Flight International articles from May 2004

Flight International archives from May 2004

aircraft development Max Kingsley-Jones / London; Airbus eyes heavier A340-500; Proposals would give ultra-long-range airliner significant increase in payload or range to battle Boeing's 777-200LR.
May 4, 2004... Airbus is proposing to wring more performance out of the ultra-long- range A340-500 with a higher- weight option. It is also tweaking the specification of the new high gross weight (HGW) A340-600 derivative to boost its payload capability in...

expansion Darren Shannon / Washington DC; ATA studies 100-seater purchase.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... US low-fare carrier ATA Airlines is considering the acquisition of 100-seat aircraft from either Boeing or Embraer. Although no formal discussions have begun, the airline says the Boeing 717 or Embraer 190 could complement its existing...

Ownership Leithen Francis / Singapore; Afghanistan aims to sell equity in Ariana to fund overseas expansion.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Afghanistan's government wants to partially privatise national carrier Ariana Afghan Airlines to help fund the airline's expansion and drive efficiencies. "A timeframe for the partial privatisation has not been specified yet, but they [the...

cargo conversions; Boeing signs IAI/ST Aero deal.(Israel Aircraft Industries)(Singapore Technologies Aerospace)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Boeing has completed a restructuring of its 757-200 passenger-to-freighter conversion programme by signing a licensing agreement with partners Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Singapore Technologies Aerospace (ST Aero). IAI and ST Aero...

retrofits Graham Warwick / Washington DC; 757 winglet programme launched.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Continental Airlines and Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) have agreed to launch a winglet retrofit programme for the Boeing 757. The deal, which awaits final approval by both boards, covers the installation of APB's blended winglets on 11...

Cover story GRAHAM WARWICK / Washington DC; ANAbuys into Boeing dream; Now the question is: which 7E7 variant will be first?(Cover Story)
May 4, 2004... Following the launch of the 7E7 with one large order from one major customer, Boeing faces the daunting task of turning its Dreamliner into a real aircraft. As launch customer, with a firm order for an unspecified mixture of 50 short-range...

fleet plan BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE; Middle of the domestic line.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... For All Nippon Airways (ANA), the 7E7 will be the central plank in an all-Boeing long-term fleet plan that also includes the 737-700 and 777. Most of the 50 7E7s on order will be used in Japan's distinctive domestic market, and the operating...

Expansion; A321 arrives.(Novair, Swedish charter carrier)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Swedish charter carrier Novair has received the first of two Airbus A321-200s leased from International Lease Finance. Based at Stockholm, the two International Aero Engines V2500-powered aircraft will eventually replace Novair's two Boeing...

flypast; SAA marks anniversaries.(South African Airways)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... South African Airways (SAA) flew a three-ship formation flypast on 27 April over the Union Buildings in Pretoria to mark the inauguration of re-elected president Thabo Mbeki and 10 years of democracy, as well as the airline's 70th anniversary....

training Brendan Sobie / Singapore; China demand lures foreign tutors.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Several flight training companies are trying to open commercial pilot schools in China with local partners in response to soaring demand from Chinese airlines. Industry sources say Pan Am International Flight Academy (PAIFA) and CAE are...

security; USA relaxes view on EU opposition to sky marshals.(United States of America, European Union)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has indicated a reversal of a long-held anti-terrorism policy, saying that European nations will not be penalised if they fail to place armed sky marshals on US-bound flights, writes Darren Shannon....

Air traffic management graham warwick / washington dc ; FAA pieces together new strategic transport vision; Five or six action teams to define plan, tackle potential barriers and outline changes.(US Federal Aviation Administration)(Joint Planning and Development Office)
May 4, 2004... A year after its creation, the office charged with developing the next-generation US air transport system for 2025 and beyond has begun drafting its strategic plan. Joint Planning and Development Office (JDPO) chairman John Kern says the plan...

cargo; Hainan to convert 737s to freighters.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... China's Hainan Airlines plans to add more Boeing 737-300 cargo aircraft, firming up a deal with Pemco Aviation to convert up to 10 passenger variants into freighters. Hainan has been in talks with several parties about acquiring 737-300...

