Flight International articles from October 2003

Flight International archives from October 2003

regional jets; First Embraer 190 in metal.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Embraer has built the first 98- to 108-seat 190 regional jet fuselage, a derivative of the 70-seat 170, due to be certificated this year. Embraer was to receive on 3 October the first Kawasaki-built 190 wing, assembled at Kawasaki's factory at...

Upgrades; Airbus works on LCD cockpit retrofit for A300s and A310s.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Airbus is working with suppliers on a flat-panel liquid crystal display (LCD) cockpit retrofit for A300-600s and A310-300s. At present both types' cockpits have a mixture of cathode ray tube (CRT) displays and electro-mechanical instruments....

consolidation CHRISTINA MACKENZIE / PARIS; Merger creates European giant; Air France/KLM tie-up will see French airline leave state control for the first time, as KLM loses Dutch-owned status.
October 7, 2003... The proposed merger between Air France and KLM could create the world's largest airline by revenue, although full integration is some years off. In a deal revealed last week, the airlines agreed that by next April, assuming regulators in Europe...

Countermeasures Aaron Karp / Washington DC; Democrats back missile protection; Three members of Congress propose "interim step" of equipping civil reserve fleet with countermeasures.
October 7, 2003... Three members of the US Congress have unveiled a proposal to spend $655 million to equip 300 aircraft in the USA's Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) with anti-missile protections as quickly as possible. The Democratic lawmakers say the plan...

Strategy; EU challenge puts Cyprus Airways on Indian route.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Cyprus Airways is seeking to develop routes to the Indian subcontinent as part of a strategy to meet the challenges which will accompanying deregulation when the island joins the European Union in May 2004, writes Gerald Butt. The national...

Datalinking David Learmount / London; USA delays plans for global ATM air-ground link.(air traffic management)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Long-standing US plans for an air-ground datalink to take the pressure off air traffic control voice communications look certain to be delayed. The US Federal Aviation Administration is unable to confirm dates for advancing...

Differences in the protocols.(controller-pilot datalink communications)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Eurocontrol plans VDL-2 equipment for CPDLC and traditional radios for voice, but available radio channels have been doubled by implementing 8.33kHz channel spacing, which has not been done in the USA. Advantages: mature technology, and system...

Report; Cause of Il-86 accident will never be known.(Pulkovo Airlines)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Proof of the cause of last year's Ilyushin Il-86 crash at Moscow will never be found, says the accident investigators' final report, but it contains recommendations about pilot training and stabiliser control design. The horizontal...

Safety audit Emma Kelly / Perth; Qatar Airways first to get IATA operational audit; IOSA launch marks introduction of international safety standards for airline industry.(International Air Transport Association, Operational Safety Audit)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Qatar Airways has become the first airline to be audited under the International Air Transport Association's Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). The process introduces international operational standards to the industry for the first time. ...

Liberalisation; China heads towards open skies.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Chinese government authorities plan to fuel economic development in Shanghai and the neighbouring Yangtze River Delta region by liberalising air services to the city, and are considering an "open-skies" policy, writes Leithen Francis. The...

ACQUISITION nicholas ionides / singapore; Thailand orders ACJ for state use; Sale is region's first for Airbus A319-based corporate jet.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... The Royal Thai Air Force has ordered an Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) in the first confirmed sale of the type in the Asia-Pacific region. The A319-based ACJ will be powered by CFM International CFM56-5B7/P engines and is scheduled for...

in brief.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... HAWKER purchase Australian sales and product support company Hawker Pacific has acquired aircraft management and charter company Sydney Jet Charter. The acquisition follows Hawker Pacific's recent reopening of its fixed-base operation at...

CHARTER; Strong start for Royal Jet.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Royal Jet, the executive jet charter company based at Abu Dhabi International airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is planning to add two more aircraft to its fleet of three to meet unexpected business growth since beginning operations in...

in brief.(Alcan looking to buy Pechiney)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... alcan moves in Alcan's g4 billion ($4.5 billion) bid for French aluminium producer Pechiney has been cleared by European Union, French and US regulators after Alcan agreed to sell off some of its businesses in Canada and the USA. The...

sales Murdo Morrison / Paris; Dassault chief fears for military exports; US strength in world affairs limits European defence manufacturers' opportunities in overseas markets, says Edelstenne.(Dassault Aviation head Charles Edelstenne)
October 7, 2003... European military aircraft manufacturers will find it nearly impossible to win export customers if the USA continues to exert its dominance in world affairs, says Dassault Aviation chief executive Charles Edelstenne. Although Dassault's...

