Flight International articles from March 2005

Flight International archives from March 2005

Design; Working on the swing zone.(Gamesa Aeronautica )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Spain's Gamesa Aeronautica is working with Boeing on the 747LCF's swing zone - a strengthened barrel section divided radially into two and connected with two massive hinges on the port side of the aircraft. The swing zone adds an additional...

outsize cargo Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Boeing reveals Large Cargo Freighter design partners; Manufacturer open to suggestions on broader based logistics for the eventual fleet.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Boeing has revealed further details of its operational and modification plans for the 747 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) that will transport sections of the 787 from worldwide suppliers to the final assembly line in Everett. Boeing is...

Engine shutdown David Learmount / London; BA 747 in fuel emergency after three-engined Atlantic crossing.
March 1, 2005... A British Airways (BA) Boeing 747-400 scheduled flight from Los Angeles to London was forced to divert to Manchester, UK, after running low on fuel following the crew's decision to continue the flight despite having shut down one of the...

long-haul launch; First widebody for Swe Fly.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Sweden's Swe Fly has taken delivery of its first widebody aircraft - an ex-Aero Continente Boeing 767-200ER - as it prepares to launch long-haul services. The Stockholm-based airline will initially serve Lahore, Pakistan, from London via...

freight ; Indian cargo carrier gets ready for launch.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Crescent Air Cargo is poised to become India's second dedicated cargo carrier when it launches operations on 14 April using a Fokker50. The airline has has bought a Fokker 50 from Dutch leasing company Aircraft Financing & Trading, says...

take-over; DBA expands network.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... German airline DBA will take over 15 routes from budget operator Germania Express as part of its absorption of the carrier, which will occur in time for the summer schedule. DBA announced the deal to take over its German rival last month. ...

order switch Leithen Francis / Taipei; EVA Air weighs up twinjet options; Taiwanese carrier questions the financial viability of the Boeing 777-200LR on ultra-long-haul services.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... EVA Air, one of only two Boeing 777-200LR launch customers, could drop its orders for the ultra-long range variant in favour of other versions of the twinjet, including the 777-300ER or 777 Freighter. EVA deputy senior vice-president...

in brief.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Gaza stays shut The reopening of Gaza International airport in the Gaza Strip is not included in the ceasefire recently agreed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The airport was forced to close in 2000 after Israel bombed the...

study Mark Pilling / Madrid; Iberia sizes up its options for medium widebody purchase; Spanish flag-carrier meanwhile closes on single-aisle choice to replace Boeing MD-80s.(Iberia Lineas Aereas de Espana S.A.)
March 1, 2005... Iberia is beginning to study options for a 300-seat-class widebody for medium-haul routes as it prepares to announce a major narrowbody order to replace its fleet of MD-80s. The Spanish flag-carrier has a requirement for an aircraft similar...

restructuring KERRY EZARD / WASHINGTON DC; Independence sorts fleet in lessor negotiations.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Struggling Independence Air is to reduce its Bombardier CRJ200 fleet to 58, but continue to expand with Airbus A319s, following completion of restructuring negotiations with lessors. Parent company Flyi has reached agreements to terminate...

low-cost carriers; LCC terminal goes to KLIA.(Kuala Lumpur International Airport)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Malaysia is to build a new low-cost carrier terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) after rejecting pleas from the country's only low-cost carrier, AirAsia, to construct the terminal at Subang Airport. According to Malaysia's...

in brief.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Pilot shortage As India's civil aviation industry prepares for expansion, airlines in India are short of experienced pilots, forcing many to look overseas for flightcrew. Air Sahara says that while in most countries many ex-military pilots...

launch; Stoddart's OzJet will lift off by operating business-class service.(OzJet airlines)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Australian start-up OzJet plans to launch business-class only services from Adelaide by September. The airline, which is being established by Minardi Formula One racing team boss Paul Stoddart, will initially operate six aircraft - Boeing...

regional aircraft Vladimir Karnozov / Moscow; Pulkovo switches focus to An-148; Following RSK MiG's withdrawal from rival Tupolev Tu-334, airline signs deal to lease Antonov regional jets instead.
March 1, 2005... Russia's second largest airline, GUAP Pulkovo, has signed a letter of intent with Ilyushin-Finance to take 18 Antonov An-148-100B regional jets on financial lease, following RSK MiG's decision to pull out of the Tupolev Tu-334 programme. ...

