FLUG REVUE update: Week ending May 23, 2004

UPDATE
Week ending 23 May 2004

+++ 1500 th Boeing 737NG delivered +++ Trent 900 starts test flights +++ 737 Wedgetail AEW& C flies +++ Connexion service started by Lufthansa +++ LH and Air France cooperate on A380 +++ News in brief +++

1500 th Boeing 737NG delivered
Boeing liefert bereits 1500. 737NG

On May 14, Boeing made history with its Next-Generation 737 family reaching 1,500 airplanes delivered sooner than any other commercial airplane model. The milestone delivery -- a 737-800 to Indianapolis-based ATA Airlines, Inc. -- occurred six years after Southwest Airlines received the first Next-Generation 737. The Next-Generation 737 family bested by four years the previous record holder, Boeing's family of Classic 737-300s, -400s and -500s. "This is a testament to the Next-Generation 737's efficiency and reliability; the confidence and trust the world's airlines have in it; and the efforts of our employees who design, build and support the 737 every day," said Carolyn Corvi, Boeing 737/757 programs vice president and general manager.
The Boeing 727 and Airbus A320 models are the only others to have delivered at least 1,500 airplanes. The A320 family, the 737 competitor, reached that mark in 13 years while the 727 did so in 16 years. Overall, Boeing has received orders for more than 5,390 737s. That's more than Airbus has for all its models. At any given time, more than 1,200 737s are flying, and a 737 takes off or lands somewhere in the world every 5.3 seconds.

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Trent 900 starts test flights
A380-Triebwerk im Flugtest

The first engine destined to power the 21st Century flagship A380, the Rolls-Royce Trent 900, made a successful first-flight aboard Airbus' A340-300 testbed on May 17. The flight, which lasted 3 hr and 40 min, begins a 50-60 hour program of some 30 flights spread over almost four months. It was flown by Experimental Test Pilots Peter Chandler and Wolfgang Absmeier, accompanied by Flight Test Director Fernando Alonso and Flight Test Engineers Jacky Joye and Gerard Desbois. The flight trials, which follow extensive ground-based testing by Rolls-Royce, will provide early feedback on engine behavior in the air, paving the way for those of the Airbus A380, which are due to begin early next year. The results will also help to ensure a smooth and reliable entry into airline service in the second quarter of 2006.
Generating 70,000 lb of thrust in its A380 role, the Trent 900 is more than twice as powerful as each of the four 34,000 lb CFM56-5C4 engines that normally power the A340-300. It is the largest and most powerful engine to fly on any Airbus aircraft. During the trials, the Trent 900 replaces the inner left CFM56-5C4 on the A340. In addition to exploring engine behavior, the flight-trials will investigate some of the new engine-driven systems that will be used by the Airbus A380. These include hydraulic pumps generating a pressure of 5,000 psi and variable-frequency electrical generators. Airlines have a choice of engines to power their Airbus A380s – Rolls-Royce Trent 900s or the competing Engine Alliance GP7200s. The Trent 900, which is the first to take to the air, will power initial flight trials of the A380, and will power the first versions of the aircraft delivered to airlines. Flight trials of the GP7200 on General Electric's flying testbed are due to begin in autumn this year.

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737 Wedgetail AEW& C flies
Erstflug der 737-Frühwarnversion

A new era in Australian airborne surveillance was launched with the first flight of the Royal Australian Air Force's new “Wedgetail” Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft. Defence Minister Robert Hill said the first flight conducted at Boeing Field in Seattle in the United States was a significant milestone in the $3.4 billion AEW&C project. During the flight, tests were made on the Wedgetail's systems and structures. The pilots were in constant contact with test engineers monitoring the flight. After touchdown, the aircraft was greeted by Air Vice Marshal Norm Gray, head of the AEW&C program.
“The Wedgetail program is a hugely complicated undertaking, incorporating leading edge software technologies,” Senator Hill said. “To have it progressing ahead of time and on budget and with all of our capability requirements met so far is a dream come true. “My congratulations to the Defence Materiel Organisation project team led by Air Vice Marshal Norm Gray, and to Boeing, BAE Systems and all the subcontractors who have achieved a great deal in such a short time.”
Senator Hill said that the Government's high confidence in the Wedgetail project was demonstrated last week with the announcement that we would purchase an additional two aircraft, equipping Australia with a fleet of six. The RAAF's re-formed No 2 Squadron based at Williamtown near Newcastle will fly the AEW&C Wedgetail when it becomes operational. Delivery of the first two aircraft is scheduled for 2006

