Flight International articles from January 2005

Flight International archives from January 2005

Bumpy exit for Avianca.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... A last-minute bid by Avianca's pilots to win control of the bankrupt carrier failed as the airline left its 21-month stay in US Chapter 11 reorganisation with a new Brazilian owner. Salvador Frieri, a Colombian businessman who lives in...

Chile approves Aerolineas offshoot.(Aerolineas del Sur)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Chile has approved domestic operations by Aerolineas del Sur, a new airline formed by the same Spanish group that owns Aerolineas Argentinas. It launched flights in early December. The obvious link between Aerolineas del Sur and Aerolineas...

Delta deals keep it out of court.(Delta Air Lines)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The news that Delta Air Lines had lined up more than $1 billion in financing during December significantly increases the chances of the carrier avoiding the shelter of bankruptcy court protection. Shortly after Delta's pilots union gave...

In brief.(meshed briefs)
January 1, 2005... AmWest ignores ATA assets America West Airlines chose not to bid on Chicago Midway airport assets of ATA Airlines, now in bankruptcy. The move set up a battle between AirTran Airways, which had agreed to buy ATA assets for about $90...

In brief.(recruitment of pilots)(United Airlines-service in Vietnam)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Carriers hire more pilots US carriers hired twice as many pilots as they had expected to in 2004, according to AIR Inc, the Atlanta-based recruitment agency. With December numbers still to be counted, around 9,500 new pilot jobs were...

In brief.
January 1, 2005... Air Canada's overseas success Overseas routes have fuelled a turn-around in Air Canada's fortunes, prompting it to look for six used Airbus A340s and Boeing 767s so it can further boost its international route capacity this summer. It...

Pension burden stacks up.(retirement plans)
January 1, 2005... Momentum has returned to the campaign to address one of the most burdensome legacies for the US major carriers, their long-standing pensions commitments. The issue is back in the headlines after US Airways abandoned retirement plans...

AAPA focuses on concerns.(Association of Asia Pacific Airlines)
January 1, 2005... The impact of higher fuel prices and lingering concerns over insurance issues dominated the discussion at the annual meeting of member carriers of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA). Held in the Taiwanese capital Taipei late in...

Australian eyes Europe.
January 1, 2005... Australian Airlines, the low-cost international arm of Qantas, is looking to extend its reach beyond Asia when it starts replacing its Boeing 767 fleet. Australian operates five all-economy 767-300s on Asian leisure routes where yields are...

Cathay extends Chinese ties.(Cathay Pacific Airways)
January 1, 2005... Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways has signed a letter of intent with the regulatory Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) covering training for senior managers, as it continues pushing for more access to China. "The new training...

Jet Airways seeks cash via IPO.(initial public offering)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... India's largest privately owned airline, Jet Airways, is planning an initial public offering (IPO) early in 2005 as it seeks to raise cash to help it expand in the face of new domestic challengers and boost international operations. The...

In brief.
January 1, 2005... Air China IPO raises $1bn Concern over high fuel prices failed to harm Air China's long-awaited initial public offering (IPO), which raised a total of HK$8.36 billion ($1.07 billion). The offering represented 31% of its enlarged share...

Singaporean group grabs Skywest.(hostile takeover)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Australia's two largest independent regionals are now controlled by separate Singaporean interests. Singapore-based CaptiveVision Capital (CVC) has completed a hostile takeover of Skywest Airlines. It joins Regional Express, better known as Rex...

Europe's fundamentals.
January 1, 2005... Airline stock prices have been edging up in Europe on the back of better news on oil prices, but elsewhere the fundamentals give less cause for optimism, cautions Chris Tarry of CTAIRA In stock-market terms, at least, Europe's airlines...

In brief.(airlines-appointments)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... KLM's board has appointed Frederic Gagey (48) as the airline's chief financial officer to succeed Rob Ruijter. Gagey was previously vice-president finance at Air France. Under the merger agreement between the carriers, a KLMexecutive will soon...

