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+++ SR Technics wins easyJet full support contract +++ Saab wins radar warner equipment for German Tornadoes +++ Me 262 rebuild flies at Paine Field +++ Dräger Aerospace wins 787 Dreamliner contract +++ PW6000: first order from LAN +++ Soyuz-Fregat orbits Galaxy 14 +++ News in brief +++
SR Technics wins easyJet full support contract
Großauftrag von easyJet für SR Technics
In a landmark agreement for the aircraft maintenance industry, SR Technics and easyJet have signed a ten-year contract for the full technical support of the low-cost carrier's Airbus A319 fleet. The agreement valued at US$1bn over the life of the contract is one of the largest contracts ever awarded by an airline for maintenance of a single aircraft type and follows a very robust and highly-competitive global tendering process. This is a significant achievement for SR Technics following a hard fought contest over many months. It reinforces the company's strong position with low cost carriers and recognises SR Technics as a leading provider of Total Care Solutions for the aviation industry. According to the contract, SR Technics will provide full technical management for the A319 fleet, planned to rise from currently 54 aircraft to a total of 120 aircraft by 2007. SR Technics will provide a full range of services including line, light and base maintenance, maintenance operations control, engineering & technical services, component repair and logistics management. SR Technics' major facilities and easyTech, the JV at Luton, will be the main locations to provide support day to day but SR Technics international network will enable easyJet aircraft to be supported wherever required throughout Europe and beyond.
This contract is further reinforcement of the very close partnership between the two companies, which began in 1998 when easyJet awarded its B737 full support contract to FLS Aerospace[1] and continued in 2004 when easyJet selected SR Technics for full support of its new Airbus fleet, on an interim basis. SR Technics has delivered consistently on expected aircraft availability and technical despatch reliability for the Airbus fleet since that time. Today marks a new beginning as easyJet has decided on its long-term partner for its Airbus maintenance. SR Technics will also continue to provide full support for the B737 easyJet fleet. Commenting on the deal, Frank Turner, Chairman, SR Technics Holding said: "This agreement marks a further substantial step in establishing SR Technics' market position since the buyout of the company by 3i and Star Capital in December 2002. We are delighted that easyJet has selected SR Technics as its Technical Service Provider.
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Saab wins radar warner equipment for German Tornadoes
Luftwaffe-Tornados mit neuen Warnempfängern
Saab Avitronics has received a production order from EADS Deutschland GmbH, acting on behalf of Panavia Aircraft GmbH, for series production of Radar Warning Equipment for German Tornado aircraft. The order is worth approx 1 billion SEK. The Radar Warning Equipment is part of a major upgrade of the German Tornado fleet. “We have utmost pride in being selected as the supplier of Radar Warning Systems to a customer of highest standards. This means that the Tornado aircraft will have a state-of-the-art system and that we are established within radar warning systems on one additional platform,” says Björn Erman, President of the Saab Avitronics. The contract is a follow on order to the adaption and qualification program that was given in year 2001. Deliveries of production units will start by the end of 2006 and continue until 2009. This Radar Warning Equipment is the most recent part of Saab Avitronics product portfolio in the field of airborne warning systems. The radar warning systems designed for both today's and tomorrow's scenarios has to cope with extremely dense environments and long-range weapons. In addition to the ever-present need for short reaction times, this also requires a combination of high sensitivity, high selectivity and a high probability of intercept.
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Me 262 rebuild flies at Paine Field
Jet für Deutschland hebt ab
The first flight of Me262 "Tango Tango" occurred on 15 August 2005. Flight lasted approximately 40 minutes and consisted of determining stall speeds flaps up and flaps down; evaluating general handling qualities. Flight staged from Paine Field, Everett, Washington. Entire flight was with landing gear extended as planned. This event marks the first time a single-seat Messerschmitt 262 has flown anywhere in the world in more than 50 years!. The aircraft will now be put through a similar flight test program to the one recently completed by the White 1 machine. When compete, the final destination for Tango-Tango will be the Messerschmitt Foundation facility at Manching, north of Munich, Germany. Now that Tango-Tango had been granted an airworthiness certificate for the United States on 2 August. This information to the Messerschmitt Foundation in Germany, where they are working with the LBA to obtain certifcation in-country. Since the LBA does not have an experimental category, the authorities are still working out a plan to grant formal flight approval for the Messerschmitt's long-awaited return to German skies.
