Flight International articles from April 2004

Flight International archives from April 2004

no-frills; ANA studies low-cost arm.(All Nippon Airways)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... All Nippon Airways (ANA) says it is considering establishing a low-cost carrier that would be separate to the mainline carrier and responsible for operating domestic services in Japan. The airline says its management has been considering...

start-up ; Pakistan's AirBlue gets ready to go.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Pakistani start-up AirBlue is planning to launch domestic operations in May with three leased Airbus A320s, writes Leithen Francis. The three secondhand aircraft, which are powered by International Aero Engines V2500 engines, will be...

concepts Rob Coppinger / Hamburg; Airlines warm to Airbus foldable economy seat; Manufacturer says cinema-style concept would cut boarding times by up to 40%.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Airbus says several airlines are interested in its fold-up economy seat concept, which could be in service within two years, providing a significant reduction in boarding times. Boeing has studied a similar design, but has no plans to bring it...

aircraft development Vladimir Karnozov / Moscow; Updated An-140-100 set for service.
April 6, 2004... The first example of the improved Antonov An-140-100 is to be delivered this month after the KhAPO aircraft factory in Kharkov received a contract from Ukraine's Ilyich-Avia, corporate air arm of the Mariupol metallurgy plant. The -100...

investigation; Imbalance blamed for UTAG crash.(Union des Transports Africains de Guinee)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... The Union des Transports Africains de Guinee (UTAG) Boeing 727-200 that crashed at Cotonou, Benin on 25 December 2003 was overloaded and its centre of gravity well out of limits, according to an interim statement by the French air accident...

Expansion Nicholas Ionides / Hong Kong; Hong Kong majors to grow fleets; Cathay Pacific and Dragonair shake off debilitating effects of SARS virus and seek more cargo and passenger aircraft.
April 6, 2004... Hong Kong's main airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair, are planning expansions of their passenger and cargo fleets as demand continues to return strongly after last year's SARS-induced downturn. Cathay is nearing orders for up to...

growth; Denim studies expansion strategies.(Denim Air Group)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Netherlands-based regional airline and wet-lease specialist Denim Air Group is looking to grow its German domestic services and third party work. The company operates an all-turboprop fleet of five Bombardier Dash 8-300s and 12 Fokker 50s,...

procurement Paul Duffy / Moscow; Iran signs major Tu-204 deal.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Iran has placed the largest ever order for the Tupolev Tu-204, with its transport ministry having agreed the purchase of 20 Tu-204-100s for the country's state-owned airlines. The aircraft will be built at the Aviastar factory in Ulyanovsk,...

Tribunal; Luxair reinstates pilots.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... A last-minute intervention by the Luxembourg government has prevented a strike by pilots at Luxair, after a dramatic climbdown by the airline's management and the nation's regulatory authorities. In a meeting brokered by Prime Minister...

safety CHRISTINA MACKENZIE / PARIS; France bans Luxor Air for low approach at Nantes; Investigation under way after MD-83 flew off course at less than 650ft over the city.
April 6, 2004... France has barred Egyptian carrier Luxor Air from its airspace after a low approach at Nantes. The country's air accident investigation bureau BEA is formally investigating the incident, in which one of the carrier's two Boeing MD-83s flew at...

security graham warwick / washington dc; Congress advances manpads fight; CAMDA legislation aims to fast-track certification process to enable anti-missile defences to be deployed quickly.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Legislation has been introduced in Congress to strengthen the US response to the threat to airliners from shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles. The move is expected to help speed up the certification process to enable anti-missile systems...

strategy Justin Wastnage / Stockholm; Snowflake faced with meltdown over profit.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Scandinavian Airlines' (SAS) low- fares division Snowflake has been given a deadline of the end of the year to return a profit or risk being shut down. The management of the Stockholm-based carrier, which celebrated its first anniversary...

growth; SriLankan set for local expansion.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... SriLankan Airlines is planning an expansion of its fledgling domestic operation with additional aircraft, while also negotiating the lease of more narrowbody and widebody jet aircraft for international services, writes Nicholas Ionides. ...

acquisition; Tatarstan Airlines seeks green light for fleet renewal plan.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Tatarstan Airlines plans to acquire up to three Tupolev Tu-214 twinjets and six Antonov An-140 turboprops by 2010, pending approval from the Russian region's government to renew its fleet. As part of the plan, the airline is seeking government...