Air navigation unit costs set to drop.
January 1, 2005... European air traffic control providers are to cut unit rates by an average of 7% next year. The average unit rate for the 32 Eurocontrol member states in 2004 will be c58 ($77), down from c62 in 2004, with 26 air traffic service (ATS) providers...

UK carriers to enter Indian market.(traffic rights)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... UK carriers bmiand Virgin Atlantic Airways have each been granted traffic rights to the Indian market following agreement on a new bilateral deal. However, both airlines are appealing against a scarce capacity review by the UK's Civil...

In brief.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Lufthansa secures pilot deal Lufthansa has secured a deal with pilots that will slash around e30 ($40 million) from its 2005 cost base. The agreement will see pilots fly an extra 2h a month, a pay freeze until March 2006, and changes to...

Budget casualties mount.
January 1, 2005... The long expected shake-up of Europe's low-cost market appears to be gathering pace with Italy's Volare Group and Poland's Air Polonia the latest to be grounded. The Volare Group, which includes its low-cost arm Volareweb and leisure...

Cargo IT venture offers legacy exit.
January 1, 2005... SITA is hoping to overcome the reluctance of carriers to upgrade their legacy cargo systems through a new joint venture company with Luxembourg-based cargo carrier, Cargolux. The as-yet unnamed company will combine the expertise of SITA's...

Flybe back in the black.(Flybe British European)
January 1, 2005... The carrier made a [pounds sterling]14 million ($26.8 million) operating profit for the half-year to September. Chief executive Jim French will not be drawn on estimates for the full financial year, but says he is "cautiously optimistic"....

In brief.
January 1, 2005... France reduces airline stake The French government has sold 18.4% of its stake in Air France-KLM in a transaction worth around g720 million ($950 million), reducing its stake to just under 20%. LOTlaunches low-cost unit Polish...

The future of European ATM.(air traffic management)
January 1, 2005... As traffic again begins to grow, Victor Aguado, Eurocontrol's director general, highlights how Europe's air traffic management (ATM)co-ordinator is working to improve performance on five fronts:safety; capacity; cost-effectiveness; flight...

Highlights; Network 2005; 6-8 March; Orlando, USA.
January 1, 2005... The fifth annual Airline Business Network route-planning event promises to bring together more airlines and airports than ever before to do business in the Americas. After the success of last year's Network, which saw record breaking numbers of...

Holding.(Association of Asia Pacific Airlines-director general's message)
January 1, 2005... The message from new AAPA director general Andrew Herdman is continuity. But the same questions about the Asia Pacific airline association remain: is it really representative of its region? Is it relevant? And when will Chinese carriers be...

cash flows.(airlines)
January 1, 2005... An increasing number of carriers are turning to ancillary products to bolster their profits as margins from ticket sales come under greater pressure When it comes to growth, Ryanair is among the fastest. But at a carrier where scheduled...

Macau gains China rights.
January 1, 2005... A new air services pact has been agreed between China and its Special Administrative Region of Macau allowing a second airline to operate from each side. Most observers expect this will be a new low-cost carrier part-owned by Australia's...

Virgin Blue rethinks role.
January 1, 2005... Caught in the middle between full-service Qantas and low-cost JetStar, Virgin Blue is edging away from its low-cost model in a bid to attract more business and international travellers. The latest evidence of this shift comes with its...

Jetstar Asia stretches out.(launched services)
January 1, 2005... Jetstar Asia, the new Singapore-based associate of Qantas Airways, is taking a different approach from most low-cost competitors with its longer flight times. Jetstar Asia started operating on 13 December with services to Hong Kong, which...

Report highlights security burden.
January 1, 2005... The security spend by European airlines and airports rose to g3 billion ($4 billion) in 2002 in the wake of the 11 September attacks, according to a new report by the European Commission (EC). Airlines footed the bill for nearly half of...

