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Week ending June 16, 2002
+++ PW6000 gets new compressor from MTU +++ Black Hawk for Austria rolls out +++ IATA rates airports +++ X-31A Vector resumes testing +++ News in brief +++
PW6000 gets new compressor from MTU
MTU liefert Hochdruckverdichter für PW6000
After months of hesitation, Pratt & Whitney has bowed to the inevitable and selected a high-pressure compressor design by MTUAero Engines to cure serious fuel consumption deficiencies in its PW6000 engine, destined for the A318. „This decision is of historic importance for us“, Said MTU chief executive Dr. Klaus Steffens: „For the first time ever, we are fully responsible for a core part of a civil turbofan“. Steffens added that the compresser is the result of long-term research by MTU, conducted with state help. It is based on the HDV12 design, developed under the technology programme Engine 3E. According to MTU, it offers a pressure ratio of 11 and boasts the best pressure ratio per stage and the best efficience of its class. One of the features is the partial use of blisk technology. MTU is already involved in the PW6000 with its low pressure turbine. With the addition of the high pressure compressor, it now has an 18 per cent risk sharing part of the PW6000. It will delegate a member to the programme management at Pratt & Whitney. Certification of the PW6000 is now targeted for mid 2004. Whether many airlines will stay loyal to the much delayed powerplant remains to be seen. Apart from the A318, the engine has no other application so far.
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Black Hawk for Austria rolls out
Tranpsorthubschrauber für Österreich vorgestellt
The first of nine Black Hawks scheduled for delivery to the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defense (MOD) was unveiled during a ceremony at Sikorsky Aircraft's main facility. When the BLACK HAWK enters service later this year, Austria will become the 25th international customer to operate a BLACK HAWK variant helicopter. "I would like officially to welcome Austria to the distinguished group of countries that fly the finest utility helicopter in the world, the BLACK HAWK," said Sikorsky President Dean C. Borgman. Borgman handed over the aircraft logbook to Brig. Gen. Manfred Münzer, head of the Austrian MOD's Air Material staff. Austria signed a contract in 2000 to purchase nine S-70A-42 BLACK HAWKs, plus three option aircraft, for utility transport and search and rescue missions. Sikorsky will also provide training, customer service and support. The aircraft are scheduled for 2002 delivery. "Europe is an extremely competitive market and we won this contract by virtue of providing the best helicopter in its class," Borgman said.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
IATA rates airports
Flughafenbewertungen von der IATA
The latest results of IATA's Global Airport Monitor show Dubai, Singapore Changi and Copenhagen leading the way as the top three in Overall Passenger Satisfaction. Dubai is perceived to be the "best-in-class" airport out of the 52 reported by both business and leisure passengers for Overall Passenger Satisfaction, closely followed by Singapore. This year, in the new airport size category of over 40 million passengers per annum, Atlanta Hartsfield, tops the field in this category for Overall Passenger Satisfaction. The Global Airport Monitor measures passenger satisfaction through 80,000 interviews at 52 major airports world-wide, for a wide range of customer service attributes. Particular features of this year's report are the improvement seen in Overall Passenger Satisfaction ratings, by many airports, even amongst the top performers. This reflects continuous efforts in focusing on 'Excellence' in customer service.Significant improvements in the overall service ratings were observed for San Francisco, Düsseldorf, Madrid, Singapore Changi and Vancouver, all ranking within the top 10 in terms of most improved airports over 2001. At a global level, Dubai secures its 'top of the class' position for Overall Passenger Satisfaction and for a further 17 service items. Singapore Changi is perceived to have the best Ease of making connections with other flights, whilst new entrant Bermuda has the best ratings for Courtesy, helpfulness of airport staff. Newly built airports Incheon, the international Seoul airport and Athens Eleftherios Venizelos perform very strongly in their first year of operations and are in fact ranked within the top 10 for overall service. Other new additions to the top 10 are new entrants Dubai and Bermuda.