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Dräger Aerospace wins 787 Dreamliner contract
Teile für die Boeing 787 von Dräger
Cobham plc announced that Dräger Aerospace of Lübeck, Germany, part of Cobham's Aerospace Systems Group (ASG), has been awarded a long term contract by the Boeing Commercial Airplane Company to provide Passenger Service Units (PSUs) for the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The PSUs will house service systems for passengers on the Dreamliner, including emergency oxygen, personal lighting, ventilation and signs. Boeing expects to begin rate production of the aircraft in 2009 and the value of the contract is expected to reach US$200m. Dräger Aerospace is a Boeing Gold Supplier as well as being the incumbent Boeing 2004 Supplier of the Year in the Cabin Interiors category. Andy Stevens, President of Cobham's Aerospace Systems Group (ASG), commented, ''The PSU programme represents a step up in integration for Dräger Aerospace. The award validates the strategy of leveraging ASG's capabilities and relationships with key customers such as Boeing to increase platform content on major projects.'' Dräger will build a new production center in the direct vicinity of Boeing in Seattle, in which the devices are assembled to the highest standards. „We are pleased that Dräger Aerospace is the fourth German company to contribute to the 787program“, said Horst Teltschik, Boeing President Germany.
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PW6000: first order from LAN
Pratt hat ersten Kunden für PW6000
LAN Airlines, based in Chile, will be the launch customer for the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 engine. LAN's engines will power 15 firm Airbus A318 aircraft for a total of 34 engines (30 installed and 4 spares). A long-term maintenance agreement is included. In addition, LAN Airlines has signed with Pratt & Whitney to power up to 25 option aircraft. If LAN exercises all options it would mean an additional 56 (50 installed and six spare) engines. "We are delighted that LAN recognizes the value of the PW6000 in terms of reliability, maintainability and low cost of ownership," said Pratt & Whitney President Louis Chenevert. "The PW6000 represents the best of our technology in support of the challenges our customers face everyday. This engine fills an important place in our 21st century product line and has a long and bright future ahead of it." Additionally, LAN Airlines placed an order with International Aero Engines (IAE) to power up to 40 Airbus A320 family aircraft. The order is for 18 firm A320 aircraft and 40 V2500 (36 installed and four spare) engines with options for 22 aircraft and 50 V2500 (44 installed and six spare) engines.
In June, the PW6000 was the first "all new" engine to be validated by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It is expected to achieve EASA aircraft/engine certification on the A318 in October 2005.
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Soyuz-Fregat orbits Galaxy 14
Arianespace mit Soyuz-Rakete erfolgreich
Arianespace scored its second mission success in three days as PanAmSat's Galaxy 14 satellite was orbited by a Soyuz-Fregat vehicle during an early morning mission launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome. The flight on 14 August was performed by Arianespace affiliate Starsem, and is part of the two launch service providers' cooperation that allows them to best respond to their clients' needs. Galaxy 14 originally had been planned for launch on an Arianespace Ariane 5, and subsequently was switched to Starsem's Soyuz-Fregat to meet PanAmSat's operational requirements. The mission marked the workhorse Soyuz family's 1,699th flight, and was the 13th launch performed by Starsem - which is responsible for Soyuz commercialization and operation on the international marketplace. The mission's Soyuz-Fregat launcher lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome on schedule at 5:28 a.m. local time (01:28 a.m. Paris time, and 7:28 p.m. in Washington, D.C.) and climbed out on the power of its four first-stage boosters and central core second stage.
Galaxy 14 was deployed by the Fregat upper stage 1 hr. 37 min. after liftoff, and will be making its way to the operational orbital position of 125 deg. West longitude. Galaxy 14 had a liftoff mass of 2,087 kg. and will be co-located with PanAmSat's Galaxy 12 satellite. This positioning will provide PanAmSat with the highest fleet redundancy in the fixed satellite services (FSS) industry. Custom-designed by Orbital Sciences Corporation for PanAmSat, Galaxy 14 is a Star 2 Bus model satellite with 24 36-MHz C-band transponders. Its output will be more than double the power of its predecessors, and will deliver digital video programming, high-definition television (HDTV), video on demand and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) service throughout the continental United States.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
NASA is targeting March for the next Space Shuttle mission (STS-121). The mission will be the second test flight to the International Space Station in the Shuttle Return to Flight sequence.NASA Administrator Michael Griffin and Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier made the announcement today at a news conference at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "We are giving ourselves what we hope is plenty of time to evaluate where we are," said Administrator Griffin. "We don't see the tasks remaining before us being as difficult as the path behind us." Based on NASA's self-imposed optimum lighting requirements, the earliest possible launch opportunity for the STS-121 mission is March 4, 2006. The Space Shuttle Discovery will be used for the mission, instead of Space Shuttle Atlantis. Moving toward a no earlier than March launch for STS-121 will allow engineering teams more time to properly evaluate the issue of large pieces of insulating foam that came off Discovery's external fuel tank during launch last month. Targeting March also allows the Space Shuttle Program to put itself into a better posture for future Shuttle missions to the Space Station. Changing Orbiters for the STS-121 mission enables use of Atlantis for the following mission, STS-115, which will resume assembly of the Station. The switch frees Atlantis to fly the remaining Space Station truss segments, which are too heavy for Discovery, in 2006. By changing the Orbiter line up, the Shuttle program will not have to do two back-to-back missions with Atlantis, as previously scheduled. "It really makes sense to move to the March timeframe," Gerstenmaier said. "We're looking at the Shuttle missions to support the most robust flight sequence for the Space Station and to make the whole sequence flow better. This extra time helps us make sure that all the work we need to do fits and that there are no other issues."
