Flight International articles from August 2003

Flight International archives from August 2003

Production; A380 transport ship launched.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... The roll-on/roll-off vessel that will ship Airbus A380 subassemblies to Bordeaux in France for transport to the Toulouse final assembly line has been launched at the Jinling shipyard in Nanjing, China. The 5,200t vessel, which is 154m (505ft)...

procurement Brendan Sobie / Tokyo; ANA could rethink plan to buy 70-seat regional jets; Aircraft size restrictions at new Nagoya Komaki airport prompt strategy reassessment.(All Nippon Airways)
August 12, 2003... All Nippon Airways (ANA) may shelve plans to acquire 70-seat regional jets and instead build a network of partner-operated 50-seaters. ANA had planned to order 12-15 Bombardier CRJ700s or Embraer 170s earlier this year, but delayed...

security ; Skycam enters service aboard Titan 757.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Bournemouth Aviation has installed its first Skycam video security system on a Titan Airways Boeing 757. The system comprises a 100mm (4in) colour liquid crystal display and control panel mounted in the cockpit. The panel can display images...

Operations David Kaminski-Morrow / London; BA tests precision area navigation at Heathrow; Aim is for quieter, more accurate approaches that simplify air traffic management.(British Airways)
August 12, 2003... British Airways has begun trials of high-accuracy, continuous-descent approach techniques at London Heathrow airport. Working with the Civil Aviation Authority's Directorate of Airspace Policy and National Air Traffic Services (NATS), its aim...

Air traffic management GERALD BUTT / NICOSIA; Cyprus to bridge Middle East gap; Nicosia will set up co-ordination body to improve safety standards and training as well as exchanging information.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Cyprus is establishing an air traffic management (ATM) co-ordination body, with the help of Eurocontrol and the International Civil Aviation Organisation, to act as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East on ATM matters. Representatives...

Strategy; EgyptAir moves to simplify fleet.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... EgyptAir is undertaking a major fleet simplification programme which will involve the disposal of its remaining Boeing widebodies. Earlier this year, the airline dropped orders for five new Airbus A318s and two A340-600s after negotiating a...

Navigation; EC plans two agencies to share Galileo responsibility.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Two operational agencies have been proposed to oversee crucial parts of the European Galileo global navigation satellite system, including one to work on interoperability with rival systems. The European Commission, which handles the...

Leasing Nicholas Ionides / Singapore; India drags feet on Airbus purchase.(Indian Airlines)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Indian Airlines is being forced to lease more aircraft in a bid to hang on to its dwindling market share, as its government continues to delay approving the proposed purchase of 43 Airbus narrowbodies. State-owned Indian says it will soon...

in brief.(multiple aircraft industry news briefs)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Cyprus contract AMS, an equal shares joint venture between BAE Systems and Finmeccanica, has been contracted to supply Cyprus's new air traffic control centre, which will be installed in the capital, Nicosia. The contract is worth about...

planning; PIA to decide between ATR 42 and Dash 8 to replace F27s.(Pakistan International Airlines)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is closing on a deal to replace its fleet of Fokker F27s with younger turboprops. The airline has concluded a deal to sell its F27 fleet for $1.3 million. The national carrier has been evaluating the...

navigation Pino Modola / Genoa; Italy/Russia aim for North Pole satellite system.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... A joint Italian and Russian project is aiming to establish a satellite-based air traffic management system to aid polar traffic over northern Russia. Alenia Spazio, the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and Siberia-based NPOMP are close to...

Recovery Nicholas Ionides / Singapore; SriLankan fleet back to 2001 levels.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... SriLankan Airlines is to expand by adding two Airbus A340-300s, lifting its fleet to the level it was at before the attack on Colombo airport in July 2001 that destroyed four of its 12 aircraft. Chief executive Peter Hill says SriLankan...

Aircraft production Vladimir Karnozov / Moscow; Tax break appeal for Tu-334; Consortium calls on government to help twinjet compete with Western types.
August 12, 2003... A Russian consortium that includes RSK MiG and Tupolev has been formed to boost the sales prospects for the 100-seat Tu-334 twinjet, as the first production aircraft rolls out in Kiev. The National Project 334 group, which also includes...

pricing; Safire Jet cuts price to boost orders.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Safire Aircraft is slashing the price of its Safire Jet by up to 15%for a limited period as it attempts to build the twin-engined personal jet's firm order backlog. The Opa Locka, Florida-based manufacturer holds more than 720 deposits for the...