Aid Leithen Francis / Singapore; ANA to reduce salaries despite funding award.(All Nippon Airways)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... All Nippon Airways (ANA) is pushing ahead with plans to introduce permanent salary cuts, although it and Japan Airlines System received a multi-million dollar emergency loan package last week from the Japanese government. The state-run...

Takeover Alexander Campbell / London; Law blocking MTU deal slips as bidders haggle; German bill still under consideration as aeroengine builder's owner talks to investors.
October 7, 2003... A law aimed at blocking the sale of German aeroengine builder MTUto a foreign bidder has run into more delays, while MTUowner DaimlerChrysler is deadlocked with bidders over price. DaimlerChrysler says only that it is"continuing to seek a...

Joint venture; Qantas and Patrick in bid.(Engine Services Company)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Qantas is partnering Patrick Corporation, co-owner of Qantas competitor Virgin Blue, in a joint venture, Engine Services Company, to acquire the former Ansett engine maintenance facility at Tullamarine, Melbourne to establish a maintenance...

people.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... n British Airways' chief information officer Paul Coby has been appointed chairman of airline ITspecialist Sita. Goodrich has appointed Eric Schultz, formerly chief executive of EADSAeroframe Services, president of its aviation technical...

CHARTER; Gestair grows in Spain, opens US spares base.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Spanish ad hoc charter operator Gestair is to open its sixth Spanish base, as it brings two new aircraft into its fleet and opens a US parts subsidiary. The business aviation services company, which last month introduced Spain's first...

Wishful thinking?(proposed merger of Air France, KLM)
October 7, 2003... The Air France-KLM planned tie-up is not as straightforward as it seems: bilateral and control issues are high among problems still to be resolved The plans for a merger between Air France and KLMhave received blanket coverage around the...

procurement Ari Egozi / Tel Aviv & Radhakrishna Rao / Bangalore; India seeks closer ties with Israel; As relations between nations strengthen, New Dehli asks for assistance in weapon development and UAV production.(unmanned air vehicles)
October 7, 2003... India is stepping up efforts to buy military equipment from Israel as part of a major drive to upgrade its weapons capabilities. Relations between the countries have been strengthened after a recent visit to India by Israel prime minister...

export orders; Russia focuses on Far East for fighter and helicopter orders.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Bangladesh and Thailand have revealed procurement wishlists for Russian weapons, including Sukhoi Su-30 series fighters. Thailand, however, has dropped its requirement for Mil Mi-17 series helicopters, previously cited as high-priority items....

contracts.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... n Raytheon is to develop the GPS digital anti-jam receiver (DAR) for the Lockheed MartinF-35 under a $25.8 million contract. The DAR combines a 24-channel anti-spoofing GPSreceiver, adaptive beam-steering anti-jam electronics, and multi-element...

military transport CHRISTINA MACKENZIE / TOULOUSE; Airbus offer woos A400M buyers; Export customers placing early orders will be offered involvement in proportion to number of aircraft they purchase.
October 7, 2003... Airbus Military has targeted key potential export customers for the A400M military transport and says work packages will be offered to these countries "in proportion to the number of aircraft they order". Top of the list are Australia,...

airships stephen trimble / washington dc; US agency looks into possible airship payloads.(Missile Defense Agency)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is reviewing potential sensor and communications payloads for a solar-powered high-altitude airship (HAA). Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $40 million contract to complete designs of a prototype...

countermeasures; Embraer tests AEW&C defence.(airborne early warning and control)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Embraer has completed tests of the self-protection system it has developed for the airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) version of its ERJ-145. The trials demonstrated the countermeasures dispensing system, here seen in action as chaff...

missiles; Typhoon makes Meteor match.(air-to-air missile fits Eurofighter)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... MBDA has carried out the first trial fit of a geometrically representative Meteor air-to-air missile on to a Eurofighter Typhoon and reports the fit with the part-recessed under fuselage station to be "perfect". Integration contracts with...

unmanned air vehicles; Frontier wins DARPA deal for four A160s.(Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Frontier Systems is to build four additional A160 long-endurance rotary-wing unmanned air vehicles under a US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)contract potentially worth $75 million. The UAVs will demonstrate the full...