Air traffic management Peter La Franchi / Sydney; Civil UAV regulations edge closer; European authorities close in on plan for unmanned operations in controlled airspace, as Australia starts review of rules.(Unmanned air vehicle)
May 4, 2004... The final report of the Joint Aviation Authorities/Eurocontrol task force on civil unmanned air vehicle operations in controlled airspace is to go before the JAA Executive Council in June as a prelude to development of regulations by the...

Investigation David Kaminski-Morrow / London; Crew avoids collision on Naples tarmac ; Two aircraft line up at opposite ends of same runway soon after damning report on fatal accident at Milan Linate.
May 4, 2004... Italian investigators are probing a serious runway incursion that occurred at Naples last week, when one aircraft had to abort its take-off run after it became apparent that another aircraft was lined up to depart at the opposite end of the...

recruitment David Learmount / London; Flight training head predicts recovery of pilot school market.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Low-cost airlines may have flightcrew now, but "the pool of trained pilots will reduce much faster than airlines realise", says Flight Training Europe (FTE) managing director Peter Sadler. He predicts that the ab initio airline training market...

legislation; EU Chapter 3 opt-out for Russian jets.(European Union, russian airlines exempted from aircrat noise regulations)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Russian airlines have secured an exemption from European Union aircraft noise regulations on routes to several new members of the trade bloc. Russian and EU negotiators agreed last week in a summit in Luxembourg to grant Hungary and...

Safety ; FAA bans Peru carrier.(Federal Aviation Administration )(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... The US Federal Aviation Administration has suspended permission for Peru's largest carrier, AeroContinente, to enter US airspace, despite Peru recently gaining FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 status. Citing...

CHARTER; Start-up Amsair eyes gap in business market.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... UK computer and electronics company Amshold Group has launched a European charter operation using Cessna Citation Excels. The venture, Amsair will also take delivery next May of mid-size Citation Sovereigns, which will enable the London-based...

DEVELOPMENT kate sarsfield / london; Excel Jet reveals Sport Jet design; Pre-production prototype under construction features ballistic parachute system, removable wings and low stall speed.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... US start-up manufacturer Excel Jet is developing a five-seat single- engined very light jet, believed to the first to incorporate a ballistic parachute system. The pre-production prototype Sport Jet is under construction and is scheduled...

COMMITMENT; IAI nears decision on whether to join Avocet programme.(Israel Aircraft Industries)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) is expected to make a final decision on its participation in the Avocet very light jet programme within the next two months. In July last year IAI signed an agreement with Avocet to evaluate the best aircraft...

DEVELOPMENT; JAI to build 11-seater business jet.(Jordan Aerospace Industries)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Jordan Aerospace Industries (JAI) has announced its intention to produce an 11-seat business jet at its plant at Queen Alia International Airport outside Amman. The company is in negotiations with two possible joint-venture partners in the USA...

REGULATIONS; Taiwan opens to private aircraft.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration plans to release draft regulations next month that, if approved by Taiwan's parliament, would authorise operations of business aircraft. Business aircraft manufacturers, which for years have been...

powerplant; Cessna test flies PW615F.(aircraft engine parts)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Cessna has begun flight testing Pratt & Whitney Canada's PW615F small turbofan on a CitationJet testbed. The 1,350lb (6kN)-thrust engine will power the manufacturer's Citation Mustang entry-level business jet, scheduled for certification and...

security graham warwick / washington dc; USA changes rules on international flights.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... New procedures for obtaining fleet waivers to restrictions on international flights by business aircraft have been introduced by the US Transportation Security Admini-stration (TSA). Waivers allow operators to bypass the post-11 September...

Share sale; Deutsche Bank gives Air Canada financial lifeline.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Air Canada has reached a deal with Deutsche Bank that will raise C$850 million ($637 million) by giving all the airline's creditors a chance to buy new shares. Under the agreement, subject to several conditions, the bank will buy any...

Disposal Alexander Campbell / London; BAE move rekindles merger talk; Disposal would revive possible tie-up with Boeing, which was reluctant to enter submarine and shipbuilding sectors.(BAE Systems PLC)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... News that BAESystems may sell its shipbuilding business has sent the company's shares climbing, with a transatlantic merger now seen as possible once again. The company said last week that it was considering selling off the three shipyards. ...

