Planned transfer of an eventual 21 F-16 Block 30s from the 8th Fighter Wing/80th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, to the 18th Aggressor Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, has now commenced. The first four aircraft landed at Eielson on January 20, 2008. Seen here over South Korea on January 9 whilst still operating with the 80th FS prior to delivery are F-16Cs 86-0305 'AK' (in a white, black and grey 'Arctic Flanker' scheme) and 86-0298 'AK' (in dark blue, light blue and grey 'Blue Flanker' colours), together with another 80th FS aircraft, 86-0286 'WP'.

A formal ceremony was held at Kecskemet Air Base, Hungary, on January 28, 2008 to mark the official acceptance of the final three Saab JAS39 Gripens to be delivered to the Hungarian Air Force. All three aircraft had been flown to the base on December 13 from the FMV facility at Linkoping, Sweden, bringing Hungary up to its full strength of 14, comprising 12 single-seat JAS39Cs and two twin-seat JAS39Ds. All 14 Gripens are seen here lined up at Kecskemet on January 28 in readiness for the formal ceremony.

AgustaWestland AW109N Nexus MM81704 'PS-107', one of the first for Italy's Polizia di Stato, seen during a test flight at Turin-Caselie on February 7, 2008. The Nexus has been developed specifically for operation by various Italian government agencies and the first was recently delivered to the Carabinieri. It is now reported that 17 are on order for the Carabinieri, whilst the Guardia di Finanza will receive seven, three will go to the Corpo Forestale dello Stato and one will join the Servicio Aereo - Polizia di Stato.

Lockheed S-3B Viking N601NA (ex USN/160607) arrives back at the NASA Glenn Research Center at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, Ohio, on December 12, 2007. NASA announced on January 23 that the two-year conversion to transform the aircraft into a state-of-the-art icing research aircraft has now been completed. Work was undertaken at the Boeing facility at Cecil Field, Florida, and latterly at the US Navy's Fleet Readiness Center Southeast at Jacksonville, Florida, from where the aircraft returned in December. Modifications included installation of state-of-the-art GPS, satellite communications and commercial weather radar, whilst the old bomb bays are now filled with research equipment racks. Initial research flights are planned to commence in the autumn from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, to examine icing conditions in the tropical convective layer of the atmosphere.

Wearing 'Greener, Cleaner, Quieter, Smarter' titles, Airbus A380-841 F-WWDD (c/n 004) is seen on February 1, 2008 whilst undertaking the world's first ever flight by a commercial aircraft using a synthetic liquid fuel processed from gas (Gas to Liquids or GTL). The three hour flight from Bristol-Filton in the UK to Toulouse, France, is the first stage of a test-flight programme to evaluate the environmental impact of alternative fuels on the airline market. During the flight, the No 1 engine was fed with a blend of GTL and jet fuel, whilst the other three were fed with standard jet fuel.

British Airways Boeing 777-236 G-YMMM is prepared for removal from the threshold of runway 27L at Heathrow Airport on January 20, 2008, three days after its crash landing there on January 17.

A recent addition to the fleet of Highland Airways, seen here on January 16, 2008 on approach to Inverness, is BN-2B-26 Islander G-SEIL (c/n 2103), formerly G-BIIP with Hebridean Air Services. The aircraft, which was acquired last year and re-registered to the airline on December 12, 2007, has now been refurbished in order to operate the newly awarded Argyll Air Service contract, linking Oban to the islands of Coll, Colonsay and Tiree.

Seen on the production line at Everett, Washington, on February 14, 2008 is the second of six flight test 787 Dreamliners, awaiting join up of the various fuselage and wing sections.

Athens-based Greek freighter operator Aeroland, which currently operates a fleet of four Cessna 208B Cargomasters, has now taken delivery of Dash 8-106, C-FRIY (c/n 351, ex N387BC) 'Island of Mykonos', which has become SX-BVE. The aircraft was previously operated by Caribbean Sun but was then stored at Quebec City after the airline ceased operations. It commenced its delivery flight from North Bay, Ontario, on January 26, 2008, routing via Goose Bay and Reykjavik, Iceland, to arrive at Rotterdam in the Netherlands on January 27. After a 30 minute fuel stop, it is seen here departing from Rotterdam for the next leg of its journey.

Dash 8-103 N810WP (c/n 363), previously operated by Island Air of Hawaii, on the ramp at Goderich, Ontario, on February 4, 2008 after respray by Sky Harbour Refinishing in the colours of its next operator. United Airways of Bangladesh. The second of these aircraft for United, it was registered to Wells Fargo Bank Northwest on November 30, 2007, and had arrived at Goderich for painting on January 12 from Quebec/Jean Lesage International Airport. It is now awaiting the arrival of a delivery flight crew. United commenced operations on July 10, 2007, with a single Dash 8-100, also ex-Island Air, whilst on February 11 the airline’s chairman and managing director, Captain Tasbirul Ahmed Choudhury, said that a Letter of Intent was signed with a Singapore-based company in January to lease an Airbus A310-300. Negotiations are also in progress for the lease of a Boeing 747-300.

