FLUG REVUE update: Week ending September 10, 2000

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UPDATE

Week ending September 10, 2000

+++ Shuttle launches to Space Station +++ Airbus lowers forecast +++ Ariane 4 launches Eutelsat W1 +++ SOFIA completes critical design review +++ Saab UAV work +++ News in brief +++

Shuttle launches to Space Station
Mission zur Internationalen Raumstation

On September 8, the Space Shuttle Atlantis, with five American astronauts and two Russian cosmonauts on board, soared into orbit to begin preparations necessary to declare the International Space Station open for business. Docking to the ISS followed on September 10. The mission includes a six-and-a-half hour spacewalk by Astronaut Ed Lu and Cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko to a point 100 feet above the Shuttle's cargo bay, the farthest any tethered spacewalker has ever ventured. Under the watchful eye of spacewalk choreographer Dan Burbank, the two spacewalkers will ride as far as possible on a Canadian-built "arm," then use tethers and handrails. They will install a six-foot long magnetometer and a boom that will serve as a three-dimensional "compass" for the station, and connect telemetry, electrical, and communications cables.
The Shuttle mission also includes a kidney cell experiment designed to explore how human genes respond to the unique environment of space; a test run of a miniaturized sensor to take real-time measurements of the Shuttle's environmental and life support systems; a host of student experiments including one called "The Pittsburgh Steelers in Space," designed by students at the DePaul Institute for the Deaf in Pittsburgh, PA, to determine the effects of microgravity and radiation on the oxidation of various types of steel and the minerals involved in the manufacture of steel.
While researchers and scientists look forward to the day the station has full-time occupants, the crew of Atlantis first have to complete some down-to-Earth tasks. Those include stocking the space station with supplies, unpacking gear, and hooking up equipment needed by the its first permanent residents, who are scheduled to be launched in November.Among the supplies being unloaded this mission are laptop computers, vacuum cleaners, a color printer, clothing, food warmers for the "kitchen," trash bags, critical life support systems, television cables, and even the first space station toilet.
Meanwhile, NASA has again extended its deadline for completion of the International Space Station, which is now targeted for 2006. When the first segment of the $60 billion project was launched in 1998, the completion date was in 2004. Later, as Russia fell behind on a key module, the date was moved to 2005. This time, the delay is not linked to problems on the ground, said Bob Cabana, the station program's manager for international operations. Instead, NASA has begun to rethink its entire approach to the construction project some 240 miles (384 kms) above Earth. The new schedule allows crews of U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts, who will live aboard the orbiting outpost, to begin scientific research almost as soon as the first crew, Expedition One, reaches the station later this year. But the new launch schedule, which targets April 2005 for the ribbon cutting, reflects NASA's fading confidence in the ability of the United States and Russia to complete the next 35 assembly missions on a schedule that would require a launch every month or so.

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Airbus lowers forecast
Neue Marktprognosen von Airbus

Almost 15,400 new airliners and freighters valued at US$1.3 trillion will be required by passenger and cargo airlines during the period 2000 to 2019, according to Airbus' latest Global Market Forecast. The Global Market Forecast, which covers the year-by-year fleet evolution of the world's largest 228 airlines and 49 subsidiaries, together with 187 additional cargo operators, predicts that the 15,400 new aircraft delivered over the next 20-year period will include around 14,700 passenger aircraft with more than 70 seats and over 700 freighters.
The greatest demand will be for 7,570 single-aisle aircraft with more than 100 seats worth US$327.4 billion through 2019 and strong demand will also develop for 5,164 twin-aisles worth US$600 billion, with seating for up to 400. At the top end, to meet growing demand for low-cost air travel in an increasingly congested and competitive environment, in which already today there are 36 aircraft in service with more than 500 seats, the number of very large aircraft will rise inexorably to 1,235 worth US$281.8 billion in 2019. This represents 22 per cent - more than one fifth - of the overall business volume during the next 20 years. By 2019, 58 airlines will be operating very large passenger aircraft (more than 400 seats) on 92,450 monthly flights linking 584 airport-pairs in a variety of high-density domestic, local, regional and intercontinental markets.
Of the total of 3,092 freighters delivered over the next 20 years to accommodate growth and replace the 1,153 aircraft which will reach the end of their economic lives, 2,389 will be converted from passenger configuration. Of the 703 new factory-built freighters delivered through 2019, 315 will be large aircraft with a capacity greater than 80 tonnes.
Based on 2000 catalogue prices, the 7,608 new passenger and freighter aircraft delivered through 2009 will be worth US$560 billion, and the 7,756 new aircraft delivered through the following decade will be worthUS$750 billion, giving a total 20-year business volume of US$1.31 trillion - an average of US$65 billion per year. New passenger aircraft deliveries will average 733 per year over the full 20-year period, although the dollar value of deliveries in the second decade will be greater, as the trend towards larger aircraft progresses.

