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Thursday, May 31, 2007 NASA Gives "Go" for Space Shuttle Launch on June 8 By FlyingNews @ 12:46 PM :: 640 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA On Thursday, NASA senior managers selected June 8 as the official launch date for space shuttle Atlantis. Commander Rick Sturckow and his six crewmates are scheduled to lift off at 7:38 p.m. EDT on the STS-117 mission to the International Space Station. During the 11-day mission and three spacewalks, the crew will work with flight controllers at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, to install a 17-ton segment on the station's girder-like truss and deploy a set of solar arrays. The mission will increase the International Space Station's power capability in preparation for the arrival of new science modules from the European and Japanese space agencies. Read More..

Thursday, May 31, 2007 Bombardier Introduces Next Generation Family Of Regional Jets By FlyingNews @ 12:43 PM :: 619 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Bombardier Aerospace today introduced next generation versions of its CRJ700, CRJ900 and CRJ1000 regional jets. These new CRJ NextGen aircraft will feature significant operating cost improvements, an all-new cabin and the increased use of composite materials. “The CRJ NextGen family is the next step in the continuing evolution of the CRJ Series,” said Steven Ridolfi, President, Bombardier Regional Aircraft. “The new interior will enhance passenger experience and we have lowered the operating costs to airlines. We believe this will be a winning combination as we move further into the 21st century.” Read More..

Thursday, May 31, 2007 Boeing Delivers First C-17 to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware By FlyingNews @ 12:42 PM :: 671 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today delivered the first of 13 C-17 Globemaster IIIs to Dover (Del.) Air Force Base (AFB) officials during a ceremony at the company's Long Beach, Calif., C-17 manufacturing facility. The newest C-17 is named the "Spirit of the Constitution" in honor of Delaware being the first of the original 13 U.S. colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution on Dec. 7, 1787. This is the 165th C-17 that Boeing has delivered to the U.S. Air Force. Read More..

Thursday, May 31, 2007 Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Model S- 76A, B, and C Helicopters By FlyingNews @ 12:39 PM :: 679 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA Docket No. FAA-2007-28241; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-07-AD; Amendment 39-15062; AD 2007-11-05] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Model S- 76A, B, and C Helicopters ACTION: Final rule; request for comments. SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-76A, B, and C helicopters. This action requires a one-time ultrasonic inspection of the main rotor shaft assembly (M/R shaft) for cracking. This amendment is prompted by the discovery of cracking that occurred during the manufacturing of certain M/R shafts. The actions specified in this AD are intended to detect cracking in the M/R shaft, which could result in separation of the main rotor and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. DATES: Effective June 15, 2007. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the regulations is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of June 15, 2007. Comments for inclusion in the Rules Docket must be received on or before July 30, 2007.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 Venezuela has validated the AN-140 type certificate By FlyingNews @ 9:19 PM :: 644 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers On the request of ANTONOV ASTC, Aviation Administration of Venezuela considered materials on certification of AN-140-100 passenger aircraft and came to conclusion that it meets FAR-25 airworthiness requirements being in effect in this country. Thus, Venezuela validated AN-140 type certificate No TL 0010. The validation is confirmed by the correspondent letter of approval sent by Aviation Administration of the country to ANTONOV ASTC. Recognition of AN-140 type certificate in Venezuela allows to operate aircraft of AN-140 type without restriction in this country.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 THE PHOENIX IS RISING: MDHI HELICOPTERS ANNOUNCES GROWTH IN DELIVERIES By FlyingNews @ 9:15 PM :: 782 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) announced today that it has achieved its primary goal of "bringing back an American legacy." As MDHI nears the two-year anniversary of its acquisition by investment funds managed by Patriarch Partners, company Chairman and CEO Lynn Tilton said that "today MDHI is a strong, viable company with a core of world-class operational talent, and a product line that customers love." With 10 aircraft deliveries to date this year, MDHI is ramping up for an additional 33 by year-end 2007. MDHI expects to deliver 43 aircraft in this fiscal year and 85 aircraft during 2008. Deliveries of this magnitude have not occurred since 1999. Read More..

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 GE To Open Special Composites Component Factory In Mississippi By FlyingNews @ 9:08 PM :: 631 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines General Electric Company (GE) will break ground this summer on a new jet engine component factory near Batesville in northwest Mississippi. GE Aviation, a GE division and world-leading producer of jet engines, is creating a 200,000 square-foot facility to specialize in advanced composite engine components. Groundbreaking is planned in August; the plant is expected to become operational by early 2009. Read More..

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 70 Airbus Aircraft For Avianca By FlyingNews @ 8:59 PM :: 640 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Colombia’s national flag carrier Avianca is acquiring 70 Airbus aircraft, including 38 firm orders (33 A319s/A320s and five A330-200s) and 32 options (27 A319s/A320s and five A330-200s). “With this order, Avianca will enter a new era in terms of advanced aircraft technology and passenger comfort”, said German Efromovich, President of the Synergy Group which owns Avianca. “The A319s, A320s and A330s will offer our passengers the highest levels of travel comfort whilst allowing us to benefit from their unbeatable economics. On top of that thanks to the high level of commonality between the Airbus products, our pilots will be able to simultaneously fly the different aircraft which will further contribute to our efficiency.” Read More..

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 Boeing Adds Russia's S7 Airlines to 787 Customer Team with Order for 15 By FlyingNews @ 8:57 PM :: 578 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Russia's S7 Group today announced an order for 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners and purchase rights for 10 additional 787s. S7 Group subsidiary S7 Airlines will operate the Dreamliners. The 787s will replace S7's fleet of aging twin-aisle airplanes and provide capacity for growth. The order is valued at $ 2.4 billion at catalog prices. At a press conference today in Moscow, S7 Airlines said the new 787s will allow the airline to increase frequencies and add new destinations domestically and internationally. "The 787's size and superior range open up a wider choice of destinations that we can offer our customers," said Vladislav Filev, General Director, S7 Group. "Our vision is to give passengers the best flying experience available. The Dreamliner's innovative interior design and advanced comfort features embody that vision." Read More..

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 New Deceptive Ad by the Big Airlines Attempts to Mislead Passengers By FlyingNews @ 8:52 PM :: 627 Views :: 0 Comments :: General Aviation, FAA The Air Transport Association (“ATA”), the trade association representing the major commercial airlines, last week began running an advertisement in airports around the country, including on the CNN Airport Network. The visuals and dialogue in the ad clearly and deceptively attempt to mislead the viewer into believing that commercial, passenger aircraft are backed up on the runway because of congestion caused by small aircraft, and that small aircraft somehow get preferential treatment at airports and don’t pay for costs imposed on the system. As the facts below clearly show, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Read More..

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 Qatar Airways orders 80 Airbus A350XWBs By FlyingNews @ 8:48 PM :: 438 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Qatar Airways has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to buy 80 of the all-new Airbus A350XWB aircraft. The agreement was signed at the Elysée Palace in Paris in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, and Mr Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, by Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al-Baker and Airbus President and CEO Louis Gallois. This will make the airline the largest customer for the A350XWB to date and the first one in the Middle East region. This agreement supersedes an earlier one signed in 2005 for 60 of the original A350 aircraft. The 80 aircraft include 20 A350-800s, 40 A350-900s and 20 of the largest in the family, the A350-1000. Deliveries will begin from 2013. Qatar Airways will use the A350XWBs to complement its A330s and A340s on regional and long haul routes. Read More..

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 Airmen put C-130 back in the fight By FlyingNews @ 8:45 PM :: 476 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation A C-130 Hercules team flying a mission over Afghanistan had problems with engine No. 2 and was forced to land at an abandoned air strip in May outside Shindand, Afghanistan, but they were not left alone for long. In less than 50 hours, maintenance repair teams from Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing from Southwest Asia changed the engine under harsh conditions as security forces Airmen stood watch keeping the aircraft and crew safe from harm while at the deserted strip. The C-130 was en route to Shindand on a combat mission when they began having engine trouble. The crew decided the safe thing to do would be to land and try to troubleshoot the issue.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 Fokker Services becomes an Airbus-Approved outfitter By FlyingNews @ 1:17 PM :: 659 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers outfitter for Airbus Corporate Jetliners (ACJ), giving customers more choice in cabin completions. The approval follows an extensive Airbus audit and evaluation of the company, which is an experienced cabin outfitter in the corporate jet market. Fokker Services has already won its first Airbus ACJ Family aircraft completion for an Airbus ACJ of the Austria-based Stumpf Group, which is currently in Fokker Services' Woensdrecht facility. Read More..

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 QUICKSTEP SECURES LANDMARK AGREEMENT By FlyingNews @ 12:53 PM :: 746 Views :: 0 Comments :: Parts Manufacturers International advanced composites group, Quickstep Holdings Limited (ASX: QHL – “Quickstep”) has taken a major step towards the large-scale production of component parts for the global aerospace sector, today announcing that it has signed a Cooperation and Development Agreement (“CDA”) with Eurocopter, the world’s largest helicopter supplier. The landmark agreement represents the most significant step to date in Quickstep’s entry to the global aerospace sector at a number of levels. It establishes the framework for a long-term collaboration with Eurocopter to investigate, optimise and qualify the manufacture of composites parts for the helicopter giant. In time, the findings from this can be transferred to other members of its parent group EADS. Read More..

