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UPDATE 
Week ending August 2, 1998
+++ United Airlines orders 22 Airbus aircraft +++ Boeing/Mauser/Primex team for 27mm cannon +++ Air Tattoo holds position as largest airshow +++ FAA certifies Pratts most powerful commercial engine +++ Taurus Systems GmbH formed +++ SOHO spacecraft located with ground-based radar +++ BR710 engine for Nimrod completes first run +++ Lockheed Martin C-130J completes icing tests +++ Large Boeing order from leasing company +++ News in brief +++

United Airlines orders 22 Airbus aircraft
United ordert 22 Airbus-Narrowbodies

United Airlines Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gerald Greenwald announced that the airline has placed firm orders for 22 additional narrowbody A320 and A319 aircraft from Airbus Industrie. The announcement covers the final contractual arrangements necessary to implement the carrier's previously disclosed fleet plan. The order consists of 12 A320s and 10 A319s for delivery in the years 2000 and 2001. When all these planes have entered service, the United fleet of Airbus narrowbody aircraft will total 133. Greenwald said: "United believes there are profitable growth opportunities for these aircraft and the airline is keeping with its plan for moderate growth. In addition, this order continues United's strategy of simplifying its fleet plan from 10 fleet types to five types." The airline's fleet will grow from 571 aircraft at year-end 1997 to 645 at year-end 2001 based on current delivery and retirement schedules. United operates more than 2,300 flights daily to 99 domestic and 37 international airports.

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Boeing/Mauser/Primex team for 27mm cannon
Mauser-Kanone für JSF?

Boeing, Mauser-Werke Oberndorf of Germany and Primex Technologies have signed a teaming agreement to jointly produce an innovative 27 mm aircraft cannon system as a candidate for use on the next-generation Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft. If chosen for the JSF by either Boeing or Lockheed Martin, Boeing would build 27mm cannons at its Mesa, Ariz., production facility under license and in cooperation with Mauser. Primex Technologies, which would produce existing rounds under license, is developing a new high-explosive, dual-purpose cartridge that would improve the overall effectiveness of the 27mm gun system.
The 27mm cannon is a gas-operated automatic revolver gun based on the Mauser BK 27 cannon used by NATO and Allied forces. Variants of the 27mm aircraft cannon are used in the SAAB-British Aerospace Gripen and have been selected for multi-national Eurofighter 2000 multi-role combat aircraft. The proven 27mm aircraft gun system offers an advanced, affordable and low-risk solution for JSF and other applications.

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Air Tattoo holds position as largest airshow
Größte Flugschau Euorpas in Fairford

The Royal International Air Tattoo has consolidated its undisputed position as the largest air show in Europe. Over 150000 spectators flocked to RAF Fairford (near Swindon, UK) on July 25/26, the first rain-free weekend for many weeks. Among them was HRH The Duke of Edinburgh which flew in with a Bell 222. 446 aircraft form 25 nations took part, including the Lockheed Martin C-130J making its debut appearance in the UK. The flying display trophies went to:
  • Lt Col Hulek (No 1 Sqn, Slovak Air Force, MiG-29) for best solo jet demonstration
  • Capt Alan Wade (RAF, Slingsby Firefly) for best flying demonstration by a UK participant
  • Lt Berlinson and Capt Pontaillier (Armee de l'Air, Mirage F1) for best overall flying demonstration, with a tight aerobatic routine
  • Lt Col Alexiy Vaneer (Ukrainian Air Force test and research centre, An-72) for best demonstration by an overseas participant, with a stunning display in the jet-powered transport
  • Capt Gyula Vari (Hungarian Air Force, MiG-29) for best display as awarded by the Friends of RIAT
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FAA certifies Pratts most powerful commercial engine
Pratt & Whitney PW4098 erhält FAA-Zulassung

The Pratt & Whitney PW4098, the world's most powerful commercial aircraft engine, has been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and has begun final flight tests before entering service at the end of this year. The FAA has awarded both type and production certificates for the PW4098 engine, allowing it to be flown and produced. At 98,000 pounds of thrust, the PW4098 is the most powerful member of the 112-inch fan PW4000 series, the launch engine for the Boeing 777. "We developed the 112-inch fan PW4000 to meet the future thrust requirements of the 777," said Robert Leduc, Pratt & Whitney senior vice president - programs. The PW4098 will power the Boeing 777-300 and is scheduled to enter service on a Korean Air 777-300 in December. The PW4000 family, already offered at 84,000 and 90,000 pounds of thrust, is capable of further growth to 102,000 pounds.

