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+++ Orion spacecraft to be built by Lockheed Martin +++ 500th EC135 delivered +++ EU project on more open electrical Technologies (MOET) +++ Embraer sells 50 ERJ 145 and 50 Embraer 190 jets to HNA Group +++ EADS initiative in India +++ MTU delivers PW6000 engine +++ News in brief +++
Orion spacecraft to be built by Lockheed Martin
NASA wählt Orion-Konstrukteur
NASA selected Wednesday Lockheed Martin Corp., based in Bethesda, Md., as the prime contractor to design, develop, and build Orion, America's spacecraft for a new generation of explorers. Orion will be capable of transporting four crewmembers for lunar missions and later supporting crew transfers for Mars missions. Orion could also carry up to six crew members to and from the International Space Station. The first Orion launch with humans onboard is planned for no later than 2014, and for a human moon landing no later than 2020. Orion will form a key element of extending a sustained human presence beyond low-Earth orbit to advance commerce, science and national leadership.
The contract with Lockheed Martin is the conclusion of a two-phase selection process. NASA began working with the two contractor teams, Northrop Grumman/Boeing and Lockheed Martin, in July 2005 to perform concept refinement, trade studies, analysis of requirements and preliminary design options. Lockheed Martin will be responsible for the design, development, testing, and evaluation (DDT&E) of the new spacecraft. Manufacturing and integration of the vehicle components will take place at contractor facilities across the country. Lockheed Martin will perform the majority of the Orion vehicle engineering work at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, and complete final assembly of the vehicle at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. All 10 NASA centers will provide technical and engineering support to the Orion project. The contract is structured into separate schedules for DDT&E with options for production of additional spacecraft and sustaining engineering. During DDT&E, NASA will use an end-item cost-plus-award-fee incentive contract. This makes the award fee subject to final determination after the contractor has demonstrated that it meets the technical, cost, and schedule requirements of the contract. DDT&E work is estimated to occur from Sept. 8, 2006, through Sept. 7, 2013. The estimated value is $3.9 billion.
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500th EC135 delivered
Beststeller von Eurocopter erreicht neuen Meilenstein
On 29 August, the 500th EC135 helicopter built at Eurocopter's German production facility in Donauwörth was delivered to the Austrian Motorist and Touring Club (ÖAMTC). General Manager of Eurocopter's German sites, Dr. Wolfgang Schoder, handed over the aircraft to Mr. Kurt Noé-Nordberg, CEO of ÖAMTC Air Ambulance Services. This is the 25th EC135 for ÖAMTC, one of the largest private operators of this helicopter type in the world. The concurrence of two “round” numbers – EC135 serial number 500 is ÖAMTC's 25th – is a lucky coindicence after decades of close cooperation between the two companies. Back in 1983, ÖAMTC acquired its first Eurocopter EMS helicopter, an AS350 at that time and named “Christophorus 1”. Soon after, ÖAMTC was serving six rescue bases with its helicopters. As part of its fleet modernization which commenced in 1997, ÖAMTC successively introduced the EC135 for all its bases and bought an initial batch of seven. In September 2000, the Austrian government decided to privatize helicopter EMS entirely. The ÖAMTC took over the bases which had been previously operated by the government with the most modern rescue helicopter in the market, the EC135. Over the years, an additional 18 aircraft were purchased of which the last and latest was handed over last week. Thanks to comprehensive optimization, the EC135 now offers even more advantages. Take-off weight was increased to 2,910 kilogrammes. At the same time, net weight was reduced to 1,445 kilogrammes, improving the ratio to 50 %. The payload was increased by about 80 kilogrammes, enabling the operator to either carry one more passenger or to stay airborne 30 more minutes, i.e. travel about 100 kilometres further. If equipped for IFR, the payload increase even amounts up to 90 kilos.
