Kuwait funding refusal forces aircraft cancellation
COLLAPSE Kuwait Airways has been forced to cancel its agreement to acquire 19 aircraft from lessor Aviation Lease and Finance after failing to secure government approval for the deal. The airline had signed a letter of intent earlier this year to take 12 Boeing 787s and seven Airbus A320s.
Qantas snaps up DPEX as Asia beckons
ACQUISITION Qantas has purchased Asian express freight operator DPEX Worldwide in an effort to enter the Asian express market and increase its footprint in the region. The Australian carrier has been seeking an Asian freight investment for some time, having identified freight as a major growth opportunity. A number of years ago the carrier bought a 49% stake in Bangkok-based freight operator Thai Air Cargo, but the venture was dropped in 2006 after rising fuel prices meant the airline was unable to find suitable freighters. Singapore-based DPEX Worldwide operates in 18 countries across Asia. The purchase of the company, for an undisclosed amount, follows the successful acquisition of 37.5% of the DPEX franchisee in China in May.
E*Prime chooses canister launch site
SELECTION E*Prime Aerospace has selected the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA Wallops in Virginia as the launch site for its Canister Launch programme and has applied to the US Federal Aviation Administration for a launch licence. Canister Launch is a rapidly deployable launch vehicle based on Peacekeeper ballistic-missile technology and intended to launch multiple payloads in a short period.
Boeimg clinches strike study contract
STUDY Boeing has been awarded a $8.9 million US Air Force contract to study key elements of a conventional prompt global strike demonstration using an Orbital Sciences Minotaur launch vehicle. The Minotaur would carry a payload delivery vehicle to demonstrate the ability to strike targets with conventional weapons at global range with less than 1h's flight time.
RBI launches online jobs servcie
RECRUITMENT Reed Business Information is launching an online jobs service boasting some of the most advanced technology powering any jobs site in the UK. Drawing on years of experience from both the Totaljobs Group - owned by RBI's parent company Reed Elsevier - and its own portfolio of market-specific recruitment jobs sites. The new service will power the online jobs sites across a host of titles including Flight International (flightglobal.com) and New Scientist (newscientist.com). By the end of 2007 it will also be serving jobs sites in the travel, technology, catering, optical and road transport markets.
Concorde model to be won
COMPETITION Flight has launched an online competition to win an amazing 1:50 scale model Concorde signed by Mike Bannister, chief pilot of the Concorde fleet. To enter visit www.flightglobal.com/concordecomp and answer a simple question about Flight International. Closing date is 31st December 2007.
Source: Flight International