No-frills; Low-cost airlines lift earnings as holiday demand stays high.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Low-cost carriers around the world have reported healthy earnings for the three months to June, and are talking optimistically about the second half. Ryanair reports soaring passenger numbers - up 45% from the same period last year to 5.1...

Takeovers Alexander Campbell / London; Legislation could prevent Carlyle purchase of MTU; Law would enable German government to block sale of companies to foreign bidders.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... A proposed law to enable the German government to block foreign takeovers of the country's arms manufacturers could halt the potential sale of DaimlerChrysler's aero engine unit MTU to the USA'sCarlyle Group. The German economics ministry...

Restructuring; BAE Systems to split STN Atlas with Rheinmetall.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... BAESystems and German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall have agreed to split up their electronics joint venture STNAtlas. Rheinmetall will take over the land and air systems division (making fire control equipment)and the simulation division,...

Crisis; IATA sees sign of recovery, but traffic still down.(International Air Transport Association)(Industry Overview)
August 12, 2003... The International Air Transport Associationbelieves that the airline industry has turned the corner to recovery, but passenger traffic around the world is still well below last year's levels. Total international passenger traffic for June...

financing Alexander Campbell / London; BCC hit by troubles at US airlines; Hawaiian and United fall behind in payments to manufacturer's leasing arm, which faces more losses if 757 line closes.
August 12, 2003... Boeing Capital (BCC)has revealed the full extent of its exposure to two crisis-hit airlines which have been failing to come up with lease payments worth hundreds of millions of dollars. United Airlines, in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection...

Product development Graham Warwick / Washington DC & Arie Egozi / Tel Aviv; Avocet to join light business jet set; Competitive market fails to deter US company from bid to launch six-seat twinjet for air taxi and fractional use.
August 12, 2003... Another company has declared its intention to enter the increasingly crowded light business jet market. Avocet Aircraft is working with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) on definition of the Professional Jet (ProJet), which is aimed at the...

Charter Justin Wastnage / London; Club Airways plans route relaunch ; Services to London City start in September after Farnborough experiment abandoned, with Paris shuttle in the offing.
August 12, 2003... Swiss corporate airline Club Airways is set to relaunch scheduled routes to London after changing its aircraft provider. The company also plans to start services linking London and Paris. In March, Club Airways was forced to abandon its...

accident; Learjet crash probe under way.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... A Bombardier Learjet 35 crashed into the Poquonnock river near Groton, Connecticut, USA, last week, killing two crew on board. The aircraft, operated by AirEast on behalf of its owner, took off from the Long Island airport at Farmingdale, New...

in brief.(aircraft acquisition briefs)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... G300 in service Gulfstream's G300 business jet has entered service with Abu Dhabi-based charter operator Royal Jet. The G300 is a reduced-specification derivative of the GIV-SP. Royal Jet - jointly owned by the Amiri Flight and Abu Dhabi...

Order; Turkmenistan agrees 767 contract.(with Boeing)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... The government of Turkmenistan has signed a $130 million deal with Boeing for a corporate 767-300ER for head of state transport. Boeing says the final configuration and specification for the 767 variant are being defined as part of the...

Open floodgates.(passenger compensation legislation marks troubling trend for airlines)
August 12, 2003... Consumer protection is needed in public transport, not just airlines. The proposed legislation could create more misery than it alleviates Last week four associations, between them representing over 90% of the airlines operating in Europe,...

Net-centric warfare Stewart Penney / London; UKApacheAH1s start networking; Army Air Corps attack helicopters to get warfare capability using improved data modem, without need for modification.
August 12, 2003... UK Army Air Corps (AAC) Westland Apache AH1 attack helicopters are to be given a network-centric warfare capability using the existing improved data modem (IDM) and without changing the machines' systems or software. Aerosystems...

Airborne Early Warning Graham Warwick / WashingtonDC; Advanced Hawkeye gets development green light ; Northrop Grumman finally wins $1.9 billion contract for USNavy AEW&C aircraft.
August 12, 2003... Northrop Grumman has received the long-awaited contract to begin full development of the Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft for the US Navy. The $1.9 billion system development and demonstration (SDD) contract...

