Flight International articles from June 2003

Flight International archives from June 2003

RAA briefs.(the Transportation Security Administration plans to furlough 6,000 screeners)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Security concerns Regional airlines raised their concerns about security, especially relating to the Transportation Security Administration's plans to furlough 6,000 of its 55,000 screeners. Although many regional executives freely concede...

Routes.(Northwest Airlines is expanding at Milwaukee)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Rural boost The $59 billion measure to set FAA priorities through fiscal year 2006 has advanced, bearing the mark of the Senate aviation subcommittee's new chairman, Trent Lott of Mississippi. Reflecting his concern about rural air...

Carriers on road to consolidation.(airline executives predict more consolidation)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The US airline industry's voyage toward consolidation is just beginning, key executives told the Phoenix Sky Harbour International Aviation Conference in May. Delta Air Lines president Fred Reid told the meeting: "We are at the very...

Power struggle at Varig sees Macedo take the helm.(Varig names Robert Macedo as its new head)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... The revolving door at Varig keeps spinning. Manuel Guedes lasted only five months as president before resigning in April. Robert Macedo becomes Varig's fourth head in eight months. Like his predecessors, he must find a way to work with the...

Record losses and the woes continue.(US airlines report their worst quarter on record)
June 1, 2003... UScarriers have emerged from the worst quarter on record still facing a series of crises, writes David Field in Washington. The US airlines came out of their worst quarter ever just in time to face a near bankruptcy by the world's largest...

A step change in fares.(with fare structures changing, it is important to revisit the concept of a smooth and steady fall in passenger yields)
June 1, 2003... The accepted view of a smooth and steady annual fall in passenger yields needs to be revisited, especially in the light of the step change now taking place in fare structures, writes Chris Tarryat CTAIRA For any economist, it is always...

Royal Brunei plans business revamp.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA), seeking to enhance its status as a "medium-sized hub and spoke Asian carrier", is planning an aggressive B$1.12 billion ($630 million) revamp over the next 10 years that will incorporate a fleet and network...

Cathay wins battle for China flights.(Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. licenses)
June 1, 2003... Cathay Pacific Airways has won its battle for licences to operate flights to mainland China, prompting Hong Kong rival Dragonair to threaten legal action in a bid to block the larger group from launching competing services. Hong Kong's Air...

Routes.(Pakistan International Airlines and SriLankan Airlines)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... PIAreturns to Chicago Pakistan International Airlines is to reinstate services to Chicago after a suspension of more than five years. The services will be operated twice-weekly via Birmingham in the UK. SriLankan adds flights ...

Mixed signals greet Virgin Blue IPO.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Ever-effusive Sir Richard Branson has revived the prospects that Australia's Virgin Blue will make an initial public offering (IPO) this year. Branson, whose Virgin Group owns half of Virgin Blue, recently told reporters: "Virgin Blue is...

Not immune.(airlines affected by SARS)
June 1, 2003... SARS has already had a devastating effect on traffic across the Asia-Pacific region and the cost is still being counted, with little prospect of any immediate recovery. However, crisis may help prove the strength of the region's carriers. ...

In brief.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... New duo Maersk Air UK is to be rebranded as Duo Airways following its management buyout from the Maersk Group. The Birmingham-based carrier operates a franchise service for British Airways to 14 European destinations. Golden share...

Crises leave trail of first-quarter losses.
June 1, 2003... First-quarter results from European airlines demonstrated that the combined forces of the Iraq war, SARS and intense competition were hurting virtually all airlines - low-cost included. Among the most closely followed results was an...

Routes.
June 1, 2003... Iberia ups Americas service Iberia is increasing services to Latin American destinations by adding frequencies to Costa Rica, San Pedro Sula in Honduras, Mexico City and Buenos Aires for the summer. Costa Rican flights are rising from...

Lufthansa adds Cologne to Frankfurt rail service.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Lufthansa hopes that its second air-rail service, launched in May between Cologne city centre and Frankfurt Airport, will make a greater impact on replacing air with train journeys than its pilot route from Stuttgart to Frankfurt. The...

