A380 wins joint EASA/FAA certification
AIRWORTHINESS Formal certification of the Rolls-Royce Trent 900-powered Airbus A380 was awarded on 12 December by the European Aviation Safety Agency and the US Federal Aviation Administration. "From a certification standpoint, this was a huge challenge for the FAA and our European colleagues," says FAA administrator Marion Blakey. "The FAA is working hard to run more like a business, and concurrent certification projects can help us get there."
Steep turns at Belfast
OPERATIONS A chartered Futura International Airways Boeing 737-300 carried out steep turns low on the approach to Belfast International airport, Northern Ireland, according to a report on an 18 July incident. Controllers gave vectors for a VOR/DME approach to Belfast's runway 07, but the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch says that when the crew gained visual contact with runway 08 at Langford Lodge airfield - below the Belfast approach path some 5.5km (3nm) short of the airport - they began a rapid descent toward it until Belfast ordered them to go around.
Australia's Scan Eagles debut in Iraq
DELIVERY The Australian Army's leased Boeing-Insitu Scan Eagle system has been delivered direct into Iraq to support overwatch operations in the Dhi Qar and Al Muthanna provinces. Australia placed an A$12.7 million ($9.76 million), seven-month service contract via Boeing Australia at the beginning of November. The system is being operated in theatre by contractor personnel, with tasking direct from the 500-strong Australian battle group based at Tallil.
Foam salute damages United 777
MISHAP A United Airlines Boeing 777-200 has been taken out of service after a wayward celebratory water cannon salute for a retiring first officer damaged the aircraft's Pratt & Whitney PW4077 engines. Specific details of the incident, which happened at Washington Dulles airport following a flight from Paris, are still under review, but it is believed that fire trucks blasted foam at the aircraft instead of water. "We are conducting a full investigation and are currently looking at the aircraft to ascertain damage," says United.
UK signs CATS target deal worth $716m
CONTRACT The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded Qinetiq a contract worth almost £365 million ($716 million) to provide its Combined Aerial Target Service (CATS) for the next 20 years. Qinetiq last week signed a deal with Galileo Avionica for an initial 50 Mirach 100/5 targets, with the Finmeccanica subsidiary expected to provide 10-15 a year for the first decade of the CATS programme. Meggitt Defence Systems will also provide Banshee and Voodoo targets under the CATS deal.
Orbital will provide lift-off for USAF HTVs
LAUNCHES Orbital Sciences is to provide two Minotaur IV rocket launches of unpowered hypersonic test vehicles (HTV) under a $27 million US Air Force contract. The rockets will launch Lockheed Martin's HTV-2a in 2008 and HTV-2b in 2009, under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Falcon programme to demonstrate technology for a prompt global strike system using unmanned hypersonic vehicles.
Sanswire proves communications platform
FLIGHT TESTING Sanswire Networks completed a tethered test of a technology demonstrator for its planned Stratellite stratospheric-airship communications platform on 14 December in Palmdale, California. Carrying a GlobeTel payload, the Sanswire 2A demonstrated wireless broadband internet access, voice over IP telephone service and real-time video surveillance during the test. Untethered flight testing of the subscale demonstrator is planned to be conducted at Edwards AFB.
Source: Flight International
