Airbus yesterday delivered the first Airbus A380 to Korean Air. The carrier based in Seoul, South Korea, ordered a total of 10 A380s, with the first five to be delivered in 2011. Korean Air is the sixth international operator of the A380, they chose Engine Alliance GP7200 engines to power their Super Jumbos. Their first Airbus A380 (HL7611) will be operated on non-stop flights from Seoul to North America and Europe. A total of 234 A380s have been ordered from 18 customers to date, including carriers from all three major global airline alliances: oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance. Airbus has released these great photos from the delivery ceremony which took place in Toulouse, France. Photos: (c) Airbus

Embraer announced the delivery of the first of two Embraer 190 jets for Air Astana, the national flag carrier of Kazakhstan. The airline, with headquarter in Almaty, will operate the airplane on a lease agreement from Jetscape, Inc., a Florida-based aircraft leasing company. Air Astana also signed a lease agreement with Air Lease Corp. for two additional aircraft, which are scheduled to be delivered in 2011 and 2012, and is discussing the acquisition of two additional Embraer 190 jets directly with Embraer. Air Astana selected the E190 to fill a capacity gap between its Fokker and Airbus fleets. Air Astana’s Embraer 190 is configured in a dual-class layout, with 97 seats – nine in Business Class and 88 in Economy Class. The aircraft will be operated on domestic and international routes from both Almaty and Astana. Source: Embraer

This week’s Flickr Photo of the Week is this beautiful shot of a KLM Boeing 747. The Dutch Queen of the skies gently dives into the thick clouds shortly after takeoff from Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (EHAM). (c) Photographer: nustyR AirTeamImages Did you know that your photo could be featured here, too? Just enter the Flightstory Flickr Photo Contest.

Normally I don’t post advertising but this could be quite interesting for you. The official Airbus merchandise online shop currently offers a discount of 70% on all products! As if that wasn’t great enough, additionally you get free shipping and a “Remove Before Flight” keyring for free with every purchase. To be more specific, they offer aircraft models for as little as €4.50, t-shirts for €5.70, polos for €9.00, caps for €4.50 and they even have a discount on pilot watches for just €22.50! They’re doing this clearance sale to make room for new products. Since Airbus changed its logo some time ago, many new products with changed corporate design are coming in June. So please note that current products are all still wearing the old Airbus logo. But its great anyway! (… and no, I don’t get any commission)

Date: 05/18/2011 5:30 p.m Location: Point Mugu NAWC Naval Air Base, CA Aircraft Type: Boeing 707-321B Registration: N707AR Operator: Omega Air Flight: 70 Phase: Take-off Level of Damage: Destroyed Injuries & Fatalities: None During takeoff from Point Mugu Naval Air Base a Boeing 707-321B Tanker operated by Omega Air went off the side of the runway into a marsh area and burst into flames. Fortunately all three people onboard survived the crash. According to media, the military tanker plane had loaded 150,000 pounds of jet fuel. Image source and more information: http://aeropacific.blogspot.com/ Source: FAA

Sikorsky Aircraft recently announced that the U.S. Government has agreed to sell 15 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to the Swedish Armed forces. The Swedish Armed Forces will use the aircraft for medical evacuation, utility, and search and rescue missions. Sikorsky will deliver six of the helicopters in 2011 and the remaining in 2012. The sale represents the introduction of the latest and most technologically advanced Black Hawk model into Europe. The UH-60M helicopter is the latest version in the long and highly successful Black Hawk family. It provides additional payload and range, advanced digital avionics, improved handling qualities and situational awareness, active vibration control, and improved survivability compared with the predecessor UH-60L model. Sweden will become the 26th nation to operate Black Hawk helicopters and only the second in Europe, where Austria operates UH-60L models. Photo: (c) Sikorsky Source: Sikorsky

The first two Boeing KC-767 aerial refueling tankers for the Italian Air Force (ItAF) today formally entered into service. Italy has ordered four KC-767 Tanker Transport aircraft, designed for in-flight aerial refueling and strategic transport, to replace the ItAF Boeing 707T/T fleet. Since their delivery, the first two KC-767 tankers have been engaged in aerial refueling training missions with ItAF crews. The Italian Air Force KC-767A can be configured to carry all passengers, all cargo, or a combination of passengers and cargo. In any configuration, the KC-767 provides an aerial refueling boom with a remote aerial refueling operator station, as well as wing pod and centerline hose and drogue systems, and a refueling receptacle. The Boeing KC-767 is a military aerial refueling and strategic transport aircraft developed from the Boeing 767-200ER. The tanker has been developed for the Italian and Japanese air forces, who ordered four tankers each. Financing ...

