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Articles from
December 2007
| Monday, December 31, 2007 |
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Australian Government To Review Fighter Jet Order Program
By FlyingNews @ 12:39 PM :: 105 Views ::
0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Government
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Australia's new Labor government will review around A$30 billion (US$26.3 billion) worth of fighter jet orders, including a controversial deal to buy 24 Boeing Co. (BA) F/A-18 Super Hornets from the U.S., a government spokeswoman said Monday.
"The government has undertaken to conduct a thorough review of the air combat capability options available to Australia," a spokeswoman for Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said.
"The mechanics of this review are...currently being considered and the review will commence as soon as practicably possible," she said. "Without superior air- combat capabilities, the Australian Defense Force's ability to control the air and sea approaches to our nation is compromised."
You can read the entire article here.
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| Monday, December 31, 2007 |
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| Sunday, December 30, 2007 |
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VEM DELIVERS THIRD CONVERTED B767 TO ABX AIR
By FlyingNews @ 7:39 PM :: 122 Views ::
0 Comments :: Air Cargo
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The third of three ABX Air (NASDAQ:ABXA) B767-200 airplanes converted at VEM Maintenance and Engineering’s Conversion Center in Porto Alegre, registration number N741AX, was delivered on December 14 after a successful test flight. Like the first two aircraft, N746AX and N747AX, the third went through a C Check simultaneous to the conversion process, taking advantage of the aircraft’s down time. All three converted B767-200s were subcontracted to VEM by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the owner of the supplemental type certificate (STC) for conversion to 767-200 BDSF configuration.
The ABX team, which closely accompanied the entire process, expressed its satisfaction with the technical quality and commitment of VEM’s engineers who worked on this project, and the other two aircraft. Upon receiving the aircraft, Maintenance Planning Manager Terry L. Zoerb commented, "This was very challenging at certain points, but I doubt that anyone could find a better team with whom to work. It was a pleasure, and please communicate my thanks to the rest of VEM’s team".
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| Friday, December 28, 2007 |
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Boeing and British Airways Finalize Contract for 24 787 Dreamliners
By FlyingNews @ 6:50 AM :: 104 Views ::
0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers
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Boeing [NYSE: BA] and London-based British Airways have finalized an order for eight Boeing 787-8s and 16 787-9s, raising the total number of 787s ordered worldwide from 766 to 790 and taking the 787 order book past the 787th mark. The order is valued at $4.4 billion at list prices. British Airways also placed options for 18 787s and purchase rights for an additional 10.
Willie Walsh, British Airways' chief executive, said, "The 787 is a fantastic aircraft and will be a welcome addition to our fleet. It will provide major environmental improvements in terms of global emissions, local air quality and noise.
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| Friday, December 28, 2007 |
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MNG Technic signed an agreement with Onur Air
By FlyingNews @ 6:47 AM :: 118 Views ::
0 Comments :: Aircraft Maintenance
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MNG Technic has signed another C Check agreement with Onur Air to perform heavy maintenance on its 8 MD series aircraft. The starting date of first C Check will be on January 2008 and all 8 C Checks will be accomplished in five months at the facility of MNG Technic hangar located at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Turkey.
About MNG Technic
MNG TECHNIC, which was founded in 2002 as a subsidiary of MNG Group of Companies, is providing line and heavy Maintenance at its base in Istanbul, Turkey.
MNG Technic is providing Base Maintenance Services at its base in Istanbul, Turkey, as well as Line Maintenance Services in Istanbul and Antalya.
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| Thursday, December 27, 2007 |
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RUSSIA’S BIGGEST TITANIUM SUPPLIER
By FlyingNews @ 7:01 AM :: 104 Views ::
0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers
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On 27 December this year in Moscow in the presence of Director General of the "Russian Technologies" State Corporation, Chairman of the Bureau of the Russian Union of Machine-Builders and Chairman of the VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation’s board Sergei Chemezov and US Ambassador to Russia William J. Burns took place the contract signing ceremony. The VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation has signed a contract with the Boeing Company to supply titanium mill products in 2011-2015. The contract value exceeds more than US$ 1 billion.
On the Russian side, the contract was signed by Director General of VSMPO-AVISMA Corporation Vladislav Tetyukhin, on the US side by President of Boeing Russia/CIS Sergei Kravchenko.
