+++ EU agrees Galileo satellite project +++ China to get 5 per cent of A350XWB +++ AgustaWestland completes BERP IV flight testing +++ Cessna 162 SkyCatcher wird in China gebaut +++ IATA: Aviation Industry needs to tackle looming pilot shortage +++ Cessna highest bidder for bankcrupt Columbia +++ News in brief +++
EU agrees Galileo satellite project
Einigung über europäisches GPS-Satellitensystem
After six-hour long negotiations on the night of November 29/30, the European Union has agreed how the Galileo satellite project, worth EUR3.4 billion, will be shared out among member states. However, the deal failed to win Spain's blessing. "For some reasons, which I find impossible to grasp, Spain did not go along with a general agreement", EU transport commissioner Jacques Barrot said on Thursday night (29 November), after 26 ministers had outvoted their Spanish colleague. Madrid had demanded to host a ground control centre for Galileo.
According to the newly-adopted industrial plan, the construction of Galileo will be divided into six phases, with each of them having one main investor and several subcontractors - a model which should ensure all member states will be able to bid. This was "very difficult" to agree, commissioner Barrot said, referring to the need to "reconcile necessary measures of competition and the desire for fair allocation of the construction work of Galileo". In addition, he pointed out that once up and running, Galileo will "ensure the economic and strategic independence" of the EU, as "special navigation is an indication of power" on the world stage.
The AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe welcomes the agreement by European Transport Ministers to support Galileo, the European Union's satellite navigation system, allowing the project to now move ahead by approving an industrial tendering plan on the Satellite system among EU member states. Twenty-six out of twenty-seven European Transport Ministers voted in favour of the tendering plan, proposed by the European Commission.
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China to get 5 per cent of A350XWB
A350 mit chinesischer Beteiligung
On 26 November, Airbus signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to formalise the commitment of allocating five per cent of the A350XWB airframe to the Chinese aviation industry. The MOU was signed by Chen Deming, Vice Minister of NDRC, and Fabrice Bregier, Chief Operating Officer of Airbus, at the Great Hall of the People in the presence of Chinese President Hu Jintao and visiting French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
According to the MOU on Strengthening Industrial Cooperation through A350XWB, NDRC and Airbus will carry out high-level industrial cooperation on A350XWB development and manufacturing work, in order to enhance a closer strategic cooperation relationship between Airbus and the Chinese aviation industry. Airbus confirms its intent to manufacture five per cent of the airframe of the A350XWB aircraft in China. Airbus will actively involve Chinese enterprises in the A350XWB project to develop the current cooperation and prepare for further possible cooperation for future programmes. The co-development of A350XWB Work Packages is the key condition to guarantee the success of such cooperation. On the same day, Airbus also signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) to develop a new cooperation model to support the A350XWB industrialization. The manufacturing centre is expected to be established in the first quarter of 2009. The production scale of the manufacturing centre shall correspond to the work packages for the A350XWB allocated to the manufacturing centre and may be enlarged based on the future Business Plan.
On the same day, China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group Corporation (CASGC) signed an agreement with Airbus for 150 aircraft including 110 A320s and 40 A330s. China Southern Airlines signed a contract with Airbus for 10 A330-200s.
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AgustaWestland completes BERP IV flight testing
Flugerprobung mit neuen Rotorblättern abgeschlossen
AgustaWestland has successfully completed the qualification flight testing of the new generation BERP IV AW101 main rotor blades. The new technology blades will enter operational service in early 2008 on the UK's Royal Air Force fleet of AW101 Merlin Mk.3A helicopters. The BERP IV program commenced in 2000 with a technology selection and integration phase leading to the design and manufacturing phase in 2002. The blades first flew in September 2006 and have now completed a 13 month flight test programme during which the AW101 was flown at speeds up to 198 knots and at altitudes of 13,000 ft. Aircraft fitted with BERP IV blades have also been flown at weights up to 16,500 kg - 1,900 kg over the normal Merlin gross weight and 900 kg over the current AW101 maximum gross weight.
The BERP IV main rotor blades have now been productionised and manufactured by AgustaWestland within six months of a contract award by the MoD to support an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) for increased hot and high lift capability on the AW101 Merlin Mk 3A helicopters. The blades can also be directly retrofitted to other AW101 variants as a direct replacement for the existing blades.
