All news – Page 7121
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United jumps in after WestPac fails Chapter 11
Western Pacific Airlines in the USA ceased operations on 4 February, after efforts to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection failed. United Airlines immediately offered to re-accommodate passengers holding WestPac tickets under a deal which would see the airline receiving up to 60% of revenues already paid to the failed ...
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Arianespace asks for Fr2 billion injection
Arianespace is to ask its shareholders for a cash injection of some Fr2 billion ($325 million), which president Jean -Marie Luton says is needed to help the consortium maintain its position in an increasingly competitive world market for satellite launches. The Arianespace board will put the proposals to the ...
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BAe wins launch aid for Airbus A340-500/600
British Aerospace has been granted launch aid for the Airbus A340-500/600 programme by the UK Government, with the victory attributed to a "battling" performance by trade and industry secretary Margaret Beckett against apparent Treasury scepticism. A decision on the £123 million ($200 million) repayable loan, which represents around one-third of ...
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Defence units expect to evade Boeing axe
Boeing's space and defence businesses will escape major changes when post-merger consolidation plans are revealed later this month, says Alan Mulally, president of Boeing Information, Space and Defense Systems (ISDS). "There is not much overlap" in products or manufacturing between the Boeing, McDonnell Douglas and Rockwell businesses which now make ...
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GEC voices fears over European mega-mergers
Ian Sheppard/LONDON A new report from GEC- Marconi highlights fears within the UK avionics sector that it may lose out in the pending consolidation of the European aerospace industry with its interests potentially swamped by those of the aircraft manufacturers within proposed mega-mergers. Senior sources at GEC, ...
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Emirates closes on stake in Air Lanka
Emirates has entered detailed talks with the Sri Lankan Government to acquire management control and a 40% equity stake in flag carrier Air Lanka. The Dubai-based carrier was selected from a shortlist of potential international bidders. A Government technical evaluation committee says that Emirates was the only contender to ...
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Japanese banking crisis reins in aircraft financing
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON Japan's banks are predicting an extended reduction in their aircraft financing activity in the wake of the country's banking crisis and the demise of their favoured funding vehicle, the Japanese leveraged lease. Japanese banks have historically accounted for as much as 20-25% of the world's airliner ...
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French Government gets going on Air France privatisation
Julian Moxon/PARIS The privatisation of Air France has officially been launched, with the appointment of the two investment banks which will handle the sale for the French Government. Astake of close to 50%could be sold, including a holding for staff. The USA's Morgan Stanley and France's Crédit Agricole ...
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Moving goalposts
The UK Government's decision to give British Aerospace £123 million ($200 million) launch aid for development work on the wing of the Airbus A340 500/600 airliner may give a much-needed morale boost to the UK aerospace industry, but it may also do little to bolster (and may even harm) the ...
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ABL team studies laser turret
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Lockheed Martin is studying new turret design options to improve the performance of the Airborne Laser (ABL) ballistic missile defence system following the completion of windtunnel tests by programme leader Boeing. The YAL-1 ABL will be based on a modified Boeing 747-400F, and the design of the ...
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Raytheon wins deal for anti-cruise missile aerostats
The US Army has picked Raytheon to continue development of an aerostat based system designed to spot low flying cruise missiles. The joint venture has won an initial $12 million for the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System demonstration. The Raytheon team (originally a joint ...
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US Army looks into 'transparent armour'
The US Army is to launch a 24-month study to determine whether "transparent armour" developed for armoured vehicle windows can be used as windscreens on US military rotorcraft. The Aviation Applied Technology Directorate is to award one or more contracts for the research to assess the feasibility of using ...
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Dutch test skis on Cougar for Snow Falcon exercise
The Dutch Air Force has tested skis on a Eurocopter AS532 Cougar MkII of the Tactical Helicopter Group's 300Sqn, ahead of the "Snow Falcon" exercise in southern Norway later this month. The Dutch have borrowed skis from the Swiss air force to equip four of the seven Cougars to be ...
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Pentagon seeks more money for weapons
The US Department of Defense wants to spend $257.3 billion during fiscal year 1999, according to budget figures presented to Congress. The request is $2.4 billion more than the US Congress allowed the Pentagon for FY1998 weapons spending. There are no surprises in the budget submission, which includes ...
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CFM pushes commonality in USAF re-engine bid
CFM International (CFMI) is stressing fleet-commonality benefits to the US Air Force in its bid to re-engine almost 200 Boeing KC-135E, RC-135, E-3 and Northrop Grumman E-8 aircraft. The company's response to the USAF's request for an "alternate propulsion-system assessment" will be complete in the "March-April timeframe", according to ...
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Australia opens competition door to admit CN235 Phoenix
Australia has revised its earlier draft request for tenders (RFT) for a replacement light tactical-transport aircraft so that the Indonesian IPTN CN235-330 Phoenix can be included (Flight International, 4-10 February). The move follows approaches by Indonesian science and technology minister Bacharuddin Habibie to Australian defence minister Ian McLachlan. Habibie, ...
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Global Hawk eyed for missile defences
The US Department of Defense is considering using the Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical Global Hawk long-endurance unmanned air vehicle to shoot down theatre ballistic missiles in their boost phases. The Global Hawk, being prepared for its first flight, is among several options under study. A modified Global Hawk mounting an ...
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F-16s modified
Modification with night-vision-goggle-compatible lighting of 43 US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16s at Aviano AB, Italy, is to be completed in March. Source: Flight International
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Pakistan buys refurbished Mirages from France
France has sold Pakistan 40 refurbished ex-air force Dassault Mirage III and Mirage V fighters. Under the deal, known as "Blue Flash 6", the aircraft are being upgraded by French companies Sagem and Sogerma. The contract was organised by the French defence ministry's maintenance division. The first refurbished aircraft was ...
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Phoenix training
Phoenix Air of Georgia is to provide electronic warfare training to support NATO Integrated Air Defense Systems training periods and the alliance's planned Distant Thunder, Dynamic Mix and Strong Resolve exercises. The company has been awarded a one year contract. Source: Flight International