Virgin Express turns down Orly entry.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Belgian low-fare carrier Virgin Express has decided not to begin operations from Paris Orly this summer, despite being allocated enough slots for routes to Bordeaux, Toulon and Rome Fiumicino. The airline says it is returning the 112 slots...

Engine.(Rolls-Royce North America Inc. and Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation head in to economic downturn)
June 1, 2003... room Despite reduced orderbooks, Rolls-Royce and Snecma are putting a brave face on the situation, gaining comfort from their relatively healthy condition going into the downturn Europe's two leading engine manufacturers, Rolls-Royce...

Fast.(DHL International following Deutsche Post acquisition)(Company Profile)
June 1, 2003... forward DHL International could be the first company to truly combine express and traditional air cargo. Chief executive Uwe Dorken is charged with making it work From loss-making utility to publicly quoted company - in the past eight...

A new.(Frontier Airlines Inc. competes against United Air Lines Inc.)(Company Profile)
June 1, 2003... Frontier Struggling with a weak fare environment, Frontier is forging ahead with its business plan, adding new aircraft and striving for more gates in Denver There is no doubt that what happens to United Airlines - the primary...

Lufthansa deal edges USAirways nearer to Star.(Star Alliance )
June 1, 2003... The Star Alliance is poised to make deeper inroads into the USA with along-term strategic alliance between Lufthansa and US Airways that should lead to eventual bilateral antitrust immunity as well as the US carrier becoming a full Star member....

EC attacked over plans to push through slot reform.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Airlines worldwide have attacked the European Commission (EC)over what they fear is an attempt to smuggle through its controversial new slot reforms on the back of a pressing need to suspend the use-it-or-lose-it slot rule at airports this...

ANZ/Qantas on offensive over competition concern.(Qantas and Air New Zealand)
June 1, 2003... Qantas and Air New Zealand (ANZ) are trying to boost the odds for final approval of their alliance, in response to adverse draft decisions by Australian and New Zealand competition agencies. The New Zealand Commerce Commission has agreed to...

All-economy and low-cost Gulf airlines take shape.
June 1, 2003... After years of being dominated by full-service airlines, the first attempts to develop operations more relevant to specific market segments are emerging in the Middle East. Gulf Air is launching an all-economy airline from Abu Dhabi, while...

Turbulent start for Air Canada restructuring.
June 1, 2003... President Robert Milton gained respect by giving away his own stock to avoid the appearance of any conflict, but that has not made anything easier in Air Canada's stormy restructuring. The court approved $700 million debtor-in-possession...

Swiss returns to its roots.(Swissair creates Swiss Express brand)
June 1, 2003... Swiss is to demerge its regional operations into a new subsidiary, under the Swiss Express brand, as the year-old start-up battles to ensure its long-term survival. The new division is to be launched barely a year after the carrier's...

Arpey seeks openness as American staggers on.(American Airlines' Gerard Arpey)
June 1, 2003... Things may have changed at the top of American Airlines, with Gerard Arpey taking over as chief executive from Don Carty, but the carrier still faces acute problems. For Arpey, who stepped up after Carty was ousted by the unions, the...

ATC argues case for charging reform.(air traffic control)
June 1, 2003... Air Traffic Service (ATS) providers are beginning to make their case for changes to the air traffic control (ATC) charging system, and more want the ability to build up cash reserves to use when traffic falls. Airlines, however, remain deeply...

Carriers seek relief as SARS bites.(Asia Pacific airlines request emergency assistance)
June 1, 2003... As Asia Pacific airlines continue to be battered by a plunge in demand for air travel due to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, governments have begun to offer emergency assistance. But IATA and the Association of Asia...

Regional revolution goes up a gear.(regional jet demand)
June 1, 2003... A central theme of this year's Regional Airline Association meeting is that the first stage of the regional jet revolution is now over, with the industry moving into an era where large regional jets will offer a proxy for regular mainline...

Southern blues.(International Airline CEO Conference; Latin America and Caribbean struggle)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2003... As Latin America's airline presidents gathered for their annual conference in Miami, there was precious little good news on the agenda The list of challenges facing Latin American and Caribbean airlines seems only to grow. Frustratingly,...

