CONTINENTAL TO FACE MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE OVER CONCORDE
Continental Airlines and five individuals will face a manslaughter trial next year over the 25 July 2000 crash of an Air France Concorde that killed 113 people. Former French civil aviation authority official Claude Frantzen and two former members of the Concorde programme - chief engineer Jacques Herubel and programme director Henri Perrier - will stand trial, along with John Taylor, the Continental mechanic who fitted a strip of titanium that was partly blamed for the crash, and maintenance chief Stanley Ford. French accident investigators said in 2004 that the design of the Concorde's fuel tanks made them vulnerable to damage and contributed to the disaster, in which a titanium strip that had fallen off a Continental McDonnell Douglas DC-10 on to the runway at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport damaged a Concorde tyre .The tyre exploded, and debris set fire to a wing fuel tank.
DUBAI AEROSPACE ENTERPRISE CHIEF TO RETIRE
Bob Johnson, chief executive of diversified Middle East aviation business Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Holding (DAE), is to retire. The former Honeywell Aerospace chief joined DAE in July 2006, shortly after DAE was established. George Mushahwar - previously chief operating officer of Dubai-based Tecom Investments becomes acting chief executive. "DAE already has in place a team of exceptionally talented people who will continue to take the company forward and develop its businesses on a global stage," says Johnson.
EUROPE TO OUTLINE EMISSIONS APPROACH
A conference jointly organised by the European Civil Aviation Conference and the European Union on 28-29 October in Geneva will examine a comprehensive approach to the environment, including technology research, operational and air traffic management improvements and market-based measures that will include an explanation of Europe's proposal for an aviation emissions trading scheme, outline practical implications and issues on its proposed operation. The event will give airlines an opportunity to consider the detailed implications of the scheme proposals. For more information visit www.ecac-ceac.org.
UK MOD SIGNS FOR NEW AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
The UK Ministry of Defence has signed contracts worth a combined £3 billion ($5.97 billion) covering the production of two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy. Awarded to the Carrier Alliance companies, including BAE Systems/VT joint venture BVT Surface Fleet, Babcock Marine and Thales UK, the new business will lead to the introduction of two 65,000t vessels in 2014 and 2016, respectively.
AOPA TO GET NEW PRESIDENT
Phil Boyer is set to retire at the end of the year as president of the US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He will be replaced next January by Craig Fuller, who will steer the 414,000-member trade body - the world's largest aviation organisation representing around 70% of US pilots. Boyer is credited with transforming AOPA "into a forward-thinking and tech-savvy leader for vastly changed times in general aviation", says the association, which has seen a 40% growth in membership despite a declining US pilot population.
EUROPE KICKS OFF GALILEO SATELLITE PROCUREMENT
The European Commission and European Space Agency have formally opened the procurement process for the 30 satellites that will be launched to form the Galileo navigation constellation. Six work packages include satellites, ground control and ground mission segments, launch services, operations, and system support. Galileo's capabilities will include supporting aircraft navigation, air traffic management and search and rescue. The constellation, to be deployed by 2013, will be monitored and controlled by primary centres in Europe and a global support infrastructure.
RUSSIANS TO PROBE ABORTED TU-154 TAKE-OFF
Federal air transport agency Rosaviatsia is examining an incident involving an Aeroflot Tupolev Tu-154 that aborted take-off from St Petersburg when one of its three engines suffered a serious failure. The incident occurred on 30 June as the aircraft, departing for Moscow, was travelling at about 30kt (55km/h). A left-hand Soloviev D-30 powerplant that had been operating within normal thrust limits at this point disintegrated and extinguishing systems activated. None of the 103 passengers and nine crew members was injured, although the aircraft sustained damage. The specific airframe involved in the incident is unknown.
Source: Flight International
