This isn't a sequel to the 2006 movie rather an extraordinary, if very sad, video of a scrub python stuck on a wing of Qantas QF191 flight between Cairns and Port Moresby.

Stunned passengers spotted the stricken snake during the flight and notified the cabin crew, but unfortunately it was found dead on arrival. It was thought that the snake had climbed up inside the landing bay.

WARNING: This video contains some distressing scenes.

Video courtesy of Fairfax Media

Delta's acquisition of a 49% equity stake in Virgin Atlantic has been undoubtedly the aviation headline of the day...Virgin Atlantic's position in the global airline alliances chessboard might not be the only thing in play though...

Virgin Atlantic's founder and main shareholder, the famous british entrepreneur Richard Branson is said to have challenged British Airways with a £1 million bet that the Virgin Atlantic brand will still be around five years from now...

Exciting enough for all industry observers...although, after reading IAG's Willie Walsh's reply to this proposal we doubt this million is finally going to change hands!

In a dimmed hangar on the side of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport lies N106US, the US Airways Airbus A320 that landed on the Hudson River one chilly January morning in 2009.

Edward Russell

The famous "Miracle on the Hudson" aircraft is now an exhibit at the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Flight 1549 was bound for Charlotte after departing New York's LaGuardia airport on the morning of 15 January 2009 before its fateful meeting with a flock of Canadian geese over New York.

While solemn in its presentation, the exhibit celebrates all of the factors that combined to allow for a successful ditching in the Hudson with no loss of life. Elements highlighted range from the experience of the crew and aircraft avionics to the fact that the A320 was one of only a handful in US Airways' fleet with extended overwater certification, which requires life vests and rafts for every passenger. One interesting fact that stood out - less than a third of the passengers on the aircraft had reviewed the safety card before the flight.

Edward Russell

N106US ended up at the museum after its president Shawn Dorsch was inspired by a visit to a memorial to JAL Flight 123 at the Japan Airlines' Safety Promotion Centre near Haneda Airport in Japan, which had a flow chart of safety improvements since the 1985 accident and ending at US Airways 1549.

"When I saw this, I realised that 1549 was an international aviation icon," Dorsch told Flightglobal in 2011. "For me, having it in the museum would give the opportunity to tell something much bigger than the event itself."

Edward Russell

Next time you're passing through Charlotte and have a few hours, the museum is a highly recommended diversion only a few minutes drive from the terminal.

With air traffic numbers on the rise, airports around the World are busier than ever...how to visualize this? check out this amazing time-lapse video from San Diego airport!

This week Qatar Airways could finally take delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Flightglobal's Dominic Perry was there for the ceremony and the long inaugural flight from Seattle to Doha...


Qatar Airways plans to deploy this aircraft on the short haul route to nearby Dubai before it starts flying it to London Heathrow.

Although we could already see Qatar's first Boeing 787 last summer at the Farnborough Air Show, where our editors could also get on board to see how the interiors look like!



It was also at Farnborough that we could ee this amazing air-to-air infra-red footage of Qatar Airway's Dremaliner in flight.



However, the delivery of the first Dreamliner has been a contentious issue...

The start of the London services has actually suffered a considerable delay, which has strained the relations between Qatar Airways and Boeing. Qatar's CEO, Akbar Al Baker, even mentioned the possibility of the carrier switching to Airbus' A330 instead.

Now, with the first Dreamliner delivered, Al Baker has said that Qatar Airways, that has firm orders and options for up to 60 Dreamliners, might consider the stretched 787-10X variant.

In any case, we have compiled, a whole special feature about Qatar Airways' Dreamliner with a full timeline, news, images and an interactive cutaway...!

And you can check also our Boeing 787 Handover Gallery!

Air New Zealand has done it again!

After having launched some wildly popular safety videos in past years (for further reference see their "Bare Essentials" and "Fit to Fly" videos!), we have just got another taste of Air New Zealand's creativity when it comes to designing viral marketing stunts.

Here is the latest "Hobbit" video, in case you wished to see why everyone is talking about online safety instructions today!

It has been a big week for the Airbus A350 programme, with news of a wing production fix and a substantial order from Singapore Airlines.

They have also released this animated video detailing the steps involved on the final assembly line, mixed in a sountrack with sounds like a Jean Michel Jarre song given a trance makeover.

This video shows a spectacular takeoff of a UTair Antonov An-24, from what can only be described as a testing landscape.

The hugely successful Flight International Front Cover Competition is back for its sixth year, giving you the chance to see your favourite image appear on magazine shelves around the globe.

We're looking to capture THE image of 2012 - the photo that encapsulates the essence of this great industry. The winner will feature on the cover of Flight International's festive issue and also receive £100 and a framed copy.

Last year, AirSpace user Flyvertosset was voted the winner and his stunning air-to-air shot of a Flying Fortress, taken on a Sony SLT-A55V, featured on the cover of Flight International.

AirSpace user Flyvertosset

There are three ways to enter the competition:

1. Upload your image to our dedicated gallery on AirSpace (signing up takes seconds)
2. Send your image to webmaster@flightglobal.com. Please limit to three images. Flightglobal will upload these images (with due credit) to the gallery so users can view them.
3. If you have already uploaded your image to AirSpace (remember they must have been taken in 2012), email the link to webmaster@flightglobal.com. Flightglobal will upload the linked images to the gallery (with due credit) so other users can view them.

Upload your image TODAY to the Flight International Front Cover Competition gallery on AirSpace

 Every year we receive hundreds of exceptionally high-quality entries. See the entries for previous competitions:

• 2011 Front Cover Competition entries
• 2010 Front Cover Competition entries
• 2009 Front Cover Competition entries
• 2008 Front Cover Competition entries
• 2007 Front Cover Competition entries

Closing entry for the competition is Monday 3 December - so enter now!

Front Cover Competition Terms & Conditions:

• Competition deadline is midnight on 3 December 2012.
• The image must have been taken during 2012.
• The image has to be owned by the person entering the competition, no forgeries or copies are allowed.
• The winner will receive a framed copy of the cover of Flight International and £100 prize money.
• There is no limit to the number of times each registrant may take part.
• No employee of Reed Business Information is eligible to enter the competition.
• Judges include the editors of Flight International and Flightglobal.com - their decision is final.
• Flightglobal can use entered images on editorial features around the site but will endeavour to give due credit when possible.
• More general rules can be found on Flightglobal's AirSpace site.

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While Felix Baumgarnter's space jump has alerady been extensively covered by the media (including our own homepage!), new footage is emerging that provides a fresh angle on the Austrian adventurer's feat, like this video filmed by his helmet camera, that lets you appreciate the spin during the descent.



And there's even a Lego version of Baumgartner's space jump!