All Airframers articles – Page 1464

  • News

    Cathay takes first 777-300

    1998-05-27T00:00:00Z

     Cathay Pacific received the first 777-300 on 21 May, one of seven Rolls-Royce Trent 892-powered aircraft it has on order. The 777 has been awarded 180min extended twin-engine operations by the US Federal Aviation Administration. European clearance is due in August. Delivery of the first of six Thai Airways ...

  • News

    MIG MAPO reveals MiG-29SMT upgrade details

    1998-05-27T00:00:00Z

    MIG MAPO has released more details of its MiG-29SMT upgrade for the basic Fulcrum A. These include the potential to fit the aircraft with improved air-to-air and air-to-surface weaponry as well as an upgraded variant of the Klimov RD-33 engine, the RD-43, capable of thrust vectoring. MIG MAPO unveiled ...

  • News

    Boeing refines 777-200X design to tempt launch customers

    1998-05-27T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/SEATTLE Boeing has reaffirmed its commitment to launching the planned 777-200X/300X derivatives and is undertaking a fresh examination of a range of payload/range performance enhancements to the design. "The programme is still proceeding and there are some opportunities to make improvements to the 777-200X/300X that we are ...

  • News

    British Midland V2500 fails after only 150h

    1998-05-27T00:00:00Z

    Ian Sheppard/LONDON An International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500-powered Airbus A321-200 operated by British Midland (BM) suffered an in-flight engine failure on 15 May shortly after departure from Heathrow Airport. The 147kN (33,000lb)-thrust V2533-A5 powered aircraft had been in service only 20 days and had flown around 150h with the UK ...

  • News

    Fresh funds promise brighter prospects for Ilyushin II-114

    1998-05-27T00:00:00Z

    Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW The future prospects of the Ilyushin Il-114 have improved after a deal to fund production of the 64-seat twin turboprop and the creation of a consortium to market and develop the aircraft. Ilyushin has signed a letter of intent with Incombank, one of the leading Russian private banks, ...

  • News

    A319M5 takes on 717 in tussle for Northwest 100-seat deal

    1998-05-27T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Airbus Industrie is pitching its proposed A319M5 head-on against the Boeing 717 in the campaign to sell Northwest Airlines up to 100 of the 100-seaters to replace its McDonnell Douglas DC-9s. The US carrier, which is also planning a 30-seater order, could purchase a total of ...

  • News

    Boeing breaks 4,000 sales mark for 737s

    1998-05-27T00:00:00Z

    Sales of the Boeing 737 have passed through the 4,000 mark as a result of top-up deals from various Next Generation 737 customers. American Airlines has concluded a deal for 25 more 737-800s, bringing its total 737 orders to 100. The newly ordered aircraft will arrive between January 2000 ...

  • News

    Workshop

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    -GE Engine Services has signed a 10- year contract, potentially worth as much as $1 billion, with Continental Airlines to overhaul CFM International CFM56 engines powering the carrier's Boeing 737s, and the CF6s which power its Boeing 767s and McDonnell Douglas DC-10s. -Royal Nepal Airlines has awarded Beijing-based Aircraft Maintenance ...

  • News

    Marketplace

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    -British Airways has wet-leased a Boeing 737-300 from Air Atlanta Icelandic for its 1998 summer season. The aircraft is based at London Gatwick and will be operated on services to Gothenburg in Sweden. -Monarch Airlines is wet-leasing a Boeing MD-11 from World Airways for its 1998 summer season to operate ...

  • News

    RMAF receives first upgraded Fulcrums

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    MIG MAPO's joint venture Aerospace Technology Systems (ATSC) service company has completed a Phase III and IV avionics and weapons upgrade of the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF) first two MAPO MiG-29N Fulcrum fighters. The improvements are focused on upgrading the fighters' weapons control systems, allowing for the integration ...

  • News

    Embraer studies market for larger regional jet

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Graham Warwick/SAO PAULO Embraer will decide within a year whether to develop a larger member of its regional jet family. Speaking at the roll-out of the 37-seat ERJ-135 on 12 May, president Mauricio Botelho said: "We think there is a market, but we are not sure if it is ...

  • News

    Controlling the future

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    David Learmount/LONDON There was a deafening silence from UK National Air Traffic Services (NATS) between 5 April and 13 May. At the beginning of the period, NATS had somewhat nervously announced that it had run the first full "operational" test of the much delayed new en route air traffic ...

  • News

    SIA deal confirmed

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Singapore Airlines (SIA) has confirmed its long-expected deal for up to 10 Airbus A340-500s in a $2 billion purchase. The airline selected the Airbus over the Boeing 777-200X to operate direct services between Singapore and the US West Coast. The airline will place firm orders for five aircraft for delivery ...

  • News

    Lufthansa Cargo returns to profit

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Lufthansa Cargo has successfully turned its business around, with the announcement of a DM194 million ($110 million) pre-tax profit for 1997. The company recorded the profit on a turnover of DM3.9 billion for regular business. Including income from the sale of its stake in Luxembourg's Cargolux, the company beat the ...

  • News

    BA goes to FLS for maintenance deals

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    British Airways and its low-cost subsidiary Go have agreed major maintenance contracts with FLS Aerospace. The move comes as BA retrenches its maintenance operation after several years of attempting to turn it into a standalone profit centre. The five-year Go contract is a ground-breaking deal for both sides, with ...

  • News

    BAe prepares to launch upgraded Avro variant

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Julian Moxon/PARIS British Aerospace Regional Aircraft is preparing to launch a re-engined, upgraded "RJX" version of the Avro RJ with 15% lower direct operating costs, reductions in weight and up to 20% less maintenance costs. The company, which is in the process of a divorce with Aero International ...

  • News

    Kaman may join fray for South African maritime helicopter

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Douglas Barrie/LONDON Julian Moxon/PARIS A South African technical evaluation team has visited US helicopter manufacturer Kaman to be briefed on the SH-2G Super Seasprite maritime helicopter, despite only Eurocopter and GKN Westland having been shortlisted to meet its naval helicopter requirement. The visit in early May was carried ...

  • News

    Air New Zealand sells 747 Classics to Virgin

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Air New Zealand (ANZ) has sold its five Boeing 747-200s to Virgin Atlantic Airways as as part of its fleet modernisation programme. The five 16-17 year old Rolls-Royce RB211-524D4-powered 747s will join Virgin between March 1999 and January 2001. The UK carrier operates six older Pratt & Whitney JT9D-powered ...

  • News

    Damage to wiring grounds old 737s

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Chafed electrical wires in fuel tank conduits were found in so many older Boeing 737s that the US Federal Aviation Administration grounded many of them by issuing an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) on 10 May. Checks on fuel tank pump wiring following an earlier AD had revealed that seriously ...

  • News

    Aer Lingus extends its Airbus fleet at the expense of 737s

    1998-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Aer Lingus has taken a step closer to operating an all-Airbus fleet with its decision to order six A320s to add to its orders for the larger A321 and its fleet of five A330s. The new aircraft will result in its Boeing 737 fleet being further reduced. ...