Expansion Nicholas Ionides / Singapore; Valuair wants widebodies to extend its reach.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Singapore's Valuair is seeking widebody aircraft to operate longer-haul services as it looks to ramp up its operations and more than double the number of routes served over the next year. Chief executive Sim Kay Wee told Flight...

separation David Learmount / London; Experts wake up to A380 vortices; Airbus's ultra-large airliner will be the first aircraft to have vortex hazard categorised before entry into service.
March 1, 2005... Work is underway to categorise the Airbus A380 ultra-large airliner's wake vortex characteristics before entry into service. The A380 wake vortex steering group (WVSG) - of which Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities is a member - says it is...

onboard communications Mary Kirby / Philadelphia; Airfone chases broadband market after pulling JetConnect service.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... US airborne telephony provider Verizon Airfone will assume any costs associated with its decision to stop offering JetConnect service on-board aircraft this summer. According to Airfone president William Pallone, the gradual phase out of...

repercussions STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC; Boeing: facing the fall-out ; Implications for the company from the US Air Force acquisitions scandal could go deeper than mere embarrassment.
March 1, 2005... For Boeing, a period of acute embarrassment over a senior executive's role in a major US Air Force acquisition scandal is rapidly shifting to a stage of real financial risk. In recent days, a prosecutor's comments may have exposed Boeing's...

Retrenchment Justin Wastnage / London; BAE Systems recycles electronics division idea; Mid-year launch for new unit to be coupled with cutbacks in European joint-ventures.
March 1, 2005... BAE Systems is to launch a new defence electronics division by mid-year, comprising elements of its aborted EuroSystems joint venture with Finmeccanica. The move comes as the group seeks to scale back its involvement in European joint ventures....

in brief.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... merger approved French regulator Commission des Participations et des Transferts (CPT) has given its approval for the proposed merger between aerospace manufacturer Snecma and high technology manufacturer Sagem. Sagem expects to complete...

People.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... n Qinetiq has appointed Peter Marino, Rear Adm Riley Mixson and John Currier to sit on the boards of its subsidiaries Foster-Miller and Westar Aerospace & Defense. Luxair has appointed Adrien Ney president and chief executive officer as of 1...

CHARTER; Club One expands.(jet aircraft services introduction at New Delhi International airport)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Indian start-up Club One is preparing to launch a business-jet charter operation and fractional ownership programme over the next few months with a fleet of up to eight aircraft. Club One parent AR Airways has already taken delivery oftwo...

inquiry; Colorado crash under investigation.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A fatal accident involving a corporate Cessna Citation 560 is under investigation by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The NTSB says the aircraft, owned by the Circuit City consumer electronics group, was on final approach at...

ENGINE improvement; P&WC seeks upgrade approval.(Pratt and Whitney Aircraft of Canada Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Pratt & Whitney Canada is seeking to gain approval in the next few weeks for an improved pneumatic system in the PT6A-67B, which powers the Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprop. The Canadian company is working with the manufacturer of the fuel...

OWNERSHIP; 2004 soared for Flexjet.(Bombardier Flexjet)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Bombardier Flexjet saw a strong rebound in aircraft sales and orders in 2004. The fractional ownership provider recorded a 32% increase in sales of shares in Learjet and Challenger models in the year ending 31 December compared with the...

In Brief.(Air Chef Holdings acquires Air Culinaire.)(Starjet acquires three P180 Avanti twin-pusher turboprops.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... STARJET AVANTI Abu Dhabi-based charter operator Starjet has acquired three P180 Avanti twin-pusher turboprops. The deal, which consists of one order, plus two options, marks the first sale of the Avanti in the Middle East, says Piaggio....

LEGISLATION Kate Sarsfield / London; Congress moves to allow GA back into DC airport ; US security services blamed for delay in overturning three-year, post 9/11 ban.(Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport)
March 1, 2005... The US House of Representatives has introduced legislation that could finally re-open Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to general aviation after more than three years. The move has been widely welcomed by the GA community, which,...

