FLUG REVUE update: Week ending January 12, 2003

UPDATE
Week ending January 12, 2003

+++ Ariane 5 ECA: nozzle failure confirmed +++ A380 for Malaysia Airlines +++ Air Hong Kong to buy six Airbus freighters +++ PW615F to power Citation Mustang +++ News in brief +++

Ariane 5 ECA: nozzle failure confirmed
Fehlschlag wegen Kühlausfall

The Inquiry Board appointed to investigate the failure of Ariane 5 ECA Flight 157 submitted its report to Arianespace on January 6, 2003. A complete analysis of all measurements recorded during Flight 157 was carried out, along with a review of documentation concerning production, quality and technical records for the Ariane 5 ECA, as well as for all Ariane 5 flights to date. Also reviewed by the board was the work of production and development teams in Europe.
The report of the Inquiry Board did identify the occurrence of a leak in the of the Vulcain 2 nozzle's cooling circuit during this first flight phase, followed by a critical overheating of the nozzle - which led to a loss of its integrity. This resulted in a major imbalance in the thrust of the Vulcain 2 engine due to the nozzle's deterioration, leading to a loss of control over the launcher's trajectory. In conclusion, the most probable cause of the failure of Flight 157 was the simultaneous occurrence of two aggravating factors: The degraded thermal condition of the nozzle due to fissures in the cooling tubes, and Non-exhaustive definition of the loads to which the Vulcain 2 engine is subjected during flight The board also noted that it would be difficult to simulate these additional loads during ground tests.
The designs of nozzles on the Ariane 5 Baseline's Vulcain 1 engine and the Vulcain 2 engine for Ariane 5 ECA differ in two main ways: The shape of the cooling tubes, which form the structure of the nozzle, and The technology of the nozzle's stiffeners. After reviewing operating data from the Vulcain 1 engine's 12 successful flights, the Inquiry Board did not identify any weaknesses concerning the functioning and resistance of its nozzle. The Inquiry Board nevertheless requested an exhaustive examination of the behavior of the Vulcain 1 engine nozzle, including precise modeling to demonstrate the component's correct behavior during the flight. These verifications currently are in progress.
The Inquiry Board requested that the following actions be taken: Modification of the Vulcain 2 nozzle, taking into account experience acquired with the Vulcain 1 engine nozzle, Assessment of possibilities for simulation during ground tests of loads observed during actual flight on the Vulcain 2 engine, and Enhancing of the quality of flight equipment. In view of the specific factors involved in this flight, Arianespace has decided to create a Review Board to make a decision on Tuesday, January 14 regarding the mission's launch date.

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A380 for Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Airlines will Airbus A380

Penerbangan Malaysia Berhad (PMB), the holding company of Malaysia Airlines, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Airbus to acquire six Airbus A380-800 passenger aircraft for delivery scheduled to commence in 2007. A corresponding lease agreement for the aircraft would be agreed to between PMB and Malaysia Airlines in accordance with the guidelines of the Corporate and Contractual Governance Code. The Code, that was part of the Malaysia Airlines Financial Restructuring announced on 30th July 2002, defines the roles of PMB and Malaysia Airlines as the asset owner and asset operator respectively, in various aspects of running the national airline, including in the area of fleet planning and acquisition.
Dato' Gumuri Hussain, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PMB said “This is a landmark transaction that sees the new business model of the national carrier in action. We have worked closely in our roles as asset owner and operator to first determine our long-term aircraft requirements and secondly to quickly negotiate attractive conditions to acquire the aircraft. With a sovereign-backed credit standing, we believe there would be further benefits from financing this through PMB. In accordance with the Governance Code, the leases would be struck on an arms-length basis, while at the same time, it is also the intention of our business model that we share some of these benefits with Malaysia Airlines, our operator and 69% subsidiary”.

