AEROTREE BRANCHES OUT WITH EC135 ORDER
HELICOPTERS Malaysia's Aerotree Defence & Services has signed a letter of intent with Eurocopter to acquire three EC135 helicopters to be used for military training and utility applications. Signed at the Paris air show, the deal covers aircraft deliveries from early 2012. Aerotree's major customer is the Royal Malaysian Air Force, for which it already provides target towing and electronic warfare services.
GULF AIR TO LAUNCH IAE'S UPGRADED V2500
POWERPLANTS Middle Eastern carrier Gulf Air is to become the launch customer for the SelectTwo version of International Aero Engines' V2500 powerplant. The Bahraini flag carrier will fit the engines to six Airbus A321s to be delivered in 2012, IAE has confirmed. Gulf Air's A320-family fleet is fitted with CFM International CFM56s and the decision marks the first move to V2500s for the carrier. The airline has been restructuring its fleet as part of a profitability drive.
AN-148 OVERCOMING OPERATIONAL HURDLES
REGIONAL JETS Antonov An-148 launch customer Rossiya has seen performance improve after efforts to resolve early operational deficiencies. Rossiya has six in service, the type having been supplied by lessor Ilyushin Finance. At a conference on 15 June, Ilyushin Finance technical director Yuri Ostrovsky said the An-148's "major initial upsets are mainly overcome" and it was looking at raising seating from 68 to 73. Rossiya believes the An-148, used on 24 routes, will be profitable by autumn, when utilisation reaches 10h a day. Average utilisation, said Rossiya, is now 250h a month.
ATR LIFTS BACKLOG TO THREE YEARS' PRODUCTION
TURBOPROPS Regional manufacturer ATR has taken to 88 its total firm orders since the beginning of the year, notably after its landmark deal with US lessor GECAS for up to 30 aircraft, including 15 firm ATR 72-600s. The airframer, as expected, far exceeded its previous best performance - 53 orders by the end of the Paris air show in 2007. The agreements took its backlog to 233 aircraft, over three years' production even at its planned rate increase to 70 a year.
DAE'S LEASING ARM PUTS FLEET OUT TO TENDER
LESSORS Dubai Aerospace Enterprise has approached the operating leasing market with a tender for the management of its portfolio, after its plans to create a major lessor derailed and forced it to cancel orders for more than 100 aircraft. The operating lessor is asking for bids to manage around 40 aircraft and DAE still holds a backlog for 61 Boeing and 45 Airbus jets.
SELEX TO SUPPLY HERMES UAV RADARS
SENSORS Selex Galileo is to provide synthetic aperture radar payloads for Elbit Systems' Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 unmanned air vehicles. The company will supply its Gabbiano T20 and T200 systems respectively for integration with the Israeli-built aircraft.
PICK LIKE A MULE: ROBOT ARM FOR DUCTED FAN
UNMANNED SYSTEMS Urban Aeronautics is developing a version of its AirMule ducted fan unmanned aircraft with a robotic manipulator arm, after being approached by operators that use helicopters for power line maintenance work and agencies responsible for ensuring the safety of nuclear reactors. "They asked if we can provide a solution for hovering for an extended period of time next to a structure that needs maintenance," said company president Dr Rafi Yoeli.
Source: Flight International
