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+++ Alfred Ötsch new CEO of Austrian +++ 328 Support Services partners with GCT Design Organisation +++ Indian Airlines orders A320s +++ Malaysia signs for more PC-7 MkIIs +++ Putin established the Associated Aviation Construction Corporation +++ News in brief +++
Alfred Ötsch new CEO of Austrian
Neuer Chef für AUA
The Supervisory Board of Austrian Airlines AG has decided to appoint Alfred Ötsch, 52, as the successor to Vagn Soerensen as the Chief Executive Officer of the company. Mr Ötsch will join the company as a member of the Board of Management on 1 April 2006 and assume the position of Chief Executive Officer on 1 May 2006. Following an efficient and professional application and selection process, the Supervisory Board has arrived at a decision on the appointment of the future Chief Executive Officer of Austrian Airlines AG. The decision was in accordance with the recommendation of the Personnel Committee. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Rainer Wieltsch, said the following on the decision: 'The proposal to appoint Mr Alfred Ötsch as Chief Executive Officer met with broad agreement on the Supervisory Board. I am happy that we have been able to gain the services of a man who, in addition to his wide-ranging professional experience and financial expertise, has solid contacts in Austrian business and strong integrative skills. Now that the decision has been taken, we need to concentrate our full energies once again on our daily business, with the emphasis on the need to improve our result and continue the valuable specialisation work already completed.' Chief Executive Officer Vagn Soerensen made the following statement on the designation of his successor: 'I am pleased, that in Alfred Ötsch the Austrian Airlines Group has gained the services of a manager with an international profile and experience in our traffic domain of Eastern Europe. This assignment is definitely one of the most challenging and interesting posts in Austrian business. Following a detailed joint transitional phase, I shall hand over my function to him on 30 April 2006.'
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328 Support Services partners with GCT Design Organisation
GTC für 328 zuständig
Newly established 328 Support Services GmbH is to partner with GCT Design Organisation GmbH (GCT DO), the Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany based companies jointly announced today, 20 February, 2006. In a unique arrangement, GCT will acquire design organisation authority (DOA) for the Dornier 328 JET and turboprop, while 328 Support Services, which purchased AvCraft Aerospace GmbH from the administrator PLUTA in December 2005, will remain as the type certificate holder. Subject to EASA approval, the DOA transfer from 328 Support Services to GCT DO is expected by the end of the first quarter. Under an exclusive agreement, GCT DO will provide ongoing airworthiness and technical support for the Dornier 328 turboprop and JET fleets. It has already recruited 45 engineers who are now working at the Oberpfaffenhofen Airport facility.
Nigel Garner, Managing Director of GCT DO, noted: “This agreement represents a significant milestone in the 11-year history of the GCT Group. We have preserved irreplaceable intellectual capital, represented by the continued employment of experienced engineers and designers, which gives GCT DO the full capability to design and certify an entire aircraft. Moreover, we've gained a significant and exciting new customer in 328 Support Services.” Mike Farge, Group CEO of Corporate Jet Services, 328 Support Services' parent company commented: “We are delighted to enter this arrangement with GCT DO. The company has an excellent reputation as an international engineering and design company providing engineering support to large manufacturers, including Airbus and Boeing. Because we are not re-opening the production line of the 328 JET, but instead looking to return parked aircraft to service the deal with GCT DO is thus a perfect solution for us.” Separately, 328 Support Services has entered into new agreements with some 100 employees at Oberpfaffenhofen.
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Indian Airlines orders A320s
A320-Bestellung aus Indien
Indian Airlines has signed a contract for 43 Airbus A320 family aircraft. The deal was signed by the Chairman and Managing Director of Indian Airlines Ltd, Dr. Vishwapati Trivedi and Executive Vice President, Airbus Dr. Kiran Rao in the presence of His Excellency the President of France, Mr. Jacques Chirac and the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Indian has ordered 43 Airbus A320 Family aircraft - comprising 20 A319s, four A320s and 19 A321s. The deal marks the first time that an Indian carrier has selected the Airbus A321. All of the Airbus aircraft will feature two-class cabin layouts and be powered by CFM International CFM56-5 engines. "The acquisition of the 43 aircraft of the A320 family will allow Indian Airlines to step up growth and modernisation, expand its market and further improve the quality of its product offering," said Indian Airlines CMD Dr. Vishwapati Trivedi.
