Russia,November 21st.
First IL-76MD-90A aircraft transferred to the Air Force at the flight-test complex Aviastar-SP, located in Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airport.

Moscow, November 27. On November 26, 2014 the eleventh Sukhoi Superjet 100 was received by Aeroflot. The SSJ100, with the tail number RA-89028, named after the Air Chief Marshal of the USSR and renowned pilot of the USSR Boris Bugaev was delivered to the airline under the financial leasing agreement between Sberbank Leasing and Aeroflot.

?This particular aircraft marks the start of the second ten of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 deliveries to our launch customer pursuant to the contract signed earlier this November. It is expected that by the end of 2014 Aeroflot will receive five more aircraft of this type. It should be noted that everything necessary is provided for the efficient operations of SSJ100 in Aeroflot fleet?, ? said SCAC President Mr. Ilya Tarasenko.

27/11/2014

Prime Minister Cameron attends acceptance ceremony at RAF Brize Norton.

Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the first Airbus A400M new generation airlifter to the Royal Air Force, beginning the next stage of the transformation of the United Kingdom?s air mobility fleet.

The aircraft is the first of 22 ordered by the UK and will be known in service as the A400M Atlas.

Prime Minister David Cameron was today guest of honour at a ceremony to celebrate the acceptance of the aircraft at RAF Brize Norton, which is in his parliamentary constituency, where the entire Atlas fleet will be based. He was accompanied by Minister for Defence Equipment Support &Technology Philip Dunne.

Executive Vice President Military Aircraft, Domingo Ure?a Raso, said: ?It is an enormous pleasure to see the A400M entering service with the RAF which is one of the leading exponents of military air mobility worldwide. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all our employees, especially those in the UK, as well as OCCAR and our UK customer for making this day possible.

?Airbus Defence and Space is today privileged to be the biggest provider of large aircraft to the RAF and we are absolutely committed to executing that responsibility to the very best of our abilities for many years to come.?

The A400M will replace the C-130 in RAF service but, because it can carry approximately twice as much load, or the same load twice as far, fewer aircraft will be required.

Uniquely it is able both to cruise at jet-like speeds and altitudes over intercontinental ranges due to its extremely powerful engines and advanced aerodynamic design, as well as to operate repeatedly from short and unprepared airstrips close to the scene of military action or humanitarian crisis.

At Brize Norton the A400M will operate alongside the RAF?s Airbus Voyager multi-role tanker transport fleet. The wings of both aircraft are built in the UK at Filton and Broughton respectively. Additionally the Voyager?s engines are produced in the UK by Rolls-Royce, which is also a member of the Europrop International consortium that produces the A400M?s TP400 engines.

Altogether the A400M supports some 8,000 jobs in the UK including around 900 Airbus Group employees working directly on the aircraft at Filton. To date eight nations have ordered 174 aircraft of which the first seven have now been delivered.

1 December 2014 Press Release

Azul Brazilian Airlines has signed a purchase agreement for 35 A320neo Family aircraft. The airline, which is also leasing another 28 A320neo aircraft, has chosen the A320neo Family to carry out domestic long haul flights and high density routes, including Campinas ? Salvador and Campinas ? Recife. For Azul, an important driver for selecting the A320neo was the aircraft?s low operating costs and excellent fuel efficiency. Azul has selected CFM engines for their A320neo fleet.

?Azul is an airline that truly serves all of Brazil. With more than 100 destinations , Azul will soon offer even more seats on our longer haul flights, allowing us to reduce operating costs,? said David Neeleman, CEO and Founder of Azul. ?In addition to its market leading economics, which will allow Azul to stimulate new demand, the A320neo is also a perfect complement to our E-Jet fleet, giving us additional seats and capacity that can be dedicated to strategic projects like TudoAzul, Azul Viagens and Azul Cargo.?

