AVIADVIGATEL SET FOR ON-WING PS-90A2 TESTING
Russian engine developer Aviadvigatel has completed a crucial testbed run of its enhanced PS-90A2 powerplant ahead of starting on-wing trials. A total of 150h of cyclic endurance testing under Russian AP-33 aviation regulations harmonised with US and European standards followed a series of powerplant component checks as well as fan stress, vibration and performance calibration surveys. The two-shaft bypass engine, to be produced by Perm Motors, has been designed to power the Tupolev Tu-204SM twinjet and is aimed at modernised Ilyushin Il-96-300s and Il-76TDs.
VIRGIN GALACTIC ROCKET MOTOR TEST A SUCCESS
Virgin Galactic's SpaceShip Two hybrid motor has been successfully fired by the spaceline's prime contractor Scaled Composites and its subcontractor Sierra Nevada, which owns SpaceDev, one of the companies that helped develop SpaceShipOne's rocket. Flight International was unable to confirm whether the motor tested was full scale or if the firing test was for the full duration SS2 requires.
INDIA LAUNCHES HELICOPTER TENDERS
India's defence ministry has released new tenders to acquire 22 attack and 15 heavylift helicopters. Issued within two months of it cancelling an earlier competition, the attack helicopter request seeks a twin-engined aircraft in the 2.5t-class, while the heavylift deal will replace the air force's Mi-26 transports. Hindustan Aeronautics is also to relaunch a project to jointly develop a new 10t-class military helicopter after offers from Eurocopter and the Mil Design Bureau failed to meet its "expectations and requirements".
QANTAS, VIRGIN BLUE CREW IN FLU QUARANTINE
Twenty Qantas flightcrew have been quarantined at their homes for one week following flights from Los Angeles that carried confirmed victims of the H1N1 swine flu. Australian domestic carrier Virgin Blue also confirms that it has started to quarantine crew as a precaution after reportedly coming in contact with passengers who were later found to be infected with the H1N1 virus. The carrier says: "Virgin Blue has no crew who have tested positive to swine flu."
US-ITALIAN RESEARCHERS TO FLY GLOBAL HAWK
Italian space agency commissioner Enrico Saggese says that by 2011 NASA's Northrop Grumman Global Hawks could be flying from Sardinia to conduct environmental research over the Mediterranean area. But while the Italian agency has received the joint research offer,its US counterpart has yet to fly the Global Hawks it was given by the US Air Force.
VLM BRAND TO VANISH IN FAVOUR OF CITYJET
Belgian regional carrier VLM's brand identity is to disappear early next year following its integration with Air France-KLM subsidiary CityJet. The carriers have already detailed initial network restructuring following Air France-KLM's acquisition of VLM.
BRANSON TO GUEST EDIT FLIGHTGLOBAL
Aviation's highest-profile entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson, chairman of the Virgin Group, will be guest editor of flightglobal.com on Monday 8 June. He will be taking visitors' questions, choosing front-page stories and photographs, writing the editor's blog and tracking his day's progress via Twitter.
Source: Flight International
