will officially launch thrice-weekly flight service to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on February 27th. An all-economy class Airbus A320 aircraft will be deployed on the Phnom Penh route. The new service will further strengthen the airline’s network in Asia and offer more choices and greater convenience to passengers travell...
Ryanair cut fares to attract bookings after the Paris terrorist attacks, which boosted passenger numbers by a quarter last month and helped it grow at more than double the rate of fierce rival easyJet in 2015. The Irish budget airline, which is led by chief executive Michael O’Leary, carried 7.5m customers in December, a 25pc jump on the same month a year earlier. Ryanair’s load fac...
He taps the plane on the side before boarding. “When I think about it, I become a little emotional,” said the pilot of the record-setting Solar Impulse 2, Andre Borschberg. “We are now again in the preparation mode, with the objective to come back to Abu Dhabi.” The Swiss national said all efforts are being made to see that the plane completes its voyage to Abu Dha...
Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ashok Gajapathi Raju on Saturday asked the State governments, including Tamil Nadu, to rationalise taxes on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) so as to energise the aviation industry. Stating that he had written letters to the Chief Ministers of States and Union Territories on slashing the Value Added Tax on ATF, he said that jet fuel accounted for most part of operat...
A six-year NASA mission to advance green aviation has wrapped up and the results are in: If U.S. airlines embrace certain technologies to reduce fuel burn, noise and air pollution, they could save $255 billion over 25 years. That's the upshot of the Environmentally Responsible Aviation project that was led out of NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton and involved sister research faci...
Wizz Air announced further growth of its low fare route network and launched three new services from Budapest to Liverpool and Reykjavik, commencing in March as well as a Budapest-Ibiza service commencing in June. With this announcement, Wizz Air is now expanding its Hungarian offer by connecting a 23rd country accessible with Wizz Air’s low fares – Iceland. Reykjavik is consid...
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced it is expanding its activities to prevent payment fraud in the air travel industry. Payment fraud costs the industry an estimated $858 million annually, approximately $639 million of which is borne by airlines and the remainder by other participants in the travel value chain, including travel agents. IATA is cooperating with Ypsilon N...
Abu Dhabi based Falcon Aviation is to fly the latest generation AW169 following the delivery of two AW189s in July 2015, reports European Business Air News. "We have established our position as a market leader in executive aviation services and offshore oil support in the Middle East," said COO Raman Oberoi. "I believe that we are setting the benchmark for the industry in terms o...
Abu Dhabi Air Expo has said it will be displaying 150 business aircraft during the event which will take place on March 8-10, 2016 at Al Bateen Executive Airport, reports the Khaleej Times. The fourth show, which is held every other year, will put on static display 150 ultra light business jets and helicopters. As part of Abu Dhabi Air Expo, Abu Dhabi Heli Expo will run in parallel, sh...