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 Aces high at RAF spectacular By FlyingNews @ 12:38 PM :: 707 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aerobatics Tornado strike jets, a Second World War Spitfire and the new Eurofighter Typhoon jet were on display at the RAF's Spirit of Adventure airshow at Abingdon airfield on Saturday. Thousands of people descended on the former RAF base at Dalton Barracks to see famous planes from the past and state-of-the-art superjets swoop across the airfield. Members of the RAF's world-famous aerobatics display team, the Red Arrows, arrived by helicopter to give young and old fans a rare chance to speak to the magnificent men in their flying machines.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 TAM Receives Three More Airbus A320s By FlyingNews @ 12:34 PM :: 618 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines TAM (Bovespa: TAMM4, NYSE: TAM) received three more Airbus A320s last weekend, which are being incorporated into its operational fleet. This year, TAM has already received 14 aircraft -- eleven in the A320/319 family and three MD-11s. With these acquisitions, the company will have 85 Airbus models -- 15 A319s, 60 A320s and 10 A330s. With the arrival of the three Airbus A320s, TAM increases its fleet to 105 aircraft (85 Airbus, 17 F-100s and 3 MD-11s). The company plans to end 2007 with 112 planes in operation. Read More..

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 Boeing Awarded Contract to Test Advanced Helicopter Rotor System By FlyingNews @ 12:29 PM :: 615 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $3 million Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contract to test an innovative main rotor system that promises quieter operation, reduced vibration and potentially improved performance for military helicopters like the AH-64D Apache Longbow. Boeing will test the "Smart Rotor" over the next year at NASA Ames Research Center's 40 by 80-foot wind tunnel in California to study the system's forward flight characteristics and gather data to validate state-of-the-art aero-acoustic analysis codes. These codes are used to predict a variety of data that help identify the cause of rotor noise, allowing engineers to study and compare alternate designs. Read More..

Saturday, May 26, 2007 International Fuel Surcharge Set to Rise By FlyingNews @ 8:21 PM :: 788 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines ANA today applied to the Japanese government to raise its fuel surcharge on international tickets issued on or after July 10 (Tue) this year. The surcharge will remain at the revised level until September 30, 2007. The international fuel surcharge was lowered earlier this year following a temporary fall in the price of jet fuel in late 2006 and early 2007, however, the subsequent rise in jet fuel has forced ANA to again revise it upward. ANA regrets that despite constant efforts to reduce costs and secure greater operating efficiencies it must ask its valued customers to once again share the increased cost burden.

Friday, May 25, 2007 Rolls-Royce wins second Trent 700 order for A330 Freighter By FlyingNews @ 1:13 PM :: 838 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines The Rolls-Royce Trent 700 has been selected by Avion Aircraft Trading to power eight Airbus A330-200 freighters in an order worth around $300 million at list prices. Deliveries to the Reykjavik-based leasing company are scheduled to begin in 2010. Avion’s customers will be offered a TotalCare® long-term service agreement where Rolls-Royce will take full responsibility for engine management at an agreed dollar rate per flying hour. Read More..

Friday, May 25, 2007 New Aircraft Tractors Enhance RAF Capability By FlyingNews @ 1:11 PM :: 809 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation The RAF has invested in new aircraft towing tractors that enhance ground handling and protect the environment at the same time by saving thousands of pounds on fuel. Moving heavy aircraft such as the giant Lockheed C17 Globemasters and Tristar passenger jets calls for specialist vehicles and the RAF has purchased 32 Large Aircraft Tow Tractors (LATTs). They will be distributed across all RAF Main Operating Bases such as RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, RAF Marham in Norfolk and RAF Kinloss in Scotland. Others will operate in the Falklands, Ascension, Akrotiri and Gibraltar.

Friday, May 25, 2007 NASA Spacecraft Aids in Forecast of Solar Radiation Storms By FlyingNews @ 1:08 PM :: 844 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) now enables scientists to forecast solar radiation storms, giving future astronauts, traveling to the moon and Mars, time to seek shelter and ground controllers time to safeguard satellites. The new method for the first time offers as much as one hour advance notice when a storm is approaching. "Solar radiation storms are notoriously difficult to predict. They often take us by surprise, but now we've found a way to anticipate these events," says Arik Posner, a physicist in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Posner is on temporary assignment to NASA from Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio. Posner developed the technique. His study appears in a recent issue of the journal Space Weather. Read More..

Friday, May 25, 2007 Cessna Delivers 7,500th Single Engine Aircraft From Independence Facility By FlyingNews @ 1:03 PM :: 843 Views :: 0 Comments :: General Aviation, Small Aircraft Manufacturers Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company announced today it has delivered the 7,500th single engine piston aircraft produced at Cessna’s Independence facility. The aircraft is one of 11 Model 172 Skyhawks being taken over the next 14 months by Northwestern Michigan College as it upgrades its training fleet. The order was placed through Cessna’s authorized sales representative, Suburban Aviation in Lambertville, Mich. Read More..

Friday, May 25, 2007 Seasprite Helicopters By FlyingNews @ 12:51 PM :: 591 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters The Australian Minister of Defense has concluded a full examination of the Seasprite project. The helicoptes were grounded due to concerns over the reliability of the Seasprite's Automated Flight Control System. The review paid particular attention to the reliability of the Flight Control System and its associated safety implications, and the ramifications to the Australian Naval aviation because the project is 6 years behind schedule. The Australian Government has decided to continue with the Seasprite project, subject to satisfactory contract arrangements. The helicopter can return to flying after series of controlled steps are taken to assess the contractor's performance.

Friday, May 25, 2007 Aer Arann Takes Delivery of its First ATR 72-500 By FlyingNews @ 12:49 PM :: 696 Views :: 0 Comments Aer Arann, Ireland’s premier regional airline, today accepted delivery of its first ATR 72-500. This aircraft is the first to be delivered following the signature last year of a contract worth over $180 million for 10 ATR 72-500s. The second aircraft will be delivered in the course of 2007, five others in 2008 and three in 2009. The aircraft are configured in a 72-seater configuration. Read More..

Friday, May 25, 2007 Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 Series Airplanes By FlyingNews @ 12:46 PM :: 642 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA [Docket No. FAA-2007-27016; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-176-AD; Amendment 39-15066; AD 2007-11-09] SUMMARY: The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Bombardier Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. That AD currently requires inspecting the electrical connectors of the fire bottles for the forward and aft baggage compartments and for the auxiliary power unit (APU) and engine nacelles to determine if they are connected correctly, and doing related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This new AD adds a requirement to install/modify lanyards, mounts, and clamps to the forward and aft baggage compartment, APU, and engine nacelle fire extinguishing systems. This new AD also requires revising the aircraft maintenance manual to incorporate installation and removal procedures for certain fire bottles and fire extinguisher cartridges. This new AD also adds two airplanes to the applicability. This AD results from reports of the electrical connectors for the fire bottles in the forward and aft baggage compartments, APU, and engine nacelle being cross-connected. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cross- connection of the fire bottles and to prevent cross-connection, which could result in failure of the fire bottles to discharge and consequent inability to extinguish a fire in the affected areas. DATES: This AD becomes effective June 29, 2007.

Thursday, May 24, 2007 BILL PUTS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER CONSOLIDATIONS ON HOLD By FlyingNews @ 2:34 PM :: 791 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA, Government In an effort to ensure greater public transparency during the processes of consolidating Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) operations across the nation, Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02), Congresswoman Mary Bono (CA-45), and Congressman Bob Filner (CA-51) have filed the FAA Facility Consolidation Moratorium Act, H.R. 2443, to place a temporary moratorium on consolidations of all TRACON facilities. "Greater effort must be made to ensure that the FAA is upholding its commitment in guaranteeing to the public that appropriate action is being taken to safeguard the traveling public," said Poe. "The FAA has not proactively sought input from those that these consolidations would affect and have directed these consolidations to continue without good transparency and I feel that a temporary moratorium on consolidations right now is necessary." Read More..

Thursday, May 24, 2007 Reviews Document NASA's Progress on Next Human Spacecraft By FlyingNews @ 2:24 PM :: 627 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA NASA this week wrapped up six months of system requirements reviews for the Orion spacecraft, the Ares launch vehicles and other support systems, bringing together the Constellation Program's list of basic capability needs. The Constellation Program is developing a new space transportation system that will take astronauts to Earth orbit, the moon, and eventually to Mars. Read More..

