Programmes – Page 1112
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News
Technology transfer hits Boeing AEW bid
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA Boeing has been unable to give the required guarantee of technology releasability in its bid to supply Australia with airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. Boeing and Northrop Grumman, supplier of the MESA phased-array radar to be carried by the 737-based ...
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Lockheed Martin sees red hot future for laser manufacturing
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Lockheed Martin has begun making prototype parts using a laser direct manufacturing process that it believes could eventually be used to produce complete wing and fuselage structures as single pieces. Under Project Lightspeed, the company has set up a research facility on the factory floor at ...
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On the offensive
Guy Norris/LONG BEACH Boeing's campaign to secure the future of the 717 is going into overdrive Boeing's efforts to establish the 717-200 in the marketplace were boosted on 24 February with the first flight of the premier production example, P-1, at its Long Beach division in California. Even ...
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FAA settles on leasing plan for ATC update
Paul Lewis /WASHINGTON DC The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is planning to lease new communications, navigation, surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) equipment from industry to finally modernise its oceanic control centres. "We've looked for and settled on a new solution," says Nancy Graham, FAA's oceanic and offshore acting integrator product ...
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Arab carriers move to cut London costs
A consortium of Arab airlines expects to save about $5 million a year in handling costs at London airports because of a deal between the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (ACCO) and Air France Servisair (AFSL). The deal allows member airlines serving Heathrow and Gatwick to sign up with the ...
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BWIA signs 737-800 lease deal with ILFC, plans share offering
Max Kingsley-Jones/London BWIA International Airways has selected Boeing's Next Generation 737 to upgrade its fleet and replace its BoeingMD-80s. The carrier has concluded a deal with International Lease Finance (ILFC) for six aircraft. The Caribbean carrier has selected the 737 over the Airbus A320, and its deal with ...
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City Bird orders 747-400Fs
Herman De Wulf/BRUSSELS City Bird, the Belgian low-cost long-haul airline, is undertaking a major expansion of its all-cargo operations which will see it introducing two new Boeing 747-400 freighters next year. The Brussels-based airline confirms that it has placed orders with Boeing for two 747-400Fs for delivery in ...
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717 beats performance targets as production version flies
Guy Norris/Los Angeles MaxKingsley-Jones/London Boeing has revealed that its 717 twinjet is bettering its performance targets by up to 5%, as the first production example, "P-1", made its maiden flight from Long Beach, California on 24 February. Boeing's just-released performance details of the baseline 717 reveal it is ...
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Air France and Lufthansa poised for A318 launch commitments
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Airbus Industrie is aiming to launch its A318 twinjet by the end of the month, with European flag carriers Air France and Lufthansa being prime targets to boost the new 100-seater's commitments beyond the 100 mark. Subject to a commercial launch at Farnborough last September, Airbus ...
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Airbus focuses A3XX efforts on alliance groups
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Airbus Industrie predicts that the world's four main airline alliance groupings will absorb almost three quarters of all A3XX-sized aircraft delivered by 2020, with most going to just two - oneworld and Star Alliance. Moves by the major alliances to combine their networks and improve asset ...
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Bell to decide on major facelift for 412
Bell expects to decide soon whether to launch an improved Model 412Plus helicopter in partnership with Agusta, while at the same time committing to a North American final assembly line for the all new Italian-led AB139 development. The Fort Worth-based company is considering a major design revamp of ...
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Boeing to axe 'value-destroying' products
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing plans to weed out, sell or cancel "value-destroying" programmes by the end of the year, under a new strategy aimed at increasing the company's profitability. The policy is based on the findings of a study which, for the first time, used the same metrics ...
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Fokker parts deal hit by legal action
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Fokker Services has launched legal action against the estate of bankrupt Fokker Aircraft in a row over new costs it claims have been imposed on its purchase of technical data and production equipment for JetLine wing parts. A subsidiary of Stork, Fokker Services agreed to buy ...
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Iberia will scrap Aviaco brand when pilots agree to merger
Max Kingsley-Jones/MADRID Iberia is planning to absorb its Aviaco domestic subsidiary at the earliest opportunity, but will not take any action until pilots at the two airlines resolve union issues. Details of the move emerged as the Spanish flag carrier revealed a 117.5% increase in net profit last ...
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Sabena in the black as European traffic takes off
Herman De Wulf/BRUSSELS Belgian flag carrier Sabena attributes its first net profit in 40 years to sustained growth in Europe, with the airline's low exposure in Asia shielding it from the full impact of the economic downturn there. The airline made a net profit of BFr703 million ($20 ...
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Pilot shortage will hit industry growth
A shrinking US pilot population and its potential to limit the growth of the helicopter industry are issues raised by a 10-year market forecast unveiled by UK engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce at the show. The survey says the number of commercial helicopter pilots in the USA fell from around 27,000 in ...
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Indian Airlines drops fleet renewal plans
State-owned Indian Airlines has shelved plans to replace its fleet of 11 ageing Airbus A300B2/B4s and 12 Boeing 737-200s, opting instead to pursue a refurbishment programme. The programme, which will include an interior refit, will allow the aircraft to be operated for "several more years", according to Indian Airlines. ...
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US safety agency urges FAA to adopt JT8D strip-down plan
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Thousands of airliners powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofans could be taken out of service temporarily if the US Federal Aviation Administration decides to adopt an engine inspection recommendation published by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The move would affect Boeing 727s, 737-100s ...
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Embraer wins order for a LOT of ERJ-145s
LOT Polish Airlines is to acquire up to 12 Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets as part of a major restructuring plan which is aimed at reversing three consecutive years of losses. The carrier will use its new fleet of 50-seaters, replacing Boeing 737s, to boost frequencies on low-density routes to ...
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Marketplace
*Sabena has contracted to lease a three-year-old ex-Malaysia Airlines, Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered Airbus A330-300 in April on a six-year-lease from International Lease Finance (ILFC). Sabena operates three General Electric CF6-powered A330-300s on lease from Airbus, and will also add three new PW4000-powered A330-200s from ILFC from August. *The ...