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+++ CryoSat Mission lost due to launch failure +++ Second Chinese manned space flight launched +++ ISS astronauts return to Earth +++ Ariane 5 launch succeeds +++ SWISS transfers European services +++ News in brief +++
CryoSat Mission lost due to launch failure
Startrakete versagt: ESA-Satellit geht verloren
On 8 October at 21.00 CEST Mr Yuri Bakhvalov, First Deputy Director General of the Khrunichev Space Centre on behalf of the Russian State Commission officially confirmed that the launch of CryoSat ended in a failure due to an anomaly in the launch sequence and expressed his regret to ESA and all partners involved. Preliminary analysis of the telemetry data indicates that the first stage performed nominally. The second stage performed nominally until main engine cut-off was to occur. Due to a missing command from the onboard flight control system the main engine continued to operate until depletion of the remaining fuel.
As a consequence, the separation of the second stage from upper stage did not occur. Thus, the combined stack of the two stages and the CryoSat satellite fell into the nominal drop zone north of Greenland close to the North Pole into high seas with no consequences to populated areas. An investigating commission by the Russian State authorities has been established to further analyze the reasons for the failure, results are expected within the next weeks. This commission will work in close cooperation with a failure investigation board consisting of Eurockot, ESA and Khrunichev representatives.
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Second Chines manned space flight launched
Zwei Taikonauten im All
On 12 October at 1 hour in the morning GMT time, China launched its second manned spaceflight from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, this time with two taikonauts on board. About 40 minutes after liftoff, the chief commander of China's manned space program declared a successful launch of Shenzhou-6. A pair of Chinese astronauts in orbit about 350 km above the Earth reported to the ground that they were "feeling good" and everything was normal. Colonel Fei Junlong and Colonel Nie Haisheng, in their much more spacious cabin than Shenzhou-5, uncovered the face shield of their space suits, waving hands to the TV camera as if to say hello to people on the ground and, probably, millions of Chinese tied before TV sets for this historic moment. Premier Wen said in a brief speech of congratulations minutes after the successful launch that "We launch Shenzhou-6 out of peaceful purpose." China sent its first piloted spacecraft into space two years ago and became the third country able to carry manned space mission after the United States and Russia.
Spendings on the Shenzhou series has reached roughly 19 billion yuan (2.3 billion US dollars), less than 10 percent of the United States' annual spending on space programs, said Pan Houren, a research follow with the Space Science and Application Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Fei and Nie will orbit Earth for as long as five days during the Shenzhou 6 spaceflight and are expected to perform a series of experiments to advance China's understanding of human spaceflight. Their mission comes almost two years to the day of China's first manned spaceflight, Shenzhou 5, which launched astronaut Yang Liwei on a 21,5 hour mission on Oct. 15, 2003. China is the third nation to independently launch astronauts into orbit. Shenzhou 6 reportedly carries a series of advancements of its Shenzhou 5 predecessor, including a food heater, dishware and an “excretement collecting facility” – or space toilet – that are being used for the first time, according to Xinhua. Sleeping bags and a new data recorder – a spacecraft black box – are also being tested. The black box is faster than its Shenzhou 5 counterpart and contains more storage space, but at only half the size, Xinhua reported.
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ISS astronauts return to Earth
Astronauten zurück von der Internationalen Raumstation
On 10 October, American technology entrepreneur Greg Olsen successfully landed in Kazakhstan after a 10-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Dr. Olsen returned to Earth with the Expedition 11 crew, which was relieved after their six-month stay aboard the ISS. Dr. Olsen, entrepreneur and founder of EPITAXX, Inc. and Sensors Unlimited, Inc., said upon his return, "The experience was more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined." He continued, "I have a newfound sense of wonder seeing the Earth and stars from such an incredible perspective. Certainly, through my training I was prepared for the technical aspects, but I had no idea that I would be flooded with such amazement and joy after seeing my first sunrise and sunset from space and the feeling of continual weightlessness. It was an unforgettable experience that I am truly grateful for and will relive in my mind for the rest of my life."
Commander Sergei Krikalev and NASA Science Officer John Phillips, 11th crew of the space station, landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan after more than 179 days in space. The Soyuz TMA spacecraft undocked from the station at 5:49 p.m. EDT. Its re-entry was flawless. It brought the three men aboard to a landing about 53 miles northeast of Arkalyk after 179 days and 23 minutes in space for the E11 crew. The recovery team reached the capsule in minutes. While aboard the station, Krikalev became the world's most experienced spacefarer. On Aug. 16 his cumulative time in space passed the record of 747 days, 14 hours and 14 minutes set by Cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev. Krikalev previously had completed two long-duration spaceflights aboard the Mir space station, served as a member of the Expedition 1 crew of the space station and flown two space shuttle missions.