Deliveries Graham Warwick / Washington DC; Bombardier recovers.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... With a substantial rise in business jet production offsetting a drop in regional jet output, Bombardier managed to end its 2004-5 fiscal year with deliveries slightly up at 329 aircraft. The Canadian company's 2004-5 financial results are...

Restructuring; Gamesa plans cuts.(Gamesa Aeronautica)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Spain's Gamesa Aeronautica has presented a cost reduction plan to its unions, as it warns that the company will sink into loss by 2006 unless action is taken. In 2004 it reported a net profit of only g7 million ($9.15 million) - far short of...

Acquisitions Graham Warwick / Washington DC; US aerospace giants look at IT alternatives.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Facing a tightening defence budget, US aerospace giants are accelerating their move into the government information technology sector. Lockheed Martin has agreed to acquire The Sytex Group (TSGI), an IT services provider to the US Department of...

sell-off Guy Norris / Washington DC; Boeing disposals raise $1.7 billion ; Acquisition of Wichita division by Onex will see Canadian firm set up stand-alone aerostructures business in Kansas.
March 1, 2005... Boeing has agreed to sell its Wichita/Tulsa division and Rocketdyne engine business to Onex and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) in two separate deals that will net the manufacturer over $1.7 billion. The two sales are independent of one another and...

REGULATION Justin Wastnage / Cologne; EASA prepares for battle on rules; Agency concerned that revision of fractional regulations may stir opposition from national aviation authorities.(European Aviation Safety Agency)
March 1, 2005... The European Aviation Safety Agency is expecting opposition to its draft rules for business aviation, which propose regulating fractional ownership schemes within the sphere of non-commercial operations. EASA is set to take over control of...

Next week.
March 1, 2005... Australia special To coincide with the Avalon air show, we look at prospects for Australia's airlines as they survey opportunities in the wider Asia-Pacific region, the challenges facing the country's general aviation manufacturers and...

SURVEILLANCE CRAIG HOYLE / LONDON; Raytheon nears delivery of first ASTORsensor; UK's Sentinel R1 set for flight test with US-built radar, as second aircraft powers up.
March 1, 2005... Raytheon Systems (RSL) will receive the surveillance radar for the UK's first Sentinel R1 airborne stand-off radar (ASTOR) aircraft by mid-year, and expects to start flight tests using the developmental sensor in the third quarter of 2005. ...

Proposal VLADIMIR KARNOZOV / BANGALORE; India eyes An-32 upgrade.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Indian air force plans to upgrade its Antonov An-32 transports and says it has received a number of proposals from the Ukrainian manufacturer. The air force, which operates around 100 An-32s from 118 delivered since 1984, plans to divide...

helicopters; Japan's KHI-01 lifts off.(Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Japan's first of 14 planned KHI-01 airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) and Antarctic survey helicopters has conducted a 30min flight debut from AgustaWestland's Yeovil manufacturing site in the UK. The aircraft - a variant of the multi-role...

testing CRAIG HOYLE / BANGALORE; GE to power more Tejas for India.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... General Electric will conduct the first ground run of its F404-GE-IN20 engine for India's Tejas light combat aircraft in May, shortly after its expected receipt of an order for up to 40 additional units. The company, which is already under...

Programme; India prepares Su-30MKI upgrade.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Indian air force is planning a staged upgrade programme for its Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters through to 2017, when Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL)is due to complete assembly of 140 aircraft under licence. "Certainly HAL will not produce all 140...

Procurement; Israel close to Heron UAV buy.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Israeli air force is negotiating the purchase of Heron medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned air vehicles from Israel Aircraft Industries and is believed to be close to signing a contract. The new UAV will carry payloads such as a...

Joint Venture Leithen Francis / Singapore; Grouptech may rescue Indonesian CN-235.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Malaysia's Grouptech has emerged as a potential saviour for Indonesian Aerospace's (IAe)troubled CN-235 transport project, with the companies negotiating a deal to establish a joint venture to manage and fund the programme. Confirming that...

selection; Malaysia and Sukhoi pick Su-30MKM suppliers.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Malaysian air force and Sukhoi have completed supplier selection for the customised Su-30MKM multirole fighter, excluding Malaysian companies from the supply chain and dropping MBDA's Mica short-range air-to-air missile (AAM) from the...

