All air transport news – Page 2298

  • News

    China order prompts Britten Norman to resurrect Trislander

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Britten Norman (BN) has relaunched production of its 16-seat Trislander commuter aircraft, following an order from China for three aircraft. Shenyang-based China Northern Airlines has selected the tri-piston-powered aircraft to upgrade its regional services, with deliveries due between September next year and January 2001. The ...

  • News

    Western company buys Yak-42s for Moldova lease

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    A new Irish-based leasing company, Corvette Aviation, has bought two Yakovlev Yak-42Ds from Russian financial group Interros. The two secondhand aircraft are on short-term lease to Moscow-based Bykovo Avia. After refurbishment and overhaul, they will be leased to Air Moldova International, with delivery of the first aircraft slated for June ...

  • News

    Dispute threatens A318 start

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    Julian Moxon/PARIS Production start-up of the recently launched 107-seat Airbus Industrie A318 is being threatened by a dispute over workshares in the programme. The argument centres on Aerospatiale's complaint that it is paying more into A318 development than its 37.9% share in the Airbus Industrie consortium. An ...

  • News

    Brymon switches to Embraer for jets

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    Brymon Airways has switched allegiance for its new jet fleet, placing an order for up to 21 50-seat Embraer RJ-145s, rather than the rival Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ). The Plymouth-based UK regional airline, a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways, has an all-Bombardier fleet of 16 Dash 8-300 ...

  • News

    New beginnings from AlliedSignal

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    In July, AlliedSignal engineers will start a new engine for the first time. This is a critical milestone for any engine maker, but more particularly for AlliedSignal, which plans to make the AS900 turbofan a pivotal powerplant in its strategic plan for the 21st century. The AS900 is a ...

  • News

    Kawasaki partners on civil tiltrotor

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has signed an agreement with Aerostructures of Nashville, Tennessee, to manufacture components for the Bell Agusta BA 609 civil tiltrotor aircraft. Aerostructures is responsible for the aircraft's fuselage development. KHI says it will develop the cabin doors and fuselage tailcone under subcontract. KHI is the first ...

  • News

    Mission 212 prototype poised for assembly

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    Lambert Aircraft Engineering plans to start building the proof of concept Mission M212-100 prototype this month. It is also awaiting certification of the air-cooled Zoche ZO 01A engine to kick-start flight testing next year. The manufacturer, based in Kortrijk, Belgium, has completed destructive wing tests on the single-engined Mission ...

  • News

    Airbus Trent 500 prepared for first test runs

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    Rolls-Royce's Trent 500 turbofan for the Airbus Industrie A340-500/600 was expected to begin runs at the company's test site at Derby, UK, as Flight International went to press. The run marks the start of a test and certification programme involving seven test engines, which is due to be completed in ...

  • News

    Government blocks UK safety extension

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    The UK Civil Aviation Authority has been given the go-ahead to conduct more spot checks of foreign airlines operating into the UK. But there are no plans to extend formally the monitoring of foreign aircraft safety. The move follows further investigation of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), which has flouted fuel ...

  • News

    Cathay pilots start to disrupt services as pay talks collapse

    1999-06-02T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/HONG KONG Cathay Pacific Airways pilots have begun to disrupt scheduled services after the collapse of pay talks between airline management and unions. Three flights were cancelled on 28 May, when "a higher than average" number of pilots called in sick. Although airline management says it does ...

  • News

    Alitalia signs up

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Alitalia has finally joined up as an official member of the Northwest-KLM alliance across the Atlantic. The three airlines have jointly applied for US antitrust immunity - required to allow co-ordination of prices and profits. The Italian carrier believes that US permission could be given as soon as September. ...

  • News

    Regional jet trade row drags on

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Widely diverging interpretations of a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling on government subsidies for regional jets could leave airlines uncertain about the real cost of their new aircraft over the next few months. Although the WTO ruled earlier this year that a Brazilian Government subsidy known as proex is ...

  • News

    Canadian ponders domestic choices

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    David Knibb SEATTLE Canadian Airlines is searching for ways to reverse its continuing slide. A low-cost subsidiary heads its options, but the struggling carrier hints at other domestic initiatives as well as a foray into US capital markets. Canadian's first-quarter loss of C$107.8 million ($70 million) underscores its need ...

  • News

    Airlines press on 777 ETOPS

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    The Federal Aviation Administration may be receptive to a request that would allow Boeing's 777 to fly further from land on transpacific routes. Boeing and four US airlines - American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines - have asked the FAA to raise the 777's extended-range twin-engine ...

  • News

    Airbus still challenged by need to restructure

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Kevin O'Toole TOULOUSE At its annual press briefing, Airbus Industrie appeared surprisingly subdued given that it has just achieved its 30-year goal of parity with Boeing. But then there are still plenty of hurdles ahead, not least, its conversion to a commercial company. When an Airbus salesman admits to ...

  • News

    euros can wait

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Airline customers are beginning to angle for their first aircraft deals in the new European single currency. But there are good reasons why Airbus is not yet pushing too hard for the euro as an international replacement for the dollar. Dietrich Russell, Airbus chief operating officer, says that "a ...

  • News

    European safety moves ahead

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Alan George BRUSSELS Brussels hopes that formal talks about the establishment of a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) can be started with non-European Union (EU) states by the end of the year and that the new body can be inaugurated in 2001 or 2002. Well-placed officials in Brussels say ...

  • News

    Deadlock continues at Narita

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Japan's transport ministry has confirmed what many have long suspected: it will not be able to open a second runway at Tokyo's congested Narita airport by the end of the 2000 fiscal year as promised. While officials say efforts will continue to break a deadlock with landowners to allow ...

  • News

    Privatisation hopes survive Indian politics

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Ravi Prasad NEW DELHI Despite the fall of the Hindu nationalist-led coalition government, there are hopes that privatisation of Air-India and Indian Airlines could still go-ahead. The federal cabinet has allocated Rs32.5 billion ($830 million) for Indian Airlines to increase its equity base and authorised it to ...

  • News

    Philippine Airlines races against time

    1999-06-01T00:00:00Z

    Nicholas Ionides ATI/SINGAPORE The future of Philippine Airlines (PAL) remains unclear as it strives for an injection of capital. It was dealt a major blow when the US Exim Bank withdrew support for its rehabilitation plan The clock was ticking on PAL in May as it rushed to ...