All news – Page 6608
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Shuttle poised for Hubble repair
Tim Furniss/LONDON The 214th and final manned spaceflight this century will be launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 9 December. Space Shuttle Discovery/STS103, flying the 126th US manned space mission and the 96th by the Shuttle, will conduct the third and most difficult service mission to the ...
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NASA plans the first of Mars mission series
NASA will launch a navigation and communication microsatellite into orbit around Mars in 2003 as the first of a series of micromissions there. NASA plans to launch the 485kg (1,100lb), $50 million, microsatellites, built by Ball Aerospace, with an Aerojet propulsion unit, to form the Mars Network. The network ...
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Spaceport work
California Spaceport at Vandenberg AFB has won its second launch support contract. It will provide services for the launch of the US Air Force's MightySat satellite aboard a Minuteman missile. The first contract was awarded to support the USAF Minuteman launch of JawSat, due in December. Source: Flight International
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Embraer studies short-field ERJ-170 for Crossair
Andrew Doyle/SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS Embraer expects to determine by February whether it must install a speedbrake on the belly fairing of its new ERJ-170 regional jet to meet steep-approach guarantees given to launch customer Crossair. The Brazilian manufacturer says it hopes the requirement can be met by introducing an ...
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Oneworld looks to JAL to seal global network
Paul Lewis/NEW YORK The oneworld alliance is making Japan Airlines (JAL) its next priority in cementing a global network, while simultaneously considering throwing a collective financial lifeline to founding member Canadian Airlines. Oneworld admitted Aer Lingus as its ninth partner during a gathering of oneworld chief executives in New ...
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Matra BAe outlines plan for cruise missile-firing airliner
Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA Matra BAe Dynamics (MBD) has unveiled a concept for deploying cruise missiles from a converted Airbus airliner fitted with twin stern launcher tubes. A modular missile storage and handling system occupies the passenger deck. The missile builder is also exploring the use of the system with ...
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Spain's CASA becomes EADS member
Julian Moxon/MADRID CASA has joined the European Aeronautic Defence and Space (EADS) company only seven weeks after the merger of Aerospatiale Matra and Daimler-Chrysler Aerospace (Dasa). The addition of the Spanish company as a founding member of the grouping is seen as a logical step after the announcement in ...
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Financial woes hit South American purchases of new fighters
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DCBrazil and Chile have begun to switch their attention to the second-hand fighter market for future combat aircraft purchases. The move comes as conflicting pressures to replace obsolete aircraft and a shortage of defence modernisation funds put a question mark against buying new aircraft. The two South American ...
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KAI is infuriated by BAE Systems' talks with Hyundai
Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) shareholder Hyundai Space & Aircraft has revealed that it is in talks with BAE Systems over a possible equity sale. Its two partners in KAI, the aerospace divisions of Samsung and Daewoo, see the move as threatening the restructuring process in South Korea. Hyundai briefed ...
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Clinton and Sukhoi in RNZAF F-16 debate
US President Bill Clinton has moved to shore up a lease deal for 28 Lockheed Martin F-16s by New Zealand, following the announcement of a review of the deal by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark. Clark says Clinton raised the lease's future during a telephone conference on 3 ...
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$100m Virgin deal launches System 3000
Emma Kelly/LONDON Virgin Atlantic has signed a $100 million letter of intent with Matsushita for the interactive in-flight entertainment (IFE) system supplier's new System 3000 hardware. The airline, expected to announce the deal later this month, is the first carrier to confirm a commitment to the fully interactive IFE ...
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MAPO designers quit over new policy
A group of senior MiG designers and managers have resigned from MAPO. The group includes Andrei Gorlov, chief designer and head of Mikoyan design bureau; Valery Novikov, MiG-29 chief designer and programme manager; his deputy Victor Kochurov, Edward Kostrupsky, MiG-31 chief designer and programme manager and his deputy Andrei ...
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Air France turns in 'best-ever' figures
Air France performed "better than at any time in its history" during the first six months of its current financial year, says president Jean-Cyril Spinetta. Its 52.3% increase in net income, compared to the previous year, to Fr2.03 billion ($313 million), left its main European competitors standing. Operating income ...
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Aviacor invests to launch An-140 production
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW Russian manufacturing plant Aviacor will invest $20 million next year to underwrite the launch of series production of Antonov An-140 twin-turboprop. The 50-seat design has been conceived as a new generation regional airliner to replace the large fleet of ageing Antonov An-24s in service with Russia's ...
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Commissioner urges action over inefficient ATS
The need for action to rectify European air traffic services (ATS) inefficiency has been highlighted by European Commission (EC) transport commissioner Loyola de Palacio. She has issued a communication just before Europe's transport ministers gather for their biennial policymaking meeting in Brussels on 9 December. A "high level working party" ...
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GB ready for A320 expansion
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON British Airways franchise airline GB Airways is gearing up for expansion under new leadership, aiming to benefit from the UK flag carrier's short-haul restructuring. The independent, based at London Gatwick, will take delivery of the first of at least 10 Airbus A320 family aircraft in May. ...
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Revamped Guyana plans to expand international flights
Recently relaunched Guyana Airways 2000 plans to lease a second Airbus A300-600R to expand international services to South America and the Caribbean. It has also opened collaborative talks with Virgin Atlantic to connect with Europe. GA 2000 chief executive Anthony Mekdeci claims the airline has taken back 60% of ...
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Hungary rapped over air traffic control safety risk
Safety in the Hungarian air traffic control system is being "jeopardised" by continuing instability in the civil aviation authority and the service provider, the LRI. "They have a growing potential safety problem", says an industry source. Hungary is geographically at the centre of some of the busiest air routes ...
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A320 wet lease boosts Libyan
Andrew Chuter/TRIPOLI Libyan Arab Airlines is taking a significant step towards rebuilding its route structure with the scheduled arrival on 10 December of two Airbus A320s at its base in Tripoli. The wet-leased aircraft being provided by Irish airline TransAer are due to be pressed into service almost immediately. Libyan ...
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Malaysia Airlines considering overhaul of its regional fleet
Andrzej Jeziorski/TOKYO Malaysia Airlines is finalising its long-term fleet plans, which include a study of its options for the replacement of its regional fleet. Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chairman Tajudin Ramli says that the airline is studying its fleet programme up to 2007-2010, covering both domestic and international requirements. He says ...