All news – Page 6321
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Boeing unveils X-32 demonstrators
Guy Norris/PALMDALEBoeing unexpectedly rolled out both its X-32 Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstrators during a 14 December ceremony at its plant in Palmdale, California. The conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) X-32A had been expected to make an appearance, but the short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) X-32B's presence (above) was a ...
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US Navy awards contracts for next-generation catapult
Northrop Grumman and General Atomics have won US Navy contracts to develop competitively an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) for the navy's CVX next-generation aircraft carrier. The two companies, selected from seven bidders, will perform EMALS programme definition and risk reduction tasks. Northrop Grumman's contract is worth $62 million, ...
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Eurofighter bases
The UK Ministry of Defence has outlined its plans for the Eurofighter's service entry. The first aircraft will be delivered to a Royal Air Force Operational Evaluation Unit at BAE Systems' Warton factory from mid-2002. An Operational Conversion Unit and the first squadrons are scheduled to be formed at Coningsby, ...
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NZ could dump F-16s to purchase C-130s
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark says her new government is considering using funds allocated to acquire 28 Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft from the USA to instead buy Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transports. Clark said on 13 December that a review of the F-16 acquisition would be carried out ...
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Uruguay goes on look-out for secondhand fighters
Uruguay is seeking second-hand fighter aircraft in an effort to broaden the operational capabilities of its small air force, which until now has largely been confined to the role of light attack and transportation. A senior Uruguayan air force official says: "We don't currently have fighters and this is an ...
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Spain ready for VECTOR
Spain is bidding to join the second phase of the X-31 experimental aircraft programme after Sweden's failure to commit funding to the planned trinational project. Formal talks between Spanish and German Government officials are expected to start in February, say industry sources. The USA and Germany are preparing ...
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Forecasts for 2000 - Environment
Green issues pose biggest industrial challenge David Learmount/LONDON Glimpses of how environmental issues will be handled in the future are visible in the Euro-US row about hushkits. Ostensibly, environmental concerns embrace purely the control of noise, emissions, and safety for those who live near airports. However, this debate ...
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Irish pave way for Aer Lingus offer
The Irish Government has approved the flotation of shares in flag carrier Aer Lingus, paving the way for an initial public offering by early 2001. Public enterprise minister Mary O'Rourke indicates Dublin may dispose of its 95% holding in Aer Lingus, but the government is opposed to the carrier's ...
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Air Canada secures hold on Canadian's Tokyo slots
Air Canada has achieved one of the main goals in its bid for Canadian Airlines International by buying Canadian's landing slots at Tokyo's Narita Airport, enabling it to launch direct Toronto-Tokyo services. The deal will also provide cash-strapped Canadian with bridging finance until its C$92 million ($62.5 million) takeover ...
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AMR plans to spin off Sabre information technology arm
American Airlines' parent AMR is to spin off its computer reservations and IT subsidiary Sabre as a separate company, allowing it to focus on the airline and its sister regional airline, American Eagle. AMR will spin off its 83% interest in Sabre early next year by distributing its 107 ...
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NASA selects New Millennium mission
NASA will fly an enhanced "revolutionary" Earth observation instrument, the Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer, as the New Millennium Programme's $105 million Earth Observing 3 mission in 2003. The imager will test advanced technologies for measuring temperature, water vapour, wind and chemical composition to improve weather forecasts and make ...
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Portugal joins
Portugal has become the fifteenth member state of the European Space Agency (ESA). The country is interested in contributing to space science, technology, remote sensing, telecommunications and navigation programmes. Before becoming an ESA member, Portugal was involved in navigation applications through a bilateral co-operation agreement signed with ESA in 1996. ...
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Bad weather blamed for Air Açores ATP crash in Azores
Bad weather appears to have played a part in a SATA Air Açores accident in the Azores Islands on 11 December. The British Aerospace ATP (CS-TGM) crashed into the steep-sided Pico de Esperanca at about 1,100ft (330m) altitude on the island of Sao Jorge, killing all 31 passengers and ...
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Boeing's third milestone
Boeing was planning to deliver the last MD-80 series twinjet from Long Beach, California, on 21 December, marking the third major milestone in as many weeks for the company's narrowbodied aircraft. The final MD-83 is the 1,191st in the -80 series, and the last of 26 aircraft delivered to ...
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SAS Commuter's first Dash 8 Q400 prepares to enter service
The first of at least 19 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s is poised to enter service with SAS Commuter. Certification by Europe's Joint Aviation Authorities has cleared the way for deliveries of the high-speed 70-seater to begin (Flight International, 15-21 December). The Q400s will operate from Copenhagen and Stockholm. Source: Flight ...
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No failures revealed on 767, says NTSB
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Analysis of sounds on the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of the crashed EgyptAir flight 990 has yielded no evidence of an explosion or mechanical failure, says the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Investigators are unable to provide an explanation for what appears to have ...
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IAE studies options for V2500 applications beyond A320
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES International Aero Engines (IAE) is studying options on longer-term potential developments of the V2500 engine to power a new generation of aircraft to replace the Airbus Industrie A320 and Boeing 737 families. The move comes after the Pratt & Whitney/Rolls-Royce-led consortium dropped its initial "-A7" growth ...
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Merpati considers help from SIA
Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Singapore Airlines (SIA) may be called in to act as management consultant to troubled Indonesian carrier Merpati Nusantara, according to the Indonesian Government. "It is possible that SIA may co-operate with Merpati," says Indonesian communications minister Agum Gumelar, who ruled out a rumoured similar tie-up with ...
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CF34-8C1 approval
General Electric has received US Federal Aviation Administration certification for the CF34-8C1, marking the end of a three-year test effort. The engine is in flight test on 70-seat Bombardier's Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) 700, for which it is rated at 56.4kN (12,679lb) and 61.3kN at maximum take-off auxiliary power reserve ...
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Irish lessor Pembroke confirms its deal to boost 717 orders
Pembroke has placed orders for 15 more Boeing 717-200s and taken a further 15 options, raising its total commitment for the 100-seater to 50 aircraft, of which half are firm orders. The Irish lessor's plans for the follow-on order have been revealed exclusively by Flight International in September (1-7 ...