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UPDATE
Week ending 12 October 2003
+++ Eurofighter, Rafale, Eagle on Singapore shortlist +++ Air Berlin: City Shuttle a success +++ Bombardier launches Global Express XRS +++ Citation XLS unveiled +++ Gulfstream introduces G450 +++ Opening of the Wildau Compressor Test Center +++ NASA flies laser-powered aircraft +++ News in brief +++
Eurofighter, Rafale, Eagle on Singapore shortlist
Kampfflugzeugwettbewerb geht in nächste Runde
On October 20, the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) of Singapore has shortlisted the Eurofighter, the Dassault Rafale and the Boeing F-15 Eagle for what is expected to be an influential fighter order worth more than $1 billion. The decision was a blow to rivals Lockheed Martin (F-16) and Sukhoi (Su-30), which were excluded from bidding for the order for about 20 planes, expected to be awarded within a year. Industry executives say all the bidders have been more than usually keen to secure Singapore's order, because the Southeast Asian island state has developed a strong reputation for expertise in complex defence deals. The next step is an invitation to tender, and a final selection should be made in 2004.
Commenting on the downselect announcement, Filippo Bagnato, Chief Executive Officer Eurofighter GmbH stated; 'I believe the decision by Singapore is a clear recognition of the power behind the Eurofighter partnership. We are fully committed with our partners to demonstrating the technical and performance capabilities of the Weapon System. This is combined with a clear route for technology transfer that will seek to enhance core indigenous capabilities in Singapore. Alongside this effort we will also work to further develop a powerful industrial partnership between Singapore's high technology industry and Europe's leading defence and aerospace companies - Alenia Aeronautica, BAE SYSTEMS and EADS.'
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Air Berlin: City Shuttle a sucess
City Shuttle ein Erfolg für Air Berlin
In the first year of ist City Shuttle service, Air Berlin is please with the results. 1,5 million passengers were carried over the last 12 months since September 2002. Air Berlin claims that it is making a profit after nine months. The company expects to carry a total of 4,3 million passengers this year (including its charter operations).
In contrast to other low-cost carriers, Air Berlin is offering flights from a wide variety of German airports. From the start on 30 September 2002, Berlin-Tegel, Hamburg, Dortmund, Münster/Osnabrück, Paderborn/Lippstadt und Nürnberg were served, with destinations like London-Stansted, Vienna, Mailand-Bergamo. In the meantime, Dusseldorf and Hannover have been added and frequencies on most airports increased.
Passenger numbers on the City Shuttles were 168000 in October – December 2002, while in August 2003 alone 186000 passengers were carried. Today, 480000 passengers are counted monthly. Air Berlin prices start at 29 Euro.
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Bombardier launches Global Express XRS
Neue Global Express Version vorgestellt
On October 6, Bombardier Aerospace introduced the new Bombardier Global Express XRS, an improved version of the world's finest business jet aircraft. The Bombardier Global Express XRS takes the outstanding performance of the Bombardier Global Express even further, offering greater levels of cabin comfort and technology to both passengers and crew, while connecting more cities faster than any other business jet. Chief among the aircraft's performance improvements are increased range at high speed, improved takeoff capabilities and a new, fast refuelling technology. The addition of a forward fuel tank in the wing/body fairing, which adds 1,486 pounds (674 kg) of useable fuel, will help carry the Bombardier Global Express XRS longer distances at higher speeds than any other business aircraft in its class – 6,150 nautical miles (11,400 km) at a cruise speed of Mach 0.85, and 5,450 nautical miles (10,100 km) at Mach 0.87.
A new zero flaps takeoff capability will allow Bombardier Global Express XRS operators to depart from “hot and high” airports at higher temperatures and with a greater fuel load, reaching more cities from more airports around the world.
The Bombardier Global Express XRS will include the Bombardier Enhanced Vision System (BEVS) as standard equipment. Announced at last year's NBAA, the BEVS will reduce the risk of Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), runway incursions at night or during low visibility conditions, and increase overall depth perception in difficult operating conditions and/or at unfamiliar airports. The new cabin of the Bombardier Global Express XRS features several ergonomic improvements including increased cabin pressurization, the addition of two windows, an enhanced floor plan, and a larger storage volume.
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Citation XLS unveiled
Verbesserter Excel-Geschäftsreisejet vorgestellt
The Cessna Citation XLS has been announced as Cessna's newest business jet. The Citation XLS combines Citation Excel comfort with significant improvements to performance and avionics. With a price point of $9,895,000, the Citation XLS is a logical step-up for customers moving up from smaller light jets. Preliminary data for the XLS indicates a 200-pound gross weight increase over the Excel, which allows operators to carry more payload greater distances. Maximum IFR range with two pilots and five passengers is 1,945 nm, an increase of 225 nm. The XLS is powered by Pratt & Whitney's new PW545B engines that provide 3,991 pounds of thrust each, an increase of 4.9% compared to the Excel. This additional thrust provides remarkable cruise speeds and climb performance. At its maximum takeoff weight, the XLS is able to climb directly to 45,000 feet in 25 minutes, and cruise at 428 ktas once at 45,000 ft.
The XLS will be delivered with a comprehensive standard warranty: five years or 5,000 hours on the airframe and Honeywell Primus 1000 CDS avionics; five years or 2,500 hours on the Pratt & Whitney engines; and one year for paint, interior, and other supplier items. Cessna anticipates Citation XLS certification in the first quarter of 2004 with first deliveries in mid-2004. Citation XLS line flow will begin in the fourth quarter of 2003.
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Gulfstream introduces G450
Neuer Gulfstream-Jet im Flugtest
On October 6, Gulfstream Aerospace introduced its newest business jet, the large-cabin, long-range Gulfstream G450. The G450 is an entire aircraft upgrade of the Gulfstream GIV/GIV-SP/G400, the best-selling business jet in its class, with 500 aircraft built and sold between 1982 and 2002. The GIV entered service in June,1987 and in December 2002, the last GIV was “rolled out” and the manufacturing line was transitioned to produce the Gulfstream G300 and G400. From the exterior, the discerning observer of the G450 will note the repositioning of the main entrance door and the slightly longer fuselage than that of the GIV/G400. Inside the aircraft, all of the systems in the G450 have been modified to improve safety, passenger comfort and pilot efficiencies.
