Seen here during in-flight refuelling trials, the M-346 was conceived to satisfy the training requirements for pilots destined for the latest generation of combat aircraft such as the Typhoon, Rafale, Gripen, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. Its chief characteristic is to allow students to acquire the crucial operational skills - such as aircraft handling at high energy levels and systems and mission management - on an aircraft having much lower costs. The first pre-series aircraft is about to be rolled out, and the Italian Air Force has granted a budgetary allocation for 15 examples.

Почти все, что связано с проектом A380, было огромным: риски, затраты, амбиции и сам самолет. Зато, к счастью для разработчиков, расход топлива оказался очень низким. Первый начавший широкую эксплуатацию заказчик - авиакомпания "Singapore Airlines" - сообщила о снижении расходов на 20 процентов по сравнению с самолетом 747-400.
An historic ceremony on October 15, 2007 marked formal hand-over of the first Airbus A380 to a customer, when Singapore Airlines took delivery at the Toulouse factory in France of A380-841 9V-SKA (c/n 003, ex F-WWSA). The aircraft is seen here on September 13 during a pre-delivery test-flight. It was due to depart for Changi Airport on October 16, arriving there the following day and its inaugural service will take place on October 25-26 with a special charity flight between Singapore and Sydney. Daily scheduled services on the same route will then commence on October 28.
It should come as no surprise to see the A380 included in the top ten aircraft programmes as the type undoubtedly fills a niche in the large airliner market. In its latest market forecast, Airbus predicts a need for 1,700 very large aircraft within the next 20 years. Although it was bedevilled by production problems early on in the flight test programme, these appear to have been resolved and it is now in revenue service with Singapore Airlines.

Looking to the future, there is no doubt that UAVs and UCAVs will take over many of the tasks presently performed by manned aircraft. Unmanned air vehicles have traditionally carried out reconnaissance of high-threat areas, but UCAVs have more recently been used for strike missions. Once UAVs have been certified for flight in controlled air space there is likely to be a massive leap in the numbers operated by civilian and paramilitary users. The figures in this photograph of a Global Hawk give scale to the 130ft 9in wingspan UAV.

Boeing has invested in the Dreamliner, which is intended to replace medium-sized aircraft, such as the 757, 767 and various Airbus designs. Its conventional external appearance belies the many revolutionary technologies that have been incorporated in the design. These include such things as the considerable use of composite materials in the fuselage and advanced systems - the 787 is close to being an 'all-electric' aircraft.

В ценах 2007 года стоимость Eclipse 500 составляла 2,15 млн долларов. Первый полет самолета с двигателями Pratt & Whitney PW610F состоялся 31 декабря 2004 года, а сертификат типа получен 30 сентября 2006 года. Производство прекращено в 2008 году из-за финансовых трудностей, испытываемых фирмой "Eclipse Aviation".
Eclipse Aviation completed 103 Eclipse 500 very light jets in 2007, in the process of which it produced 100 aircraft faster than any other manufacturer in history. In addition to offering business travellers a relatively inexpensive mode of convenient transport between cities, the Eclipse 500 has recently found a market as an ab initio trainer. The Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Flight Academy ordered 12 last November for delivery starting in March 2008.

Разработка двигателя P&W F135 для истребителя F-35 осуществлялась на базе двигателя F119, установленного на истребителе F-22 Raptor. Двигатель развивает максимальную форсированную тягу 191,26 кН. Для разных модификаций самолета предусмотрены отдельные модификации двигателя.
By designing three variants of the F-35 Joint strike Fighter Lockheed Martin intends to disprove the old adage 'Jack of all trades, master of none’. Among the aircraft that it will replace are: F-16 and A-10 (F-35A); F/A-18B/C, AV-8B and GR.7/9(F-35B); F/A-18B/C (F-35C).