Flight International articles from April 2003

Flight International archives from April 2003

production; Boeing in drive to rescue 757 sales; US manufacturer launches recovery mission as it pushes to end twinjet's order drought and boost backlog.
April 1, 2003... Boeing has launched an aggressive sales push in both China and at FedEx Express for its 757-200 twinjet, in an effort to bolster the aircraft's rapidly dwindling orderbook. There are now 26 aircraft on the company's backlog, three fewer than...

aircraft development Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Boeing closes in on 7E7 family development plans ; Chosen eight-abreast cabin cross-section has greater diameter than rival A330.
April 1, 2003... Boeing has picked an eight-abreast main cabin for the 7E7 as it moves towards the crucial definition of the cross-section, and has outlined new details of its plans to develop mid- and long-range family variants. The 7E7 cross-section is...

Delivery ; ATRs for expanding Air Wales.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Air Wales has introduced two ATR42-300s which are replacing the two Fairchild Dornier 228s that it has operated since its launch in September 2000. The expanding Welsh airline has been wet-leasing 19-seat turboprops for services from Cardiff...

product support; Bombardier puts Dash 8 lessons into practice.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Bombardier has embarked on a major overhaul of its aftermarket support business after the experience and lessons learned from the entry into service over the past two years of the 70-seat stretch Dash 8Q400 turboprop and CRJ700 regional jet....

strategy Nicholas Ionides / Singapore; CR Airways has eyes on Asia; Helicopter operator bids to be Hong Kong's third airline as it seeks clearance to fly regional jets internationally.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Helicopter charter firm CR Airways is seeking approval to become Hong Kong's third passenger airline, operating regional jets to secondary cities in China and to other nearby Asian destinations. The company has also reportedly agreed to...

liberalisation David Learmount / London; ICAO urges faster global industry deregulation.(International Civil Aviation Organisation seminar)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Global liberalisation for the airline industry is essential and inevitable, according to many speakers at last week's International Civil Aviation Organisation seminar in Montreal, Canada. Referring to the conference theme - "Challenges and...

Maintenance Max Kingsley-Jones / Hamburg; LHT warns of OEM threat to overhaul market.(Lufthansa Technik concerned with original equipment manufacturers )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Lufthansa Technik (LHT) has warned that it is growing increasingly concerned by the infiltration of engine manufacturers into the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market. However, the Hamburg-headquartered maintenance arm of Lufthansa is...

in brief.(air transportation briefs )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... GE for HONG KONG Air Hong Kong has selected the General Electric CF6-80C2 engine to power its future fleet of Airbus A300-600 freighters over the rival Pratt & Whitney offering. The Cathay Pacific Airways subsidiary firmed up a deal with...

Assembly Vladamir Karnozov / Moscow; Military aircraft plant NAPO to build RRJ family.(Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Organisation, Russian Regional Jet)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Siberian plant Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Organisation (NAPO) has been selected as the main site for production of the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) family. NAPO is a sister company of RRJprogramme leader Sukhoi. Other RRJ partners include...

Orders Max Kingsley-Jones / London; Deals await outcome of war.(Embraer contracts)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Embraer is in the running for several European regional jet orders, but firm deals are unlikely until the impact of the Iraq war has become clear. Privately owned Portuguese carrier PGA Portugalia is evaluating the Embraer 170 to replace...

Order restructuring Paul Lewis / Washington DC; Alitalia primed to fill Swiss role with 170.(Embraer contracts)
April 1, 2003... Embraer is in talks with Alitalia Express to spearhead the introduction of the 170 into commercial service in the fourth quarter, after launch customer Swiss International Air Lines halved its order and deferred deliveries for a year....

Accident Nicholas Ionides / Singapore; TransAsia A321 hits truck on runway while landing; Lucky escape as twinjet strikes vehicle carrying out overnight repairs at Tainan Airport.(TransAsia Airways accident )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council (ASC) and air force are investigating a 21 March accident in which a TransAsia Airways Airbus A321 suffered "substantial damage" when it struck a construction vehicle on landing at Tainan Airport, injuring three...

avionics; Virgin Blue plans Boeing 737 VSD safety device upgrade.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Virgin Blue aims to have Boeing's new vertical situation display (VSD) technology retrofitted on its 28 737-700/-800s by the end of the year. The Australian carrier is the launch customer for the software, with its first 737-700 (VH-VBT)...