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Malaysia signs for more PC-7 MkIIs
Pilatus erhält Auftrag aus Malaysia
The Ministry of Defence, Malaysia has signed a contract for ten PC-7 MkII Turbo Trainer Aircraft, Ground Based Training Systems and a complete Integrated Logistic Support package, having a sales value of over CHF 70 million. Deliveries are expected to take place in 2007. After a long and intensive evaluation process, Pilatus was once again able to prevail and succeed in securing this important contract with its world renowned Training System. The Royal Malaysian Air Force is a long established user of Pilatus Aircraft products and training systems, having already in 1982 procured a total of 44 Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer aircraft followed by nine PC-7 MkII in 2000. This renewed sales success is most noteworthy because, to this date, Pilatus has never lost an existing trainer aircraft customer to the competition. “Once Pilatus – always Pilatus” is proof positive that our culture as a customer oriented company is the key to our success. Worldwide a total of 32 Air Forces train their pilots on Pilatus products.
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Putin established the Associated Aviation Construction Corporation
Dekret etabliert neue Luftfahrtfirm in Russland
The Corporation is created with a view to preserve and develop the research and production potential of the Russian aviation construction industry, to ensure the state's security and defence capabilities, to pool the intellectual, industrial and financial resources for implementing prospective programmes to create technical equipment used in aviation. Along with this the Russian President has given a decree that transformed the federal state unitary enterprises, the Russian aircraft corporation MiG and the S. P. Gorbunov Kazan Aviation Production Association, into joint stock companies. One hundred percent of the shares are federal property, and all together they represent a contribution by the Russian Federation to the nominal capital of the joint stock company Associated Aviation Construction Corporation. The priority directions of the Corporation's activities include developing, manufacturing, implementing, supporting operations, providing guarantees and service, modernizing, renovating, and using aviation technology for military and civil purposes in the interests of the state and other consumers, including foreign ones, and also introducing new technologies and developments in the field of aviation construction.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Jubilant Enpro, the Bell Helicopter Independent Representative in India, has signed an option for six light helicopters. This will ensure that customers in India will get their allocation in the coming years, to meet the surge in demand for helicopters in the rapidly growing Indian economy. In 2005, Jubilant Enpro helped Bell Helicopter secure orders for 16 aircraft. These included the popular Bell 407 light single, the rugged Bell 412EP medium twin and the new Bell 429 light twin engine helicopter.
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Embraer distributed a detailed version of its 2006-2025 Market Outlook at a press conference on the opening day of Asian Aerospace 2006. The show is in Singapore, in the Asia Pacific region, which, together with China, will represent one-third of world air traffic demand by 2025. The 20-year forecast, focused on the increasingly important segment of commercial jet aircraft from 30 to 120 seats, details the new aircraft deliveries required to sustain projected air travel demand growth and to replace ageing fleets. It addresses the capacity shift between business models as a result of regional airlines' natural growth, right-sizing requirements from network airlines and low-cost carriers' expansion to mid-sized markets. According to the forecast, increased air travel demand will be supported by a positive economic scenario, continued globalization and liberalization of world economies associated with continuous reductions in average ticket prices. The world economy, as measured by Gross Domestic Product, will grow on average 3 percent per year in the 2006-2025 period, and air travel demand will grow faster, averaging 5.1 percent. Asia Pacific's passenger demand, supported by liberalization, and China's, by strong economic growth, will grow above world rates, averaging 6-7 percent per year. Embraer foresees global demand for 7,950 jets in the 30 to 120-seat capacity segment over the next 20 years. This market is valued at approximately US$ 180 billion. Asia Pacific and China will represent 13 percent of projected world deliveries in this segment, accounting for 1,000 aircraft.
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The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter team has completed assembly of the first F-35 aircraft and moved it out of the factory in preparation for an intensive period of ground testing. First flight of the F-35, a conventional takeoff and landing version, remains on schedule for this fall. The move on Feb. 19 capped a thorough design update from the Concept Development Phase of the program, and an innovative production process that yielded unprecedented levels of assembly accuracy, fit and finish. "Our team's engineers, mechanics and assemblers deserve high praise for the precise way in which this airplane came together with very few issues," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and JSF program general manager. "The fact that this level of quality was achieved on our first aircraft, at the beginning of our learning curve, signals good things for the reliability and affordability of the thousands of F-35s that will follow." Mechanics transferred the airplane to a nearby fueling facility where it will initially undergo a thorough fuel-system check-out. Structural coupling and ground-vibration testing will follow. Engine runs will begin in late spring and will lead into taxi tests in advance of first flight.
