All news – Page 6864
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Lucas wins Rolls-Royce Trent derivatives control-system contract
Lucas Aerospace has signed a risk-sharing agreement with Rolls-Royce to supply control systems for the recently launched Trent engine derivatives. The contract is estimated to be worth over £1.25 billion ($2 billion), including spares support. The UK company will manufacture electronic engine-controls, fuel-metering units and actuation equipment for the Trent ...
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CSC to run trial of airport smartcard
Ian Sheppard/LONDON Computer Sciences (CSC) is close to launching a trial with a major European airport operator, based on a prototype "contactless" smartcard for airline passengers, which, for the first time, will act as a re-usable boarding pass, electronic-ticket and multiple-airline loyalty-scheme card. Paul Seaton of the company's ...
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Order boom peaks
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON If the latest round of year-end order announcements from Airbus and Boeing seemed to lack some of the high drama of previous years, perhaps it comes as recognition that there may be some tougher times ahead. Quite apart from the internal restructuring issues that pre-occupy both manufacturers, the ...
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Arianespace looks to halve Ariane 5 price
Julian Moxon/PARIS Arianespace is looking for cuts of up to 50% in the purchase price of its new Ariane 5 as part of its planned production order for up to 50 launchers. "We will negotiate the deal based on our cost-reduction objectives," says president, Jean-Marie Luton. The contract would ...
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NEAP experiments may fly in Discovery mission
SpaceDev, which is promoting the privately funded Near Earth Asteroid Prospector (NEAP) mission, hopes to obtain partial funding indirectly from NASA as a result of the space agency's next announcement of opportunities to participate in Discovery missions (Flight International, 29 October-4 November, 1997). In March, NASA will invite proposals ...
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Enhanced Skynet 4 launched
Tim Furniss/CAPE CANAVERAL The UK's Skynet 4D military-communications satellite was lofted into orbit by a three-stage Boeing Delta 2 booster from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 10 January. The launch was the first of 18 planned by the Delta this year and the first of 11 Matra Marconi Space ...
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Safety perceptions
David Learmount/LONDONThe past year has provided confirmation of society's readiness to believe that air travel is inherently dangerous. Media interest in aviation, often used to advantage by the industry, proves to be a double-edged sword when a series of accidents occurs close together, as happened at the end of 1997. ...
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Crisis threatens $30 billiion orderbook
Latest backlog figures reveal that Airbus and Boeing have firm orders worth an estimated $30 billion at stake in Asia Pacific as the region's airlines struggle with the unfolding economic crisis. In their 1997 year-end backlog figures, the two manufacturers count firm orders for about 260 aircraft destined for the ...
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Asia-Pacific pathfinders
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE The Asia-Pacific region has been at the forefront of promoting the new communications, navigation and surveillance/air-traffic-management (CNS/ ATM) system since the concept emerged in 1983. These efforts will begin to bear fruit in 1998, with the planned opening and start of trials on key new routes between Asia, ...
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Cox develops hybrid de-icer for Premier I
Ice-protection specialist Cox is testing the ice-protection system for the horizontal stabiliser of Raytheon's Premier I business jet at its newly established LeClerc icing research laboratory in New York. The hybrid de-icing system, now under test, combines an electro-thermal leading-edge parting strip and electro-mechanical actuators to throw off ice, ...
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USA and France plan joint UCAV testing
Bids are being sought for a 48-month US/French programme to demonstrate flight-control and flight-management technologies enabling combined strike operations by manned aircraft and unmanned combat air-vehicles (UCAVs). The Integrated Tactical Aircraft Control research programme will flight-test two concepts for the control of UCAVs: by aircrew in manned strike aircraft ...
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Bangladeshi Fulcrums
The Bangladeshi air force is to procure an unspecified number of MIG MAPO MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters to supplant its obsolescent Mikoyan MiG-21 Fishbed fighter aircraft. The air force also continues to receive Chengdu F-7s from China. Source: Flight International
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SEAKR recorder
SEAKR Engineering of Englewood, Colorado, has received a follow-on contract from the US Air Force Research Laboratory to develop further its advanced solid-state-recorder technology, using new modular architecture and fault-tolerant and radiation-tolerant components. Development of a commercially based digital signal-processing board is central to the project. Source: Flight ...
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BMW R-R first
BMW Rolls-Royce has become the first European engine manufacturer to be awarded design-organisation approval by the European Joint Aviation Authorities, under Joint Aviation Requirement (JAR) 21. Source: Flight International
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Fibre replacement
Alliant Techsystems is to demonstrate manufacture of composite engine-inlet-duct skins for the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 using automated fibre-placement, to reduce production costs, following the success of the process in producing ducts for Lockheed Martin's X-35 Joint Strike Fighter concept-demonstrator aircraft. Source: Flight International
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New Schiphol database
Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport has purchased a new SwITch central flight-information system from Brussels Airport Terminal (BATC) for $2.85 million. BATC markets two versions: Airport Core, an off-the-shelf product for smaller airports, and Core Plus, a more sophisticated system for larger airports. Source: Flight International
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Titan bulids defence IT
DBA Systems, a US defence information technology and intelligence group, is to be acquired by Titan. DBA with will bring sales of over $25 million to San Diego-based Titan, which plans to pool DBA with its own growing defence-intelligence business. Source: Flight International
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Aviation sales grow
US spares group Aviation Sales has strengthened its parts-manufacturing arm with the acquisition of Apex a small privately held precision aerospace machining operation in Phoenix Arizona. The deal was financed by an $8.3 million share swap. Source: Flight International
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AAR completes AVSCO
AAR has completed its acquisition of AVSCO, a new aviation-parts distributor with sales of around $80 million. The business will be merged with AAR's Cooper Aviation unit, acquired in June, creating a North American parts distribution business with combined sales of around $140 million. Source: Flight International
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Low-rate JSOW
The US Navy has awarded Raytheon TI Systems an $86 million contract for low-rate initial production of 180 AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) for the USN and US Air Force. The two military services plan a combined purchase of nearly 24,000 JSOWs. Source: Flight International