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Ariane 5 launch succeeds
Neuer Ariane-Start gelungen
During the night of October 13 to 14, Arianespace placed two satellites into geostationary transfer orbit: the Syracuse 3A communications satellite for the French Ministry of Defense, and the Galaxy 15 high-definition TV satellite for the private American satcom operator PanAmSat. The launch was the 19th successful mission for the standard Ariane 5G ("Generic") launcher, carrying on the successful launch last August of two missions only three days apart, an Ariane 5 from the Guiana Space Center and a Soyuz from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. This launch also provides further confirmation that the Arianespace launch family provides the best match with current operator requirements.
Syracuse 3A is the 24th military payload for the European launcher. Following the launch of Helios IIA in December 2004, Ariane 5 once again amply demonstrates its ability to handle the full spectrum of missions, in particular government launches for European defense. Galaxy 15 is the 20th PanAmSat satellite to be launched by Arianespace's family of launch vehicles. The world's leading private satcom operator, PanAmSat is one of Arianespace's longest-standing customers, reaching back to the first Ariane 4 launch in June 1988. Syracuse 3A is the first satellite in France's new third-generation Syracuse III system, dedicated to secure military communications. French defense procurement agency DGA (Délégation Générale pour l'Armement), part of the MoD, is in charge of this program, with management provided by the Observation, Telecommunications and Information Programs Department (SPOTI). Galaxy 15, weighing approximately 2,000 kg at liftoff, is the third new-generation model that PanAmSat has ordered from Orbital Sciences Corporation to provide greater flexibility and availability to its customers. Fitted with 28 C-band transponders, Galaxy 15 will deliver digital video programming, high-definition television (HDTV), video on demand (VOD) and HP (high priority) TV broadcasting services throughout the United States. The satellite will also have an L-band transponder to provide GPS services to U.S. commercial aircraft.
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SWISS transfers European services
Umstrukturierung bei SWISS
The SWISS Board of Directors has decided to transfer European regional services to a fully-owned company within the SWISS Group before the end of the year. The entire current regional segment will take off as “Swiss European Air Lines” once the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation has delivered an operating permit. The move will make a further contribution to enhancing SWISS's competitiveness, and should provide a basis for growth in the European services sector. As a fully-owned subsidiary of SWISS, Swiss European will function as an operating company, providing “wet lease” flights in the European market on behalf of its parent company. Swiss European will naturally work to the same high standards of quality, safety and training already adopted by the parent company. It will trade under the SWISS brand, and commercial responsibility will remain with SWISS.
The new airline will inherit all the aircraft in the current regional fleet (Avro RJ 85/100 and Embraer 145). Likewise, all regional pilots will transfer to Swiss European. The cabin crews will initially be provided by Swiss International. In the medium-term, Swiss European will recruit its own cabin staff and build up its own workforce. The new subsidiary will be managed by an own Executive Board and Board of Directors: Peter Koch (Managing Director), Rolf Brand (Head of Flight Operations), Heinz Marti (Head of Training), Diego Ochsner (Head of Ground Services) and Felix Koster (Head of Technical Maintenance). Manfred Brennwald (Chairman), Gabriele Hofmann-Schmid and Reto von Atzigen will sit on the Board of Directors. Swiss European will start out with a fleet of seven Embraer 145s and eighteen Avro RJ85/100s, but will subsequently operate with a uniform fleet of twenty-four Avro RJ85/100s once the 2006 summer timetable comes into effect. Swiss European will make an important contribution to increasing its competitive strength and to securing jobs in the long-term. Ensuring transparency in terms of both structures and costs will also lend support to forthcoming investment in fleet modernisation and provide a solid basis for future growth.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
European Defence Ministers, meeting informally at RAF Lyneham (U.K.), were given a demonstration of air-tanking capability and launched a new effort to fill the gap in tanking capability which constrains Europe's Rapid Reaction aspirations. Following their meeting in the European Defence Agency's Steering Board, the Ministers of 10 Member States (Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Belgium and Portugal) issued the following joint announcement: “Initiatives to build European air-to-air refuelling capabilities, whether in NATO or the EU, have not made the necessary progress in recent years, despite the efforts of some individual EU Member States. ESDP's new Headline Goal 2010, like the Helsinki Headline Goal before it, will fall short unless we can find a new approach to filling this key capability gap. At Javier Solana's initiative, therefore, we reviewed current air to air refuelling national capability plans. As a result of our discussion, we have decided to instruct our national staffs to work together, in an EDA-supported ad hoc group, to monitor current developments and consider possible new approaches to filling the capability gap.” There are currently European based initiatives in the UK, Germany and Italy. Germany is taking delivery of 4 converted A-310 aircraft and Italy is acquiring 4 new KC 767 to replace their ageing B707TTs. In both initiatives the aircraft will be configured to be Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) capable. The UK is currently in contractual negotiations to provide a replacement to their VC-10 and Tristar aircraft through a Public Finance Initiative (PFI) solution.
