'HUMAN FACTORS CAUSED BEIRUT CRASH': REPORT
A leaked draft preliminary report on the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 crash off the Lebanese coast on 25 January identifies human factors as the cause of the accident, according to Beirut daily newspaper As-Safir. Publication of the preliminary factual report is imminent. The accident happened at night soon after take-off from Beirut, when the aircraft descended into the sea killing all 90 people on board. Flight ET409 was bound for Addis Ababa.
AGUSTAWESTLAND SHOWCASES GRAND NEW
AgustaWestland unveiled at last week's Heli-Expo in Houston the Grand New light twin helicopter featuring "totally new avionics" including satellite navigation, synthetic vision, enhanced vision terrain awareness and a full axis autopilot. The first aircraft will be handed over in May to Portuguese VIP operator Vinair.
US CARRIERS WITNESS REVENUE BOUNCE BACK
Passenger revenues rebounded for US airlines in January after 14 consecutive months of faltering sales, as airline pricing power improved last month. Revenues jumped 1.4% year-over-year in January, the Air Transport Association of America says. The association based its analysis on a sample of carriers.
BOEING OVERSEES TESTING OF KOITO SEATS
Boeing is working with embattled Japanese aircraft seat maker Koito Industries to ensure that testing of new seats is performed correctly. Koito admitted in February that it falsified test results on as many as 150,000 seats used by 32 carriers.
CESSNA COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF CITATIONAIR
Cessna has completed the acquisition of fractional ownership, charter and management company CitationAir. The Greenwich, Connecticut-based company, originally branded CitationShares, began in 2000 as a 50:50 joint venture between Cessna and business aviation services company TAG Aviation.
MALAYSIAN MIGS TO REMAIN IN SERVICE
Malaysia has reversed its plan to retire its RSK MiG-29s this year, with its air force now expected to keep around 10 of the fighters in use until at least 2015. Defence minister Ahmad Hamidi said in 2009 that the MiG-29s would be retired and potentially sold as they cost 260 million ringgit ($76 million) a year to maintain, but some part of the fleet will now be supported by Malaysian company Aerospace Technology System. The decision means Kuala Lumpur's will delay new multirole combat aircraft.
747-8F RELOCATES FOR AIRWORTHINESS TESTING
Boeing's first 747-8F undertook its second flight on 22 February, relocating to its temporary home at Moses Lake, Washington for the early phases of the certification campaign.
KUWAIT LEASING START-UP GAINS TURBOPROPS
Kuwaiti start-up turboprop lessor Essence has gained support from Blenheim Capital and Raytheon as part of an offset programme run by the Gulf state's authorities. Raytheon has transferred four Beechcraft 1900Cs to Essence. Blenheim, a provider of structured finance products to governments, is developing a business plan for the lessor.
Source: Flight International