Updating the previous report on the loss of Canadian Forces/413 Squadron CH-149 Cormorant on July 13, 2006, the helicopter lost was 149914 and latest reports suggest that there were no technical defects with the helicopter and pilot error may have been the cause of the crash. The Cormorant is seen here on July 14 being lifted from the deck of the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Earl Grey after arrival at CFB Shearwater, Nova Scotia, following recovery operations.

Fuerza Aerea de Chile F-16BM 733 (ex 3-656) seen just after being rolled out of the paint shop at Fokker Services facility at Woensdrecht on June 13, 2006. The aircraft was one of the first six to be delivered, leaving the Netherlands on September 4 with its Chilean markings temporarily taped over.

After 24 years of operation, the Lockheed F-117A Dragon test team, the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group Detachment!, discontinued operations following an inactivation ceremony at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, at 0900hrs on September 15, 2006. The unit operated the only grey F-117 in the USAF inventory, 85-0835 'OT', which is seen here during the last couple of weeks of operation, undertaking a sortie on August 28. Det 1 acted as Air Combat Command's Operation Test and Evaluation unit for the F-117 programme. The unit managed and executed survivability and tactics development and evaluation programmes for F-117 hardware, together with software and weapon upgrades that have maximised operational combat capabilities.

Performing a flypast at a military parade in Libreville, Gabon, on August 17, 2006 were Forces Aeriennes Gabonaises (Gabonese Air Force) Mirage F1AZs TR-KML/239 (seen here) and TR-KMM/244, which are former South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft that have recently been acquired through South African company Aerosud. The survivors of the SAAF Mirage F1AZ fleet had been stored at Hoedspruit Air Base, South Africa, for around ten years trying to find a buyer until, just recently, Aerosud acquired all the remaining aircraft. Aerosud is now actively marketing the Mirages to interested airforces and believes that 18 of the aircraft purchased can be returned to active service.

RAF Kinloss Wing Nimrod MR.2 XV230 takes off for a display at the RAF Waddington Air Show on July 1, 2005. Note the MX-15 camera turret, just visible mounted under the starboard wing. This was the aircraft lost in the fatal crash in Afghanistan on September 2, which killed all 14 crew on board.

US Navy Grumman F-14D Tomcats 164342 'AJ-100' and 163904 'AJ-102' from VF-31 get airborne from their home base at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, on September 9, 2006 to participate in the 2006 Oceana Air Show. The unit is the last US Navy squadron operating the type and this was the Tomcat's last air show appearance before it is finally phased out of service. The squadron was due to retire the last of its F-14Ds on September 22 and commence transition to the F/A-18E Super Hornet during October, finally bringing to an end the US Navy Tomcat era. The prototype Tomcat made its first flight on December 21, 1970, whilst the initial production version, the F-14A, was first deployed by the US Navy in October 1972 with squadrons VF-1 and VF-2.

Консорциум "Airbus" выплатил авиакомпаниям компенсацию за задержку с поставкой заказанных самолетов A380.
Airbus A380-861 F-WWEA(c/n 009), the first to be powered by GP7200 engines, lifts off from Toulouse, France, on August 25, 2006 at the beginning of its maiden flight.

An unusual sight at Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Leicestershire, during August 2006 was former Olympic Airways Boeing 747-212B SX-OAO (c/n 21684), which has been in store there since flying in from Athens on June 12, 2002, but has recently acquired the colours of the ASDA supermarket chain. It was painted up in the scheme, complete with fake registration ‘G-ASDA’, for use as a backdrop as part of the supermarket's annual Driver of the Year awards, which took place on August 20.

Lufthansa City Line's second Bombardier CRJ900, D-ACKB (c/n 15073), seen during pre-delivery test flying as C-GZQU. The airline’s first aircraft, D-ACKA (c/n 15072) was handed-over on June 29, 2006 and ferried Montreal - Keflavik - Cologne on June 30 - July 1 on its delivery flight. It was ferried from Cologne to Munich on July 31 and undertook City Line’s first revenue service with the type on August 1, operating from Munich to Oslo.

