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Week ending August 4, 2002
+++ Boeing 747-400ER flies +++ Lufthansa orders ten A330-300s +++ Boeing and CargoLifter to explore Stratospheric Airship +++ Swiss Tigers fill aggressor role for F/A-18s +++ SWISS pilot dispute +++ News in brief +++
Boeing 747-400ER flies
Erstflug der neuen 747-400ER
On July 31 the new Boeing 747-400ER (extended range) soared northward into the skies above Paine Field for the first time, formally beginning its flight test program. With a maximum takeoff weight of 910,000 pounds (412,770 kilograms), the 747-400ER is now the largest and fastest commercial airplane in the sky - cruising at Mach 0.85, or 85 percent of the speed of sound. Capt. Joe MacDonald, 747 chief pilot, was at the controls this morning when the gleaming red, white and blue 747-400ER lifted off the runway at exactly 10 a.m. "Whatever the phase of flight, this airplane handles effortlessly and flawlessly," MacDonald said. "It's a 747 with a Boeing pedigree. That's as good as it gets." Alongside MacDonald in the cockpit was Capt. Mark Feuerstein, 747 assistant chief pilot. Together, they will fly the airplane known internally at Boeing as "RF001" for several hours and perform a series of tests on the airplane's systems before landing at Boeing Field in Seattle. The new 747-400ER's tail number is, appropriately, N747ER.The airplane is one of two 747-400ERs that will be tested over the next three months to certify that it meets all regulatory and customer requirements prior to delivery to launch customer Qantas Airways. The second 747-400ER now is in the final stages of assembly. Together, the two test airplanes will rack up more than 275 hours of flight-testing and about 400 hours of ground tests. Before RF001 took off for the first time today, it had already accumulated nearly 200 test hours, validating data gained by engineering analysis and in the laboratory. One of those tests was the taxi test, completed just yesterday - signifying the airplane was ready for flight.
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Lufthansa orders ten A330-300s
A330-300 für Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus to purchase 10 A330-300s, the capacious medium-range twin from Airbus' market leading A330/A340 Family. This is subject to the approval of the Lufthansa Supervisory Board. Deliveries of the aircraft are scheduled to begin in 2004. Engines have yet to be selected. This is the first A330 acquisition by Lufthansa who already operates a fleet of 34 A340s with an additional 10 on commitment and marks the next step in Lufthansa's medium term fleet planning. With this A330 order, the airline will be operating almost the entire Airbus aircraft family and will make Lufthansa the largest A330/A340 Family operator in the world. The A330s will give Lufthansa the full benefit of Airbus' unique operational commonality, providing huge cost savings in operations, training and maintenance. Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Boeing and CargoLifter to explore Stratospheric Airship
Stratosphärenballon von CargoLifter?
Boeing and CargoLifter AG have signed a contract to jointly explore stratospheric airship concepts. The contract, which provides for a detailed study of lighter-than-air stratospheric platforms, will enable Boeing and CargoLifter to coordinate efforts to bid as airship system suppliers for current and future programs. "This is an important new business opportunity for Boeing," said Charlie Guthrie, director of rapid prototyping and advanced concepts for the Boeing Unmanned Systems organization. "CargoLifter has the capability and expertise for lighter-than-air platform development, and we are excited to work with them. Several governments have research and development activities focused on stratospheric platforms to support communications and surveillance requirements. Airships may be a suitable platform for such applications." Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Swiss Tigers fill aggressor role for F/A-18s
Schweizer Tiger II für die US Navy
The F-5 Tiger II currently serves with two squadrons: the Navy's Fighter Composite Squadron (VFC) 13 “Saints” and the Marine Corps' Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 401 “Snipers”. Day in and day out these F-5 airframes take part in simulated air combat, subjecting them to forces that eat up their fatigue life much faster than an aircraft in normal usage. How do you replace an aircraft that is no longer in production? You buy used, of course, and the Swiss have the best deal in town! North Island's Adversary Fleet Support Team is currently supporting the NAVAIR acquisition of 32 low-hour F-5E aircraft from Switzerland to be used in the adversary role, keeping our Navy fighter pilots honed to a razor sharp edge! The new aircraft will be equipped with several improvements over the current models, including