U
P
D
A
T
E
Home | UPDATE | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Inside | Datafiles

UPDATE 
Week ending December 17, 2000
+++ A3XX launch near after Virgin order +++ Fifth "Beluga" flies +++ Final assembly of first German Eurofighter started +++ Fairchild Dornier activates 728JET Iron Bird +++ Northrop Grumman team develops new JointSTARS radar +++ Shuttle lands after ISS solar array mission +++ News in brief +++

A3XX launch near after Virgin order
Virgin bestellt A3XX

Virgin Atlantic became an A3XX launch customer on December 15, ordering six A3XX aircraft, plus six options. This commitment consolidates Virgin's expression of firm interest made in June. It brings total orders for the A3XX to 50, from six world-renowned companies, many of whom have also taken options. Virgin Atlantic's first A3XX will be delivered in 2006 and the UK-based carrier will use its new aircraft on routes from London to New York and Los Angeles. Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, commented: "Virgin Atlantic's strategy is to maintain our recent spectacular growth and these new aircraft will play a large part in helping us to expand ourexisting services and add new routes. As other carriers are shrinking in size and cutting their network, Virgin Atlantic will be offering passengers more seats on more services to more destinations. I am incredibly excited about the opportunities these aircraft will bring - our reputation has been built on innovation and the A3XX will give us the opportunity to create a new flying experience for our passengers."

Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite


Fifth "Beluga" flies
Erstflug des fünften "Beluga"

The fifth "Beluga" has successfully completed its first flight in Toulouse. It is the last of the giant freighters built by SATIC for the "Beluga" fleet. The distinctive wide-body aircraft the shapes of which remind of a whale are used for transportation of major assemblies for Airbus aircraft. The crew for the first flight of "Beluga" number 5 consisted of Chief Test Pilot Lucien Besnard, Co-Pilot Didier Ronceray and Flight Engineer Bruno Bigand. The flight lasted 4 hours and 5 minutes. By means of this fifth "Beluga", a smooth transport of large aircraft components between the Airbus partner companies shall also be ensured with the oncoming increase in production rates. But the giant freighter shall also be used for selected special transport tasks outside the Airbus program. Delivery of the last "Beluga" to Airbus Industrie is scheduled for later this month, half a year earlier than originally planned. Regular service shall start at the beginning of 2001.

Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite


Final assembly of first German Eurofighter started
Eurofighter in der Endmontage

The arrival of the first major aircraft component manufactured by a Eurofighter partner company at the EADS Military Aircraft plant in Manching, near Munich, marked the precise launch of final assembly for the first of 180 Eurofighter production aircraft in early December 2000. The rear fuselage, jointly produced by BAE Systems and Alenia Aerospazio, will now be mated with the center fuselage manufactured by the EADS plants in Augsburg and Manching. In mid-December, the fuselage's front section is due to be delivered from Warton, the British component factory for these items. January and February 2001 will then see the integration of further major components such as the wings (coming from Alenia Aerospazio in Italy and EADS CASA in Spain), the canards and the fin (vertical stabilizer.) From early march 2001 onwards the entire wing of the aircraft and its equipment will be checked, and from mid-April to early May the EJ200 engines will be installed.
Prior to the maiden flight of the first German combat aircraft of the latest generation by late 2001, a magnitude of comprehensive ground tests will be performed, e.g. for the fuel system, the engines, the ECR-90 radar and for other advanced avionics systems. The first production Eurofighter for the German Air Force will be delivered after very intensive flight tests to validate the maturity of the weapon systems my mid-2002.

Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite


Fairchild Dornier activates 728JET Iron Bird
Systemtestrig des 728JET fertig

The first tests on the 728JET full-scale flight control test rig, or "Iron Bird," were completed on time in November here at Fairchild Dornier's primary design and production facility. The tests successfully demonstrated aileron and multifunction spoiler actuators on the test rig that is configured to represent full-scale primary and secondary flight control systems, landing gear actuation and thrust reverser operation of the 728JET. The system will be used in conjunction with a cockpit simulator to allow engineers to check system functionality and assist engineers during the certification process, allowing engineers to essentially fly the 728JET a year before actual first flight.
In November, Fairchild Dornier technicians installed wiring harnesses for the rudder, elevator, multifunction spoiler and ground spoiler, and began installation of the hydraulic system. The test rig will be fully functional in early 2001. "With the Iron Bird in operation, we have a useful tool to assist us throughout the assembly and flight test program that greatly enhances system validation long before it goes on the airplane," said John Wolf, Fairchild Dornier chief operating officer. "This goes directly to risk reduction and keeps costs low." The primary digital fly-by-wire flight control system is being developed by a team led by Honeywell, Hamilton Sundstrand, and Parker Aerospace in conjunction with Fairchild Dornier engineers.

Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite


Northrop Grumman team develops new JointSTARS radar
Neues Radar für JointSTARS

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems Sector (ISS) a $303 million prime contract for the first phase of the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP). Northrop Grumman is teamed with the Raytheon Company on MP-RTIP. The three-year contract calls for design of a common modular, scalable radar system for future integration on advanced airborne manned and unmanned surveillance platforms for the United States and NATO. The next phase will include fabrication and testing of three MP-RTIP radars suitable for integration on airborne platforms, including the Global Hawk unmanned aerial reconnaissance system; a Wide Area Surveillance platform; and a NATO Transatlantic Advanced Radar (NATAR) platform.
Northrop Grumman's Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector (ES3) in Linthicum, Md., and its Norden Systems unit in Norwalk, Conn., along with Raytheon Electronic Systems in El Segundo will develop the modular scalable radar system.In a joint statement, Dr. Roche and William H. Swanson, Raytheon executive vice president and president of the company's Electronic Systems business, said: "We look forward to working closely together to deliver to the U.S. Air Force the world's finest radar technology as embodied in the MP-RTIP."

Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite


Shuttle lands after ISS solar array mission
Endeavour wieder gelandet

Endeavour and its five astronauts returned home to the Kennedy Space Center Monday evening (December 11), wrapping up a mission that delivered first set of U.S.-provided solar arrays to the Expedition One crew aboard the International Space Station, increasing power to the complex five fold in setting the stage for future station assembly. Commander Brent Jett guided Endeavour to a landing at 5:03 p.m. Central time, 36 minutes after sunset, wrapping up a 4,476,164 million mile (7,203,687 kilometers) mission that saw three space walks conducted to install, checkout and activate the first of four planned sets of solar arrays that will operate on the facility. Jett and his crewmates, Pilot Mike Bloomfield and Mission Specialists Marc Garneau, Joe Tanner and Carlos Noriega touched down on Runway 15 at the Florida spaceport to wrap up the fifth and final shuttle flight of the year, heralding their arrival with an early evening twin sonic boom as the shuttle went subsonic just minutes before reaching its landing strip. It was the 16th night landing in shuttle program history.
With Endeavour's landing, the stage is set for the next shuttle flight of Atlantis in about five and a half weeks to deliver the U.S. Laboratory "Destiny" to the International Space Station, the cornerstone of scientific research on the growing complex.

Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite


NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

CAE has announced the first contract for third party training at its Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility(MSHATF) in the United Kingdom. Under the terms of a new contract between CAE Aircrew Training Services and EH Industries, the helicopter training facility will be host to Canadian Air Force pilots and flight engineers who are currently operating the CH-113 Labrador helicopter. They will conduct conversion training on the new EH-101 Cormorant Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter, beginning today.
+++
Aeronavali, a Company of Finmeccanica coordinated by Alenia Aerospazio, has celebrated in Naples plant (Capodichino) the completion of the B707-RTCA Program for NATO. As known, NATO acquired from the German Airforce two aircraft to be converted by Aeronavali in Naples Plant, within the renewal project of B707 fleet destined to training and cargo transportation. "RTCA Program" required an avionics modification, the auxiliary power unit installation (APU), the universal aerial refuelling receptacle system installation (UARRSI) to compare the aircraft to the other trainers cargo aircraft NATO's fleet. Aeronavali also developed, for the avionics modification, almost all the engineering activities and the technical support. The Aeronavali's Naples plant in Capodichino, acquired in 1994, is qualified also for maintenance and modification activities to NATO , and with the today's delivery Aeronavali also mantains its experience in the B707 modification field.
+++
The Turkish National Police have ordered 10 MD 600N helicopters, MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) has announced. Deliveries of the six-to-eight-place, single-engine helicopters will begin in 2001. The Turkish National Police, the principal civil agency devoted to internal security and law enforcement in Turkey, selected the MD 600N after a thorough evaluation and technical review of four single-engine helicopters. The helicopters will handle a variety of police missions for the nation, with air support bases in Adana, Diyarbakir, Golbasi, Istanbul and Eskisehir. Missions will include search and rescue, surveillance, SWAT, drug interdiction, patrol, pursuit, and VIP transport.
+++
The future of multimedia offline and online learning has already begun for student pilots being trained at the Lufthansa Flight Training pilot school in Bremen. Since the end of September many members of its 304th and 305th student-pilot classes have been absorbing needed theoretical knowledge through their home computers before the start of their actual training. In so doing, they have been participating in an operational test of the Lilienthal distance-learning project - initially as volunteers before this online teaching of theory becomes fully integrated into the school's regular course on theory, beginning with its 307th class ofstudent pilots. Over a period of more than two years, which ended this past summer, an Internet-based "European Virtual Pilot School" was developed under the name "Lilienthal". Initially its curriculum includes all instruction in theory required for the PPL-A private pilot's license under Europe's new JAR standards. A hundred hours of theory instruction covering 108 subjects have been broken down into 204 modules (instruction units) comprising a total of some 5,000 HTML pages. Each module consists of from three to twelve learning steps which present information and learning content in the form of text and supporting multimedia elements such as graphics, photographs, animated cartoons, audio, video or interactive CBT sequences (simulations). The learning content is at an above-average level and is aimed primarily at students aspiring to be professional pilots.
+++
The world governing body of football is planning to construct a new operation center near Zurich Airport. The SAirGroup subsidiary AviReal will head the construction project. Joseph S. Blatter, President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, and SAirGroup President and CEO Philippe Bruggisser, announced the plans at a joint media orientation. Blatter stated: "FIFA is a rapidly-growing worldwide service organisation that in the near future will require a functional operation center that has optimal connections to existing transportation, utility and sporting infrastructures. The location we have selected is near our intercontinental airport and features an excellent amount of hotel space, is close to downtown Zurich and also has a football pitch located nearby.This more than meets the needs of FIFA and these are the reasons that FIFA and the SAirGroup began evaluating this joint project."
+++
Another guided firing of the Trigat LR antitank guided-missile system was successfully carried out, this time from a helicopter, at the French test centre of Captieux on 7 December 2000. The firing took place from a Panther helicopter moving at a speed of 45 kts in forward flight at a height of 100 feet, from where the missile was fired at a tank target situated at 2,600 metres distance. This resulted in a bull's-eye hit of the target point. This firing marked the attainment of another important milestone in the development work. This was announced on Wednesday by LFK-Lenkflugkörpersysteme GmbH (LFK, Munich), a subsidiary of the EADS European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, in Munich. Within the scope of the development work, LFK GmbH is responsible for the Trigat LR firing post.
