The International Air Transport Association (IATA)—the commercial aviation industry body which sets many of the global standards for aviation—has made ASSET Aviation its official Regional Training Partner in Australia to provide the region’s commercial aviation with local access to internationally-recognised training courses. (The acronym ASSET stands for: Airline Safety Systems Evaluation and Training.) ASSET Aviation International is based in Brisbane, Queensland, ...

Australian Aerospace has announced it will bid to be the prime contractor on the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) Project AIR 9000 Phase 7 Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) tender. The company is currently negotiating with a number of potential industry bid subcontractors. The HATS programme will provide an aircrew training capability for the Army and Navy to meet the ADF’s future ...

The ExecuJet Aviation Group recently opened of two new fixed base operations (FBOs) in Australasia. The first of these—ExecuJet Aviation Group’s first facility in New Zealand—was its Wellington FBO, which opened on November 16, followed by a new FBO in Melbourne, Australia, on November 18, complementing the Group’s established Melbourne MRO (maintenance repair and overhaul) facility. ExecuJet describes both of ...

Air New Zealand’s newest Boeing 777-300ER, the world’s largest commercially operated aircraft to be painted all black, touched down on schedule in New Zealand for the first time on Thursday 12 January at Auckland International Airport. This is the only one of Air New Zealand’s 777s that will wear the distinctive black livery. The design, which first appeared on one of ...

The Massey University School of Aviation’s approach to safety training for pilots has impressed members of the Australian aviation industry. The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) invited Massey’s deputy chief flight instructor, Paul Kearney, to give a guest speech at the National Chief Flying Instructors’ Conference in Canberra last month. Mr Kearney said Massey’s School of Aviation, which celebrates its 25th ...

On 10 November 2011, the Robinson Helicopter company reached a historic milestone in delivering its 10,000th helicopter—an R44 (S/N 13217). The company held a celebration at its Torrance, California, factory in honour of the occasion. In addition to the company employees, representatives from the city, the FAA and many of Robinson’s vendors attended. Frank Robinson, the company’s founder, spoke briefly to ...

Late last month, the RNZAF’s Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Peter Stockwell, commissioned a new flight simulator complex at Ohakea. “The A109 simulator and accompanying Virtual Interactive Procedure Trainer (VIPT) are critical components of the newly introduced integrated training system for future New Zealand Defence Force helicopter aircrew,” said Air Vice-Marshal Stockwell. As a part of that training system, the simulator ...

Last month, Air New Zealand announced it had ordered seven new-generation ATR 72-600 aircraft with purchase options for a further five, worth a total of US$270 million at current list prices. Air New Zealand’s CEO, Rob Fyfe, said the announcement of the deal, which is subject to contract signing, would boost air service connections to regional New Zealand significantly. Air New Zealand’s ...

Heliflite Pty Ltd, the Australasian distributor for AgustaWestland helicopters, has announced that the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust has signed a contract for two new AW169 helicopters, which will be delivered in 2015. The aircraft will be used to perform a wide range of emergency medical service and search and rescue (SAR) missions in New Zealand. The contract marks the entrance of ...

Air New Zealand has re-signed as a major sponsor of the New Zealand Rugby Union for another four years, extending its long-term support for the All Blacks until 2015. The re-signing continues a 16-year relationship between Air New Zealand and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) and maintains the airline’s status as official sponsor of the All Blacks. To celebrate this successful ...