air traffic management emma kelly / perth; Australia inspires Asian-Pacific ADS-B interest.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Thales Air Traffic Management is talking to five countries in the Asia-Pacific region about automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) trials. The talks come as interest in the technology in the region accelerates after the Australian...

launch; TUI adds low-fare and charter arms.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... German travel giant TUI has launched two airline divisions - a low-fare arm in the UK and a charter division in Belgium. UK-based Thomsonfly has started no-frills services from TUI-owned Coventry West Midlands International airport with...

people.(aircraft industry)
April 6, 2004... n Smiths Group has named Donald Brydon as its new chairman, to succeed current chairman Keith Orrell-Jones when he retires in September. Brydon is chairman of UK pharmaceuticals manufacturer Amersham. Airservices Australia chairman John...

special missions graham warwick / washington dc; Japan Coast Guard Sea Watch under test.
April 6, 2004... Gulfstream has begun flight testing the first Sea Watch GV aircraft for the Japan Coast Guard. The aircraft is being flight tested at the Woensdrecht plant of modification partner Fokker Services in the Netherlands. The Sea Watch GVs will be...

STRATEGY; Jet Asia drops plans for VIP Boeing 727.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Macau's Jet Asia has shelved plans to acquire a VIP-configured Boeing 727 and is instead looking at the Boeing 767. The corporate charter operator proposes acquiring a 767-200 by year-end with financing from a Thailand-based investment firm...

CERTIFICATION; Falcon 900 to get EVS-1000.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Max-Viz has received supplemental type certification for its EVS-1000 enhanced vision system on Dassault Falcon 900-series business jets. The uncooled EVS-1000 is being installed on a widening range of aircraft as an aid to flightcrew...

Joint venture Alexander Campbell / London; Finmeccanica unveils satellite plan; Italian group will have to sell assets to continue acquisition strategy to become major aerospace and defence player.
April 6, 2004... Finmeccanica has unveiled the shape of its planned satellite joint venture with Alcatel, which will combine Italian assets worth c767 million ($928 million) in annual revenues with Alcatel's c1.3 billion space business. Although 2003 results,...

Recovery Graham Warwick / Washington DC; MDHI financial woes ease as helicopter deliveries pick up; Manufacturer admits it overreached itself with production pledges for police Explorers.
April 6, 2004... MD Helicopters (MDHI) appears to be emerging from its financial difficulties, buoyed by potential US Army interest in armed reconnaissance helicopters based on its commercial MD 530F. The Mesa, Arizona-based company has had severe cashflow...

Privatisation Justin Wastnage / Pancevo; Utva to be separated from parent Lola in run-up to privatisation.(Utva Aircraft Industry)
April 6, 2004... The Serbian-Montenegrin government is expected to separate Utva Aircraft Industry, the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, from its state-owned parent ahead of Utva's privatisation in the third quarter. Utva Aircraft Industry is to be...

in brief.(includes multiple articles)(Honeywell Inc.)(Triumph Group Inc.)
April 6, 2004... honeywell parts Honeywell plans to invest up to $49 million over the next five years into increasing production of aircraft engine parts at Mora Aerospace in Hlubocky, Czech Republic. "We also plan to start repairing sheet-metal components...

REorganisation justin wastnage / brussels; Westlink rebrands after shake-up; Belgian services group to assume new identity as it completes fleet reorganisation and rationalisation programme.
April 6, 2004... Belgian aviation services group Westlink is to rebrand itself as the result of a two-year rationalisation programme involving its four divisions. Westlink was created in October 2000 following the acquisition of Brussels-based Abelag...

safety Stephen Trimble / Nashville; US Army to field interim solution to resolve helicopter 'brown-outs'.
April 6, 2004... The US Army hopes to deploy within the next three months an interim solution to a "brown-out" problem that has caused 32 helicopter crashes during the service's operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The measure is intended to provide a temporary...

development; Soko designs new UAVs.(unmanned air vehicles)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Two new unmanned air vehicle systems are under development by the Soko ZI design bureau in Zagreb, Croatia. The B-3 system can carry a 20kg (44lb)payload at altitudes up to 14,760ft (4,500m) and has an operating range of about 150km (80nm)....

