Flight International articles from January 2008

Flight International archives from January 2008

American and BAE prepare to test anti-missile equipment.(Air Transport)(American Airlines Inc.)(BAE SYSTEMS PLC)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: security lori ranson washington dc Tests on how a system to protect against shoulder-fired missiles developed by BAE Systems will affect aircraft reliability and fuel consumption are due to begin early in 2008 on three American...

US DoT adds emissions focus to runway incursion prevention system.(Air Transport)(Department of Transportation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: environment john croft washington dc The US Department of Transportation plans to contract Sensis to upgrade its Airport Surface Detection Equipment - Model X (ASDE-X) runway incursion prevention system currently being installed at...

Birdstrikes to two starboard engines felled An-12.(Air Transport)
January 1, 2008... Byline: investigation david kaminski-morrow london Bird strikes on the starboard engines of a Russian-operated Antonov An-12 freighter caused the aircraft to lose control and crash just seconds after it took off from Moscow Domodedovo...

Air Transport.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The feathered threat at take-off MAK highlights three other instances of An-12 crash-landings after encountering birds immediately after take-off: August 1993: An An-12 departing Slavgorod, Russia lost two engines (one each side)...

767-200SF delay prompts CHI to plan switch to IAI.(Air Transport)(Boeing Co. and Alenia Aeronavali )
January 1, 2008... Byline: freighters laura mueller london Launch customer for Boeing/Alenia Aeronavali Special Freighter conversion programme talks to Israeli rival Ongoing delays in Boeing and partner Alenia Aeronavali's 767-200 Special Freighter (SF)...

Boeing 777F production on target.(Air Transport)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: assembly With the Boeing 777 Freighter programme having passed the 90% design milestone in December, assembly of the first aircraft will start soon. Despite 787 production delays, Boeing confirms that deliveries of the 777F, which...

CRJ200 gear collapsed after flawed short landing.(Air Transport)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: accident john croft washington dc The US National Transportation Safety Board says an Air Wisconsin Bombardier CRJ200 landed "hard" and "porpoised" down the runway at TF Green Airport in Providence, Rhode Island, on 16 December...

Russia agrees funds for new airliner.(Air Transport)
January 1, 2008... Byline: programmes vladimir karnozov moscow Government decision to support MS-21 narrowbody follows unfruitful talks with EADS about role in A320 replacement Russia has approved initial funding for its future narrowbody airliner after...

Air Transport.(UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch)
January 1, 2008... Investigators have found that a Mahan Air crew's incorrect interpretation of navigation data, and poor cockpit communication, led an Airbus A310-300 to descend to an extremely low altitude while attempting to land at Birmingham, UK, last year....

Airservices Australia develops green initiatives.(Air Transport)
January 1, 2008... Byline: air traffic management emma kelly perth Australian air traffic services provider Airservices Australia is developing a number of new air traffic management initiatives designed to reduce aviation's footprint on the environment. ...

Qantas error fills tanks with nitrogen.(Air Transport)(Qantas Airways Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: maintenance leithen francis singapore Airline forced to inspect bulk of fleet and warn carriers after gas was accidentally pumped into 747 instead of oxygen It has emerged that Qantas was forced to inspect a large portion of...

Turkey tackles rogue carriers.(Air Transport)(Sivil Havacilik Genel Mudurlugu )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: safety Tolga Ozbek Istanbul Turkey's civil aviation administration SHGM is cracking down on operators following November's fatal Boeing MD-83 accident. SHGM says it has suspended the flights of charter carrier Tarhan Tower...

United in iPod first with new premium cabin.(Air Transport)(United Air Lines Inc.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: in-flight entertainment mary kirby philadelphia United Airlines has become the first airline to publicly tout its ability to let premium passengers play music and video content from their own Apple iPod personal electronic devices...