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Ariane 4 launches Eutelsat W1
Flug 132 startet Eutelsat

Arianespace kept up its rapid launch pace in the second half of 2000 with the September 6 launch of Flight 132 with the Eutelsat W1 satellite. The Ariane 4 44P version lifted off on schedule at the 7:33 p.m. (local Kourou time) launch window opening, and climbed into a clear French Guiana night sky. The Ariane 4 performed the ascent under the power of its four first stage Viking V engines and the additional thrust of four solid strap-on boosters. The Eutelsat W1 satellite was released as scheduled approximately 20 minutes after liftoff, marking the 56th consecutive successful launch of an Ariane 4.
After the successful Flight 132, Arianespace Chairman and CEO Jean-Marie Luton confirmed that Arianespace's next launch remains on schedule for liftoff on September 14, using an Ariane 5 to orbit GE Americom's GE-7 spacecraft and Astra 2B for the Société Européenne des Satellites. This mission, designated Flight 130, had been on holdfrom its original July launch date.

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SOFIA completes critical design review
Entwurf des SOFIA-Teleskops genehmigt

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, a joint effort between NASA and the German Aerospace Center, DLR, has successfully completed its Critical Design Review (CDR). The review was held to present the complete system design developed by the industry team lead by the prime contractor, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), and to make sure that technical issues have been properly addressed. It additionally ensured that the design maturity justifies the initiation of manufacturing of mission hardware and software. As a result of this major assessment, NASA's review board has provided a green light for proceeding into the fabrication and integration phase of the project.
SOFIA is an airborne astronomy laboratory encompassing a 2.5-meter reflecting telescope within a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft. Expected to become operational in 2002, it will house the largest airborne telescope in the world. From its 41,000-foot vantage-point, astronomers will be above more than 99 percent of the infrared-absorbing atmospheric water vapor that limits what they can study using ground-based observatories. SOFIA will enable observations that are impossible for even the largest and highest of ground-based telescopes, while also giving astronomers access unavailable with space-based telescopes. Under an international agreement between the United States and the German government, DLR is responsible for the design and construction of the SOFIA telescope.

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Saab UAV work
Drohnen-Studien bei Saab

Saab Aerospace is currently performing studies in order to develop unmanned aircraft. Tests are now being carried out with a model of a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in a wind tunnel at FFA (the Aeronautical Research Institute of Sweden) in Stockholm. The aim of the tests is to study the flight enveloped, i.e. to measure aerodynamic forces. The UAV must be able to operate as a complement to today's piloted aircraft. The project is being carried out within the framework of the National Aeronautics Research Program (NFFP) and is designated NFFP 272 UAV configurations. The project is a collaborative effort by Saab, the FFA, Ericsson, Saab Avionics and Saab Dynamics. The name given to the UAV is SHARC (Swedish Highly Advanced Research Configuration). SHARC is 10 m long and has a wingspan of 8 m. The aim of the project is to design a UAV configuration for attack missions at low serial cost and with low signatures, and to demonstrate that this is achievable. The project has been in progress for several years and has so far proved successful. During the introductory phase, April-June 1998, nine configurations were defined, representing different construction philosophies. Work has since continued and in March 1999 a low-speed model was tested at the same time as a test with weapons deployment from an internal weapons bay was performed in the FFA wind tunnels. The work is currently in a phase with tests in the T1500 wind tunnel at FFA to study the flight envelope. The project has been oriented towards: concept design, aerodynamics, design, production engineering, strength, propulsion system, radar and IR signatures, and weapons separation.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