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EU project on more open electrical Technologies (MOET)
Neues EU-Forschungsprogramm gestartet
The project on More Open Electrical Technologies (MOET) was launched successfully. TTTech is a participant in this joint development project formed by 61 companies in the EU's Framework Programme 6. MOET stands for More Open Electrical Technologies and aims to establish a new industrial standard for electrical system design in commercial aircraft. This will strengthen the competitiveness of the EU's aerospace industry. One of MOET's important design objectives is to improve operational aircraft capacity. Its Power-by-Wire (PbW) concept will enhance aircraft design and electrical power flexibility.
The main result of the three-year project will be the validation of scalable electrical networks up to 1MW for future air, actuation and electrical systems, considering new voltage levels and advanced concepts. To achieve its goals, MOET will need to develop new design principles, technologies and standards. The entire project will run under the overall management of Airbus France. TTTech's contributions will be in work package 6 (WP6), which emphasizes the core avionics interfaces between electrical sources and users, as well as advanced electrical distribution. The work package is led by Intertechnique, a leading expert in on-board electronics and electrical power management in aircraft systems. This working group, which includes EADS, Airbus, Smiths Aerospace and TTTech, will build up the common core definition of electrical power distribution systems, focusing on the field bus interface development. TTTech's know-how in time-triggered data communication is especially valuable in this work package, since the field bus technology will be based on a time-triggered network solution. TTTech will develop a software package for aircraft obsolescence management that will enable effortless upgrades as well as the “plug and play” exchange of hardware modules in more electric aircraft. Another software package to be developed by TTTech for the MOET project will enhance data and application download during aircraft operation.
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Embraer sells 50 ERJ 145 and 50 Embraer 190 jets to HNA Group
Verkaufserfolg in China
Embraer announced the sale of 50 ERJ 145s and 50 EMBRAER 190s to HNA Group, the fourth largest airline company in China. The deal marks the first contract involving an E-Jet in mainland China. The total value of the firm aircraft at list price is US$ 2.7 billion. Deliveries will commence in September 2007 for the ERJ 145s. The 50-seat ERJ 145s will be produced by the joint venture Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry (HEAI), in the city of Harbin, in Heilongjiang Province. For the EMBRAER 190, deliveries are planned to start in December 2007. The 106-seat EMBRAER 190, to be configured for single class service, will be manufactured at the plant of Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. The introduction of the ERJ 145 and the EMBRAER 190 will help improve the current domestic route network by deploying such a mixed fleet on thin routes or to open new market. This will benefit the economic development of small/medium cities in the West and Northeast regions.
As of June 30, 2006, Embraer had delivered 163 E-Jets to customers in Canada, the United States, Ecuador, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Finland, Poland, Italy, Germany, India and Hong Kong. Also, Embraer delivered 858 ERJ 145 commercial aircraft worldwide.
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EADS initiative in India
Europäischer Konzern sucht Zusammenarbeit in Boommarkt
EADS is committed to supporting India in the development of both its aerospace infrastructure and its industrial capabilities in aviation, space and defence technology. This was announced by EADS CEO Tom Enders during meetings in New Delhi with Indian top officials. Enders is a member of a German delegation headed by Minister for Economic Affairs, Michael Glos. “India is rapidly developing into a major player in the aerospace industry and several Indian companies have been contributing for over 40 years to the global success of EADS,” said Enders. “India is a priority country for EADS as it offers market potential and solid aerospace and defence competencies. We will facilitate the creation in India of training Centres for pilots and mechanics, maintenance and spare part distribution centres.”
EADS India Private Limited, a 100% owned subsidiary of EADS, was registered earlier this year and will lead the development of the Group in India.
