Flight International articles from September 2004

Flight International archives from September 2004

Boarding systems Mary Kirby / Washington DC; Airlines weigh up automated bridge; Indal's boarding system could benefit A380.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A fully automated passenger boarding (APB) system that can deploy as many as three bridges to an aircraft with the push of a button is currently under consideration by several airport operators and airlines, including Airbus A380 customer...

power failure; Collateral engine damage.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The 9 August uncontained failure of the left inboard Honeywell LF507 engine on a Swiss International Air Lines BAE Systems Avro RJ100 en route from Amsterdam to Zurich peppered the neighbouring (No 1) power unit with debris, generating a No 1...

Security David Learmount / London; Report claims 'significant minority' of air marshals have criminal past.
September 7, 2004... Selection standards for air marshals are "too lenient", says the US Department of Homeland Security after an investigation of the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) revealed that a significant minority of its employees had a history of violence...

Privatisation; Bulgaria in second bid for airline investment.(Bulgaria Air)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Bulgaria Air is to be privatised in two stages and a foreign airline is likely to be chosen to acquire a strategic holding in the state-owned carrier under plans drawn up by the Bulgarian government, writes Igor Salinger. The strategic...

mou jessica Andrews / London; Cebu Pacific firms up Airbus A319 order after rejecting 717.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific has firmed up orders for 12 Airbus A319s powered by CFM International CFM56 engines. Cebu selected the A319 over the Boeing 717 in June (Flight International, 6-12 July), but a formal contract was not signed...

launch Victoria Moores / London; EUjet abandons wet leasing and takes off from Kent.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Irish carrier EUjet launched scheduled operations from Kent international airport in the UK on 1 September, a move that will see the company phase out its former wet-lease activity. Shannon-based EUjet, headed by former Ryanair chief executive...

Investigation David Learmount / London; Control lost after lights went out; Lightning strike cut airfield power after Britannia 757-200 passed decision height and landed heavily.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Momentary failure of the runway lights just before touchdown at Girona, Spain on a night approach in "torrential" rain led to a heavy, nose-down landing of a Britannia Airways Boeing 757-200 and the crew's loss of control, according to the...

Teaming; Hamburg SMEs unite to perform cabin work.(Cabin Systems Holding)(Small and medium sized companies)(Hanse Aerospace group)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Six small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based in Hamburg, Germany have formed a joint company to carry out cabin work for Airbus and other airframers. Cabin Systems Holding (CSH) has been formed by six members of the Hanse Aerospace...

Freighter conversions Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Alaska Airlines demands a rethink on ICAS cargo plan; Air Asia rejected as modification centre for Boeing 737-400s following audit.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Alaska Airlines is insisting Taiwan's Inter-Continental Aircraft Services (ICAS) changes the conversion centre it uses for its first batch of Boeing 737-400 cargo conversions. Alaska in July signed up as ICAS's launch customer with a $15...

maintenance Justin Wastnage / Hamburg; Lufthansa Technik targets A380; MRO provider predicts maintenance of ultra-large airliner will be pooled by operators as they aim to cut costs.
September 7, 2004... German maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider Lufthansa Technik (LHT) is finalising its strategy to capture third-party contracts for the Airbus A380 ultra-large airliner. The Hamburg-based company aims to win contracts from...

Restriction; USA lifts ban on Libya.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... As part of a gradual US political rapprochement with Libya, the Department of Transportation has lifted a ban on cargo flights to Libya that has been in effect since 1986. US airlines may now undertake all-charter cargo operations between...

Testing; Honeywell modification puts brake on FedEx MD-10 costs.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Boeing, FedEx and Honeywell have begun tests of a modified MD-10 with carbon brakes as part of plans to enhance commonality with the MD-11 fleet, save costs and improve performance. The MD-10 is being tested at Victorville, California where...

Air Traffic Management Emma Kelly / Perth; Airspace reform hits turbulence; Canberra orders Airservices Australia to provide approach radar control service after reclassification policy reversal.
September 7, 2004... In the latest twist in Australia's troubled airspace reform programme, air traffic services provider Airservices Australia has been told by the country's transport minister that it will have to provide an approach radar control service - at an...