Building.
June 1, 2003... Although traffic is currently down, the issue of capacity constraints is likely to come back on the agenda in the next few years In the first few years of this decade, capacity - or rather the lack of it - was a constant topic of...

Special report.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2003... Airports With air travel still in unprecedented turbulence, the usually resilient airport sector has been finding itself under increasing pressure. UShub strategy is under review as the majors restructure, while the drive to find new...

Headed south.
June 1, 2003... The overall fall in passenger traffic at airports may have slowed last year, but global economic gloom, the Iraq War and the SARS virus have postponed hopes for a recovery Looking at the stark traffic numbers of the past year, airports...

Moving forward.
June 1, 2003... Thanks largely to the A380, Airbus is for the first time number one in the class. However, the mood in Toulouse is cautious rather than celebratory On many levels, the Paris air show will represent a scene of triumph for Airbus. The...

Safety.(Federal Aviation Administration)
June 1, 2003... Marion Blakey has put her faith in metrics as she sets about raising performance at the Federal Aviation Administration She may be an executive in a job she did not deeply want, running a huge organisation facing growing budget problems,...

Capped hubs.(airlines; multiple articles )
June 1, 2003... The changed face of the US airline industry has meant major shifts in the way carriers use their hubs. As restructuring continues, not all airports may maintain their hub status The hub-and-spoke system has been the bedrock of the US...

Executive appointments.
June 1, 2003... Iberia Irala steps down at Iberia Iberia chairman, Xabier de Irala, is quitting the oneworld carrier to join the Bilbao Bizkaia Kutxa bank. He will be succeeded by Fernando Conte, an independent board member since 2001and chief...

Peak performance.(Air Transport Research Society benchmarking survey )
June 1, 2003... In its second annual airport benchmarking survey the Air Transport Research Society has produced a refined set of measures to help compare the productivity between the world's leading hubs The question of airport cost efficiency has been a...

Feedback.(Column)
June 1, 2003... The airport relationship Airlines and airports will increasingly work in partnership rather than as adversaries, argues Jon Woolf, director of Routes and head of network strategy at consultancy Airport Strategy and Marketing (ASM). ...

Suppliers ; Japan wins A380 deals.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Airbus has signed supply contracts with two more Japanese companies for the A380 programme and has awarded ShinMaywa a second contract. The addition of Bridgestone and Mitsubishi Rayon to the ultra-large airliner programme increases the...

Expansion; AirQuarius Aviation to double Fokker F28 fleet.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... South African leasing specialist AirQuarius Aviation is doubling its Fokker F28 fleet with the acquisition of five Mk4000s from Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). The airline says it may make further acquisitions at the end of the year, possibly...

insurance; Alaska admits liability for 2000 MD-80 crash.(Alaska Airlines)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Alaska Airlines last week admitted legal liability for the 31 January 2000 crash of a Boeing MD-80 off the southern California coast. All five crew and 83 passengers died in the accident, which was caused by fracture of the horizontal...

Launch; Traveller sets off in Abu Dhabi.(Gulf Traveller begins Bangladesh service)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Gulf Traveller, the all-economy arm of Gulf Air, launched operations from its Abu Dhabi hub to Dhaka, Bangladesh, last week, using Boeing 767-300ERs transferred from its parent. The airline is taking over six 767s from Gulf Air, along with some...

resignation; BWIA chief steps down.( BWIA West Indies Airways chief executive Conrad Aleong resigns)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Pressure from the Trinidad government on BWIA West Indies Airways is believed to have been the impetus for president and chief executive Conrad Aleong's resignation last week. The government is understood to have held out on supplying...

inquiry Brent Hannon / Taipei & Nicholas Ionides / Singapore; CAL crash investigators shift focus to tail repairs ; Safety council says cracks and corrosion developed on patch on pressure hull.
June 10, 2003... Investigators probing the May 2002 break-up of a China Airlines (CAL) Boeing 747-200 at nearly 35,000ft (10,675m) are focusing on whether a sudden decompression was caused by the failure of a repaired section at the aft fuselage of the...