Negotiations ARIE EGOZI / TEL AVIV; Venezuela in F-16 upgrade talks; Caracas discussing with IAIthe maintenance and upgrade of ageing aircraft amid claims of a US block on spare parts.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Venezuela's air force has entered into negotiations with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) over a range of potential upgrades to its 21 Lockheed Martin F-16A/B fighters, amid complaints of a new US embargo on the delivery of spare parts for the...

downlink STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC; USA studies target pod revamp; All branches of armed forces are evaluating video downlink technology following successful demonstrations in 2004.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Upgrading third-generation targeting pods with a video downlink system is now under review by the three US military branches operating the equipment. Chief of naval operations, Adm Vernon Clark, has requested a report on adding the...

Contest STEPHEN TRIMBLE / ORLANDO; USAF to open B-52 jamming requirement to competition ; Officials to start soliciting bids for lead systems integrator for electronic attack variant.(United States Air Force)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Boeing will have to compete to win a previously sole-source electronic attack upgrade proposal for a portion of the US Air Force B-52H fleet, according to new government acquisition documents. Next month, USAF officials plan to begin...

contracts.(Royal New Zealand Air Force)
March 1, 2005... n Bell Helicopter has sold 24 Huey II upgrades to the US Air Force for UH-1Hs used for pilot training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. In addition to the Huey II's uprated engine and new Bell 212 dynamics, the upgrade includes an integrated glass...

cancellation ; Termination of cluster bomb to be unopposed.(Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser-Extended Range)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The US Air Force has no plans to fight a Bush Administration proposal to terminate a long-range, Lockheed Martin-made cluster bomb called the Wind-Corrected Munitions Dispenser-Extended Range (WCMD-ER). Asked about the recent fiscal year...

in brief.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... LIFE EXTENSION Nineteen of the Peruvian air force's Sukhoi Su-22M2/UM2 strike aircraft are to enter a service life extension programme next month that will extend operations of the aircraft beyond 2010. Work is to be carried out locally...

OFFSHORE Brendan Sobie / Bangalore and Mumbai; Indian offshore oil giant fuels helicopter contest; State-owned ONGC issues 18-aircraft requirement with foreign firms free to bid.(Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is seeking bids from civilian helicopter operators for 18 aircraft that are required to support its fast-growing offshore oil operation. ONGC relies mainly on government-owned Pawan Hans and...

PRODUCTION graham Warwick / Washington DC; Eurocopter boosts EC135 output.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Eurocopter is raising production of its EC135 light twin to 72 units after delivering 60 helicopters last year. The European manufacturer also delivered an additional four EC635 military versions in 2004. The EC135 is the leader in the...

SALE; Jat Airways to jettison its non-core businesses.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Jat Airways is selling its flight academy and agricultural aircraft division under plans by the Serbian-Montenegrian government to shed the non-core business activities of the state-owned airline. The sale will include the agricultural...

Upgrades; Soloy forges ahead with conversions.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Soloy is firing up new re-engining programmes for the Cessna 206H and Eurocopter AS350. The 206H programme improves on the company's existing turbine conversion for the Cessna piston single by using a 450shp (335kW) Rolls-Royce 250-B17F/2...

Defence STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC; Boeing faces $5 billion price tag of USAF tanker acquisition scandal.
March 1, 2005... Boeing faces the loss of at least $5 billion in backlogged defence contracts awarded unfairly by a biased former US Air Force acquisition official, according to new recommendations by congressional auditors. The US Government Accountability...

Defence; C$13 billion budget boost.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Canada has outlined plans to boost defence spending by nearly C$13 billion ($10.6 billion)over five years, continuing a rare two-year up-tick for the national security budget but obscuring priorities for aerospace acquisition programmes. ...

Defence ; FSTA takes step forward.(Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The UK's slow-moving Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme is expected to this week take a further step towards a contract award, with the UK Ministry of Defence expected to confirm the EADS-led AirTanker consortium as preferred...

Air transport David Learmount / London; FAA acts over calls for upgraded FDRs; Agency finally moves after sustained pressure from NTSB.(Federal Aviation Administration, Flight data recorders.)
March 1, 2005... After languishing for over seven years on the US National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) "most-wanted"list of aviation safety improvements, recommendations that airlines be forced to adopt more-capable flight data (FDR) and cockpit voice...