munitions stephen trimble / washington dc; JDAM set to benefit from Boeing's SDB technology; USAF sees potential for small diameter bomb spin-offs such as navigation software.(Joint Direct Attack Munition program)(small diameter bomb)
October 7, 2003... Boeing's Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) programme is set to reap the benefits of the company's recent victory in the small diameter bomb (SDB) competition during the next round of annual production contracts. US Air Force officials...

propulsion; Rolls-Royce begins RAF Eurojet EJ200 flight-test programme.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Rolls-Royce is set to start 18 months of test flights on the Eurojet EJ200 engine at the end of this month under the joint BAE Systems/RAF Case White test programme for the UK's Eurofighter Typhoon. The Bristol, UK-based military engines...

propulsion Justin Wastnage / Bristol; Designs for RTM322 variant at 'advanced stage'.(Rolls-Royce, Turbomeca turboshaft engine)
October 7, 2003... Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca are close to launching a growth version of the RTM322 turboshaft engine, based on increased demand for improved hot-weather and high-altitude missions. Both companies are at "advanced stages" in preliminary...

crystal gazing.(cockpit, flightdeck information technology)
October 7, 2003... Over most of the first 100 years of aviation, cockpits became more complex. That trend is being reversed as commercial IT finds its way on to the flightdeck GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC When the Wright brothers made their...

DELAY; Columbia 400 certification put back.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Lancair has delayed certification of the Columbia 400 turbocharged piston single to February next year following the loss of the original prototype. The first prototype, refitted with the aerodynamic modifications, is expected to fly this week....

MERGER emma kelly / perth; Helicopter operators join up to spread net; Link will create company with extensive Australian coverage.(Reef Helicopters, Marine Helicopters to merge)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Australian helicopter operators Reef Helicopters and Marine Helicopters are merging in a bid to compete with non-Australian-owned operators for major national aviation contracts. The combined entity will have an annual turnover in excess of...

Air Transport ; Boeing looks to military for 737-900 cargo variant.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Boeing is studying a freighter version of its largest 737 model, the -900, which would borrow systems already developed for the -700 quick-change model in service with the US military, writes Max Kingsley-Jones. The -900F study was...

Defence Graham Warwick / Washington DC; CSC wins $1.1bn US Army flight-training contract; But Canadian losing bidder CAE may protest as 20-year deal goes to American supplier.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Computer Sciences (CSC) has won a 20-year, $1.1 billion contract to provide simulator-based flight training services to the US Army Aviation Center at Ft Rucker, Alabama. Under the Flight School XXI programme, a CSC-led team will build and...

business aviation Guy Norris / Los Angeles & Graham Warwick / Washington DC; Pro Line 21 cockpit bolsters Raytheon King Airs.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Raytheon and Rockwell Collins have teamed to upgrade the King Air 200 and 350 with a Pro Line 21 cockpit to boost the twin-turboprop model range and provide a smoother transition to Raytheon's Premier I and Hawker 800XP business jets. All King...

Defence Brendan Sobie / Langkawi; Malaysia closes in on Super Hornets; Government reverses previous decision on Boeing fighters.
October 7, 2003... Malaysia is closing in on its long-awaited purchase of 12 to 18 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets after a year of delays. Mahathir Mohamad, the outgoing prime minister, is understood to have recently endorsed the acquisition, marking a sudden...

Air transport david field / washington dc; Leak could delay US security plan as passengers complain.(computer assisted passenger pre-screening system)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... A US plan to implement a computer-based passenger screening system faces increased scrutiny after an accidental leak of passengers' personal data. This has prompted Congressional moves to delay the CAPPS II (computer assisted passenger...

defence; A-50 airborne.(fighter trainer flight test)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... The fourth and last Korea Aerospace Industries/Lockheed Martin T-50 flight-test aircraft flew on 4 September. This aircraft is the second A-50 Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) version. The South Korean government is expected to make a production...

Air Transport Justin Wastnage / London; Carriers braced for talks on time.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Airlines operating at UK airports expect delicate labour negotiations over employee clocking-in systems as European rules on maximum working hours come into force. The UK's opt-out from European Union rules on a 48h maximum working week...

defence Peter La Franchi / Canberra; AgustaWestland courts Australia with new A149 ; Planned multirole helicopter to be offered for trooplift and could replace Black Hawks.
October 7, 2003... AgustaWestland has unveiled preliminary planning for a new 6.8t multirole helicopter, with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) targeted as launch customer. The new helicopter, designated the A149, would draw on technology developed for the...