Selection; PIA opts for Dash 8s.(Pakistan International Airlines )(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... State-owned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has chosen the Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 to replace its fleet of ageing Fokker F27s on domestic and short-haul international routes. PIA says its board has agreed to buy seven Q300s, although it...

review Hilka Birns / Cape Town; Doubts surround SAA Airbus deal.(South African Airways )
September 7, 2004... Airbus denies South African media reports that South African Airways (SAA) has dropped plans to buy 15 Airbus A320-200s, due for delivery between 2008 and 2010. "We are in close contact with all of our customers - including SAA - and are...

Agreement ; SR Technics signs Airbus service deal.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... SR Technics Switzerland could bundle service contracts as part of new Airbus aircraft sales. The Swiss branch of the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) group has signed a non-binding general-terms agreement with Airbus giving it de facto...

Self-protection Peter La Franchi / Linkoping; SaabTech reveals chaff and flare dispenser for airliners ; Swedish manufacturer uses programme to claim role in wider EU plans.
September 7, 2004... SaabTech has revealed a prototype chaff and flare dispenser intended for use in protecting commercial aircraft from infrared guided missiles. The company is also exploring potential development of a low-cost directed infrared countermeasures...

bombing ; Chechen women lead suspect list.(Russian ministry of transport)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Chechen women passengers carrying or wearing explosive are believed to have brought down the Tupolev Tu-154 and Tu-134 on 24 August, says the Russian ministry of transport (Flight International, 31 August-6 September), writes Paul Duffy. ...

strategy Graham Warwick / Washington DC; Thales warms to modelling role; Training and simulation services division plays increasing part in support of parent company's defence bids.
September 7, 2004... Modelling of weapon-system performance is becoming an increasingly important role for Thales Training & Simulation (TTS), particularly in support of bids by parent defence company Thales. "For complex systems, modelling and simulation is a...

DEVELOPMENT; Eviation set for power selection.(Eviation Jets)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Eviation Jets is poised to select the powerplant for its twin-engined revamp of the Vantage business jet. The choice of engine, likely to be the Williams FJ33, may be announced at October's National Business Aviation Association Convention in...

purchase Murdo Morrison / London; ExecuJet makes German connection; Acquisition of Frankfurt-based Bombardier operator gives Swiss charter specialist route into fourth-biggest market.
September 7, 2004... Swiss business-aviation group ExecuJet Aviation has launched an expansion drive into the lucrative German market, buying Frankfurt-based Jet Connection, a fellow Bombardier operator. The acquisition adds Jet Connection's two Learjet 60s and...

disposal; Evans & Sutherland agrees to sell projector line.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A month after launching its new-technology laser projector, simulator visuals specialist Evans & Sutherland (E&S) has agreed to sell its existing cathode-ray-tube projector product lines to Video Display (VDC). Salt Lake City, Utah-based...

navigation Julian Moxon / London; Eutelsat drops out of Galileo competition.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A consortium headed by European satellite operator Eutelsat has dropped out of the contest to operate the Galileo navigation satellite system, citing the "strict requirements" set by the programme. The move leaves two consortia competing...

research Graham Warwick / Washington DC; Independent labs benefit as OEMsoutsource work; US institute says policy helps manufacturers to smooth product-development cycles.
September 7, 2004... Original equipment manufacturers (OEM) are outsourcing more research and development work as an alternative to maintaining their internal laboratories, says the Kansas-based National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR). Affiliated with...

investment; Cohen sets up merchant bank to fund defence buyouts.(TCG Financial Partners)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Former US defence secretary William Cohen has formed a merchant bank with plans to invest $300 million in the defence, information and security sectors. TCG Financial Partners has been co-founded with Edward Carter, former head of investment...

Acquisition; Zodiac finalises Scott purchase.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... French aircraft equipment manufacturer Zodiac has completed its acquisition of US oxygen system supplier Scott Aviation from Tyco International for $70 million. Lancaster, New York-based Scott had 2003 revenues of $60 million. The Zodiac Group...

people.(ITTIndustries)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... n The Avionics division of information and electronic warfare technology provider ITTIndustries has promoted John Capeci to vice-president and director for business development. Capeci has 30 years experience in defence and aerospace...

Air traffic management Graham Warwick / Washington DC; RVSM compliance likely to beat US expectations; FAA forecasts 50-75% of business aircraft flights will meet January 2005 deadline.(reduced vertical separation minimum)(Federal Aviation Administration)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Compliance with domestic reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) requirements is forecast to exceed expectations when the capacity-enhancing measure is introduced in US airspace on 20 January next year. The US Federal Aviation...

