All Airframers articles – Page 1483
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European airlines continue to wage war on airport charges
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON Europe's airlines are continuing their attack on airport charges, unveiling a study which highlights massive variations in costs within the region and suggests that European charging levels are two or three times higher than for their USor Asian counterparts. The issue re-ignited in 1997 when members ...
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Airtours acquires Air Belgium with Sun
UK group Airtours has acquired a majority stake in Air Belgium following its take-over of Belgian tour operator Sun International. The move marks a further incursion for the UK charter airline business into the continental European market. Airtours will take over an 80% stake in the largely privately owned ...
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747s go as Ansett rethinks future fleet strategy
Ansett Australia is re-examining its future fleet strategy, focusing on its international capacity and an overhaul of its regional operations. The carrier says that it expects to finalise its long haul fleet early in 1999 and has advised Singapore Airlines that it will return the first of three Boeing ...
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FAA calls public meetings on 727 freighter payload limits
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC The US Federal Aviation Administration is giving affected cargo carriers a final chance to express their views on four proposed airworthiness directives (ADs) that would severely limit the payloads of Boeing 727 freighters converted by third party maintenance organisations. The FAA has scheduled public meetings ...
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Boeing lines up more buyers for new 717
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing is close to signing orders and options for almost 200 717-200s, with leasing companies the main focus of interest. According to company sources, by far the biggest single impending sale of the 100-seater is to leasing giant International Lease Finance, which is understood to ...
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American Eagle confirms CRJ-700
American Eagle has signed a firm contract with Bombardier for up to 50 Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) Series 700s, worth $1.4 billion. The contract is for 25 firm orders and 25 options, and confirms a commitment announced in June 1997 at the Paris air show. Deliveries will begin in early ...
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CFMI tests solution to CFM56 cracking problem
CFM International (CFMI) has completed endurance tests of an improved dual annular combustor (DAC), which it hopes will address "durability issues" experienced on the CFM56-5B/P engine, in service on the Airbus narrowbody fleets of Austrian Airlines and Swissair. The DAC has suffered problems with cracking of the outer liner near ...
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Early launch in store for 428JET
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH THE Fairchild Dornier 428JET could be launched as early as the AsianAerospace show in Singapore which starts on 24 February, providing outstanding technical issues can be resolved in time, says the manufacturer. The aircraft is a 42- to 44-seat stretched version of the 328JET, with a ...
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NASA delays X-34 first flight
The first flight of the Orbital Sciences X-34 air-launched re-usable spaceplane technology demonstrator has been delayed from December 1998 to March 1999. NASA has also ordered a second X-34 to reduce risk and increase project flexibility. The test objectives of the $67 million programme are also being expanded. The ...
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Extra expects approval for 330 aerobatic aircraft in March
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH German light aircraft manufacturer Extra Flugzeugbau expects to complete certification of work on its new Extra 330 aerobatic aircraft by the end of March. The aircraft, an upgraded version of the Extra 300, has a more powerful engine and "much better manoeuvrability" for competition flying, says ...
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AE31X partners launch pre-development work
Airbus Industrie Asia (AIA) and Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) have agreed to launch pre-development work on the AE31X project in March, before any final joint venture business agreement and without the active participation of Singapore Technologies Aerospace (ST Aero). A joint team is to be established in Toulouse ...
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Transbrasil resurrects plans to purchase Boeing 777-200s
Brazilian independent airline Transbrasil has revived plans to acquire Boeing 777s, some 30 months after it scrubbed a deal with Boeing. The Sao Paulo-based airline has signed a letter of intent for four 777-200IGWs, say airline sources in Latin America. The airline's last deal with Boeing was for three ...
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P&W completes F100-229A altitude testing
Pratt & Whitney has completed initial altitude tests of an advanced version of the F100-229A flight engine, which is fitted with a new fan and inlet to boost power and increase durability. The -229A is designed to power the Boeing F-15E and Lockheed Martin F-16C/D from 2000 onwards - ...
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MAPO plans to fly MiG 1.42 by August as LFI demonstrator
MAPO MIG's Object 1.42 fifth generation fighter prototype will finally be flown by the third quarter of this year, with the aircraft being used as a technology demonstrator for the company's Lightweight Frontal Fighter (LFI), according to Mikhail Korzhuyev, new general director of Mikoyan design bureau. The aircraft has ...
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Routes
-Sabena has signed a partnership with French airline AOM covering routes between Brussels and the French cities of Toulon, Nice and Marseille, but extending also to French overseas territories, enabling both airlines to offer more frequencies and co-ordinate schedules. -Japan Airlines (JAL) plans to launch a twice weekly non-stop ...
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Regional revolution
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON Regional aircraft manufacturers must, by now, be getting used to living in a perpetual state of revolution, and 1997 was no disappointment. The year began with Fokker delivering its last few aircraft and ended with the loss of another famous name, as Saab Aircraft announced its retreat ...
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Spotlight falls on SilkAir recorder 'failure'
The investigation into the crash on 19 December, 1997, of the SilkAir Boeing 737-300 is raising questions about why the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) both stopped operating in quick succession just before the aircraft entered its steep, fatal descent. Analysis of the CVR ...
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CFMI reveals new technology initiative
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES CFM International (CFMI) is starting a series of multimillion dollar technology studies to support the development of a new baseline engine in the 89-178kN (20,000-40,000lb)-thrust range early next century. The drive is aimed at maintaining the current market dominance of the joint General Electric/Snecma company, ...
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Egypt's Lotus is ready to blossom
New Egyptian charter airline Lotus Air is preparing to launch services with its first Airbus A320, following maintenance on the aircraft carried out by Gulf Aircraft Maintenance (GAMCO) in Dubai. The A320, which was previously operated by Onur Air, is being leased from International Lease Finance, and will be ...
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BAe ponders RJ cockpit and engine changes
Kevin O'Toole/MANCHESTER British Aerospace Regional Aircraft is studying further developments for its Avro RJ family, including new avionics and engine options, with the intention of improving the aircraft's economics and keeping the programme up to date. Although the RJ is now effectively alone in the 85- to 100-seat regional ...