Flight International articles from December 2006

Flight International archives from December 2006

AirBridge Cargo poised to sign deal for 747-8Fs.(Boeing Co.'s 747-8 Freighters )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... AirBridge Cargo (ABC) is finalising a deal to acquire Boeing 747-8 Freighters to supplement its existing fleet of all-cargo 747s.The scheduled arm of Russian outsize cargo carrier Volga-Dnepr, which began operations in May 2004, operates three...

Alenia firms up Sukhoi agreement.(Alenia Aeronautica S.p.A., Sukhoi Corp.)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Finmeccanica unit Alenia Aeronautica has formally signed the final agreement covering its co-operation on Sukhoi's Superjet 100 (SSJ) programme, which involves the acquisition of a stake in Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC). Under the deal, Alenia...

ATR and Bombardier vie for FAX.(Avions de Transport Regional, Fly Asian Xpress )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... ATR and Bombardier are competing for a 10-aircraft turboprop order from east Malaysian regional carrier Fly Asian Xpress (FAX).The new carrier is evaluating two 70-seat types, the ATR 72 and the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400, says FAX chief executive...

Japan to deliver 787 sections.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Production of 787 components by Boeing's Japanese suppliers is gathering pace, with the first assemblies due to be shipped to the USA next month.Japan's three major aerospace companies are responsible for 35% of production of the largely...

Brazil ATC system implicated in crash.(International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations)
December 5, 2006... Air traffic controller representatives have expressed serious concerns over the Brasilia area control centre connected with September's fatal mid-air collision, claiming that automated procedures may have contributed to the...

Great Wall taken over.(Great Wall Airlines acquired by Beijing Aerospace Satellite Applications)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... ownership Leithen Francis / singaporeGrounded cargo carrier Great Wall Airlines has undergone a dramatic change of ownership, which the Shanghai-based joint venture hopes will pave the way for it to escape US trade sanctions and relaunch...

Guggenheim builds freighter portfolio with four 777Fs.(Guggenheim Aviation Partners signed Boeing Co.)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Guggenheim Aviation Partners is poised to order up to four Boeing 777 Freighters to add to its recent deal for four 747-8Fs.Industry sources say the US lessor, which specialises in the freight market, has concluded a deal for three 777Fs, plus...

Gulf plans FANS datalink exercise.(FANS-1/A navigation system )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Authorities in the Gulf region are drawing up plans for an operational trial of the FANS-1/A navigation system within Arabian airspace, expected to take place next year.Details are still being finalised, but a draft document sets out a...

Debt carriers punished.(Dalavia and Interavia S.A.)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... navigationRussia's air navigation service Rosaeronavigatsia has introduced restrictions on carriers Dalavia and Interavia due to debt arrears.The organisation says that the air traffic control debts are several months overdue, and the airlines...

Russia ponders MAK's role.(Interstate Aviation Committee)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The CIS multilateral Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) is facing an uncertain future as Russia considers overhauling its civil aviation regulatory framework.Russia's transport ministry is expected to submit draft proposals to the cabinet by...

MHI details plans for jet.(Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. aims for Mitsubishi Jet regional aircraft )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Mitsubishi is talking to R-R and GE about engines for the 70- to 90-seat MJaircraft development Siva Govindasamy / SingaporeMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) aims to fix the configuration of its planned Mitsubishi Jet (MJ) regional aircraft...

Ex-Delta 737 heads for Khmer.(Royal Khmer Airlines, Delta Air Lines Boeing 737)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Royal Khmer Airlines is doubling its fleet with the introduction of this ex-Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-200 Adv. The 22-year-old aircraft is pictured on 21 November departing from Boeing Field in Seattle for South-East Asia, having positioned...

Largest 777 operator SIA gets initial -300ERs.(Singapore Airlines Ltd., Boeing Co.)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of its first Boeing 777-300ERs, underlining its status as the world's largest 777 operator. The airline's first two of 19 777-300ERs were handed over last week, boosting its 777 fleet to 60, with four more...

Transair grounded as 'likely air safety risk'.(Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) last week grounded Brisbane-based Transair - the airline involved in the May 2005 Lockhart River, Queensland, crash which killed 13 passengers and two crew, writes Emma Kelly. CASA says it...

Co-operative to hostile: how carriers manage their pilots.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Carriers in the "co-operative" category, says IALPA president Capt Evan Cullen, are those that have a recognition agreement with a pilot association, that "share goals" with it, exchange operational and other data, and work together on...

Union recognition 'is good for safety'.(Irish Airline Pilots' Association)
December 5, 2006... Airlines that recognise a pilot association measurably reduce specific safety risks, according to figures provided by the Irish Airline Pilots' Association (IALPA). Independently, the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirms that...