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| Thursday, December 27, 2007 |
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ABX AIR TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL AIRLIFT FOR DHL NETWORK
By FlyingNews @ 6:55 AM :: 122 Views ::
0 Comments :: Air Cargo
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ABX Air (NASDAQ:ABXA) announced today that it has agreed to provide two of its 767-200 freighter aircraft in support of DHL’s U.S. air network during 2008, extending further its position as the primary provider of domestic airlift to DHL.
The agreement covers two 767-200 freighter aircraft that are not among ABX Air’s 29 767s already dedicated to DHL service. One of the two 767-200s will initially be operated in support of DHL through June 2008 with an opportunity to extend the term, and the second for the full year. One of them has operated on behalf of DHL for most of 2007 under an agreement that expires at the end of this year.
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| Wednesday, December 26, 2007 |
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Bush plane readied for construction
By FlyingNews @ 12:47 PM :: 99 Views ::
0 Comments :: General Aviation, Small Aircraft Manufacturers
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A new plane that developers say will aid humanitarian efforts worldwide should be under construction on an assembly line sometime next year.
The Kodiak, being developed and built by Idaho-based Quest Aircraft, received Federal Aviation Administration approval for construction in May. Now, Quest is raising capital to manufacture the plane, said Dave Voetmann, of Edmonds, who for the past 10 years has worked to realize his dream of a new bush plane.
Voetmann raised more than $40 million from humanitarian and mission nonprofits in order to fully design the Kodiak, which will be the first new bush plane in more than 20 years.
Quest already has orders for more than 50 planes from groups such as Mission Aviation Fellowship based in Nampa, Idaho, for which Voetmann flew during the 1960s through the 1980s. Mission groups will receive the planes basically at cost for having covered production expenses.
You can read the entire article here.
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| Wednesday, December 26, 2007 |
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New planes needed ASAP: Mackay
By FlyingNews @ 12:36 PM :: 98 Views ::
0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Government
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Peter MacKay, the Minister of National Defence, says he wants a replacement for the Canadian Forces Aurora surveillance aircraft as soon as possible to prevent gaps in the military's ability to keep watch over the country's coastlines and the Arctic.
Thegovernment announced on Dec. 18 that it would upgrade 10 of the air force's 18 Auroras to keep them flying until 2020. But defence analysts say because of the lengthy period it takes to purchase and deliver new aircraft, work should start fairly soon on an Aurora replacement.
The Auroras operate out of Canadian Forces Base Comox, B.C., and CFB Greenwood, N.S., and are considered vital for watching over the country's maritime approaches.
You can read the entire article here.
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| Wednesday, December 26, 2007 |
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Qantas on collision course with aircraft engineers
By FlyingNews @ 12:34 PM :: 91 Views ::
0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines
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QANTAS is set to further inflame the tempers of its maintenance staff by unveiling "contingency" plans to offset threatened industrial action by its 1700 aircraft engineers.
The airline is expected to detail its plans as early as today. These could include the rescheduling of flights and the hiring of non-union licensed aircraft maintenance engineers (LAMEs) to counter industrial action due to begin on January 9.
Qantas has declined to comment on speculation it was using the Irish labour hire company Direct Personnel to offer six-month $100,000 contracts to engineering staff made redundant in Sydney last year to act as strikebreakers.
You can read the entire article here.
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| Wednesday, December 26, 2007 |
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Building of the first ARJ 21 designed with the participation of ANTONOV is completed
By FlyingNews @ 8:13 AM :: 112 Views ::
0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers
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On December 21, 2007 ARJ 21 the new 70 seat regional jet manufactured by AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Co. Ltd. was rolled out. ANTONOV ASTC participated in the development of the airplane. In accordance with the contract concluded with the Chinese party ANTONOV specialists carried out complex design including aerodynamics one of supercritical wing, geometrical determination and integral analysis of the construction strength. They also performed necessary tests in the wind tunnel. Besides models of the wing, the models of the aircraft aggregates as wel as the models of the whole airliner were tested in the wind tunnel.
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| Wednesday, December 26, 2007 |
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NEXT GENERATION OF UK FAST JET TRAINER MOVES STEP CLOSER
By FlyingNews @ 8:06 AM :: 97 Views ::
0 Comments :: Military Aviation
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A new generation of fast jet training for the UK Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots moved a step closer with the start of final assembly on the first production Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT).
