Rep. Grimm to plead guilty

• New York Rep. Michael Grimm, a Republican, is expected to plead guilty to tax evasion, per a source


• Grimm was indicted in April on 20 counts, including filing false tax returns and mail fraud


• Grimm will appear before a Brooklyn judge at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a law enforcement official

Washington (CNN) -- New York Republican Congressman Michael Grimm will plead guilty to one count of tax evasion on Tuesday in a New York court, according to a U.S. law enforcement official. The charge can bring some prison time, but it's not clear whether Grimm will be sentenced with any.

After being indicted in April on 20 counts of filing false tax returns, mail fraud, wire fraud, hiring undocumented workers and perjury, Grimm insisted he did nothing wrong and pled not guilty. His trial was scheduled to begin in February.

READ: Bad boys survive to win re-election

But a U.S. law enforcement official tells CNN that Grimm will appear before a Brooklyn judge at 1 p.m. on Tuesday and admit he deliberately misled the Internal Revenue Service, a move that throws his congressional future into jeopardy.

Reporter threatened by Rep. Grimm reacts

Federal prosecutors say Grimm failed to report $1 million from his restaurant business in Manhattan prior to his 2010 election to Congress.

Rep. Grimm: Indictment is a 'witch hunt'

Democrats hoped the federal indictment against the House Republican last spring would mean Grimm's constituents would toss him out. But despite efforts by his Democratic opponent, Domenic Recchia, to paint him as corrupt, Grimm was easily re-elected in November for third term.

Rep. Grimm indicted for tax fraud

Grimm attracted national attention last year even before his high-profile legal troubles when he threatened to throw a reporter over a Capitol Hill balcony at the end of an interview. Grimm was captured on a hot mic after the President's State of the Union speech berating the reporter for pressing him on allegations of wrongdoing. He later apologized for his behavior.

Grimm gave up his seat on the House Financial Services Committee after he was charged, but repeatedly insisted he would be "fully exonerated."

The House Ethics Committee began an investigation into Grimm's activities last spring, but recently announced it was deferring action on the matter at the request of the Justice Department.

With Grimm's new plea, the committee could decide early next year to renew its investigation and consider some type of punishment. There will also likely be pressure on Grimm to step down from Congress.

Grimm's congressional office and his attorney did not immediately respond to CNN requests for comment.

10 of the best safaris for 2015

How else can you keep up with giraffes and zebras through the Okavango? Award-winning African Horseback Safaris zigzag across Botswana's delta, inaccessible to vehicles.

Rangers at Leopard Hills are established photographers who can offer advice taking stunning shots through Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

Guided by Masai and Samburu trackers, Karisia Walking Safaris' team of camels carry guests through Kenya's Laikipa country to find giraffes, zebras and more.

The Pumba Private Game Reserve reserve has hippos, hyenas and elands, but the eastern cape reserve's biggest draw are the white lions. The reserve is one of two homes for them in South Africa.

Walking mere meters from wildlife may be daunting to safari newcomers, but Norman Carr Safaris have 60 years of experience in Zambia's Luangwa Valley.

For anyone wanting to tick tigers off their must-see list, India's Bandhavgarh National Park's Samode Safari Lodge beckons.

Fundu Lagoon's dive center explores Tanzania's coral reefs and offers encounters with dolphins, whales and sea turtles. Above water, guests stay in private villas.

After a day of seeking out elusive creatures, like the golden monkey, there's the opportunity to relax at Rwanda's Nyungwe Forest Lodge.

The Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve is Malawi's oldest protected area. From the Tangole wilderness lodge, you can trek through the bush or canoe the Bua River with monkeys, water bucks, warthogs and elephants.

Goliath Safaris' tents with teak finishes and open-air showers ensure guests are close to wildlife that includes hippo, elephant, lion, leopard and wild dogs.