Legacy pilots set for freedom.(Embraer Legacy pilots who are stranded in Brazil due to Gol aircraft collision investigation)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The two US Embraer Legacy pilots stranded in Brazil for more than two months since the Gol collision are expected to be freed before Christmas.According to local press reports, the pilots will be asked to provide a second deposition to the...

BAE pushes VIP version of Avro RJ.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... BAE Systems Regional Aircraft is stepping up marketing of a VIP version of the BAe 146/Avro RJ regional jet as it responds to increased demand for the aircraft, dubbed the Avro Business Jet (ABJ).Abu Dhabi-based luxury charter provider Royal...

Eclipse production faces new obstacle.(Eclipse Aviation Corp.)
December 5, 2006... DELAY Graham Warwick / Washington DCEclipse Aviation's transition from development to production of its very light jet (VLJ) has hit another hurdle, with delivery of the first Eclipse 500 on hold while the company reworks the processes that...

EVS for Challenger operators?(Bombardier installing enhanced vision system )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Bombardier is looking at customer demand for installing an enhanced vision system (EVS) on Challenger business jets. The company's head-up display (HUD)-based EVS has been installed on almost 30 Global business jets, and has proved a popular...

ExpressJet goes corporate.(ExpressJet Holdings Inc. to launch corporate aviation service)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... ExpressJet Holdings is set to launch its corporate aviation service on 31 December and has increased its fleet by a third to satisfy strong demand.ExpressJet Corporate Aviation is designed to provide large group transport for companies,...

Honda aims to hasten European certification.(Honda Aircraft, Greensboro, NC)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Honda Aircraft is revising its plans for European certification of the HondaJet after receiving strong interest in the light jet from potential air taxi and charter customers in the region. The company stills plans to achieve US certification...

Jet Aviation won at Saad.(Correction notice)
December 5, 2006... Last week we incorrectly said an Airbus A340-600 VIP to be delivered to Saudi Arabia's Saad Group will be outfitted by Lufthansa Technik. The widebody will in fact be completed by Jet Aviation in Basle, Switzerland.

Helicopters in a spin.(performance of helicopter companies in United States)
December 5, 2006... It has been a year since investment firm Patriarch Partners bailed out MD Helicopters (MDHI), the ailing US manufacturer of light helicopters. It has been a year of some progress, but also major setbacks, and if - as speculated - the new owner...

Prize assets.(importance of training airline crew as discussed at Flight International's Crew Management Conference)
December 5, 2006... It is axiomatic that one of the most critical aspects of running a modern airline profitably and safely is the relationship between the company and its frontline employees - the ones that deliver the service the customers actually see and feel....

Northrop outlines B-2 enhancements.(Northrop Grumman Corp., B-2 bomber aircraft)
December 5, 2006... High-energy laser weapons are a potential future upgrade for the Northrop Grumman B-2 bomber, which is expected to remain in service beyond 2050. Improved passive and active stealth techniques are also expected to be needed beyond 2020 to keep...

IAI unveils multiuser F-16 simulator.(Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Israel Aircraft Industries' (IAI) Lahav division has unveiled a new Distribution Mission Training system which will facilitate joint training activities between fighter pilots in the air and on the ground. The system will initially use up to...

Czechs step up efforts to sell Jakarta L-159s.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Czech Republic aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody has stepped up its efforts to sell L-159 advanced jet trainers to the Indonesian air force, despite uncertainty over whether Jakarta has an interest in or budget for the aircraft.The countries...

New fleet considered.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... helicoptersThe Italian air force is advancing studies to find replacements for its Agusta-Sikorsky HH-3F and Agusta-Bell AB212 utility helicopter fleets. A preliminary operational requirement to replace the HH-3F has already been sent to...

Israel eyes radar gun.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Israel could field an improved version of Lockheed Martin's SkyShield radar controlled gun as an immediate means of intercepting Kassam rockets launched from the Gaza Strip, while also seeking more comprehensive options including a laser-based...

Dassault redesigns Neuron's weapon capability.(Dassault Aviation S.A.)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... UNMANNED SYSTEMS PETER LA FRANCHI / LONDONEurope's Neuron unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator is to feature twin internal weapons bays in a new design configuration revealed last week by prime contractor Dassault. The industrial team...

Northrop dusts down Pegasus UCAV.(unmanned combat air vehicle )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Northrop Grumman is bringing its X-47A Pegasus unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) back into use to support risk-reduction activities linked to its bid for the US Navy's unmanned combat air system demonstration (UCAS-D) programme. The aircraft,...