Thursday, May 24, 2007 Consortiun for a possible take over bid on Iberia. By FlyingNews @ 2:21 PM :: 615 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines The Board of Directors of Iberia has been informed by the consortium formed by, TPG Capital LLP on behalf of TPG Partners V LP, British Airways Plc, Vista Capital de Expansión S.A., Inversiones Ibersuizas S.A and Quercus Equity S.L., that the above companies have reached an agreement to work together on an exclusive basis to investigate the possibility of making a formal offer for Iberia and have shown interest in analyzing the information requested formerly by TPG as soon as possible. The Board of Directors of Iberia has decided to study deeply the proposal in the next meeting.

Thursday, May 24, 2007 Delta Air Lines Places Follow-On Order For 14 Bombardier CRJ900 Regional Jets By FlyingNews @ 2:17 PM :: 431 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Bombardier Aerospace announced today that Delta Air Lines has signed an additional firm order for 14 Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets. This order is the second from the Atlanta, Georgia-based airline in less than four months. The approximate value of the firm order announced today, based on the list price for the CRJ900 aircraft, is $511 million US. Read More..

Thursday, May 24, 2007 Philippines’ Cebu Pacific orders up to 14 brand By FlyingNews @ 2:15 PM :: 448 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Philippine-based low-fare carrier Cebu Pacific and ATR today announced in Manila the signature of a contract for the purchase of 6 ATR 72-500s plus options for 8 additional aircraft. This major contract is valued at more than US $ 250 million. These aircraft will be configured with 72 seats and will feature the newest technological innovations in the field of communications and navigation aid tools and passenger comfort. Read More..

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 U.S. TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY PETERS AND CHINESE MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION YANG REACH NEW AGREEMENT By FlyingNews @ 3:16 PM :: 726 Views :: 0 Comments :: NTSB The number of daily passenger flights between the United States and China will more than double by 2012 and air cargo companies will have greatly expanded commercial freedom by 2011 as part of a new civil aviation agreement reached today by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters and Chinese Minister of Civil Aviation Yang Yuanyuan. “Piece by piece, we are making it easier, cheaper, and more convenient to fly people and ship goods between our two countries,” Secretary Peters said. “We both understand that the path to friendship and cooperation is paved with easy access and close connections.” Read More..

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 FAA Greatly Expands Air Traffic Program to Minimize Summer Delays By FlyingNews @ 3:08 PM :: 590 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expanding an air traffic program that reduces flight delays during the peak summer season. The Airspace Flow Program, as it is known, gives airlines the option of either accepting delays for flights scheduled to fly through storms or flying longer routes to safely maneuver around them. The agency successfully launched the program last year at seven locations in the Northeast. On bad weather days at major airports in the region, delays fell by 9 percent compared to the year before. Cost savings for the airlines and the flying public from the program are estimated to be $100 million annually. Read More..

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 First Eurocopter EC635 for Swiss Air Force takes to the Air By FlyingNews @ 3:06 PM :: 662 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters The first EC635 destined for the Swiss Air Force successfully performed its maiden flight at Eurocopter’s Donauwörth facility on May 23. The program, which foresees the delivery of a total of 18 EC635 for transport and training missions and two EC135 for Federal Air Transport Services and for which the contract was signed in April 2006, is fully on schedule. The EC635s/EC135s will successively replace the Swiss Air Force’s Alouette III helicopters. The maiden flight was under the command of Eurocopter test pilot René Nater and lasted 35 minutes. All of the aircraft’s systems operated to full satisfaction. Following the first flight, the EC635 will return to the production facility for the qualification of customer-specific equipment and further tests. Read More..

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Eclipse Aviation Lands Largest European VLJ Order By FlyingNews @ 3:04 PM :: 633 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Eclipse Aviation, manufacturer of the world’s first very light jet (VLJ), today announced at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exposition (EBACE) that Eastern European distributor ETIRC Aviation Europe (ETIRC Aviation) has placed an order for 180 Eclipse 500 aircraft, including 120 firm and 60 options. Founded by high-tech executive, Roel Pieper, ETIRC provides Eclipse 500 sales in Eastern Europe. This expands the Eclipse 500 order book to just under 2,700 units, including orders and options. “Eastern Europe has many emerging business growth markets that are ideal for the Eclipse 500,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “As worldwide economies grow and mature, they have an increased need for accessible and dependable air travel. This Eclipse 500 order will be the catalyst for the introduction of air service to many Eastern European communities, and will ultimately help accelerate economic development in this dynamic region.” Read More..

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Cessna Receives $280 Million Order from Europe’s JetAlliance for 25 Citation Business Jets By FlyingNews @ 3:02 PM :: 628 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) that JetAlliance has placed an order for 25 Citation business jets valued at $280 million. The order is comprised of one CJ1+, six CJ2+, five CJ3, three XLS+, one Sovereign, two Citation X, and seven Citation Mustang aircraft. Deliveries will take place in 2009 and 2010. Read More..

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 AirTran Airways Orders 15 New Boeing 737 Aircraft By FlyingNews @ 2:56 PM :: 620 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), today announced that the airline has ordered 15 new Boeing (NYSE: BA) 737-700 series aircraft, delivery of which is scheduled to take place in 2011 and 2012. The airline currently operates 132 aircraft, 45 of which are Boeing 737-700 series aircraft and 87 of which are Boeing 717-200 aircraft, comprising America's youngest all-Boeing fleet. Including this announcement, AirTran has ordered a total of 115 Boeing 737-700s. Read More..

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Fallen Canadian Snowbird pilot returns home By FlyingNews @ 2:54 PM :: 649 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Flying Accidents The Canadian Forces Snowbirds pilot who died in an airplane crash during an air show practice at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., returned home to the 15 Wing Moose Jaw by Canadian CC-130 Hercules May 22. Family and members of Capt. Shawn McCaughey were on hand to render full military honors to their fallen comrade. Read More..

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Adam A700 FAA Certification Program Gaining Momentum By FlyingNews @ 2:51 PM :: 603 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Adam Aircraft today announced several important milestones for the A700 AdamJet certification program. The first fully conforming A700, Serial Number 003, joined the flight program with its first flight on April 9, 2007. Since first flight, testing has focused on the evaluation of the production configuration of flight controls, landing gear system, avionics, and data acquisition system used for flight testing. "Since Serial Number 003 entered the flight program, the aircraft has handled very well and all systems are performing as expected," stated Adam Aircraft Flight Test Pilot Jeff Peer. "We are working on air speed calibration and stability and control effectiveness with different configurations throughout the flight envelope. The three-screen Avidyne display has been particularly impressive in providing a clear overview of the aircraft’s performance, perspectives, and the aircraft is very reliable out of the box". In addition to Serial Number 003, two nonconforming prototypes have completed more than 989 hours of risk-reduction testing. "We learned a lot from the two prototypes and we are very pleased with Jet 003." Read More..

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation Announces the Approval of FAA Part 141 Pilot School for the SJ30 By FlyingNews @ 12:31 PM :: 614 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation (“SSAC”) announced today that it has received FAA approval for its 14 CFR Part 141 Pilot School Certificate. In keeping with our goal of dedication to customer satisfaction, SSAC has made pilot training part of its core focus by offering factory flight training at its San Antonio location. This provides better and timelier access to Engineering, Production and Customer Support personnel with the hands-on knowledge to keep the training curriculum up to date, practical, and accurate. Read More..

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Honeywell Development of 10,000 Pound Engine on Track By FlyingNews @ 12:28 PM :: 650 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Engines Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today its continued intent to develop and demonstrate technologies for a 10,000 pound thrust turbofan propulsion system targeted for the next generation of Super Medium to Large business jets, with the first technology engine run scheduled for late 2008. Honeywell’s 10,000 pound engine development builds upon the technologies and demonstrated reliability of Honeywell’s successful HTF7000. Using the HTF7000 as a baseline, a new 10,000 lb engine would incorporate new Honeywell technologies that would give customers improved performance and durability while providing low development risk for the new engine. Read More..

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Liberty Aerospace, Inc. Receives Chinese Certification By FlyingNews @ 12:25 PM :: 490 Views :: 0 Comments :: General Aviation, Small Aircraft Manufacturers Liberty Aerospace, Inc., a general aviation aircraft manufacturer based in Melbourne, FL, has received official notification from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China granting IFR certification of the Liberty XL2 airplane. “The Chinese market represents a very large opportunity for Liberty Aerospace and we are very excited to become part of this growing economy,” commented Keith Markley, C.E.O. of Liberty Aerospace, Inc. Read More..

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 EMBRAER RECEIVES FLEET ORDER FROM EXECUTIVE AIRSHARE By FlyingNews @ 12:21 PM :: 455 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Embraer has signed a purchase agreement for seven Phenom 100 jets and options to acquire seven additional aircraft of the same model, with the U.S. fractional aircraft ownership company, Executive AirShare, of Kansas City, Mo.. The total value of the agreement, at list price, is US$ 19.95 million, based on January 2005 economic conditions, and can double if all options are exercised. This order was already included in Embraer’s backlog. “Embraer is very pleased with Executive AirShare’s choice of the Phenom 100 and is happy to offer the right-sized solution for the company’s business, as it expands its fleet,” said Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive Vice President, Executive Jets. “The Phenom 100’s stylish design offers the comfort that passengers expect and will serve Executive AirShare and its owners very nicely. We look forward to a mutually successful relationship.” Read More..

