U P D A T E
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Week ending June 29, 1997
+++ Serious damage of Mir after collision with Progress capsule +++ German decision on EF2000 still unpredictable +++ French prime minister sees state role in aerospace +++ Northwest plans to order 50 Airbus A319s +++ British Airways orders more Boeings +++ German border guard seeks new helicopters +++ Litening integration in German Tornados to begin +++ European airlines back in the red in 1996 +++ News in brief +++
Serious damage of Mir after collision with Progress capsule
Raumstation Mir schwer beschädigt nach Kollision mit Progress-Kapsel
A collision of a Progress logistics spacecraft with Russian space station Mir on Wednesdy June 25th at 11.30 EMT damaged the Spectr module and two solar panels of the aging space station severely. Two Russian cosmonauts Vasily Tsibliyev, the commandant, Alexander Lasutkin, and American astronaut Michael Foale were forced to stay in the dark at first until the crippled power system gave at least a bit of light. After turning the space station towards the sun, enough power now can be generated to keep the station manned. Commandant Tsibliyev had undocked the Progress capsule to make room for a new Progress spacecraft due to be launched on Friday 27th. While trying to dock the capsule to the Spectr module, "home" of Michael Foale, he lost control and the capsule rammed Spectr tearing a whole into the module that at once caused air to blow into space. The crew acted immediately and shut down Spectr from Mir by closing the hatch. The American experiments are almost certainly all lost. Also Michael Foale needs a new tooth brush, because the module is not accessable before being repaired, if this is possible anyway.
The lives of the crew are still not endangered because they always can dive down to Earth using the Soyuz capsule that brought the Russian comsmonauts to the station and that has room for three. With the next Progress capsule repair material will be brought to Mir so the crew can deal with the worst of the damage being done. It is still uncertain though, if the current crew will be ordered back to Earth in about two weeks. The future of Mir itself really is at stake now after 1439 malfunctions, the Russian newspaper Sevdnya reports.
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German decision on EF2000 still unpredictable
Diskussionen um den Eurofighter gehen weiter
High-level talks on how to get the production-investment phase of the Eurofighter included into the 1998 German budget were continuing in Bonn. On Tuesday, finance minister Theo Waigel and Dasa-chairman Dr. Manfred Bischoff were discussing the machinations of a plan to repay around one billion DM of Airbus launch aid earlier than necessary. The atmosphere of the talks was described as "constructive", but later it turned out that both sides are still some way from agreement. So it was taken as a good sign that Waigel declared the EF2000 as "absolutely necessary" for German defence plans.Hopes were dampened a bit two days later, when Waigel and defence minister Volker Rühe met for discussions on the defence budget. The problem is that cuts are still looming, thus robbing Rühe of the possibility to scrape together more money for EF2000 in its own budget. Rühe has repeatedly stated that he will only go ahead if a secure financing can be seen in the next few years.
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French prime minister sees state role in aerospace
Jospin beharrt auf staatlicher Beteiligung in der Luftfahrtindustrie
Speaking at the Paris Air Show, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin called for closer cooperation among European countries to enhance the competitiveness of Europe's airspace industry in the face of fierce competition from American airospace groups.He said that only when all the European countries put together their efforts to develop the continent's airospace industry, can they maintain an equal stand with the United States in the field.While praising the dynamism in civilian airspace programs such as the Airbus series passenger planes, Jospin said that Europe is experiencing a difficult period in its military airspace industry. "The necessary amalgamation of defense industries remains an object of study without being started. We should start rapidly but with method which, in this essential field for our sovereignty, cannot be done without the participation of the state. The government will play fully its role which has returned to the field," he said. Jospin also said that the government will continue to reduce spending in buying armaments under an overall control of public spending.
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Northwest plans to order 50 Airbus A319s
Airbus A319 für Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for 50 firm and up to 100 option A319s. Delivey of the 125seat aircraft is scheduled for 1999 through 2003, if a final agreement can be concluded in the "near future". The A319 complements the A320 fleet of Norhtwest, which currently numbers 50. Also, 20 A320 more are on order for delivery in 1998 and 1999. Airbus Industrie has sold 1196 A319/A320/A321 aircraft to 60 customers worldwide. 670 are in service.