Autumn cheer for Europe and Asia.(airlines-profits and forecasts)
January 1, 2005... European and Asian carriers continue to outperform their US cousins although, in Europe at least, there are worries that airlines may be hit this year by economic slowdown European and Asian carriers continue to outperform their US cousins...

Who.(usage of technology devices by airline passengers inside the aircrafts)
January 1, 2005... pays the piper? The freedom to use a personal mobile phone at 35,000ft is the dream of many airline passengers. Given that 83% of travellers carry mobiles, according to research by Norway-based satellite communications provider Telenor,...

Indian.(offshore outsourcing of airlines)
January 1, 2005... tonic Airlines are finding the costs savings from offshore outsourcing hard to ignore as they look for more flexibility in the business model Offshore outsourcing is not a new concept for the airline industry. Airlines have been moving...

Events diary.(Calendar)
January 1, 2005... 2005 JANUARY 26-27 2nd Annual Asia-Pacific Low Cost Airline Symposium Singapore Contact Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation Tel +612 9241 3200 website www.centreforaviation.com February 1-3 ATCMaastricht...

Great.(Singapore Airlines-service introduction)
January 1, 2005... As the Airbus A380 prepares for its first flight, is the era of the Superjumbo ready to take off? During the first few months of 2005 the eyes of the aviation world will be on Toulouse. More than a decade of development will culminate...

New.(Qantas Airways Ltd.-market share)
January 1, 2005... Australianss[degrees][thorn]o Using three different formulas, Qantas is aiming to prove that, contrary to prevailing opinion, forming low-cost units within a major airline can work The allure that low-cost subsidiaries have for major...

Revolution.(outsourcing of airlines)
January 1, 2005... The major ground handling groups have built global networks ready for wholesale outsourcing. But carriers have been slow to take up the opportunity Like a wave that is always about to break, the promised outsourcing revolution in...

voice.(airlines in latin america)
January 1, 2005... The history of Latin American aviation is rich, with nearly a dozen of its carriers among the world's oldest. Indeed, Colombia's Avianca, established in 1919, is believed to be the world's first airline. Back in the early days of aviation the...

Continental finally seeks pay cuts.(Continental Airlines-employee concessions)
January 1, 2005... Continental Airlines has given up its long resistance to seeking employee concessions in response to rising fuel prices and a competitive marketplace. Continental's move comes as other carriers have brought their costs down to the Houston-based...

WestJet.(meshed briefs)
January 1, 2005... Beddoe offers resignation WestJet's directors have refused to accept the proffered resignation of Clive Beddoe, the Canadian low-cost carrier's chief executive and co-founder. Beddoe offered to resign to take responsibility for the...

airport development Max Kingsley-Jones / Toulouse; Los Angeles expansion plan boosts A380 compatibility; Airport prepares to handle ultra-large airliner as $11 billion upgrade gets go-ahead.
January 4, 2005... Long-term prospects for the Airbus A380 at Los Angeles International airport (LAX) have received a major boost following the landmark approval of the airport's $11 billion expansion plan after much delay. The airport, which handles over...

deliveries; Hamburg plan back on.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Airbus looks set to revert to its plan of having an A380 delivery centre completed at its Hamburg Finkenwerder plant in time for the first handover to Emirates in late 2006, following a deal to purchase land crucial for the runway extension....

launch order; A350 lands first deal.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Airbus signed up its first A350 commitments at the end of 2004, securing a deal from Spain's Air Europa for 10 firm plus two options. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) calls for delivery of the baseline A350-800 version, powered by General...

Testing Vladimir Karnozov / Kiev; Antonov starts An-148 flight tests; Ukrainian design bureau believes early 2006 certification can be achieved after regional twinjet performs maiden flight.
January 4, 2005... Antonov is confident its new An-148 will be certificated on schedule early in 2006, following the regional jet's successful 1h 21min maiden flight on 17 December. "All onboard systems and the aircraft's aerodynamics appeared to be just...

Procurement; Ilyushin-Finance places order with VASO for 14 aircraft.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Russian leasing company Ilyushin-Finance (IFC) has placed a $200 million contract with the VASO production plant for the construction of 14 Antonov An-148s. "We will soon be transferring cash to them for the production," says IFC general...