+++
Flourishing sales and technological maturity are the hallmark of Eurocopter's EC 135 helicopter. The certification by the international aeronautical authorities of many new items of optional equipment and of its novel operating capabilities are indeed proof of its technical maturity. What's more, the EC135 and its advanced glass cockpit concept "MEGHAS avionique suite" by Thales Avionics (the former Sextant) have just been certified for Single Pilot Instrument Flight Rules (SPIFR) operations by the UK Civil Airworthiness Authority (CAA), reputed to be one of the most demanding aeronautical authorities in the world. A technical achievement that the EC135's two direct competitors, has yet been able to equal here.
+++
Ground testing of a growth version of the CF34-8 engine, the exclusive powerplant for the majority of new-generation regional jets, is successfully under way, marking a major milestone in the development of the first underwing configuration of the CF34 propulsion system. In all, approximately 3,600 hours of engine testing, including engine flight testing on GE's 747 flying testbed, will be conducted, leading to certification by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the CF34 growth engine family, targeted for mid-2002.CF34-8 growth engines are rated in the 14,500-pound thrust class, which represents a five percent increase over the thrust of the CF34-8C1. The growth engine family includes: the CF34-8C5, which will power Bombardier's 90-passenger Canadair CRJ900; the CF34-8D selected to power Fairchild Dornier's new 70-passenger 728JET and 55-passenger 528JET, as well as the Envoy 7 corporate jet; and the CF34-8E, which will power the new 70-passenger ERJ-170 produced by Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica, S.A. (Embraer). The Fairchild Dornier and Embraer aircraft are the first underwing applications of the CF34.
+++
INTELSAT is moving to solidify its long-term global broadband position, with the Board agreeing last week to solicit proposals for the purchase of a next-generation broadband satellite system. The initiative is part of a comprehensive broadband strategy, which also includes current and upcoming services on INTELSAT's existing satellite fleet. The new satellite system will be a key element in the company's progressive roll-out of managed last-mile access services. Starting next year, two-way, high-speed Internet protocol (IP) access solutions will be offered to service providers on a wholesale basis using existing satellites. The service will help connect end users to the public Internet backbone or to the private network infrastructure of the service provider. Primary customers of this service will be businesses needing a range of applications such as high-speed web access, EDI, e-business, file transfer, voice-IP and shared applications.
+++
Iberia is to further expand its Airbus long-range fleet, with an order for three more A340-300s. This takes total orders for Airbus aircraft by the Spanish flag-carrier, Airbus Industrie's largest customer in Southern Europe, to almost 100. Deliveries of the newly ordered four-engined widebodies are scheduled to begin in February 2002. The aircraft will join Iberia's existing fleet of twelve A340-300s - plus another three scheduled for delivery in 2001 - which it operates on routes from Madrid to numerous US, Latin American and South African destinations. Like the rest of the fleet, the new four- engined A340s will be powered by CFM International CFM56-5C4s and will feature a spacious 249-seat layout, with accommodation for five passengers in First class and 42 in Business. The aircraft will also be equipped with the very latest in passenger entertainment and communication systems.
+++
Jonathan (Jack) Schofield today announced his retirement as Chairman of Airbus Industrie of North America, effective March 2001. During his eight-year tenure with Airbus, the company announced nearly 650 new aircraft orders in the United States and Canada, added 15 new customers and constructed the new state-of-the-art Airbus Training Center in Miami. "Airbus has been one of the great aviation success stories of our time. I am extremely proud to have been part of it." Mr. Schofield said. Mr. Schofield joined Airbus in 1992 from United Technologies Corp. where he was President of UTC International Corp. Previously, he served in various management roles at Pratt & Whitney. He joined P&W in 1963.
+++
Checks requested by Alcatel Space on Turksat 2A/Eurasiasat mean that the satellite must be returned to the S3 preparation building in Kourou to perform the necessary investigations. A new launch date will be set soonin agreement with the customer, once the investigations have been completed. The next Arianespace flight will use an Ariane 5 (AR 508) to orbit the Astra 2D, Aurora III/GE-8 and LDREX satellites. The launch will take place during the night of Tuesday, Dec. 19 to Wednesday, Dec. 20, in the following launch window: 9:26 to 10:09 p.m., local time in Kourou
+++