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CIT Group, a leading provider of commercial and consumer finance solutions, has ordered five Airbus A350-800s, becoming a new customer for the type, as well as placing a repeat order for 24 A320 Family aircraft. Deliveries of the A320 Family will begin in 2007, and those of the newly designed A350s in 2012. CIT's selection of the A350 takes total commitments for the new Airbus model to 130 aircraft from eight customers, and highlights its appeal to both airlines and lessors. Typically flying 253 passengers up to 8,800 nm/16,300 km, the Airbus A350 carries 30 more people eight per cent more economically/seat than its closest competitor. CIT's latest order takes its Airbus aircraft portfolio to more than 100 aircraft, making it one of the European manufacturer's largest leasing-company customers. Its portfolio already includes A319s, A320s, A321s and A330s.
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NASA Administrator Michael Griffin announced today that William H. Gerstenmaier will serve as associate administrator for Space Operations at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Since June 2002, Gerstenmaier has been program manager of the International Space Station Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.As associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate, Gerstenmaier directs NASA's human exploration of space. He also has programmatic oversight for International Space Station, Space Shuttle, Space Communications and Space Launch Vehicles.
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The U.S. government, on behalf of the Government of Kuwait, accepted Kuwait's first AH-64D Apache Longbow multi-role combat helicopter from Boeing. The Apache Longbow, delivered in July from The Boeing Mesa, Ariz., facility, is the first of a 16 Apache foreign military sales order with the U.S. Department of Defense for the Kuwaiti government. The aircraft will remain in the United States until next year to undergo a series of qualification tests. "From the initiation of the foreign military sale, through production of the first Apache, the program has benefited from the close working relationships between the U.S. Army, Kuwaiti government representatives, Boeing and the other Apache industry teammates," said Bob Burns, the Boeing program manager for the Kuwait Apache program. Maintenance personnel from Kuwait are currently in the U.S. for training, and will be followed by Kuwaiti pilots later this year. No firm in-country delivery schedule or contract details have been announced.
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Northrop Grumman has successfully completed integration of its avionics technology upgrade with commercial hardware to update the fleet of Group II E-2C aircraft for the U.S. Navy. Under contract with the Navy, Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector was responsible for the E-2C Group II Mission Computer Replacement Program. The program's objective was to cost-effectively replace the E-2C airborne early warning aircraft's mission computer that has been in use since the late 1960s. According to the Navy, the previous mission computer system had reached its maximum processing potential and memory capacity, which inhibited the ability to integrate modern, more advanced weapons systems.
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Cyber Defense Systems,a designer and developer of next generation unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV''s) and an operating subsidiary of Proxity announced it has begun shipment of the CyberBug(TM) to both US and international distributors as well as unnamed government entities as part of the initial sales announced over the last several months. The CyberBug(TM) is one of the most cost-effective UAV''s on the market today, capable of being launched in winds speeds in excess of 25 miles and hour and can provide the GPS coordinates of hostile or problem areas, facilitate line-of-sight communications, as well as provide day or night surveillance of remote areas. The shipment represents the first several contracts currently in place. Through outsourcing current production the CyberBugs(TM) will be 20 units a month beginning October 1, 2005 with the ability to ramp up as business demands. The current initial orders will deliver units to be tested at exercises through out the world.
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Northrop Grumman's MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) completed data and image relay, video transmissions and supplied delivery to a remote location during a series of tests and demonstrations Aug. 1-3 at Arizona's Yuma Proving Ground. The tests culminated with a fully autonomous flight demonstration for senior military and government leaders. The Fire Scout flew numerous missions using the U.S. Army's One System ground control station, proving that the UAV can be fielded using existing Army ground control stations. Operating from the Army's One System also illustrated the ability to easily integrate Fire Scout into the Army's current arsenal of vehicles that gather intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information.
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The market for commercial communications satellites is expected to be worth $25.4 billion over the next 10 years, according to Forecast International's recently completed study "Commercial Communications Satellites: 2005-2014." Also anticipated within the next few years, is the long awaited rebound in the commercial communications market. Fueling this recovery will not only be the growing market for the application of key technologies and services to the commercial consumer but also government reliance on commercial capacity. Forecast International predicts that 224 commercial communications satellites destined for geostationary or medium Earth orbit will be constructed over the next 10 years, at an estimated total value of about $25.4 billion. The low-Earth-orbiting (LEO) market, comprised of satellites primarily for providing mobile communications, will see production of just 29 spacecraft, worth only about $114 million. However, LEO production may shrink even more, depending on whether programs such as Orbcomm proceed with their production plans as expected. "Manufacturers of commercial communications satellites have seen better years than 2004," said John Edwards, the report's author. Of 12 new commercial communications satellites ordered last year, eight were non-competitive sales, that is, they were either almost guaranteed to go to a certain manufacturer due to issues such as export restrictions or due to orders that were placed as part of earlier transactions. While sales did not tank as in 2002, with just three satcoms sold, 2004's order book was a substantial drop from the previous year's total of 17 orders. "The drop in orders from 2003 to 2004 raises eyebrows, especially after the less-than-spectacular start of the new millennium; however, the demise of the U.S. satellite industry has been greatly exaggerated and the order numbers from last year tell the tale," said Edwards. "Nine of the 12 commercial communications satellites ordered, or 75 percent, went to U.S.-based manufacturers."