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British Airways orders more Boeings
Neue Boeing-Bestellungen von British Airways
Boeing has confirmed that British Airways has ordered five Boeing 777 and three 767 jetliners worth an estimated $1 billion. Boeing will deliver the 767s next April and May, bringing British Airways' 767 fleet to 28 aircraft. Deliveries of 777s will follow in September and continue at a pace of one a month from January to April 1999 when British Airways' 777 fleet will number 23. The 777s will be powered by General Electric GE90 engines, while Rolls-Royce RB211-524 engines will power the 767s. During 1996, orders for Boeing airplanes like this one generated more than 60,000 man-years of work across Europe, including about 18,000 in the United Kingdom, it was claimed
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German border guard seeks new helicopters
Bundesgrenzschutz prüft Hubschrauber-Angebote
The BGS (German border guard) is currently evaluating offers for new helicopters to replace its Alouette II and Bell UH-1. After publication of a very detailed request for proposal, bids were received recently and are now going through an extensive evaluation which will lead to the announcement of the winners late this year. Although BGS officials are reluctant even to disclose the names of bidders, at least the following companies are in the running for the VBH (Verbindungshubschrauber) and LTH (leichter Transporthubschrauber):- Bell Helicopter with its Model 427 (VBH) and the 412EP
- Eurocopter, offering the EC 135 and its new AS 365N4 Dauphin (LTH)
- McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems with its Explorer (VBH requirement only)
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Litening integration in German Tornados to begin
Auftrag für Anpaßentwicklung des Litening-Behälters
Dasa and israeli manufacturer Rafael have signed a contract concerning the integration of the Litening pod into German Tornados. Two pods will be used for the work, one for rig- and the other for flight tests. Next milestone in the programme would be the series preparation, which is to start in the first quarter of 1998, so that deliveries could follow in June 1999. The Luftwaffe has an interest in 20 of the FLIR/Laser-designation pods (plus 20 options later), and the Marineflieger also want to order 16. Half of the Litenings for Germany would be assembled by ZEO in Oberkochen. ZEO is also contributing its second-generation FLIR for the Luftwaffe-pods.
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European airlines back in the red in 1996
Rote Zahlen für AEA-Mitglieder
In its recently published yearbook for 1996, the Association of European Airlines (AEA) has revealed that its members slid back to a 90 million US-Dollar operating loss, after 870 million Dollars of profit in 1995. Earlier figures were losses of 620 million for 1994 and 2,3 billion US-Dollars for 1993. According to AEA, load factors did not significantly affect this outcome, and a positive contribution came from interest rates. The source of the downturn was a deterioration in the relationship between yield and unit cost, plus the fuel price surge. On the traffic and capacity side, most indicators were favourable, says the AEA. Boarding increased by 6,1 per cent and passenger-kilometres wer up 7,9 percent, which pushed load factors up 0.3 points to a record 70,4 per cent. Air cargo grew more slowly than the passenger market, at a plus of 4.6 per dent. Here, a weak transatlantic market was counterbalanced by strong growth on Far East routes.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Richard Wolf of Knittlingen has been selected as winner of the FLIGHT International Maintenance Award for 1997 for its innovative combination of a borescope with a grinding tool to effect small repairs on engine compressor blades on-wing. The so-called Blending Scope has been used by Lufthansa and General Electric and is now also approved by CFM International. Oks from Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce are expected shortly.+++
Recaro, the German seat-maker, has won a contract from American Airlines to deliver economy-class seats for more than 400 aircraft, including new Boeing 777s and 737s and in-service McDonnell Douglas MD-80s and Boeing 727s. This means the manufacture of 11000 seats in 1998 and 25000 in 1999, bringing the two assembly lines to full capacity. Other American seat orders went to BE Aerospace and Weber Aircraft.
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On June 26, a 660 million Australian dollars (495 million US dollars) contract for the supply of 11 SH-2G(A) super Seasprite helicopters was signed by the Australian Government with the Kaman Aerospace International corporation. "The service contract with Kaman will cover the technical and training support requirements of the helicopters through the first 10 years of operations," defence minister McLachlan said.
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Dasa plans to flight tests its towed decoy behind a Tornado in the summer. For this purpose, it will be integrated into a BOTS pod. Tests behind an F-4 Phantom were already conducted in the USA earlier this year.
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On June 21, the China Great Wall Industrial Corporation (CGWIC) and the US-based Hughes Space and Communications Company struck a long-term deal, under which the Chinese aerospace company will launch 10 satellites for Hughes from late 1998 through the end of 2006. The deal marks new progress made by the CGWIC in exploring the international market of commercial launching services, after it successfully put into orbit the Dongfanghong-3 communications satellite and Fengyun-2 meteorological satellite in May and June, using the Long March rockets.
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At the Paris Air Show, Serge Dassault, president of Dassault Aviation, has signed an agreement with the WSK PZL-Mielec state aeronautics company of Poland concerning the parts production for the Mirage 2000-5, if Poland selects this fighter. The deal also foresees an assembly line to produce Mirage fighters in Poland. Dassault Aviation also plans to expand its activity in other fields of aeronautics industry in Poland, including providing technological know-how to the country.
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Previous updates are still available:
June 22, 1997
June 15, 1997
June 8, 1997
June 1, 1997
May 25, 1997
May 18, 1997
May 11, 1997
May 4, 1997
March 23, 1997
March 16, 1997
March 9, 1997
March 2, 1997
February 23, 1997
February 16, 1997
January 26, 1997
January 19, 1997
January 12, 1997
January 5, 1997
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Last updated June 27, 1997
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