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Taurus Systems GmbH formed
LFK und Bofors gründen Taurus Systems

Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK) and Bofors AB have now officialy incorporated their joint Taurus Systems GmbH at Schrobenhausen in Bavaria. The new company, which is owned 67 per cent by LFK, is tasked with programme managment, systems integration, tests and marketing of powered standoff weapons which have a range of over 60 km. Up to 35 people will be directly employed by the company, which will otherwise draw on the resources of the mother conerns. Manfred Küsters will be managing director. Currently, the main contract for Taurus Systems is the German MAW Taurus/KEPD 350 development for Luftwaffe Tornados.

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SOHO spacecraft located with ground-based radar
Bodengestütztes Radar lokalisiert SOHO-Sonde

Ground-based radio telescopes have been able to detect the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft and have found it slowly rotating near its original position in space, a potentially important step toward possible recovery of direct communications with the spacecraft. Radio contact with SOHO, a joint mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, was interrupted on June 25, an event under review by a joint ESA/NASA investigation board. With the encouragement of Dr. Alan Kiplinger of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Environment Center in Boulder (USA), researchers at the U.S. National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, used the facility's 305-meter diameter radio telescope to transmit a signal toward SOHO on July 23. The 70-meter dish of NASA's Deep Space Network in Goldstone (USA), acted as a receiver, locating the spacecraft's echo and tracking it using radar techniques for more than an hour. Preliminary analysis of the radar data, which is ongoing, indicates that SOHO is still in its nominal halo orbit near the so-called "L-1" Lagrangian point in space, and is turning slowly at a rate of roughly one revolution per minute. Staff members of NAIC and the Deep Space Network, in close cooperation with ESA and NASA, are continuing to analyze the radar data to extract more precise information on SOHO's location and motion, which in turn could help in future recovery efforts, as SOHO's solar panels turn toward the Sun. ESA and NASA engineers also are continuing their efforts to re-establish radio data communication with the spacecraft, encouraged by the radar measurement of a slow spin rate, which suggests minimal structural damage has occurred.

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BR710 engine for Nimrod completes first run
Triebwerk für Nimrod ist bei BMW R-R im Test

A BMW Rolls-Royce BR710 engine, under development for Britain's next generation maritime patrol aircraft Nimrod MRA4, has completed its first test run on schedule at the Anglo-German joint venture's Dahlewitz plant in Germany. In this programme, Rolls-Royce's military engines headquarters in Bristol is directly contracted to aircraft prime contractor British Aerospace for the powerplant and jetpipe. The BR710 for the Nimrod incorporates modifications, including marinising some components where necessary to ensure they will not sufer from the corrosive salt-laden operational environment, a new mixer and tailcone to match the long jetpipe required for the in-wing installation, and minor changes to the engine's electronic control to interface with the MRA4s systems. Two engines will perform the key development tests, including runs in the open at Hucknall. Certification of the BR710 Mk101 for the Nimrod is due by the summer of 2000.

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Lockheed Martin C-130J completes icing tests
Neue Hercules-Version beendet Vereisungstests

Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems has successfully completed natural icing tests on the C-130J. These tests are among the last primary flight tests required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the much delayed basic type certification. With completion of the natural icing test, Lockheed Martin has completed more than 30,000 test points needed for FAA certification and C-130J customer qualifications, in what has been one of the most comprehensive and ambitious flight test programs of any new aircraft. Lockheed Martin expects FAA certification during the third quarter, with deliveries set to begin within weeks after that. The company has orders for 83 C-130Js and options for 63 additional aircraft. Customers to date are the Royal Air Force, with 25 ordered; the Royal Australian Air Force, with 12 ordered; the Italian Air Force, with 18 ordered; and the U.S. government, with 28 aircraft ordered. The U.S. airplanes include versions for the U.S. Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, the Air National Guard, and the U.S. Marine Corps.