MD Helicopters has equipped the production MD 600N with a prototype yaw-stability augmentation system, after it had learned that some customers had concerns about the MD 600N. Customers had commented about the relatively high pilot workload they experienced during extended flights and in turbulent weather. Developmental testing of the new yaw-stability augmentation system is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of this year. MDHI expects the system to be available for installation on MD 600Ns in the field in March 2001 after certification by the Federal Aviation Administration. The U.S. Border Patrol has ordered kits to retrofit its entire fleet of MD 600Ns.
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On September 5, Boeing announced that it has acquired AeroInfo Systems Inc., a Canadian provider of advanced maintenance software applications for the airline industry. The move adds AeroInfo Systems' industry-leading aviation maintenance planning technology to Boeing's growing portfolio of aviation services. Financial terms of the transaction, which Boeing completed on Sept. 1, were not disclosed. AeroInfo Systems' flagship product is its MaintStream suite of state-of-the-art software applications for aviation maintenance planning, scheduling and tracking. It is designed specifically to support both Boeing and non-Boeing fleets. MaintStream allows airlines to reduce maintenance costs by increasing operational efficiency and reducing out-of-service time while maintaining the highest levels of safety. The MaintStream product suite is Internet-capable and enables the sharing of data between airplane operators, leasing companies, regulatory authorities and maintenance, repair and overhaul firms.
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Northrop Grumman's Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector (ES3) has announced the successful dispense of 13 BAT brilliant anti-armor submunitions deployed from a U.S. Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). The objective of the Aug. 30 test, sponsored by the Army's Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM), was to complete development testing by demonstrating the performance of Northrop Grumman's pre-production BAT submunitions and the Lockheed Martin Block II TACMS delivery vehicle. The submunitions employed for this test were produced in Northrop Grumman's new BAT manufacturing facility at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala. Under a 1998 test hardware contract, 88 BAT's are being produced for testing, evaluation and proofing production processes prior to full-rate production. Separately, Northrop Grumman is under contract to provide more than 900 additional BAT submunitions as part of the low-rate initial production phase of the program.
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The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted Supplemental Type Certificate approval for Aviation Partners Boeing's "blended winglets," currently offered on the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). This means that Boeing will offer blended winglets - upward-swept extensions to airplane wings - as standard equipment on the BBJ. The blended winglets - made of composite material - are more than eight feet high, and sweep up from the BBJ's wingtips. Besides giving the BBJ a distinctive appearance, the winglets create more efficient flight characteristics in cruise, as well as during takeoff and climbout. This translates into approximately 300 nautical miles of additional range with the same fuel and payload. Under certain conditions, BBJ customers may also be able to take advantage of the improved takeoff performance provided by the winglets by loading up to 4,000 pounds more payload. The winglet proof-of-concept flight-test program began in June 1998, with prototype winglets mounted on a production 737-800.
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The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor completed another major Defense Acquisition Board milestone approximately three weeks ahead of schedule, according to F-22 Combined Test Force officials at Edwards AFB. The milestone, which required the F-22 to perform flight maneuvers at high angles of attack with its weapons bay doors open, was the third of nine flight test milestones completed this year, said Mike Cabiness, site manager, F-22 CTF, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The test, officially titled as "Initiate High AoA with Weapons Bay Doors Open," required the Raptor to fly with its center weapons bay doors open and conduct extensive maneuvering flight and with a high angle of attack, or nose up attitude, Cabiness said.
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The Boeing Next-Generation 737-700C (Convertible) earned type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Aug. 31. The 737-700C, capable of offering both all-passenger and all-cargo service, is the first new all-cargo 737 Boeing has developed since 1966, when the 737-200 Convertible was launched. The 737-700C, a simple derivative of the Next-Generation 737-700 passenger airplane, has strengthened wings identical to those on the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) The BBJ is a modified 737-700 that was certified by the FAA in October 1998. The 737-700C also has a new main-deck cargo door and a new cargo handling system. The first customer for the 737-700C is the U.S. Naval Reserve, which designates the model as the C-40 Clipper. The Naval Reserve, scheduled to fly away its first C-40 in April 2001, plans to use the airplane to transport both cargo and personnel. The Navy has ordered five of the airplanes. A sixth airplane is budgeted for 2001.
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Bombardier's 70-passenger CRJ700 Series regional jet and 68- to 78-passenger Q400 turboprop airliner have completed a successful demonstration tour of Europe and the Middle East. Senior managers from 14 airlines in 10 countries were shown the CRJ700 and/or the Q400 during the tour, which commenced following the close of the 2000 Farnborough Air Show in the U.K. late in July. Both aircraft were on static display at the show. The aircraft made stops in Germany, Sweden, Italy, Egypt, Israel, Malta, Spain, France and Austria. The CRJ700 made 32 flights for a total of 43 flying hours during the tour. "Despite the pre-certification status of the CRJ700, the aircraft was very reliable," said Capt. Don Farion. "No major snags were recorded and the aircraft made all of its commitments on schedule."
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Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.'s Sirius 2 satellite successfully was launched aboard a Proton rocket, achieved successful separation about two and a half hours after liftoff and had its solar panels extended.Liftoff occurred at 5:43 a.m. EDT at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. International Launch Services (ILS) conducted the launch for Space Systems/Loral, builder of the satellite. ILS said it was the third successful Proton launch this year, and the 16th successful launch since the ILS joint venture was established to market the Proton internationally in 1995.