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Delta Air Lines announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its wholly owned regional airline subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. (ASA) to SkyWest, Inc. for a purchase price of $425 million in cash. ASA will continue to serve Delta customers under a new 15- year Delta Connection agreement, with ASA's fleet of more than 150 aircraft continuing to fly Delta routes. Delta Chief Executive Officer Gerald Grinstein said, "We are pleased to strengthen our long-time relationship with Delta Connection partner SkyWest and believe the transaction will be mutually beneficial to our customers and our companies. This transaction provides for a long-term competitive cost structure as well as appropriate incentives to reward ASA for operational excellence and cost improvement. Delta has extensive experience working with SkyWest and other regional carriers under capacity purchase arrangements." He continued, "This transaction achieves important operational and financial objectives, while enabling our customers to continue to benefit from ASA's commitment to operational excellence and Delta's broad network reach." ASA President Skip Barnette said, "ASA has long been an integral part of the Delta Connection carrier network and we are pleased with this opportunity to grow our service while we will continue to serve Delta customers. We also look forward to the new opportunities this transaction creates for ASA and its employees. The people of ASA will continue to focus on providing efficient, reliable service to our customers during the transition and in the years ahead."
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Security has been dramatically improved at Moscow Domodedovo International Airport in the course of the year that passed since explosions onboard the two Tupolev aircraft on Aug. 24 2004, with the airport increasing passenger and cargo traffic. On Aug. 24 2004, the Tupolev-134 operated by Russian regional airline Volga-Avia Express and the Tupolev-154 flown by one of the country's most rapidly expanding air carriers, Siberia Airlines, took off from Domodedovo Airport. Soon after the departure, both flights exploded within minutes of each other. Onboard bombs, triggered by suicide bombers, were to blame. "Domodedovo has always been a very secure airport with one of the most reliable security systems in Russia. But those bombings underlined the need to rise the level of aviation security that had already been in place at the airport," Dmitri Kamenshchik, Chairman of the Board of Directors, EAST LINE Group, says. Immediately after the incident, the airport's management team carried out a thorough review of security and decided on a wide range of measures to tighten security further including purchase of new equipment, introduction of new training programs, revision of existing procedures and changes in positioning of the personnel involved. Among those changes were significant new hires at a management level and recruitment of front-line security staff to cope with the extra security measures.
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Northrop Grumman recently completed Block 20 upgrades to the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft, bringing the entire fleet to the same "open-systems" configuration which will allow the aircraft hardware and software to be upgraded at a lower cost while increasing mission effectiveness to meet future surveillance, targeting and battle-management requirements. The Block 20 E-8C configuration features an integrated commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computing and signal-processing architecture that can be easily upgraded with new technology. Each airplane uses hardware from Mercury Computer Systems and Compaq Computer Corporation. Since 2001, and through the last delivery earlier this year, all production Joint STARS aircraft were delivered in the Block 20 configuration. The most recently delivered aircraft was the last of 10 previously delivered that were upgraded to Block 20 under a computer-replacement program that provides a COTS data-processing capability.
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A new slot has been identified for the second Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite which is now due to be launched towards the end of 2005. This announcement was made by Arianespace, following findings concerning the Ariane 5 GS vehicle which affected the launch date foreseen for early autumn 2005. The MSG-2 satellite was already shipped to Kourou, French Guiana on 21 June and is being kept in storage after extensive testing confirmed the functionality of the platform and instruments after transport. Detailed analyses were also successfully concluded to verify that MSG-2's sensitive instruments, like the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) and the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB), would not be damaged during the launch. Given the new slot the launch campaign is scheduled to resume no earlier than 10 October.
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ARINC Engineering Services, LLC has selected Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 integrated avionics system to upgrade the Navy's fleet of UC-12 King Air aircraft. ARINC serves as the purchasing and installation agency for the program, and L3 Communications is the prime contractor. "The Pro Line 21 Integrated Avionics Architecture will provide the Navy with an unparalleled operational platform, while solving critical parts availability and avionics sustainment issues with the legacy avionics platform. The overall UC-12 avionics upgrade will improve the USN aircraft,"said Steve Mensh, chief program manager for the USN UC-12 Avionics Upgrade Program for ARINC Engineering Services, LLC
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The first set of two flaperons, constructed at the Lockheed Martin Palmdale plant for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, were delivered to the company's Fort Worth, Texas, facility. The Palmdale plant is responsible for the design, development and manufacture of the control surfaces, fixed edges and radomes for all three F-35 versions: conventional takeoff and landing, short takeoff/vertical landing and carrier. The control surface will be installed on the first aircraft in Fort Worth.
