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Week ending September 29, 2002
+++ Boeing to buys out FSI in Aviation Training Joint Venture +++ Alcatel Space restructures +++ Spanish Eurofighter taxies out +++ NH90 training procurement in progress +++ News in brief +++
Boeing to buys out FSI in Aviation Training Joint Venture
Flight Safety Boeing: FSI steigt aus
The Boeing Company and FlightSafety International (FSI) announced that they have signed an agreement that will allow Boeing to acquire all of FSI's interests in FlightSafety Boeing Training International (FSBTI), which is their joint venture for aviation training. The companies did not disclose financial terms, and the transaction is subject to U. S. and German government regulatory approvals. FSBTI, which Boeing and FSI formed in 1997, became the world's first truly global training company responsible for flight training and maintenance in the 100-seat-and-above range of aircraft. Today, it has 800 employees in 21 locations worldwide, 70 full-flight simulators, plus numerous fixed-base and maintenance training simulators. "We appreciate the contribution FSI has made in building this world leader in training services, and we look forward to continuing our working relationship with FSI," said Mike Bair, Boeing executive vice president of Commercial Aviation Services. "With this transaction, we can continue to support our customers and have broader flexibility in offering training alone or as part of a larger solutions package. Boeing is focused on building an integrated services portfolio that will allow us to provide our customers with a complete range of global air transport solutions. This action fits precisely into that strategy." Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Alcatel Space restructures
Sparmaßnahmen bei Alcatel Space
Alcatel Space announced an industrial reorganization plan at its French facilities in Cannes, Nanterre, Toulouse and Valence to cope with the steady decline in the space sector. Restructuring measures, which will be applied within the scope of Alcatel's worldwide cost reduction program, are a further workforce reduction of about 400 during the first half year of 2003 in order to adapt to market trends. Furthermore, Alcatel Space decided to launch an industrial conversion project for its Valence plant, which has 250 employees. This project will be carried out in consultation with unions, to conduct jointly a study to explore the reconversion of the production unit by seeking external industrial workloads with partners. Alcatel Space will work closely with labor representatives to reduce its workforce and carry out the Valence industrial conversion project, and will do so in a socially responsible manner. In particular, it will offer early retirement, leave for training and employees outplacement. Alcatel Space's workforce in France has 5200 people at the end of 2002.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Spanish Eurofighter taxies out
Erster spanischer Serien-Eurofighter fertig
On Friday, 20th the first series production aircraft has performed its first trials on the runway. The directional and brake control systems have been checked performing ground maneuvers consisting of several accelerations, brakes and round movements. Finally the aircraft named ST001 began to taxi reaching 70 knots, as previously planned. For the first time the EADS CASA test pilots have undertaken this trial counting only on a radio connection to the engineers. Actually this aircraft, to be delivered to the Spanish Air Force, is not longer equipped with the telemetry system used for the development aircraft (DA) and the instrumented series production aircraft (IPA) operated by the industries. Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
NH90 training procurement in progress
Trainingssysteme für NH90
NH Industries, appointed by NAHEMA to conduct the tendering process for procurement of the Training Media for the NH90 Programme, has issued an Intention To Tender for the development, production, maintenance, operation and updating of Full Flight Simulators, Mission Simulators, Cockpit Procedure Trainers and virtual maintenance trainers. The following companies, within the NH90 Programme participating Nations, have been selected, in accordance with NAHEMA, to be competitor for their ability to respond as prime contractors: CAE Elektronik (Germany); STN-Atlas (Germany); Thales Training & Simulation (France); Sogitec (France); HELISIM (France); ROTORSIM (Italy); NIID (The Netherlands). NH Industries expects that other companies acting in the simulation market will be involved by providing their contribution to the companies selected for this competition. This represents a major step forward, reinforcing the leadership of the NH90 Programme in the European industrial collaboration still further.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
On 25 September 2002, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Germany of Tornado Aircraft Training and Logistics Support as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $150 million. The Government of Germany has requested a possible sale of base services for the German Air Force Tornado operations at Holloman Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico. Base services provided will be for operation and logistics support including training, fuel, munitions, base operating support, and other related requirements. The estimated cost is $150 million. This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the military capabilities of Germany and enhancing standardization and interoperability of this important NATO ally. Holloman AFB is the only location where the German Air Force trains aircrews in Tornado operations and tactics. The origin of these operations began at U.S. Air Force facilities in 1989. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region.+++
Seven hundred A380 design engineers and project staff have moved into a prestigious new £14 million office complex at Airbus' Bristol site in the UK. Today Lord Sainsbury, UK Minister for Science and Innovation, visited Filton to formally open the new building - the design of which has already been highly rated in an independent environmental assessment. The 21st Century office complex provides many modern innovations for an efficient and comfortable working environment for the hundreds of staff who work on the wings, fuel system and landing gear for the Airbus flagship for the 21st Century the A380 superjumbo. The open plan offices feature an automated energy management system which eliminates water and electricity wastage, helping to make it both cost-effective and environmentally-responsible; two atriums with informal seating provide pleasant relaxing areas for staff to take breaks; and, reinforcing the company's commitment to 'green travel', cycling to work is also encouraged with ample bicycle parking and cyclists' showers.
