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UPDATE 
Week ending September 3, 2000
+++ French Concorde crash report published +++ Third engine option for A400M +++ Germany to expand airports +++ First Eurofighter fuselage section completed +++ ILFC selects Trent for A3XX +++ News in brief +++

French Concorde crash report published
Erster Bericht zum Concorde-Absturz

The French Air Accident Investigation Bureau (BEA) report published its latest report on the Concorde crash on August 31. It contained little new information about the crash, but added chilling and dramatic detail to what is already known. It included a transcript of conversations in the cockpit of the doomed aircraft showing that the crew were unaware of the engine fire which brought the plane down until alerted by the control tower.
On a press conference o September 1, BEA officials showed a photograph of the 43-centimetre (17-inch) strip of metal from the Paris runway which may have punctured the Concorde's tyres. But BEA director Paul-Louis Arslanian said it would still be a long time before the full underlying cause of the crash were discovered. Only then can the BEA make recommendations about modifications which might allow Concorde to fly again. However, speculation is growing that any modifications to the ageing supersonic airliner might prove too extensive.
The crew's first warning that something had gone wrong came from the control tower at Charles de Gaulle airport. Shortly after take-off at 1643 local time (1443 GMT) on 25 July, the control tower told the cockpit: "You have flames. You have flames behind you." Seven seconds after that message, the chief navigator confirmed: "Breakdown eng... breakdown engine two." "Cut engine two," he said four seconds later. The supersonic jet tried to gain speed for an emergency landing, but pilot Christian Marty was heard to say: "Too late... no time."

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Third engine option for A400M
Triebwerksfirmen bieten gemeinsames Triebwerk für A400M

On August 30, six European aerospace companies announced the signature ofa Memorandum of Agreement to collaborate on the promotion of a three-shaft turboprop engine, incorporating three-shaft Trent architecture and an Snecma M88 derived core, to be proposed for the future A400M military transport aircraft. Under the agreement, signed in Paris by FiatAvio S.p.A, Industria de Turbo Propulsores S.A (ITP), MTU Aero Engines, Rolls-Royce plc, Snecma Moteurs and Techspace Aero, the proposed engine will be based on in-service technology and modules to provide customers with a low-risk solution and lower life cycle costs. Under the MoA, the companies intend to establish a joint venture company to act as a single point of contact with customers.
This MoU is a reaction to political wishes that the A400M engine should encompass the whole European propulsion industry. For the time being though, the separate offers by Rolls Royce and Turboprop International (Snecma, MTU, ITP, Fiat) remain apparently valid, as the technical specifications for the common engine have yet to be written and presented to Airbus Military. Airbus has said that it wants a solution that carries low risk, and it remains to be seen whether a new design can convince the airframers as schedules are tight.

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Germany to expand airports
Bundesregierung für Flughafenausbau

German transport minister Reinhard Klimmt has released a new national airport planning paper after it was approved by the cabinett on 30 August. It foresees an airport expansion to cope with the predicted doubling of traffic in the next 15 years. Expecially Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Dusseldorf and Cologne/Bonn need more capacity, Klimmt said. He emphasized that expansion will safeguard or produce several 100000 jobs. This is especially true for Frankfurt, which needs to maintain its hub function for Star Alliance partner Lufthansa. On the other hand, Klimmt said that environmental impacts of air travel need to be minimised. He proposed to base landing fees on emmissions and noise levels of particular aircraft. Also, on short-haul sectors, the German government wants to substitute rail for air links. The new airport concept as now approved was broadly welcomed by aviation and economic insterests, who hailed it as a good improvement on the first drafts which they had vehemently opposed.

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First Eurofighter fuselage section completed
Manching liefert erstes Rumpfmittelteil

The EADS Germany faciltiy at Mancing (formerly Dasa) has handed over the first fully equipped centre fuselage section to BAE Systems on August 31. This event, which occured just on time, was celebrated with a short ceremony before over 100 guests. After delivery of the fuselage section and arrival of over parts from BAEs own facilities, Alenia and CASA, final assembly of the first series production Eurofighter will begin on September 8. Completion and first flight is set for August 2001. According to EADS, the first centre fuselage took 28 months and 80000 man-hours to complete. This will be halved with experience. The section contains more than 30 kilometres of cabling and 304 pieces of equipment. It also has 7868 parts. The delivery on time triggers payments from the customer. It was achieved with special efforts and many hours of overtime.

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ILFC selects Trent for A3XX
Rolls-Royce Trent für A3XX gewählt

On August 30, ILFC became the first A3XX customer to announce its engine coice for the new super-jumbo airliner. The news came as the leasing company placed new business valued at up to US$910 million for Trent engines to power up to 37 firm and option Boeing 777s and Airbus Industrie A330 and A3XX aircraft. The value of this agreement is the largest to date between Rolls-Royce and ILFC, and takes the total number of Trent engines in the ILFC fleet to over 170. Inclusion of the Trent 900 in the agreement, for the A3XX, is particularly significant. The engine is tailored for the aircraft and today`s news gives us a strong position on that programme." Four Trent 900s, with a thrust band of 68,000 - 75,000lb, will power the A3XX. The Boeing 777s will use 92,000lb thrust Trent 892 engines while the A330s will be powered by Trent 772Bs, rated at 72,000lb thrust. Development of the Trent 900 is being paced in parallel with the A3XX programme with entry into service due in 2005. The engine will be certificated at 80,000lb thrust, allowing comfortable growth margin from initial in-service levels of 68,000 - 75,000lb. Agreement has been reached with Boeing for the Trent 600 (68,000 - 72, 000lb thrust) to be offered for future developments of Boeing 747 and 767 aircraft.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

