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+++ Industrial go-ahead for A350 +++ First 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter takes flight +++ EADS HELLAS in US marketing drive +++ Austrian takes 777-200ER, sells aircraft +++ V-22 gets go for full-rate production +++ New crew arrives at ISS +++ Permira Funds complete acquisition of Jet Aviation +++ ATG Javelin makes first flight +++ News in brief +++
Industrial go-ahead for A350
Startschuss für neuen Airbus
The EADS Board of Directors has given the go ahead for Airbus to launch the industrial programme for a new A350 airliner family. This go ahead together with that received from BAE SYSTEMS, means that Airbus is now launching the programme. “The A350 programme has a very promising business case,” the EADS CEOs Tom Enders and Noël Forgeard said. “The new airliner family will deliver strong value not only to Airbus customers but also to Airbus shareholders. With technologically advanced innovations, many of them stemming from the A380, the new aircraft is designed to be at the forefront of our ongoing strategy of offering our customers the most up-to-date and the most efficient passenger aircraft in the world. The all-new A350 will add a new chapter to the already outstanding Airbus family success story.”
Over the summer Airbus had re-examined its global engineering and manufacturing resources in order to optimize its capabilities. It has led to the hiring of additional engineers and the mobilisation of EADS business units, new partners and subcontractors thus providing the full amount of required resources. “We are convinced that Airbus will be in a position to deliver on its promises to all its customers,” the EADS CEOs concluded.
Backed by the Airbus shareholders BAE SYSTEMS and EADS, Airbus has applied for support in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. The European governments have provided letters of general support for the A350. However, Airbus, EADS and BAE SYSTEMS have decided that no disbursement should take place throughout 2006 as long as there is a credible prospect of negotiations and similar restraint is being undertaken in the United States. This further confirms the willingness of EADS, BAE SYSTEMS and Airbus to settle the trade dispute through negotiations.
The A350 will be produced and assembled at the same facilities as the A330 and the A340, with however, additional risk-sharing partners and associates in China, Russia and other countries around the world. The market for aircraft in this size category is estimated at 3,300, including freighters, over the next 20 years, of which Airbus expects to obtain half. Planned to enter service in 2010, the A350 Family will initially include two members. The A350-800 will carry 253 passengers in a standard three-class configuration up to 8,800nm/16,300km. Its larger sister, the A350-900, will accommodate as many as 300 passengers in a comparable three-class layout up to 7,500nm/13,900km.
These new aircraft share the technologically advanced innovations of the A380 and are also endowed with the latest technologies, while benefiting from the Airbus family commonality. The A350 will initially be powered by General Electric's new generation GEnx 1A engine. An agreement with Rolls Royce has also been signed to supply a new variant of its Trent engine series for the A350, the Trent 1711. The new A350 features a new composite wing and a fuselage made of aluminium lithium, which combined give the aircraft 60 per cent advanced materials. With a new landing gear, over 90 per cent new manufacturing part numbers, and a new redesigned cabin for even more passenger comfort, the A350 will be a new aircraft. The A350 will have unrivalled economics and fuel efficiency. With 30 more seats, it will have 12 to 14 percent more capacity, and offers eight percent lower cost per seat with a 300 nm (555 km) greater range than its nearest competitor. Overall, the A350 is bigger, flies further and is cheaper to operate than its competitor, and will further strengthen Airbus' position on the world market.
After the launch decision, Boeing reiterated its strong support for the U.S. government's efforts to end launch aid, whether through anegotiated settlement or continued litigation at the World Trade Organization. It said the actions are nothing less than the Airbus partner governments committing launch aid to yet another subsidized airplane, even though senior Airbus executives have repeatedly said their company has the funds to develop the A350 without launch aid.
The EU Spokesperson for Trade Peter Power commented: “European governments made clear their support for the A350, but they said that they were prepared to delay committing repayable launch investment during the whole of 2006 to allow for possible negotiations. Airbus and Commissioner Mandelson have clearly said that if the US and the EU reached a negotiated settlement on the issue of support to large civil aircraft, European government funding would be adapted to comply with the terms of the agreement. Airbus has said that it was “absolutely flexible” as to the instruments and means of support it would receive. These would, of course, would be the subject of any negotiations.”
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First 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter takes flight
Erstflug des 747-400BCF
On October 5, Boeing and launch customer Cathay Pacific Airways celebrated the arrival in Hong Kong of the first Boeing 747-400 passenger airplane to be converted to a freighter as part of the 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter program. The prototype airplane was flown from Xiamen, People's Republic of China -- where the modification was performed and certification ground testing was started -- to Hong Kong, where the flight test and certification will be completed over the next few months. “The start of flight testing for the first 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter is another in a long series of accomplishments achieved by our employees, our suppliers and our customer, Cathay Pacific Airways,” said Lou Mancini, vice president and general manager for Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. This is the first time Boeing has conducted a major flight test program outside the United States. It will be done by a Boeing flight test crew on site in Hong Kong in cooperation with Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways, along with HAECO and TAECO, aircraft maintenance and engineering companies based in Hong Kong and Xiamen respectively. The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department is assisting.
The Boeing flight test crew plans to accumulate up to 200 hours of in-flight testing, which includes a prescribed and rigorous routine of scenarios that will certify the airplane's fire detection and suppression systems. The 747-400BCF is the first major Boeing program to be certified in accordance with the new U.S. Federal Aviation Authority Changed Product Rule. Redelivery to Cathay Pacific Airways is scheduled for December.Engineering and support work began at Boeing facilities in the Puget Sound area of Washington State, Long Beach, Calif., and Moscow, Russia, shortly after Boeing's decision to offer the conversion to customers in October 2003.
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EADS HELLAS in US marketing drive
HELLAS wir mit DRS angeboten
EADS and DRS Technologies have agreed to collaborate on U.S. marketing and production of the EADS HELLAS laser-based obstacle warning system that offers unprecedented protection for helicopters against difficult-to-detect obstacles, such as power lines.This agreement covers the EADS Defence Electronics' HELLAS-W (Warning) obstacle warning system, which already is in operation on Federal German Police helicopters, and the new HELLAS-A (Awareness) obstacle warning system, which is in development for the German Forces NH90 helicopters and has been identified for potential use with U.S. military forces, following a U.S. Foreign Comparative Test (FCT) evaluation of a HELLAS-W system in 2002-2003. A HELLAS-A system has been ordered by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for further testing and evaluation. This unit currently is being adapted for the Special Operations Forces' specific needs at the EADS Defence Electronics' facility in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
HELLAS is an early-warning laser radar-based device designed for helicopters that reliably detects obstacles in the flight path, such as power lines and poles, which are difficult to detect visually during flight. The system probes its surroundings with an eye-safe laser beam and can recognize even thin wires at significant distances with high precision. HELLAS also is effective in detecting obstacles, such as trees and wind turbines. The HELLAS system provides obstacle warning information optically and acoustically, enabling pilots to make avoidance maneuvers well before reaching the area of risk.
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Austrian takes 777-200ER, sells aircraft
Flottenumbau bei Austrian
In its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of Austrian Airlines AG approved the application to purchase a Boeing B777-200ER long-range jet as the first replacement for the sale of two Airbus A340-200 aircraft. The Supervisory Board meeting also granted an application to sell/market up to three Canadair Regional CRJ 100 short-range jets and market one Boeing 737-600. The motive for selling or marketing these aircraft – particularly against the background of the high kerosene prices – is the company's wish to remove uneconomic aircraft types from operation. Due to its lower capacity compared to twin-engined aircraft, the cost per seat of the A340-200 long-range jet has risen, for example. The Boeing 737-600 is the last aircraft of this version to be used in the fleet and has in this respect become exotic. Because they use different engines to the CRJ 200 the three CRJ 100 will also be released for sale. These aircraft will be replaced on routes with high load factors by yet operating Fokker 100-Jets with increased capacity.
Chief Financial Officer Thomas Kleibl made the following statement on the fast pace of fleet harmonisation: 'In the past four years alone, we have been able to sell five aircraft families (Embraer, MD-80, the 'old generation' Boeing 737, Dash 8-100 and Challenger/Lear Jet 60). This has significantly reduced the complexity of our fleet and the associated maintenance. Now, as a next step in the process, we are beginning to sell or replace individual aircraft that have become less cost-effective than other types. This continuous modernisation will begin to take effect from 2006 onwards, overwhelmingly in the form of lower operating and maintenance costs. This year, three Airbus A319, two Boeing 737-800, three Fokker 100 and two Bombardier Q 400 have already been integrated into our fleet in return for planned or completed sales of other types. With an average age of around seven years, the Austrian aircraft fleet is amongst the youngest in the world.'
