RED FACES AT KIWI DISPLAY TEAM
The Royal New Zealand Air Force's Red Checkers display team has been grounded following a 1 March mid-air collision resulting in minor damage to one of its Pacific Aerospace CT/4E trainers. Says the New Zealand Defence Force: "This incident is now being investigated, and the prudent decision is not to fly the team again this season." The mishap follows the death of Red Checker pilot Sqn Ldr Nick Cree in a training accident on 14 January.
CFM56-7BE ENGINE TESTING PROGRESSES
CFM International is in the midst of a 150h block test for the latest variant of the CFM engine - the CFM56-7BE. The engine is part of a package of improvements Boeing unveiled last year for the Next Generation 737 that also includes aerodynamic improvements and a new interior. Engine certification is earmarked for mid-2010.
LAST SHUTTLE SOLID ROCKET MOTOR TEST-FIRED
Alliant Techsystems and NASA have completed the last ground test firing of a Space Shuttle reusable solid rocket motor. Production of the last external propellant tank is under way. Since 1988 210 reusable motors have flown on 105 Shuttle missions and 34 ground tests have taken place. Lockheed Martin is manufacturing external tank 138 at the Michoud assembly facility. There are four more missions before the Shuttle is retired.
CHILD'S PLAY LEADS TO CONTROLLER SUSPENSION
Two employees at the New York Kennedy International airport tower have been placed on administrative leave by the US Federal Aviation Administration following an incident in February in which a child was permitted to speak with airline pilots on air traffic control frequency.
SPACE TOURISM OPERATORS GRANTED IMMUNITY
New Mexico has followed Virginia in passing a law protecting from litigation spaceflight operators that require customers to sign an informed consent waiver. Virgin Galactic expects to be operating from Spaceport America, based in New Mexico from 2012.
EGYPT SIGNS FOR 20 MORE F-16S
Lockheed Martin has received a $213 million contract for long-lead tasks linked to the production of 20 Advanced Block 52 F-16 fighters to the Egyptian air force. The company will deliver 16 Pratt & Whitney F100-229-engined F-16Cs and four D-model trainers by 2013. Cairo has ordered a total of 240 F-16s since 1980.
MA60 DEALS FOR MYANMAR, SRI LANKA
China's Xian Aircraft has secured contracts to produce nine new MA60 transports. Sri Lanka will by 2011 get four for air force use and two for state-owned carrier Mihin Lanka. Myanmar will take delivery of three MA60s in September.
SLOWDOWN FORCES LAYOFFS AT AVEOS
A wind down in heavy checks for its main customer Air Canada has resulted in layoffs at Canadian maintenance, repair and overhaul supplier Aveos. The former ACE Holdings subsidiary says that of the 1,000 affected employees, 195 of the layoffs are permanent. The remaining 815 layoffs are temporary, and should last for roughly eight months.
Source: Flight International