search and rescue; Greece receives first 415MP.(Bombardier Inc.)
April 6, 2004... The Greek air force has taken delivery of its first of two modified Bombardier 415MPsearch and rescue amphibians from the Canadian manufacturer. Delivered on 31 March, the aircraft was modified for the mission by Bombardier and Sweden's Saab...

contracts.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... n Raytheon is to produce Paveway IIlaser-guided bomb kits for the USAir Force and USNavy under a fiscal year 2004 allocation worth $81.2 million. Lockheed Martin receives an additional $34.8 million under the award. Raytheon also received a...

strategy CRAIG HOYLE / BRISTOL; UK to kick-off FOAS programme ; Availability of raft of new aircraft - manned and unmanned - and weapons to coincide with retirement of Tornados in 2017.(UK to kick off- Future Offensive Air System programme.)
April 6, 2004... After a lengthy project delay, the UK Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) is at last poised to receive initial gate approval to proceed with its Future Offensive Air System (FOAS) programme. Intended to address an identified future critical...

testing; Second Intermediate Jet Trainer prototype makes successful flight.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... The second prototype of the Indian-designed and developed Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) was successfully test flown from Hindustan Aeronautics' manufacturing facility in Bangalore on 26 March. First deliveries of the twin-seat HJT-36...

production; Su-30K assembly restarts.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... NPK Irkut has resumed assembly of the Sukhoi Su-30K interceptor at its IAPO plant in Irkutsk, central Siberia. Production was suspended in 1998 after completion of an 18-aircraft order for the Indian air force. Irkut chairman Aleksei...

upgrades Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Malaysia eyes maintenance move.
April 6, 2004... Malaysia's new government is considering opening its military aircraft maintenance and upgrade business to new companies, starting with a possible lease deal for 17 ex-Royal New Zealand Air Force Aermacchi MB339CD trainers. Industry sources say...

surveillance JUSTIN WASTNAGE / PANCEVO; Utva set to resume Gavran-I trials; Serbian-Montenegrin company hopes to secure additional funding for UAV programme from foreign manufacturers.
April 6, 2004... Serbian-Montenegrin manufacturer Utva Aircraft Industry is preparing to resume flight trials of its half-scale Gavran-I unmanned air vehicle. This will follow the completion of work to replace the demonstrator's current surveillance cameras and...

decommissioning craig hoyle / london; Royal Navy Sea Harrier squadron stands down ; But GR9/9A ground-attack aircraft will continue operations until JSF enters service in 2012.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Transformation of the UK's Joint Force Harrier fleet began in earnest last week, when the first of the Royal Navy's three squadrons of British Aerospace Sea Harrier FA2 fighters was decommissioned at RNASYeovilton. The 31 March ceremony...

development; Taiwan opts for local assembly/co-production of imported trainers.
April 6, 2004... Taiwan has rejected proposals from the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) to upgrade its fleet of Northrop F-5s and develop a new advanced trainer. It is instead considering importing new trainers that could be assembled by the...

FIDAE.
April 6, 2004... Navigation CAAs identify routes to economic recovery Civil aviation authorities in Latin America are being pushed to hasten implementation of new area navigation (RNAV). Carriers view the expansion of the RNAV capability as a key step...

FIDAE.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... in brief Eclipse partners Eclipse Aviation has selected two major suppliers for its Eclipse 500 jet. Ducommun AeroStructures will build fuselage and cockpit skin panels in a deal worth up to $120 million. Chile's Enaer will complete...

MILESTONE; Landmark for 182 Skylane.(Cessna Aircraft Co.)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Cessna has delivered its 5,000th piston single in seven years. The 182 Skylane was built at Cessna's plant in Independence, Kansas, which has housed the manufacturer's piston single line since production resumed in 1996.

DELIVERY; First North American customer gets EC145.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Eurocopter has delivered its first EC145 for a North American customer. The medium twin-turbine helicopter has been received by Florida's Lee County Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Lee County operates a Eurocopter BO105, which will continue...

helicopters David Learmount / London; UK takes lead in vibration monitoring research; CAA wants improved system to minimise accident risk in offshore oil and gas operations.
April 6, 2004... The UK Civil Aviation Authority is set to commission research into a second-generation "neural-network" helicopter vibration monitoring system (VMS) aimed at predicting drive failures. The CAA has also launched the final stage of...

helicopter TRAINING; US firms bid to stimulate market.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Schweizer Aircraft has joined the Pilot Career Foundation (PCF) in a bid to stimulate the helicopter training market by offering preferential pricing to US flight schools that are members of the non-profit organisation. High Desert Helicopters,...

