Leaders and experts from the international aviation arena gathered in Singapore on Aug. 6 to address how the global aviation industry can meet challenges and reap opportunities under the current economic uncertainties.

Mei Liang, an expert from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), said on June 2 that more than 400 air crew members on 32 flights had been quarantined as of May 31 since the outbreak of Influenza A/H1N1 (also known as "swine flu") at the end of April.

Dragonair has announced the launch of the Dragonair Aviation Certificate Programme for 2009 in which 16 cadets, aged 18 to 23, will participate - the highest number of cadets ever to be accepted. The programme runs from April 3 through to November 30.

China may become the next battlefield for aviation English training organizations, a top executive from an international language teaching school said on Apr. 1.

As aviation businesses worldwide tighten their belts in light of plunging demand, one company is investing millions to expand.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has put into service an Airbus A320 Full Flight Simulator (FFS), ordered from Thales, at the new extension of the Hua-Ou Aviation Training Centre, a joint-venture between Airbus and the China Aviation Supplies Holding Company (CAS) in Beijing.

Air France-KLM offers its flight attendants a three-day training course on China every month and equips each of its 16,000-member cabin crew with a booklet full of tips on Chinese culture and phrases.

Qantas has just announced the opening of a new customer service training facility worth some AU$10 million in Sydney, with the ability to train up to 180 staff a week.

CAE Inc. says it has won a C$60 million contract to build five flight simulators.

Air New Zealand has purchased Boeing 787 and Boeing 777-300 full-flight simulators to be based at its Auckland simulator centre.