• 2015 Safari Awards, the Oscars of the Safari industry, are a useful guide to the best available tours


• Award winners include the Norman Carr Walking Safari in Zambia that offers treks along the Luwi River


• In India, there's the chance to glimpse tigers at the the Samode Safari Lodge in Madhya Pradesh

(CNN) -- Choosing a safari can be a safari in itself.

Often it's a stealthy operation that involves extensive prep work, a great deal of roaming and, occasionally, disappointment.

To make it easier, we've examined the honors in the 2015 Safari Awards -- the Oscars of the safari industry -- and gathered 10 of our favorite finalists.

These are the adventures that excel in location, animal encounters, social and environmental responsibility and offer something different.

More than 4,000 travel agents, writers and operators were invited to nominate the best safaris across 20 categories.

Here's our best of the best:

Norman Carr Walking Safari (Zambia)

Encounters with animals don't get closer than when they're done on foot.

While this may seem daunting to the safari newcomer, multi-award winner Norman Carr Walking Safari has 60 years of experience in the Luangwa Valley.

The winner of the "best safari experience in Africa" and "best walking safari" categories for Zambia in the 2015 Safari Awards offers a different perspective for small groups trekking from camp to camp along the Luwi River.

Travelers stay in remote but comfortable chalets before tracking lions, buffalo and leopard through early morning mists in this unchanged wilderness.

Norman Carr Walking Safari , Luangwa Valley, Zambia; +26 021 624 6025; seven-night packages from $2,285 per person, plus flights and park fees,10-night package taking in five camps from $4,500 per person

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Goliath Safaris Luxury Tented Camp (Zimbabwe)

Goliath Safaris: Not all tents are created equal.

Being in the wilderness doesn't have to mean stinting on comfort.

That said, guide Stretch Ferreira has ensured Goliath Safaris Luxury Tented Camp is rated one of the best in Zimbabwe for more than just pillows.

En suite tents with teak finishes and open-air showers, right beside the Mana Pools conservation area, ensure guests are close to the action and emerge fresh to face wildlife that includes hippo, elephant, lion, leopard and wild dogs.

Goliath has just been voted "best walking safari" in the country by customers with accolades for its guides and cuisine.

Rigid routines are ditched for guest-led adventure, on foot and canoe under the unique auspices of Ferreira and his 30 years experience.

Goliath Safaris Luxury Tented Camp , +263 4 882373; from $640 (per person, per night) inclusive of activities, but excluding park fees

African Horseback Safaris (Botswana)

Exploring the 450,000 acres of untouched nature in the Okavango Delta on horseback is a great way to spare both feet and the environment.

Two decades in, African Horseback Safaris has bagged awards for its exhilarating rides beside big game stars such as elephant, zebra and giraffe.

Relying on hooves instead of wheels, its equine adventures are largely unaffected by the annual flooding that makes many parts of the delta inaccessible to vehicles.

The finely tuned horses drop their heads to graze and to signal other animals in the area to relax while riders get an eyeful.

At the camp, each en suite safari tent boasts an elevated deck for a view of the floodplains.

African Horseback Safaris , Macatoo Camp, Botswana; +267 686 1523; from $695 per person, per night

MORE: Safari on the 'world's most luxurious train'

Tongole Wilderness Lodge (Malawi)

When it comes to pocketing our travel dollars, it's good to know safari hosts have an eye on the local community, too.

Tongole Wilderness Lodge manages to help those around it without skimping on the comfort at its eco-lodge within the Miombo woodlands of the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, Malawi's oldest protected area.

From here, treks explore the bush and canoe trips take in the Bua River to see monkeys, waterbuck, wart hogs and elephants alongside 280 bird species.

The lodge -- voted Malawi's "best value safari property," "best ecologically responsible" and "best community focused" in the latest Safari Awards -- can also take visitors into the village community to meet local people, including a school supported by the Tongole Foundation.

Tongole Wilderness Lodge , Nkhotakota, Malawi; +44 208 123 0301; from $335 (per person, per night), including activities, food and most drinks

Samode Safari Lodge (India)

For those who seeking to tick tigers off their must-see list, Bandhavgarh National Park beckons

There's a high density of big cats, alongside barking deer, chinkaras, wolf, guar, bear and cheetal deer in this forested location in central India.

