All Airframers news – Page 1580

  • News

    Virgin Express Boeing 737 ready for delivery

    1996-08-21T00:00:00Z

    THE FIRST OF TWO NEW BOEING 737-300s on order for Virgin Express, in the carrier's bright red colour scheme, is being prepared for delivery at Seattle. The low-cost carrier, which was created this year when Virgin took control of Brussels-based EuroBelgian Airlines by purchasing a 90% stake, operates eight 737s. ...

  • News

    Trent 900 partners

    1996-08-14T08:49:00Z

    Rolls-Royce has asked Kawasaki Heavy Industries to join its planned new Trent 900 engine programme to power the proposed Boeing 747-500/600X growth aircraft. The Japanese manufacturer maintains a close re- lationship with R-R and has a 3% risk-and-revenue sharing interest in existing Trent 700/800 engines. Snecma, a partner with General ...

  • News

    Powering ahead

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    Matra Marconi Space has introduced a new high-power satellite bus, the Eurostar 3000. Tim Furniss/LONDON MATRA MARCONI SPACE (MMS) has introduced a new spacecraft bus, the Eurostar 3000, designed to play a leading role in the rapidly emerging Global Information Infrastructure (GII), delivering broadband multimedia, advanced hand-held ...

  • News

    Air Nostrum plans for expansion

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    AIR NOSTRUM may acquire a small fleet of regional-jet aircraft to enable it to expand its European network. The Spanish regional carrier, based in Valencia, flies seven leased Fokker 50s on a network of scheduled routes, within mainland Spain and to the Balearic Islands. Two more Fokker 50s ...

  • News

    Airbuses can now predict windshear

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    AIRBUS INDUSTRIE claims that it is the first manufacturer to deliver aircraft direct from the production line equipped with predictive windshear warning systems. Two A340s recently delivered to Spanish flag carrier Iberia are fitted with AlliedSignal's forward-looking windshear-detection system. A rival system is offered by Rockwell's Collins Air ...

  • News

    ValuJet remains in profit despite FAA's grounding

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    Kevin O'Toole/LONDONRamon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC VALUJET HAS ended the first half-year in good financial shape, despite its grounding, and appears confident of resuming operations on 23 August. Although the airline was grounded by the US Federal Aviation Administration shortly after the Florida crash on 11 May, ...

  • News

    Canada 3000 looks at long-haul types

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    CANADA 3000 IS IN the middle of an evaluation process for its future fleet needs, which could see it conclude acquisition agreements for new long-haul aircraft before the end of the year. The Toronto, Canada-based charter carrier operates a fleet of leased Airbus A320s and Boeing 757s on ...

  • News

    Taiwanese lessor revealed as MD-90 customer

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    HWA-HSIA LEASING, a Taiwan-based leasing company, has been named as the previously unidentified buyer of MD-90s revealed in July by McDonnell Douglas (MDC). The first three MD-90s on firm order will be delivered in August, September and October of 1998. Follow-on orders, "contingent on final agreements and approvals ...

  • News

    United to dedicate fleet to shuttle division

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    SHUTTLE BY UNITED, THE US airline's low-cost division set up in October 1994, will operate a dedicated fleet of 45 Boeing 737s from next March. The division's 23 134-seat 737-300s and 22 116-seat 737-500s will have new interior layouts, with galleys replaced by eight economy seats and new galley equipment. ...

  • News

    Aiming for the top

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    Phillipine Airlines is being revamped in a determined effort to polish its tarnished image Paul Lewis/MANILA For many years Phillipine Airlines (PAL) had the reputation of being a carrier with a problem. A series of soap-opera-type shareholder battles for control, a geriatric fleet of aircraft, poor punctuality ...

  • News

    New chairman aims to begin rapid shake-up plan at BWIA

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON NEW BWIA International chief executive Gilles Filiatreault is to present to a meeting of the main board on 16 August a new strategy for the Caribbean carrier, just 11 days after his appointment was made public. BWIA announced the elevation of the former ...

  • News

    Indian courts resolve Skyline leasing wrangle

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Chuter/LONDON US LEASING COMPANY PLM International has failed in a legal action to have Indian carrier Skyline NEPC, return two Boeing 737-200s, which it has on lease. The Bombay court has ordered the airline to pay arrears, which have accrued from non-payment of leases since late ...

  • News

    Business Express attracts interest, despite bankruptcy

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    SAAB AIRCRAFT, which forced Business Express into bankruptcy court early this year over a $20 million debt, "-has been approached by parties interested in taking over the regional airline", says Michael Magnusson, Saab's senior US-based sales executive. "We are confident that someone will take it over. A couple ...

  • News

    Alfa purchase gives Fiat control of Italy's aero-engine business

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    Julian Moxon/PARIS FIAT HAS acquired the bulk of Alfa Romeo Avio, in a move, which consolidates virtually all of Italy's aero-engine industry within the giant automotive group. The move follows a decision by Italian state-owned aerospace group Finmeccanica to sell its 77.5% stake in the Alfa ...

  • News

    Cathay profits, despite tough half-year

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    CATHAY PACIFIC Airways produced a respectable rise in profits over the first half of the year, despite restrained growth and some pressure on costs. Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering (HAECO), the Hong Kong carrier's sister company within the Swire Group, saw profits dip again, however. Financial analysts are ...

  • News

    Boeing 'flies' first 737-700 wing

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    THE FIRST WING FOR THE BOEING 737-700 has been transferred from its tooling to the next manufacturing position at Boeing's Renton factory, near Seattle, Washington. Later this year, the No 1 (left) wing structure and its opposite number will be attached to the first 737-700 fuselage, which is being produced ...

  • News

    KLM suffers setback as costs increase

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    KLM has worried financial markets with an unexpectedly poor set of first-quarter figures, revealing a steep rise in costs and further bad news from its cargo operations. Attention has focused on a drop in the Dutch carrier's operating profits, which slumped by half over the quarter to the end of ...

  • News

    PW4090 flight-test programme starts on first Boeing 777

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    PRATT & Whitney's 400kN (90,000lb)-thrust PW4090 engine has entered a five-month flight-test programme on the first Boeing 777 aircraft, WA001. The engine will power 777-200IGW versions on order from Korean Air and United Airlines, the first of which will enter service in March 1997. The engine is an ...

  • News

    Delta launches low-cost Express from Florida base

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    Karen Walker/ATLANTA DELTA AIRLINES has entered the low-fare market with the launch of Delta Express, a single-class service providing non-stop flights between Florida and cities in the mid-western and north-eastern USA. Services, using a dedicated fleet of 25 Boeing 737-200s, will begin on 1 October ...

  • News

    Engines should be treated separately

    1996-08-14T00:00:00Z

    Sir - Recent news suggests that civil organisations do not seem to share their safety-related views. I was amazed to find that an airline could conduct the same maintenance task, simultaneously, on both engines of a twin without a test before flight. Surely, if there is a need, for example, ...