On the 200th anniversary of the discovery of infrared light by William Herschel, ESA's Far Infrared and Submillimetre Telescope, FIRST, will be re-named the 'Herschel Space Observatory'. This was announced by ESA's Director of Science, Roger Bonnet, during the opening of the FIRST conference in Toledo, Spain. The Anglo-German astronomer William Herschel discovered infrared light 200 years ago, thanks to which astronomers can now observe a facet of the Universe that otherwise remains hidden. ESA's 'Herschel', due to be launched in early 2007, is the first space observatory covering the full far-infrared and sub-millimetre waveband. It will now be named after the discoverer of infrared light.
+++
AllV-22 tiltrotor aircraft have been grounded following the crash Dec. 11 of an MV-22 Osprey in North Carolina during a night training mission. Four Marines were killed when the MV-22 crashed in a remote wooded area about 10 miles outside Jacksonville, according to a Marine Corps news release.
+++
Boeing Airplane Services and The BFGoodrich Company announced the expansion of its landing gear overhaul alliance to include Next-Generation 737 landing gear. The original 15-year landing gear alliance was first announced in February 2000 and featured the 777 as the first offering in the program. The 737 agreement spans 17 years in which Next-Generation 737 customers are forecasted to reach their first landing gear repair cycle in 2003.
+++
Lufthansa German Airlines, which has taken delivery of more Boeing jetliners than any other airline outside the U.S., flew a new milestone Boeing 747-400 home to its Frankfurt headquarters. The 747-400 is the 375th Boeing jetliner delivered to Lufthansa and its subsidiary carriers. The airline will use its newest 747-400 on intercontinental routes from Frankfurt. It jins 110 other Boeing airplanes in the Lufthansa fleet - including more than 40 747s. Walt Orlowski, Boeing vice president and general manager - 747 Program, commented on the long, close relationship between Boeing and Lufthansa, and praised the German airline for providing ongoing input to help Boeing improve the 747 over many years. He specifically praised Lufthansa for its more recent input on the 747X family of airplanes currently in development. "We commend Lufthansa for working together with Boeing on our new airplane development efforts since the dawn of the jet age, and especially for its role in defining the 747X airplanes," Orlowski said. Lufthansa began its jet age 44 years ago when it became the launch customer for the Boeing 707-430 airplane. The launch came only six months after the first ever Boeing jetliner, the 707-120, was introduced. Lufthansa then went on to order and take delivery of 27 more 707s over the next four years. Between 1961 and 1977, Lufthansa also added 53 Boeing medium-range 727s to its fleet.
+++
Boeing and Safair (PTY) LTD signed an agreement to acquire two Boeing Next-Generation 737-700 airplanes. Today's agreement marks progress toward a 10-airplane acquisition intention announced Sept. 6, 2000 at the Africa Aerospace and Defense air show. Through a cooperative agreement, Boeing and CFM International, Inc. (CFMI) will work together with Safair in expanding the operator's existing maintenance and training service facility to provide comprehensive maintenance services to its lease customers.
+++
Bombardier Aerospace announced that Maersk Air Ltd. Of Birmingham, England, has placed two firm orders for its new 70-seat CRJ700 Series regional jet. The orders represent the conversion of two existing options. The value of this Maersk Air order is approximately $53.6 million US ($75 million Cdn). Under terms of the contract, both aircraft deliveries are scheduled for the second quarter of 2002. The airline, the U.K. launch customer for the 50-seat CRJ, first ordered CRJ200* Series aircraft from Bombardier in October 1997 and also became the U.K. launch customer for the new 70-seat regional jet with an initial order for three CRJ700 Series aircraft in July 1999. The airline had also secured options convertible between the 50- and 70-passenger CRJ models in order to tailor its fleet to evolving market requirements. Through a series of repeat orders, Maersk Air Ltd. has firm commitments for a total of 16 CRJ aircraft - 11 CRJ200 Series aircraft, 10 of which are delivered and in service, and five CRJ700 Series aircraft.
+++
Boeing has released the newest version of MyBoeingFleet.com, its secure e-business site on the World Wide Web, on Dec. 9. The site, which Boeing launched in May 2000 as part of its global air transport solutions approach, provides a single source of online maintenance, engineering and flight operations data. With this latest release, users now can access fleet reliability statistics, product standards, a loadable software information site, and even more maintenance documents. MyBoeingFleet.com contains 79,000 maintenance documents, airplane flight manuals, 5.6 million engineering and tooling drawings and access to the Boeing Web-based spare parts ordering system, the PART Page. With this latest release, operators now can view reports summarizing worldwide fleet service history-schedule reliability, flight hours, landings, utilization and length of flight. The quarterly reports allow airlines to view fleet trends over a period of time. Some information is displayed at the airplane tail-number level of detail.
