1 July 2014 Press Release

The assembly of Airbus? first A320neo has been completed following painting of the aircraft and the mounting of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines. MSN6101, which will be the first A320neo to fly, will soon start its ground tests to prepare for first flight.

The flight test campaign for the A320neo will kick-off in September 2014, paving the way for Entry Into Service in Q4 2015.

MARIETTA, Ga. July 1, 2014 ? A U.S. Air Force crew ferried the 20th C-5M Super Galaxy to Travis Air Force Base, California, from the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] facilities here on June 30.

Travis? second Super Galaxy, Aircraft 85-0010 was delivered 28 days ahead of the contracted schedule. A total of 52 Super Galaxy aircraft are scheduled to be delivered to the Air Force.

June 30th - Boeing Completes Delivery of Canadian CH-147F Chinooks

(photo Boeing)

In the UK today.
The UK Royal Navy?s first new aircraft carrier has been formally named the HMS Queen Elizabeth, during a ceremony at Rosyth dockyard near Edinburgh, Scotland.

Performed on 4 July by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the milestone marks the completion of the lead vessel?s 65,000t structure, with the Aircraft Carrier Alliance also having started the flood-up of its dry dock before the ship will be floated out later this month.

First Sea Lord Adm Sir George Zambellas says the new carrier?s role ?will be global, strategic and one of inter-service and international partnership.? Current plans call for the Queen Elizabeth to be in use for 50 years, he adds.


The RAF?s newest Reaper remotely piloted aircraft have begun operations in Afghanistan.

Pictures released today show additional Reaper aircraft flying from Kandahar Airfield to gather vital intelligence in support of Afghan, UK and ISAF coalition forces on the ground.

The deployment of five new Reapers means there are now twice as many in Afghanistan operating alongside the Army?s Hermes 450. These aircraft provide real-time, life-saving video to ground commanders, which will continue to be vital to allied efforts to secure internal security in Afghanistan as we draw down allied forces from the country this year.

Reaper can monitor areas of interest for a considerable period of time. This affords the crew time to conduct a detailed assessment of any target, or increase in insurgent activity, the environment in which they are operating and the ability to time any attack to minimise the risk of civilian casualties or unnecessary damage to property.

Although their primary role is gathering intelligence and providing surveillance and reconnaissance support to ground forces, Reaper can also be armed and carry laser-guided bombs and Hellfire missiles when the situation demands it. In over 54,000 hours of operations using Reaper in Afghanistan, only 459 weapons have been fired, which is less than one weapon for every 120 hours flying. Non-armed reconnaissance Unmanned Air Systems have flown almost three times as many operations, flying over 160,000 hours.

A Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter plane arrives at Iraq's al-Muthanna military airbase at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad, July 1, 2014. Iraq's defence ministry said on Tuesday that the second batch of Russian Sukhoi (Su-25) fighter jets that arrived in Baghdad will be used to back Iraqi troops that continue to battle Islamic State militants, previously known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), in the country's northern provinces.

Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter planes arrive at Iraq's al-Muthanna military airbase at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad, July 1, 2014.

A Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter plane lands as it arrives at Iraq's al-Muthanna military airbase at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad, July 1, 2014.

An Iraqi soldier looks at a Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter plane which arrived at Iraq's al-Muthanna military airbase at Baghdad airport, in Baghdad, July 1, 2014.
And in the UK on the weekend.





Brunei International Airport in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, July 7, 2014. An AirAsia flight AK278 with 102 passengers and seven crew members on board from Kuala Lumpur to Brunei skidded the runway at the Brunei International Airport Monday afternoon while it was trying to land during a heavy rain in the counry. Nobody was injured in the accident. (Xinhua/Jeffrey Wong)

Freddie 2.0
Or the longest restoration ever, an excellent read.
LINK - http://www.calgarymosquitosociety.com/feature49/feature49.htm

Scorpion Jet Makes International Debut
FROM HERE - http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/jets/scorpion-jet-makes-international-debut