Acquisition Graham Warwick / Washington DC; AvCraft finalises Dornier 328 deal; Company owner Bartel pledges to maintain production in Germany, but needs agreements with suppliers to re-open line.(AvCraft Aviation acquires Fairchild Dornier )
April 1, 2003... USfirm AvCraft Aviation has completed the acquisition of bankrupt Fairchild Dornier's 328 programme. Terms have not been disclosed, but reports suggest privately held aviation services firm AvCraft, which is being renamed Fairchild Dornier, has...

People; Boeing appointment bolsters UK presence.(appointment of Michael Jenkins )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Boeing has appointed a career diplomat and investment banker as its political fixer in the UK. Sir Michael Jenkins is the company's 14th country or regional president: high-profile ambassadors recruited to extend Boeing's "global...

Manufacturing Pino Modola / Genoa; Doughty Hanson joins race to acquire FiatAvio; UK private equity firm teams with Piaggio to make g1.8bn bid after Snecma drops out.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Doughty Hanson has emerged as a potential buyer for Italian aero engine manufacturer FiatAvio following the withdrawal of France's Snecma. The UK private equity firm is teaming with local company Piaggio Aero Industries and has already...

Downturn Andrew Doyle / London; MTUoptimistic despite sales slump.(MTU Aero Engines )
April 1, 2003... Second-tier European supplier MTU Aero Engines is pinning its civil manufacturing hopes on the Engine Alliance GP7000 turbofan under development for the Airbus A380 while putting a brave face on 2002's 11% decline in revenues to c2.2 billion...

Restructuring; Saab splits aerospace.(Saab Aerospace )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Saab Aerospace is to restructure its Linkoping operations into two new business units from July. The facility will be split into Saab Aerosystems, which will focus on defence, and Saab Aerostructures, which is to concentrate on subassembly...

Restructuring ; Varig losses raise doubts over merger.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Varig has had the worst nine months in its 75-year history, reporting yet another loss in its belated third-quarter results. Despite revenues of $1.38 billion between January and September 2002 - a 4.6% increase over the same period a year...

chapter 11 ; Filings show weakness of lease market.(bankruptcy filings of Avianca Airlines and Hawaiin Airlines )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Pressure to meet aircraft lease payments appears to have been a factor in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filings of Avianca Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, highlighting the increasingly weak condition of the aircraft leasing industry. ...

Charter Kate Sarsfield / London; Bombardier introduces Skyjet brand to Europe; Establishment of charter division comes as company streamlines flight operations.
April 1, 2003... Bombardier has formed European charter division Skyjet Europe, formally establishing the company's growing on-demand charter operation across the region. The move brings the Skyjet brand, which Bombardier acquired two years ago, to the...

Contracts Jackson Flores / Rio de Janeiro; Brazil set to renew offshore helicopter fleet.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Brazil's state-owned oil company Petrobras is expected to announce by June the winning bids for offshore helicopter business potentially worth $90 million for new and leased aircraft to transport personnel to and from oil rigs. This is the...

personal jet; Diamond builds D-Jet prototype.(Diamond Aircraft )
April 1, 2003... Diamond Aircraft is to start construction of the first prototype of its D-Jet personal jet as it doubles the size of its composites facility. The Austrian manufacturer has completed the design phase of the aircraft and aims to certificate two...

Fractional ownership Justin Wastnage / Sio Paulo; Jet Solutions fixed-wing scheme 'back on track'; Brazilian programme will begin operations with Cessna Citations and Embraer Legacys.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Brazilian helicopter fractional ownership programme Helisolutions is close to concluding finance deals with the first 18 owners in its Jet Solutions fixed-wing scheme. Brazil's first fixed-wing fractional programme will start operations with...

The 60-year itch.(air transportation regulations)
April 1, 2003... Airlines are saddled with an outmoded international regulatory system. ICAO is giving them the opportunity to throw it off, but will they dare? Flags of convenience have not, so far, been a choice for airlines. The idea, however, has...

management Stewart Penney / Yeovil; UK company to start trials of Chinook maintenance system.(Aerosystems International )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Aerosystems International (AeI) is poised to begin an operational trial with the US Army of its Advanced Maintenance Aid Chinook (AMAC). AMAC is intended to provided a closed loop maintenance management system for the Boeing CH-47 Chinook and...