Outlook Brian Dunn / Montreal; Brighter forecast for Canada's aerospace sector.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Canada's aerospace industry is expected to post record profits in 2005 after three years of decline, says the Conference Board of Canada. The future looks bright due to the expected increase in international air traffic this year and next. ...

Flotation Peter La Franchi / Canberra; Metal Storm seeks gun system funds; Share placement to finance acquisitions and retire debts.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Metal Storm plans to raise A$21.5 million ($15.7 million) through an additional share placement on the Australian stock exchange. This will be used to accelerate development of the company's rapid-fire ballistics technology, including...

Results Graham Warwick / Washington DC; US giants predict higher income.
May 4, 2004... Boeing has raised its revenue and earnings outlook after posting strong results for the first quarter. In addition to expecting continued growth in defence sales, Boeing is now projecting deliveries of 300 commercial aircraft in 2005, up from...

safety David learmount / london; Survey pinpoints dual causes of fatal business jet accidents; CFIT and loss of control responsible for all pilot-error crashes in approach and landing.(Control flight into terrain.)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Fatal business jet accidents caused by pilot error during approach and landing fit into two categories according to a new study - controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) and loss of control (LOC). Presented to the Flight Safety Foundation's...

New blood.
May 4, 2004... New blood New blood After a tortuous gestation, Boeing's 7E7 looks as if it may bring rewards for manufacturer, airlines and the environment New products are the life blood of the aviation industry, but for Boeing launching a new...

Next week.
May 4, 2004... Canada's defence To critics, Canada punches under its weight in defence, due to decades of under-investment, political turmoil and ageing hardware. Stephen Trimble reports on Ottawa's defence aspirations. Plus: Europe's low-cost airlines...

munitions STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC; Rack modification will bring A-10 to smart era.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... A simple modification to a Vietnam-era triple ejection rack could be the key to providing a satellite-guided bomb capabilityfor the US Air Force's FairchildA-10 ground-attack aircraft. It could also dramatically expand access to precision...

in brief.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... SELF DEFENCE LOM Praha plans to develop a self-defence system to protect the Czech Republic's military-operated Tupolev Tu-154 and Bombardier Challenger 601 transport aircraft from surface-to-air missile attack. It is also working on a...

Unmanned Systems Peter La Franchi / Sydney; Canada in favour of more Sperwer UAVs.(Canadian Department of National Defence)(unmanned air vehicle)
May 4, 2004... Canada is likely to acquire additional Sagem Sperwer tactical unmanned air vehicles to meet longstanding army reconnaissance and surveillance requirements, despite experiencing problems with introducing the system into service in Afghanistan....

Transport Lubomir Sedlak / Prague; Czech Republic shifts NATO pledge from aircraft to finance.(North atlantic treaty organisation)(The Czech Republic ministry of defence)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... The Czech Republic ministry of defence is to make a contribution worth tens of millions of dollars to NATO's Strategic Air Transport section, as it is unable to meet an earlier pledge to assign three Antonov An-70 transport aircraft to the...

Sensors Peter La Franchi / Ulm; EADS considers dual role for ELINT payload.
May 4, 2004... EADS is exploring the potential adaptation of its prototype Euro Hawk electronic intelligence (ELINT) sensor payload for use as a more capable electronic support measures (ESM) suite aboard large military transport aircraft. An initial focus...

weapons; Meteor fitted to Gripen launcher.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... MBDA's Meteor beyond visual-range air-to-air missile has completed initial fit trials with a Swedish air force Saab/BAESystems JAS39 Gripen. Conducted at Saab Aerosystems' Linkoping site, the 21 April test successfully integrated a...

helicopters Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Bidding opens for KMH components; The contest to win key South Korean contracts has begun.(Korean Multirole Helicopter)
May 4, 2004... South Korea has opened competitions to select suppliers of major components for its indigenous Korean Multirole Helicopter (KMH), including avionics and engines. Bids are to be submitted by the end of July, with Seoul asking interested foreign...

