Asia Pacific
Asia-Pacific MRO Sector Faces Labor Shortages as Maintenance Demand Grows
Asia-Pacific MRO operators are facing labor shortages as maintenance demand accelerates, with the ability to meet demand varying considerably by market and some countries seeing acute workforce gaps.
India's Private Aviation Sector Moves Toward Integrated Ecosystem Driven by Wealth Growth and Policy Reform
India's UHNWI population rose 63% from just over 12,000 to 19,877 between 2021 and 2026, fueling private aviation demand as GIFT IFSC lessors leased 203 aircraft by May 2026.
Textron Aviation Receives CASA Part 145 Approval for Australian Maintenance Operations Across Three Service Centers
Textron Aviation said on August 26, 2026 that it received CASA Part 145 approval covering its Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast Service Centers in Australia.
Australia's Air Frontier grounds Baron fleet after Baron 58 crash in Gulf of Carpentaria
Air Frontier grounded all Beechcraft Baron aircraft in its fleet after a Baron 58, registered VH-AKH, crashed on August 25 during a repositioning flight over the Gulf of Carpentaria.
AsBAA's Balmer: Regional cooperation essential to tackle illegal charter and regulatory complexity in Asian business aviation
AsBAA Chairman Phil Balmer said regulatory fragmentation across Asia's roughly 1,100-jet business aviation fleet is pushing some operators into illegal charter activity.
China launches first SAF compliance service for foreign-registered business jets at Beijing Capital International Airport
Sino Jet, partnering with China National Aviation Fuel, launched China's first Sustainable Aviation Fuel compliance service for foreign-registered business jets at Beijing Capital International Airport.
Australia's Horizon Airways orders second Tecnam P2012 STOL, delivery due end of 2026
Horizon Airways has ordered a second Tecnam P2012 STOL aircraft for delivery by the end of 2026, after launching operations with its first P2012 STOL in May 2026.
Australia's Stralis to Shut Down Hydrogen-Electric Air Taxi Startup by End of August 2026, Never Having Launched Passenger Flights
Australian hydrogen-electric startup Stralis will wind down operations by the end of August 2026 after completing its first taxi test in July but failing to close the gap to commercial readiness.
EHang Reports Q2 2026 Results: Revenue Up 203.5% QoQ to RMB 77.9 Million, Net Loss Widens to RMB 128.3 Million
EHang reported Q2 2026 revenue of RMB 77.9 million, up 203.5% from Q1 2026 but down 31.3% year-on-year, as net loss widened to RMB 128.3 million.
Cloncurry Airport faces operational downgrade unless $10 million secured before wet season
Cloncurry Shire Council says it may downgrade Cloncurry Airport's operational status before this wet season unless $10 million in extra funding is secured, restricting heavier jets and FIFO mining flights.
Merlin Receives New Zealand Part 146 Aircraft Design Organization Certificate, Advancing Path to Commercial Operations
Merlin received a Part 146 Aircraft Design Organization certificate from New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority on August 24, 2026, letting its own engineers approve certain aircraft design changes internally.
BAAFEx 2027 to be held in Singapore with 50% attendance growth target
BAAFEx 2027 will run March 22-24 at Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre, targeting more than 3,000 visitors and over 75 companies, a 50% increase on the 2025 edition.
Philippine-Registered Airbus ACJ319 (RP-C3856) Completes Local Flight from Manila
Philippine-registered Airbus ACJ319 RP-C3856 flew a local round-trip from Manila on August 20, 2026, departing at 23:10 and landing back at 00:23 after 1 hour 13 minutes under callsign RPC9181.
CBI Books Former DGCA Director of Flying Training Capt. Anil Gill in Corruption Case Over Aircraft Leases and FTO Approvals
The CBI registered a corruption case on August 21 against former DGCA Director of Flying Training Capt. Anil Gill and four companies over aircraft leases and FTO approvals.
Indian Airlines Face Nearly $2 Billion in Losses as Pakistan Extends Airspace Ban to September 2026
Pakistan has extended its airspace ban on Indian-registered and Indian-operated aircraft to September 24, 2026, pushing India's aviation industry losses to roughly $2 billion.
Singkawang Airport Cancels All Flights as Forest Fire Haze Chokes West Kalimantan Skies
Singkawang Airport in West Kalimantan cancelled all flights on Saturday due to haze from forest and land fires, with Indonesia's Transport Ministry citing visibility as the safety concern.