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Cessna 162 SkyCatcher wird in China gebaut
Neues Leichflugzeug mit Billigfertigung in China
Cessna will partner with Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) to manufacture the new Model 162 SkyCatcher light sport aircraft (LSA). SAC is a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I), which is a government-owned consortium of aircraft manufacturers. The company made the announcement during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. "The LSA market demands the latest avionics, safety and reliability, light-weight equipment and a competitive price tag," said Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton. "Our solution is to partner with SAC, a company with excellent facilities, state-of-the-art technologies and a workforce highly experienced in aircraft manufacturing. SkyCatcher customers will get an advanced design, high-quality workmanship and world-class product support, all at an affordable price from Cessna, a brand known and trusted worldwide."
Cessna will design the aircraft and handle American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) compliance work, as well as provide on-site personnel to oversee manufacturing, quality assurance and technical design. SAC will be responsible for assembling the SkyCatcher.
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IATA: Aviation Industry needs to tackle looming pilot shortage
Pilotenmangel kann zum Problem werden
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned the world's airlines of a severe pilot shortage unless industry and government work together to change training and qualification practices. IATA issued a new estimate that the industry may need 17,000 new pilots annually due to expected industry growth and retirements. "Increasing the retirement age to 65 will help but it can't be the only solution. It's time to ring the warning bell. We must re-think pilot training and qualification to further improve safety and increase training capacity,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA Director General and CEO. He told the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) International Safety Forum, "the industry is concerned that there are no global standards for training concepts or regulation. Pilot training has not changed in 60 years - we are still ticking boxes with an emphasis on flight hours.”
IATA supports the competency-based approach of multi-crew pilot licensing (MPL) training programmes. Unlike traditional pilot training, MPL focuses from the beginning on training for multi-pilot cockpit working conditions. It also makes better use of simulator technology. Europe was among the first regions to adopt MPL and Australia and China are moving ahead with implementation.
IATA launched the IATA Training and Qualification Initiative (ITQI) to support a global approach to MPL implementation. “Our goal is to increase the pool of candidates and training capacity while improving standards,” said Bisignani. As part of ITQI, IATA will host a database to track the progress of MPL cadets and allow the industry to make training adjustments, if necessary. IATA also called for greater cooperation with governments. In China, IATA is working with the government to develop the syllabus and incorporate MPL into national regulation.
Bisignani also called on government leaders at the Safety Forum to incorporate the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) into their own regulations. Most recently, Mexico, Costa Rica and Turkey have committed to make use of IOSA. “The list is growing too slowly,” Bisignani said. “There is no cost to government and the results are clear.”
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Cessna highest bidder for bankcrupt Columbia
Cessna kauft Columbia Aircraft
In a move to further broaden its single engine product portfolio, Cessna Aircraft Company announced it was the successful bidder for select assets of Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Company, a Bend, Oregon-based producer of high-performance, single-engine aircraft. The bid of $26.4 million was the high bid in United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon. “This is a significant day as it brings together two top aircraft design and production companies to offer the global general aviation community the widest range of propeller aircraft, along with world-class product support, all under the Cessna brand – one of the most trusted names in aviation,” said Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack. J. Pelton. “I would like to thank the 400-plus Columbia employees for their continued hard work and dedication during the bankruptcy process. We look forward to welcoming them to the Cessna family.” Cessna is the world's largest general aviation manufacturer in terms of annual unit sales, producing single-engine piston aircraft, turboprops and the world's best-selling line of business jets, the Cessna Citation. Columbia has produced more than 600 aircraft in its 10-year history.
“The Columbia models are a good fit with our existing product line,” Pelton said. “We look forward to providing existing Columbia owners with improved levels of service and support and introducing new customers to these outstanding aircraft.” “We plan to make significant investments in Bend, in people and operations, to bolster customer satisfaction and business profitability. We will continue to improve quality, reliability and performance as we strive to deliver customer value and fulfill our commitments,” Pelton said. Once the transaction is completed, which is expected to occur by December 4, 2007, the Bend operation will take on the Cessna name and be one of six Cessna manufacturing facilities. Cessna intends to rename the current Columbia product line to become the Cessna 350 and the Cessna 400. Cessna and its network of authorized dealers and service centers plan to integrate sales and support of the former Columbia aircraft, and Cessna Parts Distribution is expected to become the source for parts. Cessna also intends to develop direct communications with current owners.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
The A318 and the A318 Elite fitted with CFM International CFM56 engines were approved for the Steep Approach landing capability by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on November 19th. In June 2007, approval was granted by the EASA for the A318 powered by Pratt and Whitney PW6000 engines. This certification opens up the Steep Approach capability to all Airbus A318 and A318 Elite operators at airports such as London City, where stringent approach requirements exist. During compatibility tests carried out at London City Airport in 2006, the A318 demonstrated that it is an excellent neighbour, ideally suited to downtown sites due to its low noise characteristics.
