All news – Page 6295
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Cassini tested
Many of the science instruments aboard the Cassini spacecraft en route to Saturn in 2004 have been calibrated and tested during a 1.5 million kilometres flyby of the asteroid Masrusky. Cassini was launched in October 1997 aboard a Titan 4B en route to Saturn via flybys of Venus and the ...
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Future developments
Although the Gripen has been in service for only a short time, development of the aircraft and its operational systems continues. As well as wishing to keep it abreast of the latest technology improvements, there are two other drivers. The first is to make the Gripen and its equipment NATO-compatible; ...
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SSTL wins RapidEye
RapidEye of Germany has signed the UK's Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) as prime contractor and spacecraft platform supplier for the $100 million RapidEye constellation of four Earth observation minisatellites for launch in 2002. RapidEye is a satellite-based geographical information service firm aiming primarily at the agricultural and cartographic sectors. Source: ...
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In the hot seat
Flight International's test pilot is the only person to have flown all three of Europe's fourth-generation fighters, the Eurofighter, Dassault Rafale and now, the Saab Gripen Chris Yeo/Linköping The problems confronting a fighter design team are broadly the same, whatever their nationality. The best solutions to maximise aerodynamic performance while ...
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A new commission
Six months ago a new team of Commissioners took over in Brussels, and against many expectations there appear to be signs of change for the better. Not least, the transport directorate and industry are finding common cause. It may be perilously early to say so, but the reorganised European ...
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Virgin deal raises doubts over SIA's role within Star
DAVID KNIBB SEATTLE Sir Richard Branson, newly knighted in the UK's millennial honours list, calls the deal between his Virgin Atlantic group and Singapore Airlines (SIA) a "marriage made in heaven", but Star alliance members in Australasia are having heartburn over its implications. The codeshare access that SIA gains ...
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US-UK mini deal threatens to sideline cargo
PETER CONWAY LONDON The latest in the seemingly unending round of open skies talks between the USA and UK in Washington on 4-5 January failed to produce the widely predicted "mini deal" over access to London Heathrow. But most observers still expect some kind of interim compromise to emerge when ...
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Argentinian skies clouded as Aerolineas restructures
DAVID KNIBB SEATTLE Aerolineas Argentinas and the Argentinian-US open skies pact face uncertain futures as the airline's continuing financial problems threaten its relationship with American Airlines. American's parent AMR and SEPI, the holding company for interests owned by the Spanish Government, have been trying to resolve their differences and agree ...
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Air Canada free to ring the changes at Canadian
Air Canada has taken over Canadian Airlines following Ottawa's approval, ending a long and bitter battle for control of Canada's skies. Changes are already becoming apparent. Canadian had suspended Hong Kong and Manila flights and sold its Tokyo Narita slots to Air Canada, but Air Canada has started further ...
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Taiwan and China edge closer
DAVID KNIBB SEATTLE Direct Taiwan-China flights, operated by pseudo-third country airlines, could start this year. The first hint of a thaw came after remarks by Shen Yuankang, Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) deputy director, at a Shanghai aviation seminar. Shen suggested that direct flights could start with Air ...
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In Brief - Asia-Pacific
Cathay orders Cathay Pacific Airways has ordered three more Airbus A330-300s to help cope with current and forecast rates of passenger traffic growth. The Rolls-Royce Trent 700-powered aircraft are to be delivered early next year. JAL sells DHL stake Japan Airlines (JAL) has sold most of its ...
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Taiwan bars all flights as Philippines talks collapse
DAVE KNIBB SEATTLE Talks between the Philippines and Taiwan to resolve the dispute over air services between the countries collapsed in December just as a solution looked close. As a result, Taiwan barred charter flights by three of its carriers to the Philippines and no new talks are planned. The ...
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Lending a hand
JACK SELLSBY LONDON Fuelled by intense competition, financing from Airbus and Boeing, backed by the export credit agencies, is running at record levels. Europe and the USA have been squabbling for years over the support given to their rival civil aerospace champions Airbus and Boeing. With the manufacturers now neck-and-neck ...
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Prince of Airlines
ALAN PEAFORD DUBAI Emirates chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, has overseen his carrier's rise to fame and fortune over the past 15 years. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum looks every millimetre the Arabian prince that he is. A member of the ruling family of Dubai, the vibrant ...
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Cargo on-line
PETER CONWAY LONDON A new system aims to bring air cargo into the Internet age. But is the model right for the market? For the past year, former McKinsey consultant Todd Morgan, together with his colleague Doug Ash, ex-managing director of global freight forwarder MSAS, have been touring airline and ...
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Ahead of the game
PETER MORRELL & CHERIE H-Y LU CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY The 1990s have seen substantial improvements in productivity and costs in the airline industry, even if the gains have not been uniform. When Cranfield University last probed the productivity and efficiency of the industry five years ago, the emphasis was on lean ...
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Australian challengers faced with airport constraints
Severe airport capacity constraints are a major obstacle to plans by Virgin Australia, Impulse Airlines and Spirit Airlines to take on Australia's established carriers. Their problems date back to 1988, when Australia still operated its tightly-regulated Two Airline Policy. At that time Canberra granted Ansett and Australian Airlines (later ...
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Routes - Asia-Pacific
China Southern heads for USA China Southern Airlines is preparing to launch its first dedicated cargo services using a wet-leased Boeing 747-200 freighter between the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and the US city of Chicago. The three times-weekly service is due to begin in March. The aircraft is ...
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CAL parent misses sale deadline
NICK IONIDES SINGAPORE The parent of China Airlines (CAL) has missed an end-of-1999 deadline for the sale of at least half of its 71% stake in the Taiwanese carrier. Although the company claims the sale deadline has only slipped, sceptics are again doubting its resolve to give up control. ...