Air Transport David Learmount / London; Europe/USA airline data row escalates; Anti-terrorism concerns fail to sway Strasbourg parliament.
April 6, 2004... The European Parliament voted on 31 March against compliance with US proposals that airlines should supply advance passenger information (API) for anti-terrorism reasons. The decision comes amid escalating tensions over API as carriers complain...

FIDAE; Rafael deal with Chile confirmed.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Israel's Rafael has confirmed that it is supplying hardware in support of Chile's purchase of Lockheed Martin F-16s, writes Stephen Trimble. The producer of the Python and Derby series of short- and beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles...

Technology; Virgin's GlobalFlyer prepared for record attempt.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Virgin Atlantic is targeting November or December for Steve Fosset's world record circumnavigation attempt with the Scaled Composites-developed GlobalFlyer aircraft. Flight testing began last month with a 1h 30min maiden flight from Scaled...

Air Transport Graham Warwick / Montreal; Bombardier chases CRJ pump fix; Manufacturer begins replacing CRJ700/900 fuel ejectors as Transport Canada issues airworthiness directive.
April 6, 2004... Bombardier has begun the replacement of high-time fuel ejector pumps in CRJ700 and CRJ900 regional jets after five failures caused by cavitation. Transport Canada last week issued an airworthiness directive (AD) requiring fuel-quantity checks...

Spaceflight; Shuttle inspection booms ordered.(MD Robotics to build inspections booms for two space shuttles)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... NASA has told MD Robotics of Canada, a subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA), to proceed with the construction of the first two Space Shuttle inspection booms, to fly on the Shuttle return to flight missions STS 114 and STS...

Defence; Seven new countries join NATO.(Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... NATOunderwent the largest round of enlargement in its 55-year history last week, with the addition of seven member states taking the number of countries within the alliance to 26. A formal expansion ceremony was staged at NATOheadquarters...

Defence Graham Warwick / Washington DC; Fresh doubt raised over USAF tanker; Procurement remains on hold pending investigations.
April 6, 2004... The US Air Force's proposed lease/ purchase deal for 100 Boeing 767 tankers appears increasingly unlikely to continue as planned, but congressional opposition is growing against any move to allow rival Airbus to contest the requirement. A...

Technology; X-43A revives hypersonic hopes.
April 6, 2004... NASA programme officials are crafting plans for a new hypersonics initiative, following the successful Mach 7 flight of the scramjet-powered X-43A on 27 March. The agency has cut all funding for hypersonics, except an M10 flight of the X-43A...

Boeing deliveries. Alcatel Space and Alenia Spazio merge. NRC to assess gain/risk equation in Hubble space telescope's service life.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Boeing deliveries Boeing delivered 76 commercial aircraft in the first quarter, up from 71 in the first three months of last year. Deliveries of Next Generation 737s increased to 55 for the quarter, up from 41 a year earlier, but 767...

Briefing.(Appointments, resignations and dismissals)
April 6, 2004... NBAA boss quits after nine months resignation Shelley Longmuir has resigned as president and chief executive of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) after nine months because of disagreement with the board over the future...

Space tug; ConeXpress lands funding.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Orbital Recovery has started the preliminary design of its ConeXpress ORS space tug, after securing funding. Phase B1, which leads to a preliminary design review, has begun because the firm gained financing from Arianespace, the European Space...

in orbit.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... nSpace Adventures is to fly its third private space tourist, American Gary Olsen, on a Russian Soyuz TMA to the International Space Station in 2005 or possibly as early as October this year. nNorthrop Grumman has test-fired a reaction-control...

contract; Orbimage wins DoD imaging deal.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Orbimage has received a US National Geospatial Imagery Agency (NGA) contract, potentially worth $500 million, to provide high-resolution satellite imagery for use by the Department of Defense. DigitalGlobe was awarded a similar contract in...

Reusable launch vehicles Rob Coppinger / London; ESA urged to include EADS Phoenix in launcher plans; German government backs inclusion of reusable space shuttle concept in programme.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... EADS Space is pushing for its Phoenix reusable space shuttle concept to be included in the European Space Agency's (ESA)future launcher preparatory programme (FLPP). A one-seventh scale model of the Phoenix - an unmanned winged spacecraft...

