An updated report on the biggest defence purchase in the nation's history will lob on the desk of Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon later this month.

Natural flyers like birds, bats and insects outperform man-made aircraft in aerobatics and efficiency. University of Michigan engineers are studying these animals as a step toward designing flapping-wing planes with wingspans smaller than a deck of playing cards.

On Wednesday 21 November, TU Delft will demonstrate how improved control techniques can reduce the risk of aircraft crashes. The demonstration involves reconstructing troubled flights – such as the El Al flight which crashed in the Bijlmer area of Amsterdam in 1992 – in a flight simulator and adding the newly developed technology.

Airbus is selling 20 of Airbus' future wide-bodied A350 aircraft to leasing company International Lease Finance Corp. The deal is potentially worth over EUR2.3 billion (US$3.3 billion) on the basis of Airbus' catalog prices.

AerCap Holdings N.V. ("AerCap," NYSE: AER) announced today that it has recently closed the acquisition of a Boeing 737 New Generation ("NG"), which was delivered new from the production line this month.

Britain's largest air carrier - British Airways - has placed its biggest aircraft order in nearly a decade. For VOA, Tom Rivers in London says it spells good news for both European and U.S. manufacturers.

Honda Aircraft Company, Inc., announced a series of major advancements to HondaJet design and to the HondaJet sales and service network at the annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention. The company showcased a completely new interior design concept for the advanced light jet, along with new exterior color scheme studies, and an animated tour of the exclusive HondaJet sales and service facilities.

Cessna Aircraft Company, the world’s leading manufacturer of general aviation aircraft and a subsidiary of Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT), said today it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation to acquire selected assets and certain liabilities of the Bend, Oregon-based aircraft manufacturer.

Inspection of Q400 aircraft main landing gear having accumulated more than 10,000 cycles highly recommended by Bombardier.

GE Honda Aero Engines has begun testing the first full HF120 demonstration engine (including maximum thrust levels) at Honda's Aircraft Engine R&D Center in Japan.