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Air Hong Kong to buy six Airbus freighters
A300-600F für Air Hong Kong

AHK Air Hong Kong Ltd. announced its intention to purchase six new Airbus A300-600F “General Freighter” aircraft in order to implement its previously announced plan to expand operations within the Asian region. The six wide-body aircraft are scheduled for delivery between the second half of 2004 and first quarter of 2005. AHK, the Hong Kong-based all-cargo carrier, also has options on four more of the same aircraft type for possible delivery at a later date.
AHK will be the launch customer for the A300-600F “General Freighter,” which differs from A300-600F aircraft currently being built for other carriers in that it has a loading system and side door capable of handling large items of general freight in addition to small packages. A final decision has yet to be made on which engine will power the aircraft. Two power plants are available for this aircraft type ¨C one produced by General Electric and the other by Pratt & Whitney.
AHK's order is in furtherance of its cooperative venture with DHL Worldwide Express, signed in October 2002, to support DHL's services to major cities in the Asia Pacific region from AHK's base at Hong Kong International Airport. Cathay Pacific Airways owns 70 percent of AHK and DHL holds a 30 percent stake.

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PW615F to power Citation Mustang
Cessna wählt PW615F für Einsteiger-Jet

On January 9, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) announced that Cessna Aircraft has selected the new generation PW615F engine to power the Citation Mustang, its newest introductory-level business jet. "This represents a breakthrough contract for our new PW600 family of engines, targeting the entry-level business jet and general aviation markets. It clearly solidifies our presence in this fast emerging sector of the aircraft market," said Alain M. Bellemare, President, P&WC. "We are particularly pleased about having the right product for continuing our successful partnership with Cessna.
"The PW615F engine is flat rated at 1,350 pounds of takeoff thrust at sea level to ISA +10(C and controlled by a dual-channel FADEC (Full Authority Digital Electronic Control), key attributes for the new Citation Mustang. "This represents an important strategic win for us and sets the stage for additional orders for variants of the new PW600 engine family," commented John Wright, Vice President, Business Aviation and Military Engines. The PW600 family, spanning the 1,000- to 3,000-pound thrust range, represents P&WC's smallest turbofan engine series. It is intended to provide operators with optimum value and performance with significantly reduced ownership costs.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