This new production Bombardier Dash 8-Q202 for the US Department of Homeland Security/Customs and Border Protection, carrying test registration C-FNZS (c/n 655), was seen at Toronto-Pearson International Airport, Ontario, Canada, on January 18, 2008, fresh out of the paint shop at the Bombardier Customer Delivery Centre in a new toned-down colour scheme.

Seen here arriving at Lajes Air Base in the Azores on January 18, 2008 is sand camouflaged US Navy EA-6B Prowler 161120 'NL-530' from VAQ-133 'Wizards'. It was accompanied by 163048 'NL-531' and 163528 'NL-532' from the same unit and all three departed for the US on January 20. After a six-month deployment to Bagram air Base, Afghanistan, the 'Wizards' were returning to their home base at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, where they arrived on January 21. The unusual scheme was applied in theatre and is not a standard camouflage but was painted largely as a morale booster. The aircraft has since had the normal grey scheme reapplied.

US Navy/VAQ-136 EA-6B 161115 'NF-504' seen on approach to NAF Atsugi, Japan, on December 18, 2007. The aircraft ditched off Guam on February 12, 2008, although all four crew ejected safely.

Royal Air Force/39 Squadron MQ-9A Reaper ZZ201 (USAF/07-0111), the second to join the RAF, taxies out at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, on December 18, 2007, prior to a training sortie. Note that the USAF serial is also still carried on the dorsal fin, together with a 39 Squadron badge. On January 23 the Squadron was officially re-formed at the US base, but will ultimately move back to RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, although not until around 2011-2012.

Seen here at Dublin Airport, Ireland, on January 24, 2008 is former Northwest/Mesaba Airlines Avro RJ85 N508XJ (c/n E2318) en route to South Africa. The aircraft had been in storage at Marana, Arizona, but left there on January 22, routing via Detroit Metro, Goose Bay and Keflavik to Dublin. It then left via Lisbon and Tenerife before going on to South Africa. It had been preceded by two other former Mesaba RJ85s, N505XJ (c/n E2313) and N507XJ (c/n E2316), which left Marana on November 27 and Pinal Air Park on December 24, respectively. Up to five of these aircraft have been acquired, reportedly by Comair.

Artist's impression of the new Cessna 850 Citation Columbus business jet.

Alfa Helicopteros SA315B Lama CC-CGR, which was written-off in a crash in the Andes on February 9, 2008.

Astraeus Boeing 757-23A G-OJIB has been especially converted into the world’s first and only 'Combi' variant of the type to support heavy metal band Iron Maiden on its world tour. The aircraft features this impressive Iron Maiden 'Somewhere Back in Time World Tour 2008’ colour scheme, complete with artwork of the band's mascot Eddie on the tail, and has been christened 'Ed Force One'.

EADS CASA C-295M FAC 1280 (c/n S-033), the first for the Fuerza Aerea Colombiana (FAC - Colombian Air Force), is seen undertaking a test flight from Seville-San Pablo, Spain, on January 24, 2008. Spain offered Colombia a discounted deal in November 2005 to purchase two C-295Ms, seven CN-235s and 12 surplus ex-Spanish Air Force CASA C-212s, although the contract has never been officially confirmed. However, the appearance of this C-295 at Seville effectively confirms that an order must eventually have been finalised.

USAF/Hawaii ANG/154th Wing/199th FS F-15D 78-0562 'HH' returns to Hickam AFB, Hawaii, on January 9, 2008, after undertaking one of the first F-15 missions since the entire USAF fleet of F-15A/B/C/Ds was grounded on November 3, 2007. Only three weeks later on February 1 the aircraft ditched in the sea off Hawaii following unspecified problems, although the pilot ejected safely.

Coulson Flying Tankers Martin JRM-3 Mars C-FLYL 'Hawaii Mars' performs a water drop demonstration in Vancouver Harbour, Canada, on January 17, 2008 during a logging industry convention. Coulson Air Crane took over operation of the last two surviving Martin Mars water-bomber flying boats last year but is struggling to even break even with their operations and is therefore publicising their benefits as much as possible in an effort to gain more fire-fighting contracts.