Co-operation; Boeing looks to Israeli technologies for UCAVs.(unmanned air combat air vehicle)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Boeing Integrated Defence Systems (IDS) is considering using Israeli systems and technologies in its unmanned air combat air vehicle (UCAV) programme. "Israel has some very advanced technologies and systems and we want to use some of them...

technology demonstrator; BAE Systems chosen to head Condor project.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... BAE Systems Avionics has been picked by the UK Ministry of Defence to lead the covert night/day operations for the rotorcraft II (Condor) technology demonstration project. The deal is thought to be worth [pounds sterling]7 million ($11.3...

Contracts.
August 12, 2003... n ITT Industries Gilfillan is to supply three MPN-14K air traffic control radars to Taiwan, and upgrade seven existing systems, under a $74 million contract. Airbus has ordered a CAE Tropos visual and cabin motion system to equip an...

Network-centric warfare; Boeing to extend simulator use.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Boeing is expanding a mobile, trailer-mounted F/A-18E/F simulator into a demonstrator and engineering development tool for network-centric warfare supporting the US Army's Future Combat System (FCS) and other company work on the integrated...

sensors Guy Norris / Los Angeles; APG-79 radar set for F/A-18F tests; AESA-equipped Super Hornet to track twice as many targets - with better detection range - than predecessor.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Flight tests of the Raytheon APG-79 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar in the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet are imminent, following the start of initial check-out and subsystem test flights at Boeing's St Louis, Missouri, site. ...

Unmanned Systems Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Initial production Global Hawk set to fly for USAF; Eighth RQ-4A follows predecessors built under technology demonstration programme.
August 12, 2003... The first production Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk is expected to be delivered to the US Air Force's 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, California, at the end of September pending completion of acceptance flights at Edwards AFB later...

Procurement; JDA draws up spending plans.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... The Japan Defence Agency (JDA) plans to acquire 26 helicopters in fiscal year 2003, including its first Kawasaki-built AgustaWestland EH101 and 10more Mitsubishi-built Sikorsky UH-60s. The JDA says the first of 11 planned Rolls-Royce...

Avionics; GATM KC-135 handed over.(global air traffic management)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Production deliveries to US Air Force units of Boeing KC-135 tankers upgraded with global air traffic management (GATM) capability have begun. The first GATM-equipped aircraft has been delivered to Fair- child AFB, Washington. The first 50...

Trainers Brendan Sobie / Tokyo; Japan's pilots to start T-7 training early next year ; Replacement for T-3 delivers improved performance with switch to Rolls-Royce engine.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... The Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) plans to begin training pilots early next year in the Fuji Heavy Industries T-7 primary trainer, a new version of the Fuji T-3. The Japan Defence Agency (JDA) says T-7 operational testing was...

simulators; Boeing wins F-15 training centre deal.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Boeing has been selected to build and operate additional training centres for USAir Force F-15s, but has been replaced as support contractor for the US Navy's T45TS training system. A $285 million contract to establish four F-15E mission...

vertical horizons.
August 12, 2003... Can technology advances and new configurations lift rotorcraft out of their niche and into the mainstream of aviation? graham warwick / washington dc People have dreamed of taking off and landing vertically for as long as they have...

still; hovering.(Russia's helicpter industry)(Industry Overview)
August 12, 2003... Russia's helicopter industry remains hampered by overcapacity, but has managed to adapt to the new realities and stabilise annual production vladimir karnozov / moscow As it entered the post-Cold War era, Russia's helicopter industry...

the big squeeze.
August 12, 2003... Too many suppliers are chasing Russia's small market for regional aircraft. As regional airlines consolidate, not all programmes are likely to survive Vladimir Karnozov / Moscow Regional aircraft manufacturers are embroiled in a fierce...

Production justin wastnage / london; Spaniards join Mooney in Toxo light sport venture; New variants to be developed, including four-seater and slightly wider version for USA.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Mooney Airplane has entered into a strategic relationship with Spanish kitplane manufacturer Construcciones Aeronauticas de Galicia (CAG), which will lead to assembly of the Toxo II light sport aircraft in the USA. Mooney will lead...

Procurement ; China and Thailand seek SAR helicopters.(search and rescue)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... China and Thailand are seeking new helicopters as part of efforts to improve their search and rescue (SAR) capabilities. Manufacturers expect China's ministry of communications to begin a competition for two heavy SAR helicopters within 12...