Technology; Aerospike engine flies.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... A US academic/industry team is claiming the world's first flight of a liquid-propellant aerospike engine, although the rocket veered off course and crashed soon after launch. The Prospector 2 research rocket was built by California State...

defence; US funding award sees F136 engine back on track.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Development of General Electric and Rolls-Royce's F136 alternative engine for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is back on schedule for 2004. This follows the restoration of budget funding that had been stripped from the...

Defence Stephen Trimble / Washington DC; UK faces increased cost of participation in JSF; Weight concerns and changes to construction methods threaten production efficiency.(Joint Strike Fighter)
October 7, 2003... Growing partnership demands and aircraft weight issues appear to be slowly chipping away at Lockheed Martin's ambitions for a super-efficient final assembly line for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The UK's desire for a local final assembly...

Briefing.(includes multiple articles)
October 7, 2003... Raytheon sheds aerial targets company sale Raytheon has sold its aerial targets business to Sacramento, California-based Composite Engineering. The Andover, Kansas-based unit, which employs 29 people, produces MQM-107 subsonic drones and...

Defence Justin Wastnage / London; Galileo frequencies to change.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... The European Commission is likely to alter the frequencies of the Galileo satellite positioning system to accommodate the needs of the US military. The EC held talks in Washington DC with US Department of Defense officials, officially to...

joint venture; BAE in Airod stake talks.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... BAE Systems is in talks to buy a 20% to 40% equity stake in Malaysian aircraft maintenance and modification company Airod, or establish a joint venture maintenance repair organisation. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding...

avionics; Thales wins contract to equip Malaysia's Su-30s.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Malaysia has completed negotiations to purchase Thales avionics for its new fleet of 18 Su-30MKM fighters. The deal has been negotiated over the past five months with several other supplier contracts for the Su-30s, including Goodrich lights,...

APU Guy Norris / los angeles; Honeywell goes more electric.(auxiliary power unit)(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Honeywell has unveiled a mini "more-electric" auxiliary power unit (APU) for smaller business jets, turboprops and helicopters. Aimed at retrofit and new-build aircraft ranging from the Cessna Citation Bravo to the Raytheon Beech King Air, the...

funding kate Sarsfield / London; Safire secures investment and stays on course for first flight.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Safire Aircraft has completed the third round of financing for its Safire Jet and the company says that it is on track for the first flight of the twin-engined personal jet in the third quarter of next year, leading to US certification and...

upgrade; USN finds Hornet flight control fix; After 20 losses over two decades, F/A-18s receive new systems software to address "falling-leaf" phenomenon.
October 7, 2003... Boeing and the US Navy have begun the installation of new flight control system (FCS) software into USN and USMarine Corps F/A-18 Hornets to protect them against long-standing "falling-leaf" and other out-of-control departures that have...

weapons; F/A-22 team works to clear cannon envelope.
October 7, 2003... The US Air Force plans to complete the full flight envelope expansion of the cannon on the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F/A-22 by the second quarter of 2004. Testing of the cannon, the first to be integrated into a low-observable aircraft, was...

Flight control; Sovereign to be modified.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Cessna is modifying the flight controls of its yet-to-be-certified Citation Sovereign after flight tests showed changes could reduce lateral control forces. Initial flight tests showed the Sovereign had extremely high roll forces at high...

Automatic recovery ; EADS flight tests Eurofighterlow-speed recovery software ; Automatic system takes control of the aircraft if departure looks possible below 50kt.
October 7, 2003... Flight testing of an automatic low speed recovery (ALSR) system for the Eurofighter Typhoon is under way in Germany, with initial results described as "very promising". The system is being developed to protect against loss of control below...

international space station graham warwick / washington dc; Space Plane contest down to two; Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin join up versus Boeing as NASA brings forward crew rescue requirement.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Northrop Grumman is to join the Lockheed Martin team competing for full-scale development of NASA's Orbital Space Plane (OSP), reducing the contest to a two-horse race with Boeing. The move follows NASA's decision to bring forward the...

mars exploration TIMFURNISS / london; Contracts awarded for ESA Aurora missions.
October 7, 2003... The European Space Agency's Aurora programme to prepare for a manned Mars mission has taken a step forward with the award of a contract to design the ExoMars robotic exobiology mission to be launched in 2009. Another contract covers...

launch vehicles; Move to build engine in USA will heat up EELV competition.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Pratt &Whitney has accelerated preparations for US production of the Russian RD-180 rocket engine powering Lockheed Martin's Atlas V booster as the USAir Force prepares to open the competition for the next batch of 15-20 launches under its...

