IRAQ SEEKS IMPROVED HUEY FLEET
HELICOPTERS The Iraqi government has requested the possible purchase of 16 surplus Bell UH-1 utility helicopters from the USA, plus upgrade kits to bring the aircraft to the enhanced Huey II standard. Arinc would lead modernisation work under the deal, which is worth a projected $150 million.
Bond launches training programme
TRAINING UK-based helicopter services company Bond has embarked on a multi-million dollar training initiative designed to swell the ranks of pilots and engineers across its burgeoning companies Bond Offshore Helicopters and onshore provider Bond Air Services. Around £4 million ($7.9 million) is being invested in the first phase, which will provide 12 pilots and 20 engineers. Bond executive chairman Peter Bond says: "Both companies are continuing to recruit experienced pilots and engineers, but we recognise that the shortage facing the industry requires a proactive approach in attracting new people and to help meet our longer-term requirements in expanding our activities."
Legacy 600 lawyers CONTINUE TESTIMONY FLIGHT
APPEAL Lawyers for the two US pilots indicted for their part in a the 29 September 2006 mid-air collision between their Embraer Legacy 600 business jet and a Gol Airlines Boeing 737-800 over the Amazon jungle planned to argue in a Brazilian court on 27 August that international law allows the two to testify from the US in the case. A Brazilian judge in June ruled that the pilots were to testify in the country on Monday, while the four Brazilian air traffic controllers named in the case were to testify on 28 August.
UAV GUIDE TARGETS 'NON-TRADITIONAL' FIRMS
DEVELOPMENT ASTM International's Technical Committee F-38 on Unmanned Aircraft Systems is preparing to release a guide to "demystifying" the US Federal Aviation Administration's experimental certification application process for non-traditional UAV and aerospace developers seeking to enter the industry. The guide is in draft form and is expected to be ratified by the standards body in the near term. James Jewell, vice-chairman of the committee, says the guide aims to "make some sense of out of the certification process for the 'Home Depot' kind of unmanned air system manufacturer that doesn't have 10 aerospace engineers fully conversant in regulation and certification".
BMI SHELVES TRANSATLANTIC HEATHROW OPERATIONS UNTIL 2009
DELAY UK carrier BMI has put back its long-sought transatlantic services from London Heathrow until at least 2009 despite the freedom granted by the new US-European open skies agreement, which comes into effect in March next year. The airline claims that expansion plans, such as its development of newly-acquired BMed, "already well under way" when the open skies agreement was sealed have prompted the postponement. BMI chairman Sir Michael Bishop is believed to be concerned about the state of Heathrow, which is preparing for further upheaval next year when Terminal 5 opens and carriers reposition at the airport's current terminals.
ENTECHO DISCUSSES HOVERPOD LICENCE MANUFACTURE
VERTICAL TAKE-OFF Entecho is in discussions with a number of defence sector firms on joint or licensed manufacture of an unmanned air vehicle based on its hybrid ducted fan vertical take-off and landing technology. Market release of a production-ready system is possible within 12 months says the Perth, Western Australia-based company, with development of manned and unmanned craft at an advanced stage. Entecho is preparing to free-fly a large man-carrying "hoverpod" demonstrator within weeks using the same craft that was used in tethered flight trials over the past two months. The hoverpod has a diameter of 2.6m (8.5ft) in its flight configuration and can be readily adapted to operate as a UAV, the company says.
TAIWAN APPROVES DEFENCE SPENDING HIKE
BUDGET Taiwan's cabinet has approved a 16.4% increase in defence spending for 2008, with the bulk of the additional $10.3 billion to go towards air force projects. Most of the money, which will account for 20% of the government's overall budget next year, will be set aside for 12 Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion anti-submarine warfare aircraft and 66 Lockheed F-16C/D fighters. Taipei is boosting its military spending to keep pace with China, which has an official 2007 defence budget of $45 billion - up 17.8% from 2006. The Pentagon, however believes that Beijing's actual defence budget could be double this figure.
SWISS SWALLOWS UP SWISS AVIATION TRAINING
ACQUISITION Star Alliance carrier Swiss International Air Lines is taking full control of joint venture Swiss Aviation Training, following a deal to acquire GCAT Flight Academy's 50% stake in the company. Swiss chief executive Christoph Franz says the ownership change could pave the way for future co-operation with Lufthansa Flight Training.
Source: Flight International
