All air transport news – Page 2445
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Unions withdraw opposition to Airbus A319 order at Sabena
An offer by Swissair to contract maintenance to Sabena Technics, should the Belgian airline order Airbus narrowbodies rather than Boeing 737-700s, seems to have dampened unions' opposition to a decision in favour of the European consortium. A presentation of the Airbus A319 was made to Sabena and union ...
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Saudis negotiate loans to clear Boeing delivery jam
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Saudi Arabian Airlines is negotiating a Government-guaranteed loan of $4.33 billion to remove the financial problems which have delayed delivery of an initial batch of aircraft in an order for 61 Boeings, the first of which was ready in August. The $7.5 billion ...
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Sirocco Tu-204 has successful first flight
The first Tupolev Tu-204 freighter destined for Sirocco Aerospace International has flown, as preparations are made to fly the first Tu-204-300. The company's Rolls-Royce RB.211-535E4-powered Tu-204-120C had its 2h maiden flight on 10 November from Ulyanov East Airport, where manufacturer Aviastar is based. Tupolev Tu-204 programme ...
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Mesa Air orders more Canadair
The Mesa Air Group has ordered another 16 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jets (CRJ) after signing a new marketing deal which will allow the regional carrier to operate the 50-seat aircraft as part of its US Airways Express operations. The latest $350 million deal follows Mesa's order for 16 ...
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Workshop
++ Sabena Technics has concluded three significant third-party maintenance deals covering Boeing and Airbus types. The contracts include A-checks on three Air Holland Boeing 737-300s and two Boeing 757s, and C-checks on the carrier's 737-300s during the next four years. The contract is worth Bfr108 million ($3 million). Transavia has ...
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Ryanair leads in mixed low-cost results
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON A mixed set of financial results from Debonair, Ryanair and Virgin Express - their first since seeking stock-market listings earlier this year - has left analysts looking for signs of a shake-out in Europe's low-cost airline market. Veteran low-cost challenger Ryanair posted a robust ...
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Deal gives P&W 25% stake in Perm
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW A re-organisation plan agreed for Russia's cash-strapped engine manufacturer Perm Motors will see Pratt & Whitney take a 25% stake in a new joint-stock company set up to concentrate on PS-90 production. Under the deal, a new company, the Perm Motorbuilding Plant (PMZ),will take ...
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Ambitious SALE adds two new partners
Following an injection of new capital, Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE) claims that it is on course to take its place among the world's three largest leasors by the year 2000, building a portfolio of 100 aircraft with its US joint owner, Boullioun Aviation Services. The claim follows ...
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Schwarzenegger muscles in on SIA aircraft-sale plans-
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE US film star Arnold Schwarzenegger has invested in the sale and leaseback of a Singapore Airlines (SIA) Boeing 747-400, worth $130 million, in what is being seen as part of a wider move by the carrier to lessen its exposure on aircraft ownership. SIA ...
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Ride the tiger
In the words of Douglas Adams' Hitch-hikers' Guide to the Galaxy, "Don't panic!" - well, not yet, anyway. Similarly, however, don't relax. The recent turmoil in Asian stock and currency markets is going to have a profound effect on the air-transport business and its suppliers. Those forecasters, whose confident predictions ...
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Pratt & Whitney JSF engine passes critical-design-review phase
Pratt & Whitney's two derivative F119 engines for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) have successfully completed the critical design review (CDR) phase, clearing the way for the start of full engine fabrication and testing. The CDR began in August and concluded with final-review meetings with JSF programme director ...
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AASI starts Jetcruzer 500 certification process
Advanced Aerodynamics & Structures (AASI) plans to fly the first certification-test Jetcruzer 500 pusher-turboprop business aircraft by the end of this month. The aircraft is the first with the stretched, pressurised fuselage planned for the production Jetcruzer 500. AASI reports orders for 70 of the $1.3 million aircraft. ...
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Grob builds variant of GF200
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH German composite aircraft manufacturer Burkhart Grob Aerospace is making a prototype variant of its four-seat GF200 business aircraft. The company, which has been searching for a partner for the project, says that it has decided to proceed with the prototype because a Teal Group ...
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Myasishchev forms niche venture with US investors
Kate Sarsfield/LONDON GrahamWarwick/WASHINGTON DC Russia's Myasishchev Design Bureau has formed a joint venture with General Aircraft USA and several other US investors to "produce four niche aircraft for the world market". General Aircraft USA will be responsible for assembly, engine and avionics installation, and US ...
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Boeing remains committed to 777-200X/300X
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing says that plans to develop the ultra-long range 777-200X and long haul -300X are "still going forward" despite continuing uncertainty over engine availability and the decision of a potential key customer, EVA Air of Taiwan, to sign a letter of intent for the rival ...
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Dassault nears Netjets contract
Kate Sarsfield/LONDON Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Dassault Aviation has joined the rush for orders from the burgeoning fractional- ownership market by agreeing a deal with Executive Jet Aviation to supply up to 24 Falcon 2000 business jets for its Netjets programme. The French aircraft manufacturer has not ...
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FedEx opens talks in hunt for Fokker F27 successor
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC FedEx is talking to Saab Aircraft, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Ayres about developing a turboprop-powered, all-cargo aircraft to replace its fleet of 36 Fokker F27 freighters, says chairman Frederick Smith. IAI and FedEx are known to be discussing the development of a ...
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UK helps R-R pay for new
The UK government is to provide Rolls-Royce with £200 million ($330 million) of funding over four years to enable the UK manufacturer to launch three variants of its Trent turbofan. R-R says that the Government will receive a commercial return which is based on sales of the three engine derivatives. ...
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European Commission strengthens A3XX effort
Ian Sheppard/LONDON The aerospace industry has been granted "key action" status as part of the European Commission's (EC) ratification of the structure of its proposed Fifth Framework programme for research and technology development. The move will focus research spending on key development programmes such as the Airbus Industrie ...
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Honeywell develops intuitive aircraft flightdeck system
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Honeywell is demonstrating to aircraft manufacturers an intuitive autoflight system which integrates the autopilot controls and flight-management system (FMS). Honeywell says: "It is not the interface which makes an FMS difficult to use, it is the functionality, and that's what we hope to ...