Right next to the forest, Samode Safari Lodge is a sophisticated gateway to a stream and marsh-blessed landscape best explored by jeep.

Opened in 2010 in Madhya Pradesh state, the lodge comprises 12 luxury villas and has just won all four categories in the Safari Awards for India including "best safari guiding team" and "best community focused safari property."

Samode Safari Lodge ,Village Mardhari, Post Dhamokar, District Umaria, Madhya Pradesh; +91 141 2632370; the "jungle plan" costs from $444 (per person, per night based on twin sharing) and includes forest guide fees, two scheduled safaris and photographic fees

Rwanda's Nyungwe Forest Lodge offers glimpses of rare primates.

Nyungwe Forest Lodge (Rwanda)

Some of the planet's most elusive creatures and plants occupy the ancient forests and mountains around this southwest tea plantation.

Orchids and 13 primate species, including chimpanzees, live among the 200 tree species in the largest remaining tract of uninterrupted forest in Central and East Africa -- all viewable on guided walking trails and animal treks.

Other safari activities seek out black and white colobus monkeys, gray-cheeked Mangabey and bird-watching at the Kamiranzovu Waterfall.

Nyungwe Forest Lodge ,Rwanda; +27 21 427 5900; voted "best new safari property" in Rwanda in the 2015 Safari Awards, from $295 (per person, per night sharing). Trekking prices given on reservation

Leopard Hills (South Africa)

A six-hour drive from Johannesburg to the edge of the renowned Kruger National Park, Leopard Hills offers safaris through 10,000 hectares of big beast countryside.

The main lodge is sited on a rocky outcrop in the western sector of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve overlooking an active waterhole and magnificent plains where the Big Five reside.

Rates include two drives per day and optional walking safaris with the chance of close-quarter glimpses of rhino, lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant.

Rangers are established photographers and can advise on taking quality safari snaps.

Leopard Hills , Hazy View, Mpumalanga, South Africa; +27 11 326 0739; from $910 (per person, per night). Private guided safari vehicle can be booked for $475 (per day)

Pumba Private Game Reserve & Spa (South Africa)

Hippo, hyena, wildebeest, kudu, eland and antelope are among the attractions at the family-friendly Pumba Private Game Reserve & Spa.

The big draw, however, is the majestic and endangered white lion.

Pumba, a malaria-free haven dedicated to conservation and boosting the local community, operates a white lion-breeding program and is one of just two homes to the beast in the whole of southern Africa.

Accommodation includes the Water Lodge, overlooking Lake Cariega, or Msenge Bush Lodge, looking out over a waterhole and mountain views.

Pumba Private Game Reserve & Spa , Highlands, Lothians Road, Makana Municipality, Port Elizabeth, South Africa; +27 46 603 2000; from $469 (per person, per night) plus $201 (per child) in a Msenge family chalet

MORE: Retro safari in Dubai's deserts

Fundu Lagoon offers adventure above and below the water.

Fundu Lagoon (Tanzania)

In addition to the Big Five, Africa boasts great aquatic wildlife and Fundu Lagoon has been collecting plaudits for its accessibility to the stars of the waves.

As well as canoe, boat and walking tours, the twice "best marine safari experience in Africa" winner offers a fully equipped dive center, enabling underwater exploration of coral reefs and wreck-dwelling fish as well as the dolphins, whales and sea turtles.

While the lodge offers "barefoot luxury," its location on a coastal rainforest makes it easy see flying foxes, colobus monkeys, tropical birds and bush babies, so it's possible to make like Crusoe, Cousteau or both.

Fundu Lagoon , Pemba, Tanzania; +255 7774 38668; average room prices start at $440 (per person, per night) and include unguided mangrove canoe safaris, a dhow cruise, snorkeling and village treks

Karisia Walking Safaris (Kenya)

Karisia Walking Safaris is an all-inclusive mobile operator with a team of camels guided by Masai and Samburu trackers in the wilds of Laikipia.