Training; M346 starts taxi trials.(advanced jet trainer and light-attack aircraft)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Aermacchi's M346 advanced jet trainer and light-attack aircraft began low-speed taxi trials at the Italian company's Venegono plant on 28 April. A maximum speed of 30kt (55km/h) was recorded. The aircraft, powered by two Honeywell F124-GA-200...

fighters craig hoyle / warton; Eurofighter readied for Singapore ; UK prepares three Typhoons for deployment to Asian republic, where six sorties will be flown to evaluate aircraft.
May 4, 2004... BAE Systems is racing to prepare three of the UKRoyal Air Force's first Eurofighter Typhoon multirole aircraft for a key deployment to support a campaign to export the European fighter to the Singapore armed forces. The Typhoons are to be...

unmanned systems Peter La Franchi / Sydney; Singapore details UAV programmes; Images of single fuselage vehicle displayed at conference; overall strategy to be based on "swarm and proliferation".(unmanned air vehicle)
May 4, 2004... Singapore is continuing work on its Lalee long-endurance unmanned air vehicle requirement, but is some years from delivering a capability, says Maj Alfred Fox, director of the Singapore ministry of defence's newly established future systems...

rotorcraft; Rivals for US VXX presidential helicopter race move forward.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... The US Navy has moved forward on the next phase of the delayed VXX presidential helicopter programme, offering contracts for follow-on risk reduction activities to both competing teams. The Lockheed Martin-led US101 and Sikorsky's VH-92 are...

Unmanned combat air vehicles Graham Warwick / Washinton DC; J-UCAS contenders cut metal as DARPA rethinks; Agency plans to "re-vector" agreements with Boeing and Northrop Grumman by mid-July.(Joint Unmanned Combat Air System)(US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)(X-45C, X-47B)
May 4, 2004... Metal is being cut for the next Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) demonstrators even as the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) reshapes the US Air Force/Navy programme, now described as a capability, and not...

Production; Full ahead for the A380.(Airbus A380 aircraft)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... In addition to March's milestone of the first forward fuselage section completion, Germany is moving ahead on other key areas of A380 production. Several days after the forward fuselage section was despatched, an upper fuselage shell and a rear...

Radar ; Scanning for applications.(transmit/receive modules)
May 4, 2004... EADS Defence Electronics sees applications for active electronically scanned array radars with fighter aircraft as well as maritime and ground-based systems. A leading application for the company's transmit/receive (T/R) modules comes...

Countermeasures ; Beating the missile threat.
May 4, 2004... Countermeasures equipment supplier EADS Defence Electronics hopes to take advantage of rising demand for self-protection equipment for platforms including transport aircraft and attack and utility helicopters. The company will supply towed...

Sensing; A Niche.(EADS's Defence Electronics business unit)(Company Profile)
May 4, 2004... Defence electronics stand to become an ever more important part of Germany's portfolio, with a new emphasis on the sector by EADS CRAIG HOYLE / ULM Headquartered in Ulm in south-west Germany, EADS's Defence Electronics business unit is...

power; play.(MTUAero Engines' profile)
May 4, 2004... German aeroengine manufacturers are battling to lower costs and increase efficiency, while looking for opportunities to expand ANDREWDOYLE / MUNICH While Germany has established itself as world-class player in aeroengine technology,...

material; hopeS.
May 4, 2004... Since the last ILA show Germany has lost two general aviation manufacturers , but composite technology could put the industry back on the map Justin wastnage / mindelheim While preparing for the last ILA Berlin air show, Walter Extra,...

hamburg; halo.
May 4, 2004... Assembly of the Airbus A380 is set to bring further business to Hamburg, already the world's third largest civil aviation city JUSTINWASTNAGE/ HAMBURG In late March, Airbus Deutschland celebrated the departure of the first complete...

berlin; bound.(air show)
May 4, 2004... Despite the absence of some major US names and the proximity of Farnborough, this year's ILA will be at least as big as the 2002 event Justin Wastnage / London The odds look stacked against Berlin's air show, ILA, which opens at...

in good repair?
May 4, 2004... Germany needs to lower its costs and relax its employment rules if it is to sustain its position in the worldwide maintenance repair and overhaul market Andrew Doyle / Munich, Max Kingsley-Jones / London & Justin Wastnage / Hamburg ...