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Dassault Launches the New Falcon 2000LX By FlyingNews @ 12:19 PM :: 493 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Today, at the 7th Annual EBACE Convention, Dassault announced a new addition to the Falcon family of business jets, the Falcon 2000LX. Based on the popular Falcon 2000EX, the 2000LX will feature a range of 4,000 nautical miles at Mach .80 and a best-in-class climb speed to 41,000 feet in just 18 minutes. Read More..

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Boeing Awarded $30 Million U.S. Air Force Contract to Upgrade B-52s By FlyingNews @ 12:17 PM :: 432 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $30 million U.S. Air Force contract to upgrade the B-52 fleet's Integrated Weapons Interface Units (IWIU), providing flight crews with enhanced smart weapon visibility and control. "IWIUs represent a significant upgrade to the B-52 fleet," said Scot Oathout, Boeing B-52 program director. "This contract will allow us to upgrade existing fleet equipment and support future enhancements that will keep the B-52 flying a very important mission for our armed forces all over the world." Boeing will replace the current, three-piece interface units with a single, state-of-the-art IWIU. Boeing will assemble and test the units at its St. Charles, Mo., weapons facility, before shipping them to Wichita, Kans., where the company will prepare the modification kits for final delivery and provide engineering support during customer installation. Read More..

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 Major A318 Elite order reinforces the Airbus Corporate Jetliner's international sales success By FlyingNews @ 12:13 PM :: 458 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The Airbus A318 Elite - the newest and smallest Airbus Corporate Jetliner family member - is rapidly building its worldwide customer base, with 22 firm orders and 11 options booked since the aircraft's go-ahead 18 months ago. U.S.-based Petters Group Worldwide has become the A318 Elite's largest customer, announcing a firm contract today for five aircraft, which is in addition to the company's original order for an A318 Elite. Read More..

Monday, May 21, 2007 AirTran to Begin New Daily Atlanta-Washington Flight By FlyingNews @ 2:34 PM :: 618 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Government The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today awarded AirTran Airways the right to begin a new daily flight between Atlanta and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. DOT awarded AirTran exemptions to the slot limits which govern takeoffs and landings at Reagan National and said the carrier must begin its new service by Aug. 1. In its decision, the Department said it selected AirTran’s proposal over those of four other carriers because it would provide the greatest competitive benefits. Granting the exemptions to AirTran will enable the carrier to expand its low-fare service and should help it compete more effectively. In addition to AirTran, the Department received applications from ATA Airlines for service from Chicago’s Midway International Airport; Comair for service from Little Rock, AR; Midwest Airlines for service from Milwaukee; and US Airways for service from Pensacola, FL. The exemptions to the slot limitations at Reagan National were created to promote airline competition and enhance air service to the nation’s capital. One slot or slot exemption permits one daily takeoff or landing, and two exemptions are required for a single round-trip flight. In this case, the exemptions can only be used for service within the 1,250-mile perimeter that is imposed at Reagan National by statute. The exemptions awarded to AirTran were made available when Spirit Airlines ceased service between Detroit and Reagan National on Jan. 9. The carrier was operating two of the 44 Reagan National exemptions created by the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) and the Vision 100 – Century of Flight Aviation Authorization Act. All of these exemptions have been previously awarded by the Department. The Department’s decision, carrier applications and other documents regarding the proceeding may be obtained on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov, docket number OST-2000-7182.

Monday, May 21, 2007 The Piaggio Aero P.180 Avanti II now flies faster than ever By FlyingNews @ 2:27 PM :: 1919 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Piaggio Aero Industries announces that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has granted certification for the upgraded Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-66B engines installation on the P180 Avanti II .The certification enables the world’s fastest turboprop to fly at a maximum cruise speed of 402 kts, 745 km/h (MMO 0.70) making the P.180 Avanti II the first business turboprop to reach this significant speed milestone. “We are exited about reaching this extraordinary speed record and are glad to have obtained the certification for P.180 Avanti II’s new engines.“ said Piero Ferrari, Chairman of Piaggio Aero Industries. “and we are proud to have been able to improve an already outstanding aircraft with a more valuable, more competitive and more mature product. The Avanti II - with the upgraded engines and the certification for the new extraordinary maximum speed of 402 kts - represents the next generation of Piaggio Aero aircraft and we are delighted to present it to the business aircraft market. The engineers and technicians at Piaggio Aero succeeded in enhancing an already incredible aircraft.” Read More..

Monday, May 21, 2007 Strong demand for the spn reflected in Grob Aerospace order book By FlyingNews @ 2:21 PM :: 659 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Grob Aerospace returns to EBACE, Europe’s premier business aviation show this year, buoyed by a swelling order book for its spn light business jet. For despite the adversity the program suffered at the end of the year 2006, with the loss of the second prototype, enthusiasm for Europe’s newest and unique all-composite aircraft continues to grow. Not one customer has reneged on its commitment to Germany’s only business aircraft manufacturer. Grob has now more than two years’ equivalent production in order terms under its belt. This represents a total of over 60 orders with significant non refundable deposits. Read More..

Monday, May 21, 2007 A380 Embarks On Series Of Demonstration Tours By FlyingNews @ 2:19 PM :: 598 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The world’s largest passenger jet, the Airbus A380, is embarking on a visit to the Asia-Pacific region as part of a series of demonstration tours that will take place during the year. The Asia-Pacific tour will take the A380 development aircraft MSN7 to Narita (Japan) from 4th - 6th June, then to Sydney (Australia) from 6th - 8th June and finally to Taipei (Taiwan) from 8th – 10th June, after having made a series of airport compatibility trials at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport from 1st till 3rd June jointly with Air France and Aéroports de Paris. Read More..

Monday, May 21, 2007 Eos Airlines Expands its Fleet as it Prepares for Future Trans-Atlantic Routes By FlyingNews @ 2:18 PM :: 614 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines PURCHASE, N.Y., May 21, 2007 — Eos Airlines announces today that it has increased its fleet to four Boeing 757-200ER aircraft in preparation for future new routes and additional frequencies to its current schedule. A fifth aircraft is scheduled to be received in December with negotiations for a sixth underway. As part of an “uncrowded” travel experience, the planes will be outfitted for Eos Class service in a configuration which features individual “suites” for every guest, with 21 sq. ft. of personal space and a patented, award-winning seat that converts to a 6’6” horizontally flat bed. This innovative cabin design was one of the many reasons Eos was named 2007’s “Best Long-Haul Business Airline” by Business Travel World. “We’ve gained a loyal following with discerning travelers who love Eos Class service and just want to see more frequency and destinations, so we’re excited to say we now have additional aircraft and are acquiring others to meet this demand,” said Jack Williams, CEO.

Monday, May 21, 2007 EMBRAER’S PHENOM 100 JET PRODUCTION ADVANCES By FlyingNews @ 2:15 PM :: 657 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Final assembly of the first Phenom 100 executive jet progresses on schedule for first flight at mid-year. Wing and fuselage of the second aircraft were assembled at the Botucatu plant and have arrived at Embraer’s main facilities in São José dos Campos to begin final assembly. Components of the third Phenom 100 are being pre-assembled in Botucatu. The mating of the wings and fuselage of the first Phenom 100 occurred in late March. The anemometric, oxygen, hydraulic, electric, fuel and deicing systems have been installed. Flight test instrumentation, cockpit consoles and panels, landing gear, brakes, tires, and lateral windows have also been installed on the aircraft. Read More..

Monday, May 21, 2007 Cessna Citation Mustang Achieves EASA Certification By FlyingNews @ 2:12 PM :: 650 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) that the Citation Mustang has achieved European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification, making it the first new-generation entry level business jet to be certified in Europe. “The Citation Mustang has met or exceeded every performance objective established when we announced the program in 2002,” said Cessna’s Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton. “The Mustang is proving its capability in the United States where several owner-operators are currently flying their new airplanes. We’re looking forward to starting deliveries of the Mustang in Europe later this summer.” Read More..

Monday, May 21, 2007 Boeing 787s to Join Royal Jordanian Fleet By FlyingNews @ 2:10 PM :: 598 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Royal Jordanian today announced an order for Boeing's highly sought-after 787 Dreamliner, confirming two unidentified customer purchases previously listed on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries Web site. The announcement was made at the World Economic Forum, an event sanctioned by the Jordanian royal family and held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center on Jordan's Dead Sea. Royal Jordanian is the first Middle East airline to announce an order for Boeing's 787, the fastest-selling new commercial airplane ever built. Royal Jordanian plans to confirm the purchase of its two outstanding options before the end of the year. The airline also intends to take an additional eight Boeing 787s on lease. Read More..