Civil maritime surveillance Emma Kelly / Perth; Surveillance Australia in UAV talks.(unmanned aerial vehicles)
August 12, 2003... Surveillance Australia is in discussions with unmanned air vehicle manufacturers as it prepares its bid to retain the country's civil maritime surveillance contract, which it has held since 1994. The talks follow the company's recent...

DEFENCEGuy Norris / Los Angeles; Boeing fuels B-52 engines debate ; Ressurected plan to revamp bomber calls for proposals for eight as well as four powerplants - but costs will be crucial.
August 12, 2003... Engine makers are submitting new proposals for Boeing's resurrected B-52 bomber re-engining plan. The revised bids have been prepared after Boeing asked the manufacturers to look at eight-engined as well as four-engined schemes. Boeing...

AIR TRANSPORT; AV8air takes off with 757.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... UK start-up AV8air aims to begin operations in October on charter flights from Manchester using a Boeing 757-200 leased from Ansett Worldwide. The airline - part of the Club Travel 2000 holiday group - will operate the 233-seat aircraft...

Air Transport Michael Phelan / London; Rare European design approval will speed EAD modification work.(EAD Aerospace)
August 12, 2003... French aircraft modification specialist EAD Aerospace expects to self-certificate its first design this week after gaining European Joint Aviation Authorities JAR 21 JA design organisation approval (DOA) authorisation. EAD says it is only...

Air transport Aaron Karp / Washington DC; Crash probe prompts DC-8 kit.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Boeing will provide a kit by mid-2004 to modify the elevator control systems of the 148 McDonnell Douglas DC-8s in service, following recommendations from the investigation into the crash of an Emery Worldwide DC-8 in February 2000. In a...

Air Transport David Learmount / London; FAA forces A340 tank upgrade... ; Airbus prepares to retrofit modifications to the ultra-long-range -500 on safety grounds after US certification snub.
August 12, 2003... Airbus is having to retrofit modifications to the A340-500's fuel system after the US Federal Aviation Administration refused to approve the design of an auxiliary fuel tank in the ultra-long-range airliner on safety grounds. Although the...

Air Transport Paul Duffy / moscow; ...as Iran Air expresses interest in two -500s built for Air Canada.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Iran Air has emerged as one of several operators that have looked at taking the first two A340-500s in storage at Chateauroux airport in France. The widebodies had been due for delivery to original launch operator Air Canada in May but were not...

DEFENCE; MHI begins F-15J upgrade flight tests.(Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has begun flight testing an F-15J upgrade, the first piece of a new Japan Defence Agency (JDA) fighter fleet plan that is expected to include new-generation combat aircraft. Theplan, to be completed by the...

BUSINESS DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW / LONDON; SR Technics studies FLS buy-out.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Swiss maintenance firm SR Technics is in talks about a possible acquisition of Irish/UK aircraft maintenance firm FLS Aerospace, which has been seeking a strategic partnership for the past two years. Details of the discussions have not been...

DEFENCE; ATK wins USAF deal to demonstrate Shredder.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... ATK has won a $15 million US Air Force Research Laboratory contract to demonstrate a precision-guided penetrating bomb, called Shredder, designed to neutralise chemical or biological weapons stored in hardened bunkers. The Shredder...

GENERAL AVIATION; Super Puma survives waterspout.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... An encounter with a waterspout between storms over the North Sea seriously endangered a Bristow Helicopters Eurocopter AS322L Super Puma with a crew of two and 18 passengers, according to the UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB). ...

AIR TRANSPORT JUSTINWASTNAGE / LONDON; Airlines bid to block passenger ruling; Associations say compensation law could cripple carriers.
August 12, 2003... Four airline associations have joined forces in an eleventh-hour bid to persuade European transport ministers to reject final approval of proposed passenger compensation legislation that they say could cripple the continent's carriers. The...

Briefing.(multiple industry news briefs)
August 12, 2003... V-22 tiltrotor shrugs off failure inspection Flight testing of the Bell Boeing V-22 tiltrotor is continuing after an aircraft made an unscheduled landing at MCASQuantico, Virginia, following loss of fluid from the number two hydraulic...

TECHNOLOGYGRAHAMWARWICK / WASHINGTONDC; Honeywell steers EGPWS towards anti-hijack role; System alters course if pilot fails to respond; later version could stop deliberate collision.
August 12, 2003... Honeywell is testing a development of its enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) that allows the automatic flight control system to manoeuvre an aircraft away from colliding with a building or entering restricted airspace, if the...

in brief.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... triple launch Israel's defence ministry plans to launch three reconnaissance satellites in 2007-8, five years after the launch of Ofeq 5. Ofeq 6 will have similar resolution and Ofeq 7 improved capability. The third satellite, Techsar,...