The G450 outperforms the G400 with a 250-nautical mile additional range capability and improved hot-day and high-elevation takeoff performance. G450 owners, operators, pilots and passengers familiar with the G400 will immediately see and feel the difference provided by the extra 12 inches in the fuselage and changes in the interior arrangement. Inside the cockpit, the flight crew will discover a working environment designed for safety and efficiency with the state-of-the-art PlaneView™ cockpit, a fully integrated flight deck that is more advanced than anything found on competing aircraft. In addition the crew will enjoy 30 percent more work space. With Gulfstream's signature Cursor Control Device and large, easy-to-read displays, pilots will use point-and-click technology to access the status of onboard systems or update flight information. Those in the cabin will experience a significant increase in the level of comfort, as a result of improved temperature control and cabin pressure systems.
For the past two years, Gulfstream has been developing two business jets concurrently: the G450 and the large-cabin, ultra-long-range G550, which was certified by the FAA in August this year. Following the creation of a G550 prototype in 2001, Gulfstream immediately began work on the G450, dubbed “GIV-X” at the time. The first G450 test aircraft completed its first flight on April 30th. Since then, three additional aircraft have entered the flight test program. Together, the four aircraft have completed 58 test flights and have flown more than 150 hours with G450 test pilots and engineers testing the new onboard systems and the PlaneView flight deck. All major system development testing has been successfully completed and FAA Certification tests started.
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Opening of the Wildau Compressor Test Center
Neues Testzentrum bei Berlin eröffnet
After 18 months of construction, the Compressor Test Centre at Wildau, near Berlin/ Germany, officially starts its operation after the commissioning of the first of three test beds. At the opening ceremony, AneCom AeroTest celebrated this important milestone in its young history in the presence of the Secretary of State, Brandenburg, Dr. Vogel, and Dr. Mike Howse, member of the Board of Directors of Rolls-Royce plc. With the opening of AneCom AeroTest, the aeronautics industry returns to Wildau. At the same site where airplane fuselages were once produced, AneCom AeroTest is now the main tenant in the new Aerospace Technology Centre. The Compressor Test Centre occupies the main part of the new building which consists of three test beds:
Test bed I which has been commissioned now is suitable for compressors with speeds up to 20,000 RPM and airflows up to 77 lb/sec with a maximum exit pressure of 350 psi. Test bed II is designed for compressors with mass flows up to 440 lb/sec with a maximum exit pressure of 160 psi. This test bed will be operational in March 2004. Test bed III is uniquely setup for jet engine fan noise investigations. Here, measurements are taken in a n anechoic chamber approximately 10,000 square feet in size. The noise- reducing lining of the walls is made of stone-wool wedges simulating the environment on a free surface (i.e. an airport runway surface). Noise reduction technology for future jet engines will be evaluated on this test bed, which will be ready for operation in January, 2004.
In the new Compressor Test Centre, AneCom AeroTest will in the future test development compressors for customers from around the world. Rolls-Royce is the launch customer and has choosen the Wildau facility for testing its new compressors in the future. The first test for Rolls-Royce will take place in Test Bed I later this month.
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NASA flies laser-powered aircraft
Miniflugzeug mit Laserkraft in der Luft
Ever since the dawn of powered flight, it has been necessary for all aircraft to carry fuel onboard - whether in the form of batteries, fuel, solar cells, or even a human "engine" - in order to stay aloft. A team of researchers from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif., and the University of Alabama in Huntsville is trying to change that. They have now chalked up a major accomplishment... and a "first." The team has developed and demonstrated a small-scale aircraft that flies solely by means of propulsive power delivered by an invisible, ground-based laser. The laser tracks the aircraft in flight, directing its energy beam at specially designed photovoltaic cells carried onboard to power the plane's propeller.
The plane, with its five-foot wingspan, weighs only 11 ounces and is constructed from balsa wood and carbon fiber tubing covered with Mylar film. Designed and built at NASA Dryden, the aircraft is a one-of-a-kind, radio-controlled model airplane. A special panel of photovoltaic cells, selected and tested by team participants at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, is designed to efficiently convert the energy from the laser wavelength into electricity to power a small electric motor that spins the propeller. The lightweight, low-speed plane was flown indoors at the Marshall center to prevent wind and weather from affecting the test flights. After the craft was released from a launching platform inside the building, the laser beam was aimed at the airplane's panels, causing the propeller to spin and propel the craft around the building, lap after lap. When the laser beam was turned off, the airplane glided to a landing.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Bremen-based space technology company OHB-System AG has received an order from the German Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement to conduct the second phase of a study concerning the establishment of a European satellite-based reconnaissance system. In a preliminary step, OHB-System, which is developing and constructing SAR-Lupe in its capacity as the principal contractor, has already produced a concept permitting France to co-use the German SAR-Lupe radar system while giving Germany access to the HELIOS II optical system. In this second phase, OHB will be describing in detail the required technical adjustments to the SAP-Lupe ground station and defining the precise interfaces in a project with a total value of EUR 3.4 million scheduled for completion by mid 2004. Assuming that the project is implemented as of 2005, projects worth a further EUR 35-40 million will be forthcoming. The ground segments of SAR-Lupe and Helios II are to be utilized as the core element of a European-wide strategic reconnaissance system. To this end, the E-SGA study will be identifying the aspects of the SAR-Lupe ground segment requiring technical modifications and extensions and producing a corresponding budget and schedule. Preliminary parts of the system are to be available at the end of 2005, when Helios II goes into operation. The first SAR-Lupe satellites are scheduled for launch at the beginning of 2005.