Other notable scores were seen by geographic region as follows: In North America, Minneapolis scored highest for navigation, Ease of making connections with other flights, Restaurant/eating facilities and Shopping facilities. Bermuda took top position for Courtesy, helpfulness of airport staff and accessibility to the airport. Vancouver took the lead regionally for Comfortable waiting/gate areas. Amongst the European airports covered, the newly built Athens Eleftherios Venizelos jumped in to the top for: Ease of finding your way through the airport/Signposting, Ease of making connections with other flights, Restaurant/eating facilities, Comfortable waiting/gate areas and Parking facilities. Copenhagen is ranked top for the Shopping facilities and Ground transportation to/from airport, whilst Helsinki maintains the lead for Courtesy, helpfulness of airport staff. Within the Asia Pacific/Middle East area Dubai is ranked top for all key services, except Ease of making connections with other flights, where Singapore maintains its lead.
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X-31A Vector resumes testing
Neue Flugversuche mit X-31A
The X-31A aircraft has begun flight testing in Phase II of the Vector program. Vector is a multinational program focused on demonstrating how thrust vectoring can be used to help aircraft achieve extremely short takeoffs and landings (ESTOL). "ESTOL operations can provide significant operational and cost benefits to our military customers," said Gary Jennings, Vector program manager for Boeing Phantom Works. "Our team is eager to demonstrate how thrust vectoring can help reap these benefits." The Vector team comprises the U.S. Navy, Germany's defense procurement agency, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space (EADS) Company, and the Boeing Phantom Works advanced R&D division, which serves as lead systems integrator. The team represents the only multinational collaborative R&D X-Plane effort of its kind.By adding thrust vectoring to traditional flight control systems, the team is demonstrating how pilots can perform significantly shorter takeoffs and landings at much lower speeds. This capability would provide greater operational and basing flexibility for fighter aircraft, reduce aircraft wear-and-tear and maintenance costs, and allow aircraft to be built with lighter, more affordable structures and materials. For aircraft carrier operations, ESTOL capability would also reduce wind-over-deck requirements for takeoffs and landings, eliminate the need to jettison unused fuel and ordnance before landings, and reduce maintenance on catapults and arresting gear.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
The Royal Netherlands Air Force, or RNLAF, has accepted delivery of its 30th Boeing AH-64D Apache multirole combat helicopter in a ceremony held at Boeing in Mesa. The commander in chief of the RNLAF, Lt. Gen. D.L. Berlijn, accepted the final aircraft under a 1995 contractual agreement. Representatives of the RNLAF, the U.S. Army, the Apache industry team, and Arizona government and civic leaders attended the ceremony. The first AH-64D for The Netherlands was delivered in April 1998, although RNLAF pilots began to fly AH-64A Apaches leased from the U.S. Army two years earlier. In 1996, 23 RNLAF AH-64A Apache pilots and support crews became the first international unit to complete the U.S. Army's intensive collective training program. AH-64D Apaches flown by the RNLAF also logged a major Apache milestone — the first international deployment of AH-64Ds — when the RNLAF aircraft were sent to Djibouti, Africa, in support of a NATO peacekeeping mission.+++
Boeing hailed United Airlines' launch of Boeing 777-200ER (extended range) flights between Auckland and Los Angeles - the first such South Pacific service. The airline plans to replicate the 777's success on other long-haul world routes, offering passengers daily, non-stop service. The three-class 275-seat airplane replaces a Boeing 747 previously used to link Los Angeles, Auckland and Melbourne, Australia. "Now that United serves Melbourne via Sydney, the 777 is the perfect aircraft for the Auckland-Los Angeles route," said Michael Purchon, United Airlines general manager - New Zealand. "We believe our customers will be thrilled with the onboard experience the 777 will offer, including 19 channels of audio and 9 channels of video entertainment with personal video monitors at every seat on the aircraft."
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Tommy Holloway, Manager of the International Space Station Program Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, today announced plans to retire, effective July 3. Holloway's deputy, William H. Gerstenmaier, will take over as program manager. Holloway was named space station manager in April 1999 after serving as manager of the Space Shuttle program for nearly four years. He began his career with NASA in 1963, planning activities for Gemini and Apollo Flights at what was then known as the Manned Spacecraft Center. He was a flight director in Mission Control for early Space Shuttle flights and became chief of the office in 1985.
