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Monday, December 31, 2007 Australian Government To Review Fighter Jet Order Program By FlyingNews @ 12:39 PM :: 292 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Government 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.

Monday, December 31, 2007 China's homemade commuter aircraft receives 20 new orders By FlyingNews @ 12:22 PM :: 291 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers China's self-developed commuter aircraft, the Modern Ark 60 (MA60), has received new purchasing or leasing orders of 20 aircraft over the weekend to make its total orders to 116. The China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC1) announced Sunday that its subsidiary, the Xi'an Aircraft Industry (Group) Company. Ltd.(XAC), has signed contracts with Yunnan Ying'an Airlines and AVIC1 Leasing Company for the purchasing and leasing of the 20 MA60 twin turbo-prop commuters. You can read the entire article here.

Sunday, December 30, 2007 VEM DELIVERS THIRD CONVERTED B767 TO ABX AIR By FlyingNews @ 7:39 PM :: 345 Views :: 0 Comments :: Air Cargo 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". Read More..

Friday, December 28, 2007 Boeing and British Airways Finalize Contract for 24 787 Dreamliners By FlyingNews @ 6:50 AM :: 304 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Friday, December 28, 2007 MNG Technic signed an agreement with Onur Air By FlyingNews @ 6:47 AM :: 347 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Maintenance 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.

Thursday, December 27, 2007 RUSSIA’S BIGGEST TITANIUM SUPPLIER By FlyingNews @ 7:01 AM :: 294 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Thursday, December 27, 2007 ABX AIR TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL AIRLIFT FOR DHL NETWORK By FlyingNews @ 6:55 AM :: 304 Views :: 0 Comments :: Air Cargo 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. Read More..

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 Bush plane readied for construction By FlyingNews @ 12:47 PM :: 266 Views :: 0 Comments :: General Aviation, Small Aircraft Manufacturers 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.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 New planes needed ASAP: Mackay By FlyingNews @ 12:36 PM :: 281 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Government 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.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 Qantas on collision course with aircraft engineers By FlyingNews @ 12:34 PM :: 282 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines 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.

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 Building of the first ARJ 21 designed with the participation of ANTONOV is completed By FlyingNews @ 8:13 AM :: 322 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 NEXT GENERATION OF UK FAST JET TRAINER MOVES STEP CLOSER By FlyingNews @ 8:06 AM :: 282 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation 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. Read More..

Wednesday, December 26, 2007 Airworthiness Directives; Hartzell Propeller Inc. Compact Series Propellers By FlyingNews @ 8:01 AM :: 283 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA 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. Read More..

Friday, December 21, 2007 Safety Recommendations A-07-113 through -116 By FlyingNews @ 7:11 PM :: 314 Views :: 0 Comments :: NTSB 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) Read More..

Friday, December 21, 2007 Daredevil Pilot Makes Emergency Landing By FlyingNews @ 2:52 PM :: 284 Views :: 0 Comments :: Flying Accidents 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.

Friday, December 21, 2007 Boeing and Qantas Agree to Additional 737 Purchases By FlyingNews @ 12:32 PM :: 283 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Qantas Airways today announced a final agreement for the order of 31 Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 jetliners. The order is valued at US$2.3 billion at Boeing list prices. This is the largest single 737 order placed by Qantas for the Next-Generation 737. The airline previously ordered 38 737-800s in increments over the past six years. Read More..

Friday, December 21, 2007 Eclipse Aviation Achieves FAA Certification of Avio NG By FlyingNews @ 9:37 AM :: 611 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Friday, December 21, 2007 Cessna Delivers 8,000th Independence-Produced Piston; Civil Air Patrol is the Customer By FlyingNews @ 9:34 AM :: 275 Views :: 0 Comments :: General Aviation, Small Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Friday, December 21, 2007 Boeing Marks 50th Anniversary of 707 First Flight By FlyingNews @ 9:30 AM :: 265 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Friday, December 21, 2007 Philippines' Cebu Pacific orders 4 additional ATR 72-500s By FlyingNews @ 9:28 AM :: 289 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Friday, December 21, 2007 EC135S PROVIDE MED FLIGHT WITH HIGHER RELIABILITY, EASE OF MAINTENANCE By FlyingNews @ 9:24 AM :: 269 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters 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.” Read More..

Friday, December 21, 2007 Vietnam orders 10 A350 XWB and 20 additional A321 aircraft By FlyingNews @ 8:25 AM :: 273 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Thursday, December 20, 2007 Northrop Grumman's Second E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Pilot Production Aircraft, Delta Two, Completes Successful First Flight By FlyingNews @ 8:00 AM :: 270 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation 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. Read More..