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The Rolls-Royce Turbomeca (RRTM) RTM322 turboshaft engine has been qualified to the specific stringent military requirements of the NH Industries (NHI) NH90 twin-engine multi-role helicopter. This milestone, which is additional to the engine civil certification achieved in 2004, was marked by Eurocopter's signature of the Declaration of Design and Performance (DDP) for the RTM322-01/9, which is rated at 2,427 shp. The FADEC-equipped RTM322-01/9 has been selected by ten of the eleven nations to order the NH90, which has been jointly developed by Eurocopter and AgustaWestland. Customers include Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Portugal and Sweden. Growth versions of the engine are already in development, with an initial 2,600 shp class 'Step 0' variant already selected for a firm NH90 customer requirement.
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BAE Systems, in partnership with Hispano-Suiza (SAFRAN Group), will develop the full-authority digital electronic control (FADEC) for EuroProp International's TP400-D6 engine, slated to power the new Airbus A400M military transport. The control, derived from the “FADEC 3” control design, will manage critical functions for the A400M's four turboprop engines. The FADEC will govern engine fuel flow and variable engine geometries, manage propeller blades (including synchrophasing), and perform other advanced functions. The TP400-D6 will be the first turboprop derivative of the FADEC 3, which is used on numerous commercial platforms. It controls the world's highest-thrust engine, the GE90-115B, which powers the extended-range Boeing 777-300. The FADEC 3 also is being qualified for upgraded versions of the C-5 Galaxy transport. “The TP400 FADEC is based upon our latest generation of engine controls, which are the most powerful and versatile engine controls available, representing an order-of-magnitude increase in processing power over competing systems and continuing to set new standards in performance and customer satisfaction,” said Dennis Slattery, director of engine controls for BAE Systems. “We're proud to have been selected to develop a version of this control for the new Airbus transport. This award from Hispano-Suiza reinforces our partnership and reflects both companies sharing opportunities to grow together.”
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Lockheed Martin has successfully completed a live fly demonstration of the Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Station (AMF) component of the military's Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) program. The demonstration featured airborne, ground-based and simulated maritime units collaborating in real time across an integrated airborne IP network to rapidly find, identify and strike a time-sensitive target. Lockheed Martin's AMF JTRS team funded and executed the demonstration as a risk reduction effort to evaluate and improve the technical maturity of the team's solution. The demonstration follows a successful Preliminary Design Review, held in August, which showcased numerous components of the team's AMF JTRS solution. The latest demonstration brought those components together in a live fly exercise, proving that the team's solution is capable of creating an airborne IP network that can link aircraft, ships and ground units in real time. The demo also validated the Lockheed Martin team's approach to integrating AMF JTRS radios into current Air Force and Navy platforms. The Lockheed Martin team includes BAE SYSTEMS, General Dynamics, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.
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Northrop Grumman has opened a new electronic-warfare systems-integration laboratory that will be used to support the development of the airborne electronic-attack system for the U.S. Navy's EA-18G aircraft. The system is scheduled to begin entering the fleet in 2009. The company's Bethpage organization, part of the Integrated Systems sector, was selected to be the airborne electronic-attack system integrator for the EA-18G. The lab will enhance Northrop Grumman's four decades of industry leadership in this specialized business area and is one of the many software laboratories that comprise the company's electronic attack laboratory complex.
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With new third-quarter figures now available, Munich Airport remains on course for a successful operating year. In the period from January until September, Munich Airport handled approximately 21.7 million passengers, nearly 7 percent more than in the same period a year earlier. “This growth rate places us in the top third of Europe's ten busiest passenger airports again this year," notes Munich Airport CEO, Dr. Michael Kerkloh, "which means we are still an important driver of growth in the European aviation industry." The number of commercial take-offs and landings increased nearly 5 percent during the first nine months of the year to more than 291,000 flights. The segments pushing this development were the low-cost carriers (+32 percent) and intercontinental traffic (+14 percent). Each of these segments reported 2.6 million passengers, or 12 percent of the total, so that they now jointly account for one-quarter of the total passenger volume. On the long-haul routes it was mainly flights to the USA, Thailand, China and India that generated traffic gains. The low-cost segment benefited from new routes launched by dba, Hapag Lloyd Express, Germanwings and Fly Nordic. A total of 28 destinations are now served from Munich by 10 low-cost carriers. Within Europe, the strongest growth rates were posted on Scandinavian and eastern European routes.