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The U.S. Air Force-led F-22 Combined Test Force at Edwards AFB, Calif., has surpassed the 2,000 flight test hours in just over 900 test missions since Raptor 4001 - "the Spirit of America" - first began flying on September 7, 1997. The 2,000-hour milestone occurred June 7, 2002. Six Raptors now call Edwards AFB home. The Raptors continue to prove their unique blend of revolutionary technologies will transform the way the Air Force fights future wars.
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Boeing engineers have released to manufacturing 90 percent of the design drawings necessary to build the 777-300ER (extended range) airplane. This means that design work on this first of two new longer-range 777s is nearly complete and signifies that the program is moving from the design to production phase. "We've released more than 10,000 engineering events," said Roger Houck, Longer-Range 777 deputy chief project engineer. "Now, with most of the engineering drawings complete, program partners and suppliers around the world have begun manufacturing the first detailed parts."
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As scientists demand more from space missions travelling to other worlds and beyond, traditional rocket technologies are beginning to show shortcomings. In response, ESA are helping to develop a new type of rocket engine, known as solar-electric propulsion, or more commonly, an ion engine, that can mark a whole new era of space exploration. Solar-electric propulsion is ESA's new spacecraft engine. It does not burn fuel as chemical rockets do; instead the technique converts sunlight into electricity via solar panels and uses it to electrically charge heavy gas atoms, which accelerate from the spacecraft at high velocity. This drives the spacecraft forwards. In a chemical rocket, burning the fuel creates gas that is expelled relatively slowly compared to electric thrusters. However, in an ion engine, the gas is ejected at large velocities, which makes it generally much more efficient, so less fuel is required. Such engines have long been the subject of science fiction; now ESA has helped turn them into science fact. A small ion engine is currently lifting ESA's telecommunications satellite, Artemis, to its planned orbit around Earth and, early in 2003, SMART-1 will blast off from Kourou, French Guiana. Once in space, this small craft will use an ion engine to reach the Moon. Ion engines are truly important because their high efficiency makes previously impossible missions achievable. In fact, SMART-1 will test a manoeuvring technique, using its ion engine and the gravitational pull of the Moon, which will be essential for ESA's BepiColombo mission to Mercury, lifting off in 2012. Giuseppe Racca, project manager for SMART-1, explains, “With chemical propulsion you can only do a fly-by or go into a very elongated orbit around the planet. If you want to achieve a low Mercury orbit and really observe the planet, then you can only do that with electric propulsion.”
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DRS Technologies, Inc. announced today that it has received a new order to manufacture Flight Control Computers for installation on European EH101 helicopters. The $2.6 million award was received by DRS from Smiths Aerospace Electronic Systems, a unit of Smiths Industries, plc (FTSE: SMIN) in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, the United Kingdom, to provide Flight Control Computers for EH101 helicopters being supplied by Agusta-Westland to Denmark. Production of these systems will be accomplished by the company's DRS Flight Safety and Communications unit, based in Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada. Product deliveries are expected to commence in May 2003 and continue through 2005. The award was received as a result of an agreement signed in June 1997 between DRS and Smiths Industries for the company to manufacture the Flight Control Computers for all future EH101 sales. DRS also provides Emergency Avionics Systems (EAS) 3000 for this helicopter and its variants, including the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force Support helicopters, Canada's Cormorant Search and Rescue helicopters, Italy's MMI helicopters and Japan's Tokyo Metropolitan Police helicopters.
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NASA has chosen the Atlas III expendable vehicle offered in a competitive bid by Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services, Inc. for the launch of NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter scheduled to occur in 2005. Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services is a division of International Launch Services of McLean, Va. This is a firm fixed-price task order awarded under the terms of the current NASA Launch Services contract for intermediate-class launch services for which Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services is one of two selected providers.
