All air transport news – Page 2258
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MAPO offers Russian-powered MiG-AT to India
MAPO has briefed India on a Russian-powered version of the MiG-AT advanced trainer as the Indian air force moves closer to selecting a replacement MiG-ATs are powered by the French Snecma/Turbomeca Larzac. India received tenders from British Aerospace and Dassault in late September, following the release of the latest request ...
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Merger forms world's third-largest aerospace company
Chris Jasper/LONDON Julian Moxon/PARIS Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Aerospatiale Matra and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) are to merge in a move that will create the world's third-largest aerospace company. The merger seems likely to accelerate the transformation of Airbus Industrie into a single corporate entity. The deal raises questions about ...
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Fine looks to replace DC-8s
Paul Lewis/MIAMI Recently merged cargo carriers Fine Air and Arrow Air are looking to acquire freighters to replace their McDonnell Douglas DC-8-50s. The newly amalgamated company intends to acquire eight freighters by the middle of next year to replace an equal number of Fine Air's DC-8-50Fs. Both companies ...
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BA snubs 717 and stays with Airbus for short-haul fleet strategy revamp
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON British Airways' decision to order more Airbus narrowbodies rather than the Boeing 717 for its 100-seat needs is part of a major short-haul fleet strategy revamp. According to sources within the carrier, the three-year-plan, which comes as part of the airline's strategy of reducing capacity and ...
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American Eagle starts phasing out Saabs
American Eagle Airlines has begun to phase out its massive Saab 340 fleet, with the entry into service of the new Embraer ERJ-135 and gradual transition to a predominantly turbofan-powered operation by 2005. The AMR-owned regional carrier has put the first nine of its 115 Swedish twin-turboprops on the ...
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Airbus wins more business in USA
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC The Airbus A318 has received another major sales boost. America West, Frontier Airlines and Air China are to announce orders for 33 aircraft days after British Airways concluded its deal for up to 24 of the new jets. Boeing chairman Phil Condit has publicly conceded ...
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Marketplace
Polar Air Cargo has introduced two additional Pratt & Whitney JT9D-7Q-powered 747-200 freighters and retired one of its older747-100s. Cathay Pacific has ordered two additional Rolls-Royce RB211-524H-powered Boeing 747-400 freighters, for delivery in September 2000 and August 2001. The Hong Kong-based carrier has also concluded its lease deal with Air ...
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Noble targets taxi market with Farnborough F1
Richard Noble, the man behind the successful ThrustSSC supersonic jet powered world land speed record attempt in 1997, has launched a project to build a five-seater single turboprop, the Farnborough F1. He hopes to market the aircraft to companies interested in creating networks of air taxis, allowing business travellers to ...
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Airports
Caracas Maiquetia Airport is undergoing the first phase of a $100 million upgrade project, dubbed "Maiquetia 2000". This will see the airport's main passenger terminal reconstructed within a two-level departure/arrival layout, due to open in 2001. The airport's runway is also undergoing major repairs. Work has begun at Knoxville's McGhee ...
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Revamped AVICs aim to update regional turboprop programmes
Andrzej Jeziorski/BEIJING The recently formed aerospace groups China Aviation Industry I (AVIC I) and China Aviation Industry II (AVIC II) are each developing upgraded versions of their dated turboprop transports to boost civil sales. AVIC I manufacturing plant Xian Aircraft (XAC) is developing the latest improvement to its ...
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Maiden flight for first 767-400ER
The first Boeing 767-400ER completed its maiden flight on 9 October, under the command of test pilots Buzz Nelson, 767 programme chief pilot, and John Cashman, flightcrew operations director. The 5h 5min flight, which began from Boeing's Everett, Washington, plant and was concluded at the manufacturer's test airfield, Boeing Field, ...
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Sibir negotiates Tupolev Tu-214 leases
Sibir Airlines is discussing the lease of three Tupolev Tu-214s as it seeks to update its fleet. The Aviadvigatel PS-90A-powered Tu-214, also dubbed the Tu-204-200, is the increased gross weight version of the Russian twinjet produced by the Gorbunov KAPO production plant of Kazan. Production of the Tupolev designed ...
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Purchase moves Aegean up to second
Julian Moxon/PARISGreek start-up Aegean Airlines will be the second-largest airline in the country, after state-owned Olympic Airways, as a result of a forthcoming purchase of a majority share in Air Greece. Aegean has agreed to take over the 54% share of Air Greece held by shipping company Minoan Lines. It ...
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MRO merger talks fade amid legal suits
Chris Jasper/LONDON BFGoodrich and US aircraft maintenance specialist Aviation Sales have held talks about a possible merger, say industry sources, adding that negotiations have petered out as Aviation Sales faces a possible court action over claims that it issued misleading statements on demand for its services and likely earnings. ...
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Israeli support for EW sale to Greece marks policy shift
The Israeli Ministry of Defence is supporting an Elisra bid to supply the Greek air force with electronic warfare equipment for its latest batch of Lockheed Martin F-16s. The move marks a shift in Israeli Government policy. Elisra has teamed with Greece's national aerospace company Hellenic Aerospace Industries (HAI) ...
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SilkAir captain claims he 'quit over crash pilot'
SilkAir denials that one of its former senior captains had warned it about the behaviour of the pilot of a Boeing 737-300 which crashed days later have been contradicted by the captain. The warning was said to have been given days before the accident on 19 December, 1997. Former ...
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Tailored to fit
Airbus has developed a flexible aircraft system, reducing lead times, cutting costs and trimming parts inventories Julian Moxon/TOULOUSE Until recently, the manufacture of aircraft was driven by forces that had little in common with the markets into which the resulting products were sold. Lead times were long and out of ...
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Pylons for all
Aerospatiale Matra's St Eloi factory in suburban Toulouse is notable for one thing - the manufacture of engine pylons for all aircraft models built by the consortium, today numbering 13, but soon to be 15. St Eloi is a good example of lean manufacturing: flexibility and ever-shorter production cycles. Airbus' ...
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MD Helicopters will cut link with Boeing
Kate Sarsfield/LONDON MD Helicopters plans to sever its manufacturing ties with Boeing when the contract to build parts for the five-strong civil helicopter line is fulfilled in early 2001. "As part of the deal to buy Boeing civil helicopters, we signed a binding manufacturing agreement," says MD Helicopters chief executive ...
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Groen Hawk 4 gyro makes maiden flight
Groen Brothers Aviation (GBA) flew the first production Hawk 4 gyroplane for the first time on 29 September at the company's Buckeye, Arizona, operations base, following a 13-year development programme. Three Hawk prototypes have been flown. Certification and first deliveries are to start in the second quarter of 2001, ...