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Connexion service started by Lufthansa
Internetangebot der LH im Betrieb

On May 17, Connexion by Boeing and Lufthansa German Airlines made history on flight LH 452 from Munich to Los Angeles by giving passengers the opportunity to be the first in the world to experience real-time, WiFi-based, high-speed Internet connectivity on a commercial flight route. The successful launch of Connexion by Boeing's commercial airline service was confirmed by e-mail at 3:18 a.m. Pacific time when David Friedman, vice president of Marketing and Direct Sales, sent the following message to his team on the ground: "Hello from 33,000 feet above Germany. The system is on and everything is A-OK. Lots of buzz on board, as this is the start of a new era of communications and aviation history."

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LH and Air France cooperate on A380
Wartungszusammenarbeit beim neuen Airbus

Europe's two major maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers, Lufthansa Technik and Air France Industries, want to join forces to offer component support services for the Airbus A380. An agreement to that effect was signed by Alain Bassil, president of Air France Industries, and August Wilhelm Henningsen, chairman of the Lufthansa Technik AG executive board. In addition to providing component services for the future A380 fleets of Air France and Lufthansa, which together have placed orders for twenty-five aircraft, the cooperating partners want to offer a complete line of component services to all A380 customers worldwide. Under this scheme, the two will provide component repair, management of a component pool with all required logistics services and comprehensive component servicing at airlines' A380 main bases as well as at outstations. “Such collaborative servicing of the Airbus A380 will be a great competitive advantage for both small and large A380 fleet operators,” says Air France Industries' Alain Bassil. To which August Wilhelm Henningsen adds: “For A380 operators the combined experience of these two leading MRO providers will ensure a world-class support and optimal reliability at very favorable prices.”

