Flight International articles from August 2005

Flight International archives from August 2005

See-and-avoid airspace.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The UK Airprox Board has ruled that the 27 October near-collision between a Flybe Dash 8 Q400 and a pair of Royal Air Force Hawks happened because the Q400 pilots did not see the Hawks, and the Hawk pilots saw the Q400 too late to take avoiding...

Dash 8 and Hawk formation avoided collision by metres.
August 2, 2005... A scheduled airline flight came within a few metres of collision with a pair of military aircraft in October last year, an investigation by the UK Airprox Board (UKAB) reveals. Overall, however, the board's study of "airproxes" -- near misses...

An-148s head off for hot-and-high flight trials.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The two Antonov An-148 prototypes have flown to Karshi airport near Samarkand in Uzbekistan to undertake hot-and-high flight testing. Some flights will also be operated from a mountain airfield in Armenia. The aircraft have completed around 160...

Boeing set to narrow Airbus lead.(Airbus S.A.S.)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... US manufacturer predicts it will retake pole position from European rival with 2008 introduction of 787 series Boeing looks set to close the production gap on European rival Airbus next year, following its decision to boost its 2006...

Cubana's Il-96-300 ready as VASO gets a boost.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The first Ilyushin Il-96-300 with an English-language cockpit has been rolled out for Cubana, as builder VASO secures funding to boost production at its Voronezh plant. Cubana is taking two new Il-96s this year, both equipped with a...

Demand for uniform data.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Dassault and Embraer are to meet maintenance information system software vendors in Paris on 11 October in a bid to agree the implementation of common maintenance data standards in 2006. Airframe makers want agreed...

Air Canada receives E-175.(Embraer Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A.)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Embraer has begun deliveries of its latest airliner, the E-175, to launch operator Air Canada. The airline, which has 15 of the 73 seaters on order, has received three so far, the remainder due by year-end.

More new customers sought.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Along with the Singapore Airlines requirement, Engine Alliance -- a General Electric and Pratt & Whitney joint venture -- is continuing sales campaigns to place the GP7200 with uncommitted A380 customers. China Southern Airlines' engine...

Alliance chases SIA A380 deal.
August 2, 2005... Engine Alliance Manufacturer looks to oust rival R-R at Asian carrier Engine Alliance is looking to unseat incumbent Rolls-Royce for Singapore Airlines' (SIA) potential next batch of Airbus A380s, following the airline's recently issued...

Second US airport near-disaster in a month.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The second serious near-collision on the ground at a major US East Coast airport within a month occurred on 6 July at New York Kennedy, the US Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed. Both involved aircraft taking off just over the top of...

InterCockpit plans Chinese school.
August 2, 2005... Lufthansa subsidiary's joint venture with Hainan Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines to train 400 new pilots a year Lufthansa Flight Training subsidiary InterCockpit plans to open a Chinese ab initio flight training school in 2007 with joint venture...

Malaysia Airlines boosts Boeing 737 prospects.(aircraft)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Boeing's efforts to secure a 737 order from Malaysia Airlines (MAS) have received a boost following the airline's decision to add 737-800s on lease from later this year. MAS is evaluating the 737-700/800 and the Airbus A320 with a view to...

Merpati looks to double fleet but cut types.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Indonesia's Merpati Nusantara is looking to introduce 38 Boeing 737-300/400s on lease over the next 17 months, with Malaysia Airlines' (MAS) fleet being viewed as a potential candidate. The Indonesian state-owned carrier currently operates a...

Jetstar Asia and Valuair thrash out tie-up plan.(creating a budget carrier )(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... After weeks of on-off talks, Singapore-based low-cost carriers Jetstar Asia and Valuair have agreed to merge, creating a budget carrier double the size with Qantas Airways as a major shareholder. This new carrier has yet to be named -- because...

PIA drops plans for Dash 8 fleet in favour of ATR 42s.(Pakistan International Airlines Corp.)
August 2, 2005... Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has dropped a plan to order Bombardier Dash 8s and instead intends to buy seven ATR 42s to replace its ageing Fokker F27s. "It is more or less decided, but the matter is not yet finalised," says a source in...

PS-90 power lifted for stretched Ilyushin.(aircraft engines)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Russian engine builder Perm Motors is developing an increased-thrust version of the Aviadvigatel PS-90 turbofan that will power the Ilyushin Il-96-400T freighter. Dubbed the PS-90A1, the engine will be rated at 38,500lb thrust (171kN), 3,300lb...