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 On-going Fatigue Study Leads Navy to Ground Some P-3Cs By FlyingNews @ 10:00 AM :: 274 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation 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. Read More..

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Pratt & Whitney’s F135 Engine Featured in F-35 STOVL Ceremony By FlyingNews @ 7:51 AM :: 300 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines 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." Read More..

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Spain’s Interior Ministry orders two EADS CASA CN-235 aircraft for the Guardia Civil By FlyingNews @ 7:48 AM :: 297 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The Spain’s Interior Ministry has ordered two EADS CASA CN-235 aircraft in Maritime Patrol version that will be operated by the “Servicio Aéreo de la Guardia Civil.” These are the first fix-wing aircraft in service with these forces, which already have a fleet of helicopters in their inventory. One aircraft will be based in the Canary Islands and the other one in the south of the Spanish Peninsula and will be performing missions against drug trafficking, illegal immigration, border patrol missions, maritime search and rescue, etc. Read More..

Wednesday, December 19, 2007 First MRH90 Multi-Role Helicopters Delivered to Australia By FlyingNews @ 7:44 AM :: 277 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters 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. Read More..

Tuesday, December 18, 2007 ExelTech Aerospace announces five-year maintenance services contract for CL215P water bombers with the Quebec Government By FlyingNews @ 12:24 PM :: 364 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Maintenance 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. Read More..

Tuesday, December 18, 2007 Northrop Grumman, L-3 to Work Together in Bid for U.S. Navy's EPX Aircraft By FlyingNews @ 7:16 AM :: 335 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation 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. Read More..

Tuesday, December 18, 2007 NASA to Begin Testing of Engine That Will Power Ares Rockets By FlyingNews @ 7:14 AM :: 356 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA 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. Read More..

Tuesday, December 18, 2007 Tiger HAD maiden flight performed on December 14th, 2007 By FlyingNews @ 7:07 AM :: 274 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters 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. Read More..

Tuesday, December 18, 2007 Tiger Airways looks to the future with fleet of 70 A320 aircraft By FlyingNews @ 7:04 AM :: 244 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers 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. Read More..

Monday, December 17, 2007 Ronald Reagan and HS-4 Medevac 14 Year-Old Girl From Cruise Ship By FlyingNews @ 7:45 AM :: 289 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Helicopters 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.

Saturday, December 15, 2007 GP7200-powered A380 Receives FAA, EASA Type Certifications By FlyingNews @ 8:54 PM :: 307 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines 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. Read More..

Saturday, December 15, 2007 FAA Statement on Pilot Retirement Age By FlyingNews @ 8:46 PM :: 263 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA 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. Read More..

Saturday, December 15, 2007 Fighter pilots training hard to escort Santa By FlyingNews @ 8:39 PM :: 243 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation Fighter pilots from 3 Wing Bagotville and 4 Wing Cold Lake are stepping up their training flights this week and next as they prepare to launch on Christmas Eve to escort Santa Claus through North American airspace. Santa himself has once again asked North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) to track his sleigh through the sky as he makes his annual gift-giving journey, so that millions of children throughout the world will be able to follow his progress. The Canadian Air Defence Sector Operations Centre at 22 Wing North Bay will use satellite and radar systems to alert NORAD when Santa enters Canadian airspace. You can read the article here.

Saturday, December 15, 2007 Boeing, Leasing Company AWAS Announce Order for 31 Next-Generation 737s By FlyingNews @ 8:10 PM :: 282 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Boeing [NYSE: BA] and AWAS today announced that the Dublin-based airplane leasing company has placed an order for 31 Next-Generation 737-800s valued at $2.3 billion at list prices. "These new Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft will offer greater options to our global customer base and future airline clients in support of our growing business," said Franklin Pray, president and chief executive, AWAS. "We hope that we will be in a position to announce further deals of this caliber in the coming years and that the success we have enjoyed during 2007 will continue into 2008 and beyond." Read More..

Saturday, December 15, 2007 Engine Alliance powered Airbus A380 receives joint EASA & FAA Type Certification By FlyingNews @ 7:50 PM :: 304 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers, Aircraft Engines The A380 powered by Engine Alliance GP7200 engines received joint European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Type Certification on 14th December 2007. The EASA Type Certificate for the Engine Alliance powered A380 was signed by Frédéric Copigneaux, EASA’s Deputy Director of Certification prior to being handed over to Patrick Gavin, Airbus’s Executive Vice President Engineering. The FAA Type Certificate for the Engine Alliance powered A380 will be signed later in the day in Seattle, by Ali Bahrami, the FAA’s Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety. Read More..