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A more powerful version of the GR7 Harrier has made its first flight. The development GR7A took off from Warton in Lancashire at 16.32 on Friday September 20 and landed after a 45-minute flight. Test pilot Mark Bowman said: "During today's flight the new Pegasus 107 engine behaved fully as expected across the flight envelope, which included a close look at the much improved hover performance. This additional performance represents a significant increase in the overall operational capability of the Harrier and forms a cornerstone element of the advanced Harrier GR9A programme." The GR7A is development of the GR7 currently in service with the RAF and selected for Joint Force Harrier. It features an uprated, lower-maintenance Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine which develops an extra 3,000 lbs thrust above 30 degrees centigrade. The extra power allows the all-up weight of the aircraft to be increased from 32,000 to 34,000lbs, improves performance (including weapons +bring back,), particularly under hot conditions such as the Gulf where there can be a marked decline in the aircraft's hovering performance. The MOD initiated the engine upgrade in December 1999, contracting Rolls-Royce to remanufacture 40 Pegasus Mk 105 engines to the Mk107 standard. BAE Systems Customer Solutions & Support business will supply modification kits to enable 40 aircraft to take the new engines. (The running fleet of operational aircraft is expected to be 30 aircraft in three squadrons.) The combined activity is worth £150m and the first 20 aircraft will be completed by April 2004. The balance will be completed through the GR9 programme.
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The International Space Station's truss system begins expanding after space shuttle Atlantis delivers the Boeing-built S1 (starboard one) truss to the orbital outpost in October. When completed, the 10 segments of the truss system built by Boeing will eventually span more than 300 feet or about the length of a football field. It will house the space station's solar arrays and carry power, data and environmental services that support life support systems throughout the station. NASA Systems, based in Houston, is a business unit of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems and is NASA's prime contractor for the International Space Station and responsible for design, construction and integrating the components. The company also supports NASA in operating the ISS. The girder-like S1 will be attached to the S0 (starboard zero) truss delivered in April 2002. The P1 (port one) truss will be delivered byEndeavour in November 2002 and attached to the opposite side of the S0 truss.
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The 1671st flight of a Soyuz launch vehicle took place successfully on Wednesday, September 25, 2002 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launcher lifted off on schedule at 10:58 p.m. Baikonur local time (6:58 p.m., in Paris), and the Progress spacecraft was accurately placed on the target orbit. This was the 6th Soyuz mission in 2002 and the 75th successful launch in a row associated with the Soyuz family of launch vehicles. 11 of these 75 successes were human flights. Soyuz sustained launch rate confirms its position as one of the world's primary launch vehicles. This rate also demonstrates Samara Space Center's continuous production capacity, as well as the operational capability of launch teams at Baikonur under the authority of the Russian Aviation and Space Agency.