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Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have successfully demonstrated how an innovative application of a technology called active flow control enables -- for the first time -- munitions to be safely released from a weapons bay at high supersonic speeds. During a recent test at the High-Speed Test Track at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., researchers from Boeing Phantom Works and the Air Force Research Laboratory used a rocket sled and active flow control to successfully release a MK-82 Joint Direct Attack Munition Standard Test Vehicle at a speed of about Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound) from a weapons bay with a size approximating that of the U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber. "Active flow control technology will enable safe separation of weapons from weapons bays of future high speed aircraft," said Jim Grove, AFRL program manager for High Frequency Excitation Active Flow Control for Supersonic Weapon Release, or HIFEX. "This program also demonstrates that sled testing can provide a lower risk technology evaluation alternative to flight testing in this complex, high risk environment," Grove said. The active flow control configuration used in the HIFEX rocket sled test is a tandem array of microjets upstream of the weapons bay. Wind tunnel testing indicated that, without active flow control, the JDAM test vehicle would have returned to the bay.
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One of the world's most sophisticated aircrew training systems has received official certification by Australian accreditation authorities and recommended as suitable to begin training pilots and Battle Captains for the Australian Army's new fleet of hi-tech armed reconnaissance helicopters. The Tiger ARH (Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter) Full Flight & Mission Simulator (FFMS) has been granted FSD-1 Level 5 accreditation - equivalent to Europe's Level D - the first time a flight simulator with two coupled domes has attained what is the highest level of certification worldwide. This Full Flight Simulator simulates all aspects of the Tiger's operation and environment, and will be used to train pilots and other flight deck crew, as they are in the commercial aviation sector. The Tiger FFMS is part of the Australian Tiger acquisition program (Air 87). The Army has an order for 22 Tiger ARH helicopters which are being assembled at Australian Aerospace's assembly plant in Brisbane. Nine aircraft have already been delivered to the Army.
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CAE announced that its CAE Tropos-6000 visual system and 3.2 megapixel (MPixel) Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) projectors have obtained Level D certification on a CAE-built Airbus A320 full-flight simulator (FFS) for Air France. This Level D certification, the highest available for a FFS, is an industry first for this resolution of high-performance fixed-matrix LCoS projectors. The CAE-built A320 FFS, currently installed and now ready for training at Air France's training centre in Paris, was certified by the DGAC, France's civil aviation authority. The CAE Tropos-6000 visual system enables highly realistic immersive environment simulation, including sophisticated weather modelling, database content and flight training features. The SIM 7C LCoS projectors are supplied by Barco and specially optimized for CAE to improve cueing in flight simulator training. The SIM 7C projectors feature a resolution of 3.2 MPixel, which is over 50 percent higher than conventional high definition (HD) systems. CAE's next-generation visual solution features unprecedented image brightness, resolution and contrast, and includes special capabilities to minimize smearing, a common artifact with fixed-matrix projectors.
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Galileo Avionica has selected Rockwell Collins to provide its EPX-5000 image generator and Environment Creation Tool (ECT) database to upgrade the Italian Air Force's Tornado simulators. Designed for the most demanding training requirements, the EPX-5000 Image Generator balances commercial-off-the-shelf technology with Rockwell Collins' Pixel Engine-1 rendering hardware to deliver high-performance, high-fidelity visual training environments.
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TAP Portugal has signed a firm contract for 12 A350XWBs, plus three options, and a letter of intent for an additional eight A320 Family aircraft. The Lisbon based airline herewith converts its initial order for the A350, placed in December 2005, into the new A350XWB, and has, simultaneously, increased the number of aircraft ordered, from 10 to 12. At the same time TAP is taking delivery of its first directly owned A330-200.
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Alenia Aeronautica has signed a new four-year contract worth Euro48,5 millions for upgrading 15 Panavia Tornado multi-role aircraft, currently in service with Italian Air Force. The delivery of the first modified aircraft is planned by the end of 2009, with the completion of the whole order by the end of 2011. The retrofit works, to be implemented at Alenia Aeronautica's facilities in Turin-Caselle, envisage operational capabilities improvement and avionics updating based on the standard basic Full MLU Mid Life Upgrading configuration, which introduces, among other things, a new NVIS (Night Vision Imaging System) and new cockpit displays, for both pilot and the weapon systems operator, able to improve at best the flight parameters presentation, thus reducing the crew's work load. A contract for a first batch of upgraded Tornados had been signed in July 2002 and had envisaged retrofit activities on 18 aircraft, with the introduction of new communication and navigation systems and with the introduction of advanced defence systems. The works on this first batch have been concluded in the first months of 2007.