Saturday, December 15, 2007 Qantas takes delivery of Airbus' 5,000th aircraft By FlyingNews @ 7:40 PM :: 250 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Qantas and Airbus today celebrated another major milestone in the airframe manufacturer's relatively short but successful existence - the delivery of its 5,000th aircraft, an A330-200, to Qantas at a special ceremony in Toulouse. Established in 1921, Qantas is one of the world's oldest airlines, yet it only became an Airbus customer in November 2000, when it placed an order for 12 A380s and 13 A330s. Today, the Qantas Group, including Jetstar, has a fleet of 37 Airbus aircraft comprising ten A330-300s, seven A330-200s and 20 A320s. Also on order are 20 A380s and three A330s. In November, Qantas also announced its intention to acquire a further 50 A320 Family aircraft. Read More..

Saturday, December 15, 2007 Blue Angels Release 2008 Show Schedule By FlyingNews @ 9:16 AM :: 400 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Aerobatics The Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, has announced its show schedule for the 2008 season. Following winter training, the team begins the season at Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., March 8 and will conclude the season Nov. 16 at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The Blue Angels are scheduled to perform 68 shows at 35 locations throughout the United States and Canada. "We are extremely excited to begin our new season and represent the Navy and Marine Corps team with a safe and exciting show for 2008," said Cmdr. Kevin Mannix, the squadron's commanding officer. Read More..

Thursday, December 13, 2007 U.S. Army/Navy Signs 5-Year Production Contract for UH-60 Helicopters By FlyingNews @ 8:58 PM :: 275 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Helicopters The U.S. Government and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. today signed a five-year, multi-service contract for 537 H-60 HAWK™ helicopters to be delivered to the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Sikorsky is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company. The "Multi-Year VII" contract is a multi-service, multi-year contract with the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy for UH-60M BLACK HAWK, HH-60M MEDEVAC, MH-60S SEAHAWK™ and MH-60R SEAHAWK® aircraft. It is the seventh contract for Sikorsky and the U.S. Government. The contract value for expected deliveries is approximately $7.4 billion and includes options for an additional 263 aircraft, spares, and kits, with the total contract value potentially reaching $11.6 billion. Actual production quantities will be determined year-by-year over the life of the program based on funding allocations set by Congress and Pentagon acquisition priorities. Read More..

Thursday, December 13, 2007 Lufthansa to Make Equity Investment in JetBlue; Will Buy Up to 19% Stake For $7.27 Per Share By FlyingNews @ 8:55 PM :: 274 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines JetBlue Airways Corporation (Nasdaq:JBLU) and Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Xetra:WKN 823212) today announced an agreement for Lufthansa to make a minority equity investment in JetBlue. This transaction represents the first significant investment by a European air carrier in a U.S. point-to-point air carrier. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been approved by the Boards of both companies, Lufthansa will purchase in a private placement approximately 42 million newly issued common shares of JetBlue, or 19% of JetBlue's equity after giving effect to the issuance. Lufthansa is acquiring the shares at a price of $7.27 per share, or a total of approximately $300 million, representing approximately a 16% premium to yesterday's closing price of $6.25. Read More..

Thursday, December 13, 2007 NASA Sends Spacecraft on Mission to Comet Hartley 2 By FlyingNews @ 8:49 PM :: 361 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA NASA has approved the retargeting of the Epoxi mission for a flyby of comet Hartley 2 on Oct. 11, 2010. Hartley 2 was chosen as Epoxi's destination after the initial target, comet Boethin, could not be found. Scientists theorize comet Boethin may have broken up into pieces too small for detection. The Epoxi mission melds two compelling science investigations -- the Extrasolar Planet Observation and Characterization and the Deep Impact Extended Investigation. Both investigations will be performed using the Deep Impact spacecraft. Read More..

Thursday, December 13, 2007 Boeing Set to Begin Assembly of New 777 Freighter as Design Work Nearly Complete By FlyingNews @ 8:39 PM :: 279 Views :: 0 Comments :: Air Cargo The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] is set to begin full production of its new 777 Freighter now that engineers recently have completed more than 90 percent of the design work for the new cargo airplane. Boeing will start assembly of the first 777 Freighter in early 2008 at its Everett, Wash., facility. Suppliers already have begun production of parts and major components for Boeing's newest freighter. The first 777 Freighter will be delivered to launch customer Air France in the fourth quarter of 2008. Read More..

Thursday, December 13, 2007 Northern Jet Takes Delivery Of Second Bombardier Learjet 40 XR Jet By FlyingNews @ 10:13 AM :: 293 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Management of Grand Rapids, MI., an aircraft management and shared ownership company, has taken delivery of its second light Learjet 40 XR business jet, one of six Learjet aircraft ordered by the company in the past 12 months. The multiple aircraft order of five Learjet 40 XR and one Learjet 45 XR aircraft is part of Northern Jet’s shared ownership program, The Company Jet, which will soon feature the Learjet 40 XR aircraft. The new fleet will be based at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids. Read More..