A significant step will be the opening of the EADS Technology Centre India. This campus-style institution will bring both the EADS subsidiaries and the Indian partners under the same roof, performing engineering and information technology services. The decision on the location will be made soon. Operations are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2007 and the entire campus will be inaugurated in early 2008. Central to the EADS campus will be a state-of-the-art engineering unit called the Engineering Centre Airbus India. It will be a 100% owned subsidiary of Airbus and will represent the biggest on-site unit owned by an EADS Division. The Airbus Engineering Centre will focus on high-end engineering analysis and design and will eventually work closely with several Indian aeronautic suppliers. The Airbus Engineering Centre is expected to enter into operation during the first half of 2007 from a temporary site, with a recruitment programme starting as early as September 2006.
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MTU delivers PW6000 engine
PW6000 wird in Hannover montiert
MTU Aero Engines keeps updating the PW6000 success story: on Tuesday, August 29, at MTU Maintenance Hannover in Germany's Langenhagen, the first PW6000 production engine was handed over to customer Pratt & Whitney in the presence of Lower Saxony's economics minister Walter Hirche. Witnessing the ceremony also were representatives of European aircraft maker Airbus. Bernd Kessler, who in his capacity of MTU Aero Engines President and CEO for Commercial Maintenance is responsible for MTU Maintenance Hannover, noted: "This is a historic moment for our company. It is the first time in the company's annals that MTU has responsibility for final assembly under a commercial engine program." Final assembly is performed exclusively at MTU's affiliate in Langenhagen. Kessler wanted it known that siting the assembly line in Langenhagen was not alone desirable for its immediate vicinity of the Airbus A318 assembly line in Hamburg: "Rather, it comes also as a strong vote of confidence and token of appreciation on the part of Pratt & Whitney, considering that final assembly normally is the domain of the prime manufacturers, which in our case would be Pratt & Whitney."
Totally, MTU Aero Engines has a 33 percent stake in the PW6000, contributing the low-pressure turbine and high-pressure compressor and performing final engine assembly. The compressor delivers outstanding efficiency and is the best in its class worldwide. It enabled the German engine manufacturer to launch into the select tough-to-crack commercial market of compressors, essentially the hearts of the engines. MTU boasts decades of compressor expertise in the military arena.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
The US National Transportation Safety Board today issued five recommendations to the FAA stemming from an ongoing investigation of an uncontained engine failure on an airliner in Los Angeles. Two of the recommendations are classified "Urgent" by the Safety Board. The incident occurred on June 2, 2006, when the high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 disk in the left engine, a General Electric CF6-80A, on an American Airlines B-767, failed during a maintenance ground run at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Debris from the failed engine punctured the airplane's left and right wing fuel tanks; leaking fuel ignited and damaged the wing and fuselage. Pieces of the ruptured disk also penetrated the fuselage and the right engine, and another, found about 2,500 feet from the airplane against an airport perimeter fence, had crossed two active runways and taxiways. The three maintenance personnel working on board as well as another on the ground were not injured. "We were fortunate that there were no fatalities or injuries in this serious incident," said NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "We need to take every precaution and move rapidly to avoid something similar happening again." Post-incident metallurgical examination revealed that the disk rupture was the result of a rim-to-bore radial fracture that originated at a small dent found at the bottom of a blade slot. The examination also revealed two other similar cracks on the disk. The disk had accumulated 9,186 cycles in service (48,429 hours), with 5,814 cycles remaining for the disk's life limit of 15,000 cycles. The Board is aware that, as a result of the LAX incident, the FAA has issued an airworthiness directive with a schedule for maintenance -- removal, inspection, and reworking -- of CF6-80 series HPT stage 1 disks beginning at 6,900 cycles. The Safety Board, however, is proposing on an urgent basis that the FAA require that the disks be immediately removed for maintenance if they have been in service for more than 3,000 cycles since new or since the last inspection. This significantly more stringent standard would not permit disks to remain in service without inspection beyond the earliest known number of cycles at which cracks have been detected or failure has occurred.