?Airbus welcomes Azul to the A320 Family and is proud that they will rely on the A320neo?s unbeatable productivity and fuel efficiency to expand their services,? said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. ?We are pleased that Azul recognizes Airbus? commitment to Brazil and the importance of operating the high performance A320neo in key airports such as Santos Dumont in Rio. This order truly underscores the leading position of the A320neo in the single aisle market.?

In April, Azul announced that it would start operating long haul flights by early December. The airline expects to fly new international routes with a fleet of 12 leased wide body Airbus aircraft, including seven Airbus A330-200 and later five Airbus A350-900 equipped with Rolls-Royce engines.

Airbus has obtained regulatory approval for training of A350 XWB airline pilots in accordance with the original goal of an A330/A350 ?Common Type Rating? (CTR). This will enable Azul pilots to benefit from reduced training time in the transition from one Airbus jetliner model to another, resulting in significant benefits for airline profitability, pilot productivity and scheduling flexibility.?

ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 2, 2014 ? The National Training and Simulation Association selected the F-35 Lightning II Training System for the 2014 Modeling & Simulation Awards.

The award recognizes the U.S. Air Force?s 33rd Fighter Wing, the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] for delivering an effective, immersive training experience for F-35 pilots and maintainers. The joint team was one of six winners across industry and defense honored for advancing modeling and simulation technologies.

In an effort across 12 nations, the F-35 Lightning II program serves as the centerpiece of the 21st century global security strategy. Unique to the F-35, the majority of pilot and maintainer qualification is accomplished through simulation for efficient mission readiness.

?F-35 pilots and maintainers prepare with a revolutionary training system,? said Col. Todd Canterbury, Commander, U.S. Air Force, 33rd Fighter Wing. ?We train like we fight to provide the foundation that the United States and our international partners require to take the F-35 into initial operations.?

?The comprehensive training technology suite delivers the experiences that enable F-35 teams to maximize the aircraft?s sensor information and stealth,? said Mary Ann Horter, vice president of F-35 Sustainment Support at Lockheed Martin?s Mission Systems and Training business. ?Flexibility is fundamental to the design, providing the ability to accommodate the three aircraft variants and all F-35 services.?

Formal training began in 2013 at the F-35 Lightning II Integrated Training Center located at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. To date, more than 140 pilots and 1,500 maintainers for the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, the U.K. and the Netherlands have graduated from the F-35 Training System.

Now that's a flight SIM
DUBLIN, Dec. 1, 2014 -- Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Ryanair have finalized an order for 100 737 MAX 200s, valued at $11 billion at current list prices. The order, originally announced as a commitment in September, includes options for 100 additional 737 MAX 200 airplanes, and makes the Irish low-cost carrier the launch customer for the newest member of the 737 MAX family of airplanes. Pictured here is a 737 MAX 200 in Ryanair livery.

IRAQ
"Iran has conducted air strikes against Islamic State (IS) in eastern Iraq in recent days(Using F-4 aircraft), a Pentagon spokesman says.
Rear Adm John Kirby said the US, which has conducted its own air strikes in Iraq, was not co-ordinating with Iran.
Without confirming the air strikes directly, a top Iranian official also dismissed talk of co-operation."

3 December 2014 Press Release

Finnair, a launch customer for the A350 XWB, has signed an agreement, firming up the order for eight additional A350-900s. Finnair was the first airline to select the A350 XWB and will be the first European airline in autumn 2015 to receive the all new Airbus Widebody. Finnair?s A350 XWBs will seat 297 passengers in a two class configuration. The aircraft will be deployed on Finnair?s long-haul routes to Asia and America.

"Our strategy centers on growth, taking advantage of the unique geographical location of our Helsinki Hub, which offers the fastest connections between Europe and Asia. The A350XWB aircraft will be essential in delivering on our strategy, as they enable growth in both passenger and cargo traffic, offer our customers top class travel experience and considerably enhance our cost competitiveness. Firming up the order for additional eight Airbus A350 XWB aircraft demonstrates our commitment to growth and to operating a world class Airbus fleet", says Pekka Vauramo, Finnair CEO." Together with Airbus and our other partners we are preparing to make the A350 entry into service a success.?