Friday, May 18, 2007 Northwest Airlines Receives Court Approval To Exit Bankruptcy By FlyingNews @ 11:29 AM :: 668 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines Northwest Airlines Corporation (OTC: NWACQ.PK) announced today that it has received final court approval of its Plan of Reorganization, positioning the airline to exit bankruptcy on May 31. Judge Allan L. Gropper of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York signed the order confirming Northwest’s Plan of Reorganization. On May 9, Northwest announced that 98.4 percent of the dollar amount of claims that voted and 96.9 percent of the airline’s creditors who voted, approved the Northwest plan. Read More..

Thursday, May 17, 2007 Subcommittee Focuses on Ensuring the Health and Vitality of NASA’s Current and Future Workforce By FlyingNews @ 2:04 PM :: 677 Views :: 0 Comments :: Government, NASA The House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics today examined a range of National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) workforce issues identified by the recently released reports of two independent review panels. The Subcommittee’s work is aimed at ensuring the health and vitality of the NASA workforce in the 21st century. “Now it’s obvious that NASA’s workforce is critical to the success of NASA’s missions,” said Subcommittee Chairman Mark Udall (D-CO). “Yet it should be equally obvious that the continued health and strength of NASA’s workforce cannot be taken for granted. It needs to be nurtured, supported and given the tools and resources it will need to carry out the complex and challenging missions it has been asked to undertake in science, aeronautics and human space flight and exploration.” Read More..

Thursday, May 17, 2007 Southwest Airlines and Naverus Partner to Revolutionize Flight Operations By FlyingNews @ 1:55 PM :: 670 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aircraft Avionics Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and Naverus announce today that they have signed an agreement to partner on development of an RNP program. RNP (Required Navigation Performance) brings together the accuracy of GPS (Global Positioning System), the capabilities of advanced aircraft avionics, and new flight procedures to achieve safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly flight operations. "We recently commissioned Naverus to illustrate the benefits of RNP for Southwest Airlines," said Mike Van de Ven, Southwest EVP and Chief of Operations. "We discovered how Tailored RNP can be used for more than just terrain-challenged airports. By using it everywhere we'll unlock the tremendous capabilities of modern avionics, maximizing our investment in new aircraft and equipment." Read More..

Thursday, May 17, 2007 Senate Commerce Committee Splits on Aviation User Fee Vote By FlyingNews @ 1:30 PM :: 630 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA, Government WASHINGTON, DC, MAY 16, 2007 – An uphill effort to completely eliminate user fees from an FAA funding proposal came within one vote of succeeding today, prompting National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen to note that opposition to user fees is strong and growing. "This remarkable vote shows that opposition to the per-flight user fee is growing among Senators from both sides of the aisle, who are coming to share our concerns about this user fee," Bolen said. Members of the Senate Commerce Committee voted on an amendment introduced by Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and John Sununu (R-NH) that would strike proposed language calling for a per-flight user fee as part of the Committee’s "reauthorization," or funding proposal for the FAA. The tally on the anti-user fee amendment was tied 11-11 before a final vote was cast. Bolen said the razor-thin margin for the vote adds momentum to the fight against user fees. He thanked Senators who voted against user fees by supporting the Nelson/Sununu amendment. "We have some real champions for our cause, and we are picking up key supporters in this fight," Bolen said. "The general aviation community recognizes the need for modernization of the aviation system so that it remains the world’s largest, safest and most efficient," Bolen continued. “But we also know that user fees represent a step in the wrong direction because they would be very harmful to small and mid-sized businesses and rural communities across the country. "We look forward to working with everyone on the Commerce Committee in support of modernization efforts that support all aviation segments."

Thursday, May 17, 2007 Final Major Structure for Boeing 787 Dreamliner Delivered to Everett By FlyingNews @ 1:26 PM :: 648 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The final major assembly for the Boeing [NYSE: BA] 787 Dreamliner was delivered to Everett early today. The integrated midbody fuselage consists of section 43, a forward fuselage section made by Kawasaki Heavy Industries; section 11/45, the center wheel well and center wing tank, made by KHI and Fuji Heavy Industries and joined at FHI; and sections 44 and 46, center fuselage sections made by Alenia Aeronautica. It was joined at Global Aeronautica in Charleston, South Carolina. The fuselage measures 84 feet long and 19 feet in diameter. It was flown to Everett in the Dreamlifter, a specially modified 747-400 used to transport major 787 assemblies. The Dreamlifter touched down at 1:58 a.m. Wrapped in black, the fuselage filled the cargo bay of the Dreamlifter. Barely six inches of clearance surrounded the structure. "What an accomplishment for our entire 787 team," said Scott Strode, 787 vice president of Airplane Definition and Production. "This fuselage section represents the hard work of hundreds of people around the globe. The Dreamliner is no dream anymore - it's real, and it's here." The fuselage was taken immediately into the 787 final assembly factory. Final assembly of the first 787 has not yet begun, but today's delivery takes the team one step closer to that goal.

Thursday, May 17, 2007 Temporary Suspension of Sea King Flying Operations In Australia By FlyingNews @ 1:23 PM :: 638 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Helicopters During a recent routine pre-flight inspection of a Sea King helicopter, Navy maintenance personnel discovered that two split pins were missing in a system which is not critical to flight safety. The inconsistency was discovered through the diligence of junior maintenance crew during a pre-flight inspection. As a precautionary measure, and as part of the normal air worthiness process, on 2 May 2007 the Squadron Commanding Officer temporarily suspended flying operations of all six Sea King helicopters in the Fleet to allow the matter to be fully investigated and appropriate inspections to be conducted on all Sea King aircraft. There was no effect on Navy’s operations. “Navy takes this matter very seriously and has initiated a full investigation to determine the cause. This precautionary suspension of flying underscores Navy‘s ongoing commitment to the safety of our people. I will lift the suspension only when I am satisfied that it is appropriate to resume flying, which is expected by the end of this month,” Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas, said today.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 Airbus Boosts Production Rate For Its Single Aisle Aircraft To Record Levels By FlyingNews @ 11:07 AM :: 625 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Airbus will increase its monthly production rate to 40 for its single-aisle A320 Family by the end of 2009. Currently, Airbus produces 32 A320 Family aircraft per month. Airbus’ decision to continue to ramp-up its production rate is driven by a continuing strong demand for its aircraft and a record backlog in excess of 2,500 aircraft. “This production increase confirms again that we continue to be an outstanding growth industry,” said Louis Gallois, President and CEO of Airbus. “The quick implementation of Power8 will pave the way for securing a bright future with profitable growth for Airbus.” Read More..

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 100 Years of Vertical Flight: Looking Back at the BO 108, Forerunner for the Eurocopter EC135, today’s World Best Selling Light Twin Engine Helicopter By FlyingNews @ 11:03 AM :: 634 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters Today a best seller among the Eurocopter range, the EC135 has established itself as a leader on the light twin market, with operations spanning from emergency medical services to corporate transport , offshore, police missions and military operations. But let’s take a look back at the BO 108 and how this German predecessor became the EC135 as we know it today, with a little of the magic we like to call Franco-German cooperation. The BO 108, manufactured by MBB, was initially designed to replace the BO 105, another highly successful helicopter produced by this manufacturer. The helicopter which made its maiden flight on October 15, 1988 was a technical demonstrator used to evaluate the new technologies in operation from technical and economic viewpoints. Several areas for improvement were identified over the course of extensive flight tests, and included rotor technology, development of new dynamic assemblies, anti-resonance systems, composite materials applied to the structure, and integration of a latest generation avionics system. Read More..

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 Alliance for Aviation Across America Urges Adoption of Nelson-Sununu Amendment By FlyingNews @ 11:01 AM :: 625 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA, Government The Alliance for Aviation Across America today released the following statement calling upon the Senate Commerce committee to adopt the Nelson-Sununu amendment, which would strike the “user fee” flat tax from S.1300, or the Senate Commerce Committee bill for FAA reauthorization: “We applaud the Nelson-Sununu amendment, which strikes the regressive, “user fee” flat tax from this bill. This provision would harm small businesses and towns across the country, while the big, commercial airlines would be awarded a huge windfall. Read More..

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 Airlines Respond To Judge's Ruling In Their Favor On Unfair And Excessive LAX Fees By FlyingNews @ 10:52 AM :: 630 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines LOS ANGELES — AirTran Airways, Alaska Airlines, ATA Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Midwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and US Airways Group issued the following statement regarding today's ruling in their favor on unfair and excessive terminal charges at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): "We are gratified by today's recommended decision in favor of the airlines serving Terminals 1 and 3 at LAX. The Administrative Law Judge's ruling upholds clear and longstanding principles of law that are designed to protect consumers and air carriers from excessive, unreasonable, and discriminatory payments for the use of an essential public facility. It is unfortunate that Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) once again compelled the airlines to initiate expensive and time-consuming legal proceedings before the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in order to protect our customers, employees and shareholders from LAWA's egregious actions." The airlines filed a joint complaint in February with the DOT in opposition to new terminal charges at LAX that dramatically increased the airlines' costs. The Secretary of Transportation will issue a final decision on this matter by June 15, 2007.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 U.S. Airports Must Continue to Expand to Meet Continued Air Travel Demand, Study Shows By FlyingNews @ 2:03 PM :: 683 Views :: 0 Comments :: Government, NTSB U. S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters today said many of the nation’s busiest airports and metropolitan areas — such as Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, FL — will require additional capacity, which may include the building of new airports, in the next two decades if they are to address the flood of flyers headed their way. Secretary Peters announced the findings as part of the new Future Airport Capacity Task report following a tour of new improvements at the nation’s busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The new report found that 14 airports and eight metropolitan areas nationwide will require new capacity to accommodate the anticipated growth in air traffic over the next 18 years. Read More..