a new performance monitoring system, anti-skid brakes, improved instrumentation with audio G-meter, a modified canopy locking system, countermeasures (flare/chaff ALE-40), inertial navigation system, radar warning receiver, gaseous oxygen system (as opposed to liquid oxygen), improved ejection seat and, of course, a Swiss clock. A rework process that will include incorporation of an upper cockpit longeron change, new fuel cells and vertical stabilizers, complete Phased Depot Maintenance evolution, and a complete strip-, inspection-, paint- process ensures that these “used” aircraft will be in top condition as they transition into the Navy's inventory. All of this is an enormous undertaking but the results will be evident as the adversary squadrons receive their superior “new” aircraft.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
SWISS pilot dispute
Auseinandersetzungen mit den SWISS-Piloten
Negotiations between a SWISS delegation and the Board of the Swiss Pilots' union did not come together last week as the Swiss Pilots' Board decided not to appear at the scheduled time of the meeting. SWISS regrets that they are staying away. The Swiss Pilots' Board is thus doing SWISS and its 10,000 employees a grave disservice. In order to document its readiness to constructive discussions, SWISS therefore gave, in writing, to the Swiss Pilots' Board its proposals for the implementation of the Arbitration Court's recommendations. The main proposals cover three points: The implementation of the adaptations demanded by the Arbitration Court. This covers salaries in the medium-haul sector, holidays, bonus payments, and a seniority model; a guarantee of the definitive adherence to the economic conditions contained in the Business Plan; consideration of internal fairness within the company as regards other trade groups employed by SWISS.On this basis, the SWISS Board of Administration and Management propose the following rules to the Swiss Pilots' union: Immediate realisation of the full holiday entitlement for ex-Crossair pilots (not by stages, as was originally foreseen); adapting the salaries of MD-80 pilots to those of the A320 pilots; further, not yet finalised adaptations; employees' participation in profit-sharing in the years 2004 or 2005, should the Business Plan objectives be met in the previous year; an interim solution by means of separate seniority lists for the Swiss pilots (CCP) and the Aeropers union of former Swissair pilots by 2005. This reduces the risk of redundancy for the CCP pilots.
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NEWS IN BRIEF – KURZMELDUNGEN
Goodrich announced that it has been selected by British Airways to provide cockpit door video surveillance systems for its long-range aircraft. This includes the airline's Boeing 747, 767 and 777 aircraft as well as their Concorde aircraft. The airline is the second transcontinental operator to select Goodrich for their video surveillance system needs. The award also marks the first use of Goodrich video surveillance systems in Boeing 767 and 777 aircraft. The Goodrich-developed systems will provide real-time video monitoring of the cockpit door entry and forward galley area to the flight crew. Deliveries will begin in July 2002. Systems could appear in operational service as early as September 2002. "The British Airways system will use a pop-up display located inside a cockpit-mounted rear pedestal," said Jerry Witowski, President of Goodrich Sensor Systems. "Our ability to quickly and cost effectively develop this unique approach was a major factor in the British Airways selection," he added. "Goodrich offered the best combination of low cost and immediate delivery for their surveillance systems. This, combined with the company's excellent customer service, made them the right choice," said Doug Blackburn, British Airways Procurement Manager.+++
The International High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) Upgrade Project (IHUP) successfully completed the second HARM Precision Navigation Upgrade (PNU) contractor test and evaluation at the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) western test range complex, earlier last week. The Precision Navigation Upgrade is designed to greatly improve HARM's capability to detect, locate, and destroy enemy air defenses. It will improve HARM's accuracy in restrictive areas in order to minimize collateral damage and fratricide to non-military targets. This is to be accomplished through the inclusion of the global positioning system and a new inertial measurement unit (GPS/IMU). The GPS/IMU improvements will enhance the anti-radiation homing capability to destroy surface-to-air missile sites in specific missile impact zones. Operators may also input zones of exclusion to prevent the anti-radiation homing from searching over specific geographic locations to prevent the destruction of non-military targets.