Thursday, December 13, 2007 Boeing Continues E-4B Modification Work By FlyingNews @ 10:12 AM :: 244 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] continues to support the E-4B National Airborne Operations Center for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Strategic Command, modifying the third of four E-4B aircraft at its Wichita, Kan., Support Systems facility. The aircraft is receiving Programmed Depot Maintenance and a Mod Block One upgrade, which adds a state-of-the-art communications infrastructure that enables leaders to communicate securely with other air- and ground-based executive command and control facilities. The E-4B, a modified Boeing 747-200, is a modern, highly survivable command, control and communications center used to direct U.S. forces, execute emergency war orders and coordinate civil authority activities. Boeing delivered the previous two aircraft to Strategic Command ahead of schedule.

Thursday, December 13, 2007 West Penn Allegheny Health System Delighted with Four New EC145s By FlyingNews @ 9:47 AM :: 282 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) is now flying all four of the American Eurocopter EC145s ordered for its Life Flight AMS program last year. The new EC145 fleet has exceeded the health system's lofty expectations, says Catherine Fackovec, WPAHS Director of Operations for Emergency Services. "Since getting our full contingent of EC145s into operation, we have not experienced anywhere near the amount of service downtime that hindered our previous fleet,” says Fackovec. “The result is that we are flying more missions, and helping more people, than before." Read More..

Thursday, December 13, 2007 Finnair orders one more A330-300 for long-haul fleet By FlyingNews @ 9:45 AM :: 254 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Finnair today has placed a firm order with Airbus for an additional A330-300 long-range aircraft for delivery in spring 2009. This new order brings the total number of Finnair's Airbus wide-body aircraft to 22, including seven A330-300s, four A340-300s and eleven A350 XWB. They contribute to the modernisation of Finnair's long-haul fleet and help them meet their expansion plans. Jukka Hienonen, President and CEO of Finnair said: "We want to update our long-haul fleet as quickly as possible, so as to serve our customers better. We also want to benefit from the modern twin-engine technology offered by the Airbus products, which are both more fuel efficient and environmentally friendlier. This will allow us to operate one of the most modern and eco-efficient fleets in Europe". Read More..

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Ryan International Airlines Pilots Overwhelmingly Authorize Strike By FlyingNews @ 10:05 AM :: 302 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines Ryan International Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), announced today that they have voted to authorize their elected union representatives to conduct a lawful withdrawal of service, upon release of the parties to self-help by the National Mediation Board, if contract talks do not result in a new collective bargaining agreement for pilots. An overwhelming 96 percent of the pilots responding voted to support the strike ballot. "This vote should be a wake up call to the principals of the Rubloff Development Group, Inc., who own Ryan International Airlines," said Captain Erik Sparks, chairman of the ALPA unit at Ryan. "The frustration of the Ryan pilots has hit an all time high with negotiations well into their third year and operations continuing in a downward spiral." Read More..

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Alternative Water Tank Available for K-MAX Fire-Fighting Helicopter By FlyingNews @ 8:08 AM :: 293 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters Aerial firefighters operating Kaman K-MAX® helicopters now have a new, highly efficient alternative water-drop system available for use when fighting forest and rangeland wild fires. The new system features a 700-gallon carbon fiber tank developed by Isolair, Inc., a Troutdale, Ore., based helicopter applications manufacturer, and Rainier Heli-lift, a Kirkland, Wash., operator of Kaman’s K-MAX medium-lift helicopters. The new tank, developed as an alternative to the K-MAX’s existing fire-fighting water tanks, received a Supplemental Type Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration early in the summer. Read More..

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Pratt & Whitney Wins $420 Million V2500 Order from US Airways By FlyingNews @ 8:05 AM :: 251 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines US Airways has selected the International Aero Engines V2500 to power up to 153 new Airbus A320 family aircraft. The order includes engines for 78 firm aircraft and is valued at more than $420 million to Pratt & Whitney, not including options. Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, is a major partner in International Aero Engines (IAE). The order will include the SelectOneTM build standard of the V2500 with aircraft deliveries scheduled to begin in November 2008. US Airways currently operates 196 Airbus A320-family aircraft, 94 of which are powered by the V2500. Read More..

