Programmes – Page 1070
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Fairchild could produce freighter version of 328JET
Paul Lewis/OBERPFAFFENHOFEN Fairchild Aerospace proposes to develop a freighter version of its new 328JET, while undertaking range performance improvements of the recently certificated regional aircraft. "There is a proposal for an all-cargo version of the 328JET," says Stanley Deal, Fairchild vice-president 228/328/428 series. He declines to identify the interested ...
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African nations to finance CNS/ATM system
Michael Wakabi/KAMPALA Twenty-one African countries are to invest jointly in a communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) system to manage their upper airspace. A memorandum of commitment is expected to be endorsed by members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in October, with ...
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Surge problems prompted P&W switch at CAL
Brent Hannon and Andrzej Jeziorski/TAIPEI Continuing surge problems with its Pratt & Whitney PW4056-powered aircraft contributed to China Airlines' (CAL) decision to choose General Electric as the engine supplier for its latest aircraft orders. "Engine surge is still a problem. We can live with it, but we are ...
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Community Air fails to find backer for PC-12 operations
US start-up Community Air may soon be forced to cancel the purchase of up to 32 10-seat Pilatus PC-12 single-engined turboprops, worth over $90 million, because of the airline's failure to secure $35 million in financing. California-based Community Air, which planned to begin flying in June with four PC-12s, ...
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Freighter funding due soon
The US Exim bank is expected to release by the end of the year long-awaited funding for an initial batch of three Ilyushin Il-96T widebody freighters being acquired by Aeroflot. The Pratt & Whitney PW2000-powered aircraft received US Federal Aviation Administration certification in June, but the aircraft have not ...
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Too late
Iridium's project for a constellation of satellites providing a global telephone service seemed to have real credibility in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Unfortunately, as is often the case with pioneering high technology, high investment schemes, it took too long to materialise, rendering the company a legend even before its own ...
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Boeing completes 717-200 tests as certification nears
Boeing is "on track" to achieve certification of the 717-200 on 1 September after completion of the flight test programme at its Yuma test site in Arizona. This will allow deliveries to begin next month to launch customer AirTran Airways, which has begun training crews. The 717 is set to ...
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Kazan's Ansat makes first flight
The Kazan Ansat helicopter had its first flight on 17 August, marking the manufacturer's debut as a helicopter designer. Kazan is better known as the major maker of Mil helicopters, having produced more than 11,000. The 3,000kg Ansat, powered by a pair of Klimov-built Pratt & Whitney Canada PK206C ...
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Mergers
Ground services provider Worldwide Flight Services of the USA is to buy Miami Aircraft Support for $66.4 million, giving it a presence at a total of 82 airports. Worldwide was previously owned by American Airlines parent AMR, but was bought by private investors in March. US third-party maintenance provider Aviation ...
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Russia takes programmed route to restructure
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW The Russian Aerospace Agency (RASA), which recently took over responsibility for more than 350 aircraft industry enterprises, is planning a programme-oriented - rather than merger-led - approach to industry restructuring. RASA's newly appointed industry deputy general-director, Yuriy Bardin, defends Moscow's reluctance to force mergers of aircraft ...
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Troubled World may defer payment
Wet lease specialist World Airways, which lost $11 million last year, may delay a multi-million-dollar interest payment due before the end of this month, prompting renewed speculation about its future. The airline and financial advisor CIBC World Markets are considering whether to delay a payment of about $1.7 million on ...
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AASI makes plans for US Part 135 Jetcruzer certification
Advanced Aerodynamics & Structures (AASI) plans to certificate its Jetcruzer 500 turboprop to US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) single-engine Part 135 rules in an effort to increase the market share of its delayed six-seat pusher. AASI says the "inexpensive add-on certification" Part 135 could boost overall sales by "a ...
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FAA continues augmentation system flight tests
The US Federal Aviation Administration conducted the latest stage of its local area augmentation system (LAAS) flight testing this month. LAAS, based on use of the global positioning system (GPS), will replace the 40-year-old Cat 1/2/3 instrument landing systems operating in the USA. The US agency had conducted LAAS ...
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Embraer chooses Latecoere to supply fuselage for new jet
Andrzej Jeziorski/TAIPEI Embraer has chosen Latecoere to manufacture fuselage components for the ERJ-170/190 , making it one of the first major suppliers to be signed up for the new regional aircraft family. Although the selection of the French structures specialist has not been announced formally, sources close to the ...
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PAL's rebuilding links it to Emirates
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is offering flights to Dubai for the first time in 15 months after signing a codeshare agreement with Emirates. The move comes as the airline seeks to expand its links with other carriers. From 1 September, PAL will offer seats on each of Emirates' thrice weekly ...
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CFMI discusses Il-76 re-engining as TECH56 shows gains
CFM International (CFMI) says it is close to agreement with Ilyushin and Tashkent manufacturing complex TAPO on the launch of an Il-76 re-engining programme after the emergence of a potential customer for at least five aircraft. Meanwhile, the engine manufacturer has found "significant" efficiency gains during initial full-scale tests ...
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Strategic stretch
More than a long-range niche filler, Boeing's 767-400ER promises to bring new life to the entire big twin family Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing's big twinjet strategy takes another important step forward on 26 August when the 767-400ER is officially rolled out of the company's Everett assembly site in ...
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Commercial Aircraft Directory: Part 1
The past 12 months has seen a regional jet boom, with sales flourishing and new models brought to market Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDONThe regional aircraft sector has been dominated in the past year by jet product launches, namely the Fairchild Aerospace 428JET and 528/728/928JETfamily, Embraer RJ-170/190 and Airbus A318. Product ...
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Boeing focuses on longer-range 757-200
Guy Norris/SEATTLE As pressure builds on Boeing to inject new life into the 757 programme, the company is focusing studies of a longer-range 757-200X on a group of six key scheduled and charter operators. It believes the variant could enter service after 2003. Major changes to the current 757-200 would ...
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Maverick first flight
Maverick Air's Twinjet 1500 business kit-build aircraft made its first flight this month, with performance of the five-seater "better than expected", says Maverick owner and president Bob Bornhofen. By mid-August, the General Electric T58-powered aircraft had clocked up 15h in ground tests and 1h of flight tests as part of ...