PORTABLE IFE MAKER SUES ELECTRONICS GIANTS
Portable in-flight entertainment specialist e.Digital has filed a US federal court lawsuit against Canon, Nokia, Panasonic, Samson Technologies and 15 other firms, alleging infringement of its flash memory technology patents.
$1.65M PRIZE FOR LUNAR LANDER CHALLENGE
Entrepreneurial rocket companies Masten Space Systems and Armadillo Aerospace were awarded $1.65 million in prize money for successfully completing flights under the NASA-funded $2,000,000 Lunar Lander Challenge, managed by the X Prize Foundation and sponsored by Northrop Grumman. The challenge is intended to encourage US industry to develop the capability to routinely and safely fly vertical-takeoff-and-landing rockets.
ALGAE-BASED BIOFUELS '10 YEARS AWAY: EADS
Algae-based biofuels show great promise as carbon-neutral substitutes for fossil fuels in aircraft, but are at least 10 years from commercialisation in useful quantities, according to the head of technology at Airbus parent EADS. Jean Botti says he is extremely interested in so-called third-generation biofuels because they can be truly carbon-neutral, releasing no more carbon when burned than the algae used to refine them absorbed during growth.
REVENUE, DELIVERIES DOWN AT EMBRAER
Embraer management says it cannot accurately forecast 2010, but expects to see a 10% decline in revenue next year after admitting that new sales are at a "very low level". The Brazilian airframer has again revised downward its 2009 delivery estimate, to about 232 jets versus a previously predicted 242.
QANTAS SUSPENDS GEAR-UP PILOTS
Two Qantas pilots have been suspended for failing to deploy the landing gear on a Boeing 767. They did a go-around at Sydney airport after the aircraft's ground proximity warning system alerted them to the problem at about 700ft (215m) on a 2 November flight from Melbourne.
NO SURVIVORS AS IL-76 CRASHE SIN RUSSIA
None of the 11 crew and personnel aboard an Ilyushin Il-76 survived when the heavy transport crashed after departure on 1 November from Mirny in the Sakha republic. The jet had been heading for Irkutsk when it came down 1.5km (0.8nm) from the runway.
FLIGHT PRAISED FOR 'ENDURING CONTRIBUTION'
Flight International has won the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators Award for Aviation Journalism, in recognition of an outstanding and enduring contribution to the promotion and public awareness of aviation". The award was accepted at the guild's annual dinner by operations and safety editor David Learmount.
CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR IMAGE ON OUR COVER
For the third year running we are offering the chance to have your best aviation photograph on our front cover, by uploading your images to Flightglobal's AirSpace galleries. The winner will receive a framed copy of their image adorning the cover of our end-of-year festive issue, as well as £100 cash. We want entries from across the civil, military and general aviation sectors.
Source: Flight International