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Large Boeing order from leasing company
Neue Aufträge für Boeing 737

On July 29, Boeing confirmed an order for 15 Next-Generation 737-700 twinjets from easyJet, an airline based in the United Kingdom. easyJet also agreed to secure options for 15 more 737-700s. Deliveries of the new airplanes will begin in October 2000 and will continue through February 2003. In less than a year, easyJet has ordered 27 Boeing airplanes, including 12 Boeing 737-300s, the first of which is scheduled for delivery next month. The value of the 15-airplane order is approximately $650 million.
A day before, Boullioun Aviation Services had signed an agreement to purchase 60 Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplanes. The package includes 30 orders and 30 options. Delivery is scheduled to begin in 2001 and continue through 2006. "Our earlier orders for 737s have been very successful, and we look forward to building on that success with this commitment of up to $2.6 billion in Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplanes," said Robert Genise, Boullioun's president and chief executive officer. Boullioun Aviation Services, Inc., formed in 1986, focuses on aircraft leasing and finance activity. Since 1994, it has been wholly owned by The Sumitomo Trust and Banking Co. of Japan.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

The Lenkflugkörpersyssteme GmbH, part of Dasa, is to move its administrative functions from Ottobrunn to Unterschleißheim next year. This will better use facilities of recently acquired SI Sicherungstechnik there and move parts of the company closer to the Schrobenhausen plant, thus reducing costs.
+++
Filippo Bagnato, head of Alenia Aerospazios Aeronautics division, has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors of Eurofighter GmbH. He will hold this position for the next two years. Bagnato succeeds Aloysius Rauen of Dasa, which relinquished the post according to the normal rotation procedures agreed by the four partner countries.
+++
On July 25, the USA has commissioned its latest aircraft carrier, the CVN 75 "Harry S. Truman", at Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia. This is the eighth of ten Nimitz Class carriers currently authorized by Congress. It will join the US Atlantic Fleet with Capt. Thomas G. Otterbein as the commanding officer. The ship displaced 97000 tons when fully loaded Out of a total crew of 3360, approximately 2500 personnel will support the 80 aircraft on board.
+++
The Dasa study on the Antonov An-70s usability for the Luftwaffe will be ready by the end of September. In spite of this task, the company remains firmly rooted in the FLA consortium, Dasa president Dr. Bischoff has said.
+++
General Electric has announced that its newest CT7 turboprop engine, the CT7-9C3, has received FAA certification. Rated in the 1900 shp class, the -9C3 offers a baseline power increase of approximately five per cent and improved hot/high altitude takeoff performance. It is fully interchangeable with existing CT9 installations. The power boost comes from an advanded centrifugal compressor. The first application fo rth eCT7-9C3 is the CN-235-300 to be produced by CASA in Seville. CASA expects to receive aircraft certification by the end of 1998.
+++
On 19 September, Mönchengladbach airport is planning a reunion of former Ju 52 pilots. Interested crew members can contact Peter Hauptvogel, phone 0211/690060 or fax 0211/6900611.
+++
AlliedSignal has delivered the first prototype of its new combined solid state flight data and cockpit voice recorder to Eurocopter for use in the new EC 155 medium-lift helicopters. The new system provides one hour of cockpit and 10 hours of flight data in a single, nine-pound package. It is one of a new series of recorder products called the AR series, destined for general aviation aircraft and helicopters.
+++
Rio Hotel & Casino, Inc. ("Rio") announced it has made a $15.0 million investment in National Airlines, Inc., a development stage airline to be based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rio's investment will represent approximately 19% of the voting common stock, and Rio will have a strategic marketing agreement with National Airlines, Inc. Rio President, James A. Barrett, Jr., stated, "As a growing company that believes in the entertainment value offering of all of Las Vegas, we made the decision to invest directly in a Las Vegas-based coast to coast oriented airline. We believe that National Airlines, Inc. provides the right solution at the right time," Barrett said. "We feel that the launch of the new airline comes as Las Vegas continues in its rapid growth mode, with the planned openings of new attractions and hotel rooms. In addition, Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport, the 12th busiest airport in the U.S., has recently seen a decline in air traffic as major airlines seek more lucrative bookings from business travelers. As a result, National Airlines, Inc. will respond to the city's growing need for flights and will establish a unique niche in the market not currently dominated by any of the major carriers.