Development Arie Egozi / Tel Aviv; G150 near as G200 tops 100.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The Gulfstream G150 business jet is on track to have its first flight in May 2005, said Moshe Keret, president of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), on at the 30 August roll-out for the 100th G200. According to Joseph Lombardo, Gulfstream...

in brief.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... NetJets increase NetJets saw a 40% increase in demand for private jet travel in the UKduring the final week of August, due mainly to operational problems experienced by British Airways. The increase in NetJets UK domestic flights followed...

Holes in the cheese.(September 1999 Boeing 757 accident at Girona in Spain)
September 7, 2004... Sometimes an accident warrants examining because it is extraordinary. The Girona report needs study because it is ordinary If Professor James Reason was looking for the ideal real-life example to demonstrate his famous "Swiss cheeses" model...

in brief.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... hueys arrive The Philippines air force late last month received its first three of 20 ex-Singaporean and USAir Force Bell UH-1H Huey utility helicopters refurbished by Singapore Technologies Aerospace under an $18 million contract. Now...

Helicopters; Mi-24 variant revealed.(ATL consortium)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A new "Sova-Attack" technology demonstrator for the Mil Mi-24 assault helicopter has been unveiled by one of the teams bidding to upgrade 12-18 of the aircraft for the Bulgarian air force, writes Alexander Mladenov. Unveiled at the defence...

Maintenance; AIDC lands contract to service Bell Cobras.(Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has won a contract to maintain Taiwan's fleet of Bell AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters, and is also poised to win a further deal to upgrade the aircraft. The maintenance award is worth...

contracts.(Fokker Services)(Raytheon Aircraft Co.)(ZVI Vsetin)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... n Raytheon is to supply the USNavy with a further 30 ALR-67(V)3 radar warning receivers for its Boeing F/A-18E/FSuper Hornet fighters under a $43.3 million deal. Options on another 140 systems could increase the deal's value to almost $210...

Accident; Crash dents Dutch force.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A Dutch air force Boeing AH-64D Apache attack helicopter crashed 20km (11nm) north of the Afghan capital Kabul during a regular patrol on 29 August, injuring one of its crew members. An investigation has been launched to establish the cause of...

Procurement BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE; JDA mounts defence of its flagship programmes; Defence agency's wishlist also includes proposals for BMD and communications systems.
September 7, 2004... The Japan Defence Agency (JDA) is proposing to acquire 24 helicopters, seven fighters, three trainers and two amphibians from local manufacturers next year as part of a [acute accent]4.93 trillion ($45.1 billion) budget. Submitted to the...

contest Stephen Trimble / Washington DC; Boeing satellite tossed from USNavy bid.(Raytheon)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Lockheed Martin's A2100 satellite will be the basis for the company's proposal for the US Navy Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite programme, after it ruled out a proposed bid based on team member Boeing's 702 spacecraft. ...

unmanned systems Stephen Trimble / Washington DC; Army starts search to replace Hunter ; Competition for extended-range multipurpose unmanned air vehicle launched, with service entry due in 2009.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The US Army has launched a long-delayed competition for an unmanned air vehicle to replace its Israel Aircraft Industries-Northrop Grumman RQ-5A Hunter by 2009. A two-month system capability demonstration for the Extended Range Multi-Purpose...

review Tim Ripley / London; UK's Nimrod force could leave Kinloss base.
September 7, 2004... The concentration of the UK's intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft at a single base is emerging as a centrepiece of a Royal Air Force review of its future basing plans. Flight International...

Unmanned systems Peter La Franchi / Linkoping; Saab UCAV flies autonomously ; SHARC demonstrator takes off and lands using company guidance system, as test campaign gathers pace.(unmanned combat air vehicle)
September 7, 2004... Saab Aerosystems' SHARC unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV)demonstrator made its first wholly autonomous take-offs and landings and short duration flights during a test campaign completed on 27 August. The longest of the flights took 25min, with...

helicopters Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Taiwan offered early CH-53X deal; Special budget could provide funding for Sikorsky heavylifter, with Chinook and EH101 hovering as alternatives.
September 7, 2004... Taiwan could become the first export customer for Sikorsky's planned CH-53Xheavylift helicopter, with the type under consideration to meet a new marine corps requirement for around 12 minesweeping and transport aircraft. Anticipating the...

development ; Taiwan looks at helicopter as basis for VTUAV.(vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Taiwan may develop a vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle (VTUAV) based on an indigenous light helicopter that made its debut last year. The Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) proposes selling the...