Business Aviation.(Associated Air Center deliveres VIP-configured Airbus Corporate Jetliner )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... handover Tenth VIP-configured ACJ delivered Associated Air Center has delivered a VIP-configured Airbus Corporate Jetliner to an unnamed Florida-based customer. This latest handover marks the 10th ACJ completed by Associated Air Center...

Business Aviation.(agreements between Encore FBO and GTCR Golder, Rauner L.L.C. )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... acquisition Landmark FBOs snapped up by partnership Encore FBO and private-equity firm GTCR Golder Rauner have entered into a joint agreement to acquire Landmark Aviation's fixed-base operations from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise for $436...

Business Aviation.(contracts between BLR Aerospace, Elliott Aviation Inc. and Cutter Aviation Inc.)(planning of Dallas Airmotive )(London Executive Aviation adds more jets to its fleet)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... WINGLET SALES BLR Aerospace has clinched two orders from modification and maintenance companies Elliott Aviation and Cutter Aviation, each for 90 shipsets of its Beechcraft King Air winglet system. The deals have swallowed up BLRs King Air...

What goes up...(Comment)
January 1, 2008... The industry should be congratulated on a remarkable production ramp-up over the last four years which has seen output across the Airbus and Boeing airliner assembly lines expand by 50% from a low of 590 in 2003 to 900 aircraft in 2007. ...

USAF advances two major alternative energy projects.(Defence)(United States. Air Force)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: biofuels jeffrey decker oshkosh Service determined to have entire fleet certified to run on synthetic fuels by 2011 A synthetic fuel blend powered the 17 December cross-country flight of a US Air Force Boeing C-17 transport,...

UK signs deal to fix grounded Chinook HC3s.(Defence)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: rotorcraft craig hoyle london The UK Ministry of Defence has approved a [pounds sterling]90.1 million ($181 million) programme that will enable its eight grounded Boeing CH-47 Chinook HC3 transport helicopters finally to enter...

Defence.(BAE SYSTEMS PLC supplies mission computers to South Korean air force)(EADS N.V. EADS Defence and Security Systems Div. wins contract of manufacturing unmanned aerial vehicles)(contracts of Marshall Aerospace)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The South Korean air force's future four Boeing 737-based airborne early warning and control aircraft will use mission computers from BAE Systems North America's Electronics & Integrated Solutions unit at Greenlawn, New York, under a $37...

Croatia receives first two Mi-171s.(Defence)(Ulan-Ude Aviation )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: delivery The Croatian air force has received its first two of 10 Mil Mi-171Sh utility helicopters from Russia's Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, and displayed the aircraft during its 16th anniversary celebrations at Pleso air base near...

Northrop, L-3 link in EPX competition.(Defence)(contracts between Northrop Grumman Corp. and L-3 Communications Corp.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: intelligence gathering graham warwick washington dc US Navy announcement banning foreign-owned firms as prime contractors attracts bids for multiple study contracts Northrop Grumman has teamed with L-3 Communications to bid for...

India/Russia project set for critical design review.(Defence)
January 1, 2008... Byline: multirole transport vladimir karnozov moscow Governments fine-tune funding packages while Moscow decides on prime contractor The Indian/Russian Multirole Transport Aircraft project will undergo its critical design review early...

Malaysia enters unmanned fray with three indigenous vehicle designs.(Defence)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Malaysia is continuing to advance its efforts to develop unmanned air vehicle technologies, unveiling three indigenous designs during last month's LIMA air show in Langkawi. A joint venture involving Composite Technology Research Malaysia,...

Morocco seeks $2.6bn deal for F-16s, T-6Bs.(Defence)(Defense Security Cooperation Agency)(Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: procurement graham warwick washington dc US Congress has been notified of the possible sale to Morocco of 24 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D fighters and 24 Hawker Beechcraft T-6B trainers for a combined $2.6 billion. The notification by...