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Bombardier Aerospace announced that SkyWest of St. George, Utah has concluded a purchase agreement for 22 Bombardier CRJ700 regional jets for its Delta Connection operation. The transaction includes conversion rights to other Bombardier CRJ aircraft. In addition, the 80 options for CRJ700 aircraft previously announced were reaffirmed as part of this agreement. The revised contract is valued at approximately $798 million US. If all options are exercised, the entire order could be worth $ 3.7 billion US. This transaction converts the 18 Delta Air Lines CRJ200 aircraft on backlog assumed by SkyWest as part of their recent acquisition of Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) and includes four incremental orders. SkyWest also retains 15 CRJ700 firm orders on Bombardier's backlog from a previous transaction.
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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."
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Orbital Recovery has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement for a telecommunications satellite life extension mission that will use the company's innovative CX-OLEVTM "space tug" as an in-orbit service vehicle. This reservation guarantees a launch slot for the CX-OLEV (ConeXpress Orbital Life Extension Vehicle) to prolong the operation of a major international operator's communications spacecraft, and it marks an important milestone in the development of in-orbit servicing for commercial telecom platforms. "We are delighted to have executed this agreement, which represents a key step in our development of the CX-OLEV," said Philip Braden, Orbital Recovery's Chief Executive Officer. "The reserved mission - as well as several others currently under discussion with future customers - will lead to multiple CX-OLEVs being ordered from the European led industrial team." The Orbital Recovery life extension mission reserved by the Memorandum of Agreement would be performed in 2009. It will use the CX-OLEV "space tug" to provide propulsion, navigation and guidance to maintain the telecommunication operator's satellite in the proper orbital slot for a minimum of five additional years. This will enable the customer to significantly prolong the revenue-generating service of a valuable in-orbit telecommunications asset, which otherwise would be decommissioned when reaching the end of its normal operating lifetime.
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In these days, AERO Vodochody won the first order from a French aircraft company – the Aircelle Company, which is a part of the Safran Group. AERO will deliver two transportation jigs for a thrust-reversing apparatus of the Airbus A340 aircraft. The classical welded jig should have the size of 3,8 x 2,5 x 3,5 meters and the weight reaching two tons. AERO will secure material purchase, including special equipment, such as transmissions. Both jigs should be taken over by the customer not later than on January 15, 2006 in AERO. The value of the contract ranges in tens of thousand Euros.
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In his speech to the AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association, ASD, Convention in Berlin on 7 October, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder underlined the key role that the European Aerospace & Defence Industry plays in Europe, based on an exemplary level of industrial integration and the significant effort undertaken in Research and Development. But, he said, satisfaction with achievement should leave no room for complacency. A further effort of innovation and improving the conditions for industrial activity will be necessary to maintain competitiveness, thereby framing the theme of this year's Convention. More than 450 leaders of the European Aerospace and Defence Industries attended the Annual Convention of ASD on 7 October in Berlin to map out Europe's needs to meet the competitiveness challenge of today. The keynote addresses were delivered by German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, Dr. Ditmar Staffelt, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour and Coordinator for German Aerospace Policy and Mr. Bob Johnson, Chairman of the Board of AIA and Chairman Aerospace, Honeywell. Chancellor Gerhard Schröder underlined the fact that aerospace industry is the best coordinated industry in Europe which sets an example to other industry sectors. It invests around 15% of its revenues to R&D and has obtained a spectacular position in the worldwide market with its products. He mentioned that European Defence cooperation is a strategic way forward for the sector where the European Defence Agency will play an eminent role. He also mentioned Galileo project as underlining the industrial and technological leading role of Europe in Space. Dr. Ditmar Staffelt pointed out that in order for Europe to score global success, we should coordinate our focus on improving the range and quality of our collaboration, at both the European and the international level. New ideas are needed to replace an unproductive emphasis on national prestige. Mr. Bob Johnson spoke of the need to be able to communicate openly and honestly about the things the European and American factions have in common – and about the things that divide us. He also mentioned that after all the ASD and AIA share the ultimate goal of building reforms that will move us forward and help create a more level playing field - on both sides of the Atlantic.
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On October 10, Japan flew a small, unmanned model of a supersonic jetliner in Woomera, South Australia. A model of the jet, 11.5 meters long, or about 38 feet, and resembling an arrow with its swept-back wings and long, sleek body, took off attached to a solid-fuel rocket. The model reached an altitude of 19 kilometers, or 12 miles, before floating back by parachute, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, which heads development of the supersonic jet. The engineless model reached a speed of Mach 2, or about 1,500 miles per hour. Kenichi Saito, a spokesman for the agency, said the unmanned test flight went as planned.