Production; Re-winging proposed for USAF Warthogs.(United States Air Force)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... New wings for the US Air Force Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II fleet is under review as the service considers expanding an upgrade programme to keep the attack aircraft flying until 2028. The air force on 1 September issued a request for...

competition TOLGA OZBEK / ISTANBUL; Russia backs Mi-28 for revived Turkish contest.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... After the cancellation of Turkey's previous attack helicopter competition, Russia has relaunched its bid to secure a revived deal with the Mil Mi-28, rather than the modified Kamov Ka-52 previously on offer. Turkey abandoned its stalled...

unmanned systems Peter La Franchi / Anaheim; US study recommends self-protection for UAVs; Savings in survivability would outweigh cost of fitting systems, say analysts.
September 7, 2004... Most of the US military's new-generation unmanned air vehicles should be fitted with electronic-warfare self-protection systems and incorporate improved signature management measures, says a new survivability study sponsored jointly by the US...

put to the test.
September 7, 2004... Students heading for the UK MoD's test pilot school at Boscombe Down will learn their trade on a variety of types from the Cessna 172 to Saab's Gripen craig hoyle / boscombe down Europe is home to two of the world's four...

analysis fleet assessment; Options for change.
September 7, 2004... The UK Ministry of Defence has contracted a consultancy group to conduct a one-year analysis of its future flight-test training needs; a process that is expected to have implications for the future output of its current Empire Test Pilots'...

training; Refining the learning curve; GUY NORRIS / LOSANGELES.(National Test Pilots School)
September 7, 2004... The Mojave, California-based National Test Pilots School is the largest civilian organisation of its type in the world, offering up to 32 unique courses for pilots and flight-test engineers ranging from one-week introductory subset modules to...

simulation guy norris / los angeles; Virtual flight test.
September 7, 2004... Advanced simulation has become a vital adjunct to flight test safety Faced with unique, difficult and sometimes perilous targets, the integrated test teams for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor and Lockheed Martin/Boeing F/A-22 Raptor...

Flight training Graham Warwick / Washington DC; Satellite imagery called in to reduce Alaskan accidents ; Space Imaging pictures of 12 key mountain passes added to training devices.
September 7, 2004... Satellite imagery is being used for flight training in Alaska in a bid to improve safety in the accident-prone US state. Highly accurate and detailed simulations of key mountain passes, produced using data supplied by Space Imaging, are being...

kitplanes Justin Wastnage / Wohlen; MSW to open homebuilder assembly centre.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Swiss manufacturer MSW Aviation is to open a homebuilder assembly centre for its Votec 322 aerobatic two-seater kitplane following receipt of Swiss approval for flight school use. MSW Aviation, based in Wohlen near Zurich, is to take a...

Helicopters; Support for Eurocopter.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Swiss Helicopter Maintenance (SHM) is to launch a jointly marketed Eurocopter sales and support package following the sale of the company to the Europavia group. SHM was acquired last year by the group, which includes Switzerland...

Air Transport howard gethin / moscow ; Russia and Ukraine to restart An-124 line.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Ukraine and Russia are to restart series production of the An-124 super-heavy transport aircraft, following the signing of an agreement between the two nations' industry ministries. Russia's Federal Industry Agency head Boris Alyoshin and...

Briefing.
September 7, 2004... Helicopter landing gear supplier rescued ACQUISITION Dutch group Stork has signed a letter of intent to acquire the aerospace assets of bankrupt helicopter landing gear supplier SP Aerospace & Vehicle Systems. NHIndustries - in which Stork...

Business Aviation Guy Norris / Los Angeles; G200 set to go upmarket? ; Gulfstream studies new derivative of business jet for possible service entry in 2007.
September 7, 2004... Gulfstream is studying a possible derivative of its G200 super mid-size business jet that could compete against aircraft such as the Bombardier Challenger 604 and Dassault Falcon 2000EX. The study is thought to be a fast-track derivative...

air transport; FAA wary on incursion progress.(Federal Aviation Administration)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A three-year decline in runway incursions at US airports is being greeted sceptically by the US Federal Aviation Administration. While the reduced risk of runway collisions is well-received, agency officials acknowledge it may be too early to...