+++
Daimler-Benz has revealed excellent first half results. Dasa also was contributing , with a turnover of 7,5 billion DM, 13 per cent more than the year before. It also was contributing DM 346 million (first six months 1997: DM 74 million) to operating profit, completing its turnaround from heavy losses.
+++
Testing of the C-141 Electric Starlifter Program was concluded on July 29. This program represents the first time in aviation history that a large military cargo aircraft has both been fitted with electrically operated flight controls and flown in excess of 1,000 hours operationally. The aircraft used for the testing was a C-141A assigned to the 418th Flight Test Squadron. This aircraft is the last C-141A model Starlifter to remain in operational service, worldwide. The Fly-By-Wire, Power-By-Wire system being tested was developed as a special project by the Air Force Research Laboratory Propulsion Directorate in cooperation with Lockheed-Martin and Lucas Aerospace.
+++
On July 29, Lockheed Martin Astronautics made history by successfully conducting the first test firing of a Russian rocket engine at a U.S. government facility. An RD-180 engine with its prototype Atlas IIIA rocket booster stage rumbled for 10 seconds at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Astronautics will use the RD-180 engine to power its new Atlas III rockets and the company's family of Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles (EELV), being developed in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force. Two more tests are planned over the next two months. The duration of each of the subsequent tests will be 70 seconds.
+++
Aeroflot air and Voronezh aircraft-building plant, a leading aviation enterprise of the Russia, have signed a protocol to the general agreement on the production and supply to Aeroflot of 20 passenger and cargo planes of the IL-96 type equipped with American engines and avionics. The signing ceremony was attended by Russian Prime Minister Sergei Kiriyenko, Aeroflot General Director Valery Okulov and General Director of the Voronezh plant Vyacheslav Salikov. The Voronezh plant, which had manufactured 12 long-range IL- 96-300 aircraft, stopped the production because of the lack of orders. Its credit indebtedness reached 543 billion rubles by the end of 1997, and the staff was cut by 1,5000 people. Not a single plane was sold over a year. Thus, the new agreement will enable the plant to receive a part of the 1 billion dollar loan of the American Export Import Bank, given for the project, and Aeroflot will get long-range passenger and cargo aircraft.
+++
Schenker International and Lufthansa Cargo have concluded a partnership agreement, aimed at offering even better logistics solutions to customers. It is planned to harmonise capacity and quality management. For Lufthansa Cargo, the Schenker connection means better coverage in land hauling.
+++
Swissair is apparently in talks with the German Railway to bring the company on board in the planned takeover of the LTU holiday charter group. As non-EU company, Swissair can only take 49 per cent in LTU.
+++
Dasas aircraft system group in Ulm has delivered the first ECM training system to the LUftwaffe, only 18 months after the contract was received in January 1997. Three systems will be built, to be used by the Gesellschaft für Flugzieldarstellung at Hohn. It includes ALQ-119GY jammers and a control console, to be fitted into Learjets.
+++
Dasa's Dornier business unit is European lead contractor for studies of ground station architecture of the Alliance Ground Surveillance System of Nato. The work is led by Motorola. The ground station should be able to communcate with JointSTARS, French and Italian airborne radar platforms and any aircraft that the alliance might buy for the job.
+++

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Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen sind weiter abrufbar:

*July 26, 1998 *July 19, 1998 *July 12, 1998

*June 28, 1998 *June 21, 1998 *June 14, 1998 *June 7, 1998

*May 31, 1998 *May 24, 1998 *May 17, 1998 *May 10, 1998 *May 3, 1998

*April 26, 1998 *April 19, 1998 *April 5, 1998

*January to March 1998 *January to December 1997 *September to December 1996

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