AIRBUS SOURCES A350 ELEVATORS FROM CHINA
Airbus's Chinese joint venture Harbin Hafei Airbus Composite Manufacturing Centre is to be sole supplier of elevators for the A350 XWB, from 2012. In the largest A350 work package yet assigned to China, Harbin Hafei will supply the elevators to horizontal stabiliser maker Aernnova Aerospace, in Spain. Harbin Hafei already provides the A350 rudder and a maintenance door, and supplies elevators to the A320 family.
LOMBARDY ESTABLISHES AEROSPACE DISTRICT
A new Milan-centred Lombardy aerospace district has been established, with 40 member companies and a promotional committee of representatives from AgustaWestland, Alenia Aermacchi, Selex Galileo, Carlo Gavazzi Space, Aerea, Gemelli, Secondo Mona, Spaziosystem and the Varese Province Industrial Union. The region is home to 130 large and small-medium enterprises with 12,000 employees directly involved in aerospace.
SAAB TO CUT JOBS AT AERONAUTICS DIVISION
Saab is preparing to shed 115 jobs at its Linköping-based aeronautics operation because of poor financial performance. The division handles aerostructures and aerosystems for the civil and military markets.
TAM EYES $720M IN PUBLIC OFFERING
TAM Linhas Aereas' subsidiary Multiplus Fidelidade hopes to raise as much as 1.28 billion reais ($721 million) in an initial public offering. Multiplus, which manages the mileage programme for Brazil's largest airline, expects its shares to begin trading next month on the São Paulo stock exchange.
CANADA TO INSTALL FIRST SCANNERS AT BORDER
The Canadian Air Transport Security Agency has ordered 44 full body ProVision millimetre wave scanners from L-3 Security and Detection Systems for delivery from this month until the end of spring. The first 11 units will be installed at major airports in transborder pre-board screening checkpoints.
SR TECHNICS OPTS FOR ZURICH OVER STANSTED
SR Technics is to consolidate its component support organisation in Zurich, moving that part of its operation from its London Stansted centre, and will concentrate logistics at London Heathrow. SR's UK line maintenance network of stations at London Stansted, London Gatwick, East Midlands, Bristol, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast airports is unaffected.
SAS BEGINS TALKS ON ESTONIAN AIR STAKE
SAS Group and the Estonian government are discussing the future of Estonian Air. SAS owns 49% of Estonian, but has been keen to divest itself of stakeholdings in several European airlines. Estonia's government already owns 34% of the carrier, with private investment bank Cresco holding the remaining 17%.
COBHAM HAS LOCK ON BEACON SERVICE
Cobham has acquired SafeLife Systems from Procon for $600,000 cash. SafeLife provides a subscription service enabling 406MHz emergency beacon owners to verify their device is functioning properly and send non-distress text and email messages showing GPS position and location mapping. The business will be integrated into Cobham's Life Support business.
Source: Flight International