Tours roam from broad rivers to mountain forests, with camping in stunning scenery under the stars.

There's a diverse range of large animals as the habitat changes, with endangered Grevy's Zebra, reticulated giraffe and highland hartebeest filling viewfinders.

Activities include cultural visits, rock climbing and rafting with a company just voted "best mobile safari" and "best walking safari" in Kenya for the second year running in the Safari Awards.

Karisia Walking Safaris , Nanyuki, Kenya; +254 721 371694; from $400 (per person, per night), with 50% off for children under 16

First Airbus A350 XWB delivered

• Qatar Airways is the global launch customer of the A350, accepting delivery of the XWB plane on Monday


• The airline's new A350-900 will enter into service in January, operating on the Doha-Frankfurt route


• As of the end of November, Airbus has received 778 firm A350 orders from 41 customers

(CNN) -- The wait is finally over for aviation fanatics wanting to book a flight aboard the Airbus A350 XWB.

Qatar Airways, the global launch customer of the A350 XWB, accepted delivery of the commercial plane during a ceremony at Airbus' headquarters in Toulouse, France, on Monday morning.

"It is more than a great day for Airbus," the manufacturer's CEO, Fabrice Bregier, told a press conference. "I would say it was an historic day."

The "XWB" in the name means "extra wide body."

Qatar Airways is the global launch customer of the Airbus A350 XWB, accepting delivery of the next-generation aircraft in a ceremony on December 22.

Qatar Airways' new A350 will enter into service in January, serving flights between the airline's hub, Doha, and Frankfurt, Germany.

A closeup of the Qatar Airways A350 XWB wing 'Sharklet'.

Qatar Airways A350 XWB Tail close-up. The Gulf airline has ordered 80 of the aircraft, which has a list price of $295 million.

"With a streamlined nose and wrap-around cockpit windows, the A350 XWB has a unique sporty look -- which also contributes to its aerodynamic efficiency," says Airbus.

The fuselage of the Qatar Airways' A350-900, assembled at Airbus' headquarters in Toulouse, France.

At an event to mark the delivery, Airbus chief Fabrice Bregier, seen on the left, described Qatar Airways boss Akbar Al Baker as a "tough customer." He said: "You are demanding, sometimes for us a bit too demanding."

Qatar Airways' new Airbus A350 XWB

Qatar Airways A350 XWB fuselage

First Airbus A350 delivered to Qatar Airways

There are three different iterations of the plane being built: the A350-800, the A350-900 and the A350-1000, which seat 270, 314 and 350 passengers, respectively, in three-class seating.

Qatar Airways opted for a two-class, 283-seat configuration in its A350-900, offering 36 business class seats and 247 in economy class.

In total, the airline has ordered 80 of the airplanes -- 43 A350-900 jetliners and 37 of the longer-fuselage -1000 versions.

In a statement, the airline said it expects to induct the first eight production aircraft into its fleet before 2015 year-end.

Qatar Airways' new A350-900 will enter into commercial service in January, operating daily flights between its Hamad International Airport hub in Doha, Qatar and Frankfurt, Germany.

MORE: 2015: The year ahead in aviation

A close up of the Qatar Airways A350 XWB 'sharklet'.

Minor turbulence delays delivery

Monday's A350 delivery ceremony was originally supposed to take place on December 12, but the airline canceled the event just a few days beforehand.

Neither side initially offered an explanation, leaving aviation analysts to speculate on what was behind the hold up.

Qatar Airlines CEO Akbar Al Baker told Monday's press conference that the delay was related to one of its suppliers and was not an issue with Airbus.

"It's important to note that the aircraft has been delivered to us one week ahead of schedule, not late," he said.

Delays are nothing new for Qatar Airways, which also postponed the delivery of three of its A380 superjumbos this year after Al Baker reportedly expressed concerns about the quality of the interior.