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NASA has extended to September 2008 its six-year, $1.15 billion contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems, New Orleans, to provide 35 Super Lightweight External Tanks for the Space Shuttle Program. Under the modified contract, the 35 tanks will be produced at a rate of not less than six per year, versus the eight per year agreed upon in the original contract issued in October 2000. The modification adds $341 million to the contract. The contract includes the manufacture, assembly, test and delivery of the Super Lightweight Tanks and the operations and maintenance of NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The contract also includes activities at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., and Kennedy Space Center, Fla. This is the sixth contract for production of tanks and the first to be comprised totally of Super Lightweight Tanks.
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Airbus has selected Hamilton Sundstrand to supply the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) Emergency Electrical Generating System for the Airbus A380 commercial airliner. This award is expected to generate more than $120 million in revenues over the life of the program. This is Hamilton Sundstrand's fourth systems win on the new Airbus aircraft, a 550-plus passenger plane expected to enter service in 2006. Hamilton Sundstrand has already been awarded contracts for air management, actuation, and cabin pressure and ventilation control systems. The RAT system will provide emergency electrical power to the aircraft if primary electrical power is lost. A sophisticated wind-driven generator, the RAT swings down into the airstream when needed, ensuring a supply of emergency power to flight controls and other essential electrically powered functions when all of the primary electrical power sources are lost. This can allow a pilot to maintain control of an aircraft, flying it as a glider.
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A Proton launch vehicle successfully launched the Express-A1R satellite at 5:15 a.m. Moscow time. This was the third launch of a Proton this year. The two previous missions were commercial satellites carried out under International Launch Services. The Express-A1R satellite was launched within the framework of the Federal program to renew the Russian civil communication and broadcast satellite constellation. The program calls for six new satellites of the Express-A and Express-AM series to be launched by 2005. The coverage area of the Express-A1R satellite includes the European part of Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia, and Caucasus republics.
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The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) successfully conducted the first-ever ground test of a full-scale, fully integrated hypersonic cruise missile engine using conventional liquid hydrocarbon fuel on May 30, 2002. The test, performed in a wind tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. demonstrated robust operation of the engine at simulated hypersonic cruise conditions (Mach 6.5 at 90,000 feet altitude). Demonstration of efficient supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) performance with a liquid hydrocarbon fuel is an essential step to enabling a viable hypersonic cruise missile. The May 30 test is the first demonstration of net positive engine thrust for a fully installed, hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet missile engine. Additional tests are planned later this summer at the Air Force Arnold Engineering and Development Center, Arnold AFB, Tenn., to verify operation at Mach 3.5 and 4 flight conditions, which will simulate the hypersonic engine taking over following a rocket boost.
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British Airways will take a further step into the next generation of air travel by offering on-board e-mail and internet access for its passengers. British Airways, the airline that revolutionised business travel with the introduction of the first flat beds in First and Club World, will be installing Connexion by Boeing(SM)in its First, Club World and World Traveller Plus cabins for a trial period of three months. Connexion by Boeing provides the broadband technology which allows air travellers to use their own lap top computers at 35,000 ft and surf the internet, send e-mails with attachments and access their own corporate intranets.
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Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide will file a separate zoning request (project approval procedure or Planfeststellungsverfahren) for the construction of maintenance facilities and runway adaptations required for operating and maintaining the new Airbus A380 widebody jets at Frankfurt Airport (FRA). Deutsche Lufthansa AG has made it quite clear in recent weeks that it was indispensable for Fraport AG immediately to create the necessary legal conditions in terms of the planning required for zoning. "We must meet this legitimate request for planning security of our main customer," said Fraport AG's executive board chairman, Dr. Wilhelm Bender. Fraport AG plans to file a zoning request for this project already in October of this year, separate from the zoning request for construction of the new runway. The upgrading has nothing to do with expansion of the runway system. The A380 will be used in air transportation independent of FRA's expansion. Being able to accommodate this type of aircraft and offering Lufthansa the basic conditions for stationing its A380 fleet at FRA is a sine qua non for Frankfurt Airport to ensure its future. "By separating the approval procedure for this project from the partly disputed issue of expanding FRA's runway system, Fraport AG hopes to reach a consensus with all parties involved and thus immediately create the planning security which Lufthansa legitimately claims", said Prof. Manfred Schölch, Fraport's executive board vice chairman. "Ultimately, this project represents a vital step toward securing Frankfurt's future position in air transportation."