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With the inauguration of more InterCity Express (ICE) train services and a new high-speed rail line to Germany's most populated region, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) continues to strengthen its position as one of the world's leading intermodal (the linking of different modes of transportation) air/rail hub. Beginning August 1, the latest generation of Deutsche Bahn's ICE-3 trains will commence service on the newly completed line linking the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main and Rhine-Ruhr regions. Initially, ICE trains will travel in shuttle service from Frankfurt's central station (Hauptbahnhof) via FRA's Long-distance Train Station (a.k.a. AIRail Terminal) to downtown Cologne and back. As a result, rail travel time between FRA and downtown Cologne will be cut in half to about one hour. From December 15, FRA's AIRail Terminal will be fully integrated in Deutsche Bahn's new rail timetable. Then, nine ICE trains will be stopping per hour and per direction at Frankfurt Airport. Also from December onward, seven ICE lines will be available directly from Frankfurt Airport: Münster to Frankfurt, Dortmund to Frankfurt, Dortmund to Munich, Dortmund to Basel (Switzerland), Amsterdam (Holland) to Frankfurt, Brussels (Belgium) to Frankfurt, and Hamburg to Stuttgart. In addition, two regular-speed InterCity (IC) lines will be available: Hamburg to Vienna, and Wiesbaden to Munich.
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In preparation for upcoming construction activities, Expedition Five Commander Valery Korzun and Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson checked out Canadarm2, the International Space Station's robot arm. Canadarm2 will be used to install the S1 Truss onto the station during STS-112's visit to the orbital outpost this fall. Thursday afternoon, the station's orbit was raised by a 12-minute firing of the Progress 8 cargo ship's engines. The maneuver increased the station's orbit by 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) to 396 kilometers (246.1 miles) in preparation for the arrival of upcoming flights -- STS-112, a Soyuz taxi flight and the Progress 9 cargo ship. In other activities, Whitson worked on the SUBSA -- Solidification Using a Baffle in a Sealed Ampoules -- experiment. Flight Engineer Sergei Treschev continued his work with the Plasma Crystal-3 experiment.
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Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it has received a contract from the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the Prime Contractor for the modernization of the Sikorsky S-70 Blackhawk helicopters of the Turkish Armed Forces Command. The contract is valued at more than $14 million. TAI is the center of technology in design, development, manufacturing and integration of aerospace systems, modernization and after-sales support in Turkey. Elbit Systems will act as the Prime Subcontractor for the Avionics System Integration of the S-70 helicopter modernization program, YARASA. According to the contract, Elbit Systems will provide a state-of-the-art "Glass Cockpit" and advanced mission equipment, which will enable the upgraded S-70 helicopters to meet the special requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces including night and low level flying operations; all-weather missions; reduced pilot workload; and high system reliability. The YARASA Program is scheduled to be implemented in two phases, totaling 46.5 months, beginning with a 30-month development phase. About Elbit Systems Ltd. Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of defense-related programs
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U.S. Navy Lt. Corey Pritchard earned a place in the aviation history books July 24 when he became the first pilot to land a Boeing Super Hornet during its first deployment onboard an aircraft carrier. After a 45-minute flight from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., Pritchard brought his F/A-18E Super Hornet onto the deck at 4:01 p.m. Pacific time. "I've wanted to fly aircraft my whole life," Pritchard said. "This is my first deployment. Being able to fly the Super Hornet on its first deployment is twice as good." Pritchard is one of 17 pilots assigned to VFA-115. The squadron of 12 E-model Super Hornets is headed for the Arabian Sea. First deployment will last for six months.