Spaceflight Graham Warwick / Washington DC; NASA awards lunar contracts.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Eleven companies have won NASA contracts to study preliminary concepts for human lunar missions in 2015-20, as a first step towards the USA's new space exploration vision. A second tranche of proposals covering development of human and robotic...

Defence ; Committee to create net standards.(consortium )(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A new industry consortium which aims to create common protocols and standards for the implementation of network-centric warfare in Western alliance nations is to be formally established within three weeks. Key members of the consortium are...

Defence Peter La Franchi / Canberra; Australia agrees NH90 deal but suspends wider revamp; Army to get 12 multirole helicopters, but decisions about overall fleet will be made later.( 12 NH Industries )(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Australia is to acquire 12 NH Industries NH90 multirole helicopters to equip an army aviation squadron. But it has temporarily suspended planning for a complete rationalisation of its military helicopter fleet pending a fast-track review of its...

defence Stephen Trimble / Washington DC; Northrop Grumman joins EADS for PRV race.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Northrop Grumman has teamed with EADS North America to compete for the US Air Force's Personnel Recovery Vehicle (PRV) programme, while touting its own background in battle management technology as a key theme of its campaign. Both...

Defence Stephen Trimble / Washington DC; EA-6B upgrade alarms US auditors.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A next-generation electronic-warfare system facing a critical go-ahead decision has been singled out for criticism in a new audit report from the US Department of Defense Inspector General (IG). The Northrop Grumman EA-6B Improved...

Air Transport Julian Moxon / Brussels; Eurocontrol bids to find more airspace ; Initiative targets efficiency and civil/military issues.
September 7, 2004... Eurocontrol has launched a major air traffic management (ATM) initiative aimed at providing more airspace capacity as it struggles to resolve continuing problems over military airspace requirements in increasingly busy European airspace. ...

observation; ESA completes ISS cupola.(Assembly of the European Space Agency)(International Space Station)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... Assembly of the European Space Agency's (ESA) cupola observation module for the International Space Station (ISS) has been completed by Alenia Spazio in Turin, Italy. Weighing 1.8t, the 2m (6ft)-diameter and 1.5m-long unit, described as a...

Space Shuttle Graham Warwick / Washington DC; NASA to use radar to track debris; System tested on Delta Mercury probe launch last month will augment cameras to observe return to flight missions.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... NASA is adding to its ability to image and track the Space Shuttle on the return to flight (RTF) missions planned for next year. In addition to using two Martin WB-57 Canberras for airborne imaging of the ascent, to augment improved...

Crew transport ROB COPPINGER / LONDON & VLADIMIR KARNOZOV / MOSCOW; Spacehab negotiates to fill Soyuz gap after Russian contract ends.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... US space services company Spacehab has been in talks with NASA for several months over the commercial supply of Soyuz capsules for crew return from the International Space Station (ISS). Webster, Texas-based Spacehab has offered to provide...

X-Prize; Da Vinci sets flight date.(Canadian da Vinci Project)(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The Canadian da Vinci Project team plans two 12h mission-simulations from 24 September in Toronto to prepare its X-Prize vehicle, pilot and mission-control team for its proposed 2 October first flight into space. During the tests the...

Propulsion Rob Coppinger / London; P&W succeeds with scramjet heat exchanger.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... A scramjet heat exchanger for future hypersonic vehicles such as a reusable satellite launcher or global reach cruise missile has been successfully tested by Pratt & Whitney. The test success means the exchanger could be used on the US Air...

Communications; Harris shows tiny antenna.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The world's smallest-diameter K-band satellite antenna, less than 77mm (3in) across, has been demonstrated by US communications technology company Harris Government Communication Systems. Designed for use on board military fighters and...

Aerodynamics Rob Coppinger / London; Airbus prepares to bend wing for better efficiency; European Union-funded research study looks to aeroelastics to boost performance.
September 7, 2004... Wings and winglets that deform structurally for improved aerodynamic performance at different speeds are under investigation by Airbus. Aeroelastically tailored wings, as well as split, c-wing, spiroid and shark wingtip devices, have been under...

