All Systems & Interiors news – Page 760

  • News

    Forecasts for 2000 - Airframers

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Ultra-large aircraft and regional jets to move ahead, but production to slow Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Although 1999 promised some dramatic airliner developments, few came to fruition. But the stage has been set for key activities over the next 12 months - most notably in the ultra-large aircraft and regional-jet sectors. ...

  • News

    Reims analyses demand for Western version of An-140

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Francois Legros/PARIS French light aircraft manufacturer Reims Aviation is evaluating the market for a possible Westernised version of the Antonov An-140 turboprop. Reims Aviation sales manager François Billet says the company's relationship with the Ukrainian design bureau Antonov is "very close" and that it is "undertaking a market ...

  • News

    SAS board approves A330/A340 purchase

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    The SAS board has finally approved the Scandinavian flag carrier's long-awaited purchase of four A330-300s and six A340-300s to replace Boeing 767-300ERs on long-haul routes. The airline's selection of the Airbus types over the rival 777-200ER was revealed by Flight International in January, although the order was delayed until internal ...

  • News

    Forecasts for 2000 - Aerospace

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    The shape of the industry is changing radically Chris Jasper/LONDON The face of aerospace manufacturing has been transformed over the past few years by rampant merger activity, but in 2000, the industry may at last be prepared to take a breather as companies concentrate on extracting value from the ...

  • News

    Euro capacity plans sought for 8.33kHz success

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Emma Kelly/LONDON Eurocontrol is urging member states affected by the implementation of 8.33kHz channel-spacing to provide details of their capacity plans for next summer to ensure the success of the programme and alleviate congestion in European airspace. The mandatory carriage of 8.33kHz-compatible airborne radio equipment came into effect above ...

  • News

    Airbus flying-wing studies

    1999-12-22T00:00:00Z

    Alongside immediate plans on the A3XX, Airbus Industrie and its partners are looking at configurations that could lead to the introduction of radical airliner designs further into the 21st Century. The first of a series of meetings to consider future concepts took place in November at Airbus Toulouse headquarters. Airbus ...

  • News

    Aeroflot agrees to lease six Ilyushin Il-96-300s

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Aeroflot Russian International Airlines has signed an agreement with Ilyushin's finance arm to take delivery of six Ilyushin Il-96-300s on lease. Production of the 240-seat Il-96-300, powered by the Aviadvigatel PS-90A, has been running at a trickle at the VASO Voronezh plant, where unfinished aircraft have been stockpiled. ...

  • News

    Crossair gears up for ATM-2000+

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Andrew Doyle/SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS Crossair aims to become the first regional airline to have aircraft compliant with Europe's future communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) operating environment when it begins taking delivery of a fleet of 15 Embraer ERJ-145s in February. The carrier says it decided ...

  • News

    Next-generation datalink held up

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Efforts by the US Federal Aviation Administration to develop and deploy the next-generation digital air-to-ground communications system could be delayed by budget cuts, US aviation agency officials have warned. For now, controller pilot datalink communications (CPDLC), a key element of the FAA's "free flight" programme, remains on track despite ...

  • News

    New PETAL partners will join in 2001

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Swissair, Northwest Airlines and Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal) are to join Europe's Preliminary Eurocontrol Test of Air/Ground Data Link (PETAL II) programme in 2001. PETAL II is Europe's groundbreaking validation of air-ground data links in operational air traffic control. The three-phase programme involves air traffic controllers and aircraft crew communicating ...

  • News

    Nigeria continues rebuilding as privatisation looms

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Nigeria Airways has begun the next phase of rebuilding its network as it gears up for partial privatisation in early 2001. The airline has expanded its joint weekly services with British Airways between Lagos and London Heathrow from three to six frequencies, and introduced a dedicated Boeing ...

  • News

    Athens hub draws BA interest

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Julian Moxon/PARIS British Airways is targeting Olympic Airways as a possible oneworld partner as part of a strategy aimed at developing the new Athens Spata airport as a major regional hub. The UK airline, which, through its consultancy arm Speedwing, has a contract to restructure Olympic in preparation ...

  • News

    Rocket science

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    NASA must be eagerly awaiting the New Year following its string of disasters in 1999. The US space administration, which has done so much for space exploration this century, is hardly ending it on a high note. The latest setback - the further delay of the crucial Hubble Space ...

  • News

    Boeing secures deal for Skybridge launch

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    The Alcatel-led Skybridge consortium has selected Boeing Delta III and IV vehicles to launch half of its planned 80-satellite constellation from 2002, in a deal which is a major blow to Arianespace. Boeing will also take a "significant" financial stake in Skybridge, which will operate a high-speed broadband multimedia ...

  • News

    Europe to define GalileoSat

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    The European Space Agency and the European Commission (EC) have signed a contract to launch the €20 million ($20.2 million) GalileoSat definition phase for the proposed Galileo satellite navigation system. By mid-December, the EC was also expected to sign four major contracts with industry on Galileo system definition. The ...

  • News

    Quality regulations push back Eaglet certification schedule

    1999-12-15T00:00:00Z

    Euro-ENAER has pushed back certification of its Eaglet single-engined utility aircraft until the first quarter of 2000 because of the unforeseen demands of new European quality assurance regulations for general aviation aircraft. The fully composite two-seat Eaglet, originally set for approval in March, may become the first aircraft to ...

  • News

    Canada wants to fly MD-11 in crash investigation

    1999-12-08T00:00:00Z

    The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) wants to conduct test flights with a Swissair Boeing MD-11 with its inflight entertainment system activated as part of the continuing probe into the 2 September, 1998, crash of the same craft, off Nova Scotia, the TSB confirms. Tests are intended to ...

  • News

    Virgin fires starting gun for Australian no-frills market

    1999-12-08T00:00:00Z

    Paul Phelan/CAIRNS Virgin Group owner Richard Branson unveiled plans in Sydney at the end of November for a low-cost Australian domestic airline in the style of Europe's Virgin Express. Branson says he hopes to have his new no-frills airline, provisionally titled Virgin Australia, fully operational well before the ...

  • News

    Eagle Aircraft picks Kansas distributor

    1999-12-08T00:00:00Z

    Eagle Aircraft has delivered six Eagle 150B trainers to its recently appointed US partner, GLH Aviation of Augusta, Kansas. GLH is responsible for final assembly, quality-assurance flights, and sales and marketing for the US market. GLH is negotiating with Eagle to expand the deal to include installing key components ...

  • News

    NASA plans the first of Mars mission series

    1999-12-08T00:00:00Z

    NASA will launch a navigation and communication microsatellite into orbit around Mars in 2003 as the first of a series of micromissions there. NASA plans to launch the 485kg (1,100lb), $50 million, microsatellites, built by Ball Aerospace, with an Aerojet propulsion unit, to form the Mars Network. The network ...