All news – Page 7210
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Satellite rush
Two more US companies have joined the rush to file applications to the Federal Communications Commission to operate a fleet of high-speed data-communications satellites (Flight International, 8-14 October). PanAmSat proposes a 12-satellite system, called the V-Stream, while Spectrum Astro plans to launch 25 Aster satellites, five each into five geostationary-orbiting ...
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Regionals alive
US regional airlines maintained their growth in the first six months of the year, with revenue kilometre miles increasing by 3% to more than 13.3 billion. The average load factor, says the US Regional Airline Association, was 53.5%, up slightly over the same period a year ago. The number of ...
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Western Pacific files for Chapter 11 protection
Western Pacific Airlines confirmed the perilous state of the US low-cost carrier market with a filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 6 October. The latest failure comes just weeks after the bankruptcy of Air South and follows a round of heavy losses throughout the low-cost sector, which ...
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DoT promises action to help start-ups
The US Department of Transportation (DoT) has pledged to act against anti-competitive behaviour by major network carriers, which the country's low-cost start-ups claim is driving them out of business. The pledge came only days before Western Pacific Airlines became the latest start-up forced to file for bankruptcy protection. ...
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Political Noises
As many in the European aviation industry are learning to their cost, the environmental debate can have a lot more to do with politics and public sympathy than it does with technology. The new emissions surcharge scheme at Zürich Airport, now being challenged by the International Air Transport ...
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Sikorsky flies first fleet-support CH-60
Sikorsky has flown the first CH-60 fleet combat-support helicopter for the US Navy. The aircraft is a hybrid between the UH-60 Black Hawk transport and SH-60 Seahawk naval helicopters, and combines the UH-60 airframe with the SH-60 dynamic system, blade and tail folding and automatic flight-control system. The ...
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Upgraded F-16 goes to Netherlands air force
The Royal Netherlands Air force received the first production Lockheed Martin F-16 mid-life upgrade (MLU) aircraft at Leeuwarden air base at the end of September. The aircraft has been assigned to the operational test and evaluation team at the base, pending the start of the conversion of the first squadron, ...
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German move destablises FLA
Germany has dealt the credibility of the European Future Large Aircraft programme a considerable blow by demanding that the Ukrainian Antonov An-70 transport be re-examined as the basis for a collaborative project with Airbus Industrie. Volker Rühe, the German defence minister, is pushing for the An-70 to be ...
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Crew crisis confronts Italian air force
The Italian air force is facing a pilot crisis with between two and three times the average number of pilots having left the air force in 1996 and 1997. By the end of 1997, some 300 pilots will have left the air force since the end of 1995, ...
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Russian forces exercise their nuclear muscles
Russia's strategic missile forces, navy and air force units carried out a large-scale nuclear-weapons exercise on 3 October, including the launch of land-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and air-launched cruise missiles. Cruise missiles were launched from Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire, Tu-95MSBear and Tu-160 Blackjack bombers as part of the ...
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Comanche out
The Boeing Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche helicopter has been pulled from the $3 billion competition to supply Turkey with more than 100 advanced attack helicopters. The company says that the Comanche is no longer a contender as it will not be in production in time to meet Turkey's procurement schedule. Boeing ...
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First PAC-3 missile tests are a success
The US Department of Defense says that the first development test-flight (DT-1) of the Lockheed Martin Vought Systems Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico appears to have been successful. According to the company, the test objectives achieved included verification of launch ...
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CIS business takes off
Although business aviation in Russia and the CIS has not received much attention over the six years since the break-up of the Soviet Union, it is becoming an increasingly important tool in the development of industry and services. There are now about six operators in the region with ...
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Bell plans to fly 427 for first time in December
Bell plans to fly its Model 427 light twin-turbine helicopter early in December. The first of two prototypes is in the final stages of assembly at Bell's Mirabel, Canada, commercial-helicopter plant. The company has orders for more than 65 aircraft, with US certification planned for December 1998 and ...
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Gatwick Avionics snaps up competitor Thurston
UK general-aviation company Gatwick Avionics (Redhill) has acquired rival Thurston Avionics for an undisclosed sum. The Stapleford-based company will continue to operate under its existing title for the time being. According to Tony Okill, managing director and co-owner of Gatwick Avionics, however, it will be "-renamed Gatwick Avionics (Stapleford) at ...
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Boeing wins UK order for MD902 Explorer
Police Aviation Services (PAS) will be the UK launch customer for the improved Boeing MD902 Explorer. PAS, which provides pilots, aircraft and support services to 20 UK police forces, will take delivery of the MD902 in the first quarter of 1998, and will provide the helicopter under contract for the ...
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CASA discusses role in Air Jet 70 programme
CASA Aircraft is in talks to join the Aero International (Regional) (AI(R)) Air Jet 70 regional-jet programme, in a move which could lead to the Spanish company becoming a full member of the regional-aircraft group, it emerged at the European Regions Airline Association meeting held in Baveno, Italy, on 9-10 ...
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Air China settles on Next Generation 737
Air China has opted for the Next Generation Boeing 737 to meet its long-standing requirement for a new narrow-body jet airliner, as part of a $1.5 million China Aviation Supplies (CASC) order for 30 new Boeing aircraft expected to be announced at the end of October. CASC will ...
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USAplans strike-UCAV demonstration
Plans to demonstrate an unmanned combat air-vehicle (UCAV) capable of air-defence suppression and mobile-target attack have been unveiled by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This is the first major programme to be launched involving UCAVs. A $125 million advanced-technology demonstration is planned by DARPA and ...
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Landair unveils planning tool for airlines
A "what-if?" strategic-planning tool, intended to enable airline decision-makers to minimise risk by simulating scenarios, has been unveiled by Salisbury, UK-based Landair International. The Airline Planning Model draws on existing computer models and databases of an airline, from scheduling and fleet planning to maintenance, as well complying with ...