RAF to form new squadron for Predator UAVs.(Unmanned aerial vehicles)(Royal Air Force)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The UK Royal Air Force is to form an unmanned air vehicle squadron as the home for its two General Atomics MQ-9 Predator Bs. Approvals for the new unit were recently given within the Ministry of Defence, says Wg Cdr Andrew Jeffrey, its director...

C-27J may win support role as Italy restructures military.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Alenia Aeronautica's C-27J Spartan could be used to provide Special Forces support services to the Italian military under a proposed Task Force Group Air organisation. The planned task force would be established as part of a major...

Rivals jockey for interim bomber requirement.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The US Air Force's next-generation long-range strike (NGLRS) aircraft will be subsonic, with less range and payload than the B-2, believes Northrop Grumman. "We don't believe NGLRS will replace the B-2, and think it will be complementary," says...

Collins to upgrade Thai C-130Hs.(Rockwell Collins Inc, Thailand's Lockheed Martin)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Rockwell Collins has won a contract to upgrade six of Thailand's Lockheed Martin C-130H transports - the first sign that the nation's upgrade and procurement programmes could go ahead despite the recent military coup. Thai Aviation Industries...

UK refines concept for UCAV strikes.(unmanned combat air vehicle)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The UK's proposed unmanned combat air vehicle demonstration programme is looking increasingly likely to be based on a manned-unmanned teaming concept. The approach would see the UCAV controlled during strike missions by an operator on an...

First A400M wing appears.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The first composite wingbox for the Airbus Military A400M transport has been removed from its assembly jig at Airbus UK's Filton site in Bristol. Weighing around 3t, the 23m (75ft)-long port wing structure will next receive its hydraulic,...

Features.
December 5, 2006... UK Harrier gr7/Weapon Release Data, May to September 2006Month****(sorties)****EPWII****CRV-7****245kg FF****450kg FF****Theatre...

Features.
December 5, 2006... AERO VODOCHODYL-39 Albatros****Nigeria AF****ULS Letov****1 FFS****L-39ZA****-****-****L-59 Albatros****Egypt AF****ULS Letov****1 FMS****L-59E****-****-****Plus ejection seat trainer****Tunisia AF****ULS Letov****1...

NTSB to investigate second Interavia accident.(National Transportation Safety Board)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The US National Transportation Safety Board is to investigate a second crash by a Russian-built Interavia E-3 experimental aerobatic aircraft, in which an object appeared to have separated from the machine before impact. David Hermance, an...

Price seeks personal turbofan cash.(Price Induction )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... French engine developer Price Induction is seeking around ?22 million ($29 million) over the next three years to fund development and manufacture of the first in its family of DGEN personal jet engines, starting with the 560lb-thrust (2.5kN)...

Rig helideck lighting trials to begin.(sea oil rigs and drilling platforms lighting contracts)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... In-service evaluation trials of a new helideck lighting system will begin in January on two North Sea oil rigs, according to the UK Civil Aviation Authority. This follows five years of designing, setting up and staging operational trials...

Greens call for lead ban.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The US National Air Transportation Association (NATA) says the Federal Aviation Administration should become involved if a petition to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by Friends of the Earth to ban lead-based aviation fuel is to be...

P&W touts geared turbofan A320.(Pratt & Whitney)
December 5, 2006... guy norris / los angelesPratt & Whitney and Airbus are studying a modified version of the A320 powered by the geared turbofan (GTF) for service entry as early as 2011, offering Airbus a potential market advantage of up to two years over any...

Suppliers to share A350 burden.(Airbus S.A.S.)
December 5, 2006... Airbus is embarking on a supplier charm offensive in a bid to persuade industrial partners to help share the ?10 billion ($13.2 billion) A350 XWB development costs, after the expected industrial launch last week of the new twinjet. Airbus...

Boeing autopilot would seize back control from hijackers.
December 5, 2006... Boeing has received a US patent for a system that, once activated, removes all control from pilots to automatically return a commercial airliner to a predetermined landing location. The "uninterruptible" autopilot would be activated - either by...

Puma yoke failure 'a mystery'.(European Aviation Safety Agency, Super Puma )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... EASA has ordered all Super Puma operators to check their aircraftInvestigators are puzzled by an incident in which a Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma helicopter's main rotor head (MRH) spindle yoke failed (Flight International, 24-30 October), and...

USA ready to fight over emissions trading plan.
December 5, 2006... Europe is heading for a certain legal showdown with the USA over its plans to include foreign carriers flying to the 25 European Union member states in its emissions trading scheme.US assistant secretary of transport Andrew Steinberg last week...