The aircraft (designated RT003), is the first of 28 production Hawk AJTs purchased by UK MoD being manufactured by BAE Systems at Brough.
Two development Hawks AJTs already produced by BAE Systems under the design and development contract signed with the UK MoD in 2004 are now in the final phase of their flight development programme at BAE Systems Warton.
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| Wednesday, December 26, 2007 |
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Airworthiness Directives; Hartzell Propeller Inc. Compact Series Propellers
By FlyingNews @ 8:01 AM :: 99 Views ::
0 Comments :: FAA
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SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for all Hartzell Propeller Inc. models ( )HC-( )( )Y( )-( )( )( ) compact series, constant speed or feathering propellers with Hartzell manufactured "Y'' shank aluminum blades. That AD currently requires initial blade inspections, with no repetitive inspections; rework of all "Y'' shank aluminum blades including cold rolling of the blade shank retention radius, blade replacement and modification of pitch change mechanisms for certain propeller models; and changing the airplane operating limitations with specific models of propellers installed. This AD requires the same actions but clarifies certain areas of the compliance, and updates a certain service bulletin (SB) reference to the most recent SB. This AD results from operators requesting clarification of certain portions of AD 2002-09-08. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the propeller blade from fatigue cracks in the blade shank radius, which can result in damage to the airplane and loss of airplane control.
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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Safety Recommendations A-07-113 through -116
By FlyingNews @ 7:11 PM :: 100 Views ::
0 Comments :: NTSB
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Require operators of Boeing 777 airplanes to perform regular inspections of the primary and secondary external power receptacles and their protective cover guards to detect signs of worn or overheated pins and thermal damage and repair or replace any damage found. (A-07-113)
Require Boeing to add a new maintenance task that requires operators to perform scheduled visual inspections of the primary and secondary external power receptacles and their protective cover guards to detect signs of worn or overheated pins and thermal damage before the condition results in electrical arcing and fire. (A-07-114)
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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Daredevil Pilot Makes Emergency Landing
By FlyingNews @ 2:52 PM :: 111 Views ::
0 Comments :: Flying Accidents
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The man who helped pilot the first nonstop, unrefueled flight around the world made an emergency landing Tuesday after reporting engine trouble on his plane.
Dick Rutan was flying solo from Mojave to Palm Springs when his single-engine Cessna 150M had engine trouble, forcing him to land on a dirt road in this desert city around 9:30 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said.
You can read the article here.
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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Eclipse Aviation Achieves FAA Certification of Avio NG
By FlyingNews @ 9:37 AM :: 211 Views ::
0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers
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Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world’s first very light jet (VLJ), today announced that it has received certification of Avio NG from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Avio NG Total Aircraft Integration™ system, exclusive to the Eclipse 500 VLJ, provides centralized control of virtually all Eclipse 500 systems and avionics functions. Avio NG significantly reduces pilot workload by simplifying tasks, generating useful information and acting as a virtual copilot.
Certification of Avio NG marks the completion of an intensive effort to develop and certify a significantly improved Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS) and Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) functionality for the Eclipse 500. This milestone was achieved in a short ten months following the company’s announcement that it would replace the equipment supplied by Avidyne, and build and certify the improved Avio NG system. As the lead integrator, Eclipse Aviation certified Avio NG with the support of its world-class partners, including Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. (IS&S), Honeywell, Garmin International and PS Engineering, Inc.
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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Cessna Delivers 8,000th Independence-Produced Piston; Civil Air Patrol is the Customer
By FlyingNews @ 9:34 AM :: 95 Views ::
0 Comments :: General Aviation, Small Aircraft Manufacturers
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Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, this week delivered the 8,000th single-engine piston aircraft since resuming production in Independence, Kan., some 10 years ago. The customer for the 8,000th aircraft was the U.S. Civil Air Patrol (CAP), Cessna’s largest and one of the company’s oldest customers.
“The significance of this milestone delivery is to mark the successful partnership between Cessna, the Civil Air Patrol, and our friends at Yingling Aviation who incorporate special modifications to the Garmin avionics required for the CAP mission,” said Roger Whyte, Cessna senior vice president, Sales & Marketing.
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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Boeing Marks 50th Anniversary of 707 First Flight
By FlyingNews @ 9:30 AM :: 98 Views ::
0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers
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Today Boeing [NYSE: BA] marks the 50th anniversary of the first flight of its 707 jetliner, and the point in commercial aviation history when propellers gave way to the jet age and air travel became affordable and available.