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

International Launch Services (ILS) marked another successful mission after its Atlas IIAS rocket placed the AMC-11 satellite into orbit for SES Americom. Both the rocket and the satellite were built by Lockheed Martin Corp., which is also a partner in the ILS joint venture. This was the fifth launch for ILS in 2004, four of which have been on Atlas rockets. This also was the 72nd consecutive successful launch for the Atlas vehicle family. The Atlas IIAS rocket lifted of from Cape Canaveral's Launch Complex 36B at 6:22 p.m. EDT (2222 GMT). The satellite, an A2100 model, was injected into a transfer orbit 28 minutes later. The AMC-11 spacecraft is a twin to AMC-10, launched in February, and together they form SES Americom's premier cable neighborhood and the platform for its HD-PRIME service. Albrecht noted the long-standing relationship shared by ILS, SES Americom and its parent company, SES Global. To date ILS has launched 16 satellites for companies affiliated with SES Global, including seven for the SES Americom fleet. Last month, the companies announced that three additional satellites for SES Americom and SES Astra will be launched on ILS vehicles.
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On 20 May, Orbital Sciences Corporation announced that its Taurus XL space launch vehicle successfully boosted the Republic of China's ROCSAT-2 remote sensing satellite into low-Earth orbit in a mission that originated from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California earlier this afternoon. Today's mission was the seventh in the Taurus program's history and was also the inaugural flight of the enhanced performance “XL” version of the space launch vehicle. At approximately 1:47 p.m. (EDT), following the ignition of the Taurus first stage motor, the rocket lifted-off from launch pad 576E at Vandenberg and flew its trajectory over the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 14 minutes later, the ROCSAT-2 satellite separated from the final stage of the Taurus booster and was placed into orbit approximately 735 kilometers above the Earth, inclined at 99.1 degrees to the equator. Preliminary results indicate that the ROCSAT-2 satellite is operating as planned in the early stages of its mission.
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The Commission of Inquiry on Beagle 2, jointly set up in February between ESA and the British National Space Centre (BNSC), has recently concluded its investigations. A joint ESA/BNSC press conference in London on Monday 24 May will be the platform to expand on the lessons learned from the recommendations issued by the Commission of Inquiry and the action plan adopted to implement such recommendations. The Mars Express spacecraft, carrying the Beagle 2 lander, was launched on 2 June last year, arriving in the vicinity of Mars in December. The separation of Beagle 2 from Mars Express took place flawlessly on 19 December. The satellite continued its mission with its successful insertion into a Mars orbit on 25 December, the day on which Beagle 2 was due to land. The first radio contact with Beagle 2 was expected shortly after the scheduled landing time but no signal was received. Many radio contacts were attempted over the following days and weeks, but without result. By early February it became clear that there was no prospect of communicating with Beagle 2 and a joint ESA/UK inquiry was set up to investigate the circumstances and possible reasons that prevented completion of the Beagle 2 mission. The Commission of Inquiry, including senior managers and experts from Europe and also from NASA and Russia held several meetings in the UK and at ESA, interviewed the key players -directors, managers, scientists, and engineers - involved in the development of Beagle 2, and has submitted its findings, assessments and recommendations. The report was submitted to the UK Minister for Science and Innovation and the Director General of ESA on 21 April and accepted. No single technical failure or shortcoming was unambiguously identified but a few credible causes for Beagle 2 loss were highlighted. More importantly, the Board made it clear that there were programmatic and organizational reasons that led to a high risk of Beagle 2 failure. The outcome of the review carried out by the Commission of Inquiry is summarized in 19 recommendations to the British Authorities and ESA. These constitute the basis of lessons learned for the future. Both parties have accepted them fully. ESA will undertake a course of action to ensure their implementatio
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Northrop Grumman has demonstrated its critical role in the development of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter by achieving two significant program milestones: starting assembly of the aircraft's center fuselage, and delivering a key avionics system to F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin two weeks ahead of schedule.As a principal subcontractor to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman is responsible for producing more than 25 percent of the F-35 weapons system. The company began the 12-month production process required to complete the center fuselage by installing an air inlet duct for the F-35's engine into an assembly fixture at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Palmdale. The duct, made entirely from composite materials, was fabricated as a single structure. Traditionally, aircraft inlet ducts have be en assembled from several pieces. Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector has responsibilities for the design, production and integration of the center fuselage. "The world's most advanced multirole fighter is beginning to take shape," said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager of the F-35 program. "The center fuselage incorporates an unprecedented combination of leading-edge technologies that will help make the F-35 like no other combat aircraft."