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Goodrich announced that it has been selected by AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, to supply the Rotorblade Ice Protection System (RIPS) for the AW139 medium, twin-engine helicopter. The system assists in keeping the aircraft's main and tail rotorblades ice-free during extreme operating conditions by using Goodrich's DuraTherm(TM) electro-thermal deicing mat technology. "The DuraTherm mat technology is one more example of Goodrich innovation," said Don Reynolds, Vice President, Goodrich Sensors and Integrated Systems. "It increases overall system reliability and improves flight crew safety by tolerating damage while continuing to operate," Reynolds added. The Goodrich Rotorblade Ice Protection System is used to safely shed accreted ice and assist in maintaining ice-free conditions for both the helicopter's main and tail rotorblades. The DuraTherm electro-thermal ice protection technology uses heater mats that: consume less power; have higher fatigue strength; can tolerate considerable damage -- including punctures; and continue to provide ice protection. The heater controllers and power distributors monitor heater mat power consumption and operation, distribute power throughout the system's components, and provide flight crews with visual operational status.
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NASA and the U.S. Forest Service are testing space agency-developed technologies to improve wildfire imaging and mapping capabilities. From Aug. 29 to Sept. 19, NASA will perform flight tests of its unmanned, remotely piloted aircraft. These tests will demonstrate the mobility, imaging and real-time communications capabilities of NASA's unmanned aerial systems. Results of the tests will also be used to validate data from NASA's Aqua satellite. "These tests will be a ground-breaking effort to expand the use of unmanned aerial systems in providing real-time images in an actual disaster event," said Vincent Ambrosia, principal investigator of the Western States Unmanned Aerial System Fire Mission at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. "This is a prime example of NASA science and technology being used to solve real-world problems." An Altair unmanned aerial system is scheduled to fly a series of four or five missions over the Western United States. The system is built and operated by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., San Diego. The Altair will collect detailed thermal-infrared imagery of wildfires. These tests will demonstrate the ability of unmanned aerial systems to continuously collect data for 20 to 24 hours.
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easyJet announced a significant expansion of its services in Spain and the launch of a new base at Madrid's Barajas airport. Madrid will be the airline's 17th base and the first in Spain. The Madrid base will commence operations on 16 February 2007 with several brand new routes from Spain's largest airport. The details of the new routes and the size of the operation will be announced in September. easyJet began operating from Barajas in 1998 and has since grown significantly every year. It is now the fourth largest airline and the largest low-fares airline to operate from the Spanish capital. Last year alone easyJet carried 900.000 passengers to and from Madrid – twice as many as in 2004. Andy Harrison, easyJet Chief Executive, said: "easyJet continues to grow across its network and in particular in continental Europe. We believe that Spain has excellent opportunities for growth, as air travel is still dominated by inefficient traditional airlines that do not act in the interest of the consumer. Spain has been a key market for easyJet for the past ten years and the new base will take our commitment to a completely new level. While Madrid is one of Europe's largest and most important capital cities, it is still underserved by low-fares airlines. easyJet's new base will make Madrid much more accessible for international visitors and will offer Spanish consumers low cost with care and convenience.” easyJet currently serves nine international routes from Madrid, including London, Bristol and Liverpool, and offers a total of 72 routes to 11 Spanish airports. With 7.5m passengers in 2005, easyJet is the largest low-fares airline in Spain and carriers more international visitors to the country than any other airline apart from the flag carrier Iberia. Spain is easyJet's second largest market, behind the UK
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The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition by Saab AB of Ericsson Microwave Systems AB. Both companies are Swedish. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. Saab AB, a Swedish company jointly controlled by the UK-based high-tech company BAE Systems Plc. and the Swedish industrial holding company Investor AB, is active in the fields of defence technology, aviation, space and civil security. Ericsson Microwave Systems AB is active in the market for defence electronics and avionics. The company in particular provides ground-based, naval and airborne radar systems. The Commission's examination of the proposed transaction showed that it would not lead to any horizontal overlaps among the parties' activities. Given Saab's and BAE Systems' established presence in defence products with integrated radar systems (e.g. combat aircraft and surface-to-air missile systems), the Commission also examined the impact of the proposed transaction on vertically related markets and concluded that it would not risk impeding effective competition on any of those markets.