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ecms Aviation systems delivered its last set of fast roping and rappelling devices to the Special Forces of the German Police. The Unit had ordered a total of four systems for their fleet of EC155s. ecms systems are already in use by the Austrian Air Rescue, the entire Swedish Police fleet, and many other Eurocopter customers, who purchased the systems either through Eurocopter, which has made ecms' systems part of its standard equipment, or directly through ecms. The preferred tool for storming ships, buildings, and other structures and rescue mission, the systems are known for their reliability and safety. Fully certified, the systems allow for a quick sequential hooking-in of eight crewmen and the simultaneous rappelling of four. A self-locking coupling mechanism prevents inadvertent release, meanwhile providing a quick release in case of emergency. Unparalleled, the system incorporates a pilot activated electro explosive device (EED) that allows for instant rope release by push of a button by the pilot. An electronic control box is mounted in the cockpit that displays the status of the system at all times and will report any system malfunctions via audible and visual warnings.
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Celebrations marked the recent arrival of a new Bombardier Global 5000 aircraft to the United States Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J., where FAA representatives welcomed the aircraft into their research and development program. The arrival of the special mission Bombardier Global 5000 jet brings to 11 the number of Bombardier aircraft in the FAA fleet, which already includes Challenger 604, Challenger 601 and Learjet 60 business jets. The FAA's new Bombardier Global 5000 aircraft, one of the most advanced and capable civil aircraft being built today, will serve as an airborne research and development laboratory. Midcoast Aviation in St. Louis, Mo., designed and installed a unique interior to accommodate a wide range of future special mission work stations.
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More passengers and a significantly higher passenger load factor: that is the positive result achieved by Lufthansa after the first nine months of 2005. During this period 38.8 million passengers chose to fly Lufthansa - an increase of 0.5 per cent year-on-year. Sales rose by 4.7 per cent, outpacing the moderate increase in capacity. The passenger load factor consequently rose by 1.5 percentage points to 75.8 per cent, the highest nine-month level ever recorded by the company. From January to September Lufthansa Cargo transported 1.3 million tonnes of freight and mail - on a par with the previous year's performance. Capacity increased by 2.7 per cent due to additional belly space
available on passenger aircraft. This caused the cargo load factor to slip by 2.2 percentage points. As a result, the Group's overall load factor (passenger and freighter aircraft) declined slightly to 70.6 per cent.
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The first “new production” MH-60R helicopter to be purchased by the U.S. Navy has arrived at Lockheed Martin in Owego. Over the next five months, engineers and technicians will transform the aircraft into the most advanced anti-submarine and surface-ship attack helicopter ever built for the U.S. Navy. “The mission systems we will install aboard this and subsequent MH-60R aircraft are of an order-of-magnitude more advanced than the airborne sensors and electronics we integrated for the Navy in the 1980s,” said Jeff Bantle, vice president and general manager of Multi-Mission Solutions for Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego. “We and our partners at Sikorsky and the Navy have worked as an integrated team to develop this aircraft into a sophisticated weapons system that will help protect the U.S. fleet well into the 21st century.”
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A Northrop Grumman/Boeing team unveiled its plans to design and build NASA's proposed Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), a modular space system intended to carry humans to the International Space Station by 2012 and back to the moon by 2018. The CEV comprises a crew module that builds on NASA's Apollo spacecraft, a service module and a launch-abort system. It is designed to be carried into space aboard a shuttle-derived launch vehicle – a rocket based on the solid rocket booster technology that powers the early phases of current shuttle flights. The CEV will be produced both as a crewed space transportation system and as an uncrewed space vehicle capable of transporting cargo to and from the International Space Station. NASA expects to select a CEV prime contractor in the spring of 2006. According to Doug Young, program manager for the Northrop Grumman-Boeing CEV team, the team's design approach to the CEV and the overall mission architecture have been evolving over the past year. "We've been working closely with NASA to identify design options and technologies that would enable the nation to meet its space exploration goals of safety, affordability and reliability," Young said. "Early on we concluded that this modular, capsule-based approach would establish an ideal foundation for a successful, sustainable human and robotic space exploration program. It's also a system that can be designed and built today using proven technologies, which will help maintain the nation's leadership role in human space flight."
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Lockheed Martin's revolutionary full-scale pole model has completed its first round of testing at the Lockheed Martin Helendale Measurement Facility. The radar cross section testing of the vehicle will continue throughout 2006. Today, Lockheed Martin is using this pole model to provide critically relevant data about the Northrop Grumman-led X-47B vehicle built for the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems (J-UCAS) program. Lockheed Martin's full-scale pole model was designed and built in less than 13 months and funded entirely with Lockheed Martin's Independent Research and Development dollars. What makes it distinct from conventional pole model designs is its modular and flexible configuration, allowing future large scale physical changes. This permits customers to easily modify the many pre-planned regions of the configuration and quickly collect high fidelity data. This means the pole model is now a design tool rather than simply a demonstration device.
