All air transport news – Page 2389

  • News

    Preparing for partnership

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Kevin O'Toole/JOHANNESBURG This could finally be the year when the pieces start falling into place for South African Airways (SAA). If all goes according to plan, by the end of October the South African Government will have decided on a strategic partner to take a 20-30% stake in its ...

  • News

    Datalink weather set for GA cockpits

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Weather graphics and other flight information could be widely datalinked to the cockpits of general aviation (GA) aircraft by year-end if a US Federal Aviation Administration initiative runs to schedule. The FAA believes the Flight Information Services (FIS) digital datalink will improve GA safety by ...

  • News

    China prepares to sign for more Boeing widebody orders

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    China Aviation Supplies (CASC) is negotiating an order for around 10 new widebody aircraft from Boeing, despite growing signs that some domestic carriers are experiencing indigestion trying to absorb the 50 Boeing aircraft ordered last October. The latest purchase under discussion is understood to include six 747-400 passenger and ...

  • News

    MD-11 line will halt in early 2000

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing has decided to terminate production of the MD-11, with the last delivery, possibly the 200th aircraft, scheduled for February 2000. The move was expected, even though the tri-jet gained a surprise seven-month reprieve last November when Boeing elected to continue marketing the freighter version ...

  • News

    Boeing studies supersonic BBJ

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Construction of a supersonic business jet (SSBJ) is under study by Boeing. The company has opened talks with the Sukhoi Design Bureau in Russia over possible joint studies. Few details about the study have been released by Boeing, which is handling the evaluation through its ...

  • News

    Taiwan plans to add new strike capability to F-16A/B interceptors

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Taiwan intends to purchase Lockheed Martin Pathfinder/Sharpshooter navigation and targeting pods for its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16A/B interceptors. The 28 sets of navigation/targeting pods, plus related hardware and training worth an estimated $160 million, are being purchased through US Department of Defense (DoD) foreign military sale channels. The ...

  • News

    Messier-Bugatti tests power by wire

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Ian Sheppard/LONDON Messier-Bugatti has installed a prototype electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA) in an Airbus Industrie "iron bird" test rig at Aerospatiale's Toulouse systems development centre, as part of an industry drive to replace cumbersome hydraulics with electric cables. The EHA is a key technology for all electric, or power ...

  • News

    Last of the line

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/LONG BEACH The roll-out of a new aircraft is a major event for any airframe manufacturer, but, for Boeing's Douglas Products division, the 10 June unveiling of the 717-200 is nothing less than pivotal. Coming hard on the heels of the news that the MD-11 line is ...

  • News

    Lufthansa buys TTS Orbit simulator

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Lufthansa has bought a second Boeing 737-800 full flight simulator from Thomson Simulation and Training (TTS). The simulator was originally destined for TTS' new eight-bay Orbit training centre at London Heathrow Airport. A similar TTS device entered service with Lufthansa's new Berlin training operation in February, becoming the first of ...

  • News

    TTS offers three-dimensional trainer

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    A three-dimensional (3-D) "spatially representative environment" has been introduced by Thomson Training & Simulation (TTS) for its flight management systems trainer (FMST). The system was initially developed for Continental Airlines Boeing 737-500 and 757-200 training. The FMST is the only such device to use the same software as that ...

  • News

    Japanese space agencies may have to merge to save costs

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Tim Furniss/LONDON Andrew Mollett/TOKYO Japan's ambitious space plans are being reined in under heavy Government pressure to cut costs, with pruning likely to lead to a merger of the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) and the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). Streamlining of the space ...

  • News

    CAL pursues big fleet revamp

    1998-06-10T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/Singapore Brent Hannon/Taipei China Airlines (CAL) has issued airframe and engine manufacturers with a fresh request for proposals for up to 36 new widebody aircraft, while rival Taiwanese carrier EVA Airways has postponed its decision on a new fleet of ultra long haul passenger aircraft. CAL has ...

  • News

    Kuwait AGES deal

    1998-06-03T16:11:00Z

    Kuwait Airways has signed a three-year $100 million deal with Volvo's AGES Group for the sale of the airline's surplus spares. In April the Middle East carrier took delivery of the first of two Boeing 777s which are to replace its two Boeing 747-200s. Boca Raton, Florida-based AGES has also ...

  • News

    Homebuilt aircraft

    1998-06-03T15:48:00Z

    Dallas, Texas-based Superior Air Parts has developed a 135-150kW (180-200hp) non-certified engine for homebuilt aircraft, the XP360, based on the Textron Lycoming IO-320/360 series and available through AEROAviation of Illinois. Source: Flight International

  • News

    Boeing warns of further delays to 717

    1998-06-03T00:00:00Z

     Boeing has confirmed that first flight of the 717-200, to be rolled out at Long Beach on 10 June, will now take place in early September, some three months later than originally scheduled. The flight test delays are also expected to have knock-on effects to the planned delivery of ...

  • News

    AB Airlines expands with NG737s

    1998-06-03T00:00:00Z

    AB Airlines has confirmed an order for six Next Generation 737-700s, for delivery at the rate of two a year between 2000 and 2002. The Stansted, UK-based airline, which listed a month ago on the London stock market, is initiating 737 operations with three ex-Jet Airways 737-300s on five year ...

  • News

    Boeing faces 'risk' on 737 production

    1998-06-03T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/SEATTLE Boeing admits that production of the Next Generation 737 is still the group's "biggest problem", but remains confident that it will still have delivered around 550 aircraft of all models by the end of the year. The company declines to comment on reports that continued problems ...

  • News

    Damage leads to checks for Concorde elevons

    1998-06-03T00:00:00Z

    David Learmount/LONDON A British Airways Aerospatiale/British Aerospace Concorde elevon which sustained damage during supersonic flight has been sent to the UK Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) for a strip-down and detailed inspection. BAe has been given an undamaged elevon for extensive non-destructive testing. BA says that examination ...

  • News

    Cathay rethinks 777-200 fleet

    1998-06-03T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/SEATTLE Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways plans to review the future use of its four Boeing 777-200s, following the introduction of the stretch -300 into service. The carrier is also disposing of an initial two surplus Boeing 747-200s to Virgin Atlantic Airways in an effort to rationalise types and ...

  • News

    Bombardier remains bullish on 70-seat turboprops

    1998-06-03T00:00:00Z

    Bombardier flew the second de Havilland Dash 8-400 regional turboprop on 26 May from its plant in Downsview, Ontario. The aircraft is expected to join the first -400 at Bombardier's flight test centre in Wichita, Kansas, within a few weeks, according to the company. Despite having booked only 32 ...