Boeing restructures delta ii offer
LAUNCHERS United Launch Alliance will restructure its Delta II programme because of an expected reduction in NASA and US defence department launch orders after 2010. Boeing Launch Services will continue to market Delta II commercially, and ULA will cross-train its employees for Lockheed Martin Atlas and Delta work to avoid skill losses. The next Delta II launch is scheduled for 13 March, and is the first of eight for 2008.
US mergers to face Congressional Scrutiny
AIRLINES US legislators are prepared to hold a hearing into potential mergers by the country's carriers shortly after the deals are announced. House transportation committee chairman James Oberstar will schedule hearings to examine the issues "the moment" a merger is announced, says a committee spokesman, who adds that Oberstar believes consolidation would negatively impact consumer fares and service.
Quickstep moves to composites manufacture
TECHNOLOGY Australian technology company Quickstep has started production of aerospace composite parts using its fluid-based curing method at its facility in Fremantle, Western Australia. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority is expected to certificate the parts in the first half of this year, with installation on aircraft expected soon after. The Quickstep process uses a lightweight rigid mould suspended in heat-transfer liquids to produce composites significantly more cheaply and quickly than traditional autoclave methods.
B/E breathes easy after Airbus win
CONTRACT Airbus has awarded B/E Aerospace a contract, initially worth more than $125 million, to supply passenger and crew oxygen systems for the A350 XWB. B/E chief executive Amin Khoury says the deal represents new business as "neither this award, nor our oxygen/PSU award for the Boeing 787, is in our current backlog".
GTE boosts turbine aftermarket business
Expansion Gas Turbine Efficiency has formally launched its Advanced Fuel & Combustion business as part of a bid to broaden its involvement in the $10 billion global turbine aftermarket. The business unit provides a range of services, including consulting, design, root-cause analysis and manufacturing.
India eases foreign investment caps
Finance In a push to attract foreign aviation investment, the Indian government will allow 100% foreign ownership of maintenance, repair and overhaul businesses, flying schools and technical training institutions. A 49% cap remains on foreign ownership of scheduled airlines, but the cap is now 74% for a non-scheduled passenger carrier or dedicated cargo airline.
Air france bid for alitalia challenged
Privatisation Rival Alitalia bidder AP Holdings, the group led by Air One's parent company, has launched legal proceedings to challenge the Italian government's decision to start exclusive talks with Air France-KLM. At the end of last year, the Italian government gave the go-ahead for an eight-week period of exclusive privatisation negotiations with the SkyTeam carrier after Alitalia's management selected Air France-KLM as its preferred bidder.
Source: Flight International