Briefing.
March 1, 2005... Icelandair orders 787s for long-haul SELECTION European carrier Icelandair has ordered two Boeing 787s. It will use the aircraft to expand its long-haul operations, with deliveries due to begin in 2010. Thales/Finmeccanica tight-lipped...

Air transport David Learmount / London; CAL 747 suffered mid-air breakup; Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council finds undetected poor repair work was to blame for China Airlines crash in 2002.
March 1, 2005... Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council (ASC) has determined that the 2002 crash of a China Airlines (CAL) Boeing 747-200 was caused by structural breakup in midair. According to the final accident report, "radar data indicated that the aircraft...

Business Graham Warwick / Washington DC; Bell to benefit from Canadian cash; Development support for US manufacturer could be a model for government launch aid for Bombardier's new CSeries.
March 1, 2005... The Canadian and Quebec governments are to help fund development of Bell's new range of civil helicopters in a deal that could be a model for any government support for development of Bombardier's proposed CSeries 110-seat airliner. The...

Defence; Brazil finally kills fighter contest.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Brazil has formally terminated its six-year F-X BR effort to buy 12 new fighters, allowing it to consider new options such as the acquisition of used aircraft. The projected $800 million F-X BR programme had attracted proposals for the...

Air Transport Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Ryanair boosts Boeing and Aviation Partners.(Ryanair Holdings PLC., Aviation Partners Boeing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Ryanair has placed orders and options for up to 140 Boeing 737-800s and has ordered 225 blended-winglet shipsets from Aviation Partners Boeing, the modification group's largest-ever single order. The $2 billion order marks the start of a...

air transport; APB set to hand out winglet work.(Aviation Partners Boeing)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) is preparing to appoint the maintenance unit of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) as a winglet modification centre, and Malaysian manufacturer Asian Composite Manufacturing (ACM) as a winglet supplier. An MAS source...

Defence Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Northrop Grumman regional bomber 'for sale' on eBay.
March 1, 2005... The outline shape of Northrop Grumman's proposed F/B-23 "regional" bomber concept may have been revealed inadvertently in the form of a desk-top model recently advertised on eBay, the on-line auction house. The model, which was suddenly...

production; Boeing's conundrum - whatto do with the ailing 767.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Boeing is studying launching a military-only 767 production line that could greatly reduce modification costs and bridge a likely gap in production as the US Air Force reconsiders its tanker modernisation strategy. An analysis by Flight...

Environment; Europe gives go-ahead to GEOSS.(Global Earth Observation System of Systems)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A 10-year, c12 billion ($15.7 billion) project to construct the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) for monitoring climate and disaster areas was agreed on 16 February at a conference organised by the European Space Agency and...

Exploration TIM FURNISS / LONDON; New Horizons nears completion.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Assembly of NASA's New Horizons Pluto-Kuiper Belt (PKB) spacecraft is scheduled for completion this month, while a New Horizons 2 mission to the Kuiper Belt, this time via Uranus, is being discussed. PKB is scheduled for launch early next...

Safety Graham Warwick / Washington DC; NASA tightens crack limit for Shuttle wing panels ; Space agency says reduction will not force reworking of vehicle's external fuel tank.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... NASA has reduced the allowable crack size for Space Shuttle wing leading-edge reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) panels, but does not expect the change to force a reworking of the external tank to further reduce debris size. The space agency...

Development; Elta unveils Israeli SAR satellite.(Synthetic aperture radar)
March 1, 2005... Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) subsidiary Elta has unveiled a technology demonstrator for a synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) reconnaissance satellite. IAI was contracted in 2003 to develop and manufacture a SAR satellite for the Israeli Defence...

Optics Rob Coppinger / London; Self-darkening windows tested; European-funded project set to deliver blindless panes large enough for new generation of aircraft.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A 2m2 (21.5ft2) electrochromic window panel is to be tested this month as the final milestone in an g8 million ($10.5 million) European Fifth Framework project that will ultimately see the technology commercialised for aircraft. The size...