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 BAE Systems Completes First Test of Autonomous Landing System By FlyingNews @ 7:40 AM :: 262 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation BAE Systems completed the first test of an autonomous landing system intended for large mobility and transport aircraft. The test demonstrated the system’s ability to enhance pilot vision in a simulated zero-visibility landing scenario. The demonstration of the Autonomous Approach and Landing Capability (AALC) system took place at the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base aboard a C-130H aircraft. Read More..

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Cormorant Performs Medevac of a Teenager from Cape Scott By FlyingNews @ 7:26 AM :: 268 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Helicopters 19 WING COMOX - A CH-149 Cormorant helicopter from 442 Squadron Comox was called upon by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria Thursday evening, 6 Dec, to evacuate a woman at Cape Scott Provincial Park. An 18-year-old woman suffered a respiratory distress while spending time in a cabin at Cape Scott Provincial Park with a group of teenagers. The Maritime Communication and Traffic Services, part of the Canadian Coast Guard, intercepted a weak transmission of the emergency broadcasted from a hand held radio. They transmitted the information to JRCC who directed the Cormorant to conduct the evacuation. Read More..

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 Progress Made in Boeing 787 Dreamliner Production By FlyingNews @ 7:24 AM :: 243 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The Boeing [NYSE: BA] production line is full for the all-new 787 Dreamliner, as work continues on the first flight-test airplane and two airplanes to be used for static and fatigue testing. This photo shows Airplane #1 in the third position, where final structure and systems installations are completed. Behind it, the static-test airplane is in the second position, where it will receive landing gear, engines, and any required interior installations. The fatigue airplane entered final body join Nov. 30.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 First A380 visit to Argentina and Brazil By FlyingNews @ 7:21 AM :: 271 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers After a busy week of successful maturity and operability trials with Qantas in Sydney, the A380 left Australia's shores and continued its world tour with the 21st century flagship's first visit to Argentina and Brazil. Due to the time difference, the A380 MSN007 took off from Sydney on 8 December at noon and landed in Buenos Aires half an hour later the same day, local time, after more than 14 hours of flight. This trip's routing took the A380 over Tasmania, then over the South Pole, with a clear sky offering fantastic views of the ice float and Mount Erebus. It is not the first time the A380 has flown over the South, Pole but for most passengers it was still a very exciting moment - and all those not sleeping gathered in the cockpit and around the engineers' station to watch the instruments indicate the passage. Read More..

Tuesday, December 11, 2007 Egyptian Air Force Completes 10 Years of Successful Service With Its Fleet of Kaman Super Seasprite Helicopters By FlyingNews @ 7:57 AM :: 580 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters The Egyptian Air Force has completed 10 years of successful service with its fleet of Kaman Super Seasprite SH-2G(E) helicopters. Egypt was the first international military force to select the aircraft. The Egyptian Air Force operates its Seasprites from land and aboard vessels of the Egyptian Navy performing a number of maritime missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship surveillance and targeting and search and rescue operations. They also use the aircraft extensively for vertical replenishment, personnel transfer and maritime coastal patrol and homeland security missions. The nine aircraft have accumulated more than 8,000 hours of flight time over their 10 years of service. Read More..

Tuesday, December 11, 2007 China Airlines selects Rolls-Royce for A350 XWBs By FlyingNews @ 7:54 AM :: 571 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines Following the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Airbus, Taiwan’s China Airlines has selected Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines for 14 firm and six option Airbus A350 XWB twinjets. If all the options are exercised, the business, at engine list prices, is potentially worth around $800 million. Deliveries start in 2015. This is the first time Rolls-Royce has been chosen as an engine supplier by China Airlines. The announcement also marks the debut of the Trent series in Taiwan. Read More..

Tuesday, December 11, 2007 Liberty Aerospace and Anyang Angel Aero Announce 600 Aircraft Purchase and Manufacture Agreement in Beijing, Peoples Republic of China. By FlyingNews @ 7:50 AM :: 656 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers, Small Aircraft Manufacturers Liberty Aerospace Inc. and Anyang Angel Aero Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. (3A) announced today the launch of a 600 aircraft manufacturing agreement and that 3A has initiated the construction of a new factory at the Anyang Airport in Henan designed for the manufacturing of the Liberty XL-2. The new plant is part of a definitive contract to purchase and build 600 Liberty XL-2 aircraft for use in the Peoples Republic of China. With a base plan of 600 aircraft, 3A and Liberty Aerospace expect this number to be increased to 800 in anticipation of the opening of the air space in 2010. Read More..

Tuesday, December 11, 2007 Volvo Aero acquires composite company to develop lighter aircraft engines By FlyingNews @ 7:42 AM :: 634 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines Volvo Aero has acquired the composite company Applied Composites AB (ACAB) in Linköping, which currently has approximately 70 employees. The aim of the acquisition is to use ACAB and its technology to develop and manufacture aircraft engine components in composite materials, which are significantly lighter than the comparable parts in metal. “The acquisition is part of our investment in lightweight technologies, which will result in reduced fuel consumption and, consequently, lower emissions from aircraft,” explains Olof Persson, President of Volvo Aero. Read More..