Авиакомпания "Flybe" эксплуатирует E195 в 118-местном варианте (все салоны одного класса). В состав приборного оборудования кабины впервые на пассажирских самолетах введены нашлемные дисплеи, что значительно повышает безопасность полетов в сложных метеоусловиях.
UK-based low-cost carrier Flybe accepted its first 118-seat Embraer 195, G-FBEA (c/n 19000029, ex PT-SGD), in a ceremony at the manufacturer's Sao Jose dos Campos factory on September 1, 2006. The aircraft is seen here on July 24 during a pre-delivery test flight. Flybe is launch customer for the Embraer 195 and has placed firm orders for 14 of the type, with options on a further 12. The aircraft, the first production Embraer 195, which had made its first flight on April 24, made a technical stop at Recife-Guararapes Airport the following day before flying on to Flybe's Exeter base, where it arrived on September 3. Configured in a single class layout, the Embraer 195 will be used extensively in Flybe's existing and expanding network, replacing the airline's BAe 146s. Initially, the first aircraft will operate from Birmingham International Airport, but the type will eventually be deployed at all of Flybe's major bases, including Belfast, the Channel Islands, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Southampton.

With former Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN) P-3C CUP Orions now entering service with the German Marineflieger, the days are numbered for the Breguet Atlantic fleet which they are replacing in service with Marinefliegergeschwader 3 (MFG.3) at Nordholz. To mark their impending final retirement after more than 40 years service, Atlantic 61+11, seen here on August 27, 2006, has been painted in this special colour scheme. By December of this year, all the Atlantics will have been replaced by former RNN P-3C CUP Orions. MFG.3 will however continue to operate three signals intelligence (SIGINT) configured Atlantics, although this will be reduced to two as from January 2007. The final SIGINT aircraft is scheduled for retirement in January 2010.

Previously an all-HS.748/Andover operator, Nairobi, Kenya-based 748 Air Services took delivery of their first Dash 8 during August 2006. The former Horizon Air aircraft, Dash 8-102 N828PH (c/n 287), staged through Southend, Essex, on August 20 in the airline's new colours. The aircraft had routed from Ottawa/McDonald-Lester Pearson International Airport, Canada, via Goose Bay, Newfoundland - Narsarsuqi, Iceland - Reykjavik, Iceland - Southend. It is seen here departing Southend on August 21 for Pescara, Italy, en route to Nairobi/Wilson Field. Note that the company name is reversed to 'Air Services 748' on the starboard side, but applied normally as 748 Air Services on the port side.

Evidence that progress is finally being made on the Airbus A400M military airlifter programme is provided by this view of the fuselage of the first prototype, c/n 0001, on July 24, 2006 being put together in the Integrated Fuselage Assembly jig at Airbus Deutschland's new manufacturing facility in Bremen, Germany. Once completed, the fuselage assembly will be transported to the A400M final assembly line in Seville, Spain. First flight is scheduled for January 2008.

C-5M - новейший вариант семейства Galaxy с двигателями General Electric CF6-80C2 и новой авионикой. Его первый полет состоялся в 2002 году. Модернизировать по стандарту C-5M решено все оставшиеся C-5B и C-5C, а также часть C-5A. На фотографии - проходящий испытания C-5M с красной штангой с приборно-измерительным оборудованием.
Lockheed Martin announced on September 1, 2006 that the prototype C-5M Super Galaxy, 86-0013, had completed Dynamic Taxi Testing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on August 25. The aircraft is seen here on August 21 at Edwards, taxiing across a series of ramps on Rogers Dry Lakebed as part of the trails. The primary purpose of the tests was to check the structural strength and flexibility of the new engines and pylons, which are slightly heavier,' when travelling over rougher terrain.