On a typically cold and rainy Northwest Friday afternoon Dec. 20, 1957, Boeing's chief of flight test Tex Johnston, his copilot Jim Gannet and flight engineer Tom Layne sat on the drenched runway at Renton Municipal Airport in the first production 707, checked weather reports and waited for the chance to take the new airplane up for its maiden flight.
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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Philippines' Cebu Pacific orders 4 additional ATR 72-500s
By FlyingNews @ 9:28 AM :: 97 Views ::
0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers
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ATR and Philippines-based carrier Cebu Pacific today announced the purchase of 4 ATR 72-500s. These aircraft are the conversion into firm orders of 4 of the 8 option aircraft included in the previous contract for 6 firm plus 8 option aircraft inked earlier this year. Today's deal, which includes new options for 4 additional aircraft, brings to 10 the total firm orders of ATR 72-500s.
Cebu Pacific will take delivery of these ten aircraft during 2008 and 2009. All the aircraft will be configured with 72 seats and will feature state-of-the-art technological innovations in the field of communications and navigation aid tools and passenger comfort.
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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EC135S PROVIDE MED FLIGHT WITH HIGHER RELIABILITY, EASE OF MAINTENANCE
By FlyingNews @ 9:24 AM :: 92 Views ::
0 Comments :: Helicopters
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Higher reliability, more availability, and easier to maintain: That’s the verdict of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinic's Med Flight air medical service (AMS), about their two new American Eurocopter EC135s. Flown and maintained on the UW Hospital's behalf by CJ Systems Aviation Group, which is now Air Methods, the two EC135s replaced two Augusta 109Es that were slated for retirement.
“We received the first EC135 in July 2007, and the second in September 2007,” says Mark Hanson, Med Flight’s Program Manager. “Granted, moving from one cockpit configuration to another takes a while to get used to. But the EC135s have already proven themselves to be more reliable and easier to take care of by our mechanics. This translates into more availability for AMS flights, and more service to our clients.”
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| Friday, December 21, 2007 |
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Vietnam orders 10 A350 XWB and 20 additional A321 aircraft
By FlyingNews @ 8:25 AM :: 91 Views ::
0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers
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Vietnam Airlines has signed a contract for 10 A350-900 XWBs, as well as for 10 additional A321s. This announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the aircraft on 1st October 2007 in the presence of Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister of Vietnam during his state visit to France. An additional ten A321s covered under the MOU have now been confirmed as firm orders for the new Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company, in which Vietnam Airlines is a major shareholder.
The respective contracts were signed in Hanoi today by Mr Pham Ngoc Minh, Chief Executive Officer of Vietnam Airlines, and Mr Tran Long, Chief Executive Officer of Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company, with John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers.
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| Thursday, December 20, 2007 |
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Northrop Grumman's Second E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot Production Aircraft, Delta Two, Completes Successful First Flight
By FlyingNews @ 8:00 AM :: 84 Views ::
0 Comments :: Military Aviation
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The second E-2D Advanced Hawkeye development aircraft, known as Delta Two, built for the U.S. Navy by prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), completed its first flight in just over two hours from the company's Florida manufacturing and flight test center Nov. 29 followed by a second flight Dec. 4.
"The first flight of our second development aircraft signals another major program performance milestone for the E-2 program and for Team Hawkeye. It's clear by our consistent team effort that we're focused on delivering to the Navy its arsenal of 21st century network-centric warfare and battle management capabilities when we said we would," said Tom Vice, vice president of Airborne Early Warning and Battle Management Command and Control Programs - Navy for Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector.
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| Wednesday, December 19, 2007 |
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On-going Fatigue Study Leads Navy to Ground Some P-3Cs
By FlyingNews @ 10:00 AM :: 92 Views ::
0 Comments :: Military Aviation
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The Naval Air Systems Command issued an Air Frame Bulletin Dec. 17 announcing the grounding of 39 P-3C Orion aircraft due to structural fatigue concerns.
The concerns are the result of continuing P-3 fatigue life analysis and validation by physical findings.
Program officials determined that these aircraft are beyond known structural limits on the lower section of the P-3 wing. Analysis and corrective measures are expected to take between 18 to 24 months per aircraft to complete.