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Embraer announced that Chautauqua Airlines has ordered 15 ERJ 135 LR and 7 ERJ 145 LR aircraft, with options for 30 additional units of either type. The order is valued at approximately US$ 350 million, and may reach US$ 900 million if the options are converted. Deliveries are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2002 and stretch throughout 2003. The acquisition results from a new agreement between Chautauqua Airlines and Delta Air Lines which will see the carrier fly ERJs in Florida to strengthen Delta Air Lines' overall market presence. Chautauqua is the fifth regional carrier to join the Delta Connection system. Embraer president Maurício Botelho stated: “We are pleased to have Chautauqua Airlines confirm the strong relationship between our companies by acquiring these additional aircraft. And we are particularly pleased that we can display the prestigious Delta Connection name on our ERJ 135 & ERJ 145s. I know I speak for all Embraer employees in welcoming Delta Connection customers on board Chautauqua Airlines' new Embraer aircraft.”
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June 14 saw the inauguration of Sweden's fourth Gripen wing at F17 in Ronneby. In total, 121 of the 204 Gripen aircraft ordered by the Swedish Air Force have now been delivered. The Gripen was introduced into the Swedish Air Force in June 1996. In autumn 1997, the first squadron became operational at F7 Såtenäs. F17 Ronneby is the latest wing to receive the Gripen, after F7 Såtenäs, F10 Ängelholm and F21 Luleå. During the autumn, the two Gripen squadrons presently at F10 in Ängelholm will be transferred to F17 in Ronneby. At full strength the Swedish Air Force will have eight Gripen multi-role squadrons. Today, five of those squadrons are already operating the Gripen. So far, the Swedish Air Force has flown over 34,000 missions with its Gripen aircraft. By 2007 the Gripen system will replace all Sweden's Viggen aircraft.
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Per Tegnér, currently Director General of the Swedish National Space Board, is the new Chairman of the ESA Council for the next two years (as from 1 July 2002). Mr. Tegnér was unanimously elected at the 159th meeting of the ESA Council, held at the Canadian Space Agency in Montreal on 12 and 13 June. He will take over from Mr. Alain Bensoussan of France whose term of office ends on 30 June 2002.
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General Dynamics announced that its Canadian subsidiary, General Dynamics Canada, was awarded a contract valued at $128 million ($198 million Canadian) by the Canadian Department of National Defense to supply and integrate a new data management system for the CP-140 Aurora, Canada's long-range maritime patrol aircraft, as part of the ongoing Aurora Incremental Modernisation Project (AIMP). Under the contract, General Dynamics Canada will supply a new mission computer, integrate upgraded sensors, and provide ground facilities and logistics support. The General Dynamics-designed data management system will provide the enhanced capability and flexibility required to allow the CP-140 Aurora to fulfill its surface and undersea surveillance roles. Work will be completed in Ottawa and Halifax.
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Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. is bringing together a tailored group of world-class companies to support its participation on the Sonic Cruiser technology development team. Today Vought announced the first companies that will become its enterprise team. The companies are Alcoa Inc., ATK Composites Co., Cincinnati Machine, Cytec Engineered Materials, Nova-Tech Engineering, and Parker Aerospace. Vought and its team members will help provide an integrated set of design, machine tool and advanced materials technologies for the Sonic Cruiser development effort. Boeing Commercial Airplanes named Vought to its Sonic Cruiser technology development team in February.