Maritime Patrol ; Bryza measures up for navy demonstration.(PZL Mielec to demonstrate aircraft to Polish navy)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... PZL Mielec plans to demonstrate a fully equipped M28 Bryza B1R-bismaritime patrol aircraft to the Polish navy in June. The Polish company is integrating a range of systems, having completed the first flight of the twin-turboprop aircraft fitted...

Debt repayment; Hinds dismay Czechs.(Czech Republic finds defects in helicopters from Russia)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Three Mil Mi-35 Hind helicopters supplied by Russia to the Czech Republic in a debt repayment deal are considered defective by the new owner as they are suffering from faults and fitted with pre-owned equipment and systems. Czech air force...

Joint Strike Fighter Paul Lewis / WashingtonDC; USA hastens overseas bid process.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Flightstat Datalink of Australia has become the first foreign company competing for work on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme to benefit from the newly implemented Global Project Authorisation (GPA), which has...

Surveillance; Israeli green light for SAR.(the development of a synthetic aperture radar-equipped intelligence satellite is aaproved )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Israeli defence ministry has approved development of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-equipped intelligence satellite. The project will be partly funded by an unidentified country, which in return will receive SAR intelligence. A...

Precision munitions; SLAM-ER upgraded to face mobile targets.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The US Navy has demonstrated the capability of a modified Boeing SLAM-ER stand-off land attack missile to engage a moving ground target, such as a Scud missile launcher. It could become operational with a field software upload within six to...

Unmanned systems Graham Warwick / WashingtonDC; 'UCAV' proves airspace sharing; Boeing trials show way forward for integrating unmanned and manned aircraft without affecting airbase operations.
April 1, 2003... Boeing has demonstrated that an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) can share controlled airspace with manned aircraft without adversely affecting airbase operations. Demonstrations at Edwards AFB in California and Eglin AFB in Florida used the...

Unmanned Systems Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Boeing plans X-50 test flights this month following repairs; Canard Rotor Wing demonstrator may prove concept's suitability for range of applications.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Test flights of the delayed X-50A Dragonfly Canard Rotor Wing (CRW) technology demonstrator areexpected to start this month following the completion of rotor bearing repairs that were required after ground tests in December. The Boeing...

contracts.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... n BAESystems Australia has received a contract from the Australian Department of Defence for avionics support of the Lockheed MartinAP-3COrion maritime patrol aircraft. The three-year contract is valued at A$12 million ($7 million). Raytheon...

long players.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The latest stretched variants of the Boeing 757 and 767 twinjets have been well received by their operators, but sales remain sluggish Guy Norris / los angeles & Max Kingsley-Jones / Manchester The Boeing 757 and 767 twinjets have been,...

manufacturers' views - 757-300 ; Engine options and anomalies.(Boeing 757-300 aircraft)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Although still a relatively small fleet by Boeing standards, the 757-300 has achieved, and sustained, high scheduled reliability levels from virtually the start of operations in early 1999. The first seven aircraft, all in service with Condor,...

airports; Gateway growth.(Airports in the Persian Gulf region)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Airport development in the Gulf is as frantic as that of the airlines, with major expansion either under way or planned for all the major gateways. Work has already started at Dubai International Airport to boost its annual capacity to 80...

emirates; Gaining at Gulf Air's expense.(Emirates Airlines )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Gulf Air's loss has been Emirates' gain, and much of the former's recent decline in fortunes can be put down to the latter's cunning success. Since its creation in 1985, Dubai's "flag carrier" has gone from strength to strength, as the emirate...

Fighting; falcon.(Gulf Air is confident that its can return to its former glory days within three years )
April 1, 2003... Our six-page special looks at prospects for airlines in the Gulf, where Gulf Air is confident that its can return to its former glory days within three years Max kingsley-jones / bahrain A year ago, the vultures were circling the...

regional outlook ; The Gulf's ambitious airlines; Max Kingsley-Jones
April 1, 2003... As war intensifies in Iraq, the airlines in the Gulf region may be facing short-term uncertainties, but they remain resolute that the conflict will not hurt their long-term ambitions. The region has always boasted one of the world's leading...

oman air; Heading for profit.
April 1, 2003... Oman Air is the only major airline in the region which is majority-owned by private investors. Although the Oman government holds a 34% stake, "we always have to generate a return for our shareholders, so decisions are always commercially...

qatar airways; Focus on expansion.
April 1, 2003... Qatar Airways has undergone major upheavals during its nine-year life. Starting as a low-cost charter operation in January 1994, the airline was redefined three years later as an upmarket international carrier. After initially trimming its...

trial; Sweden prepares for ADS-B.(The Swedish civil aviation administration's enhanced GA operations by ADS-B trial )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... In Sweden, a limited-area anti-collision trial involving 40 ADS-B-equipped general aviation aircraft co-ordinated by VHF datalink mode 4 (VDL 4) will become operational in 2004 and 2005. The Swedish civil aviation administration's enhanced...