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Boeing and Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd (ST Aerospace) announced that ST Aerospace's subsidiary, ST Aviation Services Company (SASCO), has completed the door cutting for the first 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF). The aircraft was inducted on Oct. 18 this year from All Nippon Airways (ANA), Boeing's launch customer for this program. The prototype is expected for redelivery in June 2008, after completion of flight tests and certification by Boeing. A significant milestone in the passenger-to-freighter (PTF) programme, door cutting signifies the start of the major activity in a PTF. It indicates the readiness of the aircraft for the replacement of the floor structures, installation of the new door surround structures and the eventual installation of the main deck cargo door. Earlier in March this year, ST Aerospace, through SASCO, was selected by Boeing to perform PTF conversions under the 767-300 BCF programme. ST Aerospace is a part of Boeing's international network of modification facilities, and was selected as the conversion centre for 767-300 BCF based on its performance. Since 1992, ST Aerospace's facilities in Singapore and the US have been actively involved in performing PTF conversions for aircraft including the DC-10, MD-10 BCF, MD-11 BCF, 727 and 757-200 Special Freighter.
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CHC Global Operations has placed an order for an ELITE Evolution S623 Eurocopter Training Device to be installed at their Lagos, Nigeria location. The ELITE Evolution will feature a 3-channel visual system, Garmin GNS430 and the Bendix/King EFIS navigation system and will be used to train pilots flying on the African continent VFR and IFR training as well as offshore oil platform training. The trainer will be equipped with dual controls, full-size cockpit enclosure and professional instructor station, avionics stack with flight director system and fully-coupled autopilot system.
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NASA is evaluating a compact L-Band synthetic aperture radar for potential use on unmanned aircraft. The sensor detects and measures small changes in the Earth´s surface of geophysical interest, such as volcanoes, earthquake faults, landslides and glaciers. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif., are partnering in the development of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR). A modified NASA Gulfstream III aircraft carries the JPL-developed radar in a custom-built pod under the aircraft's fuselage during its development phase.
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The team of Rockwell Collins and Cubic Defense Applications, Inc., a defense unit of Cubic Corporation (Amex: CUB), announced that their new Mini-Common Data Link (CDL) system has been successfully flight tested on a AAI-Aerosonde Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) platform. This demonstration brings CDL capability to one of the smallest Naval Air Systems Command Tier 2 class platforms and follows successful flight tests on a King Air aircraft and Killer Bee UAS. During the testing, which was witnessed by a representative of the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC), the Mini-CDL demonstrated bi-directional communications with the USMC's new Team Portable - CDL (TP-CDL) terminal. The Mini-CDL prototype, which weighs less than 1.5 pounds, also demonstrated interoperability with the Department of Defense's existing CDL Rev. F compliant systems. Additional lab testing validated interoperability with the 10.71B waveform. "Our solution offers superior data link performance and flexibility for reduced cost, size and power consumption," said Bruce King, vice president and general manager of Communication Systems for Rockwell Collins.
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Rolls-Royce and Singapore Airlines have signed a TotalCare services agreement, extending to 2021, covering maintenance of the Trent 900 engines which power the carrier's new fleet of Airbus A380s. Singapore Airlines has selected the Trent for its initial ten A380s, the first of which entered service last month. Sir John Rose, Chief Executive of Rolls-Royce, said: "This agreement marks a further development in our valued relationship with Singapore Airlines. This type of comprehensive support, through tailored aftermarket services, enables us to fulfil a genuine partnership role in Singapore Airlines' operations."
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BAE Systems has completed in-country commissioning in Oman for a long-range, electro-optical reconnaissance system as part of the F-16 Oman Peace A'sama A'safiya program. The commissioning marks the first fielding and sale of BAE Systems' Airborne Reconnaissance System (ARS) camera. ARS can take pictures day or night at fighter-plane speeds and altitudes from 3,000 to 40,000 feet and at ranges up to 100 nautical miles. It has the largest focal length currently available for tactical reconnaissance missions. “The increased focal length allows military personnel to take clear pictures or collect reconnaissance data from a greater, and therefore safer, distance,” said Raymond Fricker, identification and surveillance program manager for BAE Systems in Greenlawn, New York. “This system can cover more area per minute than any other system available today.”