Cimber Air of Sonderborg, Denmark, has put into service its second CRJ200 Series regional jet from Bombardier Aerospace. Delivery of the first aircraft on July 11 coincided with the airline's 50th anniversary celebrations. Both aircraft will be operated in the Team Lufthansa colors. They join a fleet of 13 turboprops, five of which operate for TeamLufthansa. Cimber Air has options on four additional CRJ200 aircraft. Cimber Air acquired the CRJ to meet what it regards as the principal demand of the European market: direct and frequent connections. The CRJ will allow the airline to operate longer direct flights between major European cities under the Team Lufthansa banner.
+++
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has opened the door to use of uninhabited, high-altitude aircraft for Earth Science research studies by selecting a series of proposed demonstration missions for further development. The selections by NASA's Office of Earth Science in Washington, D.C., are expected to lead to the selection next year of two or three of the proposals for actual implementation. Eight of the 11 missions selected propose use of three uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) which have been developed or matured under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, managed by the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif. Five of these propose use of the conventionally powered Altus" II developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.; two the Pathfinder-Plus and one the Helios Prototype, the latter two being solar-powered aircraft developed by AeroVironment, Inc. John Hicks, ERAST project manager at NASA Dryden, noted the eventual winners of the selection process will pioneer use of UAVs for actual operational science missions. "This is an historical first for NASA Earth Sciences in adding UAVs to its operational class of earth observation platforms that have included satellites, manned aircraft and balloons," Hicks said. "This is a real catalyst to the technologies and operational capabilities we are developing in ERAST, especially in developing more mission-flexible, long-duration platforms than were available in the past."
+++
Effective September 15, 2000, Ruediger Grube will again assume responsibility for DaimlerChrysler Corporate Strategy. The Board of Management made this decision at its meeting in New York. Aloysius Rauen, which came over from Dasa only a few months ago, will take over a new management task as Senior Executive Manager at EADS. Eckhard Cordes, DaimlerChrysler Board of Management Member said, "We are all very pleased that Ruediger Grube is returning to our company. Aloysius Rauen did an excellent job of continuing Ruediger Grube's work. His extensive experience in the aerospace industry is now needed to fill a prominent position at EADS."
+++
Virgin Atlantic Airways has placed a firm order for two new Boeing 747-400 passenger airplanes. GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) will provide lease financing for the aircraft. "As our expansion plans continue we need to maintain our fleet with high quality airplanes," said Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways. "These re-designed 747-400s are a welcome addition and will help us to deliver exceptional service to our current destinations, and to develop exciting new routes in the future.'' Scheduled for delivery in October and December 2001, the new airplanes will bring Virgin Atlantic's total 747 fleet count to 18, of which eight are 747-400s. Both airplanes will be fitted with General Electric CF6-80C2B5F engines.
+++
On August 29, Boeing and Delta Air Lines celebrated the delivery of the airline's first Boeing 767-400ER (extended range) airplanes. Delta was the launch customer for the airplane, and has ordered 21 of the 767-400ERs, with options on an additional 40 airplanes. Delta plans to use its Boeing 767-400ERs within the continental United States beginning Oct. 1 between Atlanta and several Florida locations. It will introduce the airplane in service to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu, Maui and Salt Lake City by the end of the year. The 767-400ERs will replace Delta's L-1011s on high-volume domestic flights. The twin-engined 767-400ER has much lower operating costs than the similarly sized three-engine L-1011. Two 767-400ERs will be delivered to Delta during August, and three additional 767-400ERs will be delivered in September. Delta will receive 12 Boeing 767-400ER jetliners by year's end. On Augsut 31, Continental Airlines took its first 767-400ER. Three more will be delivered this year, with the balance scheduled for delivery between 2001 and 2005. Continental is using the 767-400ER to replace retiring DC-10s on routes to Europe and Latin America.
+++
On 29 August, Russia successfully launched a military satellite from Baikonur. A Proton-K booster rocket lifted the Kosmos-series satellite into space just after midnight local time, and the satellite entered its designated orbit six hours later, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. Russia's Strategic Missile Force, the aerospace arm of the military that is responsible for launching spy satellites and other military payloads, could not be reached for comment. The number of Russian military satellites has dropped significantly because of the government's cash shortage following the Soviet collapse, but Russia has tried to regain lost ground with a stepped-up launch schedule this year.
+++
On August 30, a Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber of the Germann Luftwaffe crashed some 190 km southeast of Goose Bay. The aircraft from jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke", normally based at Kerpen near Cologne, was deployed to Canada for training. Both crew members were killed.
+++
On 31 August, the pilots of Deutsche BA staged a 2,5 hours strike in the early morning. This left 12 of 16 scheduled flights on the ground and affected some 420 passengers. Four flights were taken on by management pilots. Deutsche BA and its pilots are in dispute about working conditions. Negotiations had failed recently.
+++

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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen sind weiter abrufbar:

*August 27, 2000 *August 20, 2000 *August 13, 2000 *August 6, 2000

*July 30, 2000 *July 23, 2000 *July 16, 2000 *July 9, 2000

*January to June 2000 *January to December 1999 *January to December 1998 *January to December 1997 *September to December 1996

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Last updated 1 September 2000
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