All news – Page 7753
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North Sea operators act over lightning operations
THE UK'S THREE major offshore helicopter operators have voluntarily suspended flights in known lightning conditions over the North Sea. Their move follows the successful ditching on 19 January, of a Bristow Helicopter Eurocopter AS.322L Super Puma, after a lightning strike in the tail area. Bristow, Bond Helicopter and ...
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UAE close to strike decision
THE UNITED ARAB Emirates (UAE) will decide on an aircraft to fulfil its strategic-strike requirement by the end of this year, say industry sources close to the competition. The UAE air force is interested in procuring up to 80 aircraft to provide a long-range-strike and an air-defence ...
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Hughes cleared for Kuwait AdSAMS deal
HUGHES HAS BEEN given clearance, by the US Government, for the release of the surface-to-air variant, of its AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) to Kuwait. The Gulf state is interested in purchasing a medium-range surface-to-air system, with the Hughes/NFT AdSAMS system, based on the AMRAAM, a ...
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Malaysia will buy AA-12
MALAYSIA IS TO become the first export customer for the Vympel RVV-AE (AA-12) medium-range air-to-air missile (AAM), say senior Russian industry officials at the show. The Malaysian air force has ordered 18 Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter aircraft and the supply of the RVV-AE is believed to be ...
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UK clears Hakim for sale to UAE
THE UK HAS CLEARED the design of a GEC-Marconi long-range air-to-surface missile to take part in a competition for a United Arab Emirates (UAE) requirement, after having initially blocked such an offer. The UK Government objected to the initial GEC design because the missile's range was close to ...
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Australia eyes Popeye and AGM-130 for strike needs
AUSTRALIA HAS short-listed the Rafael Popeye and Rockwell AGM-130 missiles as contenders for its future air-to-surface stand off weapon purchase. The two systems are under consideration for the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Air 5398 requirement to enhance its strike capability. The selected weapon will initially be fitted ...
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Australian Caribou competition hots up
COMPETITION TO replace Australia's fleet of de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou light-transport aircraft has intensified, with IPTN of Indonesia and Alenia of Italy announcing teaming agreements with Australian companies. CASA is expected to follow. The size of the RAAF order has not yet been determined, but could ...
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Russian cosmonauts break records
Russian cosmonaut Valeri Poliakov landed back on Earth aboard the Soyuz TM20, on 22 March, after a record-breaking flight of 437 days 17h. He was launched on the Soyuz TM18 on 8 January 1994, and has now amassed 678 days 16h space experience on two flights. Also aboard the TM20 ...
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Russian space disaster revealed
THE FIRST TEST flight of the Soviet Union's giant N1 Moon booster ended in an explosion at T+70s on 21 February, 1969, killing 91 people on the ground near the Baikonur Cosmodrome, it has been revealed on Russian television. Although some details of the flight have been revealed, ...
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Lockheed signs C-130J agreement
LOCKHEED Aeronautical Systems has signed agreements with three Australian companies to supply components for the C-130J as part of its proposed sale of 12 aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The three local manufacturers selected to join the Lockheed Martin Industrial Team, as C-130J suppliers are, ...
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Bidders team up for RAAF trainer competition
MANUFACTURERS competing for a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) order for a new lead-in fighter trainer are playing down the significance of local assembly, and instead placing greater emphasis on costs and after-sales support. The RAAF has a requirement for 35-45 aircraft as replacements for its aging ...
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Australia wants its own space surveillance
THE AUSTRALIAN Government has identified a future requirement for an independent space-based surveillance system, using optical and synthetic-aperture-radar satellites. A decision is expected to be made, in the next six-eight months on the selection of partners, with which to conduct a project-definition study. The Australian defence forces are ...
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Ansett Australia to retire F28s
Ansett Australia is to begin retiring its Fokker F28 fleet, scrapping five 1000- and 3000-series aircraft by the end of the year. Seven Fokker F28-4000s and five Boeing 727-200s, all due for retirement under Stage 3 noise rules in 2002, will remain in the fleet, but their earlier ...
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French firefighters reject upgraded Canadair CL-415
BOMBARDIER IS to modify its Canadair CL-415 water-bomber, following the refusal of French fire-fighting pilots to accept the first of 12 due for delivery. French Ministry of the Interior crews are refusing to fly the aircraft and it is effectively grounded. The official delivery ceremony has been cancelled. ...
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Eagle exceeds VLA stall minima
EAGLE AIRCRAFT HAS achieved stall speeds of less than the minimum 45kt standard for European Joint Aviation Authorities very-light-aircraft (JAR/VLA) certification in its "200 series" upgrade of the Eagle XT-S sports trainer. The aircraft had previously failed to meet the standard and was operating at a reduced take-off ...
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Raytheon breathes new life into Hawker 800
Raytheon Aircraft is re-launching its mid-sized Hawker 800 business jet, with enhanced performance and has christened it the 800XP. The 800XP will sell for the same $9.9 million price as the current aircraft, but will have upgraded AlliedSignal TFE731-5BR engines providing 20kN (4,460lb) of thrust each - an ...
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Lucas may rebuild aerospace business
LUCAS INDUSTRIES chief executive George Simpson says that the group will seek to rebuild its aerospace business once its restructuring has been completed over the next 18 months. "We would like to see aerospace becoming a more important part of the business than it is, but I believe ...
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Official ARIA A310 accident report leaves cause vague
The 1994 fatal crash of an Aeroflot Russian International Airlines (ARIA) Airbus Industrie A310 was due neither to pilot error nor technical deficiencies, says the initial draft of the Russian Department of Air Transport (DAT) official report. The report blames the 22 March accident on "the unfavourable concurrence ...
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RAF pictures help Turks bomb Iraq PKK bases
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN from UK and French combat aircraft of the Kurdish safe haven in northern Iraq have been made available to the Turkish military. Its forces launched the largest-ever incursion into northern Iraq on 20 March in pursuit of Kurdish PKK guerrilla fighters. The Royal Air Force and ...
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Politician falls to Belgian scandal
BELGIUM'S AGUSTA Helicopter corruption scandal continues to take its toll. Foreign minister Frank Vandenbroeck resigned on 22 March, admitting that he had known of illegal funds when he was party president in 1989. He says that he ordered party treasurer Etienne Mang, to burn the BFr5 million ($175,000) paid by ...