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Honeywell Aerospace's 12th annual Business Aviation Outlook projects continuing demand for new business aircraft, with customers expecting to purchase more than 7,700 jets valued at over $115 billion for the period 2003-2013. Honeywell Aerospace's Business Aviation Outlook projects a sustainable near-term market for traditional business aircraft (gross take-off weight [GTOW] less than 100,000 lbs.). The survey indicates continued recovery in order levels over the next 12 to 18 months, assuming the projected U.S. economic growth over the next 4 to 6 quarters is realized. “Strong new model backlogs, continuing expansion in fractional ownership in North America and Europe, coupled with an expected strong economic recovery, remain key factors supporting a longer-term outlook for growth,” said Bob Johnson, President and CEO, Honeywell Aerospace. “Operators world wide continue to tell us they recognize the benefits of business aircraft and emphasize their strong interest in new technology and new models with improved value propositions.” Manufacturer backlogs now stand at approximately 1,500 aircraft orders, options and deposits, with about 40% attributed to fractional ownership programs, enabling users who cannot justify the cost of sole aircraft ownership to purchase a share of an aircraft. Close to two thirds of the total order backlog is currently for new models. Examples are Challenger 300, Gulfstream 150, Citation Sovereign, Citation Mustang, Falcon 7X and Hawker Horizon. Continued slow growth in fractional ownership, positions the industry for a near-term period of sustained demand at current or possibly slightly higher levels.
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Forecast International has issued its annual analysis of the market for aviation turboprop engines, which projects deliveries of 9,527 turboprop engines worth a total of more than $5.6 billion over the next 10 years. Turboprop engine production is expected to increase from 821 units this year to nearly 1,000 units per year in 2005, and then to remain well above the 900-unit mark every year through 2012. While unit deliveries will hold fairly steady after 2005, the total annual value of turboprop engines will actually increase substantially, from $467.9 million this year to a high of $622.7 million in 2011. This increase will result primarily from higher demand for larger, more powerful engines during the latter part of the forecast period, and many of those will be delivered to military customers. According to the Forecast International report, production is expected to trend slightly higher in the near term and again in the later forecast years; the early rise will be driven by civil turboprop orders, and the latter uptrend will result from an increase in military engine demand. A modest decrease will follow around 2012. Military production itself is expected to rise from about 274 in 2003 to a peak of about 426 engines in 2011. Civil production of turboprop engines is expected to increase by up to 10 percent per year in the near term, reaching a high of 635 units in 2008. The swell in anticipated civil deliveries is largely attributable to orders for increasingly popular single-engine turboprop aircraft.
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Advanced, integrated cabin system solutions for customers of VIP and executive jets will be made possible thanks to QinetiQ, Europe's leading science and technology solutions provider, and Lufthansa Technik Group, a leading provider of MRO (main-tenance, repair and overhaul) services for the aviation industry. The two companies, which will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at this year's National Busi-ness Aviation Association's (NBAA) 56th Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, Florida, plan to advance a range of technology cabin system solutions such as, lightweight materials, security and surveillance systems, cabin acoustics and lighting. By combining Lufthansa Technik's unique combination of technical expertise, under-standing of operational requirements and customer support, with QinetiQ's breadth of technical offerings, it is hoped that the two companies will vigorously grow their share of the cabin systems market, currently worth over $3.5B p.a. The MoU follows Lufthansa Technik's announcement that it has launched its nice project. “nice” stands for Networked Integrated Cabin Environment and is designed to address the growing need for airline operators to offer integrated communications. nice will en-able the provision of feature-rich services such as business communications and enhanced entertainment services. The agreement will see QinetiQ working with Lufthansa Technik's Completion Center and the company's MRO business. Commenting on the key benefits QinetiQ brings to the relationship with Lufthansa Technik, Ron Van Manen, Vice President, QinetiQ Commercial Aircraft Programmes, said: “Lufthansa Technik clearly has set the stan-dard in the industry as the world's premier MRO organisation, and are market leaders in completions, ranging from executive & business jets to Head-of State VVIP aircraft. QinetiQ has decades of experience in materials, structures, communications and secu-rity/surveillance systems, which has developed from its work with defence and aero-space businesses. QinetiQ believes that the partnership with Lufthansa Technik ideally positions us to jointly deliver comfort at reasonable cost, meet the vital demands of security and safety, while offering reliability as well as open architecture and system integration. These are the touchstone issues for this market which QinetiQ and Luf-thansa Technik are uniquely placed to deliver.”
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Bombardier Aerospace celebrated the delivery of the 600th Bombardier Challenger widebody business jet – an aircraft that is the benchmark in its class for comfort, productivity and value for more than the last two decades. The Bombardier Challenger 604, s/n 5557, was formally delivered to Clearwater Fine Foods of Bedford, Nova Scotia, one of the world's leading seafood companies, at a special ceremony held during the 56th National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Annual Meeting and Convention. As of July 31, 2003, the fleet had accumulated more than 2.45 million flight hours while posting a dispatch reliability exceeding 99.7 per cent. The current production model, the Challenger 604, is the fifth variant of the Challenger and has been the best-selling large business jet since 1996.
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The French MoD (Délégation Générale de l'Armement) has awarded MBDA a contract to integrate the ASMPA medium range air-to-ground missile on the next generation variant of the French Air Force's Mirage 2000N – the Mirage 2000N K3. This contract follows the announcement on 28th July 2003 of the second phase of the ASMPA's development on the Mirage 2000N K3 and the Rafale. For the Mirage 2000N K3, ASMPA with its tactical nuclear warhead, will replace the current ASMP missile, in service on the Mirage 2000 N since 1988, filling the role of France's air-launched nuclear deterrent. In due course, ASMPA will be adapted for integration on the French Air Force's and the French Navy's Rafale combat aircraft.
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Rockwell Collins introduces the SAT-6100, a new SATCOM system designed to provide a level of capability in high-speed satellite communications unmatched for a unit its size. The system will be installed as a baseline component of the integrated cabin electronics package on the Bombardier Global 5000. “The SAT-6100 provides multiple voice and data communication channels for the flight deck and cabin in a small and lightweight package,” said Denny Helgeson, vice president and general manager, Business and Regional Systems for Rockwell Collins. “This system meets the requirements of a broad range of aircraft platforms, including providing high-speed Satcom to mid-size business aircraft.” The SAT-6100 is comprised of the Collins SRT-2100 – a single compact unit – along with two Collins HST-2100 High-Speed Transceivers providing three Aero-I/H/H+ channels and two channels of Swift64 high-speed data service. The system is designed to be installed outside the pressurized vessel, preserving valuable cabin space, and has met rigorous testing to prove its operability in this harsh environment.
