A400M ENGINE GETS CIVIL CERTIFICATION
The European Aviation Safety Agency has awarded civil type certification to the Europrop International TP400-D6 engine powering Airbus Military's A400M transport. Approved on 6 May, the milestone follows the completion of more than 12,000h of ground and flight testing with the 11,000shp (8,200kW) design.
IMPROVED AIRMULE GETS BACK IN THE AIR
Urban Aeronautics has resumed flight testing its AirMule ducted-fan unmanned air vehicle after a four-month upgrade. The Israeli firm has added an energy-absorbing wheeled landing gear, new sensors and made lower fuselage aerodynamic changes to improve the up to 1.4t design's control response in windy conditions.
TURKISH FACTORY TO PRODUCE F135 PARTS
Pratt & Whitney and Turkey's Kale Group are building a new factory in Izmir to produce parts for the Lockheed Martin F-35's F135 engine. To open by the end of 2012, the site will produce titanium components, said Kale Aero general manager Ilhan Ozaydin.
BA FINALLY RESOLVES BITTER CABIN CREW ROW
British Airways has ended its long-running stand-off with cabin crew union Unite with a deal containing a clause aimed at ensuring no repeat of the row. "Our agreement with Unite involves acknowledgement by the union that the cost-saving structural changes we have made in cabin crew operations are permanent," said BA. The airline endured several strikes in the bitter year-long dispute.
XIAMEN RE-ORDERS 787 AFTER 2006 CANCELLATION
Five years after cancelling its order for three Boeing 787s, China's Xiamen Airlines has revisited the twinjet and placed a new order for six. Xiamen, which is controlled by China Southern Airlines, said it would take delivery of the aircraft "in stages" between 2014 and 2015. No engine selection has been given.
DHL TO REPLACE A300B4S WITH A300-600S
DHL Express has acquired 13 Airbus A300-600s to be converted into freighters by EADS' EFW division in Dresden. They will replace DHL's A300B4-200s and be integrated into its fleet by early 2013. The first A300-600 is scheduled to enter the conversion line in early June and will be delivered to DHL's Leipzig hub in October. DHL said the twinjets burn 20% less fuel than the A300B4-200s.
BERLIN BRANDENBURG COMPLETES RUNWAY
Engineers have completed construction of the southern runway at Berlin Brandenburg International airport, the German capital's new hub. The 4,000m (13,000ft) runway is located nearly 2km (1.2 miles) south of Berlin Schönefeld's 3,000m Runway 07R/25L, which will be extended to 3,600m. Brandenburg is scheduled to open in June 2012; the city's Tegel hub will be closed.
SAFRAN, THALES REVISIT TIE-UP TALKS
French technology groups Safran and Thales have resumed talks over possible "asset swaps". Both are part-owned by the French state and a merger or other tie-up has been discussed periodically for several years, but sources suspect new impetus following last year's Anglo-French defence agreement, which resulted in Thales UK being named prime contractor for the unmanned Watchkeeper aircraft programme to be used by both nations.
Source: Flight International