Investigation Emma Kelly / Perth; Australia stokes bush fire debate; Inquiry will examine whether firefighting aircraft and other resources can be shared more effectively between states.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Australian government is reviewing aerial firefighting arrangements and considering sharing resources among states as part of a parliamentary inquiry launched last week into the bush fires that ravaged the country earlier this year. ...

Business Aviation; LHT has designs on VIP A380 as Airbus weighs up demand.(Lufthansa Technik (LHT))(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Supplier interest in a corporate-configured Airbus A380 is increasing as potential customers evaluate a VIP version of the ultra-large aircraft. There are more than 20 Boeing 747s - including six -400s - operating in the VIP role. Airbus...

Defence Arie Egozi / Tel Aviv; USAshocks Israel over sale of Phalcon AEW system to India.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Israeli defence ministry has been shocked to learn from officials in Washington that the sale of three Phalcon-type airborne early warning (AEW)systems to India is being viewed as against US interests. Sources in Israel say the unofficial...

General Aviation Justin Wastnage / Neubrandenburg; OMF gets in tune for Canadian Symphony.(The company is to start construction this month of the first of five 2,500m2 (26,900ft2) production hangars in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, to meet North American demand for its OMF-160 Symphony two-seat trainer. )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... German general aviation manufacturer Ostmecklenburgische Flug-zeugbau (OMF Aircraft) is to open a production facility in Canada as a lengthy legal dispute is settled. The company is to start construction this month of the first of five 2,500m2...

DefencePaul Lewis /WashingtonDC; P-3C hybrid floated for MMA bid; Lockheed Martin says combining new assemblies with existing airframes would deliver required cost savings.
April 1, 2003... Lockheed Martin is considering a hybrid approach of focused production to meet the US Navy's requirement for a Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA), which would retain some of the P-3C Orion airframe, combined with new-build...

Air Transport Karen Walker / Washington DC; Materials blamed for blaze on SR111 ; Report says crew were unaware of severity of fire.
April 1, 2003... Use of flammable materials in the wiring and fuselage insulation of the Swissair Boeing MD-11 that crashed in September 1998, killing all 229 people on board, was the main factor contributing to the accident, investigators concluded last week....

Briefing.
April 1, 2003... Latest TFE731 ready for application ENGINES Honeywell has run the TFE731-50 turbofan as it continues to pursue applications with business-jet manufacturers. The 4,900lb-thrust (22kN) engine is a low-risk derivative of the TFE731-60 powering...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2003... air navigation No mystery about ILS signals There is no mystery about occurrences of wrong instrument landing system (ILS) indications (Flight International, 25-31 March). I had an identical experience at a UK airport some years ago in...

Exploration tim furniss / london; ESA plans 2009 Mars biology rover.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The European Space Agency plans to launch an exobiology rover mission to Mars in 2009 as part of its Aurora programme to prepare for possible future human expeditions. The ExoMars mission, scheduled for go-ahead in 2004, will include the...

in brief.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... BOEING BOOKS Malaysia's Binariang Satellite Systems has awarded Boeing a $132 million contract for the Measat 3 communications satellite, to be launched to co-orbit with Measat 1 in 2005. The 601HP satellite will be equipped with 24 Ku-...

Low-cost launchers; SpaceX fires first rocket.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... US start-up Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) has test fired its Merlin first-stage rocket engine. The test was part of an ambitious plan to develop a low-cost launcher, the Falcon, capable of placing a 450kg payload into low-Earth orbit...

Military communications Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Titan to carry last Milstar after delay to fix vibration ; Precautionary modifications solve oscillation problems in rocket's Centaur upper stage.
April 1, 2003... Lockheed Martin is on schedule to launch the delayed final US Milstar-2 military communications satellite on 6 April following precautionary modifications to the Titan IVB's Pratt & Whitney RL10-powered Centaur upper stage. Launch of...