Embraer announced today the acquisition of three Legacy 650 executive jets by Comlux. The business jets will be operated by the Fly Comlux Division, in Kazakhstan. The agreement includes options for another four aircraft. The first delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011. The aircraft will be available for charter by Comlux customers. The Legacy 650 is a derivative of the Legacy 600. It will enable Comlux to fly up to 13 passengers in a comfortable, functional and elegant interior with three distinct cabin zones and a spacious galley, as well as the largest in-flight accessible baggage compartment of its category. The two companies also agreed to cooperate in opening a service center for the Legacy 650 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to support the Central Asia market. The Legacy 650 extended-range aircraft is one of the largest executive jets able to operate in restricted airports such as London City ...

Airbus announced a rebranding for its corporate jets. The rebranding includes a new ACJ logo, new colours and aircraft model names that reflect “aircraft improvements, the company’s culture of innovation and family commonality”. The new colours comprise metallic-blue shading on the fuselage and tail, highlighted by flowing curves that echo the colour schemes often chosen by Airbus corporate jet customers, and are accompanied by a new “Airbus Corporate Jets” logo. “Airbus ACJ” will now precede the model of the airliner from which each corporate jet is derived, with the A318 becoming the Airbus ACJ318, and so on throughout the family, all the way up to the Airbus ACJ380. Airbus corporate jets feature cabins that allow customers to take into the air the comfort and space that they already enjoy at home and in the office, as well as features that differentiate them from their airliner counterparts. For the Airbus ACJ318, ...

Date: 05/14/2011 05:55 Location: Los Angeles, CA Aircraft Type: Airbus A321-231 Registration: N540UW Operator: US Airways Flight: AWE1498 Phase: Standing Level of Damage: Minor Injuries & Fatalities: None US Airways flight AWE1498 (an Airbus A321-231 (N540UW)) was holding on a taxiway at Los Angeles LAX when debris was falling down from another aircraft. The debris struck the Airbus and cracked its windshield. Source: FAA

Boeing filed an interesting patent for a newly designed commercial airliner. According to the patent application, the airliner is designed to be more eco friendly and to reduce the level of noise and infrared radiation. The concept aircraft features forward swept wings and engines mounted higher than the wings. Vertical stabilizers are mounted on each wing outboard of the engine. The aft deck extends far behind the engines and includes an upwardly rotatable pitch control surface. This control surface may deflect noise and heat from the engines upward, like during takeoff or approach. The engine type was not specified but may vary between turbofans, prop-fans (unducted fans) and turbo-probs. Main wings are mounted above the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The design also features canards that will be mounted above or below the axis. The canard may be fully rotatable to provide a significant control authority. The canard could be ...

This week’s Photo of the Week is a little different than the others. It’s no high-tech jet fighter performing some stunning aerobatics, no historical plane and no shiny airliner. Yet it’s a photo that reflects the true beauty and spirit of aviation. A man and his machine having a great time in the air! Riding his UL plane through this beautiful scenery surely must be one of the most enjoyable things in his life. (c) Photographer: John Romero Did you know that your photo could be featured here, too? Just enter the Flightstory Flickr Photo Contest.

Lufthansa posted these awesome photos of a Lufthansa CityLine Bombardier CRJ900 on their Facebook page. Lufthansa CityLine currently operates 12 Bombardier CRJ900 and 20 Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets. The CRJ900 is a stretched 76-90 seat version of the CRJ700. The Bombardier CRJ900 directly competes with the Embraer 175. Photos: (c) Lufthansa

At a press conference held yesterday, French Aviation Investigation Board, Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile (BEA), released these new photos of the Air France AF447 recovery. The Airbus A330-203, registration F-GZCP, crashed on June 1 2009 en route from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to Paris (France) into the Atlantic Ocean. Since 2 years a large recovery operation consisting of several ships and robots tried to localize and recover Flight Recorders and wreckage, to be able to solve this mysterious crash. The AF447 wreckage was found 3 April 2011. The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was found and recovered on 1 May. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) was localized on 2 May 2011 and raised on 3 May. Both flight recorders have been transported to the BEA yesterday. Photos: (c) BEA

Boeing announced that the planemaker today delivered the first of six Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifters to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force and Air Defence. “It is with great pride that we accept delivery of our first C-17, which will help expand our ability to perform humanitarian and strategic-lift missions in the region and around the world,” said Maj. Gen. Staff Pilot Mohammed bin Suwaidan Saeed Al Qamzi, UAE Air Force and Air Defence commander. “The C-17’s advanced capabilities, high reliability, and mission readiness rate met all of our requirements.” The UAE will take delivery of three more C-17s this year and two in 2012 as it modernizes its airlift capabilities. The C-17 is already operated by the U.S. Air Force, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, NATO and Qatar. In addition to the newest operator United Arab Emirates, India has also placed a preliminary agreement to order the ...

