Amongst a record 72 fog diversions (60 executive jets and 12 commercial flights) into Southend Airport, Essex, on December 21, 2006 (the highest number since 1958), was this brand new Eurocopter EC155, G-ISSY (c/n 6757), the first for Bristow Helicopters. Only UK registered the previous day and still in primer, it was en route from the factory at Marignane, France, to Norwich for painting and is seen here departing from Southend just after lunch. It is the first UK registered EC155.

C-21A 84-0090 is escorted into Fargo, North Dakota, on December 10, 2006 by North Dakota Air National Guard (ANG)/119th Fighter Wing/178th Fighter Squadron F-16A 82-0951. The C-21A is the first of eight due to join the 119th FW to replace its F-16s. From around March 2007 the unit will also operate the MQ-1 Predator. C-21 operation is a bridge mission until 2010, when the unit expects to receive the new joint cargo aircraft. Air Mobility Command is retiring its 38 C-21As from service, transferring 16 to the ANG, with the other eight joining the Connecticut ANG's 103rd FW/118th FS at Bradley IAP. The remaining C-21As will join the Air Force Flight Standards Agency at Will Rogers Air Guard Station, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, or be placed in storage at the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.

Seen here are the German Army's first two NH90 TTHs, 78+02 (TGEA02) and 78+03 (TGEA3), which were formally handed over at Eurocopter's Donauworth facility in Germany on December 13, 2006. Also officially delivered on that date was 78+05 (TGEA5), although it had already been delivered to Fassburg for maintenance personnel training.

Macedonian Air Force (MAF)/Transport Helicopter Squadron Mi-8MT 307 flies in formation with Belgian Armed Forces Air Component/17 Squadron medevac-configured Agusta A109BA H06 on September 28, 2006 near Mostar-Ortejes Air Base, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where both have been deployed since summer 2006 as part of European Union mission Operation Althea. On December 27 that Macedonian Parliament approved a further six-month extension to Macedonia's Bosnian operation. Between July 14 and December 31, 2006, the Macedonian helicopter detachment of two Mi-8/17s there had accumulated over 340 flying hours in what was the first ever foreign mission for the MAF.

Среди больших деловых реактивных самолетов особо выделяется самолет A340-600 Prestige. Саудовская авиакомпания "SAADAir" использует эту машину наравне с A320 Prestige.
Airbus announced on December 18, 2006 that private Saudi Arabian business group SAAD Air Ltd has become the first customer to take delivery of a VIP version of the ultra long-range A340-600. The aircraft, A340-642 VP-CCC (c/n 779, ex F-WWJE), is seen here in formation with the company's A320-232 Prestige, VP-CMS (c/n 2403, ex ZK-OJJ with Air New Zealand), which was delivered in April 2005 after refitting from a conventional airliner layout. The Rolls-Royce Trent 500-powered A340, which made its first flight on November 28, has yet to be outfitted with its VIP cabin, which will seat around 80 passengers.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 777-340ER AP-BHV (c/n 33778) is seen here making its first flight on December 8, 2006. The aircraft is the first of three 777-300ERs for PIA and was delivered to the airline on December 21 prior to departing Paine Field, Everett, Washington, the following morning for its new home base at Karachi/Jinnah International Airport. The aircraft's tail carries a unique design representing the southern Sind province of Pakistan. The second aircraft is due for delivery in February.

Embraer 190-100IGW N944UW (c/n 190-00058, ex PT-SIL) was one of the first two of the type for US Airways, which held a dedication ceremony on January 4, 2007 at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, North Carolina, to mark the aircraft's entry into service. The airline has 25 firm orders for the Embraer 190 and options on a further 32. After completion of crew training, the type is scheduled to enter US Airways service on February 11.

Eurofighter Typhoon 7L-WA (AS001), the first of 18 for the Austrian Air Force, seen shortly after roll out at Manching, Germany, on the evening of December 8, 2006.

Arriving at Pisa-San Guisto on January 9, 2007 was C-27J MM.62215, the first for 46* Brigata Aerea of the Aeronautica Militate Italiana (AMI - Italian Air Force), which is seen here in formation with two AMI Eurofighter Typhoons, peeling away as the aircraft passes over the famous leaning bell tower of Pisa's cathedral. A formal delivery ceremony took place at the base on January 11 to accept the aircraft into service with the unit, with which it will take up code '46-80' (callsign 'Lupo 80' - 'Wolf 80' was already painted on the forward fuselage). The first AMI C-27J had been handed-over on October 24 last year but since then the type has been undergoing official AMI testing prior to entering service. The last of 12 aircraft on order for the AMI is scheduled for delivery by 2008.

First aircraft for new London Luton-based airline Silverjet, Boeing 767-216ER G-SJET (c/n 23624, ex G-FJEC of Flyjet), takes off from the airport on December 7, 2006. Another all-business class airline, Silverjet will commence operations on the Luton to New York/Newark route on January 25.

Rarely ever seen when they were in service, the Libyan Arab Air Force's (LAAF's) MiG-25 Foxbats have now been retired. The Libyan Aviation Exhibition, LAVEX 06, held at Metiga Air Base, near Tripoli, on December 4-6, 2006, revealed that seven remain stored on the airfield, where they were previously operated by 1035 Squadron until the late 1990s, when they were grounded through obsolescence and a lack of spare parts. Seen here on December 6 at Metiga is two-seat MiG-25U 207, whilst also present was another MiG-25U, 994, together with MiG-25PDs 903,7708 and 7811, plus reconnaissance MiG-25Rs 485 and 499. Over 60 Foxbats were delivered to the LAAF, the first batch arriving in 1977.