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As of 1 July 2002, the Austrian Airlines Group, a member of the Star Alliance, will be launching a new and stimulating fare concept for its scheduled flights within Austria. The new concept will be based primarily on precise and transparent orientation to the needs of specific target groups. The new fares will include Early/Late Flight and Weekend Fares and offer reductions of anything up to 30 % on the previous fare structure. Chief Commercial Officer Dr. Josef E. Burger made the following statement on the aims of the new domestic fare concept: “The price/performance ratio of our new domestic fare concept is designed to be transparent and offer private and business travellers cheap early/late flight fares and extremely attractive reductions. The new product concept will make flying within Austria an even more appealing option. This will be particularly attractive as the holiday season takes off, as we will enable our customers to avoid the once inevitable traffic build-ups on the roads and offer a range of flight products at prices way below the official rates per kilometre.” Dr. Burger went on to define his commercial expectations of the new fares: “Our aim is to generate growth of over 10 % in local domestic traffic. 60 % of this growth should come from the private and tourist travel segment, and 40 % from business travel.”
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The NAVAIR ATFLIR team celebrated more good news on June 11 as the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, was the site for the first GBU-24B/B delivery guided by an ATFLIR on an F/A-18D Hornet. While the range of the shot remains classified, the performance (i.e. direct hit) wowed the evaluators. Said Lt. Cdr. Dave "Scoop" Swenson, ATFLIR Project Officer, F/A-18 Advanced Weapons Lab, VX-31, "Bomb impact was exactly on the aim point, exactly on the spot, exactly on the target, with high order detonation. All in all, a very smooth evolution." Scoop went on to comment, "The weapon and pilot were provided by VX-9 and the aircraft, the ATFLIR, the range and the WSO were provided by VX-31. This is a great way to do business, as both organizations were able to be involved in the planning, execution, and analysis." Piloting the F/A-18D Hornet was Lt. Mike "Siep" Siepert from VX-9 and in the backseat was Weapon System Officer Lt. Cdr. Swenson.
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EADS, Europe's largest aerospace and defence group, IBM and Dassault Systemes announced the signing of a seven-year multi-million Euro agreement in which EADS will use IBM's and Dassault Systemes' Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions for all development, construction and production across its divisions worldwide, including EADS Military Aircraft, Eurocopter, Astrium, EADS Launch Vehicles, and EADS CASA. “Standardizing on IBM's and Dassault Systemes' PLM solutions will enable all our divisions to share a common engineering infrastructure for development, construction and production,” said Dr. Andreas Groth, senior vice president, Information Management at EADS. “In this way, we can insure that the group uses common processes throughout all the phases of products' development — from design, to service, to production —and derive strategic benefit as a result,” added Hans-Erich Mundt, senior vice president, Corporate Sourcing at EADS. This agreement expands EADS' existing installed base of roughly 1,100 CATIA workstations by 30 percent. During the initial stages of the seven-year agreement, EADS will migrate from CATIA V4 to CATIA V5 for virtual product design coupled with ENOVIA collaborative product data management solutions which are sold and supported worldwide by IBM. EADS will also implement Dassault Systemes' DELMIA advanced manufacturing solutions to define, simulate and execute complete production processes. IBM business partner, EADS Matra Datavision, will support the software migration process.
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The criteria for offset agreements in connection with the procurement of new interceptor aircraft are clearly defined in the Request for Proposals of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Labour in Austria: The Gripen Team fully meets these requirements. The following list includes ten examples from more than 110 projects in our Industrial Cooperation Program to prove this: Frequentis Nachrichtentechnik GmbH -- As the result of very intense cooperation with AerotechTelub, a company of the Saab Group, the Austrian high-tech company Frequentis Nachrichtentechnik GmbH was able to obtain orders to supply voice communication systems (VCS) to the Linköping (Sweden) airport. Meteka GmbH -- Meteka GmbH in Judenburg develops, produces and sells a wide range of products for the safe and environmentally friendly collection, disinfection and disposal of infectious waste materials in the medical field. VBC-Genomics Bioscience Research GmbH -- VBC-Genomics Bioscience Research GmbH is a young Austrian biotech company that, in addition to providing services such as DNA sequencing and oligonucleotide synthesis, has specialized in the development of molecular diagnostics. Automobilcluster -- With its partners, Automobil-Cluster (AC) in Upper Austria continually develops new product improvements for vehicles. Access to international car manufacturers is thus essential. Alulight International GmbH -- Gripen International is working with the Upper Austrian company Alulight on promoting the use of aluminum foam in the automotive industry. Active photonics -- Along with active photonics in Villach, the Gripen Team is working on the development of a compact infrared camera, to be mounted on a helmet, which is planned for future use in firefighting, personal protection and the rescuing of accident victims. Life Optics -- Life Optics, global technology leader in the area of advanced head mounted vision systems, is the producer of the first mobile, binocular, close-up telescopic vision system for surgeons with variable enlargement, automatic focus and automatic parallax compensation. AGS GmbH -- In cooperation with the AGS GmbH in Graz and the Foree Oil Company from the USA, the Gripen Team is researching the potential of extracting methane gas from coal mines for example in Fohnsdorf. Joanneum Research -- Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Austria's biggest R&D facility owned by a province, is active in the area of applied research and development for business, industry and management. Thanks to the support of Gripen International, cooperation with the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm is being realized. Vienna University of Technology -- This medical research project brings scientists from Sweden and from the Vienna University of Technology together.
