BALPA Drops Court Action Over OpenSkies
British Airways' pilots union BALPA withdrew its court action over pilot recruitment plans for the carrier's OpenSkies subsidiary last week to avoid the prospect of an expensive, drawn-out series of appeals. BA planned to use European Union legislation on the creation of subsidies to block a threat by pilots to strike over the establishment of OpenSkies. BALPA had objected to BA's plans to recruit crews from outside its mainline pilot corps. "After three days in court it became apparent that - win, lose or draw - we could still face appeal after appeal," BALPA general secretary Jim McAuslan says. OpenSkies will launch services in June.
IAI, Rafael Launch Micro Satellite Pact
Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael have finalised the formation of a joint company that will develop, manufacture and launch micro satellites up to a maximum weight of 120kg (265lb). Sources related to the new company say a delivery method will be determined after the joint company starts operations, with options including an IAI concept to launch systems into orbit after releasing them from a cargo aircraft, and a more powerful version of Rafael's Black Sparrow air-launched target missile.
Report Urges Suspension of UK Airport Expansion
A critical report urges that major UK airport expansion should be halted because disputed data underpinning the country's aviation strategy makes it impossible to weigh up the true impact of aviation. The year-long study by the Sustainable Development Commission and the Institute for Public Policy Research, dubbed Breaking the holding pattern, advises that proposed expansion at London Heathrow should be put on hold until the strategic framework has been reviewed.
Business Jets Filling European Skies
Business aircraft movements in Europe have increased from half a million in 1997 to 764,000 last year, according to a just-published Eurocontrol report, and the proportion of jets in the mix has risen dramatically from about half of all movements in 1997 to nearly 75% 10 years later. Eurocontrol says business aircraft movements now make up 7.8% of all instrument flight rules traffic, and the sector has grown more than twice as fast as all the other sectors collectively.
ESA Looks To Support Personal Spaceflight
The European Space Agency envisages supporting the nascent personal spaceflight industry by providing human spaceflight services including astronaut training, engaging in partnerships with European space tourism ventures and contributing to the development of the necessary pan-European related legal framework. Andrés Gálvez, ESA's general studies programmes manager overseeing the tourism work, says of the results of an ESA-funded study into space tourism companies: "We were surprised at how differently they operate to the [multinational] companies we normally work with."
US Concern For 757 Wing Clips
US safety investigators are concerned that a larger number of Boeing 757s in the country's fleet could have improperly installed support clips in the upper wing trailing edge, and are recommending that the Federal Aviation Administration and the airframer work to ensure any anomalies are corrected. The concerns by National Transportation Safety Board personnel stem from an investigation into an in-flight separation of the left upper wing fixed trailing edge panel during cruise at 27,000ft (8,240m) on a US Airways flight from Orlando to Philadelphia on 22 March. After examining the left wing, NTSB determined the three support clips had fatigue cracks, were oriented incorrectly and that no spacers were installed. A 1991 airworthiness directive mandated the replacement of clips and the addition of spacers in the wing rear spar vertical stiffeners.
Prosecutor Drops Inquiry Into SAS Q400 Accidents
Stockholm's public prosecutor has dropped an investigation into the SAS Group, initiated after the second of three Bombardier Q400 landing accidents last year. The prosecutor opened the inquiry, centred on suspicion of "creating danger to another person", after a Scandinavian Airlines Q400 accident in Vilnius on 12 September 2007. SAS withdrew its entire Q400 fleet after a third landing accident, at Copenhagen, a few weeks later.
Boeing Engineering Student of The Year Award
If you are an engineering student whose work has an impact on aeronautical or space technology, enter the Engineering Student of the Year award, sponsored by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. The winner and a companion will be guests of Boeing for a presentation during Flight International's 100th anniversary celebrations at the 2008 Farnborough air show. Details and entry instructions at flightglobal.com/student
Source: Flight International