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Bombardier Aerospace has expanded its service coverage for Bombardier Global Express operators with the announcement that Midcoast Aviation and Jet Aviation Geneva have been named by the company to serve as Authorized Service Facilities (ASF) for the ultra long-range business jet. Jet Aviation Geneva, in Switzerland, is the second of Jet Aviation Group's worldwide network to receive Bombardier's authorization to perform the full range of service on the Bombardier Global Express joining the firm's Singapore location. Jet Aviation Geneva is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA)/Joint Airworthiness Regulations (JAR) 145 approved repair station and holds approvals in Switzerland, Bermuda, Cayman, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia as well as UAE.
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Pratt & Whitney Canada's (P&WC) PW307A turbofan engine has achieved a significant milestone with its successful first development flight. This launches the start of an aggressive flight test program to demonstrate the engine's outstanding performance and operability characteristics. The PW307A engine is part of the P&WC Integrated Power Plant System (IPPS) selected by Dassault Aviation to power the Falcon 7X business aircraft. The 6,100-lb-thrust engine, mounted on P&WC's Boeing 720 flying test bed, explored a range of altitudes from Sea Level to 45,000 feet and performed flawlessly during its maiden five-hour flight on July 16, 2003. Subsequent flights logged an additional 20 hours of flying time and gathered enough data to confirm its design performance. This also complemented data measured during the 600 hours of accumulated sea level operability, mechanical integrity and performance testing completed to date. "The initial performance test results were better than our expectations at all flight conditions and aligned extremely well with our enhanced analytical prediction capability," said Catrina MacKenzie, Vice-President, PW307A Program.
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"August figures confirm the positive recovery trend of June and July, with international passenger traffic increasing in all regions and freight traffic holding a steady course. This is encouraging news for our beleaguered industry," said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's Director General and CEO speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO) in Muscat, Oman. Traffic recovery is definitely underway, but industry recovery is not yet uniform. Although Middle East traffic figures are excellent, Arab carriers should still take a fresh look at membership in one of the global alliances. Time has come to think about an Arab single market in order to help this region keep up with global trends, Bisignani concluded. Preliminary IATA passenger traffic results for August 2003 are running only 0.3% below August 2002, as compared to the wider gap of 3.6% recorded in July 2003 against July 2002. For the first eight months of this year, the year-to-date recovery trend continues with worldwide traffic 5.7% below the same period for 2002. IATA now forecasts that overall international passenger traffic levels in 2003 will be approximately 1% lower than 2002 by year end if stable conditions prevail. Four regions recorded an improvement in international passenger traffic over August 2002: Europe (4.4%), South America (8.2%), Africa (1.6%) and Middle East (18.7%). Although still below August 2002 results, North America at -6.5% and Asia Pacific at -4.6% continue to narrow the gap with results from previous months showing 1.3 and 13.4 percentage point gains respectively over Julys year-on-year results.
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Rockwell Collins announced the development of an Enhanced Vision System (EVS) for the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) and other models of Boeing 737 aircraft. Federal Aviation Administration certification of the system is expected by December 2005. The Collins EVS is designed to enhance pilot situational awareness during the approach and landing phases of flight at night or during poor weather conditions by providing an infrared (IR) camera view of the outside environment. The imagery will be displayed conformally on the combiner of the Flight Dynamics HGS-4000 Head-up Guidance System, increasing both safety and operational capability of the aircraft.
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After five years of employing Erickson Air-Crane's S-64 Helitanker on wildfires throughout the mainland and the islands of Sardegna and Sicily, the State Forestry Corps of Italy (Corpo Forestale Dello Stato or "CFS") has contracted with Erickson Air-Crane of Central Point, Oregon, USA, to purchase four S-64 Aircrane Helitankers, together with a substantial spare parts, support and training package and an option for the purchase of two additional S-64 Helitankers. Acting Director General of the Italian State Forestry Corps, Fausto Martinelli, signed the purchase agreement on behalf of the CFS ordering the firefighting helicopters. Gian Franco Blower, Vice President - Europe, conducted the negotiations and executed the contract on behalf of Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated.
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In a new study entitled “The World Market for Regional/Commuter Transport Aircraft,” Forecast International predicts that 4,112 regional aircraft, worth some $88.2 billion, will be produced in the 10-year period spanning 2003 through 2012. The total includes 3,331 regional jets and 781 turboprop aircraft. The study notes that production of regional aircraft production declined in 2002, for the first time in three years. Forecast International expects a further drop once final data is available for 2003. However, the company anticipates a turnaround in 2004, and projects that annual production will increase in both 2004 and 2005. Some drop-off is then expected in the following three to four years, with growth again resuming by 2010. “Many major carriers have been consolidating their route structures since the present industry downturn began in 2001, and regional airlines have been stepping into the void created by these moves,” said Forecast International senior aerospace analyst Raymond Jaworowski. During the past couple of years, many majors have been placing aircraft into storage, reducing numbers of flights, and abandoning some routes altogether. Consequently, regional airlines have picked up several routes that have been discarded by majors. Production of regional aircraft will be buoyed by the growth of regional airlines, including the expansion of small carriers into underserved markets. These carriers will provide a customer base for sales of 19-30 passenger turboprop aircraft. Overall, however, turboprops are expected to lose ground over the next 10 years in the sales battle with regional jets. According to the study, the market for 70-120-passenger regional aircraft is expected to be dynamic during the 10-year forecast period, as traffic growth causes regional airlines to buy 70-120 seaters to replace smaller capacity transports. As passenger traffic grows, airlines operating 50-passenger aircraft on many routes may find that they do not have sufficient capacity to meet demand and will need larger capacity aircraft to compete.
