Eclipse Aerospace has signed an agreement with Sikorsky subsidiary PZL Mielec in Poland covering the production of Eclipse jet wings, fuselages, empennages and other components.

The parts will be built by PZL Mielec at its factory in southern Poland and shipped to the Eclipse factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for final assembly and customer deliveries once production starts next year.

AgustaWestland’s AW169 took to the skies for the first time last week, marking a significant milestone on its path to certification in 2014, the company announced.

According to AgustaWestland representatives, the AW169 – launched nearly two years ago at the Farnborough International Air Show – performed and handled “as expected” during the test flight at the company’s Italian facilities.

Some staff of India's national airline Air India have been found stealing alcohol and caviar from flights, the aviation minister said in parliament.

The airline's vigilance department is also probing reports that a pilot took 22m rupees ($404,800; £254,191) in flying allowances even when he was grounded for medical reasons.

Japan Airlines (JAL), which went bankrupt two years ago, has posted an annual net profit of 186.6bn yen ($2.3bn; £1.5bn) thanks to cost cuts.

Revenue for the year to 31 March 2012 amounted to 1.2 trillion yen, the company said.

A plane carrying 21 people has crashed while trying to land at an airport in the north of Nepal, leaving 15 dead.

Police say that six survivors are being treated at a hospital in the city of Pokhara. Many of the dead and injured are Indian nationals.

The Hawker 400XPR engine test article made a successful first flight this week, paving the way for certification of the upgraded jet this September, Hawker Beechcraft announced.

The dual Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines slated to power the new 400XPR – announced last year – will provide 470 pounds of additional combined thrust over that provided by the Pratt & Whitney turbofans in the 400XP.

Protests by some Air India pilots have entered their third day with more than 20 flights cancelled on Thursday.

Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh has repeated his appeal to the pilots to return to work. He said the government was willing to talk to them.

Almost 100 Air India pilots have called in sick amid a dispute over training for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes.

They are protesting against the decision to train pilots from Indian Airlines, which merged with Air India in 2007, to fly these planes.

Hawker Beechcraft filed for bankruptcy on Thursday after reaching a restructuring agreement that will wipe out approximately $2.5 million in debt and $125 million in annual cash interest liabilities.
The plan includes $400 million in financing that the company says will allow it to continue meeting its financial obligations to its employees — Hawker Beech currently has around 7,400 individuals on its payroll — as well as to its venders and suppliers.

Cessna Aircraft has signed a strategic agreement with the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA) Company for final assembly, sales and customer support of Cessna Caravans in China for the Chinese market.