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Lufthansa and Shanghai Airlines sign Memorandum of Understanding Both airlines to work closer together to strengthen cooperation Lufthansa German Airlines and Shanghai Airlines today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that lays the foundation for closer cooperation between the two airlines and further enhances service quality and customer satisfaction. The agreement was signed by Mr. Zhou Chi, Shanghai Airlines' Chairman & CEO and Mr. Wolfgang Mayrhuber, Lufthansa Group's Deputy Chairman & CEO Passenger Airlines in Shanghai on May 31, 2002. The MoU reinforces the airlines' commitment in strengthening their cooperation in areas such as frequent flyer programmes, joint system development, the harmonisation of products and services, special pro-rate agreements (SPA), sales and marketing activities as well as network connectivity. Both airlines will work in close consultation with each other in prospective areas to explore the feasibility of joint cooperation, which will set out a framework for the two airlines to move towards a code-sharing agreement, subject to government and trade approvals.
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Fraport AG believes that the statements of Hesse's minister of economics, transport, and state development, Dieter Posch, and the president of the Darmstadt administrative district, Gerold Dieke, confirm the company's plan for a new landing runway northwest of Frankfurt Airport (FRA) - to expand airport capacity in keeping with demand. Posch and Dieke announced (Raumordnungsverfahren or ROV) in Wiesbaden today. The ROV concluding report includes a number of conditions that Fraport AG and the Hessian air transport authorities must fulfill before zoning can be requested (project approval procedure or Planfeststellungsverfahren). In the next few days, the Darmstadt administrative district will provide Fraport with detailed documentation regarding the ROV decision. "We are very satisfied with the timeframe of the ROV," said Fraport AG's executive board chairman, Dr. Wilhelm Bender, in an initial statement. "In this context, I would like to thank all our staff involved in the ROV during the last year for their enormous commitment. I also wish to thank the representatives of Hessian authorities and institutions for their constructive cooperation."
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Three spacewalks were performed during STS-111's stay at the International Space Station to continue on-orbit construction and to do some maintenance work. The spacewalkers were Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Díaz and Philippe Perrin. During the first spacewalk, which occurred on Flight Day 5, they prepared the Mobile Remote Servicer Base System, or MBS, for installation onto the station's Mobile Transporter on Flight Day 6. They also set the stage for the P6 Truss' relocation during a future flight. The focus of STS-111's second extravehicular activity, or EVA, was the outfitting and permanent attachment of the MBS onto the station. This spacewalk occurred on Flight Day 7. The primary task during the final spacewalk, which occurred on Flight Day 9, was the replacement of a wrist roll joint on the station's robot arm. All three spacewalks were based from the station's Quest Airlock. STS-111 Pilot Paul Lockhart served as the spacewalk coordinator and Commander Ken Cockrell operated Endeavour's robot arm. Expedition Four Flight Engineer Carl Walz and Expedition Five Commander Valery Korzun and Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson operated the station's robot arm.
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