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Aviation major Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and EADS inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further develop long-term cooperation and define joint strategies on different market segments. The MoU was signed on Friday, September 1, 2006, by HAL Chairman Mr Ashok K. Baweja and EADS CEO Tom Enders. With this MoU, the two groups will expand their cooperation into new market segments. A joint analysis of mid-term and long-term strategies on the key segments of aerospace business will be conducted in the coming months to determine how both groups could team up and benefit from each other's expertise to develop their activities.
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Boeing named Nagpur city, located in the State of Maharashtra in central India, as the location for its planned regional maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility. "We believe that Nagpur will be an excellent location for the Boeing MRO facility because of the tremendous investment being made in the area by both government and private companies," said Dinesh Keskar, vice president of Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Boeing is committed to helping strengthen India's air transport infrastructure by investing up to $100 million in this MRO facility." Boeing agreed to establish an MRO facility and provide training as part of a 68-airplane order placed by Air India in December 2005. It is the largest commercial airplane order in India's civil aviation history, and it includes a combination of 777s, 787s and 737s that the operator will use for renewal and expansion of its all-Boeing fleet. Boeing is working with various stakeholders in India to determine appropriate key partners for the MRO service. The Nagpur facility will provide a convenient, centralized location for India-based airlines to schedule routine maintenance and overhaul work, and to have repairs completed.
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Insitu, a pioneer developer of long-range, unmanned, autonomous aircraft, today announced that it has completed several important component upgrades to the ScanEagle unmanned aerial system (UAS) developed in partnership with The Boeing Company. These next-generation releases include the platform's camera turret, enhanced infrared camera, and Mode C transponder. ScanEagle was introduced in 2003 by Insitu and Boeing as an economical UAS that could provide a significant increase in UAS endurance while also incorporating autonomous flight capabilities. It is already a significant contributor to Operation Iraqi Freedom and is also a known shipboard contributor for various sea- and land-based missions. The new product upgrades will only add to ScanEagle's already stellar performance, explained Dr. Steven M. Sliwa, President and CEO of Insitu. "This is all about our focus on anticipating the customer's changing mission and changing needs and delivering continual improvements to the platform's technology and capabilities," Sliwa said. "We are working to perfect the performance of this UAS so that it can be a true enabler of network-centric warfare. Improvements like we're seeing in this next generation of components are allowing us to succeed at attaining that goal."
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Lockheed Martin has successfully completed an extensive test phase of the first Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous orbit (GEO) satellite. SBIRS will provide the nation with significantly improved missile warning capabilities and support other critical mission areas simultaneously including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace characterization. The test of the GEO-1 spacecraft, known as Spacecraft Functional Testing (SCFT), was conducted at Lockheed Martin's Space Systems facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif., from April 12 to Aug 16, 2006 and verified the functional requirements of the GEO spacecraft to ensure it is assembled to specification. The spacecraft was tested at ambient conditions to verify correct operation of the electrical power, command and data handling, thermal management, guidance navigation and control, communication and propulsion subsystems.