Forecast; Smart future for aviation.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Synthetic environments, network-centric-style air traffic management (ATM) and nano-engineered smart materials are the most important aviation technologies in the medium term, according to experts attending the UKRoyal Aeronautical Society's...

SAFETY; New material simulates fire.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... A more realistic fire sample that can generate smouldering and flames has been used by Boeing for heat and smoke sensor development and by Airbus for testing A380 fire detectors. The sample is a 100 x 100 x 10mm (4 x 4 x 0.4in) block of...

Balancing act.
March 1, 2005... Keeping an aircraft safe while pleasing passengers is a difficult art, but the perception of danger also has to be considered It would be easy to make an instant - and disapproving - judgement on the decision by a British Airways Boeing...

Testing David Kaminski-Morrow / London; Lone 728 finds new role with research lab.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... German aerospace research organisation DLR is taking possession of the first prototype Fairchild Dornier 728 regional twin-jet following an auction of the insolvent manufacturer's assets earlier this month. Engineers from the DLR's...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... Corporate direction Bombardier: restore the pride Your story "Bombardier fleshes out design for new jet family" (Flight International, 1-7 February) is another prime example of the inherent dangers of a newly appointed breed of senior...

Ansett's new owners plan expansion of business.(Ansett Flight Simulation Centre)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2005... The new owners of Ansett Flight Simulation Centre are considering acquisitions and international expansion to take the former Ansett Airlines operation forward. The Melbourne-based business has already doubled in size in terms of customers in...

Chengdu to steer 787.(China's Chengdu Aircraft Industrial)
March 8, 2005... Boeing has finalised a contract with Chinas Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (CAC) for the production of 787 rudders, while Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has been tapped to build the new twinjets fixed trailing edge. In June last year Boeing...

European proposal aims to force pilot action on RAs.(airborne collision avoidance system resolution advisories)
March 8, 2005... Air transport Two will be D check heavy maintenance inspections, and some of the other work will include landing gear replacements. LTP sees the contract award as significant, as it follows an earlier single A340 D check for Air Mauritius,...

A330-200 for China.(China Southern Airlines takes delivery of four Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered Airbus A330-200s)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2005... China Southern Airlines has taken delivery of the first of four Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered Airbus A330-200s on order, becoming the first airline in China to operate the type. The carrier says it will use the aircraft primarily on its medium-...

737 arrives in China.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2005... Boeing has delivered the first of 13 Boeing 737s due in 2005 to China Eastern Airlines affiliates on lease from International Lease Finance. In the foreground is 737-700 for China Eastern Yunnan Airlines and behind it an -800 for China Eastern...

freighters?Etihad makes cargo debut with leased A300-600F.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2005... Etihad Airways has introduced its first cargo aircraft with the lease of an Airbus A300-600F from Icelandic operator Islandsflug. The aircraft [degrees] an ex-Egyptair passenger A300 that was converted by EADS-EFW last year [degrees] has been...

Boeing sets up control centre for growing CAS.(Commercial Aircraft Services )(Brief Article)
March 8, 2005... New facility will be focal point for US-based manufacturers key internet portal Boeing is developing a new operations control centre in Seattle for its rapidly growing Commercial Aircraft Services (CAS) unit. The new multi-million dollar...

FAA disputes BA's three-engine flight?US agency voices concern over captain's decision.
March 8, 2005... The US Federal Aviation Administration has raised concerns with its UK counterpart over the recent decision by a British Airways Boeing 747-400 captain to continue a Los Angeles to London flight following an engine failure seconds after...

GKN grabs deal to develop GEnx composite fan case.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2005... christian galiker GKN Aerospace is to develop the composite fan case for the General Electric GEnx engine for Boeings 787, the first airliner designed to incorporate a powerplant with this technology. The work, to be undertaken by GKNs...

Jet Airways IPO raises $2.2bn.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2005... Indias Jet Airways has closed an initial public offering that values the airline at Rp94.9 billion ($2.2 billion). The airline will use the proceeds to repay debt and fund capital expenditures, including additional aircraft, a new training...

Lion Air discusses deal to launch 737-900X.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2005... Indonesias Lion Air is in discussions with Boeing about a possible deal for the yet-to-be launched -900X extended-range variant of the 737. Lion Air director of operations David Lumbuun says the airline has signed a memorandum of understanding...