Battle of Britain Aircraft for sale
Now's the time to win the lotto, Connie Edwards collection which he stored for the last four decades, are now on the market.
LINK - http://www.platinumfighters.com/#!spitfire-mh415/c12uh/c12uh/image17ce
LINK - http://www.platinumfighters.com/#!ha-1112-m1l/c12zi
LINK - http://vimeo.com/99991680
What a time capsule.
Meanwhile in Malaysia
7 July 2014 News in brief
Airbus? versatile A330-200F freighter delivered some important freight for MASkargo this spring, flying two live giant pandas ? named ?Fu Wa? and ?Feng Yi? ? from China to Kuala Lumpur, en route to their new home at Malaysia?s Zoo Negara. Further highlighting the flexibility of the world?s most modern mid-sized freighter, this A330-200F ? which featured MASkargo?s special panda-themed livery ? maintained a climate-controlled environment, with two veterinarians also on-board to ensure the animals? well-being.

USA
Boeing, Air New Zealand Celebrate First 787-9 Dreamliner Delivery

EVERETT, Wash., July 9, 2014 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] celebrated the first 787-9 Dreamliner delivery today with launch customer Air New Zealand. About 1,000 Boeing employees representing the 787 program joined Air New Zealand executives and guests at a unique celebration of this milestone event.

Canada


Roger Hadfield, father of Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, waves from the bombardier's seat after "Sentimental Journey", a Second World War B-17 Flying Fortress, lands at Gatineau Executive Airport in Gatineau, Quebec, on Monday, July 7, 2014. The Royal Canadian Air Force flew the B-17 out of RCAF Station Rockcliffe in Ottawa, delivering mail to Canadian soldiers, sailors and airmen overseas. Hadfield flew the B-17 in the 1960s to conduct aerial mapping. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Justin Tang)
North Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un poses with soldiers during an inspection of the defence detachment on Ung Islet, which is defending an outpost in the East Sea of Korea, in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang July 7, 2014.

Speaking of Warbirds for sale, the Tempest Mk II that was* being restored here in NZ to flyable condition has been sold to an overseas buyer who will still restore it to flying condition. Pity it ain't staying here (I haven't heard a Centaurus since the early 90s) but nevertheless it's good that it will take the skies.

* The restoration was put on hold when the owner/bankroller was killed in a helicopter crash last year, and a new owner(s) couldn't be found here.

Rumour is that its coming too Canada.
Germany
10 July 2014 Press Release

A major milestone for the A380 programme, Emirates and Airbus today celebrated in Hamburg, Germany the delivery of the 50th A380 for the Dubai-based airline. It is the 136th A380 which has been delivered in total.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said: ?Emirates has seen tremendous organic growth in the past 4 years, probably the fastest of any airline in history. We?ve literally added capacity equivalent to what some mid-sized airlines operate, but more significantly, we have maintained high seat loads and profitability. This speaks to the strength of our world-class product, and also our business model which is based on an efficient global hub that connects Dubai to the world, and almost any two cities in the world via Dubai.?

He added: ?The A380 has been very successful for us, and this is reflected in the strong customer interest and high seat factors wherever we?ve deployed the aircraft. The A380 has helped us serve customer demand on trunk routes, operate more efficiently at slot-constrained airports, and also introduce new concepts on-board that have redefined the flying experience. Moving forward, we will see quite a ramp up in the delivery programme and by late 2017 we will have around 90 A380s in our fleet to support existing and new A380 routes.?

Dubai
United Arab Emirates, July 9, 2014 ? Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Emirates Airline have finalized an order for 150 777Xs, valued at $56 billion at list prices. First announced as a commitment at the 2013 Dubai Airshow, the order by the world?s largest 777 operator was part of the largest product launch in commercial jetliner history.

The image here shows the 777X in Emirates livery.

In The UK

LINK - http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPNSuCi_WRpH142rvAF2gGw

Seattle, July 11, 2014 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered to Nok Airlines Public Company Limited (Nok Air) today a special livery Next-Generation 737-800 commemorating the Bangkok-based carrier's 10th anniversary. The 737-800, owned by Ireland-based leasing company Avolon and operated by Nok Air, features the traditional bird-themed livery with the addition of stars, streamers and "10th Anniversary" painted on the airplane to celebrate the milestone. In this photo, Nok Air's brand new 737-800 takes off from Boeing Field in Seattle.

UK
A Eurofighter Typhoon takes off for a flying display during Farnborough International Air Show, Farnborough, England, Monday, July 14, 2014. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

Farnborough Airshow July 14th
And this is real.