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Lockheed Martin marked a significant milestone in its successful Atlas program on 14 May. More than 1500 employees, guests and customers celebrated at an event held at the company's production facility near Denver, Colo., where Atlas II, Atlas III and Atlas V launch vehicles are assembled. The event marked the roll out of the final Atlas II (an Atlas IIAS configuration) that will be shipped May 16 to Cape Canaveral, Fla., for launch on June 30. Lockheed Martin's Atlas II series, a workhorse of the American launch vehicle fleet for 13 years, has performed 61 consecutive missions with 100 percent mission success and has evolved into the larger, more powerful Atlas III and Atlas V series. To date, all five Atlas III and all three Atlas V missions have flown successfully. Atlas V missions for both commercial and government customers are already scheduled through 2008. "Today, we celebrate the tremendous success of the Atlas program and the bright future that the Atlas II helped build, not just for Lockheed Martin, but for our customers and for our nation's space launch capabilities," said James Sponnick, vice president of Atlas Programs at Lockheed Martin Space Systems. "The Atlas II is an incredible success story that is shared by everyone at Lockheed Martin, our teammates and suppliers, and our customers. Our work with the Atlas II is far from over, however. The Atlas team is currently focused on ensuring mission success for an Atlas IIAS launch May 19, then our focus will turn to the launch on June 30."
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International air travelers overwhelmingly prefer being on 250-seat airplanes to 550-seat airplanes, whether flying non-stop or on connecting flights, a Harris Interactive study of more than 900 long-distance fliers found. Harris Interactive surveyed travelers from Tokyo, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom who had recently taken at least one international flight of eight or more hours. Boeing commissioned the study to determine the aircraft preferences of these fliers. "We presented respondents with real-life air travel scenarios to better understand the attitudes and feelings that led to their choices," said Dr. David Bakken, senior vice president of Marketing Sciences, Harris Interactive. "What we found was that travelers taking very long flights generally prefer the more convenient and flexible experience provided by smaller planes." In each region, Harris polled equal numbers of Premium Class Business, Economy Business, and Economy Leisure travelers. Some key findings include: More than 60 percent prefer a single-deck, 250-passenger airplane to a double-deck, 550-passenger airplane for non-stop flights. Seven out of ten travelers prefer a non-stop trip on a single-deck, 250-passenger airplane to a trip involving a connecting flight on a double-deck, 550-passenger airplane with an on-board lounge. Travelers in all the classes of service from all three regions believe smaller airplanes will provide a better experience with check-in, boarding, disembarking, baggage claim and customs/immigration than the 550-seat aircraft.
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Boeing and Brazil's GOL Linhas Aereaes S.A., one of the world's most profitable airlines, today announced the airline has ordered 43 737-800 passenger airplanes worth up to US $2.7 billion at list prices. GOL begins receiving the 15 firm-ordered 737-800s between 2007 and 2009. GOL holds purchase rights for the remainder which can be exercised between 2005 and 2010. The agreement represents one of the region's largest such transactions. "Boeing's willingness to work closely with us to meet all of our needs is an example of Boeing's commitment to Brazil and Latin America," said Constantino Oliveira, Jr. GOL's President and CEO. Despite financial losses by Brazil's other major carriers, GOL has garnered international attention by consistently posting profits since beginning operations in 2001. Oliveira credits the success to technological innovations including a sophisticated computerized check-in procedure for its fleet of advanced Boeing Next-Generation 737s.
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Boeing and Nippon Cargo Airlines, one of the premier air cargo operators in Asia, today said the carrier will renew its fleet with Boeing 747-400 Special Freighters, making NCA the second announced customer for the program, launched earlier this year. This agreement is in addition to NCA's three new 747-400 Freighters previously announced by Boeing in February. Under the agreement, Boeing will manage the conversion of four 747-400 passenger airplanes to special freighter configuration, with the airplanes scheduled for redelivery beginning in August 2007. The newly converted freighters will replace older 747 freighters in the NCA fleet.
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The Bell UH-1Y Huey, the Marine Corps' newest and most capable utility helicopter, fired weapons for the first time during a test flight at the Army's Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia Monday. H-1 Integrated Test Team test pilots Herb Moran, of Bell Helicopter, and Marine Corps Maj. Eldon Metzger were at the controls for the historic first. Weapons firing testing is being performed to evaluate the aircraft's reaction to the stresses placed on it by weapons getting launched or fired from it, according to H-1 Upgrades Program system engineer Bert Frowein. The routine testing makes sure the loads and vibrations are within expected limits when the weapons mounted on the aircraft are fired, according to Frowein. By the time this portion of the test is complete, approximately 400 2.75-inch rockets, 12,800 rounds of machine gun ammunition, 136 flares, 104 chaff canisters and 104 decoys will have been fired on nearly 40 test flights.