Airbus chief Bregier described Al Baker as a "tough customer... you are demanding, sometimes for us a bit too demanding."

He said Qatar's exacting standards had raised the quality of the final product and would make it easier to sell to other carriers.

Bregier also used Monday's event to try to draw a line under recent reports that it might pull the plug on A380 production after a fall off in orders.

He said such speculation was "just crazy... after all the efforts we have made."

"I can tell you the A380 will have a brighter future as the market gets bigger."

The A350's road to flight

The A350 XWB is the first in a family of super-efficient passenger planes Airbus designed to go head-to-head with rival Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and 777s.

The project for the new jet began in 2006 and was initially criticized by some in the industry, including airlines, for not really advancing the global aviation scene.

Being publicly lambasted by some of its largest customers -- one aviation executive called it a Band-Aid reaction to the 787 Dreamliner, while the CEO of Singapore Airlines said the plane just didn't go far enough -- the pressure was on for Airbus to come up with a game changing plane.

Much of the aircraft we see today is the result of that pressure.

Made from advanced materials, 53% of the A350 XWB frame consists of carbon-fiber reinforced polymer, including Airbus' first carbon-fiber fuselage.

As a result, Airbus says the plane will burn 25% less fuel than existing similar size jets.

The A350 XWB is powered by two massive Rolls Royce Trent XWB engines, though those who have experienced its test flights say it's remarkable just how quiet the plane actually is.

Airbus says passengers will also get a higher quality of air (replaced on the aircraft every two to three minutes), wider cabins and 18-inch-wide seats in economy.

As of the end of November, Airbus has received 778 firm A350 orders from 41 airlines.

To meet this demand, Airbus says it's ramping up production progressively to reach the planned rate of 10 aircraft per month by 2018.

The 2014 list prices for the aircraft are: $260.9 million for the A350-800, $295.2 million for the A350-900 and $340.7 million for the A350-1000.

The A350 XWB features wrap-around cockpit windows.

How to spot an A350?

With the first of nearly 800 A350s set to hit the skies, plane spotters will be particularly keen to see the sporty new jet in flight.

So how will you know when you're looking at one?

Key distinguishing features include a streamlined nose and wrap-around cockpit windows.

Also, located just ahead of the windshield are the jetliner's nose-mounted pitot tubes, which measure speed, lateral drift and angle of attack during flight, says Airbus.

But perhaps the most noticeable feature is the plane's tapered wings, which Airbus says makes the plane faster, more efficient and quieter.

These include winglet-type devices -- "sharklets" -- that reduce aerodynamic drag.

MORE: Airbus A350XWB: On board the world's newest passenger jet

2015: The year ahead in aviation

Flight testing for the Airbus A320neo (new engine option) has been flawless so far. The plane is scheduled to enter service in October 2015.

After a series of delays, Bombardier's CSeries should take off in October 2015. The plane has more than 500 orders from clients, including Canada-based Porter Airlines and China's Zhejiang Loong Airlines.

Qatar and Finnair are among airlines set to deploy Airbus' A350 XWB next year. The XWB features distinctively curved, highly efficient wings.

The A350 XWB's 220 inches from armrest to armrest will provide for the widest seats in its jetliner category.

Unlike in 2014, 2015's major air shows -- in Paris and Dubai -- will lack fanfare. The Big Four airplane manufacturers -- Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer -- have tapped out their new launches.

The Dubai Air Show will likely focus on commercial jet orders, but these will be significantly less than previous years.

Japan's first commercial airliner in 50 years, the Mitsubishi MRJ90, is set to enter flight testing in 2015.

Aerospace geeks will be watching for the U.S. Air Force's Boeing KC-46A aerial refueling tanker, due for flight-testing this spring.

Airbus' A330 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport) is in service in Britain and Australia and has been ordered by several other global air forces.