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Construction Starts On Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line In China By FlyingNews @ 1:39 PM :: 590 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Construction has started on the Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Tianjin, following recent approval by the State Council of the Feasibility Study Report for the project. A formal ceremony was held on site in the Tianjin Binhai New Coastal District, where the FAL is to be located, in the presence of Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, State Councillor and Fabrice Brégier Airbus Chief Operating Officer. The setting up of the FAL in China includes the construction of dedicated hangars, office buildings, delivery centre and related facilities, including electricity, gas, water and fuel supply systems. Read More..

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 First TBM 850 in South Africa By FlyingNews @ 1:36 PM :: 638 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers EADS Socata announces today the delivery of the first Very Fast Turboprop TBM 850 to Bravo Capital, a South African company involved in property development and mining activities. Typically the TBM 850 will be used for corporate travels of 1,000 to 1,200 Nm between its Johannesburg headquarters and current property development projects in the Kruger National Park and Mozambique Islands, or for flights to neighbour African countries. “We previously owned a high-performance single engine piston aircraft, a Raven then a Piper Malibu Mirage, before we decided to go for a turboprop. After a complete review of the available single engine turboprop, we found that the TBM 850 was a much more manageable aircraft and the best to fulfil our mission. So we bought it. The speed of the TBM 850, the very luxurious interior and its useful load were the main criteria for our choice. The TBM 850 is the ideal corporate aircraft.” Explained Attie Botha, CEO of Bravo Capital. Read More..

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Lufthansa Places Firm Order for 15 Bombardier CRJ900 Jets By FlyingNews @ 1:31 PM :: 627 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Bombardier Aerospace announced today that Deutsche Lufthansa AG has signed a firm order for 15 CRJ900 regional jets. In a press release issued on April 17, 2007, Lufthansa confirmed that its Supervisory Board had approved the placement of this order. Lufthansa has also taken purchase rights on 15 additional aircraft. The value of the firm orders, based on the list price of the CRJ900 aircraft, is approximately $584 million US. Read More..

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Wings for Boeing 787 Dreamliner Delivered to Everett By FlyingNews @ 1:29 PM :: 628 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The gigantic composite wings for the all-new Boeing [NYSE: BA] 787 Dreamliner were delivered to Everett at 4:10 a.m. PDT today. Manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at its facility in Nagoya, Japan, each wing is 98 feet long. Standing on edge in custom-made tooling, the wings were delivered together to Boeing via the Dreamlifter, a specially modified 747-400 used to transport 787 major assemblies. The 787 is the first commercial aircraft to use composite materials as its primary structure. It is also the first Boeing aircraft featuring an all-composite wing. Read More..

Monday, May 14, 2007 Air India Takes Delivery of two A310-300 Converted Freighter Aircraft By FlyingNews @ 8:22 AM :: 663 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Air India took delivery of two Airbus A310- 300Fs at EADS EFW´s facility in Dresden, Germany. Both aircraft bearing the MSN 538 and 544 named “Krishna” and “Narmada” were formerly operated by the Indian airline itself as passenger aircraft. The conversion into freighter configuration started in January 2007. “Air India made a great choice to convert the popular Airbus A310-300 widebody aircraft to enlarge its freighter fleet”, said Dr. Andreas Sperl, President and CEO of EADS EFW. “With Air India we could win the first customer in South Asia, the most important on the Indian subcontinent”. Read More..

Monday, May 14, 2007 Australian Air Force Recieves Its Second Boeing C-17 Aircraft By FlyingNews @ 8:18 AM :: 641 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation The Air Force has taken delivery of its second C-17 Globemaster III aircraft during a ceremony at the Boeing facility at Long Beach, California. The second aircraft was delivered on Friday 11 May (US time), one month ahead of the initial schedule. This highlights the exceptional level of co-operation between the Boeing Company, the United States Air Force and the Defence Materiel Organisation in the management of this Foreign Military Sale acquisition project. The aircraft is immediately providing support to the Australian Defence Force by transporting newly acquired Army Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats and their support equipment, along with C-17 logistical equipment back to RAAF Base Amberley. The aircraft is expected to arrive in Australia on 19 May 2007. Read More..

Friday, May 11, 2007 TURKEY, UNITED STATES SIGN AGREEMENT FOR SALE OF ADDITIONAL LOCKHEED MARTIN F-16 AIRCRAFT TO TURKEY By FlyingNews @ 9:13 PM :: 645 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Government The governments of Turkey and the United States have signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the sale of 30 additional Lockheed Martin [NYSE:LMT] Advanced F-16 Block 50 aircraft to Turkey. The new aircraft will supplement the Turkish Air Force’s (TUAF) existing fleet of F-16s and contribute to the upgrade and modernization of the TUAF. The new aircraft include the same advanced systems being installed on Turkey’s existing F-16 fleet as part of an on-going upgrade program. At the conclusion of these two programs all Turkish F-16s will be in a common, state-of-the-art configuration. The total LOA value for the 30 aircraft and equipment is approximately $1.8 billion (U.S.). Lockheed Martin and its supplier base will receive approximately $1.1 billion of this amount. Read More..

Friday, May 11, 2007 Liberty Aerospace, Inc. will be exhibiting at EBACE! By FlyingNews @ 9:08 PM :: 652 Views :: 0 Comments :: General Aviation, Small Aircraft Manufacturers Geneva, Switzerland (May 22-25, 2007) –The Liberty Aerospace Team and the critically acclaimed XL2 are anxiously waiting for the show to begin. This three day event, themed “EBACE Driving Commerce in Europe and Beyond,” boasts over 400 vendors and is located at the state of the art Geneva Palexpo. This magnificent center covers over 100,000 square meters of land and houses 7 separate exhibition halls. Geneva Palexpo is conveniently located adjacent to the Geneva International Airport, a railway station and motorway. More than 7,000 people are expected to attend this event. Liberty Aerospace is vigilantly working towards the award of EASA certification, expected in early June of this year. “Europe is a huge market for us,” commented Keith Markley, C.E.O of Liberty Aerospace, “especially considering the rising costs of aviation fuel. The XL2 will make a dramatic impact with its economy and low hourly costs of operation.” Read More..

Friday, May 11, 2007 Cessna Chooses Wichita’s Law Company to Build New Mesa, Ariz. Citation Service Center By FlyingNews @ 8:26 PM :: 667 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today it has selected The Law Company of Wichita, Kans., as the general contractor for its new Citation Service Center in Mesa, Ariz. Slated to open in early 2009, the new service center will feature a high-bay, 101,000-square-foot maintenance hangar adjacent to the Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa. Total value of the project is in excess of $20 million. Read More..

Friday, May 11, 2007 Fuselage Sections for Boeing 787 Dreamliner Delivered to Everett By FlyingNews @ 8:23 PM :: 624 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers The all-composite forward section -- known as section 41 and shown here wrapped in white -- is manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems at its facility in Wichita, Kan. The complex structure is 21 feet in diameter and 42 feet long. Its landing gear is installed. Sections 47 and 48, wrapped in black, are the two aft composite sections of fuselage for the Dreamliner. They were manufactured and joined by Vought Aircraft Industries at its facility in Charleston, S.C. Section 47 is 23 feet long and 19 feet in diameter while section 48 measures 15 feet long and 14 feet in diameter. Read More..

Friday, May 11, 2007 ARH-70A Continues Development By FlyingNews @ 8:20 PM :: 1186 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters The ARH Program continues to accomplish critical events during the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase. Commenting on the progress of the program, President and CEO of Bell, Dick Millman noted, "We recently completed two significant events in support of a Milestone C (Low Rate Initial Production) decision. These are critical paths to the successful fielding of the ARH-70A. The Bell and Army Teams have worked closely over the life of the ARH Program to bring it to this point. Overall the aircraft is performing well and receiving many positive comments from the Army/Bell test pilot team." Read More..

Thursday, May 10, 2007 NASA and FAA Team to Encourage Aviation and Space Careers By FlyingNews @ 10:36 AM :: 654 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA, NASA NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster the development of students' skills in science, technology, engineering and math. The agreement supports the FAA's mission to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world and NASA's mission to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research. "This is a perfect example of collaboration that complements and supports each organization's educational goals," said Dr. Joyce Winterton, NASA associate administrator for Education, Headquarters, Washington. "Joint outreach efforts like this will contribute to NASA and FAA goals for a diverse, qualified aviation and space workforce for the future." Read More..