The weak global economy and the aftermath of the terrorist attacks continued to have an adverse effect on the traffic results of the Lufthansa Group in 2002. However, by optimising its route network, the company succeeded in improving the capacity utilisation of its aircraft compared to the previous year. From January to December the Lufthansa Group airlines carried 44 million passengers, 3.8 per cent fewer than in 2001. In the first nine months of 2002 the passenger count declined by 7.7 per cent. While available capacity was 5.2 per cent below the prior-year level, sales were only 2.0 per cent down. As a result, the passenger load factor rose by 2.4 per cent to a gratifying 73.9 per cent, only marginally behind the seat occupancy rate of 74.4 per cent achieved two years earlier, in 2000. The weak economic climate hit Lufthansa's cargo business hardest in the fourth quarter. Last year Lufthansa Cargo transported 1.9 per cent less freight and mail, but at 66.6 per cent the cargo load factor outstripped the prior-year figure by 3.8 percentage points.
In 2002 the Lufthansa Group raised its overall load factor (passenger and freight business) to 70.7 per cent, which represents an increase of 3.1 percentage points.
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Daniel Deviller, previously Technical Advisor in the Engineering Department of Airbus, has been appointed as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Head of Industrial Research and Technology (IRT) in the EADS Strategic Coordination Department. As EADS announced on Tuesday, Deviller succeeds Jean-Marc Thomas, who has been appointed Site Manager for Airbus Toulouse. Jean-Louis Gergorin, Executive Vice President and Head of Strategic Coordination, commended Jean-Marc Thomas for his outstanding service to EADS: “Mr. Thomas has been a driving force in the creation and integration of EADS Industrial Research and Technology and has also played a key role in representing EADS in European industrial forums. IRT has created an effective cross-divisional cooperation network throughout EADS. This allows us to identify and transfer synergies, to optimise our R&T activities and save costs.” EADS research and development activities are increasingly shifting away from an orientation along product lines and towards approaches embracing more than one branch of technology. In times of limited governmental R&T funds, effective cooperation with other companies, governmental institutions or universities at a European level will be the key to the future success of EADS products.
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EADS and Rockwell Collins have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for avionics solutions sourcing. This agreement is part of the global sourcing strategy that has been launched across EADS. This MoU paves the way for enhanced performances in the relationship between Rockwell Collins as a supplier and EADS as a customer, to better meet end-market requirements. The resulting improvements are cornerstones for the implementation of a "Competitive Partnership" between EADS and Rockwell Collins in the avionics solution sourcing area. The EADS Sourcing Strategy aims to build a long term relationship with suppliers that are willing to develop sustained, excellent performances to better meet the markets needs. Tuned to the particular end markets needs, it applies to every Business Unit of EADS. It facilitates the implementation of a deepened, privileged relationship between EADS and its best suppliers, called "Competitive Partnership."
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Lufthansa, the German flag carrier, has selected the Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engine for ten firm Airbus A330s, it was announced today (9 January). The order means the airline's fleet of three types of new-generation Airbus jets will all be Rolls-Royce powered. Lufthansa has already selected the Trent 900 for its A380s, and has ordered the A340-600, for which the Trent 500 is the sole engine. Today's order is for the 72,000lb thrust Trent 772B engine. The first of the new twinjets will be delivered in January 2004.
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Enstrom Helicopter Corp. has joined forces with a Taiwanese firm to strengthen and expand its sales and marketing efforts in Asia, President Steve Daniels announced. Cyrus Pitt will lead the Taipei-based organization, known as Enstrom Helicopter Corporation Asia, as president. Under Pitt's leadership, Enstrom Helicopter Corporation Asia will manage Enstrom's network of dealers and representatives in the Pacific Rim, including Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
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A former top U.S. Air Force acquisition official has joined Boeing to help lead the company's missile defense business headquartered in Washington, D.C. Darleen Druyun, who recently served as the principal deputy assistant secretary for Air Force acquisition and management, will report directly to James Evatt, senior vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, one of nine business units within Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. In her new role, Druyun will assist Evatt in the operations and execution of the company's missile defense programs. Those programs include Boeing's role as the prime contractor for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense Segment and the industry lead for the Missile Defense National Team Systems Engineering and Integration effort, as well as the company's work on the Patriot antimissile system, Sea-based Midcourse system and the Airborne Laser program where Boeing is also the prime contractor.