Expansion Max Kingsley-Jones / London; Frontier looks to A320 for busy routes ; Airline examines additions to Airbus single-aisle fleet as it prepares to receive its first A318 as launch customer.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... US low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines is studying a move to the larger Airbus A320 for trunk routes from its Denver, Colorado, hub, as it bolsters its A319 fleet with the delivery of its first A318. The airline is midway through its...

Strategy Mary Kirby / Washington DC; US Airways adds Sun to Caribbean network.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Start-up Caribbean Sun Airlines has signed on as a member of US Airways' GoCaribbean network, agreeing to carry the US major's code on its inter-island services from San Juan. The new teaming is strategic in that it gives US Airways an...

air navigation Pino Modola / Genoa; Italy tests ATC remote monitoring.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The Italian national air traffic control provider is in the second phase of testing a system that allows continuous central monitoring of systems and equipment serviceability for the whole national ATC system. The system, known as STN, is being...

marketplace.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... n Nairobi-based cargo and charter company East African Safari Air has leased an ex-Martinair Holland Boeing 767-300ER from International Lease Finance for services from Mombasa and Nairobi to Paris and Rome. The airline is not connected to...

Regional aircraft Vladimir Karnozov / Moscow; RRJ tops Sibir wishlist as it aims for more growth; Russia's largest domestic carrier identifies need for up to 50 more regional jets.
June 10, 2003... Sibir has identified a need for up to 50 regional jets as part of its long-term expansion plan, and is favouring the Sukhoi-led Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) over the Tupolev Tu-334. The rapidly expanding airline, which is headquartered in the...

order negotiations Karen Walker / Washington DC; Star carriers begin talks on common regional jet; Four manufacturers pitch for possible order for up to 100 aircraft, plus 100 options.
June 10, 2003... Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have begun detailed talks with four manufacturers about an order for 70- to 120-seat regional aircraft that will be commonly specified across the Star Alliance carriers....

workshop.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... n Spares overhaul and logistics specialist AAR has launched a joint venture with Alitalia Engineering & Maintenance which will provide "one-stop shop" maintenance services for the Boeing 737. The venture will involve AAR's Amsterdam facilities,...

Takeover Maria Wagland / London; German investor takes DBA off BA's hands.(Intro Verwaltungsgesellschaft)
June 10, 2003... Nuremburg-based consultancy and investment company Intro Verwaltungsgesellschaft is to take control of British Airways' struggling German subsidiary DBA on 1 July. The sale follows EasyJet's decision not to exercise an option to buy DBA...

Growth; Tag Aviation furthers Farnborough ambitions.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... TAG Aviation expects to reach its 28,000 annual movement quota at Farnborough airport by the end of 2005 as it strives to turn its southern England-based facility into Europe's busiest corporate airport. "We have experienced a steady...

Helicopter market Alexander Campbell / Filton; Eurocopter boss predicts 40% rise in military sales ; Bregier forecasts gloomy short-term outlook for civil orders, but says upturn is in sight.
June 10, 2003... Rising deliveries of military helicopters should push Eurocopter sales up 40% within the next three years, says chief executive Fabrice Bregier, although he sees little prospect of expanding civil sales. He expects the EADSdivision's annual...

Appointment; Oneworld announces new boss.(John McCulloch named managing partner )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Oneworld has picked John McCulloch to succeed Peter Buecking as managing partner (chief executive). Bueck- ing was last month named president of communications services provider Sita. McCulloch is Oneworld vice-president marketing and...

Results; Irish low-fare carrier's after-tax profits leap 59%.(Ryanair profits for the year ended 31 March)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Irish low-fare carrier Ryanair has reported a 59% jump in after-tax profits for the year ended 31 March as its business continues to grow rapidly. After-tax profit totalled g239 million ($281 million), up from g150 million the previous...

Avionics Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Partners team on vision for BBJ; Link between Boeing and Flight Dynamics will provide EVS for business jet while Dassault ponders system for Falcons.(Boeing Business Jets)(enhanced vision system)
June 10, 2003... Boeing Business Jets and Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics are teaming to provide an enhanced vision system (EVS) for the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). The final decision to link was made at the end of May and no decision has yet been taken on...