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The Naval Air Systems Command Air-to-Air Missile Program Office announced May 17 that the AIM-9X Sidewinder has been approved for Full-Rate Production. Authorization for this milestone was granted by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, the Honorable John J. Youngon. “It's great to get approval for AIM-9X full-rate production,” said Air-to-Air Missile Systems Program Manager, Capt. Scott Stewart. “Our Navy, Air Force and Allied air crews deserve weapons that allow them to dominate in air-to-air combat. AIM-9X extends their tactical flexibility and capability beyond traditional missiles. It certainly has redefined the way we fight in aerial combat with its inherent transformational war-fighting capabilities.”
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The president of the German Industry Association (BDI Bundesverbands der Deutschen Industrie e.V.), Dr. Michael Rogowski, and the chairmen of companies belonging to the “Air Transport Initiative for Germany” presented today at Frankfurt Airport concepts and strategies for the sustained strengthening of Germany's air transport industry. The BDI president urged the elimination of “structural weaknesses such as capacity bottlenecks, lengthy planning periods, and high locational costs.” German industry is awaiting the German federal government's clear acknowledgement of growth in air transportation. “Air transportation is a key and strategic industry that impressively recognizes its role as a technology and export engine,” declared Rogowski. In particular, Rogowski said air transport should not be regarded as a danger but rather as an opportunity for growth and employment. Everything possible must be done to strengthen this vital economic sector. This especially includes Frankfurt Airport's expansion. Dr. Wilhelm Bender, Fraport AG's executive board chairman, emphasized the renewed boom in air traffic and referred to the above average growth in passenger and cargo recorded at FRA in recent months. In April 2004, passenger traffic at FRA climbed by almost 12 percent; for the Fraport Group overall, passenger traffic grew more than 18 percent compared to April 2003. Bender called for a national master plan for Germany's airports, including the integration of road and rail links, because “investments of billions of euros for terminals and runways only make sense for the mega hubs used by the major airline alliances.” Dr. Rogowski and Dr. Bender spoke of the need for simplifying and shortening Germany's planning and approval processes. “Delays due to new administrative technical hurdles and legal interventions lead to excessive uncertainties for business planning,” said Rogowski. “Planning and legal security is a necessary prerequisite for huge investments such as Frankfurt Airport's more than €3-billion Airport Expansion Program.” Bender declared that Frankfurt's Airport Expansion Program (AEP) must be regarded as a task of national importance because – as the country's largest privately financed investment project – the AEP will result in about 100,000 new jobs and will enable Germany's air transport industry to maintain its efficiency and innovative strength vis-à-vis international competition.
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On May 18, Boeing and AirTran Airways said the airline is expanding its fleet of 717 passenger airplanes with an order for six 717s valued at $225 million at list price. Deliveries will begin next year. The transaction includes firm orders for two airplanes and exercise of existing options for the remainder. AirTran Airways operates 76 717s, giving it the world's largest 717 fleet and the youngest all-Boeing fleet in the United States. "The 717 is the cornerstone of our operation," said Joe Leonard, AirTran Airways' chairman and chief executive officer. "In the five years of operating the aircraft, the 717 has delivered the efficiency, reliability and maintenance cost advantages we were counting on. I believe that the 717 has made AirTran Airways the most cost-efficient airline operating today."
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A Snecma Services flight-line service team carried out an “on-wing” repair of three low-pressure turbine blades on a Ukraine International Boeing 737-300 without removing a single piece of the CFM56-3 engine (except the borescope inspection plugs). The operation at Melun-Villaroche airfield was a world first. Following the operation, a dye check verified the absence of cracks in any of the parts. The operation took about 12 hours, with all parts manipulated through an access hole several millimeters in diameter under the engine, through which borescope inspections are usually performed. The repair procedure had previously been checked with the help of engine manufacturer Snecma Moteurs. This type of repair offers a number of benefits for the operator, since the plane is grounded only a short time and the engine does not have to be removed, resulting in potential savings of up to several hundred thousand dollars.