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The Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands signed a contract on November 28 for six Eurocopter EC135 P2i light twin-engine helicopters for the Dutch Police, KLPD (Korps landelijke politiediensten). The aircraft are to be delivered between mid-2009 and the end of 2009 and will replace the BO105s presently in service with KLPD. The new EC135 police helicopters for the Dutch police are equipped with two Pratt &Whitney Canada PW206B2 engines, delivering 609 kW of power each. It has a maximum take-off weight of 2,910 kg and seating capacity for 1 pilot +6/7 crew or 2 pilots +5/6 crew. With night-vision goggle compatible cockpits, the EC135 is capable of night-flight operations and is certified for single Pilot IFR flight. For the KLPD's specific missions, the helicopters will be fitted with FLIR (forward-looking infrared) camera, a video downlink system and a 20-inch operator screen with “picture in picture” system.
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Protonex Technology Corporation, a leading provider of advanced fuel cell power systems for portable, remote and mobile applications, announced that the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and development partner AeroVironment have documented a successful, record flight on a small, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) utilizing a highly advanced fuel cell system from Protonex. AeroVironment's “Puma” UAV system flew continuously for over seven hours and was powered by the latest generation of ProtonexÂ' ProCore TM UAV fuel cell system. The duration of this most recent demonstration flight represents a substantial increase in flight time for this class of small UAV. The standard Puma has a reported flight time of approximately 2 hours on rechargeable batteries, while other electric UAVs used by the military have flight times ranging from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. The 7+ hour duration of the Puma flight using Protonex fuel cell power far surpasses the longest previous Puma flight achieved by AeroVironment using any technology.
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After the successful launch of the interplanetary space probe DAWN on the 27 th of September 2007 from Cape Canaveral, the VIR-MS (Visibile InfraRed – Mapper Spectrometer) instrument was switched on for the first time. The VIR-MS was designed and entirely manufactured by Galileo Avionica, under commission of the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), the Italian Space Agency. VIR-MS (Visibile InfraRed – Mapper Spectrometer) is a key instrument of the mission: most of scientific the goals of DAWN – such as to acquire further information on the overall conditions of Solar System and on the planets at the beginning their evolution – will be reached thanks to this spectrometer operating in the visible and near infrared. VIR-MS is a simplified version of the VIRTIS instrument, also made by Galileo Avionica, and selected by ESA to fly as orbiter payload for the Rosetta mission and for the Venus Express Mission. VIR-MS will be carring out in DAWN a hyperspectral mapping and a spectroscopic analysis of the asteroids Vesta and Ceres that the probe should reach respectively in October 2011 and in August 2015.
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Pratt & Whitney has delivered the first F135 short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) propulsion system including the Rolls-Royce Lift System to Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas. The propulsion system will support airframe and engine interface evaluations for the first STOVL flight test aircraft, scheduled for its initial flight in May 2008. “The on-time delivery of the first STOVL propulsion system is a significant milestone for the F135 program and is attributed to the partnership between Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Hamilton Sundstrand, Lockheed Martin and the Joint Program Office,” said Bill Gostic, vice president, Pratt & Whitney F135 engine program. “The team is completely focused on meeting our commitments to our customers, including first STOVL flight in 2008 and first production aircraft delivery in 2009.”
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Hawaiian Airlines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus for six Airbus A350 XWB-800s and six A330-200s, selecting Airbus aircraft for the first time in their history. Hawaiian Airlines will begin receiving the new A330-200s starting in 2012 while A350 deliveries will begin in 2017. Both will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent engines. The aircraft will be deployed within the airline's Pacific network, which currently extends from Hawaii to nine cities in the Western United States and three cities in the South Pacific. The extended range and capacity of the aircraft allows for growth in the future.
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Boeing and Qatar Airways celebrated the arrival of the first Boeing airplane to join the airline's fleet. Qatar Airways' new flagship 777-300ER arrived after a nearly 15-hour direct flight from Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Qatar has ordered a total of 27 777s with options for five additional airplanes. Qatar also has ordered 30 787 Dreamliners and holds 30 options.
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A Boeing aircrew completed the first flight of the second KC-767 for Japan Nov. 18 following an extensive modification that transformed it from a commercial airplane to a military tanker. The new tanker lifted off from McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kan., adjacent to the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Wichita facility, and logged a two-hour and 41 minute flight before returning safely. It will be one of two KC-767s delivered to Japan in the first quarter of 2008.
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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) will establish MHI Aerospace Vietnam Co., Ltd. (MHIVA), a wholly-owned subsidiary to produce commercial aircraft components, in Hanoi, Vietnam, in January 2008. MHIVA is scheduled to commence assembly of metal component structures in the spring of 2009. Through establishment of MHIVA, MHI aims to shift part of its metal component assembly work overseas, where abundant human resources are available, and to focus its domestic facilities on high-value- added operations. MHI is the first manufacturer in the world to locate its aircraft-related production facility in Vietnam. With the support from Boeing Commercial Airplanes, plans call for MHIVA to commence with assembly of flaps for the Boeing 737, with the scope of operations to ratchet up thereafter. This is one of the initiatives MHI has been developing together with Boeing, aiming to establish an efficient supply chain to enhance its competitiveness in the global market place. MHIVA will be located at the Thang Long Industrial Park (TLIP), an industrial park jointly built by a Japanese and a Vietnamese company, situated approximately 16 kilometers northwest of central Hanoi. MHIVA will build a production plant with 4,000 square meters in floor area within the 19,000 m2 plant premises. In 2009 and 2010, MHIVA will assemble flaps for 2-8 airplanes every month, and for 10 airplanes starting in 2011. While parts for the flaps will be either supplied from Japan or procured from neighboring countries, including Malaysia and China, for some time to come, MHIVA will gradually expand local procurement in Vietnam in tandem with that country's industrial base development.
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For the second time, the commander of Air Combat Command has directed a fleet-wide inspection of all ACC F-15 A through D model aircraft.The directive follows Nov. 27 findings stemming from the investigation of an F-15C mishap that resulted in the loss of that aircraft on Nov. 2 . Based on those new findings, all F-15 A through D models will undergo a stand down that will require additional inspections and possible repair actions. Gen. John D.W. Corley, ACC commander, also recommended the stand-down of all other similar model aircraft in other Air Force major commands, including those under the operational control of U.S. combatant commanders. The new findings from the Accident Investigation Board indicate possible fleet-wide airworthiness problems with F-15A/B/C and D aircraft. These findings, based on a metallurgical analysis of the mishap aircraft, have drawn attention to the F-15's upper longerons near the canopy of the aircraft that appear to have cracked and failed. The longerons are major structural components that run along the length and side of the aircraft. Although the longeron area was covered in general by previous inspections as a result of the Nov. 2 mishap, technical experts with the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia, are recommending a specific inspection technique for the suspect area based on the yesterday's findings. Manufacturer simulations have indicated a catastrophic failure could result in this particular area. In addition, cracks were discovered along the same longeron area during two recent inspections of F-15C aircraft. These aircraft were immediately grounded based upon the inspection findings and are awaiting further engineering instructions.
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AgustaWestland announced that Phase II of the Sea King Integrated Operational Support (SKIOS) contract has now been launched following the signing of the contract by AgustaWestland and the UK Ministry of Defence on 29 November 2007. SKIOS Phase II introduces payment by the flying hour arrangements, emulating the successful IMOS contract for the UK MoD's fleet of Merlin helicopters signed in early 2006. SKIOS Phase II also includes an aircraft availability output responsibility for UK military SAR aircraft that provide around the clock SAR cover for the UK and Falkland Islands. The value of the contract for the first five years is Euro660 million (£470 million), with the potential of rising to Euro1.12 Billion (£800 Million) over 10 years. The contract is expected to run for the remaining service life of the Sea King fleet. Under the contract the UK MoD will transfer responsibility to AgustaWestland for Sea King Depth Maintenance located at DARA Fleetlands and the Second Line Workshops activities located at RNAS Yeovilton. AgustaWestland will also be responsible for providing 1st Line Maintenance Services for the SAR Sea Kings at eight bases comprising Wattisham Airfield, RAF Lossiemouth, DST Leconfield, RMB Chivenor, RAF Boulmer, RAF Valley, HMS Gannet and Mount Pleasant Airfield, Falkland Islands. Transfer of responsibility for the above activities will take place over the next six months as part of the SKIOS Phase II transition plan. AgustaWestland will continue to provide technical and spares support services introduced under Phase I of SKIOS.
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ARINC Incorporated announced that aviation application developer MyAirplane.com of Columbus, Ohio is assuming complete product support and marketing responsibility for ARINC's eFlyBook in the General Aviation marketplace. Introduced in 2006, eFlyBook is the first electronic flight bag to utilize an “electronic paper” display for navigation charts and documents. The tablet-size device uses a glare-free screen that is legible under any light conditions. eFlyBook is sold with a subscription for electronic navigation chart updates and flight information monthly. It will continue to be distributed by EDMO Distributors, Inc. of Spokane, WA through their national distribution network. “MyAirplane.com has been supporting eFlyBook's users since it was launched, and we are enthusiastic about this new opportunity to advance the product in the marketplace,” stated Dennis Megarry, President of MyAirplane.com. “Because eFlyBook is such a unique solution, we envision a very bright future for it in General Aviation.”
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Saint-Gobain Flight Structures announced it has signed a long-term contract with Spirit AeroSystems of Wichita, Kan., to supply Norton radomes for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Saint-Gobain will deliver the nose radome to Spirit AeroSystems for installation on the forward section of the 787 before delivery to Boeing. The 787 nose radome is seven feet in diameter and provides a protective, transparent cover for the weather radar and antennas on the nose of the 787 Dreamliner. "This is the largest quartz radome structure that Saint-Gobain has ever designed and manufactured for commercial aviation," stated Dan Orwig, District Sales Manager for Saint-Gobain Flight Structures. "Saint-Gobain introduced quartz radomes to commercial aviation more than 15 years ago and the superior performance of quartz was the best choice for the 787 Dreamliner. The added structural strength and excellent radar transparency of quartz provides a best-of-class radome for jet speed aircraft."
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AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, Inc., announced that it plans to divest American Eagle, its wholly-owned regional carrier. AMR, which has been engaged in an ongoing strategic value review process, believes that a divestiture of American Eagle is in the best interests of AMR and its shareholders and will be beneficial to American, American Eagle, their employees, and other stakeholders. The divestiture of American Eagle is intended to provide it with the structure, incentives and opportunities to win new business and provide new opportunities for American Eagle's employees. AMR also believes that the divestiture will enable American to focus on its mainline business, while ensuring American's continued access to cost-competitive regional feed. Once the two airlines are separated, it is expected that they will operate pursuant to a mutually beneficial air services agreement under which American Eagle will continue to provide American with regional flying of a scope and quality comparable to that provided prior to the separation and on terms that reflect today's market for those services. AMR continues to evaluate the form of the divestiture, which may include a spin-off to AMR shareholders, a sale to a third party, or some other form of separation from AMR. The company expects to complete the divestiture in 2008; however, the completion of any transaction and its timing will depend on a number of factors, including general economic, industry and financial market conditions, as well as the ultimate form of the divestiture.
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In Copenhagen, Gripen International submitted its response to Denmark's supplementary request for information (SRFI), regarding its requirement for a next generation fighter. Following the issue of the Danish authorities' original Request for Information (RFI) and the subsequent submission of the Gripen teams' formal proposal response in December 2005, the Danish evaluation committee requested certain additional information and clarifications from the competing suppliers. The Gripen team's response was formally handed-over, on time, by Gripen International's Managing Director Johan Lehander.
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are the most dynamic growth sector of the world aerospace industry, report Teal analysts in their latest integrated market analysis. Teal Group's 2008 market study estimates that UAV spending will more than double over the next decade from current worldwide UAV expenditures of $3.4 billion annually to $7.3 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 73% of the worldwide RDT&E spending on UAV technology over the next decade, and about 59% 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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Bombardier Aerospace announced the sale of four Bombardier 415 amphibious aircraft to an undisclosed customer. In addition to purchasing the four firefighting aircraft, the customer also purchased additional special mission equipment items to enhance the aircraft's capabilities. The value of the order based on the aircraft list price is approximately $118.2 million U.S and will include spare parts provisioning, training and technical support. Deliveries of the aircraft will begin during the last quarter of fiscal year ended January 31, 2008, and will continue until 2009.
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The Galileo Avionica (Finmeccanica) FALCO System has successfully completed an intense program of mission testing by an international launch customer, during which it fulfilled all the requirements specified in the contract, enabling it to demonstrate optimal operational functionality. The FALCO System is composed of four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from the TUAV/MAE category, a Ground Control Station (GCS), a Ground Data Terminal (GDT) and Ground Support Equipment (GSE). The FALCO System was validated after very successful trials lasting 15 months which were carried out in three different continents (Africa, Europe, Asia), under the most diverse climatic and operational conditions.
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The secretary of the US Air Force viewed the first ground testing of the General Electric F101 engine using a 50-50 mix of Fischer-Tropsch and JP-8 jet fuels Nov. 27 at Arnold Air Force Base. Secretary Michael W. Wynne witnessed the first series to qualify a high-performance, afterburning engine with FT fuel for a combat aircraft at the Arnold Engineering Development Center. The Air Force's synthetic fuel initiative has already reached some significant milestones this year, including successful flight certification of the B-52 Stratofortress and successful qualification ground testing of the engine that powers both the C-17 Globemaster III and the Boeing 757, Secretary Wynne said. The ground testing of the B-1B Lancer engine is the next step toward certifying the second bomber aircraft.
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Korea successfully tested an unmanned tilt-rotor aircraft that will help the country become a leader of technology in this field, a state-run aerospace institute said Thursday (Nov. 29). The test carried out in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, is part of a 101.1-billion-won ($108.4 million) project that will run through March 2012, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute said (KARI). The 2-meter-long unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a wing span of 2.8 meters is a scaled-down version of an aircraft that is to built in mid-2009. The future airframe is expected to weigh one ton, with a 5-meter-long fuselage and a 4-meter-long wingspan. Under the plan, the aircraft will be able to stay airborne for at least five hours. "Besides being approximately 40 percent the size of the full-scale UAV, the test airframe is identical to the planned vehicle in most respects," said Koo Sam-ok, the chief systems evaluator for the project. This similarity, the expert added, will allow essential tests including ones on flight control systems, ground avoidance software and automatic piloting technology.
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On December 20, SWISS will take residence in Terminal 4 at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. SWISS has agreed with the operators of Terminal 1, its present home, that it will move to Terminal 4 in an effort to improve the particular situation for SWISS, and help ease traffic congestion at one of the world's busiest airports. The decision to move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4 was prompted by the steep increase in air traffic levels at JFK Airport in the last 12 months. The higher movement volumes have led to more delays for all carriers in handling and dispatching flights. As a result, SWISS has seen an increase in arrival and departure delays – some of them substantial – over the past few months. So to improve the situation for all concerned, a move to Terminal 4 for SWISS was agreed upon with the operators of Terminal 1.
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Embraer has signed with its second Japanese customer, Suzuyo & Co. Ltd., to deliver two EMBRAER 170 E-Jets, with purchase rights to acquire one additional aircraft. This order was already included in Embraer's third-quarter backlog as "Undisclosed". "We are very enthusiastic about this second order from Japan, as we make further significant inroads into the Asia Pacific region," said Mauro Kern, Embraer Executive Vice President, Airline Market."It is especially gratifying to have this order come from such a long-standing and broad-based corporate group, and we wish them great success in this new enterprise." The EMBRAER 170 was selected to form the fleet of Suzuyo's start-up airline, when the new Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport opens in 2009, in central Japan. The contract value, if the purchase right is exercised, could come to US$ 87 million, at list price, based on January 2007 economic conditions. The initial delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2009.
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The high-speed Global 5000 jet set a new speed record on October 21, flying 3,652 nautical miles (6,765 km) non-stop from Berlin to Washington in just eight hours, 17 minutes. The Global 5000 business jet departed Berlin's Schonefeld Airport (EDDB) with a three-person crew and a payload equivalent to 12 passengers - a fuel surplus of 1,200 pounds (544 kg) above reserves and seven passengers. National Aeronautic Association (NAA) representative Kristan R. Maynard was on board the fully sanctioned flight, as well a representative from Rolls-Royce Deutschland and Bombardier employees. The aircraft cruised at Mach 0.85 (907 km/hr) or higher throughout the flight, experienced headwinds of up to 70 knots (129 km/h) and landed at Washington Dulles International (KIAD) with fuel reserves in excess of NBAA IFR requirements.
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EUROJET Turbo GmbH, has delivered the 400th EJ200 engine to the customer. The engine was assembled by the Spanish partner company in the EUROJET consortium, ITP. All EJ200 engines are being assembled at different production sites of the four leading engine manufacturers Avio, MTU Aero Engines, ITP and Rolls-Royce in Italy, Germany, Spain and the UK. The production of Tranche 2 EJ200 engines is progressing in line with established plans of the overall Eurofighter programme. This second production batch will ensure production continuity until 2012.
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NASA senior managers completed a thorough review Friday of space shuttle Atlantis' readiness for flight and selected Dec. 6 as the official launch date for mission STS-122. Commander Steve Frick and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off to the International Space Station at 4:31 p.m. EST. During the 11-day mission, the crew will install the European Space Agency's new Columbus laboratory. Columbus will expand the research facilities of the station and provide scientists around the world with the ability to conduct a variety of life, physical and materials science experiments. The mission will include at least three spacewalks, delivery of a new crew member to the station and the return of another astronaut after nearly two months aboard the station.
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