Noise Michael Phelan / London; UK team aims to reduce cabin noise levels by 10dB; Qinetiq and Ultra Electronics set to ground-test system in Challenger business jet.
October 7, 2003... Qinetiq and Ultra Electronics are designing a combined active/passive aircraft cabin noise-reduction system that they believe will reduce broadband cabin noise by 10dBA. The two UK companies have developed AIRAT [Active Isolator Research...

Drag reduction Michael Phelan / London; Boeing reveals miniature flow control devices.(Brief Article)
October 7, 2003... Boeing's Mesa, Arizona, facility has revealed the results of 10 years of work on tiny electromagnetic oscillatory jet actuators. The manufacturer hopes to use the actuators to reduce aircraft drag, aid stealth and potentially eliminate control...

regional development: basque region ; An object lesson in the power of partnership.
October 7, 2003... Companies, financiers and politicians in Spain's northern Basque region have managed to create an aerospace industry out of nothing in little more than a decade. Cesar Fernandez de Velasco, Gamesa Aeronautica's director-general, says that...

quick; fix.(consolidation in European maintenance sector not materializing)(Industry Overview)
October 7, 2003... The European maintenance sector has yet to see the predicted spate of formal mergers. Yet there is a growing trend towards co-operation, or a kind of consolidation by the back door Michael Phelan / London In spite of tough market...

Regional development: Andalusia; How politics plays a role in shaping industry.
October 7, 2003... Andalusia, Spain's southernmost region is, with the Basque region in the north, a prominent example of how local politics can influence aerospace industry development. The Andalusian government has recognised the potential of reviving a...

air traffic management ; Indra: stockmarket sweetheart.
October 7, 2003... Encountering turbulent times after its privatisation in 1999, Indra's market capitalisation has bounced back to about g1.5 billion ($1.75 billion), nearly doubling its value compared to a year ago. Employing 6,500 people, its sales this year...

flight schools ; A rival to Florida as prime training destination.
October 7, 2003... Until the 1990s, Spanish pilots trained in the USA, where flight hours were cheaper and more easily available than in Spain. But when new Joint Aviation Authorities regulations became more stringent, pilot training moved back to Europe, and...

Straight & Level roger.bacon@flightinternational.com.(meshed briefs)
October 7, 2003... Straight & Level roger.bacon@flightinternational.com Asian blues An Asian airline executive who shall remain nameless (OK....it was Soon Go Broke of Mythical Monster Airways) bemoans the miserable start to 2003 and the devastating...

Conversions Max Kingsley-Jones / Seattle; Bedek wins launch customers for 747-400 work.
October 7, 2003... Israel Aircraft Industries' Bedek Aviation Group is finalising orders from two undisclosed customers for its recently launched Boeing 747-400 passenger to freighter (PTF) conversion. With one deal covering the modification of combi...

Operations Max Kingsley-Jones / Seattle; Boeing to launch global ETOPS test programme; 777-300ERs will demonstrate diversions to remote airfields as final phase of certification.
October 7, 2003... Boeing will begin a worldwide extended range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) flight-test programme later this month using both the development 777-300ER aircraft, as it begins the final phase of the certification effort. The month of ETOPS...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
October 7, 2003... Piston twins are safe I must defend the safety record of piston twins. There have been few accidents following engine failures when the aircraft have been on public transport operations, flown by well trained and competent pilots. We...