Tuesday, December 11, 2007 Boeing, Lessor Babcock & Brown Announce Order for 20 Next-Generation 737s By FlyingNews @ 7:29 AM :: 617 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management (BBAM) today announced that BBAM, in conjunction with its long-term business partner, Nomura Babcock & Brown, has placed an order for 20 Next-Generation 737-800s. The order, valued at $1.5 billion at list prices, was previously listed on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries Web site and attributed to an unidentified customer. "Babcock & Brown Aircraft Management has experienced great success in placing the Boeing Next-Generation 737 with airline operators around the world and we look forward to taking delivery of these aircraft from Boeing, which will bring our fleet of Next-Generation 737s to more than 125 aircraft," said Steven Zissis, president, BBAM. Read More..

Monday, December 10, 2007 Northrop Grumman KC-30 Tanker Aerial Refueling Boom System Successfully Completes In-Flight Contact With An F-16 Receiver Aircraft By FlyingNews @ 7:27 AM :: 617 Views :: 0 Comments The Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) KC-30 Tanker Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS) performed its first in-flight contacts with a receiver aircraft, marking the successful completion of a key program milestone and underscoring the company's low-risk approach for quickly replacing the U.S. Air Force's KC-135 tanker fleet. The initial refueling contacts used the advanced ARBS installed on an A310 testbed aircraft, which operated with an F-16 receiver aircraft flying at 27,000 feet. The contacts reflected a typical refueling mission, with the ARBS' 40-ft.-long boom deployed to its operational length and inserted into the F-16 receiver aircraft's refueling receptacle. Read More..

Monday, December 10, 2007 Finmeccanica: Alenia Aeronautica sign with Romania a 217 million euro contract By FlyingNews @ 7:21 AM :: 574 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers New international success for the C-27J, which ever more confirms its position as the standard tactical airlifter of the NATO countries. Alenia Aeronautica has signed today in Bucharest with Romtechnica, National Company for Foreign Trade of the Romanian Ministry of Defence, a contract of the value of around €217 millions for seven aircraft. The contract also envisages, in addition to the seven C-27Js, services as: pilots training, initial logistic support and a flight simulator that will be based in Bucharest. The first aircraft will be delivered by the end of 2008. Read More..

Monday, December 10, 2007 Berjaya Air Signs Contract to Purchase 4 new ATR 72-500s By FlyingNews @ 7:18 AM :: 537 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers In conjunction with the LIMA Airshow 2007, ATR and Berjaya Air, a subsidiary of Berjaya Land Berhad today signed a US $ 74 million contract for the purchase of 4 new ATR 72-500 aircraft. The contract was signed by Datuk Razman Md Hashim, Chairman of Berjaya Land and Christophe Potocki, President of ATR Eastern Support, and witnessed by the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato'Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak. Earlier this year, at the Paris Airshow in June 2007, a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) was  signed for the acquisition of these 4 aircraft. Read More..

Friday, December 07, 2007 Cathay Pacific orders Trent 700 for additional A330s By FlyingNews @ 8:17 AM :: 606 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Aircraft Engines Cathay Pacific has placed another order for Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, to power an additional eight Airbus A330 twinjets announced today. The value of the business is around $280 million at engine list prices. These latest additions to the Cathay Pacific fleet bring its total of Trent-powered A330s to 56, including those operated by its sister airline, Dragonair. Read More..

Friday, December 07, 2007 Cathay Pacific Adds Eight A330 Aircraft To Airbus Fleet By FlyingNews @ 8:12 AM :: 621 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Cathay Pacific Airways has signed a contract with Airbus to further expand its A330 widebody fleet with the addition of eight A330-300 aircraft. The new aircraft, powered by Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines, are scheduled for delivery before the end of 2012. The Hong Kong based carrier, together with sister airline Dragonair, is currently the largest operator of A330 aircraft in the world with a fleet of 45 A330-300s currently in service across its combined international route network. Together with three leased A330-300s scheduled for delivery in 2008, this latest order will bring the airlines’ combined A330-300 fleet to a total of 56 by 2012. The airline operates its fleet of twin engine A330-300s on regional and medium haul routes such as between Hong Kong and Sydney, Delhi, Tokyo and Beijing. Read More..