Klyuchevskoy Volcano Ash Plume Reaches 18,000 ft (5,500 m) as of August 21, 20:00 UTC
A volcanic ash advisory for Klyuchevskoy in Kamchatka reported an ash plume at 18,000 feet as of August 21, 20:00 UTC, following days of higher plumes up to 27,000 feet on August 18.
EHang Launches Global Fast Track Program to Deploy Pilotless eVTOL Aircraft in International Markets, Starting with Sri Lanka
EHang launched a global fast track program on Wednesday to speed up pilotless eVTOL deployment abroad, with Sri Lanka as the first market targeting commercialization within four months.
China's Low-Altitude Economy Approaches Commercial Scale as Regulations, eVTOL Milestones and Market Forecasts Converge
China's revised Civil Aviation Law took effect July 1, 2026, easing airspace rules below 300 meters as EHang's EH216-S began commercial trials in Hefei and Aridge produced its 1,000th electric propulsion unit set.
NTU Singapore completes eVTOL prototype flight test campaign in Germany with DLR
NTU Singapore completed a month-long eVTOL flight-test campaign with DLR in Cochstedt, Germany, flying an 8-metre demonstrator above 90 metres and a 3-metre demonstrator past 120 km/h.
Incheon International Airport Corporation to Host 9th World Aviation Conference on AI Innovation in September
Incheon International Airport Corporation will host the 9th World Aviation Conference in September, focused on aviation AI innovation, expecting more than 1,200 leaders to attend.
Safran and HAL Sign Contract with Joint Venture SAFHAL Helicopter Engines to Develop Aravalli Turboshaft Engine
Safran and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited signed a contract on August 26 with their joint venture SAFHAL Helicopter Engines to develop the Aravalli turboshaft engine.
CoolFly Launches Urban Standing-Position Personal Aircraft at Hangzhou Global Product Launch
CoolFly unveiled its Urban standing-position personal aircraft and Dream series eVTOL models at a Global Product Launch in Hangzhou on 13 August.
EHang withdraws 2026 full-year revenue guidance citing post-accident regulatory caution in China
EHang withdrew its 2026 full-year revenue guidance without replacement, citing slower passenger commercial operation approvals in China after a late-June accident involving a piloted light-sport aircraft.
GTA Holdings Berhad IPO: Malaysian Aviation MRO Specialist Targets Defence and Civil Markets
GTA Holdings Berhad, an aviation MRO specialist operating through subsidiary Global Turbine Asia, is positioning for growth in Malaysia's defence and civil aviation markets ahead of its IPO.
Australian authorities investigate two more taxiing incidents at Sydney Airport amid air traffic controller shortage
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating two more taxiing incidents at Sydney Airport, involving Jetstar, Qantas and Virgin Australia aircraft on August 25 and August 16.
EVA Air and AIT Worldwide Sign Deal to Promote Sustainable Aviation Fuel Partnership Targeting 15,000-Tonne Emissions Cut
EVA Airways and AIT Worldwide Logistics signed a Taipei agreement with Formosa Petrochemical and Microsoft expected to cut about 15,000 tonnes of Microsoft's Scope 3 emissions in the first year.
Guangzhou firms EHang and PCI Technology Group use Hong Kong as base to expand low-altitude and AI rail technology
Guangzhou-based EHang plans a first-flight ceremony in Hong Kong for its two-passenger autonomous aircraft in late August 2026, while PCI Technology Group discusses AI rail-safety systems with MTR.
Fiji Airways Secures Alternative Jet Fuel Supplies, Rules Out Flight Disruptions
Fiji Airways secured alternative jet fuel supplies at Nadi International Airport after a recent delivery from one supplier could not currently be used, and said flights will continue as normal.
Leidos Australia's Mission Equipment Service Centre Named MRO Business of the Year at 2026 Australian Aviation Awards
Leidos Australia's Cairns-based Mission Equipment Service Centre won MRO Business of the Year at the 2026 Australian Aviation Awards after averaging a 15-day repair turnaround in 2025.
SkyDrive Raises Funding from Resona Asset Management Ahead of Planned 2028 Commercial Launch
SkyDrive Inc. secured a crossover investment from Resona Asset Management to support type certification and mass-production efforts ahead of its planned 2028 commercial eVTOL service launch.
China's Lingkong Tianxing Technology Develops Yunxing Hypersonic Passenger Jet, Prototype Reaches Mach 4
Beijing-based Lingkong Tianxing Technology has flown a Yunxing hypersonic passenger jet prototype at Mach 4, targeting a commercial maiden flight by 2027.