??We share a long-standing relationship with Finnair and are delighted by their continuing endorsement of the A350 XWB, which will integrate seamlessly into Finnair?s all Airbus fleet,? said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer ? Customers. ?Finnair will benefit from the A350 XWB?s latest technologies and unbeatable efficiency, enhanced by the unique fleet commonality only Airbus offers.?

Finnair currently operates an all Airbus fleet of 45 aircraft (30 A320 Family aircraft and 15 A330s/A340s). Finnair was launch customer of the A350, and in 2007 placed an order for 11 A350-900s, including an option for further eight. This agreement brings the total committed order to 19 A350-900s. The A350 XWB was designed above all for passengers? comfort and well-being and will provide Finnair?s passengers with an excellent flight experience with the most advanced cabin with wider seats in both business and economy class.

3 December 2014 Press Release

A ceremony was held today at the Airbus (Tianjin) site to celebrate the 200th A320 Family aircraft assembled by the Airbus Tianjin Final Assembly Line (FALC). Daniel Baubil, Airbus Executive Vice President and Head of Single Aisle Family Programme handed over the A319, a member of the A320 Family, to China Eastern Airlines.

Officials from China and Europe, representatives of China Eastern Airlines, Airbus and its Chinese partners, Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), as well as employees of the FALC and Airbus Tianjin Delivery Centre (ATDC), were in attendance.

?The 200th Airbus A320 Family aircraft assembled in Tianjin marks an important milestone of the Airbus partnership with China,? said Airbus China President and CEO, Eric Chen. ?We are happy to deliver this aircraft to China Eastern Airlines, and to celebrate this achievement together with the Tianjin Free Trade Zone and AVIC, our partners. We are committed to providing the world?s best aircraft to our customers and keen to continue our win-win cooperation with China.?

China Eastern is one of the largest airlines in China and was the first Chinese airline to operate Airbus aircraft (A310) in 1985. Today, China Eastern Airlines operates a fleet of more than 270 Airbus Single Aisle and Wide-Body aircraft.

In March 2014, Airbus, TJFTZ and AVIC agreed to extend the successful Joint Venture for another 10 years, from 2016 to 2025. The extension, called ?Phase II?, will include the final assembly of the A320neo Family from 2017 onwards for delivery to the Asian region.

FALC, inaugurated in 2008, is a joint venture between Airbus, the TJFTZ and AVIC. It is the third A320 Family final assembly line in the world after the FALs in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany and the first outside Europe. The ATDC delivered the first aircraft assembled in FALC to Sichuan Airlines in June 2009.

Airbus is the leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive family of airliners on the market, ranging in capacity from 100 to more than 500 seats. Over 14,600 Airbus aircraft have been sold to more than 470 customers and operators worldwide, and more than 8,700 of these have been delivered since the company first entered the market in the early seventies.

Shortly after the delivery of the first aircraft to the country, Airbus started industrial cooperation with China. Today, some 1,100 Airbus aircraft are being operated by Chinese airlines, accounting for some 50% of the total fleet of aircraft over 100 seats in China.

Chinese aviation industry companies have been fully involved in the design and assembly of Airbus aircraft. There are components produced in China on all Airbus commercial aircraft types. Airbus now has four joint ventures with Chinese partners covering training and support, engineering, final assembly and composite manufacturing, in addition to a number of cooperation projects.

SAN DIEGO ? Dec. 3, 2014 ? Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has delivered the first operational MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter to the U.S. Navy. The system will be used by ship-based commanders to improve the Navy's intelligence-gathering capabilities.
The MQ-8C is an upgraded version of the existing MQ-8B Fire Scout using a larger airframe. It can fly nearly twice as long and carry three times more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance payloads.