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LAN Airlines, with headquarters in Santiago (Chile), has signed a contract with Airbus for the acquisition of 25 A320 Family aircraft plus 15 options. This order confirms LAN's previous announcement of June 2005 and brings their total orders for Airbus aircraft to 59. Deliveries of the newly ordered aircraft are scheduled to begin in 2006. A part of the additional new A318s and A319s will gradually replace LAN's 737-200 fleet. With this contract LAN becomes the first customer for the A318 powered by the new Pratt & Whitney's PW6000 engine. The PW 6000 engine is due for certification by the end of this year. The additional A319s and A320s will be powered by the V2500-A5 engine from International Aero Engines. These new aircraft will be put into service on LAN's domestic network in Peru, Chile and Argentina.
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The Inflatable Re-entry and Descent Technology Demonstrator-2R was launched into a parabolic trajectory by a Russian Volna launcher on 7 October 2005 at 10:30 local time (6 October at 21:30 UT). It was launched into its brief flight from a Russian naval submarine in the Barents Sea in the area of Severomorsk, Russia. The Demonstrator was scheduled to land in Kamchatka approximately 30 minutes later at 11:00 local time (02:00 Moscow time, 22:00 UT on 6 October). Received telemetry data confirmed the initial phases of the mission to be nominal. Shortly after the re-entry phase radio contact with the Demonstrator disappeared. Search and recovery activities were initiated, but so far the IRDT has not been retrieved. Efforts to locate it will continue, in cooperation with the Russian military forces. An international team developed this project under ESA contract to the European space industry EADS ST as a prime and the Russian NPO-Lavochkin as a major subcontractor. This programme was performed in cooperation with the Russian Federal Space Agency, the Makeev State Rocket Centre, the International Scientific and Technical Centre, the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tsniimash and the Russian Navy.
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The long-time airlift hub at Rhein-Main closed during an Oct. 10 ceremony attended by U.S. and German dignitaries. A C-17 Globemaster III bearing the name “Spirit of Rhein-Main” was unveiled by Lt. Gen. Christopher Kelly, Air Mobility Command vice commander; Col. Brad Denison, 469th Air Base Group commander; and retired Col. Gail Halvorsen, the famed “Candy Bomber” of the Berlin Airlift. More than 800 servicemembers, veterans, civilian employees and well-wishers turned out to say farewell to the former “Gateway to Europe.” A C-17 with the moniker, “Spirit of Berlin,” made the symbolic last flight following the ceremony, dipping its wing toward Rhein-Main's hangars in a final goodbye. Gen. Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong, U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander, said the closure marks an ending and a beginning, referring to Frankfurt International Airport's planned expansion. Airport officials plan to add a third passenger terminal, which will be built where the base currently stands.
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On 12 October, the latest successful test firing of MBDA's Aster 30 missile took place at the French DGA's (Délégation Général pour l'Armement) Centre d'Essais des Landes (CEL) test range near Biscarosse on the South West coast of France. The firing forms part of the PAAMS (Principle Anti-Air Missile System) qualification programme. PAAMS will provide the main air defence on the UK Royal Navy's new Type 45 destroyers as well as on the new Horizon frigates ordered for the French and Italian navies. This latest success follows on from other recent firing successes carried out earlier this year for the PAAMS programme on 1 June and for the SAMP-T programme on 26 July.
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Bombardier Aerospace announced that Royal Jordanian Airlines will become the first Middle East operator of the Q400 turboprop. The introduction of the first of two previously owned, 74-passenger, 360-knot (667 km/h) Q400 aircraft by the end of this month will mark the inauguration of a new Royal Jordanian Airlines brand, Royal Jordanian xpress, and will upgrade the regional service that has been provided by Royal Wings since 1996. Royal Wings began the service when it acquired its first 50-passenger Dash 8-300 turboprop in 1996. A second Dash 8-300 aircraft was added in 1998.
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Preparations for ESA's Venus Express mission passed a new milestone when the spacecraft was attached to its Fregat upper-stage rocket. The mission is now only two weeks away from launch on 26 October. The composite unit of the launch vehicle adapter (LVA) and the Venus Express spacecraft, together called the 'stack', has been mechanically mated with the Fregat upper-stage rocket. The activity was classified as 'hazardous' since both the spacecraft and the Fregat upper-stage are already fully loaded with highly flammable and toxic propellant. Venus Express carries around 570 kilograms and Fregat about 5000 kilograms of propellant. The activity was carried out by a combined team from the Venus Express industrial consortium and the team from NPO-Lavotchkin who are designing and building the Fregat upper-stage.