New equity lifts Spirit.(Spirit Airlines Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Spirit Airlines, the Florida-based low-fare carrier that has yet to join the low-cost airline profit trend, has attracted $100 million in new equity to hasten its move to an all-Airbus A320 family fleet. The carrier, the largest privately held...

Highs and lows for US network carriers.
August 2, 2005... As the US airline sector reaches the halfway point of the 2005 financial year, it continues to encompass both rich profits and large deficits, although growing numbers of legacy network carriers are now in the black. Boosted by lower expenses...

Deliveries boost Boeing and EADS.
August 2, 2005... Manufacturers record strong first-half performance as European giant urges governments to relinquish shares Rising deliveries of commercial aircraft have driven strong first-half performances by Boeing and EADS, but paradoxically leave the...

L-3 eyes European expansion as it completes Titan deal.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... US-based communications group L-3 expects to complete integration of its latest acquisition, Titan, by the end of November. L-3 agreed to acquire the California-based security and communications specialist for $2.65 billion in June. L-3...

Finmeccanica agrees to buy telecommunications company.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Finmeccanica has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Italian telecommunications company Datamat, subject to approval from competition authorities. Finmeccanica says it is targeting Datamat, which posted revenues of ?171 million ($207...

Tiltrotor converts.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The Bell/Agusta BA609 civil tiltrotor accomplished its first full conversion to aeroplane mode on 22 July, reaching 190kt (350km/h) with the proprotor nacelles tilted forward to the horizontal position. Flight testing of the BA609 resumed in...

Gulfstreams for Metrojet.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Hong Kong corporate jet operator Metrojet plans to take delivery next month of its fourth Gulfstream G200 and its first G450. Metrojet says both aircraft are new and will be managed on behalf of a group of owners. It already manages two G200s...

Shanghai Airlines looks for extra room to grow.(aviation facility)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Shanghai Airlines is planning a major expansion of its business aviation facility at Hongqiao airport near downtown Shanghai and is trying to persuade the government to authorise international flights from the strategically located airport. The...

SimCom adds courses to Socata TBM 700 training syllabus.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... SimCom is expanding its factory-authorised training for the EADS Socata TBM 700 business aircraft, providing training in the aircraft at Scottsdale, Arizona, in addition to simulator-based and in-aircraft training in Orlando, Florida. Training...

Ankara signs contract for ATR 72s.(Alenia Aeronautica S.p.A.)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Turkey's defence industries undersecretariat and Alenia Aeronautica have signed a $219 million contract for 10 ATR 72/500 anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol aircraft. Under Ankara's Meltem 3 requirement, the aircraft will receive a...

USAF advances F-15 fleet upgrade.(United States Air Force)
August 2, 2005... A long-awaited self-protection upgrade for the US Air Force's Boeing F-15 fleet appears to be a done deal, with a new-start development programme for a wideband digital radar warning receiver (RWR) planned to move forward in 2008. Upgrading the...

India seeks Kaveri aid.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The Gas Turbine Research Establishment of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) plans to work with a foreign engine manufacturer to expedite the development of its indigenous Kaveri engine. The Indian defence ministry...

House accounting slip threatens Global Hawk production rate.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The legislative outlook for the US Air Force's Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle programme has worsened with the discovery of an accounting slip in a budget provision, even as the company's production team celebrates...

Nigeria rebuilds air force with $220m deal for F-7s.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Nigeria's defence ministry has signed a contract worth more than $220 million to acquire one squadron of 15 Chengdu F/FT-7NI strike aircraft and trainers from the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC). The...

UAVs 'should prompt Israeli fighter rethink'.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The Israeli air force shouldadjust its future procurement programmes for combat helicopters and manned fighters, including Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, because of the expected capabilities of unmanned air vehicles now under...

Gem search gets air help.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... An airship is to be tested as a diamond prospector for the first time, the result of a deal between German company ZLT Zeppelin and South African diamond mining company De Beers, writes Julian Moxon. The 85m (280ft)-long, semi-rigid NT-07...

