WEATHER RADAR FAILED TURBULENCE-HIT A330
Investigators have determined a Qantas Airbus A330's weather radar had been degraded before the jet encountered severe turbulence approaching the northern coast of Malaysia in 2009, after failing to detect a region of convective crystallising ice. Seven occupants were injured. The Qantas incident occurred on 22 June, just three weeks after the loss of Air France A330 flight AF447 in convective weather over the south Atlantic. Investigators have queried why AF447's crew continued towards the weather cell while aircraft on similar courses diverted around it.
ALITALIA JOINS SUPERJET CLUB WITH ORDER FOR 20
Sukhoi's 2009 annual report identifies an Alitalia order for 20 of its Superjet 100 regional twinjets, via the Russian airframer's Italian-based marketing partner Superjet International, making it the type's highest-profile Western customer. Sukhoi lists 123 firm orders, and eight options, as of 1 February 2010.
NTSB PUTS FAITH IN FATIGUE EXPERT
The US National Transportation Safety Board has appointed Dr Mark Rosekind, an internationally recognised specialist on fatigue and sleep disorders. One of the NTSB's published "most wanted transportation safety improvements" states the agency's wish to reduce accidents caused by human fatigue.
USA TO SUPPORT SPACE STATION UNTIL 2020
President Barack Obama has detailed a US national space policy focused on international partnerships, extending US participation in the International Space Station by five years to 2020 and sending a crew of Americans to an asteroid by 2025. The 14-page document details goals outlined by Obama in April, but makes no mention of the Space Shuttle fleet, which is to be retired this year.
INDIA TO CREATE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR
The Indian government is preparing legislation to establish an independent civil aviation authority to investigate air accidents, taking that role from the state-owned civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
EURO HAWK FIRST FLIGHT KICKS OFF TEST RUN
Northrop Grumman's prototype Euro Hawk unmanned air vehicle completed a roughly 2h first flight on 29 June, with delivery to Germany due by year end. Developed from the US Air Force's Block 20-standard RQ-4 Global Hawk, the aircraft is modified to meet German signals intelligence requirements.
BOMBARDIER 'POISED FOR CSERIES ORDERS'
Bombardier is poised to announce "major" new orders for its in-development CSeries twinjet at the Farnborough air show, predicts analyst Nick Heymann of brokerage Sterne, Agee. He believes the CSeries is being seriously evaluated by several US carriers and that Qatar Airways is likely to place an order.
RECYCLERS SET 90% TARGET FOR AIRLINER WASTE
The Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association has set a 2016 deadline for the recycling of 90% of materials from scrapped aircraft and hopes to reduce the amount of aircraft manufacturing waste destined for landfill by 25% by 2012.
Source: Flight International