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As autumn and winter close in, escape the cold and head for Spain this year – particularly southern Andalusia, the region that enjoys more hours of sun than anywhere else in Europe! From 3 November 2002, Lauda Air is adding another attractive scheduled destination to its holiday flight schedule: Malaga, the bustling centre of the Costa del Sol. Flights will leave Vienna for Malaga every Sunday, with return on the same day of the week. The new service to Malaga will offer the ideal connections from the Austrian federal provinces, and golf bags can be taken on board free of charge, as they can to Mallorca. Schedules from 3 November 2002:
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Lockheed Martin has successfully completed the second of four major testing milestones required prior to the U. S. Navy's MH-60R Multi-Mission helicopter entering Operational Evaluation in 2004. The joint Lockheed Martin/ Navy test team for the MH-60R completed the critical mission test known as Development Testing Phase IIC (DT IIC), two days ahead of schedule, moving the program closer to fleet introduction in late 2005. The combined test team, consisting of U.S. Navy pilots, engineers and aircrew and Lockheed Martin, completed 151 test flights, 494 flight hours and 1,540 ground hours on two prototype MH-60R aircraft from July 2001 to July 2002. The testing was conducted at the Naval Air Station and the Air Combat Environmental Test and Evaluation Facility (ACETEF), both in Patuxent River, MD.
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Boeing Canada Technology - Winnipeg, a subsidiary of The Boeing Company, is joining the Boeing Sonic Cruiser technology development team. The team is working to develop the advanced materials solutions that will make the Sonic Cruiser a success. "The Boeing Winnipeg organization has a long history of composites manufacturing and brings tremendous knowledge and experience in composites materials," said Jeff Luckey, director of Supplier Management for the Sonic Cruiser program. "We are anxious to have the Boeing Winnipeg expertise in assisting the Sonic Cruiser program develop new technology."
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Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems sector has unveiled a design for an efficient and capable long-range supersonic cruise aircraft that would operate with a less intense sonic boom. The design, or “preferred system concept,” which includes variants for a long-range military strike aircraft and a civil business jet, is part of Northrop Grumman's work under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Quiet Supersonic Platform (QSP) program. QSP is focused on the validation of multiple breakthrough technologies to enable such aircraft. In addition, under a shaped sonic boom demonstration project of the QSP program, Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems has successfully completed a critical design review with DARPA, an important milestone in preparation for the first-ever flight demonstration of a sonic boom mitigated by airframe shaping.
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A major command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, is gaining two new units with the implementation of the Unified Command Plan on Oct. 1. The 65th Air Base Wing at Lajes Air Base, Azores, and the 85th Group at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, will transition from Air Combat Command to USAFE as part of the Department of Defense realignment of unified command responsibilities. The U.S. European Command, of which USAFE is the air component, is the most heavily impacted command under the revised plan. USAFE will gain responsibility for Iceland, Greenland, the Azores, more than half of the Atlantic Ocean from the U.S. Joint Forces Command, and the previously unassigned areas of the Russia Federation and the Caspian Sea. "This will be the first time a United States unified warfighting command has ever included Russia in its (area of responsibility)," said Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, commander in chief of USEUCOM and supreme allied commander, Europe. "This new plan is a natural outgrowth from post cold war relationships and fosters enhanced relationships with former adversaries that are now among our strongest partners. This is strong testament to the encouraging evolution of the relationships we've developed over the years with Russia."
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After completion of the functional tests for the Integral scientific satellite at the Baikonur launch base (Kazakhstan) earlier this month, the propellant tanks have now been filled with hydrazine in preparation for the scheduled launch on October 17th. In parallel, activities are ongoing to complete the assembly of the Proton launcher. Integral (INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory) is a space observatory to identify and study Gamma radiation sources in the Universe. The satellite has been developed by a European industrial team in which Alenia Spazio has acted as prime contractor co-ordinating the activities of some 30 subcontractors. The successful end of the C/D phase came in July with the Flight Acceptance Review (FAR), carried out by ESA, which confirmed that all the on-board resources could guarantee the success of the foreseen five-year mission.
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Frankfurt Airport's (FRA) extensive network of flight destinations continues to expand with the inauguration of a new route between Frankfurt and Kabul - currently the only scheduled air service between Europe and Afghanistan. Using an Airbus A300, Ariana Afghan Airlines will offer one flight per week from Frankfurt to Kabul via Istanbul (Turkey) and Sharja (United Arab Emirates). Along with this Wednesday service, Ariana Afghan Airlines intends to add soon a second weekly flight on Sundays. Vital for Afghanistan's economic development, the new connection will be used primarily by politicians, military personnel, media representatives, staff from international relief agencies and businesspeople involved in redevelopment projects. Air transport links to the rest of the world are considered important for helping Afghanistan to rebuild and to create a new future of peace and prosperity.