Defence.(Eurocopter S.A. testing its helicopters)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Eurocopter on 14 December began flight testing the HAD version of its Tiger attack helicopter at Marignane, France, with aircraft 5001 destined for service with the Spanish army. Powered by two uprated MTRI consortium MTR390-E engines, the...

Turkey hits Kurdish rebel camp in Iraq.(Defence)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: strike mission tolga ozbek istanbul The Turkish air force launched one of its largest ever strike missions on 16 December, sending more than 50 aircraft to take part in an attack on Kurdish rebel camps 150km (81nm) inside northern...

Holding ground.(Features)(analysis of defence programs)
January 1, 2008... Byline: defence With the prospects of a slow year, US industry will be protecting existing programmes, while in Europe there is much to play for National elections and a one-year planning pause will delay hard decisions on most US...

Features.(forecasts and trends of financial markets)(product introduction of Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.)
January 1, 2008... business aviation Business as usual The corporate and small jet market looks immune from current economic woes as new demand emerges Kate Sarsfield As the world's faltering financial markets start to knock the stability of...

Neck and neck.(Features)(production management of Boeing Co. and Airbus S.A.S.)
January 1, 2008... Byline: airframers Delays to Boeing's 787 programme mean Airbus could maintain its lead in production figures - but it will be close After breaking all sales records in 2007, the industry is expecting things to settle down in 2008 -...

Features.(Virgin Galactic developes vehicles for space exploration)
January 1, 2008... The year ahead is set to either be a record breaker or will see major programmes unravel, with the European Space Agency, NASA, California based-Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and UK space tourism company Virgin Galactic all facing key...

The show goes on.(Features)(trash shows of aircraft industry)
January 1, 2008... Byline: air shows The air show circuit will be busy as ever, with Farnborough still an important date and business aviation events gaining strength In 1948, with the UK slowly recovering from the Second World War, 187 exhibitors...

Features.(International Air Transport Association stresses on aviation safety)
January 1, 2008... Safety and Security Waiting for change As far as safety is concerned, the worst offending states and airlines show no sign of improving, at least short-term DAVID LEARMOUNT aviation safety continues to operate in two parallel...

Features.(industry sales and revenues of airlines)(Financial report)
January 1, 2008... airlines A dip, not a fall, ahead Airlines face challenging year as profits peak and downward cycle begins, but the outlook may not be as gloomy as feared Mary Kirby & brendan sobie Airlines ended 2007 on a positive note,...

Features.
January 1, 2008... Engines Fuelling advances Will the industry's heavy investment in advanced engine technology and new fuels begin to pay off in 2008? Graham warwick Engines are front and centre once more as the driving force behind advances...

Features.
January 1, 2008... Contents 26 Airframers Max Kingsley-Jones 27 Avionics John Croft 28 Defence Siva Govindasamy, Craig Hoyle & Stephen Trimble 29 Business Aviation Kate Sarsfield 30 Space Rob Coppinger 31 Air shows Murdo...

News Focus.
January 1, 2008... restructuring murdo morrison LONDON EADS powers to 2020 vision Sale of six Airbus structures plants is crucial step in long-term plan by Europe's aerospace giant to shake off its legacy Airbus is entering 2008 well on its way to...

Features.
January 1, 2008... environment Green squeeze Europe's endeavours to take a hard stand on bringing aviation within the carbon trading market is likely to meet resistance Aimee Turner With no quick technical fixes for aviation and total emissions...

Bell Huey II to boost Rio firepower.(General Aviation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: law enforcement The increasing firepower available to Rio de Janeiro's drug lords over the last two years has spurred the local law enforcement agency to expand its helicopter fleet with the acquisition of a Bell Huey II. ...

CN-235s to enrol with Spain's civilian police force.(General Aviation)(EADS CASA)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: order The Spanish government has ordered two EADS Casa CN-235 twin turboprops for its civilian police force, the Guardia Civil. The maritime patrol-configured aircraft will be used to combat drug trafficking and illegal immigration...

