All news – Page 7738
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Apache outruns the Tiger
What is behind the Netherlands decision to buy the AH-64 Apache instead of Eurocopter's Tiger? Douglas Barrie/LONDON Julian Moxon/PARIS After prolonged indecision, the Netherlands Government has finally made a choice for its "armoured-helicopter" requirement following a campaign between Eurocopter and McDonnell Douglas (MDC) which at times ...
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An entirely new scene
The simulator business remains a cut-throat one for the survivors Graham Warwick/ATLANTA The commercial flight-simulator market has changed beyond recognition in the past five years. Full-flight simulator (FFS) sales have fallen from a record high of 55 in 1989 to a recent low of ...
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JetCo looks again at fleet proposal
Kieran Daly/LONDON EUROPEAN fractional-jet-ownership company JetCo has dropped Raytheon Aircraft's Beechjet and KingAir from its fleet plan and is negotiating with other manufacturers. The company may still use Raytheon Hawker 800XPs, but that aircraft is in competition with the Cessna Citation VII. UK-based JetCo, ...
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Gulfstream opens London City option
GULFSTREAM Aerospace has won approval to operate the Gulfstream IV-SP into London City Airport (LCY). The certification allows the business-jet to serve the airport which is the closest to London's financial district. Aircraft require special approval to use LCY because of its steep glide-slope. The GIV-SP ...
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Schweizer hands on Ag-Cat
SCHWEIZER AIRCRAFT is selling its successful Ag-Cat agricultural-aircraft programme after concluding that its changing product line had left it unable to produce the type economically. The new owner is Ag-Cat overhaul and modification specialist Jim Krepps of Malden, Missouri, owner of Malden Ag-Craft. The manufacturing company will be ...
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Ring Sights aims to improve helicopter gunners' accuracy
Patrick Allen/LONDON UK GUN-SIGHT manufacturer Ring Sights has developed a helicopter gun sight for use in the air-to-ground role which, the company claims, increases significantly a gunner's chance of a first-burst hit, day or night. The LC-40-100-NVG consists of a solid-glass optic with a reflex collimator ...
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USA clears the way for Singapore tanker sale
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE THE US GOVERNMENT is giving the go-ahead for US companies to enter into formal discussions with Singapore over the supply of aerial-refuelling-tanker aircraft to support its fleet of Lockheed F-16s. Manufactures have already held initial talks with Singapore, but were awaiting clearance from the ...
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India tempted by Israeli Harpy
INDIA IS BEING OFFERED defence equipment by Israel, including airborne early-warning technology based on the Phalcon. The two countries have also sealed a $50 million deal for the Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Harpy anti-radiation drone. The Harpy, as supplied to India, will consist of a mobile launcher carrying ...
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Lear Locker
RAISBECK Engineering has delivered the first of its Lear Lockers for the Learjet 35/36 series to dealer Jet America. The Seattle-based modifier says that the 2.4m unit can carry 135kg of baggage, including items such as skis and hunting or golfing equipment which are difficult to fit in the Learjet. ...
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First American Mobile satellite is launched
Tim Furniss/LONDON A LOCKHEED MARTIN Atlas 2A booster was launched from Cape Canaveral on 7 April, carrying American Mobile Satellite's (AMSC) first satellite, the MSAT. Designated the MSAT 2, this 2,720kg Hughes HS-601 spacecraft, together with the MSAT 1 (to be launched by an Ariane 4) ...
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Ariane launch date set for ESA's second remote-sensing satellite
THE EUROPEAN SPACE Agency's second remote- sensing satellite, the ERS 2, will be launched aboard Ariane flight V72 on 20 April. The Ariane 40 vehicle, with no thrust-augmentation strap-on boosters, will place the spacecraft into a circular, 780km, Sun-synchronous orbit (Flight International, 22-28 March). The launch will open ...
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ESA members bicker over Alpha space-station funds
Julian Moxon/PARIS THE ROW OVER European funding for the proposed Alpha international space station has led to a bout of accusations between individual members of the European Space Agency (ESA). The French space agency, CNES, has lashed out at other European countries which are accusing France ...
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Clinton to plead for Pakistan F-16s
US PRESIDENT BILL Clinton has assured visiting Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto that he will try to persuade Congress to release 28 embargoed Lockheed F-16s or return the $600 million which Pakistan has already paid for the aircraft. Another option is to seek authorisation to sell the F-16s ...
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Israel will stretch ballistic missile
ISRAEL HAS begun work on an extended-range variant of its Jericho 2 intermediate-range ballistic missile. The Jericho 2 as now configured has a range of 1,500km (800nm), but it is now understood that a further range improvement is being worked on to give it a 2,000km-plus capability. The Jericho is ...
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IAE redesigns compressor blades
INTERNATIONAL AERO Engines (IAE) is to offer redesigned compressor blades for the V2500-A1 turbofan, following a series of in-service failures with two carriers. Two incidents on a Dragonair Airbus Industrie A320, in February 1995 and December 1994, are the latest manifestation of a problem which it has taken ...
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Mitsubishi to step up work on XAAM-4
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC (Melco) is to begin full-scale development of the XAAM-4 medium-range air-to-air missile under a ´3.2 billion ($38 million) contract awarded by the Japan's Defence Agency. The active-radar-guided missile is being proposed as a replacement for the slightly smaller Raytheon AIM-7M missile, in service with the Japan ...
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China plans for twice as many passengers
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE CHINA PLANS TO add 320 more aircraft to its commercial-airline fleet so that it can double, to 80 million, the number of passengers carried by the year 2000, according to Chen Guangyi, director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The country's next ...
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Southern to develop L-100 combi
SOUTHERN AIR Transport (SAT) is developing a passenger/cargo "combi" modification for the Lockheed Martin L-100 Hercules transport, for relief and other missions when a combination of people and freight needs to be carried. Hondo, Texas-based Knight Aerospace is performing and certificating the modification, says SAT president Bill Langton. ...
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Crossair seeks cash for RJ100s
SWISS REGIONAL Crossair is to help finance its purchase of 12 Avro RJ100 regional jets with a new offering of shares. Swissair has signalled its intention to take part in the issue, raising its stake in the carrier to a two-thirds holding. Crossair commercial vice-president Thomas Hoffman says ...
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Crash sets back EH101 tests
WESTLAND HAS delayed further test flying of the EH Industries (Agusta/Westland) EH101 following the loss of naval prototype PP4. The aircraft crashed on 7 April during a test flight from Westland's Yeovil site in the UK. All four crew (two pilots and two test engineers) parachuted safely from ...