This week’s Photo of the Week is this F-15C Eagle going up into the cloudy sky of Oregon. As the American jet fighter rumbles into the clouds its powerful afterburners add the only color spots to the dramatic dark scene. High speed combined with humid air creates absolutely stunning vapor trails. The Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine tactical fighter designed to gain and maintain air superiority in aerial combat. It is considered among the most successful modern fighters. The Eagle entered service in 1976 and is expected to be in service with the US Air Force until 2025. (c) Photographer: Eagle Driver Wanted Did you know that your photo could be featured here, too? Just enter the Flightstory Flickr Photo Contest.

Date: 05/05/2011 21:04 Location: New York-LaGuardia (LGA/KLGA) Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas MD-83 Registration: N966TW Operator: American Airlines Flight: AA366 Phase: Landing Level of Damage: Unknown Injuries & Fatalities: None Weather: 052104Z 31017G25KT 10SM SCT095 17/M04 A2988 Description: American Airlines flight AA366 on landing the left wing tip struck the runway and executed a missed approach. The airplane landed on second attempt without incident. Source: FAA

Today the first Airbus A380 for Korean Air (MSN 035) took off to the skies for final flight tests. The tests are being carried out at Airbus Hamburg (Germany). During the upcoming flights, all cabin systems will be tested, including air conditioning, galleys, lavatories and in-flight entertainment. Airbus will also undertake advanced general performance tests with the aircraft before it flies to Toulouse for preparation for delivery to the airline. Photos Korean Air will become the sixth operator of the Airbus A380. The Asian carrier will operate the A380 from Seoul to destinations in Asia, followed by non-stop long-haul services to North America and Europe. The airline has ordered 10 A380s. Current A380 operators are Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Qantas, Air France and Lufthansa. Photos: Airbus S.A.S

Written by: Krisana Gallezo The first batch of the 20 orders of Boeing 787 Dreamliner by the national airline of Singapore will no longer be expected this year as originally scheduled due to the manufacturer’s production technicalities. Deployment of the 20 Airbus A350-900 XWB aircrafts was likewise postponed to 2013 instead of next year, according to the management of Singapore Airlines (SIA). “We remain in talks with Boeing on revisions to the delivery schedule for the B787-9s. We can confirm that our first 787 delivery will not be in 2011,” SIA Vice President for Public Affairs Nicholas Ionides told Singapore Business Review. “The Airbus A350 XWB-900s, [meanwhile] of which SIA has 20 on firm order, are scheduled for delivery starting from FY2013/2014,” he added. Boeing was rolled out in 2007 in the global market. The entry into service date, initially planned for 2010 however was postponed to 2013 as ...

Virgin Galactic today announced that SpaceShipTwo (SS2), the first commercial space ship, successfully demonstrated its unique reentry “feather” configuration for the first time. After a 45 minute climb SS2 was released from VMS Eve in 51,500 feet. The spacecraft established a stable glide profile before deploying, for the first time, its re-entry or “feathered” configuration by rotating the tail section of the vehicle upwards to a 65 degree angle to the fuselage. It remained in this configuration with the vehicle’s body at a level pitch for approximately 1 minute and 15 seconds whilst descending, almost vertically, at around 15,500 feet per minute, slowed by the powerful shuttlecock-like drag created by the raised tail section. At around 33,500 feet the pilots reconfigured the spaceship to its normal glide mode and executed a smooth runway touch down. The re-entry from space has always been considered as one of the most technically challenging ...

Australian airline Virgin Blue is going to be relaunched carrying a new identity, logo and livery. The airline’s name will be changed to Virgin Australia. The first plane wearing the new face of Virgin Australia, an Airbus A330, was recently spotted. At a press conference to be held at the carrier’s Sydney Airport terminal on Wednesday morning, Virgin Blue Group CEO John Borghetti and Sir Richard Branson will unveil the new Virgin Australia brand. Photo: jksc More at http://www.ausbt.com.au/virgin-blue-to-relaunch-today-as-virgin-australia

These videos of a Tupolev Tu-154 that apparently is out of control emerged on the internet. The plane – RA-85563 – which is operated by Russian military was filmed on 29.04.2011 at Chkalovsky Airport (CKL/UUMU). The military airport is based near Shchyolkovo, 31 km northeast of Moscow (Russia). Circumstances that have led to this video are unknown. Whether it was a controlled test flight to operate the plane beyond its technical limits, a crazy flight display or a technical failure. As of January 2011, since 1970 there have been 110 serious incidents involving the Tu-154, with 69 hull losses in total. Due to several incidents in the recent past, on January 2, 2011, Russia’s Federal Transport Oversight Agency advised airlines to stop using remaining examples of the Tu-154 (B variant) until a fatal fire incident in Surgut (Russia) had been fully investigated. On February 20, 2011 Iran set a ...