USAF INVESTIGATES FATAL C-17 MISHAP
An investigation is under way after a US Air Force Boeing C-17 crashed at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska on 28 July, killing four people. Local media reports suggest that the strategic transport's crew had been rehearsing a display routine for the 31 July-1 August Arctic Thunder air show when the mishap occurred. The accident represents the first loss of a C-17.
EU APPEALS WTO PANEL FINDINGS AGAINST AIRBUS
The European Union has appealed against June's World Trade Organisation ruling on Airbus A380 subsidies, including the finding that part of the launch aid for the superjumbo amounted to illegal export subsidies. "This dispute is too important to allow the legal misinterpretations of the panel to go unchallenged," says EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht.
IATA SEES DEMAND RECOVERY IN JUNE
International Air Transport Association traffic statistics for June reveal a "strong demand" for continued global growth, with year-on-year passenger demand up 11.9% and scheduled freight traffic up 26.5%. Director general Giovanni Bisignani says he expects to see some slowing over the next few months as government stimulus packages run out, but adds: "The question, is how long can the industry maintain the double digit momentum."
BOEING DOWN WITH DELIVERIES, DEFENCE MARGINS
Boeing posted a 7% drop to $2.26 billion in first half pre-tax profits as sales dropped 8.5% to $30.8 billion owing to fewer airliner deliveries and lower margins in the defence and space market. Full-year revenue guidance remains at $64 billion to $66 billion. The Commercial Airplanes division is still forecast to deliver between 460 and 465 airliners, but Boeing increased guidance on operating margins by a full point to between 7.5% and 8.5% due to "strong core operating performance".
CFM56 DELIVERIES RISE IN FIRST HALF
Safran Group's aerospace propulsion division posted flat first-half revenues of €2.76 billion ($3.59 billion) but operating income rose 15% to €311 million. CFM International CFM56 deliveries rose by 39 units to 636, but the gains were offset partly by a weakened aftermarket for the powerplant and lower military and helicopter engine deliveries. The manufacturer had secured orders for 1,135 engines in 2010 by the close of the Farnborough air show.
ISRAEL LOSES CH-53 IN ROMANIAN CRASH
Accident investigators have recovered the flight data recorder from an Israeli air force Sikorsky CH-53 transport helicopter that crashed in Romania on 26 July. Six Israeli personnel and a Romanian air force observer died when the aircraft came down during the bilateral "Blue Skies" training exercise in a mountainous area around 150km (80nm) north-west of Bucharest.
MEGGITT LANDS MS-21 BRAKE DEAL
Russia's United Aircraft has signed a memorandum of understanding with UK firm Meggitt covering development of a "brake-by-wire" braking system for the MS-21 twinjet family, which will feature a "highly efficient cooling to ensure rapid aircraft turnaround at the gate".
See Air Transport P14
Source: Flight International