Europe aims high.(aeronautics research programme)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The most ambitious European aeronautics research programme to date is set to be in place soon with the first call for proposals expected on 22 December. The Council of Ministers is set to adopt the European Commission's Seventh Research...

Lockheed-VT consortium wins severely reduced MFTS prize.(Lockheed Martin UK and VT, Military Flying Training System )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The Ascent consortium comprising Lockheed Martin UK and VT was last week named preferred bidder to deliver the UK's tri-service Military Flying Training System (MFTS).The Ministry of Defence appears to have severely reduced its earlier cost...

NetJets improves pay to retain staff.(NetJets Europe)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... NetJets Europe has improved the remuneration packages of its 670 pilots and flight attendants in an effort to stem the loss of personnel and attract new staff to its rapidly expanding fractional ownership and charter operation. The...

US election results cloud open skies prospects.(open skies aviation )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Brokering an open skies aviation accord with the European Union remains a "number one priority" for the US government, although a key Department of Transportation (DoT) official concedes the result of the mid-term elections will make it...

Alenia Aeronautica tests the water for Sky-X's successor.
December 5, 2006... Alenia Aeronautica is exploring the potential launch of a full-scale unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) development programme in the second half of 2007, as a successor to its Sky-X demonstrator. Initial studies are evaluating lessons from the...

Computer glitch hits GIOVE-B.(Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The Galileo In-Orbit Validation Element (GIOVE)-B navigation spacecraft will not be launched until the end of 2007, following the failure of its on-board computer during testing.GIOVE-B is the second of two test spacecraft developed for the...

We must learn from mistakes.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... On 12 November 1996, two aircraft collided near Delhi. They were flying reciprocal tracks, and cleared to maintain 1,000ft (300m) separation. A malfunction or mistake was made, an altitude was busted and 349 people died.Accidents are...

Why BA needs some savvy.(British Airways PLC)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... The furore over one of its employees wearing a crucifix is nothing new to British Airways, which seems to make a habit of getting embroiled in controversy - the debacle of the tailfin designs and shedding of staff the ridding of Go and Barbara...

'Idle' Fokkers not so inactive.(Walsh Aviation)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Your report on the status of the regional jet fleet (Flight International, 21-27 November) provides some interesting information. However, I would like to take issue with the number of Fokker 100s listed by Walsh Aviation as "idle" or "stored"....

Age 70 is not official policy.(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... You report that "pilots could fly on until they reach 70" (Flight International, 28 November-4 December). To clarify the situation, Amendment 167 to International Civil Aviation Organisation Annex 1, which became applicable on 23 November,...

Energia wins ISS order for Multipurpose Laboratory Module.(Federal Space Agency's International Space Station )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Russia's Federal Space Agency has placed an order with Energia for a Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) for the International Space Station (ISS), which will include European Space Agency equipment.To be launched in 2009, the MLM will be...

Campaign starts to save NASA's prize funds.(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... A campaign to ensure funds for NASA's Centennial Chall?enges are included in the agency's fiscal year 2007 budget has begun after the US Senate cancelled funding in its appropriations bill for the space agency.The Centennial Challenges are...

Virgin's plans for submerged spaceport hit rock bottom.(Virgin Galactic)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Virgin Galactic has abandoned plans for an underground facility for its White Knight 2/Space-ShipTwo (WK2/SS2) sub-orbital launch system at New Mexico's Spaceport America. Geological studies have found that the proposed site's bedrock means the...

UK to test fast-jet control of UAVs.(QinetiQ Ltd., unmanned air vehicles )(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... UK defence technology company Qinetiq plans to demonstrate unmanned air vehicle control from a fast combat jet early next year, using its Panavia Tornado integrated avionics research aircraft to command real and simulated UAVs.The tests to...

Locking system is key.(MacCarthy Interiors)
December 5, 2006... FASTENERS Graham Warwick / washington dcThe first aircraft applications of smart, software-controlled fasteners are getting closer, with a major airline flight testing an integrated locking control and interior lighting system for stowage...

Patent for engine that recaptures its energy.(Scuderi Group)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... A piston aircraft engine that recaptures energy during deceleration and landing and uses it for supercharging during take-off and cruise, reducing fuel consumption and emissions, has been patented by US engine technology development company the...

Green projects get go ahead.(Opportunities for Meeting the Environmental challenge of Growth in Aviation)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Climate change Rob Coppinger / LondonA UK government-funded programme to foster the transfer of knowledge from academia to industry to help the aviation sector respond to the challenge of climate change will identify up to 10 university-led...