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation's Electronic Systems sector has successfully modified a LITENING Extended Range (ER) targeting and navigation pod to enable a data link between a U.S. Marine AV-8B aircraft and a ground station for a Pioneer unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Modifications to the LITENING ER involved mounting a government-furnished equipment (GFE) data/video link transmitter compatible with the Pioneer UAV system in the pod, along with a commercial off-the-shelf transmit antenna. Operational evaluation flight missions of the AV-8B aircraft equipped with the modified LITENING pod were then conducted at the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz., where cockpit imagery from the pod was successfully relayed to a Pioneer ground station via the GFE transmitter. The modification took less than one month to complete and had no adverse effects on the normal functioning of the pod. "Northrop Grumman is very proud of the government-industry teamwork that made this flight demonstration such a success," said Michael Lennon, vice president of Targeting and Surveillance Programs at Northrop Grummans Defensive Systems Division in Rolling Meadows.
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The first European deliveries of the Eurocopter EC 135 T2, fitted with the Arrius 2B2, took place at Helicap, a French company specialising in emergency medical service. This EC 135 T2 is to be put into operation by the SAMU of Ile-de-France, at Créteil, at the beginning of 2003. Michel Capoulade, the President of Helicap, chose the EC 135 T2 fitted with the new Turbomeca engine, particularly because of the increased security margins offered by the Arrius 2B2. His choice is also influenced by the “on the doorstep” service offered by Turbomeca. Helicap is currently in possession of 13 EC 135. A fourteenth will be added to the fleet at the beginning of February 2003. The eventual aim is to move towards a standardisation of this fleet based upon Turbomeca Arrius 2B2 engining. The Arrius 2B2 is the first engine of the Arrius family to benefit from OEI 30''/2' rating. The basic version incorporates all the modifications developed on the Arrius 2B1, its predecessor. Also, the Arrius 2B2 was designed to allow a greater take-off weight in category A and to an extension of the temperature range. It offers the best performances at high altitudes and temperatures. In addition, the engine TBO (time between 2 overhauls) is increased from 3,000 to 3,500 hours and the life cycles are improved. The Arrius 2B2 benefits from the latest Turbomeca technology, offering a thermal power at OEI rating more than 8% better than its predecessor the Arrius 2B1/2B1A.
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Boeing completed the sale of its plant in Spokane, Wash., to Triumph Group, Inc. Purchase terms were not disclosed. Under an eight-year single-source agreement with Triumph, the facility in Spokane will continue to supply floor panels, air ducts and flight deck components to Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "This sale represents the best solution for the Spokane team and for the community as Boeing continues its transformation into a large-scale systems integrator," said Mary Armstrong, Boeing Commercial Airplanes' vice president and general manager of Aircraft Systems & Interiors. "I am confident that the facility and its employees have a great future with Triumph."
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The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China has issued the country's first permit for helicopter production for civilian use. The Z11 helicopter is solely Chinese made, designed in China and manufactured by the Changhe Aircraft Industries Group Ltd. Z11 was the only helicopter in China to gain such a permit after passing all necessary flight tests, said Wang Zhong, director of the Aircraft Test Flight Department of the administration. This indicated such helicopters could be produced and sold for civilian use in China, a major step of Chinese helicopter producers toward marketization and industrialization, Wang said. Z11, which is expected to be on the market next year, can accommodate a maximum of six people, has a top flying weight of 2.2 tons, cruising speed of 240 km per hour, maximum distance of 600km, and safe cruise duration of four hours.
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The first AH-1Z SuperCobra test aircraft ended 2002 on a high note having completed the envelope expansion portion of the test program and achieving more than 400 flight test hours. With envelope expansion finished, AH-1Z testers have completed the first major portion of flight testing on the Marine Corps' newest attack helicopter. "In envelope expansion, we essentially determine how high and how fast the aircraft can go," explained Vic DiSanto, systems engineer with the H-1 Integrated Test Team here. "We start at a hover and go from there." In between, DiSanto explained, test pilots and engineers check the aircraft's performance against engineering estimates at various airspeeds, altitudes and G loadings - from zero altitude, zero airspeed at one G (a hover) to the maximum airspeed, altitude and G loading (both negative and positive) the aircraft can safely withstand. Once validated by these tests, the data will be used as the basis for the platform's NATOPS manual – the operating manual developed for each aircraft.