Safety Net.
September 7, 2004... The US Flight Test SafetyCommittee is spreading theword on risk reduction Guy Norris / Los Angeles Just weeks after attending the Flight Test Safety Committee's (FTSC) most recent workshop, an Australian test pilot narrowly escaped a...

spin; doctor.
September 7, 2004... Flight International's test pilot deliberately gets into some awkward situations in an Atlas Impala as he finds out how training is advancing Michael Gerzanics / Mojave, California Test pilot schools worldwide are providing more...

platforms ; Waveform warfare; stephen trimble & graham warwick / washington dc.
September 7, 2004... Internet-based radio waveforms that facilitate the US network-centric warfare strategy may soon be splintered into separate technologies for air- and ground-based applications, requiring planners to consider interoperability issues for a core...

technology ; Network tools.(Brief Article)
September 7, 2004... The following are needed for internet protocol (IP)-based communications: Joint Tactical Radio System replaces 750,000 analogue and digital radios in US military inventory. Hosts at least 32 waveforms, including Link 16 and the IP-based...

joining; the dots.
September 7, 2004... USmilitary authorities are struggling with technological, political and financial obstacles as they try to create a modern fighting force Stephen Trimble / Washington DC Network-centric warfare in 2020, as envisaged by the US Air Force,...

Straight & Level roger.bacon@flightinternational.com.
September 7, 2004... Fur-paying passenger? The recent story about a cat in the cockpit (Straight and Level, 17-23 August) has prompted Vasco O'Higgins, our Latin American correspondent, to relate the tale of a freeloading mouse that paid the ultimate price for...

Letters.(Letter to the Editor)
September 7, 2004... communications Mobiles: what passengers want I have followed the recent correspondence in Flight International about the use of mobile telephones in the air with interest. Under my responsibility, my company Arinc, with Telenor of...

freighters Nicholas Ionides / Toulouse; Air Hong Kong looks to firm up Airbus options.
September 14, 2004... Cargo carrier Air Hong Kong is expected to look at firming up options on four Airbus A300-600Fs after agreement was reached between Hong Kong and China on a new air services accord. Chief operating officer David Saechiu said at a ceremony...

China's expanding market.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2004... The new Hong Kong-China air services arrangement opens up the market to more airlines from each side and expands capacity limits. Dragonair held most of the Chinese passenger and cargo traffic rights available to Hong Kong-based airlines...

launch Gus Vlassis / Athens; Floatplane operator plans a big splash in Greek islands.(AirSea Lines)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2004... A new Greek floatplane operator launching services this month has plans to expand its fleet to 25 aircraft over the next five years. The airline, operating as AirSea Lines, was due to start services last week using two 18-seat de Havilland...

expansion Leithen Francis & Brendan Sobie / Singapore; Bangkok Airways takes first Airbus.(Nok Air)(Brief Article)
September 14, 2004... Thai carrier Bangkok Airways has received the first of at least three Airbus A320s, but plans to continue to expand its fleet of Boeing 717s. The carrier selected the A320 over the 737 late last year and leased two aircraft from Debis...

study Vladimir Karnozov / Gelendzhik; Beriev eyes land-based airliner version of Be-200; Derivative would have three-abreast seating for 102 passengers and 2,100km range.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2004... Beriev is evaluating the development of a conventional land-based passenger derivative of the Be-200 utility amphibian that could seat up to 100 passengers. Designated the Be-310, work on the project started earlier this year in a bid to...

Avionics Guy Norris / Los Angeles; Boeing trials pave way for GLS ; Evaluation culminates with landings in Brazil last month and USFAA certification looks set to follow soon.(global landing system)(federal aviation administration)
September 14, 2004... Boeing has completed flight tests of a global positioning system (GPS) landing system (GLS) on a Next Generation 737 and is holding talks with several US-based operators to deploy it operationally, possibly by the end of the year. The GLS,...

expansion LEITHEN FRANCIS / SINGAPORE; China Northern signs A320 deal.(Brief Article)
September 14, 2004... China Northern Airlines is adding 23 Airbus A320 family aircraft on lease from International Lease Finance (ILFC) to replace its fleet of Boeing MD-82s and MD-90s. It has already taken delivery of the first four A319s and will receive a...