"The test program will run through the summer as we expect these aircraft to be ready for operations by year's end," said George Vardoulakis, vice president for medium range tactical systems with Northrop Grumman.

The MQ-8C's first ship-board flight tests aboard the USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) will be conducted this winter. The Navy will then assess the system for operational use.

Northrop Grumman is under contract to build 19 MQ-8C Fire Scouts, including two test aircraft. The Navy plans to purchase 70 aircraft total.

SEATTLE, Dec. 3, 2014 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] has completed the world's first flight using "green diesel," a sustainable biofuel that is widely available and used in ground transportation. The company powered its ecoDemonstrator 787 flight test airplane yesterday with a blend of 15 percent green diesel and 85 percent petroleum jet fuel in the left engine. Shown here, the ecoDemonstrator 787 takes off from Boeing Field in Seattle using green diesel.

3 December 2014 Press Release

CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a global leader in transportation finance has firmed up its order for 15 A330-900neo aircraft and five A321ceo aircraft. CIT became one of the launch customers of the A330neo after signing its initial agreement in July 2014, at the Farnborough International Airshow.

?Given our long-term leadership on the A330 program, we are proud to be one of the first customers to sign a purchase agreement for the all-new A330neo aircraft,? said Jeff Knittel, President of CIT Transportation & International Finance. ?These agreements will enable us to provide fuel efficient solutions to our customers as CIT continues to be a leader in providing early access to the most sought after aircraft for our customers.?

?When a leading lessor, CIT, adds the A330neo to its already extensive Airbus widebody portfolio of A330ceo?s and A350-900s, we take that as clear confirmation of our widebody family strategy fully meeting the requirements and expectations of the market,? said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. ?CIT?s repeat order for A321ceo?s, is further evidence of the continuing high value placed by the market on this largest member of our popular A320 Family, which offers the best seat-mile costs of any single-aisle aircraft and the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprint in its class.?

The A330-800neo and the A330-900neo are two new members of the Airbus Widebody Family launched in July 2014 with first deliveries scheduled to start in Q4 2017. The A330neo incorporates latest generation Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, aerodynamic enhancements and new cabin features. Benefitting from the unbeatable economics, versatility and high reliability of the A330, the A330neo reduces fuel consumption by 14% per seat, making it the most cost efficient, medium range Widebody aircraft on the market. In addition to greater fuel savings, A330neo operators will also benefit from a range increase of up to 400 nautical miles and of course all the operational commonality advantages of the Airbus Family.

Rafale nuclear strike mission exercice In French no subtitles.

Excellent

Launch of NASA's newest space vehicle; Orion.

Exciting too say the least.
Mars is the target.
And about time.

MARIETTA, Ga., Dec. 8, 2014 ? U.S. Air Force crews ferried two MC-130J Commando II aircraft assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command from the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Aeronautics facility located here, on Dec. 5. These aircraft will be operated by the 352nd Special Operations Group and will be based at Royal Air Force Mildenhall England.

The Commando II supports such missions as in-flight refueling, infiltration/exfiltration, and aerial delivery and resupply of special operations forces.

5 December 2014 Press Release

LAN Airlines, part of LATAM Airlines Group celebrated the arrival of its first A321 today at Santiago?s Comodoro Arturo Merino Ben?tez International Airport. This marks a significant milestone as LATAM Airlines affirms its regional and global presence as the largest A320 operator in Latin America. The aircraft, the first of 48 of its kind ordered by the airline, will be operated on domestic routes within Chile and joins LATAM Group?s existing fleet of nearly 230 A320 Family aircraft in operation.

The A321 aircraft ordered by LAN have a one-class configuration with 220 seats and feature a new LATAM Airlines Group?s cabin, which is a blend of LAN and TAM cabin designs.

The A320 family?s largest member offers the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprint in its class, and allows for an extended operating range of up to 3,200 nautical miles while carrying a maximum passenger payload; all of which will enhance the efficiency of LAN?s operations within Chile.