Eurocopter sets up Moscow service centre
Maintenance Eurocopter has become the first Western manufacturer to set up a maintenance centre for its aircraft in Russia. The facility will be located at Ostafievo airport near Moscow. The EADS unit recently established Eurocopter Vostok as its wholly owned Russian subsidiary, and plans to open additional maintenance facilities in co-operation with local partners in St Petersburg and in the Tumen region.
Bell H-1 upgrade programme lives on
Helicopters US Department of Defense acquisition chief Kenneth Krieg has decided to continue Bell Helicopter’s troubled US Marine Corps H-1 upgrade programme, for now. A meeting on 22 June to review the progress of efforts to upgrade AH-1Ws and UH-1Ns to largely common AH-1Z and UH-1Y standard decided to continue the programme, which has suffered significant cost overruns, but to conduct another review in October. The DoD also directed the US Navy to develop ways to resolve the issues, including “potential alternatives” to the programme as now structured.
AgustaWestland clinches Beijing sales
Orders Finmeccanica-owned helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland has sold one A109 Power, two locally assembled CA109 Powers and one AW139 to the Beijing municipality public security bureau. The contract for two CA109 Powers is the first to be awarded to the joint venture Jiangxi Change Agusta Helicopter, which was established in 2005.
Comp Air plans certification first
Manufacturing Turbine kitplane specialist Comp Air has announced plans for its first certificated aircraft, the eight-seat, high-wing CA9 and 12-seat, low-wing CA12. Both are composite, pressurised and powered by Honeywell TPE331 turboprops and will be available initially as kits while Merritt Island, Florida-based Comp Air works towards certification. The fixed-gear CA9 has a 940shp (700kW) TPE331-10, 240kt (445km/h) cruise speed and 1,650km (890nm) range, and will fly at the beginning of next year. The retractable-gear CA12 will fly later this year and has a 1,400hp TPE331-14, giving a 275kt cruise and 4,500km range.
Collins glass cockpit selected for CH-53K
Avionics Sikorsky has selected Rockwell Collins to supply the glass cockpit for the US Marine Corps’ improved CH-53K heavylift helicopter. Collins will supply the avionics management system, consisting of five liquid-crystal multifunction displays, dual integrated processing cabinets, dual control display units and dual data-transfer units.
LHT wins ATA contract
Overhaul Indianapolis-based ATA Airlines has contracted Lufthansa Technik (LHT) to provide its Total Component Maintenance service for the low-cost carrier’s three Boeing 737-300s, 25 737-800s, 20 757-200/300s and four Lockheed L1011-500s, as well as Total Engine Support for the CFM International CFM56-7-powered 737-800s. LHT has also launched Total Material Operations, under which it offers to establish central component and supplies depots at main bases of its customers and all their network stations.
Bombardier sued over circulation system
Lawsuit A Canadian aviation water systems maker is suing Bombardier for allegedly stealing the design of its patented circulation system and contracting Goodrich to fabricate a similar product for its Global 5000 business jet. According to the Canadian lawsuit, which was filed last week by British Columbia-based International Water-Guard (IWG), Bombardier gained access to the proprietary elements of the circulation system in 2002 during the joint definition phase of the Global programme, which involved IWG. The commercial contract to supply the aircraft’s standard water system was later awarded to Goodrich.
Source: Flight International