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At a meeting of its Board of Directors 2 October 2003, CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) awarded EADS-Astrium a contract worth 314 million euros to build two Pleiades satellites. Alcatel Space will supply the high-resolution instruments. The Pleiades HR satellites are the high-resolution optical imaging component of the French-Italian Orfeo system, for which Italy is supplying the Cosmo-Skymed radar component. Orfeo is a dual-use civil/military system. The first satellite will be launched mid-2008 and the second in 2009. The two satellites will form a constellation in Sun-synchronous orbit. EADS-Astrium has been made programme prime contractor and will manufacture the spacecraft buses; Alcatel Space is responsible for the high-resolution instruments and image telemetry. These new satellites will ensure continuity of the service provided by the SPOT series, with the capability to acquire the same wide-swath panchromatic and multispectral imagery. The 1,000-kilogram satellites will have a design lifetime of five years and onboard power capacity of 1,000 watts.
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NASA recently created the Corporate Recruitment Initiative (CRI) to attract and maintain a work force capturing the full potential of U.S. diversity, and to address the national need for a new generation skilled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In September the agency began hosting a series of events called "NASA Awareness Days," on college and university campuses. NASA has a five-year plan for the CRI and an integrated, agency-wide approach to human capital management, coordinated by the Offices of Education, Human Resources, and Equal Opportunity Programs. The goal of the initiative is to attract a diverse workforce with the technical competencies needed to accomplish NASA's challenging missions. The CRI will focus efforts to recruit individuals with education in Systems Engineering, Test Engineering, Mission Assurance, Human Factors, Nuclear Engineering, Integration Engineering, Design and Development Engineering, Quality Engineering and Assurance, Business Management, and Mission Execution. CRI will link the agency's many student research and grant programs while leveraging NASA's networks with minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities to maximize work force diversity.
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Jean-Paul Béchat, Chairman and CEO of the Snecma group, and Sergei Ladygin, Deputy Managing Director of FGUP Rosoboronexport, have signed an agreement to study the possibilities of collaborating on propulsion systems for a new generation of combat aircraft and unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV). Attending the signing ceremony were Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Prime Minister of France, and Mikhail Kassianov, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Mikhail Pogosyan, managing director of Sukhoi, and Yuri Lastochkine, managing director of NPO Saturn, co-signed the agreement. In the coming months, these two Russian companies and Snecma plan to capitalize on the resulting synergies, along with their pooled scientific and technological expertise, to define areas of cooperation on future-generation military propulsion systems.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems sector announced that Sikorsky Aircraft, a world leader in the design, development, production and support of advanced technology military rotorcraft systems, has joined the Northrop Grumman-led Unmanned Combat Armed Rotorcraft (UCAR) team. The Northrop Grumman UCAR team is currently competing for the opportunity to develop the jointly sponsored U.S. Army/Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency UCAR system under an $8.7 million Phase II contract awarded to Northrop Grumman in July.The Northrop Grumman UCAR team includes three other company sectors: Electronic Systems, Baltimore; Mission Systems, Reston, Va.; and Information Technology, Herndon, Va. Other key members of the team include Kaman Aerospace Corporation, L-3 Communications, and BAE SYSTEMS. Several nontraditional suppliers - Natural Selection, Inc.; The Saber Group LLC; and Aero Sciences Technology Associates LLC – also fortify the team with their innovative technologies and unique experience.
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Canada's space industry will directly benefit from an Arrangement signed yesterday between the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) that ensures Canada's participation in the Development and Validation Phase of Europe's Galileo Program. Galileo is a European satellite navigation and positioning system that will provide highly accurate global positioning services. The CSA's $11 million contribution to this phase of Galileo allows Canadian companies to respond to requests for proposals and to take an active part in the program. “By collaborating with ESA in this leading-edge international satellite navigation initiative, Canada is targeting its funding to provide new and exciting opportunities for the Canadian space industry,” said Allan Rock, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the CSA. Galileo is a joint initiative of the European Commission and ESA. It will be the first satellite positioning and navigation system intended specifically for civilian purposes and it will improve the reliability and availability of navigation and positioning services worldwide. When fully deployed in 2008, Galileo will employ up to 30 satellites in medium earth orbit, and will be supported by a worldwide network of ground stations. The Development and Validation Phase will take place from 2003 to 2006.
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In a pioneering first for the Army Aviation Corridor of Excellence (AACE), Kaman Aerospace BURRO, an optionally manned cargo-lifting UAV, conducted three days of demonstrations (September 15-18, 2003) that extended from Eglin Air Force base test ranges in Florida to Fort Rucker's Cairns Army Air Field and finishing in Redstone Arsenal's test areas in northern Alabama. Burro is an experimental version of Kaman's K-MAX commercial external lift helicopter that retains the basic aircraft's ability to lift up to 6,000 lbs. of cargo, but adds the ability to fly and deliver the cargo autonomously as an unmanned aerial platform using onboard computers and Global Positioning System. The Army's Aviation and Missile Command's Research, Development and Engineering Center's (AMRDEC) Advanced Systems Directorate sponsored the demonstration that began with the BURRO aircraft flying on an acoustic range at Eglin AFB to provide NASA and the Army with sound profiles of an intermeshing rotor system. The aircraft was launched via waypoint navigation to Fort Rucker's Army Air Field where it flew the normal approach corridors expected of manned aircraft and arrived at the designated landing pad at the designated time, where a ground control unit completed its landing.
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Rockwell Collins introduced Collins eXchange, a global broadband connectivity solution for business aircraft. The leading-edge capability is made possible through a strategic agreement with Connexion by Boeing, a business unit of the Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), and provides business aircraft passengers with a single source for two-way cable-quality connectivity worldwide. The entire Bombardier Global family - Global Express, Global 5000 and the newly launched Global Express XRS - will be the launch aircraft, and certification is expected in early 2005. Collins eXchange combines the advanced antenna technology and signal processing capabilities of Rockwell Collins' Tailwind® 500 multiregion direct broadcast satellite (DBS) TV system with the broadband services of Connexion by Boeing to enable real-time, nearly global two-way Ku-band data coverage.