Cessna Aircraft Company announced on September 11, 2006 that the US Federal Aviation Administration has granted type certification to the Cessna 510 Citation Mustang new-generation, entry-level business jet. Cessna currently has 250 orders for the Mustang, meaning that production is now sold out well into 2009. Customer deliveries are scheduled to commence early next year. Seen here during a sortie on June 21 is the second production aircraft, N510KS (c/n 510-0002), which first flew on January 30, 2006, becoming the third and final aircraft in the certification flight-test programme. This aircraft is being used primarily for systems certification, function and reliability tests and post-certification service tests.

Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18B Hornet A21-110 seen over Woomera, South Australia, on August 17, 2006 whilst being operated by the Aircraft Research and Development Unit at Edinburgh, South Australia, for testing of an extended-range Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) variant. The aircraft is carrying two 500lb (227kg) JDAM-ER bombs and two Time Space Position Information pods. The Department of Defence announced on September 12 that it had completed initial tests of the JDAM-ER, which is enhanced with an Australian-designed wing kit that has the potential to significantly increase its range.

Eurocopter AS532AL Cougar tactical transport helicopter 701 (ex F-ZKBL) was officially handed over to the Bulgarian Air Force in a ceremony at the 24th Air Force Base at Krumovo, Bulgaria, on August 28, 2006, following completion of its delivery flight from France. The helicopter, seen here at Marignane on August 21 prior to delivery, is the first of 12 Cougars, comprising eight in tactical transport configuration and four outfitted for the combat search and rescue role, that were ordered in January 2005, with all 12 due to enter service by 2009. The deal also included six AS565MB Panther helicopters for the Bulgarian Navy, the first of which is due for delivery in 2010 and the last in 2011.

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center F-15B N836NA cruises over Roger's Dry Lakebed as it prepares to land back at Edwards Air Force Base, California, following its first evaluation flight on August 10, 2006 as part of the joint NASA/Gulfstream Quiet Spike project. The inset photograph shows the aircraft on the ground at Dryden with the spike fully extended.

Evektor-Aerotechnik team Eurostar 2617, seen here in formation with Czech Air Force Zlin 142 0551, is the first of the type in Czech service and is being operated by the Air Force's AirTraining Centre at Pardubice for basic pilot training. Further purchases, which are likely to involve the improved SportStar variant, are currently being negotiated.

The IRIAF's Northrop F-5E-based Saeghe fighter is seen here on September 6, 2006 whilst participating in the Blow of Zolfaghar military exercises. The aircraft carries serial S110-001, suggesting that the designation S110 may have been allocated to the Saeghe, whilst this would also appear to be the prototype aircraft. It has not been reported whether any further aircraft have yet been built.

Boeing's first EA-18G Growler development aircraft, 166614 (EA-1), lifts off the runway at Lambert International Airport, St Louis, Missouri, on August 15, 2006, at the beginning of its maiden flight. First flight took place only two weeks after the aircraft had been officially rolled out.

Seen here at Torrejon Air Base on September 4, 2006 is newly delivered Bombardier 415 UD14-01 '43-31' (c/n 2064), the first of nine amphibious aircraft purchased by the Spanish Government to help on the fight against the forest fires. This is the first Bombardier 415 for the Spanish Air Force’s 43 Grupo, which already operates a fleet of 14 CL-215Ts at Torrejon. The new aircraft will, however, be assigned to the new Unidad Militar de Emergencies (UME, Military Emergency Unit). Externally the new amphibian can be identified by the fact that it is the only 43 Grupo aircraft without the St Andrew's cross painted on the rudder.

В работе над Boeing 787 Dreamliner участвовали специалисты из многих стран. На первом этапе реализации программы возникла проблема доставки крупных узлов фюзеляжа с разбросанных по всему миру заводов. Как и на "Airbus", специалисты пришли к выводу, что потребуется специальный грузовой самолет. В итоге "Boeing" заключила контракт с предприятием "Evergreen" в городе Тайбэй на переоборудование трех авиалайнеров 747-400 в 747 Large Cargo Freighter путем расширения верхней части фюзеляжа, вместимость которой втрое превысила грузовой объем стандартного лайнера 747-400.
9 сентября 2006г.: в международном аэропорту Тао-Юань, Тайвань, впервые взлетел грузовой самолет Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) (N747BC). Он совершил полет продолжительностью 2ч 4 мин. Первый из них приземлился в Сиэтле 16 сентября 2006 года с нанесенной на металлическую обшивку грунтовкой.
Boeing 747-4J6 N747BC (c/n 25879) gets airborne on September 9, 2006 from Taipei/Taoyuan International Airport (formerly Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport), Taiwan, on its maiden flight following conversion to Large Cargo Freighter configuration for transporting 787 Dreamliner sub-assemblies.