SMA diesel faces FAA interference test hurdle.(Federal Aviation Administration)
August 2, 2005... French engine maker SMA is to begin crucial electromagnetic interference tests in a bid to gain US certification for the Cessna 182 Skylane re-engined with its SR305-230 diesel-cycle engine by year-end. SMA received a supplementary type...

UAV certification process starts.(unmanned aerial vehicle)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... UK based Kestrel Aerospace has begun the certification process for its Lancer vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned air vehicle to enable it to perform public flight demonstrations. The Lancer weighs just under 75kg (165lb), has a...

Light utility contest moves on.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The US Army has launched the competitive phase of its $1 billion-plus light utility helicopter competition. Bids for the 322-aircraft order to fulfil the army's general support needs on US bases are expected to include at least the...

EJM plans 'airline'.
August 2, 2005... The US Department of Transportation has tentatively approved an application by Executive Jet Management (EJM), the on-demand charter subsidiary of fractional-ownership company NetJets, to operate scheduled passenger services using business jets...

Hawk 128 flight supports BAE Eurotraining push.
August 2, 2005... BAE Systems is targeting the faltering multinational Eurotraining initiative as it launches flight tests of its Hawk 128 advanced jet trainer (AJT) for the UK Royal Air Force. As the UK is not part of the Advanced European Jet Pilot Training --...

Deadline passes for US Army's heavylift VTOL.(vertical take-off and landing)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Bids have closed for conceptual design study contracts for a potential new US Army vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft capable of carrying a 20,000kg (44,000lb)-payload for 460km (250nm). The Aviation Applied Technology Directorate...

Lockheed ready for morphing UAV tests, but waiting for FAA approval.(Federal Aviation Administration)(unmanned air vehicle)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Flight testing of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works morphing unmanned air vehicle is being held up awaiting approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration to fly the radio-controlled subscale model. Repaired after being damaged in...

Raytheon soups up King Air for VLJ contest.(very light jets)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Raytheon Aircraft has introduced a souped-up version of its smallest Beechcraft King Air twin-turboprop to compete more effectively with very light jets (VLJ). Meanwhile, final certification of the company's Hawker Horizon super mid-size...

Virgin, Rutan team to build spacecraft.
August 2, 2005... Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic and SpaceShipOne (SS1) developer Scaled Composites are to form a joint venture to manufacture spacecraft for suborbital flight operators. The new concern, The Spaceship Company, will manufacture...

Shuttle may not fly again for year.
August 2, 2005... NASA's Space Shuttle fleet could be grounded for a year or more, according to agency insiders, following the loss of a 0.4kg (0.9lb) foam chunk from the external tank's (ET) upper half during Space Shuttle Discovery's ascent. Following the...

Space Adventures aims to compete with Virgin Galactic.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Space Adventures, the company that organises International Space Station tourism flights, is to buy vehicles for its own suborbital flight service. The company is evaluating the spacecraft currently in development by Scaled Composites,...

Shuttle faults not fixed.
August 2, 2005... Discovery launched from Kennedy Space Center launch complex 39b exactly 907 days after the loss of Columbia on 1 February 2003. The 30 months since that fateful day when seven astronauts died saw the announcement of a new Presidential space...

Fly bigger turboprops.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Most airliners in use today are 150- to 160-seat Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, and are used regularly even on routes of 370km (200nm) or less, because no other aircraft are available in that size. Given the doubling of fuel costs over the past...

Transplant assurance.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... It is with concern that we hear some airline staff and aviators appear to believe that long exposure to altitude prohibits them from joining the UK National Health Service Organ Donor Register, as their organs are somehow affected by a career...

Can safety improve?(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Safety predictions are based on increasing numbers of aircraft and departures, using current accident rates. One hull loss a week is forecast for 23,000 aircraft estimated flying by 2015. Safety must improve, but how? New technologies?...

Keep trial lessons.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Recently I arranged a trial flying lesson at a local flying club for an intelligent, but moody, teenage neighbour. After landing, his eyes lit up like 1,000 watt light bulbs and the day after this note arrived: "Thank you. It was an incredible...

Ramp mishaps need analysis.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... To say that "every time someone is hurt or killed on a ramp we can trace it to human error" (Flight International, 19-25 July) is akin to saying that every time it gets light in the morning it is because the Sun comes up. The statement offers...