Friday, December 07, 2007 Vietnam Airlines expands its regional fleet with 5 new ATR 72-500s By FlyingNews @ 8:06 AM :: 592 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers ATR and Vietnam Airlines today announced the signature of a contract for the purchase of 5 new ATR 72-500s. This contract, will allow the airline to expand its ATR fleet and continue the renewal of its current fleet of ATR 72-200s. The airline started operating ATR aircraft in 1992 and today's fleet includes 7 ATR 72-200s and 3 ATR 72-500s. These new ATR aircraft, configured with 70-seats, will be equipped with the "Elegance" cabin and Light Emitting Diode (LED), as well as with state-of-the-art technological innovations in passenger comfort, communications and navigation aid tools. Deliveries of these aircraft will start by the end of 2009. Read More..

Friday, December 07, 2007 Adam Aircraft A700 Certification Program Achieves Major Milestone in Receiving First TIA from FAA By FlyingNews @ 7:27 AM :: 649 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers The Adam Aircraft A700 program has accomplished a major milestone by receiving its first Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). With this significant endorsement, the Adam Aircraft Flight Test Program is entering into a new phase where FAA representatives are authorized to begin flight testing on the A700 for FAA certification credit. "This event confirms we are on target for achieving FAA certification of the A700 in 2008," said Adam Aircraft President Duncan Koerbel. "We have steadily moved from our first flight of the fully conforming A700 this spring into FAA testing by taking advantage of the commonality with the already certified A500 twin piston as well as over 900 hours of development flying with the first two A700 prototypes." Read More..

Wednesday, December 05, 2007 AirAsia to become largest airline customer for A320 aircraft By FlyingNews @ 10:09 PM :: 554 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers AirAsia, the region's largest low-cost carrier, has placed a firm order for an additional 25 A320s. The latest contract brings AirAsia Group's (Malaysia AirAsia, Thai AirAsia and Indonesia AirAsia) total orders to 175 A320 aircraft and makes it the largest airline customer for this particular aircraft in the world. The contract was signed today at the Langkawi Airshow by Datuk Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia and John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer - Customers of Airbus. Read More..

Wednesday, December 05, 2007 Senator Hutchison Named Ranking Member of Aviation Subcommittee By FlyingNews @ 7:30 PM :: 638 Views :: 0 Comments :: Government Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) today was named the new Ranking Member of the Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security Subcommittee. Senator Hutchison will replace current Ranking Member Senator Trent Lott (R-Miss.), who announced last week that he is resigning at the end of this year. “Aviation is vital to our country and especially to my home state of Alaska,” said Commerce Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). “I look forward to working with Senator Hutchison next session on important aviation issues that face our nation such as the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization.” Read More..

Wednesday, December 05, 2007 The A380 in Sydney for Qantas familiarisation By FlyingNews @ 7:05 PM :: 765 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers After a high profile visit to Minneapolis and Los Angeles, the A380 left the United States to fly to Australia with Qantas' veteran pilot Murray Crocket in the cockpit. Crockett, the first Qantas pilot qualified on the A380, enjoyed flying the aircraft and found the long leg less tiring than he expected, a characteristic he attributed to the remarkable quietness of the A380. "You experience less fatigue because of the quietness of the airplane and this is very important," he said. "After nearly 15 hours of flight, you want the pilot to be as fresh as possible." Read More..

Wednesday, December 05, 2007 Officials stand down F-15 A-D models until further notice By FlyingNews @ 7:03 PM :: 610 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation The commander of Air Combat Command directed the stand-down Dec. 3 of all ACC F-15 A through D model aircraft until further notice. The decision follows additional information received from the ongoing investigation of the Nov. 2 F-15C mishap that resulted in the loss of that aircraft. Gen. John D.W. Corley, ACC commander, also recommended the grounding of all other A through D model aircraft in other Air Force major commands, including those under the operational control of U.S. combatant commanders. Monday's findings from the accident investigation board indicate that a recently discovered defect may be more extensive and found in more aircraft than initially thought. These findings, based on a metallurgical analysis of the mishap aircraft, continue to focus on the F-15's upper longerons near the canopy of the aircraft. Additional cracks have been discovered in these longerons. The longerons are major structural components that run along the length and side of the aircraft. You can read the article here.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007 Boeing Confirms Lion Air Order for 22 737s By FlyingNews @ 10:46 PM :: 549 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today confirmed a previously unidentified Lion Air order for 22 Next-Generation 737-900ER (Extended Range) airplanes. Jakarta-based Lion Air's order was placed during the second quarter of 2007 and was listed in the unidentified category on Boeing's Orders and Deliveries Web site. This order, valued at more than $1.7 billion at current list prices, brings Lion Air's combined orders for the 737-900ER to 122. "The Next-Generation 737's reliability, passenger comfort, and low cost of operation and maintenance play a crucial role in supporting our growing route structure," said Lion Air founder and President Director Rusdi Kirana. "The 737 is the right airplane for our airline and our customers." Read More..