Career biography.
December 5, 2006... 1994-8 Florida Institute of Technology: majored in aerospace engineering1997-8 United Space Alliance: co-op opportunity 1998-9 Lockheed Martin: satellite systems engineer1999-2002 Rocketdyne: RS-68 testing2003-present NASA: joined as systems...

Launched into dream job at NASA.(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Interview)
December 5, 2006... What is your current role?I am integrated product team lead for the launch abort system, which is part of the new vehicle NASA is designing to send people into space and eventually to the Moon.That vehicle comes in two parts: the crew launch...

Grob resolute after crash destroys SPn prototype.(Grob Aerospace)(Brief article)
December 5, 2006... Grob Aerospace's second SPn light jet prototype was destroyed on 29 November during a demonstration flight near the company factory in Tussenhausen-Mattsies, Germany. Chief test pilot Gerard Guillaumaud, the aircraft's sole occupant, was...

Target Taliban.(Joint Terminal Attack Controllers)
December 5, 2006... From the middle of this year, troops of NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) found themselves locked in heavy fighting across southern Afghanistan against several thousand Taliban insurgents and their militia allies. As the...

Features.
December 5, 2006... technologyLevelling the virtual playing fieldSensor-laden platforms operating in complex, dynamic environments pose a particular challenge for simulation technology - how to ensure a fair fight between simulators. The problem is particularly...

Reality Rivalry.
December 5, 2006... Being the incumbent supplier is a good thing, but in the military flight simulation market it is not always a sure thing. Long service lives, regular aircraft upgrades and rapid simulation advances give the customer plenty of opportunity to...

Borrowing from A380.(product development of Airbus S.A.S.)(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... The A350 XWB incorporates the two-hydraulic/two-electric (2H/2E) flight-control architecture that Airbus has developed from the A380. In the 2H/2E design, flight controls are powered by electro-hydraulic actuators using a local hydraulic...

Indonesia links up to evaluate technology.(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... Indonesia has launched a trial of automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) in conjunction with Airservices Australia, Sita and Thales. It is evaluating the technology with a view to making a decision on whether to roll out ADS-B...

ADS-B moves forward in Australia.(automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast)(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has released a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) for the carriage and use of automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) avionics as the country implements its upper ADS-B...

787 weight-saving is costly.(Boeing Co.)(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... Boeing 787 vice-president and general manager Mike Bair says that weight reduction efforts for the twinjet are consuming "several hundreds of millions of dollars" in additional research and development costs, but he adds: "We are still inside...

747 LCF tests slip behind schedule.(Large Cargo Freighter)
December 12, 2006... Boeing says the test programme for the 747 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) is running behind schedule, but remains confident that the aircraft will be certificated in time to begin transporting 787 sections by the end of January.The modified...

GE plans big production ramp-up.(General Electric Co.)(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... General Electric has revealed plans to boost overall engine production by a staggering 64% between 2007 and 2009 due to unprecedented demand for its large commercial engines, the GE90 and GEnx, as well as continued growth of CFM56 and CF34...

What states have been told they must do.(Global Aviation Safety Roadmap)(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... The Global Aviation Safety Roadmap sets out priorities for action by states, including addressing: Inconsistent application of international standards in individual states. Inadequate national safety oversight systems. Legal and cultural...

ICAO launches safety roadmap.(International Civil Aviation Organisation's Global Aviation Safety Roadmap )
December 12, 2006... A plan for implementing global action on aviation safety, "particularly in developing regions of the world", has been launched by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The growing chasm between the high safety standards of much of the...

Transair parent 'failed to report earlier incidents'.(Australian Transport Safety Bureau reports incidents of Transair)(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... The owner of Australian airline Transair has now been referred to the director of public prosecutions for failing to report safety incidents. The carrier was involved in a fatal crash in 2005.The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has...

KrasAir introduces two 757-200s on lease.(Boeing Co.)(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... KrasAir is introducing two leased Boeing 757-200s as part of its fleet upgrade effort. The Russian airline, which heads the five-carrier AirUnion alliance, will operate the ex-Iberia and Varig twinjets on the Irish register.

Radar problem revealed after Metro's near miss.(a Fairchild Metro came within 30m of an unidentified aircraft during the military surveillance radar failure)(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... A Fairchild Metro came within 30m (100ft) of an unidentified single-engined aircraft on approach to Williamtown, New South Wales, during a time when the military secondary surveillance radar (SSR), which provides surveillance in the area, was...

Second ATR flies in to ease pressure on PIA.(Brief article)
December 12, 2006... PIA has deployed its second ATR 42-500 and has five more on orderPakistan International Airlines (PIA) has stopped using military Lockheed C-130 military transports to ferry passengers, after deploying its second ATR 42-500 - which has just...