Headlines briefing

CARLYLE GROUP TO ACQUIRE ARINC

ACQUISITION Private equity firm The Carlyle Group is to acquire Arinc from its current shareholders, which include several commercial airlines. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter subject to regulatory approval. Financial details have not been disclosed, but separately ARINC shareholder American Airlines parent AMR said it would receive $194 million, and United Airlines said its proceeds would be $125 million. Transportation communications specialist Arinc has approximately 3,300 employees and generates annual revenues of more than $900 million.

GENX PASSES BLADE-OFF TEST

General Electric's GEnx engine successfully underwent its fan blade containment test last week at the company's Peebles, Ohio, outdoor test facility. The fan blade containment test follows several fan blade containment rig tests on subscale and full-scale fan case models. These earlier tests enabled GE to optimise the design of the fan case and further reduce its weight, says the engine maker. Last month, the GEnx completed its flight test programme on GE's Boeing 747 flying test-bed. The GEnx engine will power both the Boeing 787 and the 747-8 Intercontinental.

CHINA OFFERED IL-76MF TRANSPORTS

NEGOTIATIONS Russia's Rosoboronexport arms agency is attempting to salvage a stalled $1.5 billion contract with China for 34 Ilyushin Il-76MD transports and four Il-78 tankers by instead offering to supply Aviadvigatel PS-90AN-powered Il-76MFs. The sale has been threatened with collapse after suppliers ran into problems sourcing airframes from Uzbekistan and with pricing issues related to the falling value of the US dollar. "We have told China that our Uzbek partners are unable to meet their commitments, primarily on pricing," says Rosoboronexport general director Sergei Chemezov. "We have offered a new contract and a new price."

UK GA INFRINGEMENTS ON THE UP

Infringements of UK-controlled or restricted airspace, mainly by general aviation aircraft, have increased by about 20% during the last year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority, with the majority of the infringements occurring within the "complex airspace structure" of southern England. There were 633 reported infringements in 2006 with an average of five occurring every three days throughout the year, the CAA says. The majority of the incidents involved incursion into controlled airspace - primarily control zones serving airports, control areas and airways.

NINE FEARED DEAD IN MEXICAN FREIGHTER CRASH

ACCIDENT Nine people are feared dead after a Rockwell Sabreliner 40 freighter crashed on take-off from Culiacan in Mexico late last week. Mexico's transport and communications ministry says that the aircraft, owned by Mexican shipping company Jett Paqueteria and carrying the registration XA-TFL, blew a tyre when attempting to take off from the western coastal city of Culiacan on 5 July. It then skidded on to the Culiacan-Navolato highway, where it hit three vehicles before striking a factory building.

Source: Flight International