Etihad Airways is continuing to build its presence in the Australia market with new flight

Etihad Airways President and chief executive officer, James Hogan has opened a new line maintenance base in Melbourne, the UAE flag carrier's seventh facility outside Abu Dhabi and its second in Australia.

A new study estimates that potential across-the-board budget cuts to the FAA could amount to an $18.4 billion blow to the economy, including the loss of up to 73 million passenger enplanements and 2 billion lb. of airfreight. Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta called the study, released Aug. 13 by the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), “very significant” and urged Congress to take action. “Let’s not let the FAA be victimized by budget politics,” he said.

Pemco expects little to change when its completes its sale to Avion

Gama, the global business aviation and services group, has announced that the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority ('UAE GCAA') has awarded Gama Support Services FZE UAE CAR 145 Approval, permitting it to undertake Line Maintenance on Challenger 604 and 605 business jets and King Air B300 turboprop aircraft.

Parts manufacturing and distribution specialist Wencor Group expanded its repair capabilities, purchasing Part 145 repair stations Absolute Aviation Services and Soundair Aviation Services, Wencor reports. Absolute, which also holds a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certificate, specializes in electronics and avionics. Soundair, which also has EASA and Civil Aviation Administration of China approvals, focuses on aircraft interior parts, ranging from cockpit lighting to ovens. Like Wencor, Soundair also develops PMA parts.

Two Trent 900 operators turned up no findings on the engines of their A380 fleets

Turkish Technic, the MRO subsidiary of Turkish Airlines. has appointed Altan Büyükyılmaz as executive vice president (Commercial Affairs) succeeding Dr. Fuat Oktay, who becomes a member of Turkish Technic's board of directors.