Fixed-wing – Page 1236
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Paintless-aircraft testing gathers pace
Graham Warwick/PATUXENT RIVER FLIGHT TESTING OF a McDonnell Douglas (MDC)F-18 coated with plastic film, instead of paint, is to be extended for a second year, and will include at least two deployments to evaluate the material's suitability for use on carrier-based aircraft. The US Navy F-18 is being ...
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Meggitt clocks on
Meggitt Avionics its first contract from Boeing for commercial-aircraft avionics. The UK company's solid-state clocks are to be part of the basic avionics for Next generation 737s. Meggitt has also been contracted to supply the secondary flight-display system for the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstrator aircraft. Source: ...
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NTSB wants to limit Tomahawk training
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) believes that flight training in the Piper Tomahawk should be restricted pending completion of flight-testing by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The Safety Board recommendation to the FAA follows the crash on 4 March, 1994, of a Piper Tomahawk which killed a ...
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Lionceau approval due by year-end
European Joint Aviation Authorities certification of the French APM-20 Lionceau high-performance, composite light aircraft is expected late this year. The Lionceau was shown in static and flying displays at the Paris air show in June. Flight-testing continues. Three examples of the initial two-seat version have been built. The ...
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Saab picks Concurrent
Saab has selected Concurrent Computer PowerMaxion processors to upgrade its Linkoping,Sweden, simulation centre, used in development of the Saab JAS39 Gripen fighter and other military and commercial aircraft. The $500,000 order is for three PowerMaxion systems. Source: Flight International
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Cambodian coup hits Royal Air Cambodge
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE The military coup and collapse of Cambodia's fragile coalition Government has cast doubt on the future of Royal Air Cambodge (RAC), the country's joint-venture airline with Malaysia Helicopter Services (MHS). RAC's two Malaysia Airlines (MAS)-owned Boeing 737-400s have been grounded in Kuala Lumpur in ...
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Toyota expands aviation interests with purchase
TOYOTAMOTOR is to take control of Aero Asahi, Japan's largest commercial helicopter operator, agreeing to buy a 76% stake from the Seibu department store for ´17 billion ($150 million). Tokyo-based Aero Asahi operates 88 helicopters and 12 fixed-wing aircraft. The fleet includes some 35 Bell 206s, as well ...
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Lockheed Martin and Samsung conclude agreement on KTX-2
LOCKHEEDMARTIN has agreed a deal with Samsung Aerospace on joint development of the KTX-2dvanced-trainer/light-combat aircraft. The US company says, however, that it will be "touch and go" to sign contracts and secure US export licences by the 1 October date set by the South Korean Government for formal ...
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Arsenyev Joins MAPO
The Russian Government has issued an order integrating the Arsenyev Progress production plant into VPK MAPO-M concern. Progress is ready to produce Kamov Ka-50 Hokum attack helicopters and Raduga 3M-80 (SS-N-22 Sunburn) anti-ship missiles, but the plant has been at a standstill for more than a year because of the ...
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Russian army helicopter units suffer as financing dries up
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW The Russian army's rotary- wing capability is being dramatically degraded, with helicopter units suffering from extremely poor levels of combat readiness. The average mission-capable rate of the army aviation unit is as low as 28%, admits commander Col Gen Vitaly Yegorov. What is worse, ...
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Indian air force start Su-30 flights
The Indian air force has begun training flights with its first eight Sukhoi Su-30s, part of a 40 aircraft Su-30MKI order from Russia. The first aircraft are basic Su-30s without the canards, thrust-vector modified engines, or phased-array radars which will be included in the full Su-30MKI standard. The aircraft will ...
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Central Europeans consider common fighter procurement
Defence ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland have agreed to try to harmonise their fighter-procurement programmes. According to Hungarian defence minister Gyorgy Keleti, the countries have agreed on closer co-operation in armed-forces development and will pay "special attention to the procurement of fighter aircraft". ...
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European interest in JSF programme continues to grow
European interest in the US Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme is continuing to mount, with the Netherlands and Norway signing agreements with the US Defense Department to join the project as observers. Pentagon JSF programme director Rear Adm Craig Steidle says that, in addition, Denmark is now considering ...
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Greece puts F-15 and Su-27 on shortlist in fighter competition
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC GREECE HAS included the McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F-15 and Sukhoi Su-27 in a four-aircraft shortlist for its next fighter purchase. The Dassault Mirage 2000 and Lockheed Martin F-16 (aircraft which Greece already operates) complete the shortlist. Greece is the first NATO country to ...
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Germany buys eighth Tornado trainer
CAE ELEKTRONIK has received a DM26.9 million ($15.2 million) contract to supply a Panavia Tornado full-mission simulator to be installed at the German air force's US training base at Holloman AFB, New Mexico. The German subsidiary of Canadian simulator manufacturer CAE will deliver the device in early 2000. ...
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Kelly tow method gets patent
Tim Furniss/LONDON Kelly Space and Technology of San Bernardino, California, has been issued a US patent for its towed-launch technique to be used by the company's Eclipse re-usable spaceplane satellite launch system. The plan is to use a Boeing 747 to tow the Eclipse spaceplane to ...
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Germany begins hypersonic attack missile programme
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) missiles subsidiary LFK has been carrying out windtunnel tests on a model of a hypersonic bunker-buster concept which it hopes to turn into an international demonstrator programme. The missile has the working name ASS 500. It is based on a concept ...
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How much will BAe put into JSF?
Sir - The announcement of British Aerospace's participation in the US Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is excellent news for the Warton and Salmesbury staff. When details emerge, however, it will be interesting to see how much BAe will contribute in terms of design and technology, as the initial ...
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Fortis Aviation agrees to market Il-76
Fortis Aviation is finalising a deal with the Tashkent Aircraft Production Organisation (TAPO), which will see the UK-based broker marketing the Ilyushin Il-76s built at the plant. With sales of the cargo aircraft having historically relied heavily on the Russian military, there are now 45 unsold, "white-tail", Il-76s ...
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Bahrain receives USF-16 offers
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC BAHRAINWILLDECIDE shortly between US offers of ten new Lockheed Martin F-16C/Ds or 20 used, but upgraded, F-16A/Bs. Both offers are worth $303 million, including training and support. The new aircraft on offer are Block 50 C/Ds powered by General Electric F110-129s. The used ...