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Eutelsat Communications, one of the world's leading satellite operators, and Alcatel announced that Eutelsat has retained Alcatel Alenia Space, the European leader in satellite systems, for the design, manufacturing, assembling, tests and on-ground delivery of the W2A satellite. Due to be launched in first quarter 2009, the main mission of this powerful new satellite will be to extend Ku-band capacity for video, broadband and telecommunications services in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and boost the C-band capacity available through Eutelsat's fleet for services across Africa. Eutelsat has also asked Alcatel to proceed with head start activities for a state-of-the-art S-band payload at 2.2 GHz on W2A. A final decision on flying the S-band payload will be taken by Eutelsat in October following completion of a full assessment of market demand, the regulatory framework and financing. Based on the Alcatel Alenia Space Spacebus 4000C4 platform, W2A's baseline mission comprises up to 46 transponders in Ku-band and a C-band payload of 10 transponders. The Ku-band payload will provide up to 37 transponders connected to a fixed Widebeam serving Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, which will enable Eutelsat to provide capacity for business networks and broadcasting services and additional capacity for expansion of services. Additionally, up to 12 Ku-band transponders will be connected to a second fixed beam serving southern Africa and Indian Ocean islands. The C-band mission of 10 transponders will provide pan-African coverage for broadband and telecommunications services.
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Cessna will introduce the CJ4, the newest member of the CJ family of Citation business jets, at the annual National Business Aviation Association convention in October. “The market success of the CJ1+, CJ2+ and CJ3 proves that Cessna's basic philosophy for the family is right on target,” said Roger Whyte, senior vice president of Sales/Marketing for Cessna. “While the CJ4 shares many of the features of the smaller CJs such as the Collins ProLine 21 avionics suite, we've made some cabin and airframe changes, such as a new wing, to optimize its performance for this market segment.” The main cabin features seating for seven to eight passengers, depending on layout, a large forward door, private lavatory, and large baggage compartment. Powered by two, electronically controlled (FADEC) Williams FJ44-4A engines, the CJ4 will be certified for operations up to 45,000 feet (13,700 meters). First flight of the CJ4 is scheduled for the first half of 2008 and entry into service is set for 2010.
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US Airways added seven new Airbus A321s to an existing order for 30 Airbus A320 family aircraft. The amendment also converts existing orders for one A320 aircraft and seven A319 aircraft to an order for eight A321 aircraft. Deliveries of the 15 A321 aircraft will begin in July 2008 and run through 2010. Deliveries under the prior order were not scheduled to begin until 2009. The A321 aircraft will be configured to accommodate 183 passengers in two classes of service (16 first class, 167 main cabin). US Airways has certain conversion flexibility within the A320 family on the remaining 22 aircraft. "This transaction provides important fleet flexibility to US Airways," said Chairman, President and CEO Doug Parker. "The expanded and accelerated order positions will either allow US Airways to replace less efficient aircraft more quickly or allow for modest expansion should market conditions warrant."
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EADS has delivered the first prototype of the Mission Planning Ground Station (MPGS) for the new NH90 helicopters to the Finnish Air Force (FiAF). This newly developed planning system combines for the first time operational command and control with technical logistic support of a weapon system. In addition to the national version deployed by the German Armed Forces, it is now also used by the first export customer. The Operations Support System developed by EADS Defence Electronics is an integral part of network-centric operations. The system guarantees more safety for both man and machine thanks to real-time data communication via a data link. In network-centric operations, the system makes it possible to link up with command, control and information systems offering the pilots additional valuable, up-to-date information such as weather information, navigation maps and aeronautical information. Moreover, the Operations Support System allows connecting the helicopter with the operations centre via voice radio and data links. The local Finnish company Patria is responsible for integrating the Finnish mission planning station and coordinating the interfaces to the existing Finnish command, control and logistics systems.
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Cessna delivered the 100 th Citation CJ3 to Jeffrey Mark, chief executive officer, principal owner and co-founder of Mark-Taylor Residential Inc., an Arizona-based real estate development corporation. A pilot for 16 years, Mark learned how to fly in a Cessna 172 Skyhawk. Mark has owned a Cessna CitationJet, a Citation CJ2 and Citation CJ3.