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V-22 gets go for full-rate production
Kipprotormuster: Produktion wird hochgefahren
Textron has announced that its Bell Helicopter unit has been granted approval by the United States Defense Department for Full Rate Production (FRP) of the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Current plans include the delivery of 360 aircraft to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), 50 for the U.S. Air Force and 48 for the U.S. Navy. The total program is worth in excess of $19 billion to Bell and Textron through 2018. With FRP, the U.S. Government has authorized Bell and Boeing (NYSE: BA) to increase current low-rate production of 11 aircraft per year up to 48. Today's FRP decision by the Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) follows the successful completion of extensive Operational Evaluation testing, conducted last summer by the USMC.
"The V-22 Osprey is an unprecedented feat in aviation and an excellent example of how our investments in innovation are fueling organic growth for Textron," said Lewis B. Campbell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Textron. "Bell's tiltrotor technology is enabling new capabilities and more operational flexibility for our military customers never before thought possible and will undoubtedly take 21st Century flight to a new dimension. So much so that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is creating an entirely new class of aircraft specifically for the tiltrotor."
The initial Ospreys, called "MV-22s" will be delivered to the USMC for use in combat assault. Each Osprey can carry 24 Marines with full combat gear. The Air Force version of the tiltrotor, called the "CV-22," is a Special Operations aircraft designed for the long range insertion and removal of special teams. Other mission critical capabilities for the V-22 include combat search-and-rescue, aerial refueling and anti-submarine warfare. With potential future foreign and domestic military sales and the possibilities for next generation tiltrotor development – tiltrotor technology continues to be an important growth area for the company. Earlier this month the Bell Boeing team was awarded a research contract by the U.S. Army to perform conceptual design and analysis of its next generation tiltrotor technology called the "Quad Tiltrotor" aircraft for the Army's Joint Heavy Lift program.
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New crew arrives at ISS
Neue Besatzung zur Raumstation gestartet
The Soyuz spacecraft with the 12th international space station crew, Commander William McArthur and Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev, docked with the orbiting laboratory at 1:27 a.m. EDT on 3 October. With them was American Greg Olsen, the third private citizen in space, flying under a contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency. He will spend about eight days on the station. They launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan just before midnight on Friday.
Olsen will conduct scientific experiments on the station, and then return to Earth with Expedition 11. That crew, Commander Sergei Krikalev and NASA Science Officer John Phillips, has been on the orbiting laboratory since April. They will undock Oct. 10 in the Soyuz TMA that brought them to the station April 16. Landing is scheduled for 9:08 p.m. EDT that day in the steppes of Kazakhstan, winding up their 180-day increment. McArthur, 54, a retired Army colonel, is a veteran of three shuttle flights, including one to the station and one to the Russian space station Mir. Tokarev, 52, a colonel in the Russian Air Force, is a veteran of one spaceflight, to the international space station aboard a space shuttle.
Hatches were opened at 4:36 a.m. EDT. After hugs and greetings with the traditional bread and salt, they got a safety briefing from the Expedition 11 crew. In extensive handover briefings during their eight days together, they will get training on systems and experiments on the station and on the Canadarm2 robotic arm. During their six months on the station McArthur and Tokarev will do two or three spacewalks. The first, from the Quest airlock in U.S. spacesuits, is planned for early November. Tasks include installation of a camera group and retrieval of the station's floating potential probe. Their replacements, the 13th crew of the station, are scheduled to arrive in March.
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Permira Funds complete acquisition of Jet Aviation
Jet Aviation mit neuem Eigentümmer
On October 5, the Permira Funds announced the completion of the acquisition of Swiss-based Jet Aviation Group, one of the leading business aviation service companies in the world. The acquisition was announced in mid-August 2005. Both parties have agreed that further details about the transaction, including the transaction size, will not be disclosed. “Jet Aviation is an excellent example of Swiss Entrepreneurship and proves that also family enterprises can succeed in a competitive global market,” says Heinz Köhli, CEO of the Jet Aviation Group. “At the same time, the acquisition by the Permira Funds will put the company on track toward a faster global expansion, which is very important in an industry that is growth driven.” “Private and business aviation is a growing market worldwide,” adds Thomas Krenz, Managing Partner of Permira in Frankfurt. “In this industry, Jet Aviation stands out with a unique and distinctive profile which makes it an attractive investment for the Permira Funds. Together with Jet Aviation's management team and employees, Permira will advance the company's expansion to further strengthen its position in this competitive global market.”
Jet Aviation, with its worldwide headquarters in Zurich, was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is the leading business aviation service company today. More than 3,500 personnel are employed in over 60 facilities and stations around the world. The company provides maintenance, completions and engineering services, fixed base operations, airline handling, along with aircraft sales, charter, and management on a global basis. In addition, Jet Aviation operates an aircraft management and charter fleet of more than 160 aircraft in Europe (Zurich), Asia (Hong Kong), in the Middle East (Dubai) and in the U.S. (Teterboro, New Jersey).
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ATG Javelin makes first flight
Erstflug des Javelin-Jets
On 30 September, Aviation Technology Group announced the Javelin prototype has successfully completed its maiden flight at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado. At 7:50 AM Mountain Standard Time, Vice President of Operations and Chief Test Pilot, Robert Fuschino took-off from runway 17L at Centennial Airport and flew the prototype for 30 minutes. The first flight was preceded by years of intensive design efforts, wind tunnel tests and state-of-art computational fluid dynamic analysis. "ATG has achieved a great milestone today," said George Bye, Chairman of ATG. "The Javelin prototype's first flight marks the beginning of more expansive airborne tests. We will now begin the process of correlating the Javelin prototype's performance against predicted engineering values. We look forward to future flights that are as successful as today's as we present the market with a truly remarkable aircraft." Powered by two Williams International turbofan engines, the prototype took off with an initial climb rate of 3,000 feet per minute. During the flight, the landing gear remained down and the flaps were deployed at ten degrees. In flight, maximum airspeed was 180 knots and the aircraft reached an altitude of 12,000 feet. While at altitude, Fuschino accomplished successful testing of handling qualities, engine stability, along with evaluation of approach and landing flight characteristics. Bank angles were limited to 20 degrees. The final landing at Centennial airport was conducted using normal visual flight rule straight-in type approach.
Avi Maor, International Marketing Manager for IAI's Lahav Division comments, "The 5 th generation Javelin military trainer provides the answer to the modern requirements for fighter pilots - a combination of high performance necessary to train appropriate flying skills, and advanced avionic systems to teach the cognitive skills required for modern fighter systems and information management."
The Javelin prototype will be used to evaluate aircraft performance, handling qualities, and selected system installations. The results of this testing will be assessed and changes made as necessary for incorporation into the FAA-certified production and military trainer versions of the aircraft.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
The Engine Alliance (EA) has reached a major milestone in the development of its GP7200 engine with delivery of the first four compliance/flight test engines for the Airbus A380. Airbus will install nacelle and airplane system components on these engines starting in October to support the upcoming A380/GP7200 flight test program. "Everyone on the Engine Alliance team is very proud today," said Bruce Hughes, EA president. "This is a goal we have been working towards since GE and Pratt & Whitney formed the Engine Alliance in 1996 - to give airlines the best performing, most reliable engine for new, super jumbo aircraft such as the A380. We are particularly pleased because our compliance engines are right on the Airbus fuel burn specification." The GP7200 engine will provide 70,000 pounds of thrust for the A380 with capability to more than 80,000 pounds. It was developed by combining the strong features of the existing PW4090 and GE90 engines. The GP7200's technologies will enable the A380 to meet stringent Stage 4 and QC2 departure noise standards, and the engine will comply with both today's and anticipated future emissions requirements.
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NASA Administrator Mike Griffin had to send out an agencywide e-mail to to difuse controversial comments on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs he had made in a talk with USA Today, where he had in effect said both programs were big mistakes. "As I have often said publicly, the shuttle is the most amazing machine humans have ever built, and it has been the recipient of the most brilliant engineering that America can provide. The station is a more difficult engineering project, by far, than was Apollo," Griffin said in the internal memo. His intention was not "to criticize or diminish the efforts of those who have devoted their lives -- and in some cases given their lives -- to the space program," he said.
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Honeywell announced that it has shipped the initial prototype HTS900 turboshaft engine to Bell Helicopter for design integration into the Model 407X helicopter, meeting their initial delivery commitment. “This new engine includes a newly designed dual-channel full authority digital engine control (FADEC) that reduces pilot workload and simplifies maintenance procedures,” said Nasos Karras, Vice President for Honeywell's Helicopter Business. “Honeywell has completed the first and second engine to test for the HTS900 using a production version FADEC that delivered the performance we expected and is an example of Honeywell's commitment to bring the latest technology and innovation to the helicopter marketplace. The HTS900 was selected by Bell Helicopter last February to power the Model 407X. More recently, the U.S. Army selected Bell's model 407 helicopter offering for its Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) featuring the Honeywell HTS900 engine.