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Virgin Atlantic's newest arrival, its A340-600, took its first commercial flight at 18:30 from Heathrow to New York's JFK airport. The A340-600 is the longest in the world at 247ft (75.3m) - 16ft (4.8m) longer than any other commercial plane. The aircraft is the first of an order of 10 due to be delivered between now and 2006 – a deal worth $1.9 billion (£1.25 billion). Last week the aircraft was named 'Claudia Nine' by supermodel Claudia Schiffer in front of media and VIPs at Virgin Atlantic's newly built hangar at Heathrow airport before the aircraft flew on to the farnborough Airshow. The inaugural flight was commemorated in traditional airport style with the Heathrow Fire Brigade creating a water arch over the aircraft as it taxis to the runway.
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Aerojet, a GenCorp Inc. company, announced a successful test of its variable thrust solid rocket motor. All planned test objectives of the flight-weight motor were met during the 50-second test. Aerojet, working in conjunction with Raytheon's Missile Systems Division, is developing next-generation propulsion systems for tactical missiles. Building on work for the U.S. Army, Navy and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Aerojet's objective is to demonstrate the technology required to vary rocket motor thrust in response to commands from a missile guidance system. "Variable thrust solid rocket motors have many benefits for missile designers. It will allow a single missile to both fly faster to short range targets, as well as increase a missile's maximum range if required," said Joe Abbate, Aerojet executive director, defense systems. "Aerojet's variable thrust technology will meet these requirements."
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Integrated Defense Technologies Inc.'s subsidiary, Metric Systems, announced it was awarded new contracts for the AM109 and AM105A Cargo Handling and Aerial Delivery Systems (CHADS) by EADS CASA. Under the contract, Integrated Defense will provide the AM109 and AM105A CHADS including Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) during a period of one year. The CHADS will support new aircraft orders that EADS CASA have recently received from U.S., Poland and France. The AM109 and the AM105A CHADS are the latest systems specifically designed for the EADS CASA C295 and CN235 medium transport aircraft. These systems enhance on/off loading and airdrop operations of cargo pallets, airdrop platforms, CDS containers, and aerial delivery bundles. The CHADS system is comprised of a side rail locking system, roller system, and various mechanical and electrical airdrop controls.
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Under the agreement, signed on 19 June in Paris by MBDA and Thales, both companies will produce the radar seekers for Aster, Mica and Meteor and jointly develop all upgrades and modifications. MBDA's Seeker Division, headquartered in Rome, is the design authority and prime contractor for both the Aster surface-to-air missile and Meteor missile seekers while Thales Airborne Systems, located at Elancourt near Paris, is the design authority and prime contractor for the Mica air-to-air seeker. MBDA and Thales have an existing collaborative arrangement for the Mica and Aster seekers but the new agreement extends the partnership between the two companies to cover Meteor. Both companies will combine their seeker design expertise to minimize technical risk in the development of the new Meteor missile.
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The U.S. Air Force successfully completed critical flight tests of BAE Systems AN/ALE-55 Fiber Optic Towed Device (FOTD) to demonstrate fiber optic technology in towed decoys. The flight tests, conducted June 25 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, measured electrical and fiber optic continuity of an FOTD deployed from a B-1B aircraft. For the first deployment, the FOTD maintained continuity in excess of two hours. A second deployment resulted in more than 90 minutes of continuity. "This flight test is the best performance of BAE Systems ALE-55 the Air Force has seen to date," said Lt. Col. Pete Knudsen, B-1B Electronic Warfare Program Manager, Special Programs Office. "It shows significant progress and promise for future maturation."
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CDI Corp. has signed a contract with Airbus to design the landing gear bay for the new Airbus A380, making CDI the first U.S. company to participate in the design of an aircraft for the European manufacturer. The multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement makes CDI, a Philadelphia- based leading engineering outsourcing supplier, a first-tier supplier to Airbus, headquartered in Toulouse, France. When completed, the Airbus A380 will be the largest passenger airliner ever manufactured. "CDI is helping Airbus take outsourcing to a new level with the A380," said Roger H. Ballou, president and chief executive officer of CDI. "We'll draw on the skill and experience of our engineers in the United States, Canada and Europe to ensure that Airbus has the best talent in the world involved in the design of its groundbreaking new airliner."
