SAUDI ARABIA, UAE ADVANCE TANKER DEALS
INFLIGHT REFUELLING The United Arab Emirates has signed a contract with EADS for its anticipated purchase of three Airbus A330-based KC-30 tanker/transports, while industrial arrangements for a similar deal with Saudi Arabia also appear to have been finalised. Alsalam Aircraft chief executive Mohammed Fallatah says the company will conduct in-country modifications on two of the Royal Saudi Air Force's future three KC-30s at its Riyadh facilities, although EADS Casa declines to comment.
TURBOPROPS IN THE DRIVING SEAT AT BOMBARDIER
DELIVERIES Last year was a watershed for turboprops at Bombardier, with deliveries of its Q Series outstripping CRJ regional jets during its 2007/08 fiscal year, which ended on 31 January, for the first time in a decade. The airframer shipped 66 Q Series - 50% more turboprops than rival ATR - and 62 CRJs, for a total of 128 aircraft. The Canadian company also delivered 232 business jets and a single 415 water bomber, taking its total FY2007/08 shipments to 361 aircraft. Bombardier says it received 698 orders across all its product lines - 238 airliners, 452 business aircraft and eight 415s.
INSURANCE MARKET SET TO MAKE A LOSS
RESULTS Fresh figures from insurance specialist Aon show airline premium levels dropped 11% last year making it increasingly likely the airline insurance sector made its first loss since 2000. The estimated $1.7 billion figure for losses, including attritionals, saw the third highest value of airline losses since 1996 - excluding the 11 September terror attacks. This compares to $1.3 billion in 2006. However AON points to factors indicating the industry is still "potentially very safe in comparison with where it stood 10 years ago". It says the 2007 figure includes some incidents still under discussion by insurers and predicts the figure is likely to be slightly lower.
BOEING 787 COMPOSITE BARREL COMPLETES ULTIMATE LOAD TESTING
Boeing has completed ultimate load testing of the 787's composite fuselage barrel, a key milestone on the path toward first flight. Boeing says the section that endured a "destruct-condition manoeuvre" beyond two and half times the force of gravity demonstrated acoustic "popping and snapping" but less visible destruction than anticipated. The airframer plans to continue testing for "additional learning" more static testing on a full aircraft structure is also required before first flight. The 787's all-composite fuselage composed of carbonfibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) material marks an all-new design feature for a large airliner. Boeing previously scheduled the 787 programme to complete load testing before August 2007, the original first flight date. First flight is now scheduled for late June and first delivery to launch customer All Nippon Airways is planned in early 2009.
BOMBARDIER REVEALS PLANS FOR LATIN AMERICA SUPPLIER NETWORK
COMPONENTS Bombardier Aerospace plans to develop a local supply base in Latin America to support a recently opened aircraft component factory in Querétaro Aerospace Park north of Mexico City and operations elsewhere. "We view Mexico as the springboard to the further development of the aerospace industry in Central and South America," says president Pierre Beaudoin. Bombardier now employees 900 workers in Mexico, and that number will grow to 1,200 by the end of 2008. The Queretaro factory makes the rudder, elevator and horizontal stabiliser for the Q400 the mid-fuselage for the Challenger 850 and the aft fuselage for the Global family of aircraft.
BOEING 2008 ORDER BOOK OFF TO FAST START
NARROWBODIES Boeing has disclosed a potentially multi-billion dollar order for 30 737s by an unidentified customer. Neither terms nor the type of 737 involved were disclosed. Last month, Boeing also revealed an order for 17 737-700s ordered by an unidentified customer. Boeing's order book is off to a fast start this year, even compared to last-year's record-breaking tally of 1,413 total orders. Boeing orders for 2008 now stand at 189 aircraft through 26 February, compared to only 70 aircraft through the same period a year ago.
JULES VERNE READIES FOR NEXT GRAND VOYAGE
SPACE STATION The European Space Agency is readying Jules Verne - the first of its Automated Transfer Vehicles that will supplement NASA's Space Shuttle in supplying the International Space Station - for launch from its spaceport at Kourou, French Guiana on 8 March en route to a rendezvous with the ISS in early April. Jules Verne, with a total mass of about 19,360kg (42,650lb), is the largest payload ever launched by Ariane 5. ESA's ATV can carry 9t of cargo to the ISS.
Source: Flight International