Fire King joins water-bombing fleet in trials across Western Australia.(General Aviation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: rotorcraft The state of Western Australia is trialling a Sikorsky S-61 Fire King water-bombing helicopter during the current fire season. The helicopter, which was supplied by Perth-based Helicopters Australia from Carson...

Mi-54 business helicopter aims for first flight in 2011.(General Aviation)
January 1, 2008... Byline: development howard gethin moscow 'Strong interest from traditional customers' as final technical report nears completion Russian Helicopters is completing its final technical report on the future Mi-54 5t-class utility...

A380 could face two-year wait for separation change.(This week)
January 1, 2008... Byline: regulations max kingsley-jones london Hoped-for relaxation of ICAO's interim recommendations may be delayed until late 2009 The International Civil Aviation Organisation's tough interim separation distances for the A380 could...

This week.(briefs)
January 1, 2008... US MILITARY EYES BETTER UNMANNED SYSTEMS ROADMAP The US Department of Defense's latest 25-year roadmap for unmanned systems calls for better integration between services and agencies, and for the systems to become more autonomous,...

Revised launch plan could cut time in Earth orbit.(This week)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: moon mission rob coppinger london NASA is studying a major change to its Moon mission plan to cut the time its Orion crew exploration vehicle has to loiter in low Earth orbit in anticipation of carrying on to the Moon. A...

UK steps up checks on foreign airliners.(This week)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: safety david learmount london EU prepares to lay down how many inspections it wants The UK is to dramatically increase the number of ramp checks it makes on foreign aircraft - to 600 in 2008 and 1,000 by 2009, compared with...

Boeing expands biofuel strategy.(This week)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: environment stephen trimble seattle Boeing's biofuel strategy has greatly expanded as the airframer prepares to select a specific fuel source for two demonstration flights scheduled in 2008. A series of laboratory tests...

R-R strives to improve Trent to meet 787 fuel-burn goal.(This week)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: propulsion graham warwick washington dc Rolls-Royce is planning improvements to the Trent 1000 engine for the Boeing 787, amid reports that it is not meeting the specific fuel consumption target. Delays to the 787 have given both...

Roll-out sets stage for STOVL F-35 first flight.(This week)
January 1, 2008... Byline: fighters graham warwick washington dc "We are down to six parts, all small stuff like high-temperature grommets" dan crowley Lockheed executive vice-president and F-35 programme general manager Aircraft...

This week.
January 1, 2008... the jets that failed Avocet ProJet - unveiled 2003, failed 2006 Century CA-100 - unveiled 1996, failed 2001 Safire SA-26 - unveiled 1999, failed 2005 VisionAire Vantage - flew 1996, failed 2003

This week.(Chronology)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... ATG Javelin timeline 2002 - ATG rolls out Javelin mock-up plans first flight for 2004, service entry for 2005 2004 - selects Albuquerque, NM as final-assembly site teams with IAI to co-develop the Javelin as a business jet and military...

Javelin VLJ work halts after funding drive misses target.(This week)(very light jet )
January 1, 2008... Byline: business aviation graham warwick washington dc jeffrey decker oshkosh High-performance personal jet project unlikely to proceed after partner IAI offers no help The two-seat Javelin was being developed jointly with IAI as a...

Output matches industry record.(This week)
January 1, 2008... Byline: production Production across Airbus and Boeing's assembly lines in 2007 has all but matched the industry's all-time record, with the two airframers on course to deliver 900 aircraft between them. The split is roughly even, although...

Aircraft hull losses set to outstrip premiums for first time since 2000.(This week)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: insurance dan thisdell london The airline insurance market looks set to make its first loss since 2000, with 2007 hull losses likely to outstrip premiums. An Aon insurance forecast based on 85% of 2007's activity suggests the total...

Letters and Flannel.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Anthony Jones's letter "Braking concern" (Flight International, 27 November-3 December) about the Etihad Airbus A340-600 ground run accident, raises questions over the fuselage strength and efficiency of the aircraft's braking-system. It is...