Hypersonics Graham Warwick / Washington DC; X-43A success revives optimism; Experimental aircraft sets speed record for air-breathing vehicle and raises hopes NASA may continue programme.
April 6, 2004... A successful Mach 7 flight by NASA's X-43A has rekindled hopes that the agency can be persuaded to reverse its recent cancellation of future hypersonic research. NASA has agreed to fund an M10 flight attempt towards the end of the year, and...

Lack of vision?
April 6, 2004... NASA's cancellation of hypersonics research is a symptom of a short-sightedness that threatens to undermine technological advancement The agenda of the world's largest aerospace research and development organisation - NASA - appears to...

research and development ; Creative thinking.
April 6, 2004... The Australian aerospace industry receives only a fraction of the government investment for research and development enjoyed by its European and US counterparts. Yet Australia can boast its fair share of aerospace technology innovation in...

flying in the face.
April 6, 2004... Australia's general aviation manufacturers have had to beat the odds to win export success, including - at times - their own aviation authority Emma Kelly / Perth Australian general aviation manufacturers have fared better in global...

land of.
April 6, 2004... opportunity BYLINE: The Australian aerospace sector has set itself an ambitious growth target by 2012, but to reach it, the country's manufacturers must find a way of breaking into supply chains on global programmes Emma Kelly / Perth...

Workshop.(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... n Taiwan's TransAsia Airways has signed an eight-year power-by-the-hour maintenance deal with Lufthansa Technik for the International Aero Engines V2500-A5s and engine-related accessories powering its fleet of six Airbus A320s and two A321s....

Letters.
April 6, 2004... Flight International welcomes letters on any aspect of the aerospace industry. Please write to: The Editor, Flight International, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS, UK. Or email flight.international@rbi.co.uk The...

avionics ARIE EGOZI / TEL AVIV; UAV datalink gives Israeli helicopters combat edge; Tadiran Spectralink-developed equipment delivers real-time video images to cockpit.
April 6, 2004... The Israeli air force is equipping its combat helicopters with a Tadiran Spectralink-developed datalink that will enhance an aircraft's ability to operate with unmanned air vehicles while undertaking complicated strike missions. The...

REGULATION brendan sobie / singapore; Taiwan set to lift business aircraft ban; High-speed rail link expected to reduce demand for domestic airline services, freeing up congested airport space.
April 6, 2004... Taiwan is expected to open its airspace to business aircraft by the end of the year and to authorise landings at Taipei's Chiang Kai Shek International airport. Business jet manufacturers say Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Admini-stration has...

Deregulation GERALD BUTT / NICOSIA; First Kuwait private airline is cleared for take-off; Al-Jazeera Airways gets government approval after Gulf domestic aviation opened up.
April 6, 2004... Kuwait's first private airline, Al-Jazeera Airways, has received government approval to launch operations, although the carrier is expected to initially base its operations outside the country. The move follows the decision last year to...

Disposal; It's the last picture show as Boeing sells assets.(Boeing sells Boeing Digital Cinema to Access Integrated Technologies)(Brief Article)
April 6, 2004... Boeing has made an exit from one of its diversification ventures, selling the assets of Boeing Digital Cinema to New Jersey-based Access Integrated Technologies. Launched in November 2000 as Cinema Connexion by Boeing, the venture...

FIDAE.(military fundings)
April 6, 2004... helicopters Heavylift prospects attract suppliers US companies anticipate huge boost in military funding in Chile due to surge in revenues from state-owned copper business Helicopter suppliers chasing a potential military need in...

programmes Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Japanese 7E7 loans await airline launch orders.
April 6, 2004... Japanese manufacturers will have to cover mounting Boeing 7E7 development costs with their own resources for at least three more months because of delays in securing government-backed loans. Industry sources say Japan requires launch orders...

Testing Rob Coppinger / Hamburg; Sogerma to fit out A380 cabins; EADS subsidiary will design premium cabin furnishings for two test aircraft used for long-range demonstration flights.
April 6, 2004... EADS Sogerma Services has been designated by sister company Airbus as an interior supplier for the A380, and landed a key contract to provide the premium-cabin furnishings for two A380 aircraft that will participate in the flight-test...

regionals; ACA tastes independence as United deal ends.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2004... Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) has seen its United Express designation terminated, clearing the way for the regional to set up its own low-cost operations under a new banner, Independence Air, writes David Field. The Independence business...

