UK EXTENDS HERMES DEAL FOR AFGHANISTAN
The British Army will operate leased Elbit Systems Hermes 450 unmanned air vehicles in Afghanistan for another 18 months under an agreement with Elbit/Thales UK joint venture UAS Tactical Systems (U-TacS) to continue an arrangement in place since 2007. The Hermes UAVs will provide surveillance cover until the army's Watchkeeper system enters service from late next year.
USMC COBRAS TO GET TARGETING UPGRADE
Elbit Systems of America has been awarded a $45.5 million contract to upgrade its night targeting system equipment installed on the US Marine Corps' Bell AH-1W Cobras. To be performed over the next five years, the work will improve the attack helicopter's target detection and engagement range and survivability.
AIRLINES GAINING ALTITUDE
Finnair broke a string of seven loss-making quarters with a third quarter operating surplus of €42 million ($58 million). Korean Air, meanwhile, tripled third quarter operating profit to 358 billion won ($320 million) and Lufthansa revised its full-year operating profit forecast upwards, to more than €800 million ($1.1 billion), after doubling third quarter results to €612 million, reflecting "the gratifying pace of demand in the third quarter".
COLD PARTNERS WARM TO ARIANE 5 UPGRADE
EADS's Astrium division and Air Liquide are to expand their Cryospace fuel tank joint venture operations with a new facility in Bremen to develop and produce cryogenic upper stage tanks for the Ariane 5 ME midlife evolution, set for first launch at the end of 2016. The Ariane 5 ME will be raise lift capacity by a fifth to 12t and, with re-ignition capability, be capable of placing multiple satellites into orbit or sending probes to other planets.
INDIA APPROVES LOCAL SU-30 SUPPLIER
An Indian-produced cockpit display system has been approved for frontline service in the country's Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters. The multifunction display produced by Samtel Hal Display Systems can be installed in fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
ROBINSON DELIGHTS IN R66 TURBINE CERTIFICATION
The US Federal Aviation Administration has presented helicopter industry icon Frank Robinson with the completed type certificate for the company's first turbine model, the R66, ahead of first deliveries this month. In development since 2001, the programme began in earnest in 2005 when Robinson, now retired, reached an agreement with Rolls-Royce to develop a new turboshaft engine - the RR300 - for the five-seater.
HELICOPTER CRASH
We have been asked to point out that deficient mission planning was not cited as a factor in the April 2000 crash of the UK police Eurocopter AS355 depicted in the photograph accompanying the article "Pilots must beat four 'killer risks'" on P6 of the 19-25 October edition of Flight International. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch report determined that the crash was caused by the failure of the tail rotor pitch change unit, and that pilot Grant Lawrence's success in controlling the helicopter's rate of descent contributed to the fact that all three crew members escaped injury. We are happy to set the record straight.
Source: Flight International