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UAL Corporation, the holding company whose primary subsidiary is United Airlines, today announced that JPMorgan and Citigroup will be joint lead arrangers for a $3 billion all-debt exit financing package with very competitive terms. This marks a significant step forward to United's anticipated exit from bankruptcy in February 2006. "United's restructuring positions the company to compete successfully with the strongest airlines and to confront ongoing industry volatility," said Glenn Tilton, United's chairman, CEO and president. "With the past three years as a proving ground and with these global institutions as our partners, we now look forward to moving beyond our restructuring and focusing all of United's energy and resources on our customers, our investors and our employees." The commitment letter signed by United earlier today is for $3 billion of debt financing with a term of six years. The loan's interest rate is LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) plus 450 basis points and has minimal amortization. JPMorgan and Citigroup will syndicate the loan to a consortium of financial institutions.
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AgustaWestland and L-3 Communications Integrated Systems announced their partnership and product entry in the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) competition at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual meeting in Washington D.C. Prime contractor AWI and principal partner L-3/IS will offer the US139 to the Army for LUH. The US139 is a customized, non-developmental variant of the modern, FAA certified, AB139 twin-engine helicopter now in service worldwide. It has the most spacious, functional and flexible cabin in its class, capable of carrying 15 passengers or 4 stretchers with 6 passengers. The US139 is capable of cruising in excess of 165 knots with a useful load of more than 6,000 lbs -- designed from its inception as the replacement to the UH-1 "Huey." L-3/IS will perform final assembly and customization of Government specific avionics for the US139 helicopter at their Waco, Texas location utilizing Lean Manufacturing/Six Sigma facilities designed and laid out for this effort. In addition, L-3/IS will provide Contractor Logistic Support for the US139 LUH fleet.
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NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston has signed a modification to a contract with Boeing. The modification is valued at more than $94 million. The contract consolidates work done in support of international space station payload integration activities. The modification transfers a portion of work from one contract to another to consolidate activities. Work being transferred includes: payload engineering integration; payload software integration and flight software production; payload facility sustaining engineering; and logistics support. Boeing will continue to manage the overall space station payload integration process. The company will develop and maintain requirements between NASA payloads and the space station. Requirements include: station racks used to house scientific experiments; develop and deliver software payload flight configuration tables and flight displays; design and develop payload support systems; perform analyses to support certification of station facility racks; provide sustaining engineering in support of payload facilities; and provide logistics, repairs and maintenance for flight and ground units.
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The Swiss Air Transport Foundation was established in the Swiss city of Zug. The foundation's mandate is to support the development of air transport and its related infrastructure in Switzerland, as well as the integration of SWISS into the Lufthansa Airline Group. In this role, the foundation will endeavour to ensure that Switzerland's interests are given due consideration. The foundation was established, following the selection of its members in July by the SWISS Board of Directors, in consultation with the key stakeholders involved. The foundation is to exist for ten years. Bruno Gehrig will be the its chairman. The other members are Raymond Cron, Thomas Bieger, Claudio Generali and Conrad Meyer. An observer to be determined by Lufthansa will attend the meetings held by the foundations' trustees. Foundation chairman Bruno Gehrig commented on this new challenge: "Air transport and its infrastructure are of primary importance for Switzerland as a business location and tourist destination. We are pleased that the foundation will be able to contribute to the development of air transport in Switzerland and to support the integration of SWISS into the Lufthansa Group, with due consideration being given to Switzerland's interests. The foundation will meet several times each year with the Board of Directors and Management of SWISS in order to keep abreast of all the topics relevant to SWISS. The foundation is entitled to comment publicly on issues relating to air transport in Switzerland. The Swiss Air Transport Foundation is also entitled to make non-binding, confidential recommendations to executive management of SWISS and Lufthansa.
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N3 Engine Overhaul Services in Arnstadt near Erfurt, the company jointly-owned by Lufthansa Technik and Rolls-Royce, has appointed its first group of new employees to commence trade training towards the acquisition of high-level technical maintenance skills and qualifications required to work on Rolls-Royce engines. The appointments were effective 4 October. A series of trade training courses will be run in conjunction with the Erfurt Bildungszentrum GmbH. Trainees will complete their courses in groups. By the time N3 Engine Overhaul Services starts regular operation in the spring of 2007, a total of 200 persons will have completed specialist training and be qualified to work on large Rolls-Royce engines. The company has so far received 5,000 applications and will employ some 500 technicians and mechanics by 2010.
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Boeing and Lockheed Martin have signed an exclusive teaming agreement to compete for the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) Increment II program. Under the agreement, Boeing is the prime contractor, supplying the air vehicle and data link, and Lockheed Martin is the principal supplier, providing the multi-mode seeker that's needed to meet the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy requirement of hitting moving targets. "This agreement forms the best team possible to provide the SDB Increment II capability," says Mark McGraw, Boeing Weapons Enterprise Capability Center vice president. "It combines Lockheed Martin's multi-mode seeker technology with Boeing's extremely successful and capable SDB system to provide a best-value, all-weather moving target solution and a formidable weapon for the U.S. military." As the prime contractor, Boeing will have responsibility for the overall weapon system. Lockheed Martin has total sub-system responsibility for the seeker system.
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On 6 October, Lufthansa and the ver.di public service workers union have reached an agreement that will secure the jobs of 12,000 ground staff employed by Deutsche Lufthansa AG and seven further Group companies. The new pay structure will thus go into effect on 1 December 2005. “After long and intensive negotiations with ver.di, we have agreed on a simplified system that will safeguard jobs. It is considerably more competitive, particularly with regard to starting and final salaries,” said Executive Board member Stefan Lauer. The previous system, which is more than 30 years old, was based on the public services sector and is no longer in tune with the changed demands of the industry. In future there will only be ten pay groups instead of the former 17. The final salary in the individual groups will be lowered and salary progression will be geared more to the qualifications and professional development of the individual employee. The important factor is that no member of staff will have to accept a cut in pay, Lauer said. However, the future salary progression may change in some cases. In addition, Lufthansa will hold talks with ver.di on the content of a performance-related contract, which will specify bonus payments for employees who attain above-average performance. Lufthansa has pledged to prolong protection against compulsory redundancy until 31 March 2009. Furthermore, no regional Lufthansa stations will be shut down before 31 December 2006. A clause permitting flexible responses, such as a reduction in weekly working hours in the event of an economic crisis, has also been extended.
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Boeing and Ryanair announced that the airline has ordered an additional nine new Next-Generation 737-800s, exercising options from a previous agreement. The deal is valued at upwards of $500 million at list prices. Five airplanes will be for the replacement of 737-800s in Ryanair's current fleet delivered in 1999 and four will be used to accommodate the airline's continued growth into new markets. Deliveries will begin in September 2007. Ryanair operates 92 Boeing Next-Generation and Classic 737s. With today's announcement, it now has 239 737s on firm order with an additional 179 options.
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Manufacturing of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) progressed further with the delivery of the telescope's first mirror segment for grinding and polishing in late September. Northrop Grumman is NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's prime contractor for the space observatory, leading the design and development effort. Tinsley Laboratories in Richmond, Calif., will perform high-precision grinding, aspheric polishing and testing at ambient temperatures on the mirror segment, which is an engineering development unit. The mirrors will be polished to tolerances as tight as 20 nanometers, or less than one millionth of an inch. After initial polishing, the segments will be tested at roughly minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit (near absolute zero) in a cryogenic test chamber at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and returned to Tinsley for further refinement and polishing. The entire polishing process takes about two-and-a-half years.
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Northrop Grumman has been selected by two commercial airlines to provide air-data inertial reference units for a combined fleet of up to 110 Airbus A320 aircraft. Air Berlin and Niki have placed combined orders for triple systems (three inertial reference units per aircraft) on 70 aircraft
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Lockheed Martin and SELEX Communications, a Finmeccanica company, are collaborating on opportunities to offer a new obstacle detection and avoidance technology for U.S. civilian and military requirements, including the U.S. Army's UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. In response to a recent U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command "sources sought" notice for information about Cable Warning and Obstacle Avoidance (CW/OA) systems for the UH-60, Lockheed Martin and SELEX Communications submitted a response describing the Laser Obstacle and Avoidance Monitoring (LOAM(R)) system. "SELEX Communications' new obstacle detection and avoidance system offers tremendous potential to improve helicopter safety for our men and women in uniform," said Stephen D. Ramsey, vice president, Helicopter Systems at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration -- Owego. "We're pleased to be able to bring this technology to helicopter operators in the United States." Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Lockheed Martin and SELEX will share marketing information and jointly evaluate potential U.S. military and civilian markets for the technology. Lockheed Martin will act as prime contractor in the U.S. market.
