All news – Page 6707

  • News

    Brazil wins approval for P-3A/B Orions

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    The Brazilian Government has received US State Department authorisation for the acquisition of 12 maritime patrol Lockheed P-3A and P-3B Orions. Brazil's requirement dates back to 1994. The air force launched the PX programme to acquire a dedicated shore-based maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare platform to replace carrier-compatible Grumman S-2Es and ...

  • News

    F-22 fights back with supercruise success

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES The US Air Force has warned Congress that failure to fund the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor in the fiscal year 2000 defence budget will have a major impact on the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) project. Maj Gen Claude Bolton, USAF programme executive, fighter and bomber programmes, ...

  • News

    Italian defence and industry plan joint funding

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Italy's defence and industry ministries are proposing a joint approach to the funding of key military aerospace programmes being undertaken by domestic industry. The move is aimed at meeting a defence requirement which cannot be achieved at current budget levels, while providing a boost to the Italian aerospace industry, says ...

  • News

    Laser weapon gets ready for action

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    The first attempt to shoot down rockets using a tactical laser weapon being developed by the USA and Israel is planned for early next year, says the US Army. The future of US defence contractor TRW's Tactical High Energy Laser (THEL) system substantially improved after the first test of ...

  • News

    Pan Pacific plans for Let L-420 flights to small US communities

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Pan Pacific Airways' plans to serve small communities in the north-western USA are back on track after the company agreed to acquire Czech-built Let L-420s. An aircraft arrived in mid-July to enable training to begin. Burlington, Washington-based Pan Pacific hopes to begin operations by year-end. Chairman and ...

  • News

    UPS share sale

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    United Parcel Service (UPS) is to sell 10% of its shares by the end of this year in what is likely to be one of the biggest initial public offerings ever, raising up to $3 billion. UPS, one of the largest privately held companies in the USA, and says the ...

  • News

    DHL poised to take British Airways 757s

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON British Airways is in final negotiations with express package specialist DHL for the sale of almost half of the UK airline's Boeing 757s, with a deal expected to be concluded in the coming months. The transaction, valued at around $500 million (including conversions), would give Boeing a launch ...

  • News

    Spoiling tactics

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    When Boeing concluded its recent trade-in deal with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for 10 more 777s in exchange for a guarantee to buy and remarket its entire A340 fleet, the move seemed as capricious as it was masterful. But, with arch rival Airbus Industrie putting the finishing touches to a ...

  • News

    South Africa to levy 'safety' fee

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Doug Birch/LONDON Foreign airlines flying to South Africa will have to pay fees totalling almost $3 million over the next 18 months as a contribution to an "aviation safety charge", according to the South African Civil Aviation Authority. The fees replace a fuel levy implemented in January by ...

  • News

    Thailand stalls on Alpha Jet decision

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    The Thai Government has shelved its go-ahead decision for the purchase of 50 ex-German air force Alpha Jets, to meet the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) trainer/light strike requirement. Prime minister and defence minister Chuan Leekpai now says more time is needed to consider the procurement, which may be ...

  • News

    All systems go for Transpac Express Pacific services

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Paul Phelan/CAIRNS Australian cargo start-up Transpac Express has received outline approval to launch cargo services to Pacific islands, using widebody freighters. The draft approval from Australia's International Air Services Commission will allow the Brisbane-based company to operate separate weekly freight services from Brisbane to Nauru, New Caledonia, the ...

  • News

    Eurocontrol settles on remedies to increase capacity

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Eurocontrol's Council has approved measures to increase air traffic capacity in Europe this summer and cope with potential capacity shortfalls between 2002 and 2005. At its 16 July meeting, the council approved the process for enhancing co-operation between area control centres (ACCs) to improve traffic flow. Eurocontrol has already ...

  • News

    Cathay Pacific mulls over larger widebody options

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/HONG KONG Cathay Pacific is studying all of the larger widebody types, including the planned Airbus A3XX, as potential replacements for its 19 Boeing 747-400s. Tony Tyler, corporate development director at Hong Kong based Cathay, says it is evaluating long range Boeing 777s, including the planned General ...

  • News

    MD-10 speeds up as passenger version is studied

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Boeing is talking to potential customers about developing a passenger version of the MD-10, as it considers accelerating the cargo-led programme by up to three months. US express carrier FedEx is so far the only customer for the MD-10 conversion of the DC-10, with orders and options for 120. ...

  • News

    Workshop

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Delta Air Lines' Technical Operations division has been selected by Boeing Business Jets as the primary aircraft heavy maintenance services provider for its Boeing NetJets (BNJ) fleet. General Electric Engine Services will provide primary engine maintenance services, while Delta will also provide selected engine maintenance services for the BNJ fleet. ...

  • News

    Airbus plans to thwart Boeing's SIA deal

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Airbus Industrie has drawn up a confidential business plan aimed at frustrating Boeing's efforts to remarket 17 A340-300s it is to acquire from Singapore Airlines (SIA)as part of a recent 777 deal. The consortium declines to comment on the plan, but a source familiar with its contents says: ...

  • News

    Boeing soft pedals on programme cutting

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Chris Jasper/LONDON Boeing is playing down the possibility of cutting programmes in its get-tough approach to what it had labelled "value destroying" product lines. The US giant's chief financial officer, Debby Hopkins, says several programmes previously in doubt are "operating above the line", and are off the at-risk list. ...

  • News

    FAA validation

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    The US Federal Aviation Administration's computer systems have been independently validated as being Year 2000 (Y2K) compliant. The FAA met its 30 June deadline for completing repairs, despite lateness tackling the date rollover problem. Science Applications International completed verification and validation in July. Source: Flight International

  • News

    House vote puts first nail in F-22's coffin

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Congressional moves to cut funds for production of the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor took a set closer to reality on 23 July, when the House of Representatives voted to withhold $1.8 billion for the first six aircraft. US Air Force (USAF) and industry hopes to restore funding now rest ...

  • News

    First taker for SpaceDev asteroid mission

    1999-07-28T00:00:00Z

    Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC SpaceDev has secured the first customer for its planned commercial asteroid rendezvous mission. The company has signed a $200,000 contract with Dojin to carry a package on the Near Earth Asteroid Prospector (NEAP), to rendezvous with asteroid Nereus in January 2002. Poway, California-based SpaceDev already ...