All news – Page 6511
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Manufacturers' perspective
Production, reliability and certification issues have dominated the 737's debut Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Between them, Boeing and CFM International faced the fastest ramp-up in production and delivery of any commercial airliner with the 737NG. Since delivery of the first aircraft to Southwest Airlines in December 1997, some 250 examples ...
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Chandra delay
Space Shuttle STS93 Columbia, planned for 9 July to deploy the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, has been delayed. NASA wants to postpone until the cause is known of the Boeing Inertial Upper Stage failure on the Titan launch of a DSP satellite. Source: Flight International
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Second Delta III launch fails to orbit Orion 3
The second flight of Boeing's Delta III from Cape Canaveral on 5 May failed to place its Orion 3 satellite into the correct transfer orbit, after a second-stage malfunction. The planned 2min 40s second burn of the single Pratt and Whitney RL-10B-2 Centaur-type cryogenic engine did not take place, ...
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HOPE-X test flights delayed by redesign and budget factors
Andrzej Jeziorski/TOKYO Test Flights of the H-II Orbiting Plane-Experimental (HOPE-X) reusable space vehicle have been postponed from February 2001 until February 2004 because of a redesign and budget restrictions. The HOPE team, led by Japan's National Space Development Agency and National Aerospace Laboratory (NAL), is carrying out a ...
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Lockheed Martin reviews operations
Tim Furniss/LONDON Lockheed Martin has formed an independent panel of experts to conduct a comprehensive review of programme management, engineering, manufacturing processes and quality control procedures at its space divisions following a series of recent launch failures. In addition, the US Air Force is conducting a broad area review ...
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NASA sets date for X-34 captive-carry flight tests
NASA and Orbital Sciences plan to begin captive-carry flight tests of the X-34 reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology demonstrator on 18 June, marking the start of an ambitious programme aimed at achieving the first of 27 powered test flights in January next year. The captive-carry flights, using the Virginia-based ...
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Australian UAV
Bombardier has signed a contract with the Australian Department of Defence worth nearly A$2 million ($1.3 million) for the lease of two CL-327 Guardian rotary wing UAVs and one ground-control station. The two-month lease will support risk mitigation studies, supporting the Australian Army's Joint Project 129 requirement for an airborne ...
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Antarctic conversion
The US Air Force has awarded Raytheon an $18 million contract to convert two US Navy Lockheed Martin ski-equipped LC-130Rs to USAF LC-130H configuration, to support Antarctic research projects. The Raytheon Systems unit, in Waco, Texas, will upgrade the cockpits to include new avionics, navigation and communications equipment and displays. ...
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One for the LADS
SkyHook Technologies has sold its first SkyHook Light Aerial Delivery System (LADS), to the Kansas National Guard. The company says the LADS reduces re-supply flight times by up to 50%. US Combined Army Support Command will test the system in exercises this month; the LADS is being evaluated by the ...
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German CH-53 tanks
Derlan has shipped the first external fuel tanks to Eurocopter Deutschland for Germany's Sikorsky CH-53 helicopter range-extension programme. Delivery of 21 shipsets, each of two filament-wound composite tanks, will be completed by year-end. Source: Flight International
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Jet expands
Jet Aviation is expanding its West Palm Beach, Florida, maintenance facility with two hangars capable of housing large business jets. Source: Flight International
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CD-ROM parts
Galaxy Aerospace has begun shipping a CD-ROM-based maintenance manual for Astra-series business jets. Developed in conjunction with specialist Jana, the CD-ROM includes a search engine and hyperlinks allowing users to jump between maintenance manuals, illustrated parts catalogue and wiring diagrams. Source: Flight International
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Robinson clipper
Robinson Helicopters has delivered four R44 Clippers to the State of Alaska Department of Public Safety. The four-seat piston-engined Clipper, so called because of its ability to land on water, will be deployed on fishery and wildlife patrols and will complement the department's single two-seat R22 Mariner helicopter. Source: Flight ...
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Police patrol
American Eurocopter has delivered a third AS350B2 AStar to the Ohio State Highway Patrol for traffic enforcement, emergency transport and surveillance. The single-turbine helicopter was purchased with forfeited funds from drug couriers. Source: Flight International
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Mangusta equipment
Israel Aircraft Industries' Tamam division will supply the electro-optic night targeting and electronic warfare systems to Agusta for its A129 Mangusta, which is short-listed by Turkey for its attack helicopter requirement. The helicopter will be able to use Hellfire and TOW anti-tank missiles. Tamam confirms that the Israel-equipped A129 is ...
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Fairchild wraps up 328JET testing and confirms stretch plans
Andrew Doyle/OBERPFAFFENHOFEN Fairchild Aerospace has almost completed flight-testing its 328JET30-seater and expects to receive certification from the European Joint Aviation Authorities and the US Federal Aviation Administration by 1 July. First deliveries to US carrier Skyways will take place that month. Meanwhile, the US company claims to have ...
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Boeing maintains 717 campaign
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Boeing aims to boost sales of its 717 regional jet by taking a role in maintenance support and certificating a "Lite" version that could cut airport and navigation charges for airlines. The move comes as Greek flag carrier Olympic signs as the type's first European airline operator. Its ...
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FAA cracks the whip on US Classic 737 bulkheads
The US Federal Aviation Administration has ordered US operators to inspect 500 of their Classic Boeing 737s for fatigue cracks in aft pressure bulkheads. An airworthiness directive (AD) requires operators of early model 737s to perform either electronic or visual inspections. The emergency order stems from the discovery of ...
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Airbus' Japan sales drive pays off with Mitsubishi contract
Andrzej Jeziorski/TOKYO Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has secured its first airframe components subcontract on an Airbus Industrie programme as the European manufacturer steps up its sales efforts in Japan. The contract, awarded to Mitsubishi via Airbus partner British Aerospace, covers production of an A319/A320 wing root component, the shroud ...
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Delta-ALPA skirmish may start scope clause battle
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Delta Air Lines and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) have locked legal horns over the use of Comair regional jets on the new Boston-Washington DC shuttle in what could be the opening shots of a much wider battle over pilot scope clauses. ALPA is ...