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The Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) team has completed the development and integration of the aircraft's avionics systems. "These tests prove our JSF avionics are now low-risk and ready to move forward to the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase," said Frank J. Cappuccio, vice president and program manager for the Lockheed Martin JSF. "This team has produced a highly evolved, integrated avionics package that ensures our JSF is lethal and supportable, yet still affordable." The team conducted the tests aboard Northrop Grumman's BAC 1-11 cooperative avionics test bed (CATB). As a key partner on the LM JSF team, Northrop Grumman has played a central role in developing the aircraft's mission systems.
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Boeing has confirmed that Air France has signed a definitive agreement to exercise options for four more Boeing 777-200ERs (Extended Range) airplanes. This order means that Air France's 777-200ER fleet will total 23 airplanes by spring of 2002, including lease commitments. The 777s are existing orders that have been previously accounted for in cumulative order totals published by Boeing. Until today, the customer for the order was unidentified. "The 777 continues to meet our expectations in terms of global performance and passenger appeal and we are pleased to add these aircraft to our fleet," said Pierre Vellay, corporate vice president-New Aircraft and Fleet Planning, Air France.
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TAP Air Portugal has taken delivery in Hamburg of its first A321 single-aisle aircraft, which will join a fleet of 16 A319s and seven A320s already in service with the Lisbon-based carrier. A second A321 is scheduled for delivery in early 2001. TAP will operate the aircraft on its European network, alongside its fleet of A319s and A320s. TAP, which will operate an all-Airbus fleet in the near future, flies a fleet of four ultra-long range A340-300s on its intercontinental services.
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In the USA, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) can achieve significant success on the largest defence market in the world. The U.S. Navy has awarded EADS a contract (volume: 11.9 million US-dollar) for the delivery of high-quality electronics for radar system (AN/APG-65) equipment for the U.S. Navy F/A 18 Hornet aircraft. This was announced by EADS on Friday in Munich. The radar system for the Hornet carrier aircraft was developed by Hughes (today Raytheon). Following some joint developments, it will be manufactured under licensed construction by the EADS Airborne Systems Unit in Ulm.
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On 31 August 2000, the Greek Ministry of Defence has announced during a press conference the signature with Aerospatiale Matra Missiles ( a 100% subsidiary of EADS ) of a contract to equip the new Greek Navy Fast Attack Craft (FAC) with the latetst version of the EXOCET MM 40 anti-ship missile system. This contract amounting to 61.7 million Euros is for the supply of three systems and 27 missiles to equip the three FAC built locally by Elefsis Shipyards. Deliveries are to begin in 2001 and end in mid-2004 This contract includes a significant industrial cooperative programme with the Greek defence industry. Selection of the EXOCET system by Greece has been won in front of a fierce competition This EXOCET sale is the second to be signed in year 2000, after notification in July 2000 of a contract with South Africa to equip four MEKO A-200 SAN corvettes of Blohm & Voss design.
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In a surprise move, Aloysius Rauen (43) is to become the new head of the Military Aircraft business unit of the EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company. Rauen, who currently heads Corporate Strategy at DaimlerChrysler AG in Stuttgart, will take on his new function at Munich on 15 September 2000. Rauen will succeed Dr. Karl-Heinz Hartmann (49), whom the EADS Executive Committee appointed as deputy head of production of the Airbus Division at their latest meeting in Amsterdam. Hartmann is to be based at Toulouse, where he will support the head of Airbus production Gerhard Eisen (59) during the integration phase before assuming full responsibility for Airbus production at a later stage. "We are very glad to have Aloysius Rauen back on board, declared Philippe Camus, Co-CEO of EADS. "From 1995 to 1999 Rauen already had extraordinary success as the head of Dasa's Military Aircraft business unit. His task will now be to give further impetus to European integration in the area of military aircraft construction and to strengthen Europe's position in this field." One of Rauen's most important tasks in the coming months will be the negotiations on the memorandum of association between EADS and the Italian state holding company Finmeccanica for formation of the multinational military aircraft company which had been agreed on in May. In this new company Rauen is to occupy the position of CEO, which is to be filled by an appointee from EADS.
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The United Kingdom has finalised the contract to lease four C-17 aircraft to fulfil the Short Term Strategic Airlift requirement. Arrangements to complete the deal should see aircraft enter service with the Royal Air Force by the end of next summer. Defence Procurement Minister Baroness Symons said: "This is a significant step towards providing, in the short-term, the rapid deployment capability promised in the Strategic Defence Review conclusions." The UK's aircraft will be the same as those being delivered to the United States Air Force (USAF). Maintenance and spare parts management, as well as aircrew and maintenance personnel training, will be provided through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contracts with the USAF.
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For the next ten years Air Austral is entrusting the maintenance and overhaul of its engines to Lufthansa Technik AG (LHT). LHT will start servicing immediately the CFM56-3 engines of three Boeing 737s belonging to the airline, which is based in La Réunion, France. Under LHT's Total Engine Support (TES®) contract, the new customer gets a comprehensive, "worry-free" service package for engine maintenance and overhaul. With its modular service elements the package can be customized to fit the specific needs of any airline.
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