All air transport news – Page 2387
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FTC bans Boeing sale to Bell
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES The US government's Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has blocked the sale of Boeing MD500/600 helicopters to Bell Helicopter Textron, forcing Boeing to put the two production lines back on the market. The MD500/600 lines were sold to Bell in March following Boeing's decision to opt ...
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IATA approves millennium bug plan
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which estimates that the so-called "millennium bug" will cost the airline industry $1.6 billion, has won approval from airlines for a plan to ensure that airlines, airports, air traffic control providers and manufacturers work together to minimise the effect of ...
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Crisis spreads to China as airlines make losses
The Asian economic downturn has begun to have an impact on the Chinese air transport industry, with the country's 11 largest carriers announcing for the first time a collective loss of ¥1.7 billion ($206 million) in the opening quarter of the financial year. According to the state-run China ...
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GPA plans to shed GE Capital
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON GPA could re-emerge from the shadow of GE Capital, with plans to buy out of the agreements signed five years ago when the US finance giant stepped in to rescue the Irish leasing company from near collapse. A memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the ...
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EGPWS move leads Korean Air safety drive
Korean Air (KAL) is to begin fitting its entire fleet with enhanced ground proximity warning systems (EGPWS), starting in July with the delivery of new Airbus Industrie A330-200/300s and Boeing 777-200/300s. The airline warns, however, that some of its future widebody deliveries may be delayed because of the economic ...
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Surprise share plan changes UK's air traffic control chart
David Learmount/LONDON Privatisation of the UK air traffic control (ATC) system has been put back on the political agenda, with the year-old Labour Government mooting the sale of 51% of the Civil Aviation Authority's National Air Traffic Services (NATS). ATC privatisation has been a running issue within UK ...
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Carriers push Airbus on LCDs
Paul Lewis/SINGAPOREAirbus Industrie is being pressed by major international carriers to offer a choice of new liquid crystal display (LCD) systems in the cockpits of future aircraft, as the consortium narrows the final selection of vendors to Rockwell Collins and Sextant Avionique. The European consortium plans to fit its A320/A330/A340 ...
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F-16 manufacturing time is reduced
Lockheed Martin has demonstrated a significant reduction in manufacturing time for the F-16, using commercial practices. The first of 12 to be produced for Singapore under a commercial lease agreement has been delivered less than 22 months after contract signature. This compares with the normal lead time of 36-42 months, ...
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TTS simulator to RWL
Thomson Simulation & Training has sold a Boeing 737-800 full flight simulator to SBG for use at the RWL German Flight Academy, not to Lufthansa as reported. The device will be delivered to the centre in November. TTS says the order was originally placed with "a competitor", but was moved ...
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Life after death
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON When the MD-11 was launched at the end of 1986, the estimated $500 million investment must have looked like money well spent. McDonnell Douglas (MDC) was promising that it could quickly and relatively cheaply bring to the market a new generation long haul aircraft developed from its ...
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Alliant wins Delta booster contract
Alliant Techsystems has received contracts worth $750 million to continue with the supply of the graphite epoxy solid rocket GEM motors for Boeing's fleet of Delta launchers. Additional production options could take the value of the contract to $1 billion, says the Salt Lake City-based company. The nine Delta ...
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PAL fights for survival as pilots are sacked and flights slashed
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE Philippine Airlines (PAL) is drawing up survival plans for a massive shrinkage of its international and domestic operations, after sacking 600 pilots involved in a week-long strike that has brought the national carrier close to financial ruin. Pilots were protesting over plans to force redundancies among older ...
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Rolls-Royce Xian parts
The first engine parts to be produced by Rolls-Royce's joint venture with China's Xian Aero Engine have been delivered within a year of work starting on a new 13,000m² (140,000ft²) factory. The low-pressure nozzle guide vanes are being incorporated into Tay engines at R-R's Derby, UK, site. Source: Flight ...
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Boeing direct
Boeing and freight carrier UPS have expanded their spare parts delivery service to cover all Boeing's distribution centres. The service was launched in 1996 and previously covered only Seattle and Atlanta - now to be joined by Beijing, London and Singapore. Boeing says the move will allow airlines to reduce ...
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Textron sells
Textron has agreed to sell its fuel systems business to US engine controls group Woodward Governor in a $160 million deal, which comes as a further move to strip out non-core businesses. Textron says that it will consider using the cash to fund acquisitions and promises further reshuffles within its ...
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717 faces new problems before planned September flight
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing revealed several last minute aircraft and engine modifications to the 717-200 regional aircraft on the eve of its planned roll-out on 10 June. Despite the problems, the company still hopes to achieve a first flight for the aircraft in early September, according to programme manager ...
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757-300 prepared for flight test
Guy Norris/SEATTLE The first Boeing 757-300 is being prepared for flight testing, provisionally scheduled to begin with a maiden flight on 1 July, following the roll-out ceremony at the company's Renton site on 31 May. Three 757-300s are due to take part in the test effort, which is ...
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Boeing studies extending 767-400ER range
Guy Norris/SEATTLE Boeing is evaluating the case for increasing the range of the 767-400ER to about 11,100km (6,000nm) in response to requests from Britannia Airways. The UK charter operator is interested in operating the stretched version of the twin on non-stop operations to Asia-Pacific destinations. The -400ER, which ...
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Next Generation 737 line filled at Renton
With Boeing rapidly accelerating production of its Next Generation 737 as it battles to recover from delivery delays, every position is filled on the final assembly line at its Renton plant near Seattle, Washington. In the second quarter of this year, production increased from seven to 14 aircraft a month ...
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Costa Rican start-up chooses A300 freighter
Costa Rican start-up carrier JHM Cargo Airlines has leased seven Airbus A300B4 freighters from C-S Aviation Services (CSAS) for all-cargo operations to begin by the end of June. The carrier plans to start with twice-daily services between San Jose and Miami, Florida, says general manager Capt Roberto Escalante. The ...