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The contract was signed in the presence of the President of the Russian Federation V.Putin by the Rosoboronexport State Corporation Director General S.Chemezov and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) President Ashok Baweja. The document covers the whole spectrum of works from the new engine's development up to its serial production and export. According to the general contract the HAL Corporation has the right to produce 1000 engines. At first 250 units of AL-55I will be manufactured. The Ufa Engine Manufacturing Plant JSC is identified as the main integrator on organization of license production. The Indian side has chosen the Russian engine in the result of a convincing victory of Rosoboronexport, representing the developer of the AL-55I engine - the Saturn Science and Production Enterprise, over European manufacturers in tender for the engine project for the perspective HJT-36 trainer and the newest HJT-39 combat-trainer of the Indian Air Force. Russian aircraft builders have managed to develop such an engine actually from scratch, which enables Indian pilots to perfect flight skills on practically all types of Indian AF fighters of Russian and foreign origin, including Mig-29, Su-30MKI, Mirage-2000.
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Embraer announced the delivery of three specially configured Legacy Executive aircraft to the government of India, which ordered five airplanes of the model, and holds options on two more. Two of the Legacys delivered will serve the Indian Air Force, and one will serve India's Border Security Force. "To Embraer, it is a reason for pride and happiness to deliver the contracted aircraft to the Indian government, in accordance with the specifications and strictly on schedule. This could lead to an increase in our cooperation. The ERJ 145 family is renowned worldwide, and the Legacy jet for authority transportation will certainly deliver safety, and mission and cost efficiency," said Romualdo Monteiro de Barros, Embraer Executive Vice-President for the Defense Market. Embraer will conclude deliveries of the five Legacys ordered by India in October.
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Once used only for remote reconnaissance, unmanned aircraft technology has rapidly evolved in recent years. Such systems now feature strike capabilities and are being used for force-protection and signals-collection missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unmanned aerial systems "have helped reduce the complexity and time lag in the 'sensor-to-shooter chain' for acting on 'actionable intelligence,'" according to a document released earlier this month. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Roadmap 2005-2030, released Aug. 4 with more than 200 pages, explains these diverse systems range from "micro air vehicles, weighing less than a pound, to massive aircraft weighing more than 40,000 (pounds), and vary in cost from a few thousand dollars to tens of millions." The roadmap, now in its third iteration, lays out technology goals for developing unmanned systems over the next 25 years, explained Dyke Weatherington, deputy director of DoD's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Planning Task Force. Speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, Weatherington explained that even the name of the roadmap has changed from previous iterations. "Unmanned aerial vehicle," generally referred to as UAV, has been the most commonly accepted term for such aircraft. DoD planners have recently changed that terminology to "unmanned aircraft system." UAS better denotes that much more than just the vehicle is needed to make such systems useful to warfighters. "A UAV by itself doesn't do anything for anybody other than sit on the ramp and provide shade," Weatherington said. "I need an integrated capability to do the mission. ... That's a vehicle; that's sensor systems; that may be weapons; that's communication systems; that's command and control; that's trained operators. All those elements are critical to deliver the capability."
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Expedition 11 Commander Sergei Krikalev became the human with the most cumulative time in space early today. At 1:44 a.m. EDT he passed the record of 748 days held by Sergei Avdeyev. In ISS Mission Control Houston, spacecraft communicator Ken Ham called Krikalev to congratulate him. "Fly on, Sergei," Ham said. Mission Control Moscow also saluted Krikalev's achievement, and Krikalev joked in Russian, "You'll have to congratulate me every day from now on." Krikalev spent his more than two years in space beginning in November 1988 with the start of his first long-duration flight to the Soviet space station Mir. Krikalev did back-to-back increments on his next Mir flight starting in May 1991 and returning to Earth in March 1992. While he was in orbit, the Soviet Union disintegrated and Mir became a Russian space station. He became the first Russian to fly a Shuttle mission on STS-60 in February 1994. His second Shuttle flight took the Unity node to the International Space Station on STS-88 in December 1998. He was a member of the Station's Expedition 1 crew, launching in October 2000 and returning to Earth in March 2001. He launched as commander of Expedition 11 last April 14.
