All news – Page 6299

  • News

    Boeing aims for February launch of 777 derivatives

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing is working towards a launch decision on the ultra-long-range 777X programme at a board meeting set for 28 February. The long-delayed launch is needed by the end of March if Boeing is to keep the 777X effort on track for service entry in September ...

  • News

    A400M powerplant rivals begin joint bid discussions

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Julian Moxon/PARIS Rolls-Royce, Snecma and MTU are talking about offering a joint powerplant for the Airbus Military Company (AMC) A400M. Political pressure is forcing the companies to find a way of merging their rival bids. AMC shelved its engine selection for the A400M last July, citing ...

  • News

    Dash 8Q-400 deliveries hit by manufacturing delays

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Bombardier has informed a key Dash 8Q-400 customer that production problems delaying deliveries of the 70-seater by up to four months will take longer to rectify than expected. Augsburg Airways expected to receive its first aircraft in June, but was told last week by Bombardier ...

  • News

    JSF selection strategy in doubt

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC US defence acquisition undersecretary Jacques Gansler has ordered a potentially far-reaching review of the Joint Strike Fighter's (JSF) "winner-take-all" selection strategy as part of a wider push to ensure a continuing competitive industrial base. Gansler has given the review 90 days to identify JSF acquisition options and ...

  • News

    Ailing Lockheed Martin cuts 2,800 jobs

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Lockheed Martin has streamlined its aeronautical and space systems businesses and is to eliminate more than 2,800 jobs in a bid to reduce costs by $200 million a year. The US giant saw net profit drop 62% to $382 million last year. It hopes the restructuring will help improve performance. ...

  • News

    Dragonair plans massive order

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Hong Kong airline Dragonair is to add 26 aircraft to its fleet by 2005 in an expansion connected to air services negotiations between Hong Kong and Beijing. The first step will be an order for one Airbus A330-300 widebody, with two options, and five Airbus A320 ...

  • News

    Radio revolution

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    WorldSpace plans to operate three satellites providing digital-quality sound to portable receivers Tim Furniss/LONDON The next Ariane 5 launch in February will help to spread radio broadcasts across the world. One of the two satellites it will carry will be the AsiaStar, the second in the three-satellite WorldSpace constellation, which ...

  • News

    Cessna activities reach high spot

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Cessna has reported record deliveries and orders for 1999. The company delivered 1,210 Citations, Caravans and single-engined piston aircraft last year, a rise of 12% over 1998, and received a firm order increase of 22%, to 1,394 units. Cessna delivered 224 Citation business jets last year, up from 195 ...

  • News

    Textron overhaul kits

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Textron Lycoming is producing engine overhaul kits for the first time in its 70-year history. The first kits are offered on the O-235-L series piston engines. Kits are available with fuel pumps, crankshaft and connecting-rod bearings. Source: Flight International

  • News

    Tests of Australian aircraft show most suffer contamination

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    More than 90% of the grounded Australian piston-engined aircraft fleet tested are polluted with the ethylene diamine fuel contaminant. Tests are continuing on the rest of the 5,000 suspect aircraft. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has issued an airworthiness directive calling for tear-down inspections of aircraft fuel systems ...

  • News

    Rotor-burst danger triggers Premier I controls revamp

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Raytheon has redesigned the flight controls of the Premier I business jet to prevent an engine rotor burst severing the links to the elevator and rudder. The redesign will delay certification by three months, to the end of June, says Raytheon Aircraft president Art Wegner. "The aircraft ...

  • News

    VulcanAir awaits delivery of first Zoche Aero diesel

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    VulcanAir was expected to take delivery of the first Zoche Aero diesel engine by the end of January for its VA300 utility aircraft. The VA300 is an upgraded Partenavia AP68TP-600 Viator, due for certification in 2002. The Viator twin-turboprop will initially be a testbed for the Zoche engine, with ...

  • News

    Eurocopter secures first US EC155 sale

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    American Eurocopter revealed a number of orders at the HAI show, including the first EC155 sale in the USA, made to Fred Drasner, co-chairman of US News & World Report. The European concern also announced the sale of two EC120s to the San Bernadino County Sheriff's Department, which will ...

  • News

    FAA opens door to helicopter IFR

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Helicopter operators in the USA will have greater flexibility to operate in instrument flight rule (IFR) conditions after crucial amendments to rules just issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The changes reduce the ceiling minimum for helicopters from 600ft (185m) to 400ft and the visibility minimum for precision ...

  • News

    Despite the promise of tiltrotors...

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Despite the promise of tiltrotors and a plethora of new technologies, the mood at Heli-Expo 2000 was subdued. The result was a more intensive focus on infrastructure and support, and signs from regulators that rotorcraft will be taken seriously this century. Paul Lewis and Guy Norris report from Las VegasSource: ...

  • News

    Rolls-Royce 250 kit

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    The US Federal Aviation Administration has certificated a two-part "R-Plus" performance upgrade package for the Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C20R turboshaft. The two-part kit includes a new vaned diffuser, shroud housing and bleed valve assembly in the initial phase. Source: Flight International

  • News

    Order surge fuels Robinson's plans for expansion

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Robinson Helicopter has booked orders for more than 170 R22 and R44 helicopters to be delivered this year, prompting the California-based manufacturer to begin a major expansion to its Torrance site and increase production of its four-place R44 from four to five machines a week. The move follows the ...

  • News

    Hellfire test delayed

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    US Air Force Special Operations Command's test firing of Boeing AGM-114 Hellfire missiles from a Rockwell AC-130U Spectre gunship will not be performed until September or October because of a funding shortfall. The test was planned for late last year. The USAF says Special Operations Command did not deliver ...

  • News

    Belgium plans forces shake-up

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Herman De Wulf/BRUSSELSThe Belgian Government plans to create a unified command structure for its armed forces. It will abandon its system of independent air force, army and navy staffs, which was established in the 1940s. Belgian defence minister André Flahaut has asked the three chiefs of staff to recommend a ...

  • News

    Squeeze may dilute Canada's helicopter plans

    2000-02-01T00:00:00Z

    Paul Lewis/LAS VEGASCanada is shortly expected to formally start its maritime helicopter project (MHP) with the release of a statement of requirement. Budget restrictions, however, may force a cut in the size of the planned purchase. According to industry officials, the Canadian Government has completed drafting an operational requirements and ...