Women: too much trouble?(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The case of Jessica Starmer (Flight International, 26 July--1 August) is doing untold damage to the prospects of up-and-coming professional women pilots. Airlines did not employ women pilots for a long time, but after a struggle, they were...

safetyNo deterrent to suicide bombers.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... You say aviation "has shut out another 9/11 by fitting secure cockpit doors" and on the ground it operates aadeterrent" (Flight International, 12-18 July). There is no deterrent to suicide bombers and most explosive attacks are now made by...

Total Eclipse package launched.
August 2, 2005... Eclipse Aviation has unveiled a support programme for its very light jet that encompasses not only nose-to-tail maintenance, but also provides assistance with operating the aircraft. For an hourly fee, the JetComplete programme will cover...

Sports squad approvals grow.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... The number of certificated light-sport aircraft available almost doubled as the Oshkosh show opened, with six more designs added to the approved list. This takes to 13 the number of types awarded special light-sport aircraft airworthiness...

EGPWS fitment welcomed.(enhanced ground proximity warning system)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Safety organisations have welcomed the move by Cirrus Design to fit the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) as standard, pointing to the continuing problem of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) as a major cause of light-aircraft...

Enhanced lights go on.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Cessna, Cirrus and New Piper are among manufacturers at AirVenture 2005 to announce upgrades for light aircraft equipped with the latest integrated cockpits. Cirrus will fit Honeywell's Bendix/King KGP 560 enhanced ground proximity warning...

Alarm to sound out obsolete components.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Arinc is looking to expand the application of a software tool that can identify within a system electronic or mechanical components that pose the highest risk of becoming obsolete. The Arinc Logistics Assessment and Risk Management (Alarm)...

Multi-directional LASSI may replace traditional pitot tube.(Laser Air Speed Sensor Instrument)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... A multi-directional laser sensor system for accurately determining airspeed has been developed by a consortium led by BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre. The Laser Air Speed Sensor Instrument (LASSI) uses ultra-violet laser light, directed...

Eclipse makes fire safety leap.
August 2, 2005... Very-light-jet pioneer Eclipse Aviation is claiming a breakthrough in fire-suppression technology with development of the first commercially viable replacement for ozone-depleting Halon. Designed for the Eclipse 500 jet, the patented PhostrEx...

The next Level.(Federal Aviation Administration )
August 2, 2005... While the US Federal Aviation Administration looks to the future, but remains bogged down in the present, its European counterparts are moving steadily ahead in implementing technologies crucial to future air traffic management. This is most...

Chinese puzzle.
August 2, 2005... Business jet manufacturers expect a trickle of orders over the next year from Chinese corporations, but barriers must be overcome before a long-anticipated flood of orders is unleashed. There are only 13 business jets operating in mainland...

Variability holds the key to airline punctuality.
August 2, 2005... Investigations into ways to reduce flight delays at airports have concluded that reducing variability in departure and arrival times is central to improving punctuality. Eleven major European airports participated in a study to determine the...

Hypersonics -- the basics.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... definitions Guy Norris / Los Angeles Ramjet The simplest of jet engines, the ramjet compresses air to subsonic speed by the ram-effect of its forward motion. The compressed air is mixed with fuel within the engine, and ejected through a...

Hyper Activity.
August 2, 2005... When NASA's diminutiveX-43A hypersonic demonstrator streaked across the skies over the Pacific at just under Mach 10 on 16 November 2004 it was hailed as a massive success for the agency and its Hyper-X partners. Yet, as with so many other...

Transponder drop-outs spark AD.
August 2, 2005... With aircraft suddenly disappearing from radar screens, air traffic controllers are calling on European safety regulators to speed up approval of a solution for a recurring fault afflicting Honeywell's Primus II transponder. European...

Discovery safe for?re-entry, says NASA.
August 2, 2005... The in-orbit inspection of Space Shuttle Discovery last week went smoothly and provided NASA's mission management team (MMT) with data suggesting it will be safe for the orbiter to re-enter the atmosphere. In-orbit inspection of the vehicle,...

Lufthansa's blueprint for South American training.
August 2, 2005... Lufthansa's technical training arm plans to expand its South American operation, currently based in Santiago, Chile. It claims its training centre there offers some of the most advanced maintenance instruction available. The aircraft...

New pay deal is sought for US controllers.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Fundamental changes are needed in contracts for air traffic controllers, if new systems and inspectors to improve safety are to be afforded, says the US Federal Aviation Administration. Talks with the US air traffic controllers' union will have...