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Northrop Grumman reached another milestone for its BQM-34 Firebee aerial target with the latest version's successful first flight featuring an enhanced integrated avionics unit as the vehicle's autopilot. Aerial targets are the U.S. Navy's most realistic means of training sailors and airmen against airborne threats and testing an array of weapon systems, and the avionics upgrade supports the service's aerial-targets transformation plan. The BQM-34 Firebee's primary mission is to simulate tactical threats by enemy aircraft and missiles for defense readiness training, air-to-air combat training and test and evaluation of weapon systems. The BQM-34 Firebee is also in service with the U.S. Air Force and international military services. In addition to serving as an aerial target, the Firebee can also support a variety of operational scenarios including unique payload delivery missions. Most notably, it supported allied operational requirements during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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Airbus, the European aircraft manufacturer, and Irkut, the Russian scientific production corporation, signed a preliminary agreement on Russian participation in A350 development and future Airbus aircraft programmes. The letter of intent (LOI) confirms Airbus' proposal for Russian aviation industry participation in the design and manufacture of the A350 on a risk-sharing basis. In addition, it establishes that both parties will explore opportunities in research & technology that could further enhance Russia's contribution to future Airbus aircraft programmes. The LOI was signed by Irkut President Oleg Demchenko and Airbus Senior Vice President and Deputy head of commercial Christian Scherer at the Moscow International Airshow (MAKS 2005) in Zhukovsky. Irkut signed the letter of intent on behalf of Unified Aviation Consortium (UAC), a new umbrella organisation that is being formed as a result of the restructuring of the Russian aviation industry. Under the LOI, a multifunctional working group comprising specialists from Airbus and UAC, will be formed to define both the scope of Russian participation in the A350 programme, and to study the possibilities for the Russian aviation industry to maximise its involvement in future Airbus aircraft programmes. "We believe that long term co-operation with Airbus is very important for us and this agreement will allow to significantly expand the Russian participation in all Airbus projects", said Oleg Demchenko. The signature of the LOI is the latest step in Airbus' extensive co-operation programme with Russian aviation industry, which was defined in an agreement between EADS (European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company), Airbus' major shareholder, and Rosaviakosmos, that was signed in July 2001. By the end of 2004, Airbus had offered Russian companies contracts with a value of USD80 million per year, a figure it intends to increase to USD110 million per year in 2007. Airbus' Russian programme covers numerous research and technology projects, design work, material procurement and manufacturing subcontracts, as well as extensive co-operation in the certification field.
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Siberia Airlines, the second largest carrier in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Lufthansa Technik, the leading provider for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of airplanes, components and engines, signed new Technical Support agreements for the Airbus A310 and Boeing 737 fleets. Over the next five years Lufthansa Technik will serve the fleet of all together eight Airbus A310 airplanes via a Total Component Support TCS contract with the provision of components at the carrier's hubs in Moscow and Novosibirsk. For the fleet of five Boeing 737 airplanes Lufthansa Technik will take over a Total Component Support TCS and a Total Engine Support TES until 2012. Before their entry-into-service with Siberia Airlines Lufthansa Technik performed encompassing delivery checks at its subsidiary Shannon Aerospace, which has been already performing MRO services on Western-built airplanes for Russian & CIS airlines. Lufthansa Technik supported as well the transition to the new S7 brand livery.
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Pulkovo Airlines, one of the largest carriers in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Lufthansa Technik, the leading provider for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of airplanes, components and engines, signed a five-year Total Technical Support TTS contract for the newly leased fleet of Boeing 737-500 airplanes. The Total Technical Support TTS for the Boeing jets includes various products like line maintenance, customized maintenance planning, troubleshooting, engineering services, repair and overhaul of aircraft, engines and components, spare-parts pooling, modifications, Airline Support Teams AST, logistics as well as training. Lufthansa Technik will train and support Pulkovo Airlines to develop own maintenance capabilities at the hub in St. Petersburg and will help to achieve necessary certification.
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UPS, a global leader in package delivery, specialized transportation and logistics services, announced an order for eight 747-400 Freighters. The firm order is the first UPS order placed directly with Boeing for the 747 Freighter family and the carrier's first for 747-400 Freighters. The first delivery is scheduled for June 2007 with two additional deliveries that year, followed by the remaining five deliveries in 2008. UPS has selected General Electric CF6-80C2-B1F engines to power the new airplanes. "UPS has been an important Boeing customer for more than 20 years," said Ray Conner, vice president, Sales – Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The 747-400 Freighter, with its unique capabilities, will enable outstanding efficiency and economy as UPS takes advantage of continuing high international cargo traffic growth.”
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The launch of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-N) aboard a Boeing Delta IV rocket was scrubbed on August 16. Following a temporary hold in the countdown, the count resumed and the launch team transferred power from ground support equipment to launch vehicle internal power. During this activity, the telemetry engineer observed a red alarm and called a hold when the auto system monitoring battery voltage on the launch vehicle's second stage determined that the voltage did not transition within the predicted time period. Engineers are investigating the situation to determine why the system exceeded limits and what adjustments need to be made prior to the next launch attempt.
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CHC Helicopter Corporation announced it has been granted an irrevocable option to acquire an equity position in Brazilian Helicopter Services ("BHS") and provide, on an exclusive basis, operational expertise including: safety management systems, maintenance procedures, technical support and flight standards. Heli-One will provide helicopter leasing services and access to its worldwide fleet of aircraft and power-by-the-hour maintenance support. BHS is one of the largest helicopter operators in the Brazilian offshore sector, employing a team of more than 200 professionals and operating a fleet of 11 aircraft, including AS332 Super Puma Mk2 and Sikorsky S76 helicopters. BHS operates out of Sao Paulo, Macaé and Farol de Sao Tomé, transporting an average of 14,000 passengers per month and has been providing passenger air transport services to Petrobras since 1992.
