The A330-900's maiden flight on October 19, 2017, marked the beginning of a 1,400-hour flight test campaign. This involved three prototypes and the first production aircraft, with 1,100 flight hours dedicated to the A330-900 and 300 flight hours for the A330-800, aiming for EASA and FAA Type Certification by mid-2018. The 4-hour and 15-minute flight reached an altitude of 30,125 feet (9,182 meters) and a speed of 502 knots (930 km/h). It aims to establish specific maximum ope

The advancement of Airbus' E-Fan series speeds up the path toward eco-friendly aviation. The E-Fan is introducing more-electric propulsion to the aviation sector. Created under a European program led by Airbus, the E-Fan's groundbreaking initial version was specifically engineered for electric power. This represents a significant milestone in Airbus's roadmap for electric aircraft and the future of electric and hybrid aviation. In a subsequent phase, the E-Fan was upgraded to

By Garth Calitz The world of city travel seems to be in for some massive changes very soon, and Dubai officials say they want theirs to become the world’s smartest city. A project certain to help reach that goal is developing a fleet of autonomous vehicles to handle a quarter of all passenger transport by 2030. Ignoring critics who scoffed at the claim earlier this year that the German-designed Volocopter 2X, recently renamed the Autonomous Aerial Taxi (AAT), would begin test

By Garth Calitz Birds and aircraft have been colliding with significant impacts on both humans and animals since the early days of aviation. The global aviation industry is increasingly acknowledging that bird strikes pose a significant safety threat. Birds are drawn to airport areas to feed or rest and frequently fly over these zones from their feeding or roosting locations. Air traffic in South Africa is on the rise, making it crucial to uphold international air safety sta

By Garth Calitz The squadron was formed on 1 October 1940 and participated as part of the 1 Bomber Brigade in the North and East African Campaign. It later engaged in operations in Sicily, Italy, and Yugoslavia. The Flying Cheetahs remain the only South African Airforce Squadron to have participated in every combat action involving the SAAF, giving them a long and distinguished history. During World War II, 2 Squadron operated the following aircraft: The Hawker Hartebeest, a

By Garth Calitz The proving flight allowed Airlink to showcase its operational proficiency regarding ETOPS (Extended Range Twin Engine Operations) requirements to the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). This is a standard procedure for new air services and is part of the preparations for launching an air service on a new route. A two-day program was organized to include training and audits at St Helena Airport, along with various discussions with key stakeholders

By Garth Calitz Simply mention the name DeLorean, and even today, most people will envision Doc Brown's sleek, gull-winged car from Robert Zemeckis' 1985 film, Back to the Future. There was a time when this might have sufficed for DeLorean's recognition, but not anymore. With the recent introduction of DeLorean Aerospace's DR-7, it's finally time to advance. The DR-7, a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft by DeLorean, currently exists solely as a ⅓ scale model to dem