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Before the green light can be given for the launch of Jules Vernes in autumn 2004, another Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) has to first successfully fly the same mission. Next year, prior to the inaugural ATV mission, this ATV will fly a full mission through launch, docking and undocking from ISS, to controlled destructive re-entry over the Pacific. Although this ATV, which has been progressively assembled since late 2002, will never go into space, or dock with ISS, or safely burn up during re-entry. In fact, it will never move from its clean, air-conditioned room at EADS SPACE Transportation's facilities (ex-EADS-LV) in Les Mureaux, 50 km west of Paris, France. Instead, it will be capable of simulating dozens of missions and it will run hundreds of tests, including virtual failure scenarios. The ATV mock-up does not even look like a full spacecraft; it is essentially the electronic 'brain' and the 'nervous system' of the ATV with numerous electronic boxes, powerful computers and huge networks of cables and wires. It is called the Electrical Test Model (ETM), and it is able to replicate all the complexity of the avionics and the onboard electronics of the ATV.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation announced today that Gulfstream Aerospace, a unit of General Dynamics, has joined its team as airframe provider in the competition to develop the Aerial Common Sensor (ACS), the next-generation intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) system. Gulfstream will provide its newest aircraft, the G450, as the ACS RC-20 platform.
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Progress on the Boeing 7E7 international team continues with the formation of the 7E7 Council, comprised of senior executives from each of the 7E7 Airframe Candidate companies and the addition of Latecoere, a pioneer of France's aviation industry, to the 7E7 airframe technology team. The 7E7 Council met for the first time in Seattle this week to ensure a coordinated approach to developing the new Boeing jetliner. "We all have a strong interest in sharing our challenges and solutions," said Walt Gillette, vice president of Engineering, Manufacturing and Partner Alignment for the 7E7 program. "We must succeed on each part of the airplane to be successful on the entire airplane. This has to be an integrated effort." Joining Gillette on the 7E7 Council are: Roberto Assereto, general manager of Alenia Aeronautica; Yasuhiro Toi, 7E7 program manager for Fuji Heavy Industries; Atsushi Kaneko, general manager of the Engineering division for the Aerospace Company of Kawasaki Heavy Industries; Takashi Sasaki, 7E7 program project manager of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; and Steve Davis, vice president of Boeing Commercial Programs for Vought Aircraft Industry.
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Speaking at the first EADS North America Investor Forum in New York City, CEO Philippe Camus elaborated on EADS' defense business strategy. Following the successful launch of the A400M military transport aircraft, EADS is looking to further exploit synergies across the EADS commercial and defense portfolio to create new break-through products for the defense market. “We are rapidly adapting our Airbus manufacturing base into a variety of military applications,” said Camus. “Beyond developing the A400M for markets outside of Europe, we will actively market variance of the A300 and A330 aircraft as aerial refueling tankers. We will also pursue the A400M for use in combination with our Storm Shadow Cruise Missiles and other munitions to fulfill the standoff strike mission.” At the Investor Forum, senior EADS executives emphasized their desire to be an active corporate citizen in the U.S. They also stressed that EADS products could provide a strong value proposition for the U.S. Pentagon.
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The European Commission has kick-started the development of a European security research program. A group of selected personalities from industry, government and academia gathered today at the invitation of Commissioners Philippe Busquin and Erkki Liikanen to define a European agenda for security research and spearhead the development of a research program by 2006. In a first phase, the group will advise the Commission on the implementation of a preparatory action for security research for which 65 million euros has been proposed for 2004 - 2006. The preparatory action and the future program should enhance the EU's scientific and technological capabilities for ensuring the security of European citizens. At the same time, it should give a boost to European industry and research.
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Twenty-five percent employment growth is planned at Enstrom Helicopter, a 100-employee company in Menominee, Mich., which is selling 18 helicopters to the Indonesian National Police. The sale is backed by an Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) $14.5 million long-term loan guarantee. "Due to the lack of commercial bank financing, the Indonesian buyer could not have made this purchase from Enstrom without Ex-Im Bank support," said Enstrom President Peter Parsinen. "The deal will mean more jobs and an increased production schedule for the plant. It has helped initiate our current business plan for 25% employment growth. We also plan to expand our worldwide dealer network."
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Sales of Sikorsky's innovative S-76 have reached a twenty-year high as VIP customers and offshore oil operators continue to populate their fleets with the high-performance helicopter. Since December 2002, Sikorsky has received contracts for 49 S-76C+ aircraft, with options for an additional 57 over five years. Featuring a deluxe cabin designed to transport executives in comfort and safety, the S-76C+ offers a versatile combination of speed, range and performance that make it the world's premiere VIP helicopter.
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NASA has selected Allied Aerospace Industries of Tullahoma, Tenn., to provide three flight-ready experimental demonstrator vehicles that will fly approximately 5,000 miles per hour or seven times the speed of sound. The multi-year project, called X-43C, will expand the hypersonic flight envelope for air-breathing engines. The cost-plus-fixed-fee completion type contract carries performance incentives and is valued at nearly $150 million over 66 months. The base activity covers all work through completion of the Preliminary Design Review, and the optional effort covers the final design, hardware fabrication and all associated support activities. The X-43C is the next logical step, following the Hyper-X (X-43A), vehicle that aims at demonstrating short duration scramjet powered flight at Mach 7 and Mach 10. The X-43C will demonstrate free flight of a scramjet-powered vehicle with acceleration capability from Mach 5 to Mach 7, as well as operation of a hydrocarbon fuel-cooled scramjet.
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In a move that aligns a successful acquisition strategy with increasing customer demand for mission-ready unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, Northrop Grumman announced that its Advanced Tactical C4I (ATC4I) organization, which produces the U.S. Army's RQ-5 Hunter UAV, will become a part of the company's Unmanned Systems unit in San Diego. ATC4I is currently part of Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector.
Unmanned Systems is part of the Integrated Systems sector.
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Raytheon Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Raytheon Travel Air, and the other investors in Flight Options LLC have completed a financial recapitalization agreement that results in Raytheon owning approximately a 65 percent interest in Flight Options LLC. As part of the recapitalization agreement, Raytheon exchanged certain Flight Options LLC debt it holds for equity. Raytheon also has committed to invest certain additional capital on an as needed basis over the next 18 months in Flight Options LLC and provide secured aircraft and retail financing over the next three years. As a result of this transaction, Raytheon will begin to consolidate Flight Options LLC's financial results and reduce its reported aircraft backlog by approximately $850 million as previously disclosed. Raytheon does not expect this agreement to have a material effect on the company's financial position or results from operations in 2003.
