RED INK FOR EMBRAER IN FIRST QUARTER
Embraer moved into the red in the first quarter with a net loss of $23.4 million, compared with a net profit of $85 million for the corresponding period last year. Net sales in 2009's first quarter fell 14% to $1.15 billion from $1.34 billion.The company delivered 40 jet aircraft in the first quarter, five fewer than 2008's first quarter. Fewer deliveries of business jets meant first quarter net revenue for the executive aviation segment fell 60% to $70.2 million from $173.6 million.
MARTINAIR VICE-PRESIDENT ADMITS PRICE FIXING
Frank de Jong, the former Martinair vice-president of cargo sales for Europe, has agreed to plead guilty to price fixing on cargo rates for international shipments.The US Department of Justice says de Jong will serve eight months in jail and pay a $20,000 fine. The charge is part of a broader investigation by US authorities into cargo price fixing on international air shipments.
TOP USAF OFFICER WANTS 'LIGHT STRIKE' PLATFORM
The US Air Force's top officer has said that a "light strike" platform optimised for the irregular warfare mission could be added to the service's inventory of manned fighters. Such an aircraft could serve both as a basic trainer for the USAF and "partner" air forces, and as an attack platform in operations against terrorists and insurgents, said chief of staff Gen Norton Schwartz, following a speech on the USAF's role in irregular warfare at the Brookings Institute.
SUPERJET PASSES IN-FLIGHT ICING TRIALS
Sukhoi has completed in-flight icing tests with the first flying Superjet 100, which were carried out in the northern Russian city of Archangel. The aircraft performed five test flights on the Archangel-Murmansk route over the course of five days, after departing on 11 April. Sukhoi says that during all the flights the twinjet met every requirement of the certification programme.
NORTHROP ACQUIRES KILLERBEE FROM SWIFT
Northrop Grumman has acquired Swift Engineering's KillerBee line of small unmanned aircraft systems, with its purchase of the renamed "Bat" family reuniting it with Swift's blended-wing unmanned air vehicle designs after a two-year hiatus. Northrop aims to market its new Bat family at the growing market for real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance by UAVs in the irregular warfare environment, says Corey Moore, its vice-president of advanced concepts - air and land systems.
AEROFLOT TO RETHINK AIRBUS DELIVERIES
Aeroflot is considering making changes to the delivery schedule for Airbus aircraft on order, following a sharp drop in passenger traffic. The airline is to receive 24 new aircraft from Airbus in 2009 - 18 A320s and six A330s. It has already taken delivery of half a dozen narrowbodies since January. But in the first quarter the airline's passenger boardings were 13.4% down on last year.
ALAN BRISTOW
Alan Bristow, helicopter pioneerand founder of Bristow Helicopters, has died aged 85. Born in London in 1923, he learnt to fly in the Fleet Air Arm and became Westland's first helicopter test pilot in 1947. He served as managing director and later chairman of Bristow Helicopters between 1954 and 1985.
Source: Flight International