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Raytheon Company's Joint Standoff Weapon Block II (JSOW Block II), a new variant offering significantly lower unit cost and an additional payload option, successfully flew its first captive test flight Oct. 11 at Edwards Air Force Base on a U.S. Air Force F-16 aircraft. Raytheon is under contract with U.S. Naval Air Systems Command and expects to complete development of the JSOW Block II in early 2006. Block II is planned to reduce JSOW unit cost approximately 40 percent. Cost reduction is achieved by reducing the parts count and improving the manufacturing process, an example of Raytheon's company-wide efforts to make operations leaner while providing superior products to customers. All variants of future JSOW precision glide weapons will be manufactured in the Block II configuration. Block II will maintain all standoff and survivability capability of the current JSOW and will include an improved anti-jam Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The Raptor GPS system is an advanced navigator developed by Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems and is planned for use in other Raytheon products.
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CHC Helicopter Corporation announced confirmation of new contracts and renewals for the CHC Global Operating division, as follows: A multi-year contract renewal for the provision of Sikorsky S-61 helicopter transportation services in support of the Sable Offshore Energy Project off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Contract commences immediately. A five-year contract renewal (plus a one-year option), with Petronas for the provision of S-76C+ helicopter and fixed wing transportation services in support of onshore and offshore operations in Southeast Asia. The contract was signed in September 2005. A new four-year contract for the lease of two Bell 412 aircraft to Vectra Limited in support of its offshore helicopter operations in India. Contract commenced September 2005. A one-year contract extension by ENI Iran for the provision of two Eurocopter Dauphin N2 helicopters to replace existing aircraft on contract. Contract commences November 2005. A new two-year contract (plus a one-year option) with Cairn Energy Sangu Field Limited for the provision of S76A++ helicopter transportation services in support of onshore and offshore operations in Bangladesh. Contract commences in early 2006. Total anticipated value of the above contracts is approximately $23 million per annum, including approximately $8 million in incremental revenue.
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Bombardier Aerospace announced that Caribbean Aircraft Leasing (BVI) Limited, an affiliate of Stanford Financial Group of Houston, has signed a contract to acquire three new Q300 50-seat turboprop aircraft on behalf of its regional airline affiliates, Caribbean Star Airlines Limited and Caribbean Sun Airlines Inc. The firm order is valued at approximately $49 million US. The three Q300 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered commencing the second quarter of 2006.
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At a gala event in the Gothenburg Convention Centre on Thursday evening, European air industry leaders honored Munich Airport as the ERA Airport of the Year for 2005/6. Munich was the first recipient of the award when the European Regions Airline Association, Europe´s representative body for regional air transport, introduced it in 2002. According to Munich Airport´s Chief Operating Officer, Peter Trautmann, on hand to accept the award, "Being chosen a second time is confirmation for us that we´ve successfully balanced the very important regional traffic segment with our function as one of Europe´s busiest airports." A panel of senior airline industry executives decided the award. The aim is to award an airport not merely for its overall achievements but to recognize and appreciate activities that are of benefit to regional operations. “We wanted to select an airport that is a true partner for Europe's regional carriers,” commented one of the judges, while another praised Munich Airport as a "fast-growing hub in the heart of Europe with a clear strategy, that strongly supports the development of regional airline traffic."
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Lufthansa is extending its route network to the Gulf region: as of 10th January 2006 it will be offering three weekly flights from Frankfurt to Doha, the capital of Qatar. The flights with a modern 221-seat Airbus A330 will leave each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 12.55 hrs. local time, and following a stopover in Kuwait, land following a journey of about seven hours in Doha at 22.10 hrs. local time. The return flights on the following days will leave Doha at 00.10 hrs. and arrive in Frankfurt at 06.30 hrs in the morning. These times enable travellers to make optimal connections with flights to popular destinations in Europe und North America.
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SWISS reports an average seat load factor of 79.1% on its scheduled services for the first nine months of 2005, an improvement of 3.9 percentage points on the same period last year. Seat load factor for intercontinental services stood at 85.0%, a year-on-year increase of 4.1 percentage points. European seat load factor was also an improvement on the same period last year, rising 4.7 percentage points to 66.8%. SWISS carried 7.33 million passengers in the first nine months of 2005, an increase of 4.6% on the prior-year period. SWISS posted a seat load factor of 82.2% for September 2005, up 4.2 percentage points on the same month last year. September seat load factor on intercontinental services stood at 87.4% (up 3.6 percentage points), while the European seat load factor of 71.3% was a 6.0-percentage-point improvement on September 2004.
