UK Aviation News

Eve Air Mobility has announced that it has reached a milestone in its eVTOL programme with the first partial transition flight advancing the aircraft towards wing-borne flight. During the test flight the rear pusher prop was activated propelling the electrical vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft forward towards traditional winged flight. The aircraft reached a stabilised forward…

Airbus says it remains on course to meet its 2026 targets after delivering more aircraft, securing another wave of major orders and reporting strong growth across its commercial, defence and helicopter businesses during the first half of the year. The European aerospace manufacturer delivered 351 commercial aircraft during the first six months of 2026, up from 306 during the same period last…

Aviation enthusiasts and families are being invited to watch Spitfires and a P-51 Mustang operate from Cornwall Airport Newquay, with a dedicated public viewing area opened for the duration of the flying programme. Flying school Flynqy has partnered with FlyaSpitfire.com to offer passenger flights aboard the historic aircraft, giving people in Cornwall the opportunity to experience some of the…

Aeros Flight Training has unveiled a new initiative designed to strengthen the pathway from flight training to airline employment, announcing the launch of its bespoke “Airline Tagging” programme in collaboration with Wizz Air. The initiative aims to better connect aspiring pilots with airline recruitment opportunities by taking a more holistic approach to student assessment, moving beyond…

Babcock has been confirmed as the key sponsor of the inaugural Hampshire Air Festival, strengthening the event’s links with the UK’s aerospace, defence and emergency services sectors ahead of its debut this September. The engineering and defence company will support the family-focused airshow at Thruxton Aerodrome on the 12th and 13th of September, bringing its extensive aviation expertise to an…

Qatar Airways Cargo has strengthened its UK operation with the introduction of additional seasonal Boeing 777 freighter services to London Heathrow, providing increased cargo capacity between the UK, the airline’s Doha hub and key global markets. The world’s largest international cargo carrier has deployed the extra freighter flights during July on the Doha–London Heathrow–Paris–Doha and…

Embraer has reported a record order backlog of US$34.5 billion (£25.8 billion) for the second quarter of 2026, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of growth and underlining continued demand across its commercial, executive, defence and services businesses. The Brazilian OEM said the backlog increased by 7% compared with the first quarter of 2026 and was 16% higher than the same period last…

The first Airbus A350-1000ULR destined for Qantas’ ambitious Project Sunrise programme has successfully completed a historic non-stop flight from Toulouse to Melbourne, marking another major milestone in the development of what will become the world’s longest scheduled commercial air services. The specially configured aircraft arrived in Melbourne today after a flight of approximately 19 hours,…

The fourth and final trade day of the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 brought another busy day of announcements, business meetings and flying displays, bringing to a close an event that once again demonstrated why Farnborough remains one of the world’s premier aerospace and defence exhibitions. While the opening days of the airshow were dominated by major commercial aircraft orders from…

The 2026 Farnborough International Airshow returned with strong commercial order activity as airlines and lessors scrambled to secure delivery positions stretching deep into the 2030s. Against a backdrop of tight supply chains and backlogged order books, manufacturers focused heavily on firming up commitments for narrowbody workhorses and long-haul widebodies. Leasing giant SMBC Aviation…

The third day of the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 continued the event’s strong momentum, with a steady stream of commercial announcements, defence developments and technology demonstrations reinforcing the industry’s focus on innovation, sustainability and resilience. While the opening days of the show were dominated by major aircraft orders, Wednesday saw greater emphasis placed on…

British electric aircraft developer Vertical Aerospace has made aviation history at the Farnborough International Airshow by completing the first public electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) transition flight at the event. The landmark demonstration saw the company’s full-scale VX4 prototype successfully transition from vertical take-off into wingborne forward flight before returning to…

The second day of the Farnborough International Airshow saw manufacturers continue to announce new aircraft orders and strategic partnerships, with commercial aviation once again taking centre stage as airlines and lessors committed to fleet expansion and renewal programmes. Embraer was among the day’s busiest exhibitors, announcing a landmark agreement with aircraft lessor Azorra for up to 30…

Embraer has secured a major vote of confidence in its growing freighter programme after aircraft lessor Azorra agreed to purchase up to 30 E190F passenger-to-freighter conversion aircraft during the Farnborough International Airshow. The agreement includes 20 firm orders for the Embraer E190F, alongside purchase rights for a further 10 aircraft. The order follows the successful entry into…

Airbus has set out a three year flight test programme for the Wing of Tomorrow project that will see it air test wing extensions that would replicate folding wing technology. Over the next three years Airbus will build, design and test the wing technology and this will involve the European OEM fitting extensions on to a single-aisle airliner from the A320 family aircraft to test and learn about…

Fuji Dream Airlines is set to expand its all Embraer fleet with two more E175 regional jets in a deal announced at the Farnborough International Airshow with the Brazilian OEM. The aircraft will be configured a single-class 84 seat layout and are expected to be delivered in 2027 and 2028 respectively. Shunsuke Honda, President of Fuji Dream Airlines, said, “FDA currently operates a fleet of 15…

Airliner leasing specialist SMBC Aviation Capital has placed firm orders with both Boeing and Airbus on day one of the Farnborough International Airshow 2026. The deal with Boeing was announced first and consisted of 100 737 Max jets, made up of 60 737 Max 10s and 40 Max 8s marking the first order for the large Max 10 variant by SMBC. Peter Barrett, CEO of SMBC Aviation Capital said: “This…