FORECASTs Graham Warwick / washington dc; Delivery upturn expected in 2005; Honeywell and Rolls-Royce forecast flat business-jet market next year, but see slow recovery as economy improves.
October 7, 2003... New forecasts by Honeywell and Rolls-Royce predict the trough in business jet deliveries will continue through 2004, with a slow but steady recovery from 2005. Both assume continued but slower growth in fractional ownership to around 20% of...

rotorcraft brendan sobie / langkawi; Malaysia splits utility and SAR helicopter orders; AgustaWestland to deliver 11 A109s from 2006, while 10 Mil Mi-171s will arrive next year.
October 7, 2003... Malaysia signed deals at LIMA 2003 for 11 AgustaWestland A109 army light utility helicopters (LUH) and 10 Mil Mi-171 air force search-and-rescue helicopters. The A109s will be delivered at one aircraft a month starting in November 2006....

aircraft development Michael Phelan / Toulouse; Airbus defines growth A340-600.(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... Airbus is finalising the design of its next A340 development, the high gross weight (HGW) A340-600, which will become the standard version of the long-range airliner after it enters service in mid-2006. Launched at the Paris air show in...

consolidation HILKA BIRNS / MAURITIUS; Africa seeks solutions.(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... Southern African airlines met last week at the Airline Association of Southern Africa (AASA) gathering in Mauritius in an effort to find an answer to the effects of the worldwide aviation crisis. Delegates agreed that it was time to move away...

growth Alexander Campbell / Muscat; Afriqiyah Airways considers European network expansion.(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... Libyan carrier Afriqiyah Airways is to expand services to English- speaking and other French-speaking markets in West Africa and Europe, as it fills the void in the market left by the collapse of Air Afrique and the withdrawal of SN Brussels...

DELIVERY ; Finncomm expands with arrival of first ERJ-145.(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... Finnish regional carrier Finncomm Airlines has begun a major expansion effort with the delivery of its first jet, an ex-SwissInternational Air Lines Embraer ERJ-145. The aircraft is the first of a planned fleet of five ERJ-145s, and will be...

delivery; Libyan takes; One-Eleven.(Libyan Arab Airlines)(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... This 33-year-old BAC One-Eleven Series 400 recently underwent overhaul at Medavia's facility at Luqa airport in Malta prior to delivery to Libyan Arab Airlines. The aircraft was previously operated on corporate charters by South African comp-...

delivery; Northern Air Cargo gets first converted ATR 42.(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... US freight operator Northern Air Cargo has received the first large freight-door equipped ATR 42, following US Federal Aviation Administration certification of the Aeronavali conversion late last month. The Alenia Aeronautica/ Finmeccanica...

strategy ; Brazilian airlines plot another merger.(Gol Transportes Aereos, Vasp)(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... Further consolidation among Brazilian airlines seems on the cards as carriers position themselves to counter the threat posed by the TAM/Varig merger. Once merged, the country's two major airlines will hold a dominant position in the...

Safety; Convair freighter in fatal crash.(Air Freight New Zealand )(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... An Air Freight New Zealand Convair 580 freighter en route from Christchurch to Palmerston North, New Zealand, crashed at about 21:30 local time on 3 October. The twin-turboprop (ZK-KFU), which had begun its descent, hit the sea about 8km north...

Safety; EASA takes on European responsibility.(European Aviation Safety Agency)(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... Transition of European aeronautical regulatory responsibility to the new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has gone smoothly, claims the organisation's executive director Patrick Goudou, and final preparations are under way to add...

avionics Graham Warwick / Washington DC; FedEx first to fit EVS in its aircraft; Cargo carrier chooses Kollsman system to equip Airbus A300/A310 and Boeing MD-10/MD-11 freighters from 2007.
October 14, 2003... FedEx Express will be the first airline to equip its aircraft with an enhanced vision system (EVS), having selected the Kollsman infrared (IR) sensor and Honeywell head-up display (HUD) for its $35 million Magic Window programme. The US package...

strategy; Gulf Air readies regional plan.(Brief Article)
October 14, 2003... Gulf Air is implementing the next stage of its three-year recovery plan, with the issuing of a request for proposals to regional jet manufacturers. Speaking to Flight International's sister online service Air Transport Intelligence at last...

shareholdings Alexander Campbell / Muscat & Max Kingsley-Jones / London; Ownership woes hit Middle East ; As Abu Dhabi sets up national carrier, region's governments are encouraged to surrender control of state-owned airlines.
October 14, 2003... Middle Eastern governments are being encouraged to relinquish control of their state-owned carriers and allow foreign investment as the Emirate of Abu Dhabi - a shareholder in Gulf Air - launches its own national airline. "Airlines need...