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Berlin's International Aerospace Exhibition ILA and the Russian Air Show MAKS are to cooperate with each other in future. This was agreed in Moscow today by the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) and the Russian Federation's Federal Agency for Industry with the signing of a cooperation agreement known as a Memorandum of Understanding. The BDLI is the sponsor of the ILA, which is one of world's the five largest aerospace exhibitions and is the oldest event of its kind. The organizer of the ILA, which is held at Schönefeld Airport just outside the German capital, is Messe Berlin. At the signing ceremony in Moscow BDLI Managing Director Hans-Joachim Gante said: “This cooperation agreement will enable us to raise the profile of the ILA in relation to other air shows.We also aim to promote and support collaboration between companies from the two countries.” The agreement stipulates that the sponsors of the two salons accord special status to each other's events. As a keynote to the partnership the BDLI invites both the Russian aerospace industry and the Russian government to take part in ILA2006 as an official “partner country”.
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SAS is to be the first network carrier to introduce one-way fares to and from European destinations. Tickets will be sold as one-way tickets and can be combined without restriction to form return tickets. Complicated rules, such as the demand that passengers must stay away over a Saturday or Sunday, have been eliminated and it will be easier to find and book tickets at low prices on the Internet. Sales of the new European tickets will commence on September 1. It will be possible to book the tickets by telephone, through travel agencies or on the Internet, where it will be easy to see what prices are available for each departure. SAS's German destinations will be included in this offer as of January 2006. "This is a further step in our commercial activities and we are following up on the success of one-way fares in Norway and Sweden by introducing the same concept on all European routes," says Jørgen Lindegaard, President and CEO of the SAS Group.
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On 17 th August 2005, an official meeting between the Director General of the Rosoboronexport State Corporation Sergei V. Chemezov and His Majesty King of Jordan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Jordanian Armed Forces Abdullah bin Al Housein II, as well as Joint Chiefs of Staff Director Assistant Prince Feisal bin Al Housein was held at the MAKS 2005 International Aviation and Space Salon. During the talks a contract on delivery of two IL-76MF military transport aircraft was signed. Under the contract both aircraft will be equipped with the Russian-made PS-90A-76 aeroengines. This is the first ever contract on acquisition of the military transport aircraft of such type. The IL-76MF military transport aircraft is a derivative of the well-known IL-76 medium-range transport aircraft. The aircraft is powered by new turbofan engines with the low specific fuel consumption and increased thrust ratio of 16,000 kgf. The engines completely meet ICAO noise and emission requirements. The aircraft's cruising air speed is about 780 km/h, with a service range of up to 5,200 km. Thanks to the increased cargo hold dimensions the aircraft is capable of transporting a greater variety of air cargoes.
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Russia and the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will require approximately 1,340 passenger airplanes over the next 20 years, according to The Boeing Company's annual forecast for the commercial airplane market. Airplane acquisition will consist of new and used airplanes. Single-aisle airplanes in the Boeing 737 family size range - from 110 seats up - will account for nearly 50 percent of all new airplanes entering the Russia and CIS market combined. Around 36 percent will be regional jets, defined by Boeing as airplanes with 100 seats or less. Airlines will require around 130 (or 9 percent) twin-aisle airplanes such as the all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. "Passenger fleet development in Russia and the CIS is entering a dynamic phase, with nearly all airplanes in the current fleet set to be retired by 2024. Boeing's single- and twin-aisle product line offers operators in Russia and the CIS the flexibility and efficiency needed as traffic within and to destinations outside the region continues to grow at a steady pace", said Craig Jones, vice president of Sales for Russia and the CIS, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, at the 2005 Moscow Air Show. Boeing projects an increase in the freighter market by almost 60 percent. Over two-thirds will be new and converted airplanes with one-third of the current fleet being retained. New and converted airplanes will be required predominantly in the standard body and medium-wide body category. The Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 will represent less than 10 percent of the Russian/CIS freighter market.
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BAE Systems has successfully completed the first flight test of its Electronic Warfare (EW) system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft. The F-35 JSF EW system will serve as a primary source of situational awareness for F-35 JSF pilots, enhancing their ability to identify, monitor, analyze and respond to potential threats. The F-35 system's broadband digital receiver architecture was fully tested during the flights conducted on a range at the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The F-35 JSF EW suite was installed on a surrogate aircraft, a T-39 twin engine business jet. During the flight, the system collected simulated radio frequency threats from ground based emitters using the F-35 JSF EW digital receiver system. "The tests mark a significant milestone in the risk reduction efforts of the BAE Systems F-35 JSF team. Just 44 months into a 10-year development and demonstration program, all major components of the F-35 Electronic Warfare system have now been in the air," said Dan Gobel, JSF business area director at Nashua, New Hampshire. "Some development challenges can be found only by testing in a dynamic flight environment. Early resolution of emitter location and direction-finding algorithms will help us stay on schedule, under cost and under weight."