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Boeing confirmed the completion of an order agreement with Mumbai-based Jet Airways for 10 777-300ERs. Jet Airways announced its intention to order the commercial airplanes, valued at $2.53 billion at list prices, at the Paris Air Show in June. Deliveries will begin in early 2007. The 777-300ERs will be used to expand Jet Airways' international operations in Europe, Asia and U.S. markets.
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Northrop Grumman has completed acceptance testing of the first production version of a new integrated sensor suite that will enhance imaging capability for the U.S. Air Force. The milestone clears the way for the company to begin installing the improved sensor package, which includes electro-optical and infrared cameras and synthetic aperture radar, on its RQ-4A Global Hawk air vehicles. Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems produces the sensor package for Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk program. "The installation of this new sensor package on Global Hawk is a significant milestone for the program," said George Guerra, Northrop Grumman's Air Force Global Hawk program manager. "The imagery provided by this sensor, even under the worst imaginable environmental conditions on the ground, will go a long way in meeting the needs of the warfighter."
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Bombardier Aerospace announced that Styrian Sprit of Graz, Austria has signed a contract to acquire one Bombardier CRJ900 jetliner. "The commonality between the CRJ700 and CRJ900 aircraft was very important to us in our decision to order a CRJ900 rather than another CRJ700," said Otmar Lenz, Chief Executive Officer, Styrian Spirit. "We get a larger aircraft, which we need on some of our routes, yet because of the commonality we will save a substantial amount of money on crewing, maintenance and spare parts." "With fuel costs the way they are, airlines are requiring larger aircraft with better operating economics," said Steven Ridolfi, President, Bombardier Regional Aircraft. "The Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft has the lowest operating costs in its class. We are confident that the CRJ900 will serve Styrian Spirit and its passengers very well." The Styrian Spirit CRJ900 jetliner will be outfitted with 88 seats and equipped with the Enhanced Performance Package (EPP) certificated in May, 2005. The EPP provides improved take-off and landing distances by combining the optimization of wing leading-edge devices and a redesigned winglet that results in an improved lift/drag ratio. The improved airfield performance pays special dividends at airports that are constrained by field length, surrounding obstructions or hot weather/high altitude conditions. The winglet contributes to even lower fuel consumption than the previous configuration offered.
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The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a $153 million Mission Planning Enterprise Contract (MPEC) delivery order for a common bomber joint mission planning system for B-1, B-2 and B-52 bomber aircraft. This delivery order provides for the development of joint mission planning support for the U.S. Air Force's bomber fleet. Boeing will be the lead systems integrator, teaming with BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, and the U.S. Air Force's Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. Boeing is one of five contractors selected in November 2004 by the U.S. Air Force for MPEC, an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity program with a $2 billion total value over five years. MPEC is the prime contract vehicle for Air Force commissioned mission planning software development and support work. A mission planning system provides the best plan for an aircraft or weapon to achieve its mission generated by a combination of software, hardware, and trained mission planners.
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Delta Air Lines announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York has granted final approval for the $2.2 billion in post-petition financing the company has arranged to help support its business during its Chapter 11 reorganization. Judge Prudence C. Beatty granted final authority for Delta to utilize $1.9 billion in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing provided to Delta by GE Commercial Finance and Morgan Stanley as co-lead arrangers. Pursuant to the court's interim approval in the first day orders on Sept. 16, 2005, Delta had already borrowed $1.4 billion under this facility. The total size of this credit facility was increased to $1.9 billion from $1.7 billion, and the interest rate on two of the term loans under this facility was reduced due to strong demand from participants in the loan syndicate. The Court has also given final approval for Delta's secured post-petition financing provided by American Express. Delta borrowed the full $350 million of this facility pursuant to the Court's interim approval on Sept. 16, 2005. In connection with the borrowing of the balance of the $1.9 billion DIP facility, Delta will apply $50 million of the proceeds to pay down an equal amount of the American Express facility. As a result, Delta will have $2.2 billion of post-petition financing, an increase of approximately $1.22 billion from the pre-petition secured credit facilities.
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As part of the European Technology Acquisition Program ETAP, Bremen-based space and high technology company OHB-System AG has developed for EADS Military Aircraft a data transmission system allowing complex datastreams such as reconnaissance images and videos to be sent from manned and unmanned airborne vehicles to ground stations free of any errors. Last week, a test flight involving a Tornado very successfully demonstrated just how superbly this system works. During the flight lasting around 1.5 hours from Manching to Lake Constance, it was shown for the first time how various data links can be deployed on a networked basis. The performance to be supplied by OHB of 250 Mbps (million bits per second, high-speed DSL achieves figures of 4 Mbps) over a range of 150 km was in fact exceeded by over 30 km. "We have not only supplied a system which works perfectly," says OHB project manager Wilfried Wetjen, "but completed the project six months ahead of schedule." This excellent performance was praised by the program partners as well as the public-sector customer, the German Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB). The work is based on the successful ARDS (Aerial Reconnaissance Data System), with which OHB-System has developed a revolutionary system for the radio transmission of high-resolution aerial reconnaissance data between aircraft and ground stations over the past few years.
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On 6 October, engineers cheered as electricity coursed through Space Shuttle Endeavour for the first time in two years. The powering of Endeavour signaled the end of the orbiter's major modification period at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. "Having three operational vehicles in the fleet affords the shuttle program great schedule flexibility, as we move toward flying safely and completing the international space station," said Space Shuttle Program Manager Wayne Hale. Engineers and technicians spent 900,000 hours performing 124 modifications to the vehicle. These included recommended return to flight safety modifications, bonding more than 1,000 thermal protection system tiles and inspecting more than 150 miles of wiring. Eighty five of the modifications are complete and 39 are still underway.
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Mesa, Ariz., Oct. 6, 2005 – MD Helicopters (MDHI) is bidding its MD Explorer for the U.S. Army's $1.3-billion Light Utility Helicopter Program. “From the beginning, it has been clear that the MD Explorer is the single helicopter that meets the specifications of the LUH program on both variables of performance and price,” said Lynn Tilton, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Patriarch Partners, LLC, an investment advisor who manages the funds that own a controlling interest in MDHI. “And, there has never been any doubt that we were going to go all-out to win this program in order to deliver to the US Army a helicopter widely known for its safety features and price/performance benefit,” Tilton confirmed. MDHI had been paired with Lockheed Martin, but since parting ways has made the commitment to move forward. “This is all about finding a way to deliver the Army the aircraft for which they specifically asked, and to do it at the stated price and operating cost,” said Robert René, MDHI's CEO. “For that reason, experts from all corners of the military and rotorcraft industry urged us to go forward and we think they're right,” added René. “Whether we continue alone, or in later rounds complete the effort with another CLS partner, the key is to make sure the Army gets the helicopter they are asking for. In making this commitment, we're fulfilling that promise.”
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SpaceShipOne, the first privately built and piloted vehicle to reach space, will join the national collection of flight icons on Wednesday, Oct. 5, in a noon donation ceremony at the National Air and Space Museum's flagship building on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.The spacecraft, 28 feet in length with a 27-foot wingspan, will be prominently displayed in the central Milestones of Flight gallery, home to many of the "firsts" of flight. It will hang between Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis and Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1. Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, the sole funder of SpaceShipOne, will make the donation. Burt Rutan, the spacecraft's designer, also will take part. On June 21, 2004, SpaceShipOne left Earth's atmosphere and entered the weightlessness of space by traveling just above the 62-mile boundary mark (100 km) on an arced, suborbital flight that began with launch from its airplane mothership. It was the first time that private enterprise, and not government, crossed the threshold into human spaceflight.
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The Mercure Project's new Overhaul & Repair Workshop for dynamic components was inaugurated at Marignane on Wednesday 5 October 2005 in a ceremony attended by Fabrice Brégier, President of the Eurocopter Group, and numerous customers. The inauguration marked a decisive step in the new strategic "customer satisfaction" focus that Eurocopter has been implementing for the last two years. More than 7000 square meters of workshop area have been refitted, and the processes have also undergone an overall re-engineering. For customers, the benefits will not only be greater transparency in terms of knowing what is happening to their components (e.g. a main gearbox), but also 30% shorter overhaul-repair cycles.
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As planned, the first run of the latest engine developed by Turbomeca was successfully achieved. This significant milestone opens the development and test phases, allowing the validation of the good aeromechanical behavior and performance of this new generation engine. Some testing of its components, carried out on a test rig before this first run, has demonstrated the appropriateness of the technological choices. This stage will be followed by the first flight planned for July 2006 and completed by CASA certification in December 2006. Ardiden has been designed in response to the most demanding missions at higher altitudes and in hot weather. Developed in cooperation with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) under an industrial partnership contract signed in February 2003, this engine combines simplicity, a high level of technology, robustness and modernity for a cost of ownership much lower than that proposed by competitors.
