All air transport news – Page 2458
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Zeppelin flies NT airship prototype
Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik has begun flight testing a prototype of its Zeppelin NT new-technology rigid airship. The craft's 45min maiden flight took place on 18 September, with US test pilot Scott Dannecker at the controls. The prototype was flown from the Friedrichshafen exhibition grounds, where it was assembled, landing ...
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Airbus considers producing all AE31X airframe in China
Airbus Industrie Asia (AIA) is discussing producing virtually the entire airframe structure for the planned AE31X family of regional aircraft in China, in an effort to reduce costs. AIA and its two joint-venture partners Aviation Industries of China (AVIC) and Singapore Technologies (STAe) have agreed that production costs ...
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Long Beach line closures loom
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing has indicated that the MD-80 and MD-90 assembly lines in Long Beach, California, will eventually be shut down, with priority given to the MD-95 and an 80-seat regional-jet variant, as well as continued MD-11 freighter production . Although a formal decision on ...
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Saudi 777 is completed
The first 777-200 for Saudi Arabian Airlines has been completed by Boeing. The first six 777s are due for delivery later this year as part of a 61-aircraft order also involving MD-90s, 747-400s and MD-11s. Deliveries of four MD-11 freighters intended for the airline have been delayed because of a ...
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Rolls-Royce replaces Trent 800 blades after fatigue failure
Rolls-Royce says that the catastrophic Trent 800 engine failure on an Emirates Airlines Boeing 777-200 leaving Dubai on 16 September (Flight International, 24-30 September) was caused by fatigue failure of a first-stage high-pressure compressor (HPC1) blade. The company claims that it was aware of the problem with the ...
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UPS examines options for DC-8 and 747 replacements
United Parcel Service (UPS) will make a decision on a long-term McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71/73 freighter replacement "within the next six months," according to Douglas Kuelpman, vice-president of UPS Airlines. Kuelpman says that the replacement "widebody regional freighter" (WRF) will be a used and converted aircraft model. ...
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ALPA and Boeing clash over USAir accident
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES The Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) and Boeing have submitted opposing findings to the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) over the probable factors involved in the crash of a USAir Boeing 737-300 on 8 September, 1994. The aircraft rolled rapidly to the left ...
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New system screens all luggage
Andrzej Jeziorski/FRANKFURT US airport-security-equipment manufacturers InVision and EG&G Astrophysics have joined forces to develop a high-throughput, automated-screening system for hold baggage. According to InVision, the TSS 2000 is the only security system which screens "-all hold baggage, including oversized bags". The system combines InVision's US CTX ...
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The right product at the wrong time
Sir - In your Comment "Missing the bus" (Flight International, 17-23 September), British Aerospace's reluctance over regional aircraft is defended. Besides the fact that most of it applies also to larger airliners, however, it would have been fair for BAe to have declared its reluctance to its partners ...
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Boeing struggles with Super Hornet wing-drop problem
Boeing is examining modifying the wing on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in an attempt to solve a wing-drop problem, having exhausted options to resolve this with software changes. The problem is centred on what the company describes as "uncommanded sudden wing drops during manoeuvring flight" which have come ...
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Bombardier is foiled by Embraer 50-seat scoop
Karen Walker Two regional jet manufacturers; two $1billion dollar contract announcements; and the same customer. But the atmosphere at each press conference yesterday could not have been more of a contrast. American Airlines' subsidiary AMR Eagle's decision to purchase its 50-seat regional jets from Embraer and ...
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Il-76/747 collision: who was to blame?
Sir - In response to the letter from Capt F W Pike (Flight International, 13-19 August, P48), and other previous statements about the Chimkentavia Airlines Ilyushin Il-76 freighter mid-air collision with a Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747-100B near Delhi, India, in November 1996, I must comment on the quick reaction ...
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Techspace
Jean-Christophe Dalla Toffola has been appointed general manager for commerce and programmes at Belgian aero-engine manufacturer Techspace Aero, of Herstal, Liége. He was formerly deputy general manager of commerce and programmes, before replacing Jacques Cipriano, who has joined French engine manufacturer Snecma. Source: Flight International
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Appointments
Philip Chen will succeed Simon Heale as deputy managing director at Cathay Pacific Airways from mid-March. Heale takes up the position of finance director at Swire Pacific. Stanley Hui will replace Chen as Dragonair's chief executive from 1 February 1997, while Hui's role as chief operating officer of Air Hong ...
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Aircraft news
Boeing has signed a deal with American Airlines, granting the US manufacturer sole supplier status for jet aircraft until 2018. As part of the deal American has placed firm orders for 12 B777s, four B767-300ERs, 12 B757-200s, and 75 B737-600/700/800s. The US carrier has also taken so-called purchase rights on ...
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King Air 350 improved
Raytheon Aircraft has received dirt-runway certification for its Beech King Air 350, and Pratt &Whitney Canada has extended the time between overhauls for the aircraft's PT6A-60A engines from 3,000h to 3,500h. Source: Flight International
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Russian ties
Airbus Industrie and the Russian Ministry of Economics have signed an agreement which envisages closer cooperation in areas such as joint projects, certification, R&D and production. The deal includes Airbus' assistance in obtaining JAA type certification for the Tu-204 and the establishment of a single Russian management organisation to liaise ...
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Thanks a billion
ILFC has placed orders with Airbus and Boeing valued at some $8.5 billion. The lessor has ordered 50 aircraft in the A320 family and 15 A330-200s. Boeing received an order for 31 B737s, 12 B767s, 10 B777s and two B747s. Source: Airline Business
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Corporate market beckons for 328JET
Fairchild Dornier expects an annual market for as many as 16 of the corporate version of its 32-seat 328JET regional aircraft. The company launched the executive aircraft project at the NBAA show (Flight International, 24-30 September). No orders are yet in hand, but the first Pratt ...
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Four-seat Phoenix rises from the Squalus
Alberta Aerospace plans to develop a four-seat version of the former Promavia Jet Squalus jet trainer. The Calgary-based company is now working to certificate the basic two-seat, side-by-side version, renamed the Phoenix FanJet, for the airline-pilot ab initio training market. The follow-on pressurised four-seater would be marketed as ...