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A new device recently patented by GKN Aerospace Services working within EC framework 5 ACIDS consortium, will revolutionise ice protection. It will enable 'intelligent ice protection' on both fixed and rotary wing aircraft, allowing ice thickness, texture and location on the airframe or rotor-blade, to be detected, analysed and shed. Current ice detection systems detect the presence of ice around a single sensor on the airframe, with some more sophisticated systems able to sense the thickness of the ice at that point. All then operate the protection system as a whole, draining power whether or not ice is actually building up on critical airframe surfaces. The new Air Conformal Ice Detection System (ACIDS) has been developed by a consortium which incorporates GKN Aerospace Services, Eurocopter (Germany), Cambridge Optical Science, the University of Limerick and F.O.R.T.H.
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Smiths Group's Interconnect subsidiary has been selected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to supply its Times Microwave Broadband Airborne Cable Assemblies for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The contract is potentially valued in excess of $500M over the life of the programme. The high performance cable assemblies are designed to handle high-speed data in extreme avionics environments, including wide variations in temperature and pressure. Delivery of the first set is planned for early 2004. Production of the F-35 JSF is scheduled to commence in 2006, continuing to 2026. Additional Smiths contracts on the JSF include combined systems in electronics, actuation, engine components, and aircraft structures.
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Orbital Sciences Corporation announced that the U.S. Air Force has exercised an option order for a Minotaur space launch vehicle under the 10-year Orbital/Suborbital Program-2 (OSP-2) contract that was awarded to the company earlier this year. The Minotaur order is the first to be placed under the OSP-2 contract, which is valued at up to $475 million over 10 years on an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity basis. The new order increases the launch manifest for the Minotaur program to four missions to be carried out over the next two years. This most recent Minotaur space launch vehicle ordered by the Air Force is scheduled to launch a classified payload in 2005. In addition, Orbital is currently under firm contract to carry out three other Minotaur missions, including N-FIRE and XSS-11, both of which are scheduled to be launched in 2004, and COSMIC, scheduled for launch in 2005.
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Fraport AG, the owner and manager of Frankfurt Airport (FRA), and its main customer Deutsche Lufthansa have agreed on the number of aircraft movements (take-off and landing slots) that should be available for the 2004 Summer Timetable - for all airlines not just Lufthansa. Specifically, the compromise agreement calls for two additional slots per hour in the morning and one additional slot per hour in the afternoon, commencing with the new summer timetable that goes into effect in the spring of 2004. Slots are the scheduled time windows for take-offs (departures) and landings (arrivals) of aircraft at an airport. At FRA and 16 other German airports, slots are allocated by the Airport Coordinator of Germany (www.fhkd.org). This organization is directly accountable to the German Federal Ministry of Transport. The planned increase in slots now has to be approved by the responsible government departments. Fraport creates but does not allocate slots. Utilizing its operational and technological know-how, Fraport has been able to increase incrementally the coordinated hourly capacity of the existing runway system at FRA in recent years. Under the agreement, FRA's official coordinated runway capacity for flight scheduling will increase in the next summer timetable period: to 80 aircraft movements per hour (up from 78 per hour currently) between 06:00 and 14:00; and to 81 aircraft movements per hour (up from 80 per hour) between 14:00 and 22:00. The Board of Airline Representatives in Germany (BARIG) also supports this arrangement.
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Gulfstream Aerospace and TAG Aviation S.A., one of the world's leading providers of business aviation services, with facilities in Geneva, Switzerland, Farnborough, England, and the United States, today signed an agreement which will significantly heighten the profile of Gulfstream's large-cabin, mid-range G200 business jet aircraft in Europe. Under the terms of the agreement, which commences in December, TAG Aviation will lease two Gulfstream G200 business aircraft which will be available for charter throughout Europe and the Middle East. Under the same agreement, the aircraft will be used by Gulfstream for customer demonstration flights. The G200 lives up to large-cabin expectations, accommodating up to 10 passengers and offering outstanding performance with its excellent climb, high-cruising altitude, high-speed, 3,400 nautical mile range and short-landing capabilities. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW 306A engines, the G200 can reach speeds up to Mach .85 and altitudes up to 45,000 feet. With low ambient noise levels, 100 percent fresh air and ample natural light from generous windows, the cabin provides a comfortable workspace for business travelers. G200 owners also enjoy the lowest operating costs in the large-cabin, mid-range class.
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The general aviation industry has taken more than its share of punches over the past three years, but Pilatus Aircraft is experiencing strong demand for it's flagship PC-12 single engine business turboprop. “Pilatus is excited to report that as of mid-September, we're sold out of 2003 production aircraft,” reported Thomas Bosshard, President and CEO of Pilatus' North and South American operations. “While this is certainly no match for the backlog many manufacturers enjoyed in the late '90s, the fact remains that we are building a backlog and are excited to be developing a strong reputation for the PC-12 as the perfect business aircraft for challenging economic environments.” “I have to be candid and tell you we did not expect to sell out 2003 production so early in the year,” Bosshard continued, “However, our dealer network reported very strong activity in the corporate, owner-flown, and concept segments we target. In the first two weeks of September alone, worldwide Pilatus Centers booked 14 new PC-12 orders. While it's difficult to pinpoint one single effort that sparked this flurry of activity, it is clear that the PC-12 is the perfect aircraft for any economic environment. Whether it's a personal business tool for the owner-pilot, supplemental lift for a large flight department, or the first business aircraft for a company, the PC-12's versatility, safety, and cost effectiveness combine to offer real value in business transportation. We believe the future still holds the best years for the PC-12.”
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Using advanced infrared technology, PC-12 pilots can now navigate more safely in total darkness and during unexpected periods of inclement weather—environments that previously created challenging flying conditions and delayed or cancelled flights. The Max-Viz EVS system is making its PC-12 debut on the aircraft in the Pilatus NBAA display, and will be offered as an option on future aircraft. The EVS system uses uncooled, long-wave infrared sensors to gather data about runways, terrain, and any potential obstacles on the ground or in flight. These images are enhanced, relayed, and displayed on a multifunction display in the cockpit.