Exploration; Phoenix lander selected for NASA's 2007 Scout mission to Mars.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... NASA has selected the $325 million Phoenix lander for the 2007 Scout mission to Mars. Phoenix was on a shortlist of four projects, including a proposed Mars aircraft, an atmospheric sample return mission and an orbiter to search for volcanic...

space shuttleTIM FURNISS / LONDON; NASA reveals plans to detect and repair debris damage ; Sensors and camera-equipped boom should ensure Columbia disaster is not repeated.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... NASA is planning to procure "proven, flight-certifiable sensors" to detect and quantify any damage to the Space Shuttle's thermal protection system from debris impacts during launch or in orbit. The agency is also considering the $1.3 billion...

Power systems Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Boeing to test fuel cell APU on 737; Initiative will investigate technology's potential for retrofit as well as its value for future commercial aircraft.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Boeing is to demonstrate a fuel cell-based auxiliary power unit (APU) on a 737 to investigate the technology's feasibility for future commercial aircraft, as well as for potential retrofit to recent production models. The initiative builds on...

Aerodynamics Michael Phelan / London; Flow control system could cut download forces in hovering.
August 12, 2003... The USDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has conducted flight tests of an unsteady active flow control system on the Bell XV-15 experimental tiltrotor that promises dramatic reductions in download forces during hovering. The...

Spaceflight; NASA trial multiplies ion thruster's life by four.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has successfully run an ion thruster for 30,352h - four times its design life - in an effort to observe long-term wear effects. The engine, a spare from the Deep Space 1 technology demonstration...

united front.(Russia's strategy for its aerospace industry)(Industry Overview)
August 12, 2003... With Moscow set for its biggest MAKS industry showpiece, Russia's government is determined to create a leaner, fitter aerospace sector vladimir karnozov / moscow Russia's government seems more determined than ever to restructure the...

Straight & Level roger.bacon@flightinternational.com.(two planes added to US National Air and Space Museum exhibit)(Column)
August 12, 2003... Legends on the move Two historic Megaplanes creations - the S-307 Stratoliner and the 367-80, or "Dash 80", are joining the growing US National Air and Space Museum collection at the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center. Touching down first at...

renewal GERALD BUTT / NICOSIA; Royal Jordanian revives fleet plan; Carrier to replace eight older A310-300s and A320s.(Brief Article)
August 12, 2003... Royal Jordanian has revived the fleet-renewal programme it postponed last year because of the downturn and the war in Iraq. The plan involves replacing eight older aircraft with up to 10 new narrowbodies from Airbus or Boeing. ...

livery; Aeroflot rolls out new scheme.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Aeroflot has unveiled its new livery on this ex-Air 2000 Boeing 767-300ER it is introducing on lease from GE Capital Aviation Services as part of its fleet-renewal plan. The aircraft was rolled out last week after being painted by Lufthansa...

strategy Nicholas Ionides / Singapore; Air Macau stake on offer in possible low-cost move; Airline aims for radical transformation to reduce dependence on China-Taiwan traffic.
August 19, 2003... Air Macau is considering radically changing its business model into a low-cost operation in a move that could include the purchase of a stake by Tony Ryan, the founder of Ryanair. Although the airline declines to comment, industry sources...

Training; Jobs boost for new pilots.(Astreus offers training deal)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Newly trained airline pilots are being given the chance to improve their job prospects by undergoing line acceptance checks with UK charter carrier Astreus after obtaining a Boeing 737 type-rating. The training deal will be on offer in...

competition Leithen Francis / Singapore; GE sweeps the board in CAL battle.(China Airlines picks General Electric CF6 engine)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Taiwan's China Airlines (CAL) has picked the General Electric CF6 engine to power 12 Airbus A330-300s and six Boeing 747-400s it has on order, following a drawn-out pitch in which political lobbying came into play. The deal, which includes...

finance; Dispute over FAA funding bill heats up.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... US airlines and major US airports voiced support for US Federal Aviation Administration funding reauthorisation legislation to be voted on by Congress in September, but key congressional Democrats plan to fight the bill. The law contains a...

relaunch; Silesian plans new life as low-cost carrier GetJet.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Polish charter airline Silesian Air is to relaunch as a low-cost carrier under the name GetJet. Operating from Silesian's Katowice base in southern Poland, GetJet plans to start operations in October with daily services to London (either...

bilateral ; China bolsters Hainan open-skies plan.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Chinese civil aviation authorities have firmed up plans for a bold open-skies air services regime for the southern island province of Hainan that could lead to a further opening of the country's airports to foreign carriers in the years ahead....