Charter; Royal Jet to fly Abu Dhabi-Geneva shuttle for Gulf Air.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Gulf Air is set to become the second airline to wet-lease an airliner-class business jet for scheduled services, with the launch this week of an Abu Dhabi-Geneva VIPshuttle using a Boeing Business Jet. The service will be flown by charter...

Security; Indigo halts scheduled service.(Indigo Airlines )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... US politicians lobbying for tighter aviation security scored an apparent victory last week when Indigo Airlines was forced to drop its scheduled business jet service between New York Teterboro and Chicago Midway. Indigo had been dogged by legal...

Accident David Learmount / London & Pino Modola / Genoa; Birdstrike suspected as cause of Learjet crash; Burned remains of six birds found on runway after fatal accident at Milan airport.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... A multiple birdstrike just after take-off is the suspected cause of a Bombardier Learjet 45 crash near Milan Linate airport, Italy, on 1 June. Both pilots were killed when the aircraft, operated by Linate-based air taxi company Eurojet Italia,...

Fractional ownership Justin Wastnage / London; Marquis Jet Europe set to expand.
June 10, 2003... Sub-fractional ownership scheme Marquis Jet Europe expects to double its membership over the next year as it opens six new sales offices. The European arm of Marquis Jet Partners, which resells NetJets fractions in 25h Private Jet Cards, will...

Sleeping killers.(aircraft fatigue at repaired area)
June 10, 2003... Much research has been done on human factors in maintenance, but the tasks that face managers have still not changed The Taiwan Aviation Safety Council (ASC) "factual data collection" on the China Airlines Boeing 747-200 that suffered...

Missile Defence Stewart Penney / Palmachim air base; Arrow proves point in multi-tiered system.(anti-tactical ballistic missile system)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The Iraq war proved that Israel's Arrow anti-tactical ballistic missile system could be integrated into a multi-tiered air defence system, says Lt Col Shahar Shochat, commanding officer of the Israeli air force's first Arrow missile unit. ...

Maintenance Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Asian Aerospace adds C-130 to fixed-wing work.(Lockheed Martin maintenance contract)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Philippine maintenance company Asian Aerospace will begin Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules overhauls next month as part of the company's plans to double capacity over the next three years. Asian Aerospace began preparing to add C-130...

Operational Lessons Paul Lewis / WashingtonDC; USN studies F/A-18E track record; Super Hornet achieves sortie completion rate of nearly 98% in first deployment but use of ATFLIR targeting pods delayed.(United States Navy report)
June 10, 2003... The US Navy has started to release details of the first operational deployment of the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet, during which the aircraft dropped 209,000kg (460,000lb) of ordnance on Afghanistan and Iraq, marking the fighter's combat debut....

UPGRADES; GR9-standard Harrier flies.(BAESystems' strike aircraft)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... BAESystems completed the first flight of a Harrier strike aircraft upgraded to GR9 standard on 30 May. The modifications are intended to improve the capability of the UKRoyalAir Force aircraft and the Royal Navy Sea Harrier. The first...

lessons Stewart Penney / Tel Aviv; Iraq not typical war, warns Israel; Minimal air defences mean coalition forces should not base long-range weapon planning on lessons learned in Gulf.
June 10, 2003... A high-ranking Israeli air force officer says the UK and USA should becareful when absorbing the lessons from the recent Iraq war, because they were not faced with a fully engaging opposition. The official says Israel's experience shows...

aircraft Development ; Key suppliers named for Sukhoi-led LFI fighter; With aircraft set to fly in 2006, manufacturer denies alternative engine is being planned.(lightweight frontline fighter)
June 10, 2003... The Russian government has selected key suppliers for the Sukhoi-led LFI fifth-generation fighter development programme. Rosaviakosmos state agency general director Yuri Koptev says: "All tenders for co-developers have been finalised, and...

Unmanned Systems Stewart Penney / Tel Aviv ; Malat equips Eagle 1 with satcoms, autoland system and anti-icing.(Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd.)(satellite communications)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Malat, the unmanned air vehicles division of Israel Aircraft Industries,at the end of last month flewthe first prototype EADS Eagle 1 medium-altitude, long-endurance platform equipped with a satellite communications (satcom) system. EADS's...

