Avionics boosts cobham at the half year
Results Cobham, the UK-headquartered aerospace and defence group, turned in a 9% rise in underlying - effectively operating - profit before tax to £86.1 million ($174.8 million) despite seeing revenue fall 4.5% to £493.8 million for the half year to 30 June. Strong performances included the avionics and surveillance division, which more than doubled trading profit to £20.8 million as organic revenue growth topped a fifth, to £119.5 million. Chairman Gordon Page described the group's results as "strong" halfway into a three-year strategic plan that relies heavily on acquisitions. Recent purchases include a deal worth up to $45 million for Patriot Antenna Systems.
Sikorsky hopes to find us market for pielec
Rotorcraft Sikorsky has invested more than $46 million in factory facilities for its 100%-owned Polish subsidiary, PZL Mielec, since the spring, according Europe vice-president Bruce McKinney. The company plans to continue making its M28 Bryza/Skytruck STOL transport aircraft and M18 Dromader agricultural aircraft three M28s were delivered to the Polish air force this year and three M18s went to China, which will take another 12 in 2008. The same year, Mielec is to deliver 48 UH-60 cockpit structures to Sikorsky, and a priority will be to establish International Black Hawk manufacture in Poland, with first flight scheduled for 2010. The M26 Iskierka piston trainer programme will be terminated. McKinney told Flight: "Now it is difficult to talk about long-term strategy for Mielec." He added that demand was "high" for aircraft like the Bryza/Skytruck: "Maybe, in the future, it will be possible to offer M28s to the US government as a light tactical transport."
AMG Dallas approved for composites repair
Repair AMG Flite Components' maintenance facility in Dallas has received US FAA certification to perform aircraft structures and composites repair. Certification of the Dallas Love Field-area facility allows Flite Components to offer full in-house composite and sheet metal repairs and metal bonding for narrowbody and regional aircraft, including Boeing 737, Boeing 757, ATR and all series of Bombardier CRJ and Embraer regional jets. It is the first stage of a planned expansion of composite and structures repair programmes at Flite Components. Additional capabilities for Airbus and Boeing aircraft will be added later this year.
Radar repair joint venture for indian MIGs
India Bangalore-based Alpha Design Technologies and Russia's Phazotron have formed a joint venture for service, overhaul and spares for the Kopyo radar used in MiG combat aircraft in service with the Indian Air Force. Phozotron, which holds 26% of the joint venture, is the original manufacturer of the Kopyo radar used in the upgraded MiG-21s. The air force and state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics had wanted to establish a dedicated Kopyo facility, but the required technology was not made available to HAL when India bought the MiGs. Currently, Kopyo radars are sent to Phazotron facilities in Russia for repair.
Standard Chartered buys lessor Pembroke
Acquisition London and Hong Kong-listed bank Standard Chartered has struck a deal to buy Dublin-based aircraft lessor Pembroke Group. No purchase price was disclosed. The deal comes a little over a year after Pembroke managers bought the company from co-owners Rolls-Royce and GATX.
Source: Flight International
