All Airframers articles – Page 1660
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News
Ansett plans for two-pilot 767s
ANSETT AUSTRALIA plans to re-convert five of its six Boeing 767-200s to standard two-pilot-crew configuration, phasing out flight engineers on the type. The sixth 767, acquired from Monarch in 1994, and another about to enter the fleet, already have standard configuration. The carrier has had to conduct "differences ...
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Trent 777 testing resumes after vibration is remedied
CERTIFICATION FLIGHT-testing of the Rolls Royce Trent-powered Boeing 777 has resumed after engineers tackled a rear-bearing vibration problem caused by "distress of the aft-strut fairing and primary nozzle". The test programme has been held up for "about a week", says Boeing, which grounded the aircraft in the first ...
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Uncomfortable with 777 ETOPS
Sir - The article on the British Airways Boeing 777 General Electric GE90 delivery date and extended twinjet operations (ETOPS) certification (Flight International, 6-12 September, P4) makes me feel uncomfortable. ETOPS, I am told, is a means by which a two-engine aircraft can be flown over water. The ...
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EC approves ATR/BAe alliance
THE EUROPEAN Commission (EC) has approved the AIR joint venture between regional-aircraft manufacturers ATR and British Aerospace. The decision clears the way for the consortium to create a joint marketing, sales and after-sales service for its existing range at Toulouse, France, as well as an integrated training centre ...
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AlliedSignal studies ESAS stepping stone
Guy Norris/WICHITA ALLIEDSIGNAL IS studying an integrated safety system for airliners which would combine into a single unit individually packaged systems such as the ground-proximity warning system (GPWS), Mode S transponder, weather radar and the traffic-alert and collision-avoidance system (TCAS). The safety-system concept, although "still in the very earliest stages", ...
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BMA asks for EC help in Swiss row
BRITISH MIDLAND (BMA) has asked the European Commission (EC) to protest to the Swiss Government over its refusal to allow Swiss passengers to purchase BMA's new low-fare tickets in Switzerland. Because Switzerland is not a member of the European Union (EU), the EC is virtually powerless to ...
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Quality business puts Avro on track for profit
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON BRITISH AEROSPACE believes that its regional-jet operation, which brought the company close to collapse two years ago, will be back in profit by 1997. BAe had already promised that the Avro regional-jet business would approach break-even by 1997 following its dramatic slimming down, ...
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BAe turns down Boeing on JAST
Guy Norris/SEATTLE BRITISH AEROSPACE, has rebuffed Boeing attempts to sign it up as a partner, on its Joint Advanced Strike Technology ( JAST) programme. The US contractor says that, "the door is still open" if BAe is prepared to withdraw from its alliance with McDonnell ...
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MAS chief barters orders for slots
MALAYSIA AIRLINES (MAS) chairman Tajudin Ramli has threatened to stop any further purchases of Airbus Industrie aircraft unless France grants the carrier additional landing rights in Paris. The Malaysian flag carrier wants to increase its services between Kuala Lumpur and Paris from twice a week to twice daily. ...
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BFGoodrich/Snecma to merge brakes
SNECMA IS IN advanced talks with BFGoodrich about a merger for its Messier-Bugatti carbon brakes business. Although no details of the proposed deal have been released, it is expected to follow the blueprint laid down by the 50:50 Messier-Dowty landing-gear joint venture completed in 1994. A ...
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France loans Snecma funds for CFMXXX turbofan work
FRENCH ENGINE manufacturer Snecma is to receive a Fr2 billion ($396 million) reimbursable loan from the French Government to help develop the 135-220kN (30,000-50,000lb)-thrust CFMXX turbofan. The agreement effectively launches the engine, which is needed by Airbus Industrie for growth versions of the A340 and, possibly, the A321. ...
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Challengair expands
Belgian wet-lease specialist ChallengAir has added a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 freighter to its fleet of two passenger-DC-10s. The aircraft, formerly operated by Russian carrier Avkom, has been acquired from CIT Leasing. It will be used on cargo charters between Europe and South America. Challengair's two passenger-DC-10-30s are on long-term wet-lease ...
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Qantas will fit TCAS to domestic fleet wide
QANTAS IS TO SPEND about A$10 million ($7.5 million) fitting traffic-alert and collision-avoidance systems (TCAS) to its entire domestic turbofan fleet, following a recommendation from its safety department after an increase in near-misses in Australia. The systems will be fitted to some 40 Boeing 737s and Airbus A300-B4s. ...
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Orient makes expansion plans
RELAUNCHED THAI domestic carrier Orient Express Air (OEA) plans to acquire additional wide body aircraft and extend its services to Asian and European destinations. According to a senior airline source, OEA is negotiating to purchase three ex-British Airways Lockheed L-1011 TriStars. The aircraft are intended for use on ...
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AAR wins cargo-system work on 747s and DC-10s
Conversion specialist AAR Advanced Structures has received contracts for cargo-system modifications to convert both Boeing 747s and McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to full-freighter configuration. GATX/Airlog has contracted the Livonia, Michigan based company to supply kits to convert two Boeing 747-200s, from combi to full-freighter configuration. The aircraft will be ...
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FedEx may buy United DC-10s
FEDEX, THE US-based overnight-cargo specialist, is believed to be negotiating the purchase of United Airlines' (UAL) fleet of McDonnell Douglas DC-10s. FedEx already operates 35 DC-10s (22 -30s and 13 -10s), and in addition plans to run a fleet of 34 MD-11s by the end of 1998. ...
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US Navy plans to modify Osprey V-22 radar design
THE US NAVY has directed the development of specific terrain-following/terrain-avoidance radar-design changes and related modifications needed to create the CV-22 special-operations variant of the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. A contract to be awarded in 1996 will pay for the conversion of one engineering and manufacturing development ...
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Challenger 604 approval expected before time
CANADIAN certification of the Canadair Challenger 604 business jet is expected on 15 September, more than a month earlier than scheduled, and the first aircraft will be delivered at the end of September, Bombardier says. US certification is expected by the end of October, four weeks ahead of schedule, and ...
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United 777s: heavy but happy
Guy Norris/Los Angeles UNITED AIRLINES admits that its first Boeing 777s is overweight, but is still satisfied with the aircraft's performance. New 16G crash-worthy seating is the largest single contributor to the higher-than-expected operating empty weight (OEW) of the initial aircraft, says the carrier. In United's ...
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EVA opts for six MD-90s
TAIWAN-BASED carrier EVA Air has confirmed plans to buy six McDonnell Douglas MD-90s with the signing of a letter of intent by airline president, Frank Hsu, at the hand-over ceremony of its sixth MD-11. The contract, when confirmed will include options, for an additional six aircraft: four to ...