Although not publicised at the time, deliveries of AgustaWestland AW139s to the Royal Oman Police Air Wing commenced on December 20, 2007, when the first two helicopters, A40-CA and A40-CB, were officially handed-over at Milan-Malpensa, Italy. Seen here a few days earlier on December 17 is A40-CB. The Omani Police have ordered six AW139s, whilst options are also held on a further four.

AgustaWestland AW139 VH-SYJ (c/n 31114) lifts off from Adelaide Airport Helipad Weston February 4, 2008 for its first flight after re-assembly at CHC Helicopters (Australia)/Lloyd Offshore Helicopters' base at Adelaide, Australia. The new production helicopter, which was officially registered on December 20, arrived crated at the CHC facility in Adelaide during the same month and re-assembly commenced in January. After further test flights, pilot conversion and crew training flights,the AW139 will be painted in the colours of the Ambulance Service of New South Wales. It will be operated for the latter from March and is expected to be based in Sydney. CHC has ordered 33 AW139s for its worldwide operation and three of these will be flown on the Ambulance Service of NSW emergency medical services contract.

German Border Police Eurocopter EC120B Colibri D-HSHB (c/n 1514) at its official hand-over ceremony on December 20, 2007. Only just over a month later, on January 29, 2008, it was badly damaged in a training accident.

Indian Air Force (IAF) BAE Systems Hawk Mk 132 Advanced Jet Trainer (A3501 )/ZK142 (HT022), the 22nd of the type for the Indian Air Force (IAF), lifts off on February 4, 2008 from the factory airfield at the company's Brough production site in East Yorkshire for its first flight. This was the first ever production Hawk to make its maiden flight from Brough and the first new production aircraft of any kind to make its first flight from the site in almost 50 years. The last maiden flight from the airfield was by the final production Blackburn Beverley C.1 XM112, on May 15, 1958.

Embraer EMB-201R Ipanema G-19A FAB 0156 was one of two new examples of the type delivered to the Forca Aerea Brasileira (FAB - Brazilian Air Force) during December 2007. The aircraft join three Ipanemas already in FAB service on glider-towing duties with the Academia da Forca Aerea Brasileira.

UK-based company Reaction Engines, based at Culham, Oxfordshire, revealed this concept on February 4, 2008 for a Mach 5 civil transport aircraft design. Developed under the three-year LAPCAT (Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies! programme, which is 50% funded by the European Union, the company has developed a suitable vehicle configuration, dubbed the A2, which would carry 300 passengers over a range of up to 10,600nm (20,000km). The A2 could fly quietly and subsonically out of Brussels Airport into the North Atlantic at Mach 0.9, then accelerate to Mach 5 over the North Pole and across the Pacific to reach Australia in 4hrs 40mins. If there was a demand for it, the A2 could be in service within 25 years and ticket costs could be around the same as a normal business class seat. Reaction Engines have developed the Scimitar liquid hydrogen fuelled engine to power the A2.

The third Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Boeing 737-7ES Wedgetail AEW&C (A30-003)/N359BJ (c/n 33476), which is the first to be modified in Australia, Queensland, for its first test flight following completion. Delivery of the first two aircraft to the RAAF is takes off on January 23, 2008 from RAAF Base Amberley, scheduled for March 2009, with the remaining four on order due by the end of that year.

Bombardier Dash 8-Q402 C-FNQQ (c/n 4191, to be N191WQ), the fourth for delivery to Colgan Air for operation on Continental Connection services, seen on January 17, 2008 at Toronto-Downsview Airport, Ontario, Canada. The aircraft is one of 15 ordered by Colgan's parent, Pinnacle Airlines, together with ten conditional orders and 20 more options, in March 2007 for the Continental operation from a hub at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey. Services from Newark with the new type commenced on February 4, initially to Albany, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Rochester.

Norwegian Air Shuttle's first Boeing 737-800 is seen here during a pre-delivery test flight from Seattle, Washington, on January 15, 2008. The winglet-equipped aircraft, 737-8DY LN-N0B (c/n 34954, ex N1786B), was delivered to the Oslo-based low-fare airline on January 25 on lease from Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management. It is the first of a total of 50 being acquired. This is the first Next-Generation 737 to join the airline's fleet, which currently comprises 22 Boeing 737-300 Classics. Norwegian initially announced lease agreements for eight Next-Generation 737s in May 2007, then ordered 42 737-800s direct from Boeing on August 29, 2007.

Air Berlin Boeing 737-86J D-ABBC (c/n 32625) departs Southend Airport, Essex, on February 3, 2008 after respray. The aircraft is believed to be the first of the airline's 737s to appear in the new colours.

Seen here in a hangar at New Al Muthana Air Base, Baghdad, shortly after arriving on December 28, 2007 is the first Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350 to be delivered to the Iraqi Air Force.