Thursday, May 10, 2007 First NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter for Oman performed Maiden Flight at Eurocopter in Marignane By FlyingNews @ 10:25 AM :: 628 Views :: 0 Comments :: Helicopters Eurocopter continues its schedule of milestones in the NH90 program and has successfully performed the maiden flight of the first NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) for the Sultanate of Oman at its Marignane facility on May 9th. This maiden flight of TOMF001 (Manufacturer Serial Number) lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes and was under the command of Eurocopter’s Test Pilot, Philippe Boutry. Reporting total satisfaction with the flight, he said: “We flew to an altitude of up to 4,000 ft and at maximum speed, and all of the aircraft’s main systems operated in accord with our expectations. The contract between the Sultanate of Oman and NHIndustries was signed in July 2004 and provides for the delivery of 20 multi-purpose NH90 TTHs with an enhanced power plant perfectly adapted to the extreme flight conditions of this region in the Middle East. The aircraft will be operated by the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) in tactical transport, search and rescue and other military missions in all terrains. Read More..

Thursday, May 10, 2007 Boeing Orbital Express Completes First Autonomous Free Flight and Capture By FlyingNews @ 10:20 AM :: 716 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aerospace The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Orbital Express system has completed another industry first by successfully performing a fully autonomous free-flight rendezvous and capture operation. The demonstration of the two-spacecraft system is part of an ongoing Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) mission to validate on-orbit servicing capabilities. Using its onboard cameras and advanced video guidance system, the Boeing Autonomous Space Transport Robotic Operations (ASTRO) servicing spacecraft separated from the NextSat client spacecraft, backed away to a distance of 10 meters (33 feet), maintained proximity flight with NextSat for a full orbit, and then approached and captured NextSat with its docking mechanism. The demonstration occurred at full spacecraft autonomy to mark the first on-orbit rendezvous and capture operation performed with no active exchange of relative navigation information or any intervention or control from the ground. Read More..

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 NextGen Goal: Performance-Based Navigation By FlyingNews @ 6:35 AM :: 745 Views :: 0 Comments :: FAA The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) plan to modernize the National Airspace System through 2025. Through NextGen, the FAA is developing a roadmap of new technologies and procedures to support greater capacity and less congestion. Performance-based navigation (PBN) is helping the FAA chart a course toward achieving NextGen goals. Read More..

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 ‘CARBON CUB’ PROOF OF CONCEPT DEBUTS TO ALASKA AIRMEN By FlyingNews @ 6:31 AM :: 671 Views :: 0 Comments :: General Aviation, Small Aircraft Manufacturers Pushing the "Cub" design well beyond its conventional limitations in weight and performance, the 220-hp ‘CARBON CUB’ made its public debut today to an enthusiastic audience at the 2007 ALASKA STATE AVIATION TRADE SHOW AND CONFERENCE. With a fire-breathing custom paint scheme to match the ‘hot-rod’ under the skin, ‘CARBON CUB’ is CubCrafters’ proof-of-concept platform for a host of new airframe construction materials, performance options, design improvements, and much more powerful engine options, all in an airplane that is lighter and far more advanced than any "Cub" of this horsepower range. The airplane is basically a lighter yet substantially "beefed up" SPORT CUB with a monster engine and a hi-lift wing. We made nearly 40 airframe parts out of high strength carbon fiber that were previously metal or fiberglass. We estimate that it saved over 30 Lbs vs. a stock SPORT CUB. "We are 250 to 300 pounds lighter than any Super Cub with the same equipment" said Richmond, "and I can tell you that flying it, the performance difference is startling." Read More..

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 ANA's new 777-300s Get Boeing's Electronic Flight Bag in May 2007 By FlyingNews @ 6:26 AM :: 584 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Airlines, Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers New Boeing 777-300ER aircraft delivered to ANA from this month will come equipped with Boeing's Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), in a first for a Japanese airline. The EFB is being introduced into the ANA fleet from this year to allow the airline to familiarise itself with the technology prior to taking delivery of its first 787 in May next year, on which the EFB will come as standard equipment. ANA became the launch customer of the 787 in 2004, when it placed a firm order for 50 aircraft. Read More..

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 MNG Technic signs agreements with Best Air and Air Memphis By FlyingNews @ 6:17 AM :: 675 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers MNG Technic have signed agreements with Best Air for TC-TUA registered MD-82 type aircrafts’ maintenance and with Eqypt operator Air Memphis for SU-BME registered MD-83 type aircrafts’ maintenance. Best Air’s aircraft will be arriving in MNG Technic Maintenance Center located in Istanbul Ataturk Airport on May 07th while Air Memphis aircraft will have maintenance services in the same address on May 21st. Read More..

Tuesday, May 08, 2007 Navy Helicopter Crashes Near Austin, Nevada By FlyingNews @ 10:56 AM :: 624 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation, Helicopters AUSTIN, Nev. (NNS) -- All five crew members of a Navy SH-60F helicopter were killed May 7, in a crash approximately 10 miles west of Austin, Nev. The crash site was initially located by military aircraft at 9:40 p.m. PDT, 15 minutes after the helicopter crashed. A Navy UH-1N search and rescue helicopter, dispatched from NAS Fallon, arrived at the scene at approximately 10:15 p.m. The helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Seven (HS-7) based in Jacksonville, Fla., was conducting a routine training mission from NAS Fallon. The squadron, part of Carrier Air Wing 3 which deploys on USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), began a month-long training detachment at NAS Fallon on April 30. The names of the aircrew are being withheld pending notification of their next of kin. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007 NASA to Build New Stand at Stennis to Test Ares Rocket Engines By FlyingNews @ 10:53 AM :: 645 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA NASA will test one of the rocket engines it is developing for its new launch vehicles at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The agency will build a new test stand at Stennis for the J-2X engine. The engine will power the upper stages of NASA's Ares I and Ares V rockets. Stennis already is home to Apollo-era test stands that have served the nation's space program through the shuttle era. The newly proposed structure will be the first large test stand built at the center since the 1960s. Unlike the older structures, the new 300-foot-tall, open-frame design will allow engineers to simulate conditions at different altitudes. Read More..

Tuesday, May 08, 2007 Bombardier Sells 15 More Q400 Airliners To Flybe By FlyingNews @ 10:45 AM :: 677 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Bombardier Aerospace announced that Exeter, England-based Flybe has signed a contract to acquire 15 additional Bombardier Q400 high-speed turboprop airliners. In addition, Flybe has taken options on 15 Q400 aircraft. The value of the firm orders, based on the list price of the Q400 aircraft is approximately $394 million U.S. Flybe is already the operator of the world’s largest Q400 fleet; deliveries of the 15 firm-ordered aircraft, along with those previously ordered, will increase the fleet to 60 aircraft. Read More..

Tuesday, May 08, 2007 First A380 landing in India By FlyingNews @ 10:36 AM :: 601 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers For its first visit to India, the A380 landed in New Delhi on Sunday 6 May after a smooth nine-hour flight from Toulouse. The aircraft is staying for two days in New Delhi before flying to Mumbai, headquarters of its first Indian customer, Kingfisher Airlines. The "Gentle Giant" as the Indian media have dubbed it, is coming to India to perform demonstration flights and to help celebrate the second anniversary of Kingfisher Airlines, its first A380 Indian customer. The airline, which has five A380s on order, already operates a fleet of 20 Airbus single-aisle aircraft as well as an Airbus Corporate Jetliner. Read More..

Monday, May 07, 2007 NTSB Sending Team To Assist In 737 Cameroon Crash By FlyingNews @ 12:45 PM :: 724 Views :: 0 Comments :: Flying Accidents, NTSB Washington, DC -- The National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team to assist the government of Cameroon in its investigation of a crash this morning of a Boeing 737. Earlier today, Kenya Airways flight 507, lost contact with air traffic service shortly after takeoff and crashed thereafter. There were approximately 105 passengers and nine crewmembers on board. NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker has designated senior investigator Dennis Jones as U.S. Accredited Representative. In addition to NTSB power plant and airworthiness investigators, representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing, and General Electric will join the team.

Monday, May 07, 2007 Emirates Airlines Reaffirms Commitment To A380 And Orders Additional Four By FlyingNews @ 12:36 PM :: 598 Views :: 0 Comments :: Commercial Aircraft Manufacturers Dubai based Emirates Airlines has reaffirmed its order for 43 Airbus A380 aircraft and additionally signed a contract for a further four. Emirates will begin receiving its first A380 aircraft in the third quarter of 2008. Emirates was a launch customers for the A380 and already had the largest number of aircraft on order which has now been increased to 47. Read More..