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Lufthansa Technik´s Completion Center has signed its first contract for a VIP completion of a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The airplane will be outfitted for a Russian company and will be operated by Vizavi Aviation. Delivery of the completed airplane will be mid of 2006. Inspired by the desires of the owner, well-known Andrew Winch from the UK created a design for the airplane which will feature a dedicated dinning & conference area, a spacious bathroom with shower, an executive lounge and a private state-room. The design is adapted from yacht interiors with their ribs, which are made out of carbon fibre onboard. For the first time Lufthansa Technik will integrate seats with wooden cheeks, underlining the exclusive approach.
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The creation of the Oboronprom helicopter-manufacturing holding will contribute to the development of Russia's defense potential, a senior company official said. Denis Manturov, Oboronprom general director, said, "The activities of the Oboronprom corporation as part of the defense industry not only help to conduct structural reforms of the strategic branches of Russia's economy, but also contribute to the development of Russia's defense potential." The new helicopter-manufacturing holding will be created on the basis of Oboronprom. It will comprise all companies that are involved in the development and serial production of the family of Mi helicopters. According to Moscow's helicopter-manufacturing plant General Director Andrei Shibitov, there are objective trends on the global market today that forced European and American companies to merge into larger corporations. These trends have affected Russia as well, he said.
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World Airways, a wholly owned subsidiary of World Air Holding, will convert one MD-11 passenger aircraft to cargo configuration in 2006, bringing the company's cargo fleet to six MD-11Fs and two DC-10-30Fs. "The addition of this MD-11F to our fleet will allow World Airways to provide more capacity for our cargo customers while continuing our revenue diversification plans," said Rob Binns, World Air Holdings chief marketing officer.
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Kamov-Holding JSC and Rolls-Royce Corp. signed the Memorandum of Understanding. The document was signed in the framework of VII International Aerospace Salon MAKS-2005 that was opened on 16 August in Zhukovsky, Moscow region. The decision-making was preceded by a detail preparation of both Parties. Preliminary verbal agreement between Valery Lukin, General Director and Scott Crislip, President of Helicopters and Small Gas Turbine Engines for Rolls-Royce was reached at the meeting in Le Bourget at the 46th International Aerospace Salon that was held in June this year in France. This event is a vital step in development of two companies business that indicates their interest in fundamental mutual collaboration. In this connection, Valery Lukin said: “The signing of Memorandum is the beginning of new strategic trend for our company and good basis for long-term cooperation with Rolls-Royce Corp. both in the sphere of the Ka-226 helicopters production and maintenance of helicopter equipment”.
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EADS and Irkut have agreed to further strengthen their cooperation by signing important agreements at MAKS air show. Stefan Zoller, CEO of the Defence and Security Systems Division and member of the Executive Committee of EADS, and Oleg Demchenko, President of Irkut, signed an agreement confirming the intention for a strategic investment in the Russian plane manufacturer through the prospective acquisition of newly-issued shares, representing up to 10 % of Irkut's outstanding capital. The parties envisage the transaction to be closed at the end of 2005. “It is part of the global strategy of EADS to form partnerships with the Russian industry. Russian aerospace companies are currently preparing for industry consolidation and future market success – and we want to be part of it”, said Stefan Zoller. “Irkut is definitely one of the most dynamic companies in the Russian aerospace industry and therefore a partner of choice for EADS in this country.”Moreover, Demchenko and Zoller signed the legal documents to incorporate a Joint Venture between EADS and Irkut. This new company, EADS IRKUT Seaplane SAS, will give further boost to the joint marketing of the Be-200 amphibious aircraft. It will be responsible for sales, marketing, and product support of the Be-200 programme on the world market and for the management of the international certification process of the aircraft. Irkut will own 70 % of EADS IRKUT Seaplane SAS, EADS 30 %. The certification of the Be-200 outside of Russia will be carried out by Irkut and supported by EADS and its affiliates, including Airbus. The Be-200 is currently in operation with the Russian Ministry of Disaster Relief and with the Italian Protezione Civile. Other customers in Mediterranean countries, South East Asia and the U.S have also expressed their interest in the aircraft. “The Be-200 is a truly unique aircraft”, said Stefan Zoller. “No other fire fighting plane can match the performance of the Be-200 in terms of cruising speed, freight capacity and water scooping capability. Offering the world-wide service network of EADS to potential customers will significantly leverage its market potential.”
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Pratt and Whitney, Military Engines, East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a not to exceed $968,607,839 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract to extend the F135 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract period of performance by 16 months. This modification will also provide additional ground and flight test assets necessary to meet the revised Propulsion Verification Plan; Interface Control Document and Specification Change requirements; and changes in the areas of Alternate Material Development & Qualification effort, International Partner Support, Material Review Board activity; training software requirements, and GE, Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team (PET) Engine Interchangeability (El) requirements.
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