MODIFICATIONS guy norris / los angeles; Aviation Partners Boeing set for 757 winglet trials; Icelandair emerges as second customer and evaluates the upgrade for 767-300ERs.
January 4, 2005... Flight tests of the first Boeing 757 equipped with Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) blended winglets are set to begin next month, pending completion of installation of the first units in January. The work on the first 757, a -200 belonging to...

handover; Deliveries of Asiana's delayed A330s begin.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Asiana Airlines has finally begun receiving the six Airbus A330-300s it has on order, five years later than they were originally scheduled. The 290-seater is the first of six Pratt &Whitney PW4000-powered A330-300s that the South Korean airline...

Growth Justin Wastnage / Dakar; Air Burkina serves Paris with A319.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Air Burkina is using a high-gross-weight variant of the Airbus A319 to launch services between the country's capital Ouagadougou and Paris. Airbus completed work on the ex-Swissair aircraft before delivery, to raise the maximum take-off...

Regulation; China partially lifts grounding of CRJ200 fleet.(China Yunnan Airlines)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... China's Shandong Airlines and Shanghai Airlines resumed Bombardier CRJ200 operations last week following a government decision to partially lift a ban that had been in place since the 21 November crash of a China Yunnan Airlines CRJ200. ...

Expansion Justin Wastnage / Bridgetown; Caribbean Star sees Sun rise as it taps US links.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Regional carrier Caribbean Star Airlines has doubled the operations of its US subsidiary Caribbean Sun Airlines as it considers future fleet requirements. Caribbean Sun made its first flights from its base in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to...

low-cost carriers; Air Deccan plots growth with A320s.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Indian budget airline Air Deccan is to undertake major expansion after a deal for 30 Airbus A320s for delivery from 2007. The order will increase Air Deccan's A320 fleet to 37 aircraft - three A320s are already operated on lease, with two...

air services; EC warns four nations to terminate bilaterals.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... The European Commission has sent a formal letter of notice to four European countries warning them to cancel all bilateral air services agreements struck since November 2002. The governments of Finland, Italy, Germany and Portugal received...

sales Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Boeing persuades JAL to sign up for 30 7E7s; Airbus 'disappointed' by Japanese carrier's failure to properly evaluate new A350.(Japan Airlines)
January 4, 2005... Japan Airlines (JAL) placed a late-year commitment for 30 Boeing 7E7s after the manufacturer persuaded the carrier to decide on its Airbus A300/767 replacement ahead of ordering new narrowbodies. Industry sources say Boeing, keen to get at...

Regional jets Vladimir Jovanovic / Belgrade & Darren Shannon / Washington DC; Jat selects Embraer 170 as Republic adds more.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Serbia and Montenegro national carrier Jat Airways is to expand its regional fleet by leasing twoEmbraer 170s. Meanwhile, United Express operator Republic Airlines is negotiating an expansion of its 170 fleet to fulfill a new feeder contract...

navigation; CASA seeks feedback on ADS-B.(Civil Aviation Safety Authority )(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is seeking industry feedback on the country's proposed automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) programme. The move precedes the expected release of a notice of proposed rulemaking on...

expansion Nicholas Ionides / Singapore; SALE poised for big aircraft order ; Singapore leasing company issues requests for proposals for single-aisle twinjets to Airbus, Boeing and Embraer.(Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE) is planning its first major aircraft order since 1999 and is evaluating proposals from Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. The Singapore-based lessor confirms that requests for proposals were issued...