• The coming year won't yield as many big aviation stories as years past


• The Airbus 320neo and Bombardier CSeries are expected to enter service in 2015


• Declining oil prices should help airlines reap increased profits


• Major air shows will be lackluster compared with years past

(CNN) -- In recent years, so much has been going on in the world of commercial aviation that putting together a "top 10 events" forecast has been easy -- major new airplane programs have been announced, airline consolidation has taken place and disputes between China and Europe over carbon emissions have held major airplane orders hostage.

Not in 2015.

Looking at the year ahead, it's a challenge to muster a list of five events likely to grab the general public's attention, much less 10.

The year 2015 is more about program execution.

New airplanes from Airbus and Bombardier are scheduled to enter service (EIS) in 2015 and the Airbus A350 XWB, scheduled for delivery to its first customer December 22, will also see its EIS in January.

Boeing's 787s are in a lull: more than 200 have been delivered and the next version, the 787-10, isn't scheduled for delivery until 2018.

Embraer is between airplanes, so to speak. Its new, re-engined E-Jet E2 isn't scheduled for delivery until 2018 and the current generation E-Jet marches on.

Yet even though they do lack the pizzazz of years past, there are still a handful of important events and milestones to look forward to in 2015.

New airplanes to enter service

The Airbus A320neo, the New Engine Option, and the Bombardier CSeries, are supposed to enter service in 2015.

Each is powered by the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbo Fan (GTF), a 20-year research-and-development gamble that brings PW back into the arena as a major player in single-aisle airplane powerplants.

"Supposed to" because new airplane programs from Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier have been replete with delays.

So far, the flight-testing of the A320neo -- which had its first flight in September -- seems to be going flawlessly, but unknowns can emerge. The A320neo's EIS is scheduled for October.

For CSeries, EIS of Bombardier's bet-the-company jump into the big leagues with its first "mainline" jet is an event that was originally supposed to happen in December 2013.

Then the fourth quarter of 2014.

The first flight of the airborne test program didn't happen until September 2013.

The planned fourth quarter 2014 EIS may have been achieved had it not been for a major engine failure of PW's GTF during a ground test in May.

The fault was traced to a poorly designed oil seal and not the game-changing engine architecture.

The entire flight test fleet was grounded for three months while the cause and a fix were identified.

Had CSeries been on time, it would have been two years ahead of the A320neo.

Now, it'll be a toss up as to which airplane enters service first.

According to the Canadian investment bank aerospace analyst at Desjardins, CSeries should have its EIS in October 2015.

Bombardier will only say the second half of 2015, but MTU, a major supplier on the CSeries Pratt & Whitney engine, narrows this down to the fourth quarter.

The Airbus A350 XWB has wings that change shape for maximum aerodynamic efficiency throughout the flight, reducing wing drag.

No matter. EIS for two airplanes in the same month or the same quarter, or even the same year, is a major industry event.

For Airbus, the A350 XWB, the response to the Boeing 787 and the challenge to Boeing's flagship 777-300ER, was set to be delivered December 22 to launch customer Qatar Airways.

The real flow of deliveries and service entry begins in January.

MORE: First look inside the Airbus A350 XWB

Declining oil prices mean increased profits

The price per barrel of oil dropped dramatically in 2014.

It'll probably continue to fall in 2015.

Some believe the price could hit $40 a barrel.

If so, it probably won't stay there for long before rebounding to $60-$80 and, maybe, back to $100.

Don't expect any order cancellations or deferrals because of lower oil prices.

The lower oil prices may give new, short-term life to some older airplanes like the Boeing 757, 767, 777 and 747-400; and Airbus A300-600R and early A330s. But that's about it.

Don't look for lower airfares driven by cheaper oil, either.

Airline management knows this is a time to reap profits that are elusive in a high-oil price environment.

Air shows will be lackluster

As always, international air shows are huge industry and media events.

This coming year, the Paris Air Show is in June and the Dubai Air Show is in November.

Unlike the air shows of recent years, at which airplane program launches were announced, the Big Four airplane manufacturers -- Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer -- have tapped out their new airplane launches.