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| Wednesday, December 19, 2007 |
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Pratt & Whitney’s F135 Engine Featured in F-35 STOVL Ceremony
By FlyingNews @ 7:51 AM :: 112 Views ::
0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines
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Pratt & Whitney's F135 short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) propulsion system will power the Lightning II aircraft that was unveiled today at Lockheed Martin’s F-35B STOVL roll out ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas. Pratt & Whitney is the propulsion power provider for the F-35B STOVL. The aircraft’s first flight is scheduled for May 2008. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.
"The F135 STOVL propulsion system installed in the F-35B flight test aircraft has undergone extensive ground testing to demonstrate that it has the level of maturity and reliability needed to power these critical flight tests,” said Bill Gostic, vice president, F135 engine programs, Pratt & Whitney. "The entire F135 team is proud to be a part of this event, and we all look forward to a continued successful flight test program in 2008."
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| Wednesday, December 19, 2007 |
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| Wednesday, December 19, 2007 |
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First MRH90 Multi-Role Helicopters Delivered to Australia
By FlyingNews @ 7:44 AM :: 89 Views ::
0 Comments :: Helicopters
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The Australian Armed Forces took formally delivery today of the first two of 46 new, large and fast, troop carrying helicopters in Brisbane at Australian Aerospace, Eurocopter subsidiary. This hand-over ceremony, which was preceded by a fly-past of the two MRH90, was attended by an impressive grouping of the nation’s leaders, Federal, State and Local government officials, senior officers of the Australian Defence Force, and senior executives of Eurocopter, including CEO Lutz Bertling, Australian Aerospace, EADS and industry partners.
The MRH90 helicopters are the Australian variant of the NH90, the world’s most advanced multi-role helicopter in the ten-tonne class. They are capable of carrying two pilots and 20 fully-equipped combat troops up to 900km at speeds of up to 300km/h. They will replace existing Army Black Hawk and Navy Sea King helicopters.
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| Tuesday, December 18, 2007 |
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ExelTech Aerospace announces five-year maintenance services contract for CL215P water bombers with the Quebec Government
By FlyingNews @ 12:24 PM :: 127 Views ::
0 Comments :: Aircraft Maintenance
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ExelTech Aerospace Inc. ("ExelTech Aerospace", "ExelTech" or the "Company"), (TSX Venture: XLT), Canada's largest publicly-listed commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul organization, today announced that it has signed a long-term contract to provide operational readiness, diagnostic and maintenance services to the "Service a Derien gouvernemental"(SAG), the flight operations group of the Quebec Ministry of Government Services. This agreement follows a competitive tender process.
Under this exclusive five year agreement, valued at up to CDN$ 7.6 million, ExelTech is responsible to ensure that the Quebec Government's four Bombardier CL215P water bombers are mission-ready to fight forest fires anywhere in the province of Quebec. The company will perform major structural inspections and repairs at its Quebec City facility during the winter months and line maintenance and field support at remote locations during the fire fighting season between May and October.
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| Tuesday, December 18, 2007 |
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Northrop Grumman, L-3 to Work Together in Bid for U.S. Navy's EPX Aircraft
By FlyingNews @ 7:16 AM :: 135 Views ::
0 Comments :: Military Aviation
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Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today submitted a proposal with L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) for the U.S. Navy's EPX aircraft program in a world-class collaboration of industry leaders. The EPX platform will provide a transformational, multi-intelligence capability delivering strike targeting information to the warfighter.
The Navy envisions EPX as a shore-based, manned aircraft providing intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting (ISR&T) support to carrier strike groups and theater, combatant and national commanders. The EPX would assume the role of the Navy's EP-3E aircraft and provide greatly expanded capabilities.
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| Tuesday, December 18, 2007 |
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NASA to Begin Testing of Engine That Will Power Ares Rockets
By FlyingNews @ 7:14 AM :: 102 Views ::
0 Comments :: NASA
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In December, NASA will begin testing core components of a rocket engine from the Apollo era. Data from the tests will help NASA build the next generation engine that will power the nation's new Ares launch vehicles on voyages that will send humans to the moon.
NASA will test the engine's powerpack, a gas generator and turbopumps that perform the rocket engine's major pumping and combustion work. These components originally delivered propellants to the Apollo-era J-2 engine that fueled the second stage of the Saturn V rockets.