Letters and Flannel.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Your article "Last call for NASA's Shuttle" (Flight International, 6-12 November) wrongly asserts that, after the Space Shuttle is retired in 2010, the USA will have "lost [its] crew and cargo transport and emergency return capability" for the...

Letters and Flannel.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Isn't Anthony Jones (Flight International, 27 November-3 December) being a trifle harsh on the Airbus A340 that lost its head? Few aircraft are designed to be vaulted over solid obstacles, any more than a car is designed to be side-slipped into...

NASA set to test-fire Ares this month.(Spaceflight)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: lunar exploration rob coppinger london Constellation preliminary design review for Orion crew exploration vehicle and its booster also due in busy 2008 Leaders of NASA's Constellation return to the Moon programme are describing...

PlanetSpace in COTS bid with Lockheed, Alliant.(Spaceflight)
January 1, 2008... Byline: transport rob coppinger london PlanetSpace has teamed up with Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Alliant Techsystems (ATK) and the Bank of Montreal to offer a system to deliver cargo and crew to the International Space Station in...

Spaceflight.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... US space services company Spacehab hopes an August 2010 flight will demonstrate its ability to meet NASA's requirements for its Commercial Orbital Transportation Services phase two International Space Station resupply contract. The flight...

Flying Fish unmanned seaplane can stay at sea unmoored.(Technology)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: maritime surveillance An unmanned seaplane being developed to perform persistent ocean surveillance has demonstrated autonomous take-offs and landings in tests off the coast of California. Designed by the University of...

Technology.(GKN Aerospace Services)(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)(Society of British Aerospace Companies)
January 1, 2008... Tech notes Paintless tailcone lighter and cheaper COMPOSITES GKN Aerospace and Sikorsky have completed development of a composite tailcone for the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, reducing weight, parts count, and tooling and manufacturing...

Wet hook-up next in refuelling tests.(Technology)(automated aerial refuelling)
January 1, 2008... Byline: unmanned vehicles graham warwick washington dc GPS-based relative navigation system is key to successful positioning of unmanned aircraft behind tanker "The goal will be to show stability with the boom attached" ...

Oxygen-methane engine for space vehicles tested.(Technology)(Aerojet General Corp.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: propulsion rob coppinger london US missile and space propulsion company Aerojet has completed hot-fire testing of a cryogenic oxygen and methane reaction control engine (RCE). The engine is being developed under NASA's...

Lithium compound to store hydrogen.(Technology)(European Synchrotron Radiation Facility)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: fuel cells rob coppinger london Some forms could also promise low temperature operation A lightweight method of storing hydrogen in solid form for use in fuel-cell propulsion systems has been developed at the European...

Boeing patents cooling technique.(Technology)
January 1, 2008... Byline: hypersonics rob coppinger london A self-transpiring technology for hypersonic or reusable space vehicles using a solid material that becomes gaseous and flows through a porous outer surface to cool it has been patented by Boeing....

Business.(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... MESA The Phoenix-based carrier lost its bid for retrial in a lawsuit brought by Hawaiian Airlines, which filed against it in 2006 claiming Mesa wrongly used information it obtained as a potential investor in Hawaiian, during that carrier's...

Business.(Saab AB goes in mergers)(Volvo Aero Corp. has bought SEK110 million)(BAE SYSTEMS PLC opens new facility)
January 1, 2008... business briefs Saab surveys potential Space unit buyers DIVESTMENT Saab is in contact with prospective buyers of its Space business unit. Saab Space chief executive Bengt MA[paragraph]rtberg says any deal "at the right price, to the...

Business.(Financial report)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Spirit Airlines The privately held US low-cost carrier posted a $2 million profit for the third quarter, swinging into the black after logging a $16 million loss for the July-September quarter in 2006. Last week the airline, which in 2006...