Flight controls; Boeing to test Apache fly-by-wire.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Boeing is modifying an AH-64D Apache attack helicopter with a full fly-by-wire (FBW) flight-control system for a flight-test programme that paves the way for the Apache Block 3 upgrade and provides a testbed for future applications ranging from...

braking systems michael phelan / birmingham; Dunlop rolling road will simulate A380 landings.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Dunlop Aerospace has inaugurated what it claims is the world's first dynamometer capable of fully testing aircraft brakes for the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777. The "rolling-road" type device, at Dunlop's Birmingham, UK, facility, can simulate...

concept graham Warwick / Washington DC; LiftPort seeks backers for space elevator concept; Ambitious device could take up to 15 years to construct at cost of more than $7 billion.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... A US company has been formed to pursue commercial development of a space elevator, first conceived in the late 1890s and seriously espoused in the 1970s by science-fiction author Arthur C Clarke. Bremerton, Washington-based LiftPort has...

Attack helicopters; US Apaches forced to change tactics; Anti-aircraft fire prompts army to modify methods.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Blinding sand, adverse weather and intense ground fire are providing a formidable operating environment for the US Army's helicopter fleet, particularly the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow, now at the vanguard of coalition forces attacking the...

Misguidance; Conflict sees first use of GPSjamming.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The second Gulf War has witnessed the first confirmed use of GPS-jamming equipment, but attempts by Iraqi forces to use the systems - reportedly imported from Russia - to throw US and UK precision-guided weapons off target have proved...

Precision strike; Storm Shadow appears ahead of official entry into service date.(The MBDA Storm Shadow conventionally armed stand-off missile )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The UK Royal Air Force fired the MBDA Storm Shadow conventionally armed stand-off missile during the first nights of the war, despite the weapon not having officially entered service. Storm Shadow has been integrated on the Panavia Tornado...

Compensation; US airlines seek state aid.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... US airlines have stepped up lobbying for new government aid, armed with estimates the war with Iraq will mean $4 billion in losses above the $6 billion already forecast for 2003. European airlines are gearing up to fight "at the highest...

Operations; Crisis-hit airlines shed routes, jobs.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Airlines moved quickly to cut capacity as demand for travel tumbled with the outbreak of war in Iraq. North American airlines have reduced their April schedules by between 6% and 15%, and some have cut jobs, but trimming international services...

Attrition; Accidents take their toll; First three aircraft losses, two of which involved helicopters, result in 21 deaths.
April 1, 2003... The first three aircraft losses of the war were accidents resulting in 21 fatalities and raising the spectre of mishaps causing more casualties than enemy action. Two helicopter accidents accounted for most fatalities. A US Marine Corps...

Airlines; War will delay recovery 'a year'.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The impact of the Iraq war, even if relatively short-lived, will add at least one year to commercial aviation's post-2001 recovery - particularly in the USA - warn forecasters. "With the Iraq scenario, four years are out of your life...

missions ; Mobile target dilemma as close support flights start; Three-quarters of sorties now being flown to assist ground forces in air campaign switch.(Iraq War)
April 1, 2003... With the second Gulf War into its second week and officials cautioning that the conflict will last longer than initially expected, the air campaign has begun to shift from striking fixed targets to flying close support missions for ground...

www.flightinternational.comFLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 1-7 APRIL 2003.(Accidentat Tainan Airport, Taiwan)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Accident Nicholas Ionides / Singapore TransAsia A321 hits truck on runway while landing Lucky escape as twinjet strikes vehicle carrying out overnight repairs at Tainan Airport Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council (ASC) and air force...

Straight & Level roger.bacon@flightinternational.com.
April 1, 2003... Gallows humour How not to cheer up troubled delegates at an introspective aviation industry conference: Speaker 1: (With over-the-top enthusiasm) "Hi there everyone! OK, let's look at the forecast. What about the future? Well, first...

crash report David Learmount / London; Mission impossible: MD-11 was doomed by design; Insulation fire ignited too easily and spread too quickly for crew to save the aircraft.(1998 Swissair Flight 111 accident report)
April 8, 2003... The 2 September 1998 Swissair Flight 111 tragedy is the type of accident that will bring about change. Its effects have already been felt through airworthiness directives (AD) mandating fuselage insulation material replacement in some McDonnell...