Schweizer Aircraft announced on January 2, 2007 that it had recently delivered the last two of four Schweizer 300C helicopters to the Mexican Navy. Seen here are the first two helicopters outside the factory at Elmira, New York, on October 10, shortly before delivery. Equipped with procedural instrument flight rules flight training instrument panels, all four will be used for initial and advanced rotary-wing pilot training.

Sky Relief Services DHC-5 5Y-SRK seen at Nairobi-Wilson Airport, Kenya, on November 26, 2005. The aircraft was destroyed in a crash on December 30, 2006, although all three crew escaped with minor injuries.

The first aircraft for new French low-cost, all-business class airline L'Avion (previously known as Elysair), Boeing 757-230 F-HAVN (c/n 25140, ex D-ABNF of Condor) seen at Paris/Orly Airport on December 22, 2006. Fitted with only 90 business class seats, the aircraft operated its first scheduled from Paris to New York/Newark airport on January 3 and will operate six flights per week on the route.

Jet2 has acquired three former China Southern Airlines Boeing 757-21Bs and took delivery of the first of these, G-LSAG (c/n 24014, ex B-2801), on January 12, 2007. It was delivered to Southend, where it is seen here on the following day, still in full China Southern livery but minus titles. The aircraft, which had been in storage at Guangzhou, China, arrived via Larnaca, Cyprus, for pre-delivery attention by ATC Lasham. The other two aircraft are G-LSAH (c/n 24015, ex B-2802) and G-LSAI (c/n 24016, ex B-2803).

Seen here at Dublin on November 29, 2006, Boeing 757-256 EI-DUA (c/n 26247, ex N241LF, PP-VTQ) is the first of four former Varig 757-236s being delivered to Krasnoyarsk, Russia-based KrasAir Airlines, part of the AiRUnion Group, on lease from International Lease Finance Corporation. The other three are EI-DUC (c/n 26248, N263LF, PP-VTR), El-DUD (c/n 26249, N271LF, PP-VTS) and EI-DUE (c/n 26250, N272LF, PP-VTT). The first aircraft arrived in Krasnoyarsk on December 2 and entered service on the Krasnoyarsk to Moscow route.

A ceremony at Siauliai Military Airport in Lithuania on December 27, 2006 marked the formal hand-over to the Lithuanian Air Force of its first C-27J Spartan, '06 Blue' (c/n 4115, ex CS.X62216), which had earlier been flown from the Alenia production facility in Turin-Caselle, Italy, to Siauliai on December 21. The aircraft, seen here on November 8 at the factory, is the first of three for Lithuania and had made its first flight in Lithuanian colours in early November, although it had originally been built as the second prototype C-27J and was later used to develop the Italian Air Force configuration. The second aircraft for Lithuania will follow in 2008 and the third in 2009.

Asiana Airlines Airbus A330-323X HL7747 (c/n 803), seen here during a test flight on December 7, 2006, was handed over in Toulouse on December 18, becoming the 100th aircraft to join the South Korean airline and the fifth A330 in its fleet. The aircraft is the first A330 to appear in the airline's new colour scheme and will be joined by a further aircraft in 2007.

Macedonian Air Force (MAF) Zlin 242L VAM-102/Z3-DCN is seen here at Petrovec Air Base on December 26, 2006 following a repaint in a smart new whilst undergoing attention with manufacturer Moravan in the Czech Republic. The other two MAF Zlin 242s will also gain similar colours during 2007.

Roll out of the second specially modified Boeing 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter that will be used to carry 787 Dreamliner components, 747-409 N249BA (c/n 24309), took place on January 7, 2007 at Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation's facility at Tapei/Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan. The aircraft was already painted up in 'Dreamlifter' colours, Boeing having announced on December 7 that this name had been selected as the most appropriate for the type.

The five Grob G.115E Tutors of the Royal Navy's 727 Squadron, G-BYVF, G-BYVK, G-BYVN, G-BYWM and G-BYXK, fly in formation with Royal Navy Historic Flight Chipmunk T.10 WK608 '906' on December 12, 2006 whilst en route from their previous base, Plymouth/Roborough Airport, Devon, to a new home at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset. The move is being made because a study has determined that it will give students flying the aircraft a better understanding of the workings of an operational naval air station.

Upgraded Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout prototype 167784 undertakes its first flight at the Webster Field annexe of Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, on December 18, 2006.

Delivered to Guggenheim Aviation Partners (GAP) on December 20, 2006 for lease to TNT Airways was Boeing 747-4HAFER(SCD) OO-THA (c/n 35232), which is seen here making its first flight on December 12, 2006, marking the first delivery to both customers of a 747-400ER Freighter. GAP ordered six 747-400ERFs in June 2005 and TNT will add a second 747-400ERF from GAP in spring 2007.

An artist's impression of the proposed configuration of Turkey's new indigenously designed Hurkus primary and basic trainer.

The first Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, AA-1, took to the air for its maiden flight on December 15, 2006. The aircraft is seen here during its second flight on January 8, when the undercarriage was retracted for the first time.

Eurocopter UH-72A Lakota 07-2001, the first for the US Army, which was formally delivered on December 11, 2006 at the EADS North America facility in Columbus, Mississippi.