The hulk of Helicsa Sikorsky S-61N EC-FJJ is lifted by crane at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on July 8, 2006 following its fatal ditching north of Tenerife earlier that day.

A new Chinese private carrier headquartered in Shanghai, Juneyao Airlines, took delivery of its first aircraft, new production Airbus A319-112 B6232 (c/n 2879, ex D-AVXN), on September 13, 2006 at Shanghai/Hongqiao International Airport. The aircraft, seen here at Hamburg/Finkenwerder on September 7 prior to delivery, is leased from GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) and configured in an 128-passenger, two-class layout, including eight business class seats. In March 2006 the airline signed lease contracts with GECAS for two A319s and six A320s, whilst by January 2007 the carrier will receive two more A320s to serve on several domestic trunk routes connecting Shanghai, Changsha, Sanya, Taiyuan and Zhengzhou.

Boeing 747-400ERF имел максимальную взлетную массу 412 770 кг - при максимальной массе полезной нагрузки 112 760 кг. "China Cargo Airlines" получила этот B-2425, первый из двух заказанных в июле 2005 года Boeing 747-400ERF, 13 сентября 2006 года. Поставленные машины серии "ER" большей частью были грузовыми.
Seen here on August 25, 2006, Boeing 747-40BERF B-2425 (c/n 35207) is the first 747-400ER (Extended Range) Freighter for China Cargo Airlines and was delivered on September 13. The aircraft is the first of two ordered in July 2005.

Когда выпуск 747-400 близился к концу, "Boeing" и IAI разработали несколько вариантов переоборудования списанных стандартных авиалайнеров в грузовые самолеты. Компания IAI предлагала 747-400SF. На снимке: Boeing 747-400BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter).
Seen here on August 11, 2006 after undergoing Boeing Converted Freighter modifications is former Korean Air passenger 747-4B5 HL-7606 (c/n 24199), which is now ready for redelivery to Korean Air Cargo following the announcement by Boeing on August 22 that it had been completed and certified after modification by TAECO in Xiamen, China. Korean Air began undertaking its own freighter conversions on August 4, when it began modifying a 747-400 at its facilities in Pusan, Korea, using a Boeing 'freighter kit'. Korean Air has six freighter kits remaining on firm order and has options on a further 13.

Авиакомпания "Lionair" начала эксплуатировать 737-900ER, заказав 30 таких самолетов. Первый был поставлен 27 апреля 2007 года в необычной окраске, в которой смешались цвета самой авиакомпании и схема раскраски "Boeing".
Boeing 737-9GPER N900ER (c/n 35680), the first 737-900ER, gets airborne from Renton Municipal Airport, Washington, at 0921hrs on September 1, 2006 for its 1hr 45min maiden flight.

After completion of an 18-month overhaul and refurbish by Basler Turbo Conversions at its facilities in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Mauritanian Air Force Basler BT-67 5T-MAH (c/n 13657, ex 42-93715) is now ready for re-delivery. The aircraft was re-sprayed by aircraft refinishers Sky Harbour Aircraft at Goderich Municipal Airport, Ontario, Canada, from where it is seen getting airborne on August 30, 2006 for a return flight to Oshkosh after completion. It was then due to commence its ferry flight back to its base at Nouakchott, Mauritania, routing via Gander and the Azores. The aircraft had arrived at Oshkosh on May 2, 2005, and in addition to a major overhaul it was also fitted with an engine filter system to alleviate previous problems with sand ingestion in the harsh Mauritanian operating environment.