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Robinson Helicopter now offers air conditioning in the R44 Raven II. It is a simple, lightweight system designed to reduce humidity and provide air-conditioned comfort throughout the cabin.
Each seat is equipped with individual overhead vents providing 250 CFM total airflow. The 33 lb system uses the latest automotive refrigerant and has 12,000 BTU/hr cooling capacity. The evaporator and fan are mounted to the aft cabin bulkhead, preserving all four baggage compartments. During operation the system uses approximately three horsepower and is controlled by a toggle switch with off, low, and high fan settings. The compressor is engaged when the fan is switched on and automatically disengages when the engine is near full throttle to ensure maximum aircraft performance.
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AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the Norwegian helicopter and fixed wing operator Lufttransport accepted delivery of a Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company AB139 helicopter. Configured in a twelve passenger offshore aircraft it will be used for passenger transport operations in Northern Norway.
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Working to make flying safer, more than a dozen NASA, airline, industry and government pilots are testing technology to "synthetically" give pilots a clear view of their surroundings. Technicians equipped a Boeing 757 jet with sophisticated cockpit displays and radar equipment that give pilots clear electronic pictures of what's outside, regardless of weather or time of day. The jet is based at NASA's Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. The Airborne Research Integrated Experiments System is flying over NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va., to test the Synthetic Vision and Enhanced Vision Systems. Synthetic Vision combines Global Positioning System satellite signals with an on board photo-realistic database to paint a picture of terrain for the crew. Also on board the jet is an enhanced weather radar capability that can help pilots spot traffic and obstacles that aren't part of the Synthetic Vision terrain computerized atlas. NASA researchers developed the system. NASA is testing this version of "enhanced vision" to determine if it can effectively fill in the gaps and help pilots see hazards, such as traffic on the runway or even a cellular tower recently added to the landscape. "We've added new software to the X-band weather radar that's already on many airliners to produce a more detailed picture of what the radar would normally see," said Steve Harrah, Synthetic Vision sensors lead. "This helps verify the accuracy of the Synthetic Vision terrain display and gives the pilot a more complete picture of what's on the ground."
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Boeing has started production for the new CH-47F Chinook heavy-transport helicopter as part of the U.S. Army Cargo Helicopter modernization program. "The inclusion of the new airframe in the remanufacture program will greatly reduce required maintenance on the existing Chinook airframes, which in some cases are almost 40 years old," said Col. Tim Crosby, U.S. Army Product manager for the Chinook. The new airframe is constructed utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques where large single piece components replace built-up sheet metal structures and aluminum honeycomb formers. These components reduce operating and support costs while improving the structural integrity of the aircraft, extending the overall useful life of each Chinook. Structural improvements include air transportability modifications, which reduce time necessary to prepare the aircraft for cargo transport and advanced corrosion protection. In addition, the implementation of lean manufacturing processes on the factory floor and use of employee involvement teams have reduced manufacturing costs and improved production efficiency.
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Ballistic Recovery Systems, a manufacturer of whole-airplane parachute recovery systems for general aviation and recreational aircraft, announced today its 1350 Light Sport Aircraft system will be standard on all Flight Design CT Light Sport Aircraft delivered in the USA. "Cirrus took a revolutionary step in general aviation when they made the BRS parachute system (CAPS) standard equipment on the SR20 and SR22 aircraft. This same visionary step has been taken by Flight Design by including the BRS as standard equipment on all CT airplanes in the new Special Light Sport Aircraft category," said Gregg Ellsworth, Director of Air Safety for BRS. The Flight Design CT is a performance leader in Light Sport Aircraft. CT stands for composite-technology and the carbon fiber and Kevlar composite airframe allows for a very strong, light and aerodynamically clean design. Flight Design GmbH is headquartered in Stuttgart Germany, and is sold and distributed in North America through Flight Design USA.
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Northrop Grumman signed a long-term agreement today with Kalekalip Defense and Aerospace, under which the Turkish firm will provide support equipment associated with the Turkish Air Force Peace Eagle Airborne Surveillance Program. Kalekalip's subcontract, valued at US$820,000 (1,115,000 TRL), calls for production of eight types of support equipment for the Multi-role Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar and integral identification, friend or foe system. The MESA radar, designed and built by Northrop Grumman under contract to The Boeing Company, is the primary sensor on the Peace Eagle 737 Airborne Early Warning & Control platform. Boeing is the prime contractor and integrator for the program. Kalekalip will build the antenna lift and transport fixture; the installation-support equipment for the radar power supply and transmit/receive module bins; and the radar power-supply test set.
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EADS North America has expanded the industrial team for its UH-145 advanced helicopter with the addition of Sikorsky Aircraft, which will provide its expertise in contractor logistics support (CLS) for the U.S. Army's Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) mission. Also joining the UH-145 team are WestWind Technologies, specializing in fast-reaction helicopter systems integration, engineering support, and program management support, and CAE, specializing in simulation and training. Together, the new team members augment the proven capabilities of EADS North America and its American Eurocopter business unit. Overall program management for the UH-145 system will be directed by EADS North America Defense, a business unit of Arlington, Virginia-based EADS North America. The new team members were announced during a press conference held at the annual meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) in Washington, D.C.
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The Helicopter Association International announced that Mr. Matthew Zuccaro will begin serving as the new HAI president on November 1, 2005. Mr. Zuccaro will replace President Roy Resavage. Currently, Mr. Zuccaro is the president of Zuccaro Industries, LLC, which provides domestic and international aviation consultation services, specializing in helicopter related issues. During his 35-year career, Mr. Zuccaro has held several executive level and operations management positions, with commercial, corporate, scheduled airline, and public service helicopter operations in the northeastern United States. During his tenure with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, he served in operations management positions at Kennedy International Airport and the Port Authority's public and private heliports.
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Cessna Aircraft Company reports the Federal Aviation Administration has granted type certification to Cessna's Model 525A Citation CJ2+, bringing the aircraft one step closer to customer delivery. This latest addition to the award-winning Citation family of Cessna business jets, announced in November 2004 at the National Business Aviation Association's annual convention, was certified in just over 80 flights and 190 flight hours. The Citation CJ2+ will serve single-pilot operators and offers significant enhancements in both performance and specifications. For example, maximum payload for the CJ2+ has been increased by 300 pounds over the CJ2, enabling operation in a weight environment of 'single pilot plus 1,800 pounds. Improved payloads, however, are only part of the story. The CJ2+ is made even more attractive by operational enhancements, such as the ability to direct climb to 45,000 feet in 34 minutes at maximum takeoff weight; a maximum cruise speed of 413 knots at 31,000 feet; and a four-passenger, 1,550-nautical-mile NBAA IFR range. Using less runway at maximum weight limits, the CJ2+ can take off in 3,360 feet and land in less than 3,000 feet.
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On September 29, AERO Vodochody delivered the last of 25 L-39ZA aircraft after general overhauls to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). The contract on complete general overhauls of L-39ZA/ART aircraft, delivered to the territory between 1994 and 1996, signed between AV and RTAF in September 2002, was completed in contractual time and quality. “Around one hundred AV employees participated on the overhauls project in Thailand. We overhauled 12 L-39 units at the same time on the Thai production line. Complaints have not exceeded a single-digit number, “ said Jan Novotny, manager of RTAF overhauls project. “The RTAF L-39 fleet is regularly operated in temperatures around 40°C and humidity around 95%. Our aircraft show extraordinary operational reliability, having flown over 60 000 flight hours in this territory,” Jan Novotny added.
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NASA Administrator Michael Griffin today named Christopher Scolese as the agency's chief engineer, replacing Rex Geveden who recently was named associate administrator. As chief engineer Scolese is responsible directly to the administrator for the overall review and technical readiness of all NASA programs. The Office of the Chief Engineer assures that the development efforts and missions operations are being planned and conducted on a sound engineering basis with proper controls and management of technical risks.
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On September 23, members of the 787 Dreamliner team gathered to celebrate the achievement of firm configuration for the all-new Boeing airplane. This milestone marks the close of the joint development phase of the program and the full-scale start of detailed design. "Firm configuration means the airplane's structural, propulsion and systems architectures are firm. They are not changing," said Mike Bair, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "This allows us and our partners to proceed with detailed design -- down to the smallest parts and final composite ply layouts -- with great confidence. "At the end of detailed design, we will know what each inch of the airplane looks like and how it interacts with every other inch of the airplane."
