PRODUCTION-STANDARD TEJAS MAKES DEBUT
India's first operational-standard Tejas light combat aircraft made its maiden flight from Bangalore on 2 June, reaching Mach 1.1 and an altitude of 36,000ft (11,000m). The Aeronautical Development Agency's fourth limited series production aircraft is the first Tejas built in the configuration that will be inducted into Indian air force service from late 2010.
EDUCATION GRANT TO EASE SPACE SHUTTLE LAYOFFS
A $15 million US government grant for education and job search skills is to help about 3,200 Brevard County, Florida Space Shuttle programme workers move to new jobs. The grant is the first step in a larger initiative to help about 20,000 contractors expected to be laid off after Space Shuttle flights cease later this year. Up to 7,000 of those workers are based in Brevard County.
DUBAI BANS NOISY AIRCRAFT
Dubai's Al-Maktoum International airport is to ban older-generation aircraft from the hub later this year. Cargo aircraft failing to meet Chapter 3 standards will be banned from 31 October, and passenger aircraft will follow on 27 March 2011. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 aircraft may continue operating until 1 April 2012.
INDIA MOVES ON AVIATION, AIRPORT SAFETY
The Indian government is to set up a Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council of public- and private-sector aviation interests to advise the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and review the country's regulatory framework. Separately, recent accidents have led the DGCA to instigate an inspection of airports, including runway conditions, in the country as part of a safety drive.
RUSSIA CALLS FOR MS-21 RISK-SHARE PARTNERS
Russia's government intends to encourage international efforts to develop United Aircraft's MS-21 twinjet on a risk-sharing basis. Industry and trade minister Viktor Khristenko hopes the project, which he says is on track and has moved from concept to advanced technical design, will attract more Western participants, "as is the case with the Sukhoi Superjet 100".
KUWAIT BUYS KC-130J TANKERS
Lockheed Martin has secured its first export buyer for the KC-130J tanker, with Kuwait signing a three-aircraft deal worth $245 million. To support its Boeing F/A-18C/D fighters, the assets will be delivered between late 2013 and 2014. Kuwait had in 2009 requested the purchase of up to eight KC-130Js.
JETSTAR SET TO FLY WITH IPAD
Qantas low-cost subsidiary Jetstar plans imminently to begin trials on select domestic routes across Australia of a new portable in-flight entertainment system based on Apple's iPad tablet computer.
CHINA CSERIES BREAKTHROUGH 'IMMINENT'
Bombardier Aerospace head Guy Hachey says he is increasingly confident the Canadian airframer will secure its first Chinese customer for its in-development CSeries airliner this year, with "a handful of [sales] campaigns well advanced in China". To date, Bombardier has secured 90 firm CSeries orders and 90 options.
Source: Flight International