Precision munitions ; Interstate wins anti-spoofing deal.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Lockheed Martin has selected Interstate Electronics to supply the anti-spoofing GPS navigation system for the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD), a tail kit that convertsCBU-87/89/97 cluster munitions into all-weather, precision-guided...

theminibus arrives.
June 10, 2003... The A318 enters service next month with launch customer Frontier, marking the culmination of a difficult development programme Max Kingsley-Jones / London The Airbus A318 may have been a problem child for its loving parent during its...

global vision.
June 10, 2003... global vision Boeing is striving to improve the world's future air traffic management, while in Europe an alliance led by Airbus, EADS and Thales is matching the US company's initiative Emma Kelly / Perth In mid-May, Boeing Air...

Martian armada.
June 10, 2003... Armed with a suite of scientific instruments, a fleet of five international spacecraft will be on its way to the Red Planet by late June TIM FURNISS / LONDON This summer, five spacecraft will be heading for Mars, arriving in late 2003...

Identity crisis.
June 10, 2003... A European/US aviation treaty designed to shake up traditional bilaterals could also have an impact on foreign ownership laws affecting US airlines Alexander Campbell / LONDON & Aaron Karp / washington dc Rules governing airline...

contents.
June 10, 2003... European consolidation United front48 The last Paris show marked the culmination of a burst of consolidation in European industry. Some say that only another spate of mergers - combined with a more single-minded approach to defence...

Trainer demand; Market predictions.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Aermacchi believes there is a potential advanced trainer market for 2,300 aircraft over the next 30 years, says Sergio Coniglio, Aermacchi senior marketing executive. Today, he says, there are around 3,400 advanced trainers in service, of...

restructuring CHRISTINA MACKENZIE / PARIS ; Apex recovery plan gives it 10 years to pay debts; French manufacturer aims for "prudent" production target of 25 to 30 aircraft a year.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Apex Aircraft will emerge from receivership on 1 July after a French bankruptcy court accepted its reorganisation plan. The company then has 10 years to pay off its debts and return to profitability. The manufacturer of Cap and Robin light...

Certification ; USA switches on all-electric Columbia.(Lancair International Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Lancair has received US certification for the "all-electric" Columbia 350 four-seat light aircraft. Deliveries are expected to begin by mid-July. The normally aspirated aircraft is based on the all-composite Columbia 300, but with a dual-bus...

Production; LanShe Aerospace to go ahead with SP two-seat light aircraft.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... LanShe Aerospace has received its production certificate for the SP series of two-seat light aircraft. The company acquired the assets of type-certificate holder Micco Aircraft earlier this year, including completed aircraft and partially built...

in brief.(University of North Dakota's School of Aeronautical Sciences acquires Schweizer Aircraft helicopters)(Silent Alisport launches SA180 )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... USArmy delivery Schweizer Aircraft has delivered two 300C piston-powered helicopters to the University of North Dakota's School of Aeronautical Sciences, for its US Army flight training programme. SILENT UPGRADE Silent Alisport...

flight test; Van's in gear for four-seater.(Van's Aircraft )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Van's Aircraft has begun flight testing its first four-seater, the RV-10. The all-metal aircraft has fixed tricycle gear and is designed to be powered by a 200-260hp (150-195kW) Lycoming IO-540. Performance goals include a 175kt (325km/h)...

light helicopters; DF looks at surveillance role for 334.(DF Helicopters )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... DF Helicopters is to develop an urban surveillance version of its DF334 two-seat light helicopter. The Genoa-based company has received Italian very light rotorcraft certification for the 334 GP, which has been re-designed to accommodate a...

DEFENCEStewart Penney / London; Elta works on all-round Phalcon variant; Israeli company's airborne early warning system will be tailored to Gulfstream business jets and provide 360[degrees] coverage.(Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd.)
June 10, 2003... Israel Aircraft Industries' Elta division is working on a version of its Phalcon airborne early warning (AEW) system for business jets that will use distributed active array antennas to provide 360[degrees] coverage. An Elta source says a...