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On September 25, Boeing confirmed today that it has reached a tentative agreement for a new three-year contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents approximately 19,000 Boeing employees in the Seattle area, Wichita, Kan., and Portland, Ore. Union leadership is recommending that its members vote to approve the contract on Thursday. If employees vote to ratify, it will immediately end a strike that began on Sept. 2. "The new agreement supports our business plan and addresses the key issues raised by IAM-represented employees and the union," said Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
Terms of the contract offer include: A pension multiplier of $70 per month for each year of service; maintaining existing health care plans under the same cost provisions of the IAM's previous contract with Boeing; a ratification bonus equaling 8 percent of each employee's total pay during the past 12 months, which will average about $5,200 per individual, and two lump sum bonuses, of $3,000 each, which will be paid at the end of 2006 and 2007. "The total cost to Boeing is similar to the previous contract offer and meets our definition of a reasonable settlement," Mulally added. "It also supports our plan for making continued quality and productivity improvements, which is the key to being competitive and winning new business." The tentative agreement was reached late Friday. Mulally and Jerry Calhoun, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' lead negotiator and vice president of human resources, represented the company in the settlement negotiations.
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Following its longterm partnership strategy, EADS is joining forces with Turkish industries aiming at close cooperation in the field of defence technology. As announced by EADS during the International Defence Exhibition IDEF at Ankara, EADS Defence Electronics has signed a cooperation agreement with the leading Turkish company Aselsan. Aselsan will deliver core components of the most modern infrared missile warning system MIRAS of the A400M transport aircraft which will be integrated by EADS Defence Eelctronics. Beginning of September EADS Defence Electronics has been awarded a contract to deliver its newly developed multicolour infrared missile warner MIRAS (Multi-colour InfraRed Alerting Sensor). This is the first missile warning system worldwide applying simultaneous, single-chip multi-color infrared detection technology which offers an unprecedented combination of detection probability, detection range and low false alarm rates. In this technology, EADS Defence Electronics has a worldwide leading role. Turkey is a major partner in the A400M programme with 10 aircraft on order. "The co-operation with Aselsan on MIRAS enhances our already existing close relations", explained Bernhard Gerwert, CEO and President of EADS Defence Electronics. "It clearly shows that we are really interested in a longterm partnership which includes unrestricted technology exchange to create a maximum of advantages for both sides".
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Lufthansa Commercial Holding GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, is selling its 52.6 per cent stake in Loyalty Partner GmbH to the British private equity company Palamon Capital Partners. Lufthansa will realise a book profit from the sale of around 100 million euros in the third quarter 2005. “Our stake in Loyalty Partner was a first-class investment. Over a period of several years, we have helped fuel the growth of the company. By selling our shareholding, we are profiting from the increased value of our investment and taking further step in adapting our portfolio to our strategic aims“, observed Lufthansa Chief Financial Officer Dr. Karl-Ludwig Kley.
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The Irish Air Corps, the air element of the Irish Defence Forces, has taken delivery of the first of two EC 135 P2 helicopters in late September. The second aircraft is due in October. As part of the Air Corps' fleet upgrade programme, the EC 135s will be used primarily for pilot training, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Army support. The Irish Air Corps is a long-standing Eurocopter customer with Alouette III, AS 355 and AS 365 helicopters in its services. The EC 135 has been selected for its proven reliability, safety, multi-role capability, advanced design and excellent maintenance support. The Air Corps' task is to contribute to the security of the State and to fulfill all roles assigned by the Government.
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NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Doug Cooke announced the selection of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., and Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., to lead a team in the development of a lunar lander spacecraft. The lander is tentatively planned for launch as early as 2010. It will demonstrate the ability for precision landings at targeted locations on the moon; evaluate landing zone environment; and determine if lunar resources can support a sustained human presence. "This mission will have as a primary objective to determine whether there is water-ice in the permanently dark areas within craters in the moon's polar regions. The existence of water-ice has important implications in living off the land when we return with human explorers," Cooke said. "The lunar lander will test critical automated descent and precision landing capabilities needed for human landings, including surface hazard avoidance during landing. The discoveries from this mission and the data it collects will play a vital role in humans returning to the moon and living there for extended periods," he added. The Robotic Lunar Exploration Program (RLEP) program is intended to provide a series of robotic missions to support human exploration. The lunar lander spacecraft is the second RLEP mission. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is the first mission developed under the RLEP. The LRO is being built at Goddard and is scheduled for launch in 2008. The orbiter will carry six instruments that will map and photograph the lunar surface, search for surface ice deposits, and investigate space radiation.
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Munich Airport was once again selected as this year's winner of the "Airport Marketing Award 2005" at “Routes 2005” in Copenhagen. The more than 1,600 participants – including 280 airlines and 600 airports from five continents – set a new attendance record at the eleventh edition of “Routes.” Munich Airport, which was competing for the first time in the category for airports handling 25 million or passengers a year, again prevailed against tough competition to take first prize for its marketing activities, leaving behind such renowned airports as London-Heathrow and Singapore. This marks the seventh time in eight years that Munich has captured this covered award. The “Routes” awards are decided by airlines based on their estimation of how effective airport marketing (including support of new routes, for example) is conducted.
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Lockheed Martin delivered the 50th F/A-22 Raptor air dominance fighter to the U.S. Air Force today, marking another milestone in this revolutionary stealth aircraft program. The Raptor can dominate airspace anywhere around the globe, around the clock, and survive in contested airspace better than any other aircraft in the world. Capt. Geoff Lohmiller, 27th Fighter Squadron, takes off from Dobbins ARB in Marietta, Ga. Sept. 28 flying the U.S. Air Force's 50th F/A-22 Raptor to Langley AFB, Va. Raptors are currently flying at three other bases; Edwards AFB, Calif., Nellis AFB, Nev., and Tyndall AFB, Fla. The F/A-22 is the World's only 5th Generation Stealth Fighter flying today, assuring air dominance for the next four decades.
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MTU Aero Engines will be retrofitting 40 T64 engines powering the German armed forces' CH-53 helicopters. Worth some 20 million euros, the recently concluded deal follows up on a 2003 agreement MTU has with the services to retrofit 46 T64-7 engines to the -100 standard. The first tranche is nearing completion. A third one is scheduled: The follow-up order for the optimization of another 40 engines is slated in 2007 or 2008. Dr. Stefan Weingartner, who heads defence programmes at MTU Aero Engines, explained: “The considerably uprated version of the old trusted T64 enables the German armed forces to deploy their helicopters also in difficult climates and geographic regions without performance penalties.”
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Fraport AG and Deutsche Lufthansa signed a new five-year service contract at Frankfurt Airport (FRA). This will ensure continuation of the longstanding cooperation between the two companies, when the existing 10-year handling contract at the airline's FRA home base expires at the end of December. In long and tough negotiations, Fraport and Lufthansa reached an agreement of improved processing and modified service-packages that leads to reductions of double-digit millions of Euro per year for Lufthansa. This is possible due to the close cooperation of both companies and the unique hub-system at Frankfurt. Fraport AG handles more than 350 Lufthansa flights daily at FRA -- thus carrying a considerable responsibility for the reliability and punctuality of Lufthansa's flight operations at its Frankfurt hub. About 3,000 specialists of Fraport's 5,500 strong ground services team handle Lufthansa flight operations on the ground. Planning reliability for another five years is particularly important for Lufthansa as well as Fraport. "We consider this agreement, which has just been inked with our main customer, to be a challenge for continuously optimizing the handling services that we perform daily for aircraft on the ramp," explained Fraport's executive board chairman Dr. Wilhelm Bender. This service agreement covers aircraft of Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo, and Lufthansa's regional partner airlines as well as Condor.
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Runway South of Frankfurt Airport's (FRA) parallel runways will be completely reconstructed from the ground up. Technical surveys of the runway surface have indicated that regular maintenance and repairs are no longer sufficient. Thus, complete reconstruction of Runway South is scheduled to begin on October 4 of this year and to be completed by November 2007. Fraport's total investment for the planned rebuilding of Runway South is approximately €42 million. Frankfurt Airport has three runways, all 4,000 meters long. The same nighttime construction concept successfully used for the recently completed Runway North renovation (2003/2005) will also be used for Runway South. This unique concept has already generated strong interest from the airport industry worldwide. At night, reconstruction takes place in numerous incremental steps. A small section of the runway is broken up, completely removed, then rebuilt by the early morning – just in time for reactivating the entire runway for flight operations. The southern runway of FRA's parallel system is about 35 years old and handles approximately 150,000 takeoffs and landings per year. However, the necessary runway renovation must not affect capacity at Germany's largest airport. Therefore, the new 80-centimeter-thick asphalt layer will be built during a total of about 350 nights, grouped in five different construction phases. Work will take place from Monday/Tuesday to Friday/Saturday night. On these construction nights, the South Runway will be closed at 22:00 hours and reopened the next morning at 06:00 hours for regular operations. Construction breaks are planned during the peak summer and winter seasons.