Business.( ExecuJet)(Qinetiq North America)(Pratt & Whitney)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Boeing Commercial vice president Execujet sales Hoy: ExecuJet executive Andrew Hoy has taken over as executive director, group sales of ExecuJet Aviation, joining from Bombardier subsidiary Skyjet International. Bennett Hart joins...

Business.
January 1, 2008... "I hope with the next US administration the dialogue will be easier" European transport commissioner Jacques Barrot on transatlantic open skies negotiations, in remarks to the European Aviation Club in Brussels

Adam tooling up for production of A500 and A700 at Utah facility.(Business Aviation)(Adam Aircraft Industries)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: manufacture Adam Aircraft is finalising plans with the US state of Utah to begin production of the A500 piston twin in an expanded facility at the Ogden-Hinckley airport. This location will later produce the A700 very light jet...

Rockwell Collins revives Exchange after Arinc deal.(Business Aviation)
January 1, 2008... Byline: in-flight connectivity john croft washington dc Package to be reintroduced after SkyLink purchase Rockwell Collins has finalised a deal to acquire Arinc's SkyLink broadband terminal products and customers, enabling it to...

Trade associations rage against proposed DHS rule.(Business Aviation)(Department of Homeland Security)(European Business Aviation Association)
January 1, 2008... Byline: regulations john croft washington dc Organisations insist requirements would have an 'enormous and unacceptable impact' International aviation trade associations slammed the US Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) proposed...

instruction john croft washington dcJetAviva offers Eclipse 500 familiarisation training.(Business Aviation)(JetAviva)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Very light jet management company JetAviva is offering potential Eclipse 500 VLJ buyers a chance to gain flight experience in the aircraft in advance of buying one or taking their type rating course from Eclipse. "This is more for the guy...

Comment.
January 1, 2008... Sanctions against states that fail to oversee airline safety standards will not work unless they hurt. If they are not applied as intended they might as well not be applied at all Soft talk, big stick For a long time it has been true...

Revolution in the wires.(Features)
January 1, 2008... Byline: avionics The FAA is set to mandate an equipment buy that could cost airlines and operators up to $7.5bn by 2020 A forthcoming decision by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is likely to initiate the largest mandated...

Search for debris narrowed by NTSB analysis program.(This week)(National Transportation Safety Board)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Byline: investigation john croft washington dc Trajectory software tracks fan blades from Southwest 737 US National Transportation Safety Board engineers have used a home-grown analysis program to narrow the search area for fan blades...

Letters and Flannel.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... In Flight International 27 November - 3 December 2007 ("France keeps eye on UK tankers" and "Boom or bust time") your authors refer to the KC-135 as being "[Boeing] 707-based". This an error. While the Boeing 707 and KC-135 airframes share...

Letters and Flannel.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Why do European manufacturers HAVE to trade in US$? Surely the Euro is now strong enough for someone to be able to break free of what is fast becoming a liability. Further, Airbus in particular, has a majority of its business outside the USA....

Letters and Flannel.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... Nearly every week in your magazine, there's one more report on an overrun. This has become a lot more frequent in the last five, six or seven years. Is it just a coincidence that this is when many airlines, maybe even most of them, began using...

Letters and Flannel.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2008... heathrow Clip this security bully's wings I was appalled and outraged recently to hear a security staff member at London Heathrow crew channel shout at the pilot ahead of me: "I hope you fly your plane better than that." The pilot...

Breaking down gender barriers.(Working Week)(Interview)
January 1, 2008... Aisha Al Mansoori (18) and Salma Al Balooshi (21) made history this summer when they became the first female cadet pilots to be recruited by Etihad, the UAE's national airline According to the latest statistics, Gulf Co-operation Council...

Fatal civil airliner crashes hit record low last year.(Air Transport)
January 8, 2008... Byline: safety david learmount london But insurance industry faces big payouts as 2007 "2007 will be the first year since 2000 that insurers will make a net loss on airlines" aon Global figures for commercial...