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Chinese scientists say the successful week-long flight of an unmanned spacecraft proves China is nearly ready for its first manned spaceflight later this year. The unmanned, Chinese-built Shenzhou-Four spacecraft landed in a snow-covered plain in Inner-Mongolia Sunday night after orbiting the Earth 108 times. President Jiang Zemin congratulated the scientists behind China's space program. Chinese space officials told the official Xinhua news agency that Shenzhou 4 successfully tested life-support systems and carried out several hundred special maneuvers, including unfolding solar panels that would generate electricity. A number of scientific research projects were also carried out. The Shenzhou 4 is identical to the capsule China plans to use for its first manned spaceflight. Several Chinese "taikonauts", taken from the Chinese word for space, lived inside the Shenzhou-Four for one week last year. China would become only the third country after the United States and Russia, to launch a human into orbit.
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Boeing has announced fourth quarter and full year 2002 deliveries across its commercial, military and space operations. Thes include 20 x 717, 223 x 737NG, 27 x 747, 29 x 757, 35 x 767, 47 x 777 airliners Also 3 x F-15, 16 x C-17, 40 x F/A-18E/f, 15 x AH-64D, 7 x CH-47, 14 x T-45TS and 3 x C-40 were handed over to the military. In space operations, there were 3 Delta II and 1 Delta IV launch, plus the delivery of 6 satellites.
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Rolls-Royce is pleased to announce a series of price reductions associated with spare parts for the vastly popular Model 250 turboshaft and turboprop family. These price reductions introduced on January 1st, 2003, affect a range of high volume Series II and Series IV parts, and will lower direct operating costs for Model 250 operators. Rolls-Royce has implemented a twenty-two percent price reduction on a range of high-value Model 250 turbine nozzle assemblies, gearshaft assemblies and spur gear adapters. The company has also introduced a fifteen percent price reduction on Series II compressor vane assemblies.
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Swiss International Air Lines has successfully completed the sale of its Crossarc subsidiary. Winpro AG, based in Wintherthur, will take over Crossarc and will incorporate the New Fabrications unit in its own activities. Winpro will also take over a part of the work force. The repair facility at Crossarc will be maintained to a large extent by SWISS. Crossair Engine Repair (Crossarc) is a and maintenance operation, specialising primarily in aircraft engines. 60 per cent of the turnover comes from maintenance and repair and 40 per cent from the manufacture of new components. Crossarc was taken over from Sulzer Triebwerk AG in 1999. On November 11 last year, SWISS had to announce the closure of its Crossarc subsidiary in Wintherthur. In Winpro AG, SWISS has found a suitable purchaser which will continue to operate the New Fabrication unit. The sale was completed on January 1, 2003. No details of the transaction are being released. Another solution was found for Crossarc's repair activities. Some units and staff have been taken over by SWISS. Severance packages are being worked out for redundant staff.
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Brazil's new leftist president has suspended the $700 million purchase of fighter jets for the air force so it can to devote more resources to the fight against poverty. Officials said that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva delayed the transaction by one year, saying the money might be better spent to feed the country's needy. President da Silva took office Wednesday, pledging to fight hunger and improve social conditions in South America's largest nation. The jet fighter contract was part of a larger $3.3 billion plan to update Brazil's air defenses. Defense Minister Jose Viegas Filho says the government may consider renting planes or buying used jets to replace Brazil's French-made Mirage combat jets that date back to the early 1970s.
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The Lockheed Martin-led F/A-22 Raptor air dominance fighter team has delivered its first aircraft - Raptor 4012 - to the U.S. Air Force's Air Warfare Center (AWFC) with the recent signing of formal acceptance documents here by government officials. The aircraft will soon be flown to AWFC's 422nd Test & Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nevada. At Nellis, Raptor 12 - the twelfth F/A-22 built - will be used initially to teach Operational Test pilots and maintenance personnel how to safely and effectively fly and repair the aircraft. Eventually, AWFC pilots will use Raptor 12 (Air Force serial number 00-012) and the other seven F/A-22s assigned to the unit to develop the tactics, techniques and procedures for the entire Combat Air Forces (CAF). In addition, these aircraft will be used to train the initial cadre of Air Education and Training Command instructor pilots stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
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During a two-week QinetiQ trial on Salisbury Plain Training Area and at QinetiQ's Larkhill site, the MOD's Extendor Operational Concept Demonstrator successfully completed its Phase 3 "Graduation Exercise". As part of the UK MOD Applied Research Programme, Extendor envisages using UAVs as communications relay platforms for tactical aircraft and military units. This will allow them to share data whilst engaged in an air campaign and operating on disparate tactical data links. The aims of the programme are to develop an airborne tactical data link translation capability and dramatically reduce sensor-to-shooter times to allow time critical targets to be prosecuted more effectively. Having used a Predator UAV as the airborne relay platform in the earlier two phases, QinetiQ used it's BAC 1-11 flying laboratory as the host platform for the Phase 3 trials. To ensure compatibility with the earlier phases, the BAC 1-11 was operated as a pseudo-surrogate UAV i.e. piloted but with the payload controlled from the ground. The payload for this phase included two UHF radios, an Improved Data Modem, a payload control processor hosting the QinetiQ-developed data link translator and a Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) low volume terminal. The trial was conducted mainly on Salisbury Plain, but with large numbers of aircraft operating over the Midlands and southern England.