Sunday, May 06, 2007 World’s first unmanned cargo aircraft being tested in Kansas By FlyingNews @ 4:23 PM :: 265 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation An unmanned aircraft the military uses for carrying cargo and dropping leaflets in war zones has earned the attention of the Kansas National Guard. Designated the CQ-10A SnowGoose by its Canadian manufacturer, the unmanned aerial vehicle is undergoing several days of testing at the Smoky Hill Weapons Range outside Salina. Smoky Hill also is the home of the Guard’s Great Plains Joint Training Center. “It’s ugly, but it’s very functional,” said Chuck Jarnot, a former Army helicopter pilot who is working as a consultant for Mist Mobility Integrated Systems Technology Inc. The Canadian firm has sold 40 of the aircraft to the U.S. military and they are being used in Iraq and Afghanistan. The SnowGoose is the world’s first unmanned cargo aircraft.

Sunday, May 06, 2007 The tragic tale of pilot's sticky tape repair By FlyingNews @ 4:06 PM :: 269 Views :: 0 Comments :: Flying Accidents A widely respected pilot who died after his plane plunged into Lake Taupo in front of crowds of summer holidaymakers had repaired it with sticky tape just hours before the crash. John Borman, a New Zealand fixed-wing formation flying representative, was seriously injured and later died after the kitset amphibious plane he had spent thousands of hours building flipped and crashed at Lake Taupo. His wife Noeleen, the only passenger, suffered facial injuries and concussion.

Sunday, May 06, 2007 GE Aviation Completes Acquisition of Smiths Aerospace By FlyingNews @ 3:50 PM :: 557 Views :: 0 Comments :: Aerospace, Aircraft Engines GE Aviation announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Smiths Aerospace, a U.K.-based supplier of integrated systems for aircraft manufacturers and components for engine builders. The purchase price was $4.8 billion. The acquisition broadens GE's offerings for aviation customers by adding Smiths innovative flight management systems, electrical power management, mechanical actuation systems and airborne platform computing systems to GE Aviation's growing commercial and military aircraft engines and services. The combined GE Aviation and Smiths Aerospace revenues in 2006 were $15.6 billion (USD). Read More..

Thursday, May 03, 2007 Veteran Astronaut Walter Schirra Dies By FlyingNews @ 10:15 PM :: 275 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA Pioneering astronaut Walter "Wally" Schirra, the only man who flew in all three of America's first human space projects - Mercury, Gemini and Apollo - died Wednesday. He was 84. Schirra's family reported he died of natural causes. Schirra was one of America's original seven astronauts, selected in 1959, and was commander of the first crew to fly into space aboard an Apollo capsule, Apollo 7, following the tragic launchpad fire that claimed the lives of the crew of Apollo 1. Read More..

Thursday, May 03, 2007 Air Force aerial firefighters train in New Mexico By FlyingNews @ 10:09 PM :: 276 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNEWS) -- C-130 Hercules aircraft dotted the sky over central New Mexico April 30 through May 2 as 300 Airmen prepared to help fight wild land fires that may break out this year. Cibola National Forest officials and Airmen from Air Force Reserve Command's 302nd Airlift Wing based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., hosted the annual training and recertification for military pilots flying firefighting missions. Read More..

Thursday, May 03, 2007 Subcommittee Examines Key Challenges Confronting NASA’s Space Science Program By FlyingNews @ 10:06 PM :: 238 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA The U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics today received a sobering assessment of the outlook for NASA’s space science programs from a distinguished panel of scientists. The scientists warned that recent and planned budgetary cutbacks are jeopardizing the future wellbeing of the nation’s space science enterprise. The hearing also marked the first Congressional testimony of Dr. Alan Stern, the newly installed Associate Administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Dr. Stern outlined the recent accomplishments of the space science program and described the activities to be funded in NASA’s FY 2008 budget request. Read More..

Wednesday, May 02, 2007 EADS CASA will supply Lockheed Martin another five (5) HC-235A multi-mission aircraft for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program By FlyingNews @ 6:44 AM :: 281 Views :: 0 Comments :: Military Aviation Lockheed Martin has placed an order to purchase another five (5) EADS CASA HC-235A for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program. These aircraft will be delivered to Lockheed Martin through year 2008. With these five, the number of aircraft ordered to date is eight (8). The Coast Guard program plan includes up to thirty six (36) aircraft. First delivery to Lockheed Martin took place on December 6, 2006, at EADS CASA facilities in Seville. Read More..

Tuesday, May 01, 2007 Liberty Aerospace Delivers First Aircraft in Japan By FlyingNews @ 2:36 PM :: 477 Views :: 0 Comments :: Small Aircraft Manufacturers Liberty Aerospace, Inc. has successfully delivered the first XL2 in Japan. Liberty’s regional representative, Mr. Patrick Carroll, took delivery of the aircraft on April 20. Carroll stated, “The aircraft arrived in the shipping container in pristine condition, and due to the aircraft’s modular design it was reassembled and ready for flight in an incredibly short amount of time.” The XL2 has a unique wing box mechanism, which allows the wings to be easily removed within a matter of minutes. Without the wings attached, the XL2 has the ability to fit into a standard 20’ shipping container. Liberty’s C.E.O., Mr. Keith Markley, stated “One of our goals is to reach markets around the world. By utilizing the design of the aircraft, we can keep shipping costs low and deliver the XL2 to any port across the globe.” Read More..

Tuesday, May 01, 2007 GULFSTREAM G550 SETS TWO NEW CITY-PAIR SPEED RECORDS, FLYING 11,694 NAUTICAL MILES IN THE PROCESS By FlyingNews @ 2:34 PM :: 478 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers In two separate flights, an ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550 business jet flew a total of 11, 694 nautical miles and established two new city-pair speed records in the process. The G550 took off from Auckland International Airport , New Zealand , at 10:25 a.m. local time (NZST) on March 26. Piloted by Gulfstream senior international captains Sean Sheldon and Larry S. Mueller and Gulfstream demonstration captain Edward Faciszewski, the G550 flew 5,097 nautical miles with average headwinds of 13 knots and at an average cruise speed of 0.83 Mach. The plane, with 5,690 pounds of fuel remaining, landed at Hong Kong International Airport at 5:57 p.m. local time (HKT), 11 hours and 32 minutes after it took off. Also onboard were flight attendant Karin O’Kelly and one passenger. Read More..

Tuesday, May 01, 2007 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007 NOTAMS Are Available By FlyingNews @ 2:28 PM :: 798 Views :: 0 Comments :: EAA The official EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007 Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) booklets are hot off the press and ready to be mailed out to pilots planning to fly to The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration on July 23-29. The Oshkosh NOTAM is also available in easy-to-print PDF document form on the AirVenture website(http://www.airventure.org/2007/flying/notam07.pdf). Those who have already placed their booklet orders can expect to receive their copies soon, while others can call EAA Membership Services at 800/JOIN-EAA (564-6322) and order a free copy today.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007 Cessna Books 25 Orders at AERO Friedrichshafen and Sun ‘n Fun By FlyingNews @ 2:21 PM :: 469 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers, Small Aircraft Manufacturers Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today a total of 25 aircraft orders were placed last week at AERO Friedrichshafen in Germany and the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Fla., punctuating what company executives said were very successful shows in terms of orders and leads. At Friedrichshafen, Cessna took orders for a Citation Mustang, making its international debut, two Citation CJ3s, one CJ2+, one 208 Caravan and 11 Skyhawk 172s. In Florida, the company booked orders for one CJ3, one Citation Mustang, one 208 Caravan, and six Skyhawk 172s Read More..

Tuesday, May 01, 2007 PRATT & WHITNEY ROCKETDYNE'S REVOLUTIONARY SCRAMJET ENGINE SUCCESFULLY POWERS FIRST X-51A SIMULATED FLIGHT By FlyingNews @ 2:17 PM :: 449 Views :: 0 Comments :: NASA Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR), a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company, along with its X-51A team members -- U.S. Air Force, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), NASA and The Boeing Company -- successfully demonstrated operation and performance of the revolutionary X-1 scramjet engine in the first simulated flight at Mach 5 of the X-51A. "The X-1 engine is a breakthrough in hypersonic technology that will ultimately provide unprecedented range and speed for PWR customers," said Mike McKeon, PWR manager of hypersonics and advanced programs. "The performance of X-1 in a test environment has exceeded our predictions, and is a major step toward bringing hypersonic flight into practical use." Read More..

Tuesday, May 01, 2007 Cessna Delivers First Citation Encore+ By FlyingNews @ 2:10 PM :: 413 Views :: 0 Comments :: Business Aircraft Manufacturers Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, last week delivered the first Citation Encore+ to an undisclosed customer. The seven- to eleven-passenger Encore+ succeeds the Encore, offering FADEC (Full Authority Digital Electronic Control) equipped engines, increased payload capability, a new integrated avionics suite, more standard equipment, and new interior styling features. Propulsion for the Encore+ is generated by two dual-channel FADEC equipped PW535B engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada, a United Technologies company (NYSE:UTX). FADEC provides reduced pilot workload, optimum engine efficiency, intelligent health monitoring and diagnostics capability, and enhanced reliability due to the dual channel redundancy. An increase in the gross weight resulted in a full-fuel payload of 1,170 pounds, 340 pounds more than the original Encore. This enhancement in the Encore+ also increases the range significantly with higher passenger loads. Read More..