development leithen francis / singapore; AVIC I closes on ARJ21 design.(China Aviation Industry I)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... China Aviation Industry I (AVIC I) expects to finalise the configuration for its planned ARJ21 regional jet family in June, while engine manufacturer GE Aircraft Engines will conduct an interim propulsion system review that month. GE is...

planning Justin Wastnage / Berlin; Air Berlin to double fleet in bid for low-fare supremacy ; German carrier starts negotiations with Airbus and Boeing about expansion ambitions.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Air Berlin is holding initial discussions to double its fleet over the next five years as it aims to maintain its position as one of Germany's largest low-fare carriers. The German charter airline has added 15 aircraft since the launch of its...

Slots; EasyJet and Virgin win Orly slots.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... EasyJet and Virgin Express have made the major gains in the slot reallocation at Paris Orly Airport, instigated after the demise of Air Lib. Both airlines have been granted access to the airport, and between them secured 30% of the 44,500...

Start-ups; Scotland makes leisure connections with Europe.(Air Scotland, Globespan launch new services)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Two new Scottish leisure airlines launched European operations last week. The services of Air Scotland, which is flying from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, are being run by Electra Airlines of Greece under a five-year contract, initially...

conversions ; Cranfield plans 146 freighter.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... A UK company is developing a cargo conversion for the BAe 146-300 which, it promises, will be cheaper and lighter than the existing Pemco modification. Cranfield Aerospace, a company owned by the UKuniversity, is designing a 2.4 x 1.9m (96...

design Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Boeing evaluates optional wingtips for 7E7.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Boeing is considering optional outer wing sections as a way of satisfying both mid- and long-range markets with the same basic 7E7 airframe options. The company plans to develop common 7E7 models to replace early 767s, Airbus A300/A310s...

launch; SAS low-cost arm Snowflake takes off with 737s.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has transferred four 150-seat Boeing 737-800s to its new low-fare arm Snowflake, which is now operating services to 15 European points from Copenhagen and Stockholm. Although the new division is a separate business...

modification Guy Norris / Cincinnati; CFMI weighs up Tech56 upgrade ; Engine maker says technology package could be ready for Airbus A320 and Boeing Next Generation 737 by 2006.
April 8, 2003... CFM International is studying the launch of a Tech56-based upgrade for the CFM56-5B/P-powered Airbus A320 family and the -7B-powered Boeing Next Generation 737. The plan, if adopted, will see the first significant insertion of technology...

Design; GE90 modifications take shape.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... General Electric is developing a stronger production-standard fan containment system for the GE90-115B for the Boeing 777-200LR/300ER. It will replace the heavy Kevlar/fibreglass composite wrap developed as a temporary modification to allow...

cost cutting Andrew Doyle / Singapore; Doors shut on Lufthansa Singapore software arm; Airline relocates bulk of Lido Aeronet operations to Europe in effort to reduce spending.
April 8, 2003... Lufthansa Systems is closing most of the Singapore operations of its Lido Aeronet aeronautical software and data subsidiary and moving product development and support activities to Frankfurt and Zurich in an effort to cut costs. The German...

delay; Japan starter puts back launch plans.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Proposed Japanese domestic start-up Lequios Airlines has shed nearly its entire workforce and delayed its launch until next year. "We laid off some people because we are now a little short of capital," says the airline, adding it is "now...

deregulation; ICAOpaves way for global air transport liberalisation.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... The door to global air transport liberalisation should be opened gradually starting from now, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation. In a two-day preliminary meeting last week at its Montreal, Canada, headquarters to assess...

marketplace.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... n Iberia has ordered five A340-600s from Airbus and placed options for seven more, confirming its January commitment to the type. The aircraft will be delivered between 2004 and 2006. Iberia is to firm up four of its options through...

start-up; Myanmar in airline move.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... A Myanmar company ispreparing to launch a Yangon-based carrier that will fly wet-leased Boeing 737s to international destinations in South-East Asia. United Myanmar Air aims to start services on 1 June, but may take longer, says the...

navigation David Learmount / London; ATM teaming latest step to single European sky; Providers in Germany, Spain and the UK are leading a push for interoperability.
April 8, 2003... Future European air traffic management (ATM) interoperability is to be boosted this week as the UK's National Air Traffic Services (NATS) joins Germany and Spain in a programme to develop a new flight data processing (FDP) system. This is...