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Qantas has made the longest flight ever by an Airbus A330-200 - nonstop from Toulouse, France, to Melbourne, Australia - covering a distance of almost 17,000 km in a flight time of 20 hours and 4 mins. The flight is believed to have set two new records in its class a distance without landing of 16,910 km, and the fastest speed between Toulouse and Melbourne of 865 Km/hr. The delivery flight of the brand-new A330-200 was flown by four Qantas pilots, carried 12 people in a fully equipped passenger cabin, and followed normal operating procedures, highlighting the fuel efficiency of Airbus aircraft. Qantas' A330 left Toulouse on 24th December, landed in Melbourne on Christmas day.
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MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. announced that the company has signed a contract with the NASA Johnson Space Center valued at $150 million (CDN). The 5-year contract provides for ongoing engineering services of NASA's fleet of Canadarms outfitted on each of the Space Shuttle orbiters, and the Robotic Workstations on the International Space Station. A vital component of NASA's shuttle program, Canadarm has demonstrated exemplary performance. MDA will continue to support Canadarm under this contract, and incorporate numerous upgrades and improvements to expand its operational capabilities onboard the Shuttle.
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Static structural testing campaign for the Embraer 170 aircraft has successfully surpassed its most critical phase and is about to be concluded with absolute success, with only minor complementary tests left. The intense test program has been carried out within the schedule established for both Embraer and its risk-sharing partners. “This is a landmark in the development of the Embraer 170, putting behind us one of the most challenging test campaigns in the development of every new airplane,” said Luís Carlos Affonso, Director for the Embraer 170/190 Program. “The successful static test campaign confirms the superior quality of the 170 aircraft, the first member of the Embraer 170/190 family, and stresses the professionalism of Embraer and its risk-sharing partners's engineering teams.”
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Following Bell Helicopter's selection of the TopOwl helmet-mounted sight and display system HMS/D in June for the EMD phase of the US Marine Corps H-1 Program (Cobra AH-1Z and Huey UH-1Y), Thales Avionics set a very ambitious goal of delivering the first four pre-production units by the end of December. Despite these tight deadlines, Thales Avionics rose to the occasion: on November 25, less than five months later, it delivered the first two TopOwl, and on December 20, two other units to Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas. These units will be installed at Bell's System Integration Laboratory. The remaining TopOwl units for the EMD phase will now be delivered through the end of June 2003 at a rate of two per month. A total of 18 of these units were ordered, with production of 560 production TopOwl systems expected to kick off in early 2004.
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Aerojet, a GenCorp Inc. company, announced that NASA and the Rocket Based Combined Cycle Consortium, or RBCCC, have taken an important step in developing a new engine that could revolutionize access to space and air transportation in the next quarter century. The consortium, of which Aerojet is a member, has successfully completed the first in a series of tests of a full-scale rocket thruster -- a crucial element of a rocket based combined cycle engine system. The test, conducted at Aerojet facilities in Sacramento, Calif., marked a key milestone in NASA's Integrated System Test of an Air-breathing Rocket (ISTAR) program. The ISTAR program intends, by the end of the decade, to flight-test a self-powered hypersonic flight vehicle to more than six times the speed of sound, demonstrating all modes of engine operation. The small, high performance thrusters are intended to power the engine system demonstrator during the early phase of powered flight, accelerating the craft to hypersonic speed (approx. 3,750 mph). At that point, the engine switches to pure air-breathing ramjet and scramjet modes of operation.
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SWISS Easy Savers is the designation of the new SWISS special offer for selected routes out of Geneva. Effective January 15, it will be possible, for example, to book return flights to Paris at prices from CHF 79. There are certain travel conditions attached to the new fares. e.g. a minimum stay of two nights during the week , or an overnight stay from Saturday to Sunday; 28 or 14 day advance booking and a maximum stay of 10 days. The offer is valid as long as seats are available. The SWISS Easy Savers offer flights out of Geneva to Paris, London Heathrow, Barcelona and Nice at prices ranging from CHF 79 to CHF199. (plus taxes). Similar advantageous fares and conditions apply for flights in the reverse direction.
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