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N*ICE Aircraft Services & Support GmbH (N*ICE) of Frankfurt – a joint subsidiary of Fraport AG (52 percent) and GlobeGround GmbH (48 percent) – will be testing a new in-house developed aircraft deicing technology at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) this winter. Danish airport-equipment manufacturer Vestergaard A/S has already modified 4 of N*ICE's 36 specialized deicing vehicles with a new second proportional mixing system, which will significantly reduce the use of the glycol deicing agent. Thus, according to actual weather conditions, N*ICE will be able to apply the absolute minimum of the increasingly expensive glycol during deicing/anti-icing operations. Along with cost savings, this "Made in FRA" technology also provides important environmental benefits – even though the glycol is bio-degradable. N*ICE has already received strong interest in its process from international industry organizations, airlines, and ground-handling companies.
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Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Ft. Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $6,528,956,871 modification to re-baseline the previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee F-35 Joint Strike Fighter System Development and Demonstration contract. The modification establishes the funding, technical requirements and schedule required to complete the re-baseline program and perform additional work associated with the integration of a P5 Combat Training System, Alternate Mission Equipment (AME) Survivability improvements, Shared Courseware Object Reference Model (SCORM) requirements, certification of the Precision Guided Bomb, and radar modifications.
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On 25 September, a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle successfully delivered the first of the modernized Block IIR Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites to space for the U.S. Air Force. The Delta II rocket carrying the GPS IIR-14 (M) spacecraft lifted off from Space Launch Complex 17A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. at 11:37 p.m. EDT. Following a nominal 24-minute flight, the rocket deployed the satellite to a transfer orbit. The Boeing Delta II 7925-9.5 configuration vehicle used for this mission featured a Boeing first stage booster powered by a Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-27A main engine and nine Alliant Techsystems (ATK) solid rocket boosters. An Aerojet AJ10-118K engine powered the storable propellant restartable second stage. A Thiokol Star-48B solid rocket motor propelled the third stage prior to spacecraft deployment. The rocket also flew with a nine-and-a-half-foot diameter Boeing payload fairing. A redundant inertial flight control assembly built by L3 Communications Space & Navigation provided guidance and control for the rocket that enabled a precise deployment of the satellite. The GPS IIR-14 (M) mission also marked the 100th flight of the Delta II using the ATK 40-inch diameter version solid rocket motors. Boeing provides launches for the GPS program aboard Delta II vehicles and has a planned GPS manifest through at least 2007.
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In Italy the next stage of experimental operation of the Bå-200 multipurpose amphibian is successfully completed. From July, 6 till September, 17 this year Be-200 fighted forest fires within the framework of the leasing agreement between Beriev Design Bureau, the designer of the aircraft, and SOREM company, an official fire fighting applications operator of the Italian Civil Protection Department. In the first half of July the joint Russian - Italian crew of the aircraft executed the program of familiarization flights over the whole territory of Italy with landings, take-off and scooping water both from the 34 lakes, and from the open sea. On July 17, the crew of Be-200 aircraft started its first fire duty and that day it took an active part in forest fire fighting in remote mountain area on Sardinia island.
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The Deputy Ministers of Defence of Germany, Italy, Spain and United Kingdom met the Minister of Defence of Turkey in Ankara today to discuss the Eurofighter programme and made the following statement: “We come as part of a large delegation of industrial and government partners who are here to demonstrate our commitment to our products and programmes. Clearly both European Industry and Governments see Turkey and its Industry as part of the family and we look forward to the further integration of Turkey in current and future defence programmes. Our presence here is a firm demonstration of our commitment to the participation of Turkey within the Eurofighter programme. This is an important period for us as the aircraft successfully enters operational service with four major NATO air forces, and we look forward to formulating the future capabilities that will be required to maintain its operational superiority against an ever changing threat. We strongly believe that both the Turkish military and industry would have a great deal to contribute in this new phase. Their participation would be of long term benefit to the programme, and would be a major step towards strengthening interoperability among major European Air Forces.
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Two F-15K Strike Fighters made an appearance at Seongnam Air Force Base south of Seoul on Friday (Oct. 7) after a flight time of 20 hours covering 15,962 kilometers from Boeing's St. Louis plant in Missouri, the United States. The two planes are the first shipment of the 40 aircrafts, worth $5.5 billion, that the Korean Air Force will receive from the American manufacturer by 2008. The F-15Ks will replace the obsolete F-4 Phantoms as the Air Force's next-generation staple fighters by 2011.
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The acquisition of this small satellite and the subsequent application of world class space assets are capable of sustaining South Africa's leadership in space technology in the world. It also assists Africa in its quest for independent space technology, which can be used for peaceful purposes in the interest of the entire African population. Under the expert direction of the yet to be established South African Space Agency, the envisaged space programme is anticipated to put South Africa's space research, in the African context, on track for the foreseeable future. Space based systems are routinely used for telecommunications, broadcasting and weather forecasts, some of which have become commercially viable businesses, while others, like the weather forecast, are essential public services.
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A US Defense Dept. program to create a breakthrough low-cost small satellite launcher has demonstrated the safe release of a dummy booster from an Air Force C-17A cargo plane. AirLaunch LLC built a mock QuickReach booster for this drop as part of the Falcon program created by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the USAF. The Falcon goal is to develop a booster that can launch a small satellite for less than $5 million with only 24 hours notice. The AirLaunch LLC design achieves responsiveness by carrying the booster to altitude inside the cargo bay of an unmodified C-17A or other large cargo aircraft. This avoids delays due to local weather - the carrier aircraft can fly to clear skies for the release - and it eliminates the need to coordinate with the schedules of the other users of the Nation's Western and Eastern launch ranges. On Sept. 29, the C-17A flew to an altitude of 6,000 feet with the QuickReach booster inside the cargo bay resting on a pallet of upturned rubber wheels. As the aircraft turned nose up by six degrees, gravity pulled the test article across the upturned tires and out the aft cargo door. The test demonstrated the QuickReach release technology, including proof that the booster's nose does not hit the C-17A roof as it leaves the aircraft. (Because the main body of the booster tilts down as it exits, this causes the portion of the booster still inside the C-17A to tilt up, but the flight test showed the nose does not tip up far enough to hit the cargo bay ceiling.)
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Continental Airlines has selected General Electric Company's GEnx jet engine to power its fleet of 10 new Boeing 787 aircraft. The engine order is valued at more than $250 million and represents General Electric Company's first GEnx order with a U.S.-based airline. Aircraft deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2009.
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The latest upgrade to the MQ-1 Predator, known as the Multi-Aircraft Control, or MAC system, entered operational testing with the first two-ship and four-ship Predator sorties being flown over a four-day period. Testers performed two-ship sorties Sept. 12 and 13 and progressed to four-ship sorties Sept. 14 and 15. During these sorties, members from the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group, Detachment 4, tested the MAC ground control station on its ability to enable a single pilot to simultaneously control four Predator aircraft over the skies of southern Nevada.
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) today unveiled the CBP's first procurement unmanned aircraft system (UAS), a Predator B UAS, at Sierra Vista MuniLibby Army Airfield in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. "Today marks the beginning of new chapter in using unmanned aircraft systems to secure our nation's borders as Predator B offers the CBP a superior over land reconnaissance solution," said Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr., president, Aircraft Systems Group, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. "The ability to meet CBP's aggressive delivery schedule of 30 days from contract award was no doubt key to realizing today's historical moment." The Predator B system, which will provide long-endurance surveillance and communications relay in support of the CBP's Arizona Control Initiative (ABCI), will be operated and maintained by GA-ASI personnel in close cooperation with CBP Border Patrol agents who will assist in the command and control of the UAS from a Ground Control Station (GCS) located at Ft. Huachuca. Real-time images from the aircraft will enable proper assessment of intrusions and eliminate false alarm responses by agents, thereby increasing their patrolling effectiveness. Predator B is also expected to provide agents with a detailed "bird's eye view," particularly in remote portions of the border where CBP Border Patrol agents cannot travel easily or safely and infrastructure is difficult or impossible to build.
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A further Thales system, the TACAN (TACtical Air Navigation) system, has been selected to equip Airbus' A400M next-generation military transport aircraft. The TACAN system will provide A400M crews with a critical tactical air navigation capability based on extremely accurate range and bearing data derived from fixed / deployable ground or airborne beacons. The contract win highlights the confidence that Airbus has in Thales' high performance systems. The TACAN system provides cutting-edge precision guidance and is an indispensable tool for military pilots in extreme conditions.