Bang on target.(Europe's guided weapons industry)
May 4, 2004... Home to some of Europe's leading developers ofair-launched weapon technologies, Germany holds a central role in several of the continent's key projects Craig Hoyle / London Europe's guided weapons industry has undergone a dramatic...

lack of; ignition.
May 4, 2004... State funding has played a large role in shaping Germany's space programme. But with the government cutting contributions, can the sector prosper? Rob Coppinger / London A a subscale reusable spaceplane prototype due to be drop-tested...

opening the gate.
May 4, 2004... German aerospace faces serious challenges, four years after its biggest player became a cornerstone of the new EADS. They include an inflexible labour market, lack of defence spending and a languid economy. In the next 21 pages we look at the...

Flight test; Bull's eye for Taurus.(TaurusKEPD 350 cruise-missile)
May 4, 2004... The EADS LFK/Saab Bofors Dynamics-developed TaurusKEPD 350 cruise-missile will provide the German air force with a precision strike capability against fixed targets including command bunkers and national infrastructure sites,following its...

SAFETY Emma Kelly / Perth; Australasia to address helicopter vulnerability; Spate of night time accidents prompts operators to seek ways of improving safety.(Helicopter Association of Australasia)
May 4, 2004... Australasian helicopter emergency service operators will meet this month to discuss how they can address safety issues that have plagued the sector on night operations in recent years. The initiative, launched by the Helicopter Association...

outsourcing; China's Changhe to produce A109 components.(Helicopters)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... AgustaWestland is preparing to source A109 components in China before moving forward with plans to establish an assembly line at Changhe Aircraft Industries. The two manufacturers signed a framework agreement last year that envisaged a...

Powerplant; Re-engined A210 for USA.
May 4, 2004... German manufacturer Aquila is to announce a second engine option for its A210 two-seater all-composite trainer at this month's Berlin air show. Berlin-based Aquila says it will replace the 80hp (60kW) Rotax 912 with a 120-125hp engine for US...

Delivery; Air France receives first of 16 777-300ERs.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Air France has taken delivery of the first Boeing 777-300ER on lease from International Lease Finance. The twinjet is the first of 16 777-300ERs that the SkyTeam alliance carrier is acquiring. Boeing has booked orders for 71 777-300ERs, and is...

BUSINESS AVIATION; Citations to get upgrade.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Garrett Aviation is to upgrade Cessna 501-series Citation light business jets with Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics. The first retrofit is scheduled for early next year. In January, aircraft services specialist Garrett acquired a...

Air Transport Max Kingsley-Jones / Dubai; Emirates emerges as 7E7 stretch launch candidate; Carrier says enlarged model is still too small but could be viable if terms are attractive.(Boeing 7E7)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Emirates says that it is a potential launch customer for the stretched -9 version of the Boeing 7E7, but wants to see a more attractive price tag before it considers placing an order. "We've already told Boeing that the baseline 7E7[-8] is...

BUSINESS AVIATION; Safire rejigs to meet jet target.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Safire Aircraft has restructured in an attempt to meet the 30 September first flight target for its Safire Jet and to drum up sales of the very light jet. The strategy, believed to be a condition of funding by a new investor, has led to the...

Air Transport kieran daly / london; Barco to supply A380 electronic flight bags.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Barco of Belgium has won the deal to provide the electronic flight bag (EFB) for the Airbus A380. It estimates the value at only $17 million, but the win is a key victory in the hard-fought world of EFBs in which numerous players are...

Defence Stephen Trimble / Washington DC; CN-235 buy at risk after USCG study; Review questions suitability of type for homeland security.(US Coast Guard)(maritime patrol aircraft requirement)
May 4, 2004... Follow-on orders for 33 EADS Casa CN-235-300s are at risk after a US Coast Guard review of its maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) requirement for the Deepwater programme. Separately, a USCG-sponsored report urges more resources for unmanned...

Air Transport christina mackenzie / paris; Luxor Air fails Dutch safety test as ban spreads.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Luxor Air has been banned from the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy after the Dutch civil aviation authority performed an inspection under the European Civil Aviation Conference safety assessment of foreign aircraft (SAFA) programme...

Defence; Singapore revives naval helicopter competition.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Singapore has issued a revised tender for six naval helicopters in a newly reduced configuration, restarting a procurement delayed two years by budget constraints, writes Brendan Sobie. Eurocopter, NH Industries and Sikorsky received a new...