AVIONICS; Thales seals Sukhoi deal.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... French electronics company Thales has won a g70 million ($93 million) contract from Sukhoi Civil Aircraft to become sole developer and supplier of cockpit display, communication, navigation and surveillance systems for the Russian Regional Jet...

strategy Justin Wastnage / Rochester; US unit builds platform for growth; BAE North American business sets out four-pronged strategy to exploit new markets and deliver 25% revenue hike.
January 4, 2005... BAE Systems' Platform Solutions division has outlined the four strategic areas in which it needs to expand its activities to meet aggressive 25% annual growth targets. Part of BAE Systems North America, the US/UK Platform Solutions unit...

in brief.(Interturbine Logistik )(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... ATR spares deal Avions de Transport Regional (ATR) has agreed a global spare parts distribution deal with Interturbine Logistik to cut costs for its customers. Interturbine is to act as a "one-stop source" for the 115 airlines operating...

acquisition; Cobham adds radar specialist in buying spree.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... UK-based aerospace group Cobham is to pay $260 million to acquire US defence communications and radar specialist Remec Defense & Space in a deal that will double turnover at the company's avionics and communications subsidiary Chelton...

FLIGHT TEST; Flight debut for very light jet engine.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Pratt & Whitney Canada's (P&WC) PW610F engine, selected to power Eclipse Aviation's Eclipse 500 very light jet, completed its maiden flight on 16 December mounted on P&WC's Boeing 720 flying testbed. During the 6h flight at P&WC's facility...

CONTRACT; LHT wins VIP747 deal.(Lufthansa Technik)
January 4, 2005... Lufthansa Technik (LHT) has been appointed by a Middle Easterncustomer to design and install a VIP interior for a Boeing 747-400 airliner. The project, the company's eleventh VIP widebody airliner contract, will take 16 months and around...

in brief.(Chapman Freeborn)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... FRACTIONAL COSTS Bombardier Flexjet has established a secondary service area for the Caribbean, removing ferry fees for fractional owners flying in and out of the region, covering the Greater, Lesser and Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad &...

sales; Sojitz to take Bombardier account; New Japanese agent chosen to handle sales of manufacturer's business jet product line amid hopes of market growth.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Japanese industry sources say Sojitz last month took over marketing and selling the Challenger, Global Express and Learjet families of business jets. Challenger and Global Express sales were previously handled in Japan by Aero Partners and...

In Brief.(meshed briefs)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... BUSINESS BANGKOK New Bangkok International Airport has confirmed that the existing Bangkok international airport will be scaled down and made available to business and general aviation once construction of the new Suvarnabhumi facility is...

strategy Helen Massy-Beresford / London; Airbus signs $200 million parts supply deal with Irkut; Move is part of manufacturer's plans to place Russian subcontracts worth $350m.
January 4, 2005... Airbus has signed a $200 million, 10-year deal with Russian manufacturer Irkut for the supply of parts for its A320 family. Airbus plans to expand its supplier base in Russia further by subcontracting another $150 million of component...

people.(Appointment)(Turbomeca Engine Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Turbomeca has named Pierre-Yves Morvan as vice-president production. Morvan, previously deputy vice-president operations, takes over as head of the company's newly created production division. Emeric d'Arcimoles, Turbomeca's president and chief...

Boeing seeks Polish partners.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Boeing and two of its main 7E7 partners, Alenia and Saab, visited Poland in mid-December to look for potential companies to manufacture tooling and jigs for the new widebody twinjet. The team toured the Institute of Aviation in Warsaw, the...

completion; Aero-Craft joins Volvo.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Swedish aero-engine manufacturer Volvo Aero has completed its acquisition of US forged components supplier Aero-Craft, clearing the way for a planned strategic alliance with forging company Carlton Forge Works and an attack on the lucrative...

acquisition; Wyle doubles size with GD Aeronautics deal.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Wyle Laboratories is to acquire General Dynamics' aeronautics services business, virtually doubling the size of the company, which provides research, engineering and testing services to aerospace and defence manufacturers. Formerly...

REGULATIONS justin wastnage / london; Separate corporate rules must stay, insists EBAA; Association is concerned over EC plans to take over regulation of aircraft operations.(European Business Aviation Association)(European Commission)
January 4, 2005... The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has voiced its concern over plans for the European Commission to take over regulation of aircraft operations, and early indications that current separate rules for business aircraft will be...