Tuesday, December 04, 2007 S-92® Helicopter Operator PHI Reaches 20K Fleet Hours By FlyingNews @ 8:57 PM :: 599 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. customer PHI, Inc. achieved 20,000 fleet hours with the Sikorsky S-92® helicopter. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) Since the 1950s, Louisiana-based PHI has flown Sikorsky helicopters, offering services to the offshore oil and gas, onshore mining, international, air medical and technical services industries. Sikorsky delivered the first two production S-92 helicopters to PHI in late 2004. PHI, a pioneer in deepwater helicopter operations, introduced the operation of the S-92 helicopter to the energy industry. By year's end, PHI will have ten S-92 helicopters in its fleet with plans for continued deliveries through 2010. Read More..

Tuesday, December 04, 2007 Hawker Beechcraft Corporation Certifies New, More Powerful King Air B200GT By FlyingNews @ 8:39 PM :: 308 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers At the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in May, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation introduced the Beechcraft King Air B200GT, the latest evolution of the popular twin-turbine Beechcraft King Air 200 series. The new, more powerful King Air B200GT is now certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Featuring a 305-knot max cruise speed, the upgraded Beechcraft King Air B200GT enjoys a nearly 20-knot speed increase and climbs faster to its intended cruising altitudes than the King Air B200 it replaces. Powering the improvement is the installation of two new, recently certified Pratt and Whitney PT6A-52 engines designed specifically for the King Air B200GT. The PT6A-52 engine was derived by mating the turbine section of the 1,050-shp capable PT6A-60A found on the King Air 350 with the existing King Air B200 PT6A-42 gearbox. The result is an engine that holds its 850-shp flat rating to a much higher altitude, improving climb and cruise performance under almost all flight scenarios. And because of its common PT6A lineage, it also enters the market with the same 3,600-hour TBO (Time Before Overhaul) as the other Beechcraft King Air engines. The new engine also eliminates the 10,000 foot TOFA (Takeoff Field Altitude) limitation found on the King Air B200. Read More..

Tuesday, December 04, 2007 EMBRAER AND FLIGHT OPTIONS SIGN FOR 100 PHENOM 300 JETS By FlyingNews @ 7:56 PM :: 248 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Embraer and Flight Options, one of the largest private jet service companies in the world, based in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., signed a contract for the acquisition of 100 Phenom 300 aircraft, with options for an additional 50 aircraft of the same model. This is the Company’s largest Phenom executive jet order, worth US$ 746 million at 2007 list price, and could reach US$ 1.12 billion, if all options are exercised. An additional agreement for a maintenance and support program is valued at over US$ 200million. “Having the Phenom 300 selected by Flight Options as the one of their main strategies for future growth is both rewarding and an honor for all of us at Embraer. It clearly validates the design concepts of premium comfort, outstanding performance and high availability of the Phenom 300 and solidifies its market-leading position,” said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President and CEO. Read More..

Tuesday, December 04, 2007 Textron’s Cessna Completes Acquisition of Columbia Aircraft Assets By FlyingNews @ 7:50 PM :: 241 Views :: 0 Comments Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today finalized its purchase of select assets of Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Company. Cessna’s auction bid of $26.4 million for the Bend, Oregon-based producer of high-performance, single-engine aircraft was accepted by court order on Nov. 28 by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Oregon. Company officials spent the past week finalizing the acquisition. Read More..

Tuesday, December 04, 2007 Boeing Wins $45 Million U.S. Air Force B-1B Upgrade Contract By FlyingNews @ 7:45 PM :: 261 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $45 million U.S. Air Force contract to upgrade the B-1B bomber's avionics software. The contract award continues an annual upgrade program launched in 2003 to update the aircraft's avionics software through "Sustainment Blocks." This latest upgrade is designated Sustainment Block 14. Boeing engineers in Long Beach, Calif., and Oklahoma City, Okla., produce upgraded B-1B avionics software every 12 months for the nation's fleet of 67 B-1B long-range heavy bombers. Read More..

Saturday, December 01, 2007 NORAD's Santa-Tracking Website Opens for 2007 Season By FlyingNews @ 7:53 PM :: 403 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation In advance of the holiday season and its 52nd season of tracking Santa Claus on his annual journey around the world, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has activated its "NORAD Tracks Santa" website for 2007. The U.S.-Canadian command's program began in 1955 when an errant phone call was made to NORAD's predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The call was from a local child who dialed a misprinted telephone number in a local newspaper advertisement. Read More..