SkyDrive, Air India, and Suzuki to Evaluate eVTOL Medical Logistics Routes in India
SkyDrive, Air India and Suzuki began evaluating eVTOL medical logistics routes in India on August 25, 2026, following a Memorandum of Understanding signed July 31, 2026.
Navair Receives New Zealand FAOC Approval for Unrestricted On-Demand Charter Operations
Civil Aviation Authority New Zealand granted Navair a Part 129 Foreign Air Operator's Certificate, removing the prior four-flight annual cap and 28-day gap between charter flights into 13 aerodromes.
Heavy Rain and Thunderstorms in Delhi-NCR Divert Over a Dozen Flights, Airlines Issue Advisories
Heavy rain and thunderstorms over Delhi-NCR on Monday diverted more than a dozen flights at Delhi Airport, prompting IndiGo, Air India, Akasa Air and SpiceJet to issue passenger advisories.
India's Airbound raises $37M Series A to build rocket-style drones that rival trucking costs
Indian drone startup Airbound raised $37 million in a Series A led by Greenoaks, bringing total funding to nearly $50 million after completing more than 13,000 autonomous flights.
Malaysia Announces Temporary Airspace Closure and Flight Retimings for 69th National Day Celebrations
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia will temporarily close airspace within the Kuala Lumpur Terminal Control Area for the National Day Flypast 2026, prompting Malaysia Airlines to retime selected KLIA Terminal 1 flights.
Air Charter Service Flies 110-Passenger European Orchestra on Boeing 737-800 Across East Asia
Air Charter Service arranged a Boeing 737-800 charter carrying a 110-passenger European orchestra, plus luggage and oversized instruments, across East Asia for their next concert.
Middle East Conflict Hits India's Major Airports, But Delhi Bucks the Trend
Five of India's six major metro airports saw flight operations fall sharply in June and July, led by Chennai and Hyderabad with declines near 20 per cent, while Delhi rose 8 per cent in June.
Malaysia to Launch Asia-Pacific's First Remote Digital Tower at Penang Airport in October
Malaysia's Civil Aviation Authority will launch the Asia-Pacific's first Remote Digital and Virtual Tower at Penang International Airport in October, where all 29 controllers have been trained.
Bad Weather Forces 15 Flight Diversions at Delhi Airport, Hundreds Delayed
Heavy rain, thunderstorms and 30-40 km/h winds forced 15 flight diversions at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Monday, with over 280 flights delayed and 20 cancelled.
12 Delhi-Bound Flights Diverted to Jaipur Due to Poor Weather, All Return by 3:20 PM
Poor weather at Delhi airport forced 12 flights, nine domestic and three international, to divert to Jaipur between 11:20 AM and 12:30 PM Monday, with all returning by 3:20 PM.
India to Host Second SAF Conclave in New Delhi on September 28
New Delhi will host the second Sustainable Aviation Fuel Conclave on September 28, expecting more than 1,000 delegates and over 100 speakers from more than 25 countries.
Australia's DCCEEW Launches Consultation on Proposed Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate
Australia's DCCEEW opened a public consultation on 18 August 2026 for a proposed SAF mandate, with Phase 1 volumetric targets running 2029-2035 and a top 2030 target of 450 million litres yearly.
Typhoon Saudel approaches Philippine area of responsibility, may reach super typhoon strength; southwest monsoon drives Luzon rains
PAGASA said Typhoon Saudel, packing 175 kph winds and gusts to 215 kph, may reach super typhoon strength before entering Philippine waters around Monday, August 25.
Typhoon Zitan Floods Fangchenggang; Firefighters Use Inflatable Boats and Human Ladders to Rescue Stranded Residents
Typhoon Zitan dumped torrential rain on Fangchenggang in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, stranding residents whom firefighters reached using inflatable boats and human ladders during ongoing rescue operations.
Over 3 Million Indonesians Exposed to Wildfire Haze as Health Ministry Urges Mask Use
Indonesia's Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said Sunday that roughly 3 million people across 37 districts in seven provinces have been exposed to wildfire haze, urging mask use and air-quality monitoring.
Hong Kong Airlines Retimes and Cancels Okinawa Flights Ahead of Super Typhoon Saudel
Hong Kong Airlines retimed and cancelled multiple Hong Kong–Okinawa flights as Super Typhoon Saudel tracks toward Japan's Ryukyu Islands, forecast to pass near Okinawa around August 25.