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Airfoil Services, an MTU Aero Engines and Lufthansa Technik AG affiliate, is going to extend its activities: novel advanced repair techniques and a wider product portfolio will grow the Kuala Lumpur operation's sales, now standing at almost U.S. $5 million, to four times its present level, or $20 million, by 2010. The shop hopes to attract new customers and add more people to its payroll. ASSB specializes in the repair of aero engine blades for mostly MTU's maintenance segment and Lufthansa Technik. A new shop will go up and just about quadruple production capacities. Operations will be shifted to the flowline principle of production that is already in place at the two joint-venture partners, where it has already appreciably reduced lead times. ASSB will be repairing high-pressure compressor blades in addition to the low-pressure turbine blades it is doing now, and add the CF34 to its present CF6, V2500 and CFM56 engine portfolio. Employment will grow from 130 up to 500 employees. Lufthansa Technik and MTU Aero Engines are cooperating with the state-run ADTEC Melaka Advanced Technol-ogy Training Center to provide training for their new staff.
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Eurofly has signed a Letter of Intent with Airbus for three A350-800 aircraft and is leasing two additional A330-200s, to reinforce its long haul fleet and to open up new long haul destinations. Eurofly's decision brings the number of commitments for the new A350 to 143, from ten customers. The A350s, to be delivered from 2013, will be used by the Italian airline to pioneer more long haul routes. Eurofly will receive the additional A330-200s, powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines, starting in late 2006. Augusto Angioletti, CEO of Eurofly, commented on the decision by saying: "The acquisition of the new Airbus aircraft allows us to continue to benefit from the advantages of the most modern and technologically innovative fleet in the industry. We believe that with these Airbus aircraft we will continue to make further progress, with particular attention to operating costs, technological innovation and passenger comfort."
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The world's newest and largest airliner, the Airbus A380, is to visit Frankfurt in Germany for airport compatibility verification tests at the end of this month, and will fly to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in the first half of November. It will then be on display at the Dubai airshow in the second half of November. The visits, which mark the first time that the Airbus A380 will be seen outside Europe, will give customers a chance to see the aircraft at first hand, and airports an early opportunity to check their preparedness to handle it in commercial service. The tests at Frankfurt will include taxiing around the airport, docking at a terminal, and checking passenger boarding bridge positioning. They will also demonstrate ease of access for servicing vehicles, such as catering trucks, cargo-loaders, fuel bowsers and water servicing – both individually, and together as they would be positioned during an aircraft turnaround. The A380 on this tour is MSN001, the first aircraft to fly and one of five taking part in the flight-test campaign. Its cabin is fitted with extensive flight-test instrumentation, measuring equipment and ballast tanks that can be filled with water to simulate the weight of a full load of passengers and cargo.
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The Spanish carrier Binter Canarias has signed a contract for one new ATR 72-500 aircraft. This order was unveiled today on the occasion of a joint press conference between ATR and the airline at the European Regions Airlines Association General Assembly, Gothenburg (Sweden). With this order, Binter Canarias will replace its ATR 72-210 model with a new-generation aircraft. The additional aircraft is a continuation of the airline's fleet renewal process that was started last year. On the medium term, there is further potential for the company to acquire up to 5 more ATR 72-500s as the opportunities for growth are developing.
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Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL) has been awarded a contract by Northrop Grumman Corporation, Lital S.p.A., Italy for anti-jam antenna systems for Tranche 2 of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The contract, valued at £6.4 million, calls for 265 GPS Antenna Systems for delivery starting in 2006 and running through to 2012. Richard Claydon, RSL's head of navigation systems, said, “This is an important contract for Raytheon and follows on from our earlier contract for Tranche 1 aircraft. Eurofighter Typhoon is a high-profile programme and we are proud to have been selected to supply these systems to Lital S.p.A.” He added, “Raytheon has considerable experience in this field of technology and is a major supplier of jam-resistant antenna systems for a wide range of platforms throughout the world. We have developed a reputation for reliability and are engaged on continuous product improvement”
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The ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550 set its 17th city-pair speed record on Sept. 29 – this time between Shanghai in the People's Republic of China and Dallas , Texas . The G550 flew the west-to-east 6,671-nautical-mile route in 13 hours and 2 minutes. This most recent city-pair record comes two years and a day since the G550 set its first city-pair record between Savannah , Ga. , and Ankara , Turkey , on Sept. 28, 2003 . Gulfstream is awaiting official recognition of this city-pair speed record by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The G550 took off from Shanghai Pudong Airport at 11:36 a.m. local time on Sept. 29. The aircraft flew at an average cruise speed of Mach 0.8, crossed the International Dateline and touched down at Dallas Love Field at 11:39 a.m. local time, the same day.
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