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Lockheed Martin successfully completed an important milestone in proving the mobile launch range concept by tracking a Delta II launch vehicle at Vandenberg Air Force Base from an unmanned aircraft. This represents an important step in moving toward a space-based launch range. "The technology demonstrated is just a first step on the road to a Space Traffic Control system that will allow space vehicles the same freedom of mobility commercial aircraft have today. We must continue to explore and test new ways of monitoring and controlling space systems, so we can drive down the cost of aging infrastructures," U.S. Air Force Col. Shelby L. Syckes stated. Preliminary analysis indicates that Lockheed Martin's Range Systems Transformational Laboratory (RSTL) program successfully tracked and recorded several minutes of telemetry data from the rocket after its launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base recently. The RSTL Range Instrumentation Payload was onboard a CIRPAS Pelican unmanned surrogate aircraft and tracked the mission as predicted, from the launch pad, until the vehicle disappeared over the horizon. CIRPAS is the Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies, a research center at the Naval Postgraduate School, located in Monterey, Calif.
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Geoffrey Williams, the Managing Director of Bond Offshore Helicopter Ltd, was in Eurocopter's Marignane Plant to take delivery of the first of the six AS 332 L2 Super Pumas ordered by the company. In September 2002, Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd and Eurocopter signed a contract worth close to 80 million euros for the delivery of six 6 AS 332 L2s. Five of these aircraft will be delivered before July 2004 in the Crew Change configuration. The 6th aircraft will be delivered in August 2005, making it one of the most advanced SAR helicopters in the world.
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Patria has established a new Business Unit called Helicopters in which all Patria's helicopter related operations have been included. The aim is to enhance the level of support towards Patria's existing and new helicopter operating customers and is in line with the long term strategy of Patria Aviation to become the center of excellence for helicopter life cycle support in the Nordic and Baltic Sea countries. Helicopters Business Unit holds today a unique experience as an authorized service center of Eurocopter, Agusta, and Bell helicopters. This in combination with a continuously growing experience from the on-going NH90 final assembly, which is performed in co-operation with NHI and Eurocopter, creates the basis and the possibility to perform customer and case adjustable support for various levels of requirements.
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The W3A spacecraft, designed and built by EADS Astrium for Eutelsat has been brought into operational service, at its 7° East orbit location, after six week of in-orbit testing. W3A is the first satellite in the Eurostar E3000 series to enter commercial service. Following launch on 16 March, W3A went through six weeks of in-orbit testing. The tests of the spacecraft bus, the first in the Eurostar E3000 series, went smoothly and were completed on 31 March, just one week after the spacecraft achieved geostationary orbit. The payload was tested and performance thoroughly verified in April on a test location. On 3 May, the satellite was triggered a slow move towards its definitive operational location at 7° East. Upon arrival on station, the satellite was brought into commercial service by Eutelsat last weekend.
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The investigation into the March 22, 2003 friendly fire incident between a U.S. Patriot missile system and a British Royal Air Force aircraft is complete. While there was no single specific finding of fault, the investigation did reveal several contributing factors that led to the tragic accidental downing of the British Tornado and death of two British servicemembers. Among those factors was a failure in the aircraft's Interrogation Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder, which resulted in the Patriot missile system misidentifying the Tornado. The investigation board determined that the Patriot crew fired in perceived self-defense in accordance with existing procedures and Rules of Engagement. In addition to the investigation ordered by U.S. Central Command, an investigation was also simultaneously conducted by the British Royal Air Force, as well as a US Army Safety Board investigation. The investigation determined that the incident did not occur due to negligence on the part of the Patriot Missile battery personnel, and therefore no charges have been filed nor has any disciplinary action been taken against any service members.
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The first pieces of Space Shuttle Columbia debris, loaned to a non-governmental agency for testing and research, are on their way from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla., to The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, Calif. The Aerospace Corporation requested and will receive graphite/epoxy honeycomb skins from an Orbital Maneuvering System pod, Main Propulsion System Helium tanks, a Reaction Control System Helium tank and a Power Reactant Storage Distribution system tank. The company will use the parts to study re-entry effects on composite materials. NASA notified the Columbia crew's families about the loan before releasing the items for study. Earlier this year, Dr. Gary Steckel, senior scientist in the Materials Science Department in the Space Materials Laboratory at The Aerospace Corporation, viewed the items. "We believe these items are representative of the structural composite materials flown on Columbia. They will enable us to successfully meet our objective of calibrating analytical models for predicting reentry behavior of composite structures," Steckel said.