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved Eurocopter's application to build A-Star 350 B2 and B3 helicopters at American Eurocopter's state-of-the-art 85,000 square foot facility in Columbus, Mississippi. The AS350 B2 and B3 are powerful single engine aircraft each capable of carrying a pilot and 6-7 passengers, 1127 have been sold in 45 countries to 587 customers. These best selling aircraft along with other Eurocopter model helicopters have been consistently selected by 27 Law Enforcement agencies such as U.S. Customs & Border Protection, the Los Angeles County Sheriff, the LAPD, CHP and the FBI, to fulfill varied and demanding missions. This has resulted in Eurocopter having an estimated 60% share of sales to the U.S. law enforcement market.
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EADS Defence Electronics will equip the European transport aircraft A400M with its newly developed missile warning system MIRAS working on the latest infrared technology. As announced by EADS, the company has been awarded the contract to deliver 85 missile warning systems from 2010. The new product will be developed jointly by EADS Defence Electronics and Thales. MIRAS relies on the state-of-the-art infrared superlattice detector technology successfully developed by AIM Infrarot-Module GmbH, Heilbronn, Germany. Some work packages will be subcontracted to the Turkish company Aselsan as Turkey is a main partner in the A400M programme. The Multi-Color Infra-Red Alerting Sensor (MIRAS) is the first missile warning system worldwide applying simultaneous, single-chip multi-color infrared detection technology which offers an unprecedented combination of detection probability, detection range and low false alarm rates. In its A400M configuration the system is optimised for wide-body aircraft (mission-, transport-, tanker a/c) but EADS and Thales intend to offer it in the world market also to other platforms such as fighter a/c operating at high altitudes.
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The U.S. Army and Boeing signed a $192.5 million contract for 13 new AH-64D Apache Longbow multi-role combat helicopters for the U. S. Army on Friday, September 23. The new Apache Longbow aircraft, to be built in the current Block II configuration, are in addition to AH-64A Apaches being remanufactured under a multi-year contract with the Army. Production will begin in early 2006 and will be performed at the Boeing facility in Mesa, Ariz., where Apaches have been manufactured since the program started. "Execution of this contract bridges the way to an additional 96 remanufactured AH-64Ds for the U.S. Army and to Block III Apache Longbow helicopter production," said David Almond, Boeing Apache Block II program manager.
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Sikorsky Aircraft announced its selection of Thales to jointly develop a new cockpit for the S-76D helicopter planned for delivery at the end of 2008. Thales is a leading global electronics company that serves the Aerospace, Defense, and Security & Services markets worldwide. This cockpit represents the most technologically advanced solution currently available and is specifically designed for helicopter operations. The intuitive design features large-format displays that have been consolidated in an efficiently designed console for improved visibility and situational awareness. A full motion Level-D simulator will be available for pilot training at first aircraft delivery. Sikorsky Aircraft will provide after-sale support for the cockpit using its existing network and leveraging Thales' global footprint.
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Lockheed Martin officially opened the F/A-22 Technical Support Center (TSC), a first in contractor sustainment support. The TSC is a one-stop center for all technical communications in the field concerning the revolutionary F/A-22 Raptor fighter, now being flown by the U.S. Air Force. "This support center is another example of our strong partnering relationship with our customer," said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. executive vice president and F/A-22 general manager. "We all have a significant stake in sustaining F/A-22 Raptor aircraft and must do whatever it takes to support the maintainers in the field and pilots who fly these great aircraft. So far the U.S. Air Force is flying 49 Raptors whose mission is to ensure America maintains air dominance for the next four decades. Our men and women on the ground have come to expect that threats in the air and on the ground are dealt with so they can do their jobs."
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For the last time in its long career, a C-141 Starlifter aircraft flew military patients out of a war zone Sept. 26. It was the end of a five-day mission to the Middle East for the airlift plane from the 445th Airlift Wing here. The aircraft first started airlifting the sick and wounded from combat zones more than 40 years ago in Southeast Asia. The Starlifter took cargo to Europe before the aircraft's historic last mission out of the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Medics will continue their aeromedical role on other types of aircraft, such as the C-17A Globemaster III or C-5 Galaxy.
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Ultra announces that its Sonar & Communication Systems business, based in Greenford, Middlesex, has been selected by the UK MoD to supply and support airborne laser targeting pods for the RAF Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The MoD has announced that it intends to make a single source, off the shelf procurement for the UK that follows a competitive assessment carried out in 2000 by Eurofighter GmbH/NETMA on behalf of all four nations participating in the Typhoon programme. It is intended that Ultra will prime the contract with Rafael acting as the principal sub-contractor. Rafael is the design authority for the Litening EF 3rd generation targeting pod. The total value of the initial contract for 20 pods is expected to be about £15m.
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Thales has been selected by Airbus Military to supply the Enhanced Vision System (EVS) for the A400M military transport aircraft. Linked to the aircraft's head-up display (HUD), the EVS system will use an infrared camera to assist pilots during takeoff, approach, landing and taxiing phases, even in harsh climatic conditions. During tactical flight, it will also offer extended pattern recognition, detection and surveillance capabilities. Drawing on Thales' extensive experience in forward-looking infrared (FLIR) systems for military aircraft, the EVS system will offer all-digital image-processing capabilities, from sensor to projection on the pilot's liquid-crystal head-up display. It will deliver levels of performance never previously achieved with this type of system, as well as significant weight savings.
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Small jets flying regional routes are expected to account for a third of China's total aviation fleet in 20 years to meet surging demand, according to a research center announcement. By 2025, civil air operators are projected to have added 800 regional jets, half of them capable of seating 60 to 100 passengers, the Aviation Industry Development Research Center of China said in its annual market forecast. As the country's economy continues to thrive, the frequency local air travel will increase, driving the need for more aircraft, Wang Boxue, a senior researcher with the center, said. Air travel increased by 35.2 percent year on year to reach 23 billion ton-kilometers in 2004, the third largest volume in the world. In the next two decades, the yearly growth rate is forecast to run at 8.4 percent, according to Wang. To match this trend and support the national strategy of developing the western regions and revitalizing northeast China, the country will have to build a series of small and medium-sized airports, he said.
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SAFRAN Group announced its subsidiary Sagem Défense Sécurité has signed an agreement to acquire the German smart card specialist ORGA Kartensysteme GmbH from the Günther group. The acquisition which is subject to approval from regulatory authorities, will create a new major player in the global smart card market, operating as SAGEM ORGA. The combination of the smart card activities of Sagem Défense Sécurité and ORGA would create a unit with aggregate revenues of over 300 million euros in 2006, coupled with a very positive near-term growth outlook. Sagem Défense Sécurité and ORGA form an excellent strategic fit in terms of geographic coverage, technology and product lines, supporting substantial synergies.
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Orbital Sciences Corporation announced that it successfully launched a satellite for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) aboard a company-built Minotaur I rocket. The mission, called STP-R1, originated on Thursday, September 22, 2005 at approximately 10:25 p.m. (EDT) from Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), CA when the Minotaur rocket ignited its first stage motor and lifted-off from its West Coast launch site. Approximately nine minutes after launch, the STP-R1 satellite was inserted into its targeted orbit of approximately 300 kilometers above the Earth. Yesterday's mission was the fourth flight of the Minotaur I space launch vehicle, all of which have been successful. Since the program's first flight in 2000, the Minotaur family of space and suborbital launch vehicles has carried out nine launches with 100% success. Over the next three years, Orbital is scheduled to conduct another eight launches of the Minotaur family of rockets.
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Air France has placed a firm order for three A318 single-aisle aircraft. Powered by CFM International CFM56 engines, the Air France A318s will seat up to 123 passengers in a single-class layout. Deliveries of these aircraft, which will be operated to medium-haul destinations in metropolitan France and Europe, will begin in 2006. Air France was the A318 launch airline in April 1999 when it placed an order for 15 of the smallest single-aisle airliners of the Airbus family. With this additional order, the French carrier is completing its fleet modernisation and rationalisation programme.
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Boeing has selected Pfalz-Flugzeugwerke (PFW) to provide metallic tubing and ducting for the all-new 787 Dreamliner. This agreement includes the design and manufacture of tubes responsible for the fluid supply of the hydraulic systems. The hydraulic systems provide power to the flight control and landing gear systems. PFW will also design and manufacture tubes responsible for the supply of fuel to the engines and the auxiliary power unit as well as the nitrogen generation system, which ensures an inert atmosphere in the fuel tanks. "PFW's extensive knowledge of titanium tubing makes them the right choice to provide this critical component of the airplane," said Mike Bair, 787 vice president and general manager. "This is another example of Boeing partnering with top international companies to develop the best product for our customers." In addition to the systems above, PFW will provide tubes for the integrated cooling system and the power electronics cooling system. These two systems provide critical cooling to the 787 electronic systems.
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