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Former Astronaut Tom Henricks has been named Bell Helicopter's Vice President for Government Business Development. He was previously the V-22 Deputy Director in Philadelphia, PA; an exchange assignment with Bell's V-22 joint venture partner, Boeing Inc. Mr. Henricks will report to Gen. Terry Dake (USMC-ret), Senior Vice President of the Government Business Unit (GBU) at Bell Helicopter.
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On 9 October Air France took delivery of the first of 15 A318s on order from Airbus at the European manufacturer's delivery center in Hamburg, becoming the first operator of the entire Airbus single-aisle aircraft Family in the world. Like all the French carriers' A319s, A320s and A321s, Air France's A318s are to be powered by CFM-56 engines from CFM International and feature a flexible three-class Espace Affaires, Tempo Challenge and Tempo configuration. The A318, which is the smallest member of Airbus' A320 Family, can accommodate up to 123 passengers in Air France's cabin layout and has a range of 6,000 km/3,250 nm. Air France currently has a fleet of 123 A320 Family aircraft.
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The Lufthansa Group showed a slight upward trend in the first nine months of this year. Although its traffic performance was still significantly affected by the continuing weak global economy, the effects of the SARS outbreak and the consequences of the Iraq war, Lufthansa succeeded in raising passenger numbers and, thanks to flexible capacity management, achieved a good load factor. From January to September of this year the Lufthansa Group airlines carried 33.5 million passengers, 1.4 per cent more than in the same period last year. Due to difficult market conditions, however, the 2.8 per cent increase in available capacity could not be fully utilised. Sales increased by 0.6 per cent. While the passenger load factor for the first half of 2003 was only 71.9 per cent, Lufthansa was able to boost its seat occupancy rate in the first nine months of the year to 73.3 per cent.
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NASA has awarded the Mission Operations and Mission Services (MOMS) contract to Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc. (HTSI), of Columbia, Md. The maximum estimated value of the cost-plus-award-fee Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract is $900 million.HTSI will provide support to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, Md., for spacecraft flight operations, mission data collection and distribution, mission services integration, systems engineering and development tasks, flight dynamics support and systems engineering, mission communications support, and mission-operations and flight-dynamics technology development and infusion. The contract encompasses all flight mission phases including formulation, development and operations for prime mission and extended mission.
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Following the signing of a cooperation agreement on support services for VIP and business jet operators at last year's National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA) Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, Florida, Air Routing International and Luf-thansa Technik agreed to strengthen their partnership with UK based BBJ (Boeing Business Jet) aircraft spares supplier and repair service provider Trade-Air Ltd. The three companies agreed during a signing ceremony at the Lufthansa Technik booth at this year's 56th NBAA in Orlando to launch a worldwide BBJ Support Alliance Network. Within the new BBJ-Support Alliance Network the Houston based Air Routing International, LP will provide operational support such as flight planning, airplane & passenger handling and security and will also arrange contacts to local FBO's. Tim Maystrik, Vice President Marketing & Sales Air Routing, commented on the signing: “With our two partners we can extend our far-reaching agreement from last year and can combine the competence of leaders and experts out of every field in business aviation.” The German maintenance, repair & overhaul (MRO) provider and supplier of VIP and business jet completions Lufthansa Technik AG, will offer its technical expertise to support BBJ customers with trouble shooting activities, on site repairs and maintenance and the dispatch of rapid response teams. Rüdiger Hornig, Vice President VIP & Government Jet Maintenance Lufthansa Technik added: “Customers and operators of BBJs will now have the chance to use a strong network for a complete support of their flight operations, whether they need operational, technical or logisti-cal support.”
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Swiss International Air Lines transported a total of 2.9 million passengers on its scheduled services in the past 3rd quarter (July - September 2003). Up from 77.3% to 77.6%, the average seat load factor was marginally better than in the same period of the previous year; this is essentially due to high passenger volumes on European routes. Cargo business development was encouraging, with performance maintained at last year's level. On the European network, the average 3rd quarter seat load factor was 68.6%, up 4.9% over the same period in the previous year. There was a significant double-digit improvement of between 10% and 24% in seat load factors in the markets in England, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Scandinavia, Poland and the Czech Republic. The capacity reduction on European routes, with 25% fewer available seat kilometres for just 20% fewer tickets sold, has contributed to this positive result. Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria were the only markets in which a marginally lower load factor was noted in comparison to the 3rd quarter of the previous year. The 3rd quarter seat load factor on intercontinental routes was 81.4%. This is 3% below the previous year's figure of 84.4%. North Atlantic traffic was just under 4% lower than last year's equivalent figure, but was compensated by a better class mix. In the Middle East, the seat load factor has already improved by 2.2% to 75.9% following the end of the war in Iraq.
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With its new Business Class on long-haul routes, in future Lufthansa will offer its passengers a totally new travel experience. The longest bed in its class, a completely new seat concept as well as a unique programme of entertainment and information - with its new top product, Lufthansa will satisfy the customers' expectations of the highest quality, innovative developments and state-of-the-art technology. On Monday, Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and Thierry Antinori, Director of Marketing and Sales of Lufthansa German Airlines, presented the new seat and the Media World, the inflight entertainment, at Frankfurt Airport. "With the new Business Class we are opening up a new dimension for our customers. We offer maximum comfort, more space, more peace and quiet, a diverse information and entertainment programme and excellent service on board. The new two-metre bed makes a relax sleep possible in the Business Class. We thus create an optimal situation for work, entertainment and relaxation, especially for our frequent flyers, thus creating the preconditions for travel free of stress", said Mayrhuber. "The aspects of safety, health and convenience for the customer were major criteria in the concept and, following thorough development, are reflected in many details in the new Lufthansa Business Class." It will initially go into service around the world in the Airbus A340-600 and A330-300. The delivery of the machines to Lufthansa will begin at the end of November. The entire long-haul fleet of around 80 aircraft will be successively equipped with the new product. The investment for the new Business Class product will amount to around 300 million Euro.
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