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Due to the spike in crude oil prices during the first quarter of this year, purchase prices for aircraft fuel have experienced a similarly sharp rise. At the time of writing, the cost of one ton of kerosene had already hit US$ 390. Since it is neither possible to absorb such high fuel costs in the objective fares nor commercially justifiable to sell at a level below the prime costs, despite the intensive competitive situation, the Austrian Airlines Group has been forced to introduce a surcharge on tickets for all its scheduled flights booked from Monday 24 May 2004 onwards. For scheduled flights, the fuel surcharge levied with the cost of the ticket will be EUR 6.00 per scheduled flight, i.e. a total of EUR 12.00 for a return flight. Although the Austrian Airlines Group took the precaution of hedging 35 % of its annual aircraft fuel requirement in the price band up to US$ 300 per ton, it is no longer possible to make up for the recent huge price increase without a fare surcharge.
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In response to the steady rise in the price of oil on the world market, SWISS is increasing all fares from Switzerland by three per cent. In markets outside Switzerland the amount of the increase will vary depending on similar measures taken by competing airlines. This measure is effective Thursday, May 20. Oil market experts see no immediate price relief in sight. The uncertain political situation in the Middle East and increasing demand from China have pushed the world price of oil to its highest level in 13 years. Various major airlines around the world have already introduced a fare surcharge or are considering a similar step. SWISS will continue to monitor the aviation fuel market carefully.
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Cessna Aircraft Company will deliver a fleet of five Cessna 172R Skyhawks to Theorie Training Center (TTC) located in Bonn, Germany. The aircraft will be delivered in late May and will be used to provide flight training for students pursuing their private pilot and instrument license. TTC has been using Cessna airplanes to teach people to fly for the past 15 years. “People in Europe love to use Cessnas as their training airplane because they like their reputation, comfort, and excellent safety record,” said Pana Poulios, Cessna's European Regional Sales Manager. “The 172 is very forgiving of student pilots' mistakes, which is a mandatory characteristic for flight training aircraft. European customers repeatedly say they want to purchase the best airplane from the best manufacturer, so they evaluate their options and repeatedly choose Cessna.”
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The surface-to-air missile (SAM) market is expected to generate $22.6 billion in revenues over the next 10 years with the production of more than 88,000 SAMs, according to Forecast International's “The Market for Surface-to-Air Missiles.” “The quick defeat of the Iraqi air defense network is not expected to hinder sales of surface-to-air missiles over the next 10 years,” said Larry Dickerson, senior missile analyst for Forecast International. “In fact, the aerial dominance enjoyed by the United States and the United Kingdom during Operation Iraqi Freedom is likely to motivate many countries to upgrade their air defense networks,” he said. SAM production over the next ten years is expected to peak in 2004 at about 11,100 units and gradually decrease to some 6,900 missiles in 2013. “Although the number of missiles produced annually is expected to decline, the value of this market will increase throughout most of the next decade,” said Mr. Dickerson. “The leading players in this market remain American and European firms, specifically Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and MBDA,” said Dickerson.
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easyJet is launching three more routes from its new base in Berlin. The daily services from Berlin Schönefeld to Basel, Bristol and Palma (Mallorca) begin operation with fares from as little as 18.99 euros one-way (including taxes). easyJet now operates ten routes from the base, and a further three routes will be launched within the next few weeks. The airline offers a choice of 13 destinations throughout Europe.Berlin has been the largest-ever increase of capacity of a base in the airline's history, and has proven to be a great success. So far over 16,000 passengers have travelled with easyJet since it launched in Berlin on 28 April 2004, and over a quarter of a million passengers have booked to travel this summer already. easyJet currently flies from Berlin to: Athens, Copenhagen, Liverpool, London Luton, Newcastle, Nice and Paris (Orly).
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Lufthansa Cargo is today naming a B747-200F freighter ”Klaus-Michael Kühne“. Kühne is President of the Board of Directors and major shareholder of Kühne + Nagel, one of the world's leading transport and logistics groups, employing about 20,000 people in 96 countries. The naming ceremony is taking place at midday on the apron of Frankfurt Airport.
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The third powered flight of SpaceShipOne was performed on 13 May. 55 seconds motor burn time were achived. Handling qualities during boost and performance verification. Reaction control system use for reorientation to entry attitude. Supersonic feather stability and control. Launch conditions were 46,000 feet and 120 knots. Motor light off occurred 10 seconds after release and the vehicle boosted smoothly to 150,000 feet and Mach 2.5. Subsequent coast to apogee of 211,400 feet. During a portion of the boost, the flight director display was inoperative, however the pilot continued the planned trajectory referencing the external horizon. Reaction control authority was as predicted and the vehicle recovered in feather experiencing 1.9M and 3.5G's. Feather oscillations were actively damped by the pilot and the wing was de-feathered starting at 55,000 feet. The onboard avionics was re-booted and a smooth and uneventful landing made to Mojave
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