All news – Page 7073
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Dull, dirty and dangerous
They fly and they crash, but defence ministries keep on pouring cash into unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), despite a litany of programme failures and embarrassing flops. Defence ministries in general, and the US Department of Defense (DoD) in particular, continue to fund UAV programmes because they are on the cusp ...
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Growth markets
While the prime focus at the last major European air show, Farnborough in September 1996, was on the dog-fight between Boeing and Airbus Industrie to launch a 747 successor, the duel has now regrouped around longer range, and/or increased capacity derivatives of the two rivals' existing products. Airbus ...
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Cuts and thrust
The USA is facing significant order cuts, Europe is arguing about project launches, and Russia is in chaos, with procurement at a halt. That is situation normal for military-aircraft manufacturers in the 1990s. This year's Paris air show will once again be dominated by discussions of problematic programmes, ...
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Meteor in holding pattern
With the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD) decision effectively to defer its choice of medium-range air-to-air missile (MRAAM), opting instead for two 12-month studies, Hughes (chalet 273/B) and Matra BAe Dynamics (2/A20, B20 chalet 198B/B) will use Le Bourget to set out their respective stalls. At stake is not just ...
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Thrusting forward
Two years ago, the world's three big engine makers - General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce - were at the Paris air show, fighting over the future direction of thrust growth for one major programme, the Boeing 777. Other airframes, and their potential derivatives, were very much in the ...
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Tour de force
Unlike the last two air shows at Paris, where the talk among military-engine makers was dominated by budget cutbacks, consolidation and survival, this year's discussions will welcome decisions to proceed with some military programmes. Leading the drive is the US/UK Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) which, as the US Department of ...
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European focus
EUROPE IS THE near-term focus for the flight-simulation industry, with several high-proÌle military programmes pending, and the region's commercial-aircraft industry planning new developments. Production contracts for the Dassault Rafale fighter and Eurocopter Tiger combat-helicopter are expected to be signed at Paris - and planning for the respective training ...
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Commercial approach
WHETHER THE application is military or civil, the avionics-industry catchphrases at Paris will be "commercial technology" and "open systems". Put the two together and they describe a new direction for avionics development - driven by the need to tap into the fast-paced evolution of business and consumer electronics. ...
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Corporate attractions
With sales of business jets on the increase, Le Bourget will host the strongest line-up of corporate aircraft seen at a Paris air show in recent years. One reason is the growing importance of the international market. Most attention is focused at the top end of the industry, ...
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Virgin
Mike Lotz, previously director of ground operations with Virgin Express, has been promoted to chief operating officer. He began his aviation career in 1985 with New York Air and later held senior- operations positions with Continental Airlines and Continental Express, including that of vice-president for airport services. Capt Luc Sobry ...
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STG
Kevin Crichton has been appointed the specialist in oversize and hazardous air cargo at oversize-cargo company STG of Bedford, UK. He joins the firm from Air Foyle, where he was company flight manager. Before that, he was with Southern Air Transport in Kenya, and HeavyLift, at the UK's London Stansted ...
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Matra
Bernard Plano, managing director of the former Matra Cap Systémes, has been appointed chairman and chief executive of the company, which has been renamed Matra Systémes & Information on becoming a 100% subsidiary of Lagardère. It was previously a 50:50 subsidiary of the Lagardère and Cap Gemini groups. ...
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Over the Moon as Galileo...
Over the Moon as Galileo spots Jupiter NASA has released a montage of images of Jupiter, the giant Great Red Spot and the planet's four major moons, taken from the orbiter Galileo. From top to bottom, the moons are: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Calisto. Source: Flight International
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Lockheed Martin links with Intersputnik on satellites
Lockheed Martin Space and Strategic Missiles division and Russia's Intersputnik International have agreed an estimated $1.5 billion joint venture to establish one of the world's largest commercial communications-satellite operations. The first satellite to be developed by the new company (Lockheed Martin Intersputnik International - to be based in ...
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ESA's Luton wins Arianespace post
Jean Marie Luton, the European Space Agency's (ESA) outgoing director-general, will become the full chairman of Arianespace in July, replacing Charles Bigot, who is to retire. Francis Avanzi, the European commercial-launcher organisation's director-general, who was hired in 1995 to replace Bigot, will leave the company. Luton's ...
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Minuteman used to test new protection
A new ultra-high-temperature ceramic thermal-protection material for future aerospace vehicles has been tested during a ballistic flight of a US Air Force Minuteman 3 from Vandenberg AFB, California. The objective of the programme, which is managed by NASA, the Sandia National Laboratories and the US Air Force, is ...
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Watching space
Putting its money worries aside, Russia will be pushing its space technology at Le Bourget. The Khrunichev Space Centre (5B/4) will feature a scale-model of the first component of the International Space Station (ISS). Called the Functional Control Block (FGB), the 20t module will be launched aboard a Proton booster ...
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Cessna's Citation X business jet...
Cessna's Citation X business jet is the fastest commercial transport in production, yet is designed to be flown from small airfields Citation X specifications: Length ...