Expansion; Air India looks abroad to cover pilot shortage.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2004... Air India is employing its first batch of foreign pilots as the flag carrier struggles to find enough local pilots to fly the airline's newly acquired Airbus A310s and Boeing 747-400s. New Zealand's Rishworth Aviation has been hired by Air...

Production; A380 parts hit the road.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2004... The first major Airbus A380 fuselage sections began their 240km (150 mile) road journey from Langon, south-west France, to the Toulouse final assembly line earlier this month. The components pictured will become the static test airframe for...

traffic; Inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix boosts sponsor Gulf Air's traffic.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2004... Gulf Air's traffic surged 55% in the build-up to the Formula 1 Grand Prix held in Bahrain earlier this month, compared with the corresponding period last year. Meanwhile, traffic for the first quarter of 2004 is up by a third on last year. The...

safety David Learmount / London; Europe to name unsafe foreign airlines; Egypt's Air Memphis latest to be banned after main gear tyre burst on 707 taking off from Cairo bound for Ostend.
April 13, 2004... As the European Parliament voted in favour of proposals to name and shame foreign airlines that fail to meet international safety standards, France's air accident bureau BEA confirmed that the Egyptian airline Luxor Air remains banned from...

fleet renewal Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Cebu could save 717 programme; Philippine carrier considers order for 12 Boeing twinjets that would give a much-needed boost for flagging line.
April 13, 2004... Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific could throw a lifeline to the Boeing 717 programme later this year by placing an order for 12 aircraft. Cebu, which came close to completing a deal for 10 717s in 2000, claims it will finally end its...

strategy Pino Modola / Genoa; Eurofly targets business-class market with A319CJ plan; Charter airline bucks low-cost trend with transatlantic and domestic premium service.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2004... Italian charter carrier Eurofly plans to launch all-business-class transatlantic flights next year using Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliners (A319CJ), as well as a domestic business shuttle with a reconfigured Boeing MD-80. Until last year, the...

no-frills carriers Emma Kelly / Perth; Qantas invests in low-cost start-up ; Carrier to be based in Singapore and serve Asian cities within 5h flight time using Airbus A320s or Boeing 737-800s.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2004... Qantas has fully embraced the low-cost airline model, announcing plans to invest S$50 million ($30 million) in a low-cost start-up based in Singapore. Qantas will hold 49.9% of the new airline, dubbed JetStar Asia, with Singapore...

slots David Learmount / London; Threatened allocation rule changes scare ERA.
April 13, 2004... The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is warning of a decline in traffic to regional airports if the European Commission pushes for tradable take-off and landing slots at Europe's busiest airports. The European Parliament last...

Start-ups Emma Kelly / Perth; Backpackers get more choice as Australian carriers start up.(Backpackers Xpress seeking new routes)(Brief Article)
April 13, 2004... The Australian long-haul leisure market is heating up with start-up Backpackers Xpress applying for route approvals from Australia to Germany, India, Thailand and the UK. Fellow start-up Leisurejet is also looking at routes to Asia and southern...

design Rob Coppinger / London; Airbus probes effect on runways.(Brief Article)
April 13, 2004... After completing a detailed study into the A380's effect on runways, Airbus says that the initial -800 passenger model's pavement loading will be similar to that of the Boeing 777-300ER. The manufacturer has completed a six-year pavement...

CHARTER Graham Warwick / Washington DC; Start-up aims for public transport; AvWorld Flitematrix signs first deal as it applies to operate flights using secondary airports at six cities across USA.
April 13, 2004... A new approach to providing public transport using chartered business jets is being pursued by US start-up company AvWorld FliteMatrix. Details of the Elburn, Illinois-based company's plans have emerged in a filing submitted to the US...

FIRST FLIGHT justin wastnage / mindelheim; G160 to boost Grob's GA focus alongside trainers; Single-engined turboprop to be aimed at European owner-fliers as well as US market.
April 13, 2004... Grob Aerospace's G160 Ranger single-engined turboprop business aircraft made its first flight late last month, kick starting the German manufacturer's US marketing drive. The 850shp (630kW) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A-powered Ranger flew for...

DEVALUATION; LHT cuts BizJet value as interiors work slumps.
April 13, 2004... Lufthansa Technik (LHT) has written down half the value of its US maintenance, completions and handling subsidiary BizJet International, throwing its US expansion strategy into doubt. The German maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO)...