All news – Page 7384

  • News

    Rutan Boomerang returns interest

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    BURT RUTAN is evaluating two requests to take his Boomerang asymmetrical twin into production. The twin-boom aircraft was originally built by Rutan's Scaled Composites as a one-off personal transport. Rutan says that he would make changes to the Boomerang before it entered production. These include a lower wing-loading; ...

  • News

    BFGoodrich leads avionics launches with SkyWatch

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    BFGOODRICH has launched its SkyWatch collision-avoidance system, which provides traffic alerts for aircraft within 11km (6nm). Priced at just under $25,000, the system uses its own transponder and directional antenna to interrogate other aircraft transponders. Traffic information is displayed on either a dedicated monochrome display, or superimposed on the display ...

  • News

    Flightstar unveils Cyclone

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    FLIGHTSTAR Sportplanes used Sun 'n Fun to introduce the German-designed Ikarus C-42 Cyclone sport aircraft to the US market. "The interest in the Cyclone has been far better than we expected," says Thomas Peghiny, chief executive of Ellington, Connecticut-based Flightstar, which is flight-testing the two-seater in preparation for certification and ...

  • News

    Estimates put the number of...

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Estimates put the number of aircraft flown in to the USExperimental Aircraft Association's Sun 'n Fun fly-in at Lakeland, Florida, at more than 4,000. Reports and photography by Dave HigdonSource: Flight International

  • News

    Diamond tests re-engined Katana

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Diamond Aircraft is flight-testing its Katana two-seater with a Teledyne Continental engine. The fuel-injected 95kW (125hp) Continental IO-240 has transformed the Katana DA20-C1 into an aggressive performer, with climb rates of up to 1,050 ft/min (5.3m/s) at maximum gross weight - more than 50% better than the performance achieved with ...

  • News

    Mooney's M20K has Encore appearance

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    MOONEYAIRCRAFT received an amended US type-certificate for its M20K high- performance piston-single on the eve of the show. The four-seater, once known as the Mooney 252, is re-introduced as the Encore, with increased payload and other improvements. The $300,000 aircraft has a cruise speed of about 215kt (400km/h) ...

  • News

    Poles are permitted to fly Gripen

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Poland and Sweden have signed a new security deal which will allow Polish air force pilots to ßy the Saab JAS39 Gripen. The move comes as the various competitors for the Polish fighter requirement step up their marketing efforts. The agreement covers the protection of classified military information, ...

  • News

    Tiger Stinger tests

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    The Eurocopter Tiger anti- tank helicopter has undergone a successful series of five live test firings of the Stinger air-to-air missile. The launches were made from the fifth prototype Tiger in various flight conditions, including hover, descent at 500ft/min (2.5m/s) and 50kt (90km/h) forward speed.   Source: ...

  • News

    Unmanned U-2 pitched at USAF

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    LOCKHEED Martin Skunk Works is studying an unmanned variant of the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, which it believes could meet various US Air Force requirements. The firm outlined its concept in an unsolicited proposal to the USAF in March. The U-2U variant would augment the manned U-2S for ...

  • News

    Tilt-rotor arrives at initial-production hurdle

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    The Bell/Boeing V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft is expected to be cleared for low-rate initial production before the end of April, but a production increase is dependent on US Congress decisions. Backers of the Osprey military tilt-rotor were disappointed late in 1996, when the US Government rejected a proposal for ...

  • News

    Gradual development

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    By the mid -1980s, the Soviet Ministry of Aviation Industry (MAI) began to seek proposals from design bureaux for a replacement for the Antonov An-24 short-haul regional twin-turboprop, which had been in service since 1962. The idea was that the new aircraft could also serve as a replacement for the ...

  • News

    A bullish business

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Claims by some market analysts that Arianespace is losing its lead in the international commercial-launcher market have been belied by the company's latest successes. Orders to launch the Intelsat K-TV and Eutelsat W3 satellites have swelled its orderbook to 39 spacecraft, worth $3 billion in launch revenue. The contract to ...

  • News

    Training together

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    OPINION DIFFERS on how good, or bad, a year 1996 was for the commercial ßight-simulator industry, but manufacturers agree that sales will increase over the next two years before the boom cycle ends in 1999 and business returns to what passes for normal in this dynamic industry sector. ...

  • News

    Training rigs

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Most offshore oil and gas installations around the world are supported by helicopter operations, and yet the work, particularly the landing on rigs, continues to be dangerous, often combining a cramped industrial environment with bad weather conditions. Helideck crews on rigs, therefore, need to be prepared for the worst - ...

  • News

    The big one

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Mid-September is the deadline for what may be regarded as the most important launch in the history of the European space programme - the Ariane 502. If the second European Space Agency (ESA) development flight of the Ariane 5 satellite launcher is successful, the $366 million loss of the 501 ...

  • News

    AirAsia calls in assistance on strategy plans

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Malaysian start-up carrier AirAsia has called in a US consultancy to help draw up a strategic plan to develop it further as the country's second scheduled international airline. The five-month-old carrier has hired Gellman Research Associates (GRA) to prepare the report, due to be submitted by the end ...

  • News

    American Eagle returns to AI(R) with order for 12 ATR 72-210s

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    European regional airline consortium Aero International (Regional) (AI(R)) has signed with AMR subsidiary American Eagle for the purchase of 12 ATR 72-210A turboprops. The deal is seen as being of significance since it represents the return to favour of the type in North America following a slump in ...

  • News

    American loses Boeing delivery positions

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    AMERICANAIRLINES expects to have to retain and fit hushkits to additional Boeing 727s because of the delay in delivery of new Boeing aircraft resulting from the airline's failure to agree a new contract with its pilots. The 20-year, 630-aircraft purchase agreement with Boeing, announced in November 1996, was ...

  • News

    Sun is set to sell majority in Air Belgium

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Sun International of Belgium is to sell its majority share in troubled charter airline Air Belgium. Talks are being held with undisclosed interests. Group chief executive Marc Vanmoerkerke says that a deal will be signed by June. Sun International owns 65% of Air Belgium shares. The remaining 35% ...

  • News

    KTHY takes MD-90

    1997-04-23T00:00:00Z

    Kibris Turkish Airlines (KTHY)'s first McDonnell Douglas MD-90 is pictured at Shannon Airport, Ireland, en route for the airline's base in northern Cyprus. The carrier, 50%-owned by THY Turkish Airlines, also operates Boeing 727-200s and an Airbus A310. Source: Flight International