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Rockwell Collins and Edgewater Computer Systems have successfully demonstrated Edgewater's Mil-Std 1553B Notice 5 compliant networking technology referred to by Edgewater as Extended 1553 (E1553) in a Rockwell Collins simulated operational environment. E1553 was proven by Rockwell Collins to provide significantly higher throughput over legacy 1553 bus transfers with no degradation of legacy 1553 application data and messages. "The E1553 technology enables cost-effective, incremental upgrades of aging aircraft, provides substantially improved performance, and enables Network Centric Operation (NCO) capabilities required to support today's warfighter," said Woody Hogle, vice president and general manager, Integrated Systems for Rockwell Collins. In March 2006, the United States Air Force announced an updated military standard for data bus networking in avionics. Known as Mil-Std 1553B Notice 5, the standard was developed by Edgewater in support of the U.S. Government. Mil-Std 1553B Notice 5 increases the data throughput on the 1553 bus 200 times over legacy 1553B without the need for rewiring or changing the existing infrastructure of the platform. This delivers a cost-effective approach to incremental aircraft network upgrades while eliminating the proliferation of multiple, disconnected networking interfaces. Furthermore, changes to existing operational flight programs (OFPs) are minimized, substantially reducing costly software development and verification cycles associated with the addition of new networks within the platform.
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Cathay Pacific Airways celebrated the 100th aircraft to join its fleet by taking delivery of an Airbus A330-300 at a ceremony at the manufacturer's base in Toulouse, France. The aircraft was presented in special livery to mark the achievement and named “Progress Hong Kong”. A further five A330-300s are scheduled to join the Cathay Pacific fleet in 2007 and 2008. Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific already operates one of the largest Airbus fleets in the Asia - Pacific region, with 26 A330-300s, 15 A340-300s and three A340-600s currently in service. The A330-300 fleet operate on medium range regional routes, as well as longer sectors to Australia. The A340-300s and A340-600s operate ultra long-haul non-stop routes between Hong Kong, Europe and North America. The A340-600s have been operating daily non-stop services between Hong Kong and New York since July 2004.
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EADS Military Air Systems France has awarded Grob Aerospace and Sogitec Industries contracts to supply training aircraft and ground-based training devices for the French Air Force Flight Training School in Cognac. Thus the French Air Force which currently trains its pilots with TB 30 Epsilon aircraft will operate 24 upgraded TB 30 Epsilon combined with additional 18 Grob 120A aircraft for the training of its pilots in the future. The industrial cooperation is based on a contract with the French Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded to EADS Military Air Systems and EADS Socata on 19 April 2006 for the management and support of "ab initio" pilot training for the French Air Force. The multi-services Cognac contract between the French MoD and EADS covers a timeframe of five years with the option for a ten year extension. It includes the procurement of new aircraft, line and base aircraft maintenance as well as ground-based training devices including flight simulators, and integrated logistics support with supply-chain management plus infrastructure handling. Grob Aerospace will supply 18 Grob 120A aircraft and initial support, with options for additional aircraft. The Grob 120A is designed with a twin-seat, side-by-side cockpit, and with a retractable undercarriage. It is certified for aerobatics and for flying under Instrument-Flight Rules (IFR) and is powered by a 260 horsepower Lycoming piston engine. With these features, the aircraft is particularily suited for the “ab initio” training of future military pilots. Sogitec will provide three FNPT II (Flight and Navigation Procedure Trainer 2nd Generation) patented training devices, adapted to the the Grob 120A specifications, and relevant support. The FNPT II ground-based training systems will help the French Air Force Flight Training School to carry out most of the pilots' IFR ground training, in compliance with European legal standards. They will be equipped with a high-definition visual system allowing the student pilots to be introduced to visual flying techniques at low altitude.
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Taiwan's plan to procure 66 F-16 C and D fighter jets from the United States is moving right on schedule despite a rumor speculating that U.S. officials have already turned down Taiwan's request to purchase the fighter planes, said the Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday at a press conference held to present its annual national defense report. According to Defense News, a U.S. publication, the Bush administration is still mulling whether to accept Taiwan's procurement request. However, MND Minister Lee Jye said the U.S. has not rejected any proposals from Taiwan and he was able to solidify the deal during a meeting with U.S. officials on Monday. Lee expressed that he has called on Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng for support to expedite the approval of the arms procurement package which has been stalled for three years.