+++
"The United Kingdom has joined a small but successful group of countries that have removed their national Air Traffic Control Services from direct governmental management. The ultimate winners will be passengers and shippers using UK airspace. Safety levels will, at the very least, be maintained and we expect great efficiency benefits to flow from it," said IATA Director General Pierre J. Jeanniot. He was referring to the news late last week that the Bill to change the governance arrangements of the UK NATS had passed the House of Lords and that the process would take effect in March 2001. "Under the Public/Private Partnership (PPP) plan adopted by the UK, there will be an absolute division of regulation from service provision. The service provider will get on with providing an efficient and economical service to the airlines - and thus the travelling public. Safety watchdog powers will reside with the UK Safety Regulation Group and pricing and service quality will be policed by the UK Economic Regulation Group," continued Jeanniot.
+++
According to figures released today by the Aerospace Industries Association at its 36th Annual Year-End Review and Forecast Luncheon, orders for aerospace products increased 21 percent in 2000, signaling growth for the industry in 2001. The industry generated $144 billion in sales during 2000, down $7.4 billion from last year's record of $151 billion. AIA President and CEO John W. Douglass said commercial transport deliveries accounted for the majority of the sales decline, but he noted that this was the fifth year in a row that the aerospace industry has earned profits in excess of $7 billion.
Speaking to about 350 media, industry and government representatives, Douglass said sales are forecast to rise $1.6 billion in 2001 to $145 billion. This news, he said, indicates that the aerospace industry is stable and has emerged from the post-Cold War downsizings leaner, stronger and more productive. He said that the unusual circumstances surrounding this year's election have further compressed the short period of time the new administration has to address pressing issues facing the aerospace industry. The new president will have to hit the ground running, Douglass said, and he can do that by appointing commissioners to the Presidential Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. The commission will make recommendations on ways to keep the aerospace industry strong and competitive in the global market.
+++
Raytheon and Thales (formerly Thomson-CSF) have entered into an agreement to form an equally owned transatlantic joint venture encompassing air defense/command and control centers and ground-based air surveillance and weapons-locating radars. The air traffic management (ATM) businesses of both companies are not included in the joint venture and will continue to compete in the ATM marketplace. The new enterprise will have operating subsidiaries in Fullerton, Calif., and in the greater Paris metropolitan area. It will have about 1,300 employees worldwide and pro forma revenues of approximately $500 million to $700 million (600 million to 750 million euros). The transaction is subject to approval by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and by relevant authorities, notably the French government. The transaction must also be approved by the appropriate antitrust enforcement agencies. The two companies expect the joint venture, to be known as Thales Raytheon Systems, to begin operations in the first quarter 2001. Raytheon and Thales officials expect the new alliance to result in major benefits for their customers. The new joint venture will: -- Offer total solutions to air defense command and control and battlefield radar requirements by combining complementary products. -- Bring together the resources of Raytheon and Thales to build on a broad set of existing customer relations to offer market solutions at a competitive price. -- Serve to reinforce operational alliances between U.S. and European armed forces by providing fully interoperable products.
+++
The Airbus factories in Germany plan to add 1000 jobs at seven locations. At this time 15000 people work for the airliner production, down from 22000 in the early 90s.
+++
Westdeutsche Lnadesbank (WestLB) will sell its remaining 10,1 per cent share in LTU by the end of the year. It is expected that a Sal.Oppenheim/AXA consortium will take the share.
+++

Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite


Previous updates are still available:
Die News der letzten Wochen sind weiter abrufbar:

*December 10, 2000 *December 3, 2000

*November 26, 2000 *November 19, 2000 *November 12, 2000 *November 5, 2000

*October 29, 2000 *October 15, 2000 *October 8, 2000 *October 1, 2000

*September 24, 2000 *September 17, 2000 *September 10, 2000 *September 3, 2000

*January to August 2000 *January to December 1999 *January to December 1998 *January to December 1997 *September to December 1996

Home | UPDATE | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Inside | Datafiles
Copyright 2000 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved.
Last updated 15 December 2000
FLUG REVUE, Ubierstr. 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany