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UPDATE 
Week ending April 5, 1998
+++ Swissair forms alliance +++ LFK gets Taurus contract +++ Airbus A330-200 is certified +++ Tu-154 pilot blamed for mid-air collision +++ Pollution from air traffic +++ Crossair: best year in the company's history +++ German Army Aviation looks to the future +++ NTSB presses for seatbelts use during the entire flight +++ New rules for the use of the Luftwaffe VIP-Unit +++ News in brief +++

Swissair forms alliance
Neue Swissair-Allianz

Swissair has announced a new European airline group linking the Swiss national airline with Austrian Airlines, Sabena of Belgium, TAP Air Portugal, Turkish Airlines and AOM of France. Swissair said the new alliance, to be called the Qualiflyer Group, will place smaller airlines in a better position to compete with global groups such as the Star Alliance, which links Germany's Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air Canada, SAS Scandinavian, Brazil's Varig and Thai Air. Swissair management says it is also taking a 20 percent stake in TAP. The airline already owns 49.5 percent of Sabena and 10 percent of Austrian Airlines. Swissair, which has an alliance with Delta Air Lines, says it will add extra flights between Zurich and New York, and a new non-stop service to San Francisco. The extra New York service will fly to J.F. Kennedy airport daily except Tuesday starting April 5 and is in addition to daily Swissair flights to both J.F.K. and Newark airports. The San Francisco service will begin at the end of May and will operate daily except Mondays and Saturdays. Swissair also serves Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Atlanta in the United States.

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LFK gets Taurus contract
Abstandwaffe Taurus wird gebaut

On March 31, the German procurement agency BWB (Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung) has signed a contract with LFK GmbH for the development of the MAW Taugus stand-off weapon. "This is a decisive contribution to the preservation of our technological know-how and to job security", the company said, after the programme decisian was delayed many times due to political debate.
Taurus is intended for the Tornado of the Luftwaffe. It is based on wide ranging experience of Dasa-company LFK in glide bombs and weapons dispensers. Work will be carried out under the auspieces of a new holding company, Taurus GmbH. LFK will get 67 per cent and partner Bofors Missiles 33 per cent. Other companies from Italy and Spain are welcome to join if their countries order the Taurus. 28 of the stand-off weapons will be built for the tests, which will include checks on the IR-seeker and the new engine to get speeds of Mach 0.8 plus at very low altitude. One of the main aims will be to cut production costs. Taurus demonstrators are already available and have flown on Tornado as far back as August 1996.

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Airbus A330-200 is certified
FAA- und JAA-Zulassung für die A330-200

The A330-200 has become the first airliner to receive simultaneous, triple type certification. The European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transport Canada certified the A330-200, powered by General Electric CF6-80E1 engines, on 31st March.
This A330-200 performed its first flight on 13th August 1997 and has accumulated 380 flight hours in 169 flights up to certification. The A330-200, the most recent and smallest member of the A330/A340 family, is capable of carrying 253 passengers in a first, business and economy class layout up to 6,400nm/ 11,900km.
An A330-200 aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines, which performed its first flight on 4th December 1997, has to date flown 118 hours in 55 flights. The aircraft is scheduled for certification in June 1998. The A330-200 powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines will begin its flight test program in June this year. The first A330-200, powered by General Electric engines, will enter into service with Canada 3000 in April 1998. The aircraft is owned by ILFC. Announced customers for the A330-200 already include Aer Lingus, Airtours International Airways, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Emirates, Gulf Air, ILFC, Korean Air, Monarch Airlines, Sabena, Swissair and TAM.

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Tu-154 pilot blamed for mid-air collision
Deutscher Pilot schild an Katastrophe vor Namibia

On March 31, the report on the catastrophic collision between a Tu-154 of the Luftwaffe and a USAF C-141 Starlifter off Namibia was released. It blames the German pilot and poor Angolan air traffic control procedures for the accident, which caused the lives of all 33 people on board the planes.
The German Tupolev 154 took off from Luanda, Angola, with 24 people aboard. It slammed into an Air Force C-141 carrying nine people on its way to Ascencion Island after delivering personnel and mine-clearing equipment to Windhoeck Field in Namibia. Lead investigator Col. William H.C. Schell concluded that the Tupolev was flying at the wrong cruising altitude and also that its planned flight path violated international standards. In addition, Schell said the Luanda Air Traffic Control Agency in Angola also failed to follow those same international standards. Finally, investigators said poor ground communications, including unreliable telephone service, prevented air traffic controllers in Namibia from receiving the German pilot's flight plan. Those controllers could not, therefore, alert the Air Force pilot to the presence of the Tupolev in the same air space.

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Pollution from air traffic
Schadstoffe in der Luftfahrt

International air traffic is responsible for about four percent of the human generated green-house effect. This is the result of a joint six-year international research initiative, the results of which where presented by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne on 31 March. The four percent are affected by emitted carbon dioxides, nitric oxides, along with the contrails coming from water vapor and particles. According to model computations, the nitric oxides have increased the onzone concentration in typical air traffic altitudes by a few percent. However, the increase is too small to be proven with measurements. Nevertheless, the effect of air traffic is measurable on a regional level of highly frequented air traffic routes. Here, jet-engine generated nitric oxides and particles can be measured. One result of the research initiative is that, while air traffic is affecting the global climate to a much smaller degree than other natural and human sources of pollution, there is the definite requirement for technological progress in order for the dramatically increasing air traffic to be ecologically safe.

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Crossair: best year in the company's history
Crossair feiert das beste Jahr in der Unternehmensgeschichte

For Europe's largest regional carrier Crossair of Switzerland, 1997 was the best year in its history. At a press conference in Basle the company revealed that profits rose by 90 percent to a total of 43,2 million CHF. Crossair carried 4,7 million passengers in 1997, a 19 percent increase to the previous year. Turnover climbed 21 percent to 883 million CHF. A strong market in combination with high seat load factors, non-decreasing yields and a growing number of transit passengers were responsible for the good performance, Crossair said. The company told it is going to invest 100 million CHF in a terminal extension at its home base EuroAirport Basle. Crossair will also invest into 12 new aircraft. That will bring the fleet to a total of 77 aircraft within the next 2 years. Crossair's results for the first quarter 1998 show further improvement. On scheduled services the airline carried 450000 passengers, which is an 24 percent increase.

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German Army Aviation looks to the future
Heeresflieger: Forderungen an neue Systeme

At the traditional International Hubschrauberforum at Bückeburg, Brigadier General Fritz Garben, commander of the German army aviation, outlined some of the challenges ahead. He reiterated the long-standing plans of the Heeresflieger to form so called "Lufmechanisierte Brigaden", highly flexible and independently operating helicopter units which are tasked with attack on rear echelons and securing ones own flanks. He demanded systems that will allow quick data exchanges and good data-presentation to succeed in a fast-moving and unstructured future battle. As equipment programmes get longer and longer, a clear upgrade path must be considered from the beginning. Also, low live-cycle costs are ever more important. Garben also called for further improved standardisation and the elimination of red tape in multinational programmes.

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NTSB presses for seatbelts use during the entire flight
NTSB: Aufruf zur "Gurtpflicht"

Most airline passengers would probably be surprised to know that in the past 15 years, there have been more than 250 turbulence-related incidents on major airlines, resulting in the deaths of three passengers, and serious injuries to 70 others. In addition, at least 850 persons received minor injuries, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told. While the NTSB continues to urge the FAA and the airlines to have a stronger turbulence research program that would result in the development of on-board turbulence detection and alert devices, the seat belt already is a remarkably effective and simple safety device available to every passenger. NTSB commends American Airlines for taking the initiative to require all passengers to keep their seat belts on when seated during flight, and notes that United Airlines will implement a similar requirement. Turbulence-related injuries are among the most preventable in airline travel. The simple act of fastening the seat belt will mitigate the effects of this often invisible danger in the air.

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New rules for the use of the Luftwaffe VIP-Unit
Neue Richtlinien für die Flugbereitschaft

On April 1, the German government has approved new rules for the use by politicians of the Luftwaffe Flugbereitschaft (VIP squadron). This was deemed necesarry after harsh criticism on alledegdly excessive flights, though no transgressions of laws could be proven. All costs will continue to be charged to the ministry of defence, and not to the ministries using the aircraft. Bodys who can order the flights are now defined as the German president, chancellor, president of the supreme court, the cabinet ministers, faction leaders in the Bundestag and party leaders.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN


On April 1, government managment agency and industry have signed the so called "5th Amendment" to the Tiger contract, covering additional development work necessitated by the customers demands for changes in the attack helicopters configuration and equipment fit. The latest documents now fully describe the German army UHT-variant and the French HAC "finalisé". Depending on parliamentary approvals, a bilateral MoU covering the production of the first 160 Tigers could be ready for signature at the ILA show at Berlin in May.
+++
Boeing has confirmed an order by El Al Israeli Airlines for two Next-Generation 737-700s and three 737-800s. The confirmation comes several months after the airline -the flag carrier for Israel - first announced its selection of the Next-Generation 737. El Al chose the 737 jetliners following a thorough evaluation of competing aircraft.
+++
LFK GmbH has got a contract for the continuation of the TRIFORM experimental programme, which foresees tests with a fibre-optic guided missile. The contract will run for 33 months, and partners are Aerospatiale and Italmissile. The first phase of TRIFORM was concluded in April 1997 with a 16,5 km flight to a direct hit by a Polyphem missile.
+++
The German Heeresflieger have notched up over 7300 flight hours over the former Yugoslavia during peacekeeping missions, it was revealed recently. Also, the Army has conducted 90 recce missions with its CL-289 drone, covering a distance of 31000 km and yielding valuable information.
+++
Austrian Airlines is now offering a three times a week service to Kharkiv in the Ukraine. The flights on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday are offered in co-operation with Ukraine International Airlines. A Fokker jet is used.
+++
The Luftwaffes Flugbereitschaft (VIP flight) has now received its complete complement of three VIP-configured Eurocopter Cougar helicopters. They are priced at 30 million DM each and will operate mainly from Berlin in support of high-ranking Government officials. The purchase was criticised as excessive as the Border Patrol (Grenzschutz) already has Pumas and provides an efficient, seamless service.
+++
From early April, Condor Berlin is offering charter flights to Mallorca from the Erfurt airport in eastern Germany.
+++
Ericsson Microwave Systems and Thomson-CSF have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in the marketing of a NATO compatible AEW system based on the Erieye. Also, future cooperation includes upgrades and, in the longe perspective, the development of new generatins of AEW&C systems.
+++
The Luftwaffe is very unhappy with current offers from Airbus for the planned transformation of four of its A310 passenger/cargo aircraft into flight refuelling tankers, labelling them as way to expensive and unacceptable. Further talks are necessary to come to a contract.
+++
Without strong support measures to suppress enemy air defences, attack helicopters will suffer loss rates of 50 to 90 per cent over the battlefield, German Army studies have shown.
+++
Talks on the possible use of the Antonov An-70 as the basis of a future European airlifter will continue after Easter in Bonn. A further meeting of industry and procurement experts at ILA in Berlin during May will then hopefully come up with a recommendation for the Defence Ministers in the countries involved. The An-70 option is pushed by Germany, while other nations and industry seem to prefer the FLA as proposed by Airbus.
+++
On April 2, the Government of Ontario announced that its Ministry of Natural Resources has placed a firm order with Bombardier Aerospace for nine Canadair 415 firefighting amphibious aircraft. The total value of the contract, including training, spares and support is approximately $225 million (Cdn). Deliveries to Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources are scheduled to begin immediately and continue through December 1998.
+++
On April 1, officials of Pratt & Whitney and the Chinese aviation industry formally inaugurated the first joint venture aerospace manufacturing company involving China and western partners. Chengdu Aerotech Manufacturing Ltd. is now operating from a newly built, air-conditioned 100,000-square-foot facility with a staff that will grow to 200 people. The company manufactures precision sheet metal and other components for the worldwide aerospace market and is a primary supplier to Pratt & Whitney.
+++
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation has executed a contract valued at approximately $335 million with a group of Middle East investors to purchase 12 Gulfstream IV-SP aircraft which will be used to expand the highly successful Gulfstream Shares fractional ownership concept to the Middle East. Designed to meet the growing need for private aircraft ownership, this program is the first of its kind in this region. Sales of Gulfstream Shares in the Middle East will begin immediately. The first new Gulfstream IV-SP under this program is planned to enter service in early 1999 with deliveries continuing through 2003. In addition, Gulfstream will provide two core fleet aircraft to the program, as well as technical and supplemental sales and marketing support.
+++
Edelweiss Air, wholly owned subsidiary of Kuoni Travel Ltd., today became a new Airbus Industrie customer when the Zurich- based carrier signed a contract with the European consortium for three A320s. The single-aisle aircraft will be delivered in 1999. Edelweiss Air is currently operating a fleet of MD-83 aircraft from Switzerland to holiday destinations in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. The airline will replace their older generation aircraft by Airbus Industrie's A320s.
+++
Boeing has received a contract worth $26.5 million to install electronic support measures (ESM) on the French Air Force's fleet of four E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. The contract was awarded by the Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., under a Foreign Military Sale agreement. This follows a $32
million contract awarded to Boeing in January 1997 for production of the ESM
hardware. ESM is a passive surveillance system, which enables AWACS to detect, identify and track electronic transmissions from ground, airborne and maritime sources.
+++
TEA-Switzerland took delivery of its first Boeing Next-Generation 737-700. The airplane, leased from International Lease Finance Corporation, will be used on charter flights to a variety of Mediterranean vacation destinations this season, with more distant destinations such as Dubai, Goa, Male and Phuket being planned for the future.
+++
Ireland's National Avionics has won a 137 million US-Dollar contract with Airbus Industrie for a system to handle stock control of aircraft parts for airlines. The contract involves the supply of the system to Airbus, Lufthansa, Iberia and Sabena, which now can virtually pool their stocks of aircraft parts, so that the airline requiring a part can enter the system and buy it from another airline, reducing inventory.
+++
Luxair president Roger Sietzen will move on to lead the supervisory board of the carrier as of May 11. His sucessor in the top managment position will be Jean-Donat Calmes.
+++

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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen ist nach wie vor abrufbar:

*March 29, 1998 *March 22, 1998 *March 15, 1998 *March 8, 1998

*February 22, 1998 *February 15, 1998 *February 8, 1998 *February 1, 1998

*January 25, 1998 *January 18, 1998 *January 11, 1998

*January to December 1997 *September to December 1996

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Last updated April 3, 1998
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