Airbus sounds out A300B4 for Chapter 4.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... Airbus has completed a series of trials of the most widely used of its original A300B series, the B4, which establish that the variant can be operated into and out of the most noise-sensitive airports enforcing Chapter 4 limits. The B4 was...

A380 training gets off the ground.(aircraft)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... Training for those who will fly and maintain the Airbus A380 is currently undergoing validation at the manufacturer's Toulouse, France training headquarters. The central tool for pilot training is an A380 full-flight simulator (FFS) that...

IFALPA warns of dangers.(International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associations)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... controversy In the aftermath of the Air France accident, the International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) has criticised runway overrun areas in general and the overrun at Toronto Pearson airport's runway 24L in particular....

Overruns can be deadly.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... Most runway overruns, according to Flight International's annual air transport safety reviews, are survivable even when the aircraft are written off. But obstacles or terrain in the overrun area have caused some incidents to be fatal: -.26 June...

Crash probe yields few early clues.
August 9, 2005... Investigators are trying to establish why an Air France Airbus A340 overran the runway while landing in bad weather at Toronto Pearson airport last week. Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSBC) lead investigator Real Levasseur said last...

Merged US airline to seek feeder partner for E-190s.
August 9, 2005... America West Airlines and US Airways are preparing the ground to introduce a fleet of up to 25 Embraer 190s on feeder services once the two airlines merge. A formal request for proposals (RFP) for a regional carrier to operate the 95-seaters is...

China updates rules to solve its pilot shortage.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... China's pilot shortage has led the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to standardise and update regulations to help local carriers wishing to employ foreign aircrew. "Before we allowed foreign pilots to come to China, but there were...

Europe acts to accelerate counter-Manpads effort.
August 9, 2005... Emergency funds given to EADS-led team to research technology to protect airliners European lawmakers have used a little-known emergency measures procedure to force through funding for research into protecting airliners against man-portable...

Tests prove electric-drive concept.(Boeing 767)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... Success of Boeing 767 trial prompts effort to develop production version of powered nose-wheel system for taxiing Boeing and electric-drive specialist Chorus Motors are in "active discussions" over possible follow-on work on a powered...

Design requirements: extra traction, increased torque.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... Developed specifically for traction and higher low-speed torque loads, and applications for which starting torque requirements are greater than continuous torque requirements, the electric-drive system uses multi-phase motors in which the...

India Shortage.(aircraft pilots)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... India's government has revealed the extent of the country's pilot shortage at its state-owned airlines and detailed measures it is taking to address the problem caused by rapid growth. Civil aviation minister Praful Patel told parliament that...

LAN reveals order for 767s.(LAN Airlines)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... LAN Airlines has revealed that it is the customer for six Boeing 767-300s that have been designated for an "unidentified" client by the manufacturer. The order is a mix of -300ER passenger aircraft and -300 Freighters and takes the airline's...

Emissions study frustrates greens.(tax on aviation fuel)
August 9, 2005... Environmental groups are vowing to step up their efforts to persuade European Union governments to impose a tax on aviation fuel despite the European Commission last week coming out in favour of including aviation in its emissions trading...

Display improves situational awareness.(SafeRoute)(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... ACSS's SafeRoute's surface area movement management feature provides flightcrews with enhanced situational awareness on the ground by showing the position of the host aircraft on an airport surface map in relation to surrounding aircraft and...

UPS to test 'SafeRoute' next year.
August 9, 2005... Carrier to fly system that uses ADS-B data and cockpit displays to assist pilots in the air and on the groundyy Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems (ACSS) and launch customer and development partner UPS Airlines expect to start flight...

R-R gears up to begin production of Trent 1000.(Rolls-Royce North America Inc.)
August 9, 2005... Rolls-Royce has begun construction work on a new [pounds sterling]30 million ($53 million) engine testbed site for the Trent 1000 for the Boeing 787, and is poised to receive parts for the start of assembly of the first engine in November and...

EC prepares to resume US open skies talks.(Brief Article)
August 9, 2005... The European Commission has confirmed it intends to hold technical talks with the US Department of Transportation in September ahead of a full-scale resumption of open-skies negotiations in the last quarter of this year, writes Justin Wastnage....