NASA is using these heritage parts to develop a new engine, known as the J2-X, to power the upper stages of both the Ares I crew launch vehicle and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. Results from the tests will help engineers modify the machinery to meet the higher performance requirements of these two next-generation rockets.
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| Tuesday, December 18, 2007 |
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Tiger HAD maiden flight performed on December 14th, 2007
By FlyingNews @ 7:07 AM :: 101 Views ::
0 Comments :: Helicopters
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The first flight of the HAD version of the Tiger (HAD S/N 5001) has taken place in Marignane (France) on December 14th, 2007, at the exact date forecasted in the Tiger HAD development contract signed two years ago between Eurocopter Tiger and the international armament organisation OCCAR. The flight clearance had been granted by the French military airworthiness authority DGA on the 11th of December 2007 and had been followed by the usual ground runs process prior to the first flight.
This flight represents a big step for the development of the most recent Tiger version. It enables the start of the flight test period, which is necessary for the further HAD development and qualification activities. HAD S/N 5001 is the first serial HAD for Spain, and will be transferred to Eurocopter España facilities in 2009, where it will further be the main support to HAD development activities. The HAD version will be qualified end 2010 and HAD will then start being delivered to its customers in France and in Spain.
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| Tuesday, December 18, 2007 |
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Tiger Airways looks to the future with fleet of 70 A320 aircraft
By FlyingNews @ 7:04 AM :: 85 Views ::
0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers
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Tiger Airways, Asia-Pacific's fast growing low-fare carrier, has signed a contract with Airbus for an additional 20 A320s, which will take its fleet up to 70 aircraft. This announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 50 A320s in June 2007, with the first 30 of these orders confirmed in October. Tiger Airways currently operates a fleet of 12 A320s, with eight more to be delivered by 2010. Tiger Airways A320s will be configured in a 180-seat, all economy configuration
The A320s will be deployed on the airline's rapidly expanding Asia-Pacific network that currently extends to more than 25 destinations in eight countries. This includes Tiger Airways' new Australian domestic operation, which was launched out of Melbourne in November 2007.
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| Monday, December 17, 2007 |
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Ronald Reagan and HS-4 Medevac 14 Year-Old Girl From Cruise Ship
By FlyingNews @ 7:45 AM :: 111 Views ::
0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Helicopters
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Sailors from USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and the pilots and aircrew of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Four (HS-4) rescued a teenage girl Dec. 15 who suffered a ruptured appendix while aboard a cruise ship in the Pacific Ocean.
The girl, a 14 year-old from Albion Ill., had been experiencing abdominal pains while aboard the Dawn Princess. The Bermuda-flagged vessel was located off the coast of southern Baja California, Mexico and was approximately 550 miles away from Ronald Reagan when they issued the distress call late Saturday evening.
"It's a great example of the type of things we are called upon to do, and it's neat we were able to execute it as well as we did," said Capt. Terry B. Kraft, Ronald Reagan's commanding officer.
You can read the article here.
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| Saturday, December 15, 2007 |
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GP7200-powered A380 Receives FAA, EASA Type Certifications
By FlyingNews @ 8:54 PM :: 118 Views ::
0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines
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The Engine Alliance GP7200-powered Airbus A380 received type certifications from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today. The joint certification follows 16 months of flight testing and paves the way for entry into service with Emirates next year.
During the Airbus flight test program, the GP7200 engine achieved or exceeded all test objectives. The GP7200 is the most extensively tested engine designed specifically for large commercial aircraft, having accumulated 240 flights and 2,855 engine flight hours. In addition to flight testing, the GP7200 engine has amassed more than 5,250 hours and 17,770 cycles of endurance ground testing. Continued ground testing will ensure mature engine reliability from its first revenue flight.
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| Saturday, December 15, 2007 |
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FAA Statement on Pilot Retirement Age
By FlyingNews @ 8:46 PM :: 85 Views ::
0 Comments :: FAA
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) welcomes the legislation signed into law last night by the President that allows U.S. commercial pilots to fly until age 65. The determined efforts of Congress have averted a lengthy federal rulemaking process while enabling some of our nation’s most experienced pilots to keep flying.
Effective last night, the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act allows both pilots on a domestic flight to be up to age 65. For international flights, one pilot may be up to age 65 provided the other pilot is under age 60, consistent with the November 2006 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard.
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