Defence Guy Norris / St Louis; Boeing and US Navy widen F/A-18E/F radar test focus; Raytheon-developed APG-79 AESA equipment could offer a dramatic leap in capability.
May 4, 2004... A Boeing and US Navy test team is preparing for a series of expanded operational tests of the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar-equipped F/A-18E/F Super Hornet from July as part of efforts to clear the Block 2 version for initial...

Air Transport ; Europe's ATM faces delays as Australia marches on.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Europe's air traffic management (ATM) surveillance system plans will take longer to implement than expected before they deliver increased capacity, safety and flexibility, said international delegates attending the 29-30 April SurTech seminar...

Briefing.(Airlines)
May 4, 2004... F/A-22 begins operational tests evaluation Lockheed Martin/Boeing's F/A-22 entered the next phase of testing on 29 April, a month later than planned. The US Air Force was required to resolve maintenance troubles and achieve 5h of...

Development; New air-to-air contender.(IRIS-T)
May 4, 2004... In development to meet the requirements of the German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish air forces, the IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile will deliver an alternative to MBDA's ASRAAM, Raytheon's AIM-9X Sidewinder and the...

Cargo; Saab may fund conversion kits.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Saab Aircraft Leasing is studying funding production of cargo conversion kits to cut the overall unit price and kick-start the Saab 340 freighter market. Although Ohio-based charter freight company Castle Aviation became the launch...

Overhaul; GE set for CF34 service 'bow-wave'.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... General Electric is preparing its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) network for what it describes as a "bow-wave" of CF34 service work as the engine fleet rapidly expands and accumulates time on wing. Total engine flight hours for the...

Tie-up; Frontier and Horizon eye regional deal.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... A nine-aircraft partnership between Frontier Airlines and Horizon Air could more than double if the three-month-old experiment is successful, says Horizon chief executive Jeff Pinneo. The Alaska Airlines sister regional carrier signed a...

Dispute; RAA plans public awareness drive; Association to tackle "misconceptions" about regional jet performance, comfort and effect on air traffic congestion.
May 4, 2004... Regional airline executives fear an emerging policy debate on US airport congestion is being clouded by distorted views about regional jet performance. An aggressive response by the Regional Airline Association (RAA) is being planned to set the...

exploration Rob Coppinger / London; ESA plans to visit Venus with radar and probes.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Designs for the European Space Agency's (ESA) Venus mission radar and atmospheric probes will be reviewed in the next two weeks by the agency and UK technology firm Qinetiq, which is leading the project's feasibility study. The review...

Health; USastronauts to get gravity 'shot'.(Artificial gravity system)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... Work has begun on building an artificial gravity device for long-duration NASA space missions, such as a trip to Mars. The artificial gravity system is a 4m (13ft)-wide upright propeller like machine that would have two people on either...

Contract Tim Furniss / London; ESA seals $1.1bn transfer vehicle deal; But USA refuses Russian request to double length of ISS shifts from six to 12 months, citing reduced operational state.(Space Transportation)(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... A new $1.1 billion contract for the first automated transfer vehicle (ATV) has been negotiated by the European Space Agency (ESA) with prime contractor EADS Space Transportation. The fixed-price contract was renegotiated after technical...

in orbit.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... n Lockheed Martin is to build the JCSAT 10 communications satellite for Japan's JSAT, to be launched in 2006. Based on the company's A2100 spacecraft bus, JCSAT 10 will carry Ku-and C-band transponders and will be located at 28[degrees]E...

control systems Rob Coppinger / London; BAE signals missile breakthrough ; Engineers believe they have beaten evasion technique with processor fast enough to track target's changing frequencies.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... BAESystems engineers believe they can produce electronics fast enough to enable the control system of an anti-radiation missile (ARM) to track a target's changing frequencies. ARMs are designed to track and hit an enemy's radars or...

Materials Rob Coppinger / London; Plasma process holds promise of new alloys and composites.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... New alloys and composites could become available to the aerospace industry using a plasma reactor furnace-like heat treatment process. Ohio-based technology company Dana has developed the device, which uses plasma and microwaves for...

Research; GKN seeks UK backing for research centre.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2004... GKN is warning that unless the UK government helps fund a planned composites research centre next to its factory in Cowes in the Isle of Wight it could build the centre in the USA or Germany instead. "We would like to put it next to Cowes, but...