The 2015 air shows might not introduce new planes, but they'll still have fantastic aerobatic displays.

Paris and Dubai will focus more on commercial airplane orders than anything else, and even these are expected to be off compared with previous years.

The peak of the order cycle has come and gone and for the moment, we're on the downside of the bell curve, especially with oil prices falling and reducing the urgency to place more orders.

Besides, with Airbus and Boeing backlogs out to 2020, there are few slots available for which to place orders.

ATR, the France-based turbo-prop manufacturer with more than 80% of the market, might announce a major upgrade of its venerable ATR-42/72 series with a new engine, new wing and other systems, but turbo-props command neither the market size nor the headlines of the big jets.

An ATR New Engine Option (neo), while important to the airlines, won't capture the imagination of the air show or reporters.

Asian aviation marches along ... slowly

COMAC's C919 (China), the challenger to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families, is in development and so is the equivalent Irkut MC-21 (Russia), but neither will take to the skies in 2015.

The AVIC/COMAC ARJ21 (China) is supposed to enter service in 2015 after a seven-year delay, and this time it actually might do so.

But only a few have been sold outside of China and prospects that there will be more orders are dim.

The airplane is largely a learning effort by the Chinese on how to develop an airliner, and the experience has been painful.

It's uncertain when the Boeing KC-46A tanker will fly. But when it does, aerophiliacs will be out in full force.

The Mitsubishi MRJ90, Japan's first commercial airliner since the 1960s, is set to enter flight-testing in 2015.

MORE: After 50 years, Japan set to launch a new commercial passenger plane

KC-46A flight-testing will draw geek attention

The real aerospace geek will watch for the flight-testing of the Boeing KC-46A aerial refueling tanker for the U.S. Air Force.

Why aviation is going mobile next year

The airplane, based on the commercial Boeing 767-200ER, is already late and approaching $1.5 billion over budget.

Its first flight was supposed to be last fall; now it's planned for this spring. Or maybe before.

Even Boeing and the Air Force aren't sure when the bird will fly.

Boeing won the contract in a bitter, bitter fight with Airbus, which proposed its A330 MRTT (multi-role tanker transport).

Although not without its own challenges, the MRTT is in service in Britain and Australia and has been ordered by several other global air forces.

Scott Hamilton is managing director of Leeham Co., which provides consulting services to the aerospace industry.

The perfect gift? A Boeing 747 seat

Not entirely snuggle friendly for home use.

• Seven 'premium' sets of 747 seats are for sale


• Starting price is around $5,400


• Seats are available only domestically in Japan

Tokyo (CNN) -- What could be better than experiencing the comfort and reclining pleasure of an airline seat than replicating that experience in your own lounge room or office?

Yep, for those keen to have their very own Boeing 747 seat or are looking for the perfect gift idea for a beloved aviation fan, Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) is selling seats from a decommissioned 747-400D.

The plane, used on domestic routes, was retired in March and the seats go on sale from December 25 to February 28, 2015.

Sadly, the electronics will be dismantled, which means no service button to get another glass of champagne or complain that the entertainment system has malfunctioned again.

Bonus though -- little to no chance of some annoying passenger kicking the back of your seat.

The other catch is that the seats are limited to domestic Japanese sales. They will be sold via this ANA online shopping site run by ANA Trading company (a division of the ANA group). ANA is expecting high demand -- lucky purchasers will be selected by lottery.

There will only be a total of seven premium class seat sets available -- three single seats and four double seats. The single seat is listed at 647,000 yen ($5,420) and 747,000 yen ($6,260) for the double. This includes tax and shipping with deliveries due in March.

ANA Trading Company's Ryota Isomura says his company wanted to make sure aviation fans could own their own part of such an iconic airplane.

Boeing's 747 debuted at the Paris Air Show in 1969 and quickly revolutionized air travel. More than 1,400 747 variants have been delivered by Boeing.

The 747-400 ended production in 2009. Its successor, the 747-8 Intercontinental rolled out in 2012.