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Concurrent Computer Corporation, Real-Time Division, today announced that European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) has chosen the Power Hawk 740 to function as the heart of the Eurofighter (EF2000) Interim Training Device (ITD) Training Simulator. Concurrent's Power Hawk will host the EADS simulation application, which controls the flight model attack and ident system, and other simulation functions. EADS Germany will integrate Power Hawk systems to provide the simulator glass cockpit including Heads Up Display (HUD) Avionics, Instructor/Operator System (IOS), and visual systems. The Luftwaffe requires the Eurofighter ITD for initial crew training in advance of the full mission simulator Aircrew Synthetic Training Aid (ASTA) availability. It will be used primarily to train service-instructor pilots, but will also be used in support of future operational aircrew transition to the Eurofighter.
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The next generation of transportation containers going to the International Space Station will provide a soft ride for sensitive parts, will be robotically operated, and will provide heat to protect against the cold space environment. Genesis Engineering Solutions, along with team members Boeing and CSA Engineering, will design the Cargo Transportation Container (CTC), to carry critical replacement parts to the International Space Station. The CTC will be a key element in the overall transportation architecture supporting Station logistics and resupply operations. The CTC will have a system to dampen severe vibration loads experienced during Shuttle launches, similar to protective enclosures Genesis has designed and built for the Hubble Space Telescope and other customers such as SPACEHAB/Oceaneering Space Systems. In addition to providing a safe ride and thermal control, the CTC will be designed to save money. On the ground, CTCs will offer streamlined processing, saving in some cases up to a million dollars in labor. On-orbit, CTC cargo can be removed and replaced by both the Space Station's robotic arm or by the astronauts in space suits. Robotic operation saves money and frees up crew time because one astronaut can do the work of three; two in space suits and one inside.
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Lufthansa Consulting (LCG) can chalk up one more expected success for its airline-restructuring division. As an aviation consulting firm with extensive experience in this area, LCG has been selected by the government of Madagascar to revamp the country's national airline Air Madagascar. The consulting contract was recently awarded and signed by Madagascar's transport minister in the island's capital Antananarivo. The goal of the restructuring project, which will take two years, is a basic overhaul of all the airline's operations. LCG's consulting services will be focused mainly on product and service modifications aimed at cutting costs and increasing revenue. The project will have the welcome side effect of helping to improve the economic situation of Madagascar as a whole.
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The Beechcraft King Air family of airplanes, one of the most successful in general aviation, is celebrating several milestones this summer. In July, the 350. Beechcraft King Air 350 rolled off the assembly line and will be ferried overseas to an Australian customer. And in September, the 1,800th Beechcraft King Air B200 will be delivered to a U.S. customer. “These milestones tell a great story about one of the most popular aircraft in the world,” said Brad Hatt, vice president – Aircraft Business at Raytheon Aircraft. “Competitors have come and gone, and the King Air keeps flying. Customers understand that this is a very versatile aircraft that can perform practically any mission required.”
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Emcore Corporation, a leading provider of semiconductor technologies for global communications, today announced the award of a contract to design and develop a solar array to power the Cryosat satellite, a project of Astrium for the ESA (European Space Agency). This contract follows Emcore's recently announced acquisition of the Applied Solar Division business of Tecstar, Inc., which now forms part of Emcore's PhotoVoltaics Division. The first in a series of earth explorer opportunity missions sponsored by the ESA's 'Living Planet' program, the Cryosat satellite will monitor land and marine ice mass fluxes to improve the understanding of climate change. According to the terms of the contract, Emcore will lead a team comprising itself and the European Aeronautic Defense & Space Company (EADS), in which EADS will provide the mechanical design while Emcore undertakes the electrical design. The solar array, which converts sunlight into electrical power, will be the primary power source for the Cryosat satellite.
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