FARNBOROUGH CHIEF HEADS FOR MUBADALA
Farnborough Aerospace Consortium chief executive Ross Bradley is leaving the UK trade body in mid-October to take up the same role at the composite aerostructures business being set up in Abu Dhabi by Mubadala Aerospace. FAC sources say the group has called on recruiters to find a successor to Bradley. Mubadala Aerospace aims to become a first-tier supplier to next-generation Airbus and Boeing commercial aircraft and is building a composites plant set to go live in 2010. It signed an agreement with Airbus parent EADS at the Farnborough air show in July to supply spoilers and flap track fairings for Airbus widebodies including A350s and A380s.
FINNISH MRO VENTURE ADDS REGIONAL JETS
Finnair and local regional operator Finncomm Airlines are expanding the scope of their 50-50 maintenance joint venture to include ERJ-145 regional jets. Helsinki-based Finnish Aircraft Maintenance was conceived last year to maintain ATR turboprops and got its operating licence in August. Finncomm, which has nine ATRs and is expanding the fleet to 16, will initially be the company's largest customer. Juha Ojala has been named managing director of the new firm, which is expected to employ 60 personnel and will open a new hangar at Helsinki Vantaa airport early next year to serve domestic and international customers.
SAAB COMPLETES SPACE BUSINESS SELL-OFF
Saab has completed its divestment of 100% of Saab Space, including its subsidiary Austrian Aerospace, to Ruag Holding for SKr335 million ($51 million). Saab is also entitled to an additional consideration related to the long-term positive performance of Saab Space. Saab expects a 2008 capital gain of SKr100 million from the deal.
SOUTHWEST MOVES TO A CASHLESS CABIN
Southwest Airlines plans to debut a cashless cabin this week, no longer accepting cash for cocktails and energy drinks it sells in-flight. The carrier's flight attendants are using hand-held credit card machines allowing them to take drink orders. GuestLogix is the supplier for both the device and software service to process the credit and debit orders. Fellow low-cost carrier JetBlue inaugurated its cashless cabin last year.
SAS EXTENDS THOMAS COOK SERVICE PACT
SAS Group's SAS Technical Services engineering division has sealed a three-year extension to a service contract with Thomas Cook Airlines' Scandinavian operation. The new agreement, covering line maintenance for the tour operator's Nordic fleet, takes effect on 1 December. SAS Technical Services is one of the better-performing businesses within SAS Group. The division turned around heavy 2007 first-half losses to post six-month earnings this year of SKr47 million ($7.1 million).
COMPOSITES DEVELOPMENT DRIVE BOOSTS MS-21
Russia hopes to replace 300 imported advanced composite materials used by its aviation, space and nuclear industries with locally-produced equivalents to be developed in 2009-15. The programme, which has been allocated Rb45 billion ($1.78 billion) by the government, with another Rb18 billion to come from industry, is part of a drive to make United Aircraft's MS-21 narrowbody airliner up to 50% composite by weight.
Source: Flight International