Lethal weapon.
January 4, 2005... With its reinvention as a bomber, has the F/A-22 finally turned into the next-generation war machine the US Air force really needs? For an aircraft beginning as foremost an air superiority fighter, the original F-22 design has been shown to...

In brief.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... HELICOPTER DEAL Bulgaria's defence ministry has launched detailed negotiations with Elbit Systems and Lockheed Martin for the upgrade of 12 Mil Mi-24 assault and sixMi-17 transport helicopters for its air force. Elbit will act as prime...

reconnaissance Tim Ripley / London; UK will not replace Canberra fleet; RAF plans to fill short-term reconnaissance gap with in-service systems when PR9s retire from service next year.(Royal Air Force)
January 4, 2005... The UK Royal Air Force will not replace its five Canberra PR9 strategic reconnaissance aircraft when they are removed from service in April 2006, having scrapped earlier plans to procure new aircraft on cost grounds. The UK Ministry of...

coast guard; India reviews maritime patrol bids.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... The Indian government is reviewing responses from 11 companies interested in meeting a coast guard requirement for two new maritime surveillance aircraft, writes Shyam Ravindran. Expected to be worth around $55 million, the programme has...

Contracts.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... n Raytheon is to produce 434 AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, including 223 for Canada and Poland under a $200 million US Air Force contract. The Royal New Zealand Air Force has awarded L-3 Communications' Spar Aerospace subsidiary more...

COMPETITION STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC; Lockheed refines FB-22 concept; Company to trade speed and handling for increased range and payload capacity for USAF bomber requirement.(United States Air Force)
January 4, 2005... Lockheed Martin's newest designs for a bomber variant of the F/A-22 Raptor show a steady shift in design philosophy to prize range and payload capacity over speed and manoeuvrability. An initial FB-22 concept revealed in 2001 retained the...

unmanned systems; USA and Israel in crisis over China Harpy deal.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... The USAhas demanded that Israel scrap a planned upgrade to China's current inventory of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Harpy anti-radiation drones, sparking a crisis between the US Department of Defense and its Israeli counterpart. China...

TESTING; Eurofighter helmet debut for Tranche 2 partners.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... BAE Systems' Platform Solutions division commenced trials late last month of the helmet-mounted display (HMD) system for the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 2 strike aircraft, following the approval of a significant order to equip the air forces of...

assembly Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Early delivery target set for KAI/Lockheed T-50 trainer; With test flight programme 60% complete, second aircraft to enter final assembly.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) expects to deliver its first T-50 Golden Eagle advanced trainer to the South Korean air force in October 2005, slightly ahead of schedule. The company began final assembly of its first productionT-50 on 17...

transports Peter La Franchi / Canberra; Australia signs $1 billion deal for tanker aircraft; Five Airbus A330-200s on order, with country's industry set to reap benefits.
January 4, 2005... Australia's Department of Defence has signed a A$1.4 billion ($1billion)contract with EADS Casa to supply five Airbus A330-200 multi-role tanker transports from early 2008. The Australian industry and technology transfer component of the deal...

DEVELOPMENT CRAIG HOYLE / WARTON; Second Nimrod MRA4 lifts off.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... BAE Systems' second prototype Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft conducted its second sortie on 21 December, less than a week after making its 2h debut flight from the company's Woodford site. Dubbed PA02, the mission...

upgrade; New Pampa for Argentina.(attack aircraft upgradation)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina (LMAA) has rolled out the first upgraded AT-63 Pampa advanced trainer/light attack aircraft for the Argentine air force. Flight testing is not expected to begin until mid-year, but the Cordoba-based...

UAVs STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC; Northrop Grumman pushes to revive X-47A.(unmanned aerial vehicles)(Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems programme)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2005... Northrop Grumman is in talks with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on a proposal to revive flight tests of the X-47A Pegasus, an unmanned prototype combat air vehicle mothballed since making a first, wobbly flight in...