Avionics Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Honeywell 717 upgrade ready to fly.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Flight tests of the third and final planned upgrade of the Honeywell versatile integrated avionics (VIA) system on the Boeing 717 have been completed in preparation for a series of certification flights and fleetwide upgrades beginning towards...

Approval Darren Shannon / Washington DC & Alexander Campbell / London; Airlines granted historic rights to fly into Iraq.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Royal Jordanian is to operate the first commercial flight to Iraq for over a decade, after the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) approved seven carriers to serve Basra. Royal Jordanian will fly two weekly flights from its Amman base...

Research Brendan Sobie / Tokyo; Japan targets regionals for manufacturing return; Government hopes to draw on experience of producing military aircraft and engines.
August 19, 2003... Japanese aerospace companies are targeting the regional sector in a government-backed attempt to resume manufacturing commercial aircraft that could also be powered by a new indigenous engine. Japan has not manufactured a civil aircraft...

Aircraft evaluation Maria Wagland / London; Kuwait Airways set to renew fleet ; Airbus and Boeing vie for major order expected early next year to replace existing A300, A310 and A320 aircraft.
August 19, 2003... Kuwait Airways expects to finalise a major fleet-renewal deal early next year that has pitched Airbus against Boeing for the replacement of almost its entire fleet. Included in the evaluation is Boeing's planned all-new widebody, the 7E7. ...

Airports GERALD BUTT / NICOSIA; Jordan/Kuwait benefit as closures continue.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... The closure of Baghdad and Basra airports has caused a surge in passenger and cargo traffic in Jordan and Kuwait. Kuwait City has reported a 54% increase in movements in July compared with the same month last year. Passenger numbers last...

entertainment; MAS to offer live television.(Malaysia Airlines)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is planning to offer live in-flight television services, plus e-mail and internet on board its Boeing 747-400s and 777-200s. The move follows its order for Matsushita Avionics Systems' latest interactive in-flight...

marketplace.(aircraft leases, various airlines)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... n Turkish charter airline Atlasjet International Airways has added a Boeing 757-200 on a three-year lease from GATX. Armavia has leased an ex-Ansett Australia Airbus A320 from Ansett Worldwide. Shenzhen Airlines has leased two Boeing 737-800s...

in brief.(includes multiple articles)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... ryanair ruling Ryanair is calling for an immediate delay to the implementation of the recent court ruling that its deal with Strasbourg airport is illegal, or it will shut down services to the French city. The airport and the local chamber...

Legislation Justin Wastnage / Fairoaks; ERA squares up for next fight with EC over disabled access ; Association says new proposal will hit smaller operators with unbearable extra costs.(European Regions Airline Association, European Commission)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) is preparing for its next battle with the European Commission as new rules on disabled access are drawn up. The ERA, which is leading four airline associations in a last-ditch attempt to...

Cargo Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Precision to raise 757 conversion capacity.(Precision Conversions)(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... Precision Conversions expects to gain a US supplemental type certificate (STC) for its Boeing 757-200 passenger-to-freighter modification early in the first quarter of 2004. It is also studying ways of boosting its conversion capacity to meet...

Production Vladimir Karnozov / voronezh; Ilyushin finalises contracts for Il-96s.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... The industrial team supporting production of Ilyushin designs says the VASO plant in Voronezh will continue to build the Il-96 airliner at low rates in the short term and is finalising deals for 10 aircraft nearing completion. NRB group,...

start-up Leithen Francis / Singapore; Thai Pacific bids for traffic rights; New international carrier to launch scheduled passenger flights between Bangkok and Sydney with Kuwait Airways 747-200.(Brief Article)
August 19, 2003... A new Thailand-based international carrier plans to launch scheduled passenger flights on 1 October between Bangkok and Sydney. Thai Pacific Airlines will operate a Boeing 747-200 leased from Kuwait Airways. Thailand's ministry of transport has...