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Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury today announced moves to strengthen the way space policy in the UK is managed, following a review of the British National Space Centre. As a result of the review, carried out by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Government has agreed to transfer almost £150M from the DTI to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) over three years. Both will play a bigger role in developing and implementing the UK's space policies. Lord Sainsbury said: "This review has enabled us to take stock of the way we manage the space budget in the UK. The changes I am announcing today will improve our ability to choose in future between competing priorities. This can only be good for the space community at large. At the same time we are reinforcing the BNSC's unique role in policy co-ordination and joined-up thinking.
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Airbus has established a new dedicated customer support facility located on South African Airways' technical premises at Johannesburg International Airport. In addition, a satellite customer support office will be established at Cape Town International Airport later this year. The new facilities will play a crucial role in the support of South African Airways and the numerous other airlines that operate modern, efficient Airbus aircraft on services to South Africa. Initially, Airbus will provide technical support primarily to South African Airways as it prepares to introduce its modern fleet of A340-600, A340-300E and A340-200 long-haul aircraft into service from the end of this year. Similar support will also be provided throughout the introduction of the new A319 and A320 regional/domestic fleet due to enter service with South African Airways from 2005.
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General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a business unit of General Dynamics was selected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, Texas, as the gun system integrator for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). "This is a significant competitive win for General Dynamics, and reaffirms our position as premier aircraft gun system provider," said Linda Hudson, president of General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. "We look forward to working with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in making the world's most capable fighter even more lethal and survivable."
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South African aerospace manufacturer Denel Aviation has begun producing rear fuselage fuselage sections for the Gripen advanced fighter programme. Denel Aviation was awarded the initial export contract as part of BAE Systems' and Saab's Industrial Participation programme connected to South Africa's acquisition of new defence equipment. The contract helps to further secure jobs, technologies and skills at Denel. BAE Systems and Saab jointly own Gripen International, which designs, manufactures, markets and supports the new generation fighter. The first completed airframe section will be shipped to Sweden later this month where it will be mated with other airframe sections and incorporated into a new fighter for the Swedish Air Force which has ordered 204 of the aircraft.
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The H-1 Upgrade Program came one step closer to its unofficial goal of "darkening the Maryland skies with H-1's" Friday when the fourth of five AH-1Z and UH-1Y prototypes made its first flight here. Flown by Maj. Pat Lindauer and Bell Helicopter test pilot Gregg Shimp, both members of the H-1 Integrated Test Team here, the one-hour flight of the second UH-1Y prototype, known as Yankee 2, confirmed operation and controllability of aircraft systems before proceeding with further testing. Although initially scheduled to begin cooling and temperature surveys and automatic flight control system development testing, Yankee 2 is slated to be the main avionics testbed for the program, according to Vic DiSanto, H-1 Program (PMA-276) systems engineer.
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Flying 100,000 feet above the Oregon coast, a new kind of aircraft demonstrated the readiness of robotic airplane technology for Mars exploration. The MarsFlyer, designed and manufactured by Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, Manassas, Va., is a one-half scale prototype of a NASA aircraft that may one day soar over the red planet returning unique science knowledge on Mars' atmosphere, surface, and interior. Today's flight was the first in a series of high-altitude tests confirming the aircraft's ability to deploy its wings and tail, and demonstrate aerodynamic performance. Led by the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., Aurora is part of a team of industry, academia, and national laboratories working for the past three years to prepare robotic aircraft technology for scientific application on Mars.
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On 25 September 2002, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Spain of logistics support for six leased AH-64A Apache helicopters as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $234 million. The Government of Spain has requested a possible sale of logistics support for six leased AH-64A Apache helicopters, ground support equipment, tools and test equipment, spare and repair parts, supply support, publications, personnel training, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $234 million.
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At Kennedy Space Center, Fla., launch countdown preparations for STS-112 continued Friday, following the completion of aft compartment closeouts, door installation and confidence checks. Final electrical checks of the External Tank camera were also being conducted. Mission managers continued to monitor tropical developments though no impacts were expected in the Kennedy area in the near term. Atlantis and its six-member crew are scheduled to lift off Oct. 2. STS-112 will deliver the S1 (S-One) Truss to the International Space Station
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Last updated 29 September 2002
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