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Poland will join the NATO airborne warning and control system (AWACS) programme later this year. In anticipation of this, a NATO E-3A AWACS aircraft visited Podwidz air base in Poland on 17-18 August. The visit was attended by Polish Defence Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Chief of the Polish Army General Staff Gen. Franciszek Gagor, Deputy Commander of the Air Force Lieut. Gen. Lech Majewski, the local provincial Governor Tadeusz Dziuba and other representatives of the local authorities. The aircraft conducted two flights during its visit to Podwidz. On the first day, the Polish Defence Minister and the top military brass were on board. On the second day, Polish general officers from all services were aboard. Poland will be the 16th nation to join the NATO AWACS programme. It will participate in funding the programme and will contribute personnel to the NATO AWACS Programme Management Agency, the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force Command and the NATO E-3A Component.
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Spanair increases its presence in the German market by introducing a new route between Madrid and Stuttgart The Company will increase its international network with this new destination, aimed mainly at Business travellers, and will consolidate itself in Germany with a wider range of direct flights Madrid, September the 1st, 2006. - From 29th October, Spanair will connect the cities of Madrid and Stuttgart, offering a daily return flight everyday of the week. Flight schedules will be specifically adapted to the needs of the business traveller. This new flight path will allow the company to move forward in its expansion plan and increase and broaden its network of scheduled flights between Spain and Germany. The step will also give way to many opportunities for connections from Madrid with the company's extensive domestic network, as well as with the cities of Lisbon and Rome, which are operated as codeshare flights with TAP and THAI respectively.
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A commitment to Lufthansa's Munich hub: from 1st September to 3rd October one Lufthansa cabin crew will present itself completely dressed in Bavarian traditional costumes. Instead of the customary blue uniforms, on their flights to Asia and North America, the female flight attendants will wear the traditional “Blaudruck Dirndl”, male flight attendants the traditional costume. The premiere will be this Friday on the Lufthansa flight Munich – New York. In the course of the month the crew in their Bavarian costumes will also serve passengers on the connections to and from Washington, Shanghai and Tokyo. “Lufthansa is thus not only setting the mood for the fifth Bavarian season, the 'Oktoberfest'. We also want to demonstrate that we feel at home at our southern hub and in Bavaria“, said Karl Ulrich Garnadt, Group Representative and Head of Hub Management Munich.
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Lithuania became EUROCONTROL's 37 Member State. Lithuania has been a member of the international aviation community since 1992 when it joined the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and it was one the first former Soviet Republics to become a member of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC) in the same year. Since then, Lithuania has benefited from the technical assistance and support provided by EUROCONTROL in the field of air traffic management (ATM).
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) will continue to be the most dynamic growth sector of the world aerospace industry. A forthcoming Teal Group market study, previewed today during this week's AUVSI Unmanned Systems North America 2006, estimates that UAV spending will more than triple over the next decade from current worldwide UAV expenditures of $2.7 billion annually to $8.3 billion within a decade, totaling close to $55 billion in the next ten years. "The most significant catalyst to this market has been the enormous growth of interest in UAVs by the US military, tied to the general trend toward information warfare and net-centric systems," said Teal senior analyst Steve Zaloga, one of the authors of the new study. "UAVs are a key element in the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) portion of this revolution, and they are expanding into other missions as well with the advent of hunter-killer UAVs." The study suggests that the US will account for 77% of the worldwide RDT&E spending on UAV technology over the next decade, and about 64% of the procurement. These US expenditures represent higher shares of the aerospace market than for worldwide defense spending in general, with the US accounting for about 67% of total worldwide defense RDT&E spending and 37% of procurement spending, according to forecasts in International Defense Briefing, another Teal Group competitive intelligence service.
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