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Hawker Pacific, Bell Helicopter's Independent Representative for Australia, New Zealand and UAE today signed an order for an additional dozen helicopters from Bell. The order includes six Bell 407 light single engine helicopters and six Bell 429 new light twin engine helicopters. The aircraft are for Hawker Pacific's Australasian customers. The 12 helicopters are to be delivered between 2007 and 2009. This order adds to Hawker Pacific's order book with Bell. In 2005, Hawker Pacific took 12 orders for Bell aircraft. This includes the first Bell 429 for Australia with Gold Coast helicopters.
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Bell Helicopter has executed a Memorandum of Agreement with Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd (KAI) to begin the production efforts for airframes for the Bell 429 light twin IFR helicopter. The agreement is projected to cover all Bell 429 airframes for the next 10 years, which is estimated to be over $150 million. Bell and KAI intend to work toward the execution of a more definitive Supply Agreement over the next few months. Since the announcement of the 429 helicopter and co-development agreement among Bell, KAI, and Mitsui Bussan Aerospace Company Ltd. during the Heli-Expo 2005, the Bell-KAI team has been successfully developing the 429 helicopter. The First Production Flight of the helicopter is planned in February 2007, and the first delivery to the customer is expected during the 4th quarter 2007.
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A new contract that will transform the way in which logistics support is provided to the UK Armed Forces' largest helicopter Chinook has been awarded to the Boeing Company by the UK Ministry of Defence. The 34 year contract, worth almost £200m for the first five years, is expected to generate savings of some £170m over the life of the contract compared with current support arrangements. MoD's current in-service fleet of 40 Chinook helicopters are used primarily for carrying troops and various other loads, both inside the helicopter or, in the case of equipment, underslung beneath the aircraft. Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said: "The Chinook aircraft is a key asset on the battlefield, providing a unique support role that few other helicopters can match. It also plays a vital role in other critical situations, such as search and rescue operations and providing humanitarian aid most recently witnessed after the Pakistan earthquake last year.
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Sikorsky has signed a contract with the U.S. Navy - Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) to provide logistics support for H-53E heavy-lift and minesweeping helicopters. The $97.59 million award runs through Sept. 30, 2010, with an additional five-year option that brings the total value of the contract to $219 million if exercised. Under the agreement, Sikorsky will partner with Naval Air Depot Cherry Point (N.C) to manage all spares, overhaul and repair work, including related piece parts, and provide additional engineering support for ten dynamic components on the CH-53E SUPER STALLION and MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters. The work will be performed at both Naval Air Depot Cherry Point and Sikorsky facilities.
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Eurocopter South East Asia (ESEA) is pleased to announce that it has been tasked by Eurocopter Group to create a Regional Pilot Training School in Singapore. Entitled "Eurocopter Training Services Asia" (ETSA), this Pilot Training School is expected to be established by the end of 2006 and aims to train several hundred helicopter pilots a year from all over Asia. At this Training School, various types of pilot training courses (such as ab initio, refresher as well as recurrent training course etc.) will be conducted by pilot instructors who are qualified to operate the entire range of Eurocopter's fleet of helicopters. Besides Eurocopter training aircraft, there will also be a full range of state-of-the-art training devices, which will provide simulator training to helicopter pilots.
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Northrop Grumman has been awarded a contract to continue development of its Structural Integrity Prognosis System (SIPS) for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The $17.8 million contract is a two-year follow-on to the original two-year, $14.2 million effort awarded to Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. The company's Advanced Capabilities Development team in Bethpage is developing SIPS. By applying newly developed sensor systems, analytical models of how metals begin to fail at the microstructural level and advanced reasoning methodologies, the team designed a system that can predict when a wing, for example, will begin to develop cracks. "The potential benefits from SIPS are huge," said Joseph Garone, director of advanced capabilities development for Northrop Grumman. "Just imagine that you can anticipate major structural failures in an aircraft or other structure before they happen. Or that you can schedule maintenance according to the usage and stresses imposed on an aircraft, instead of at fixed intervals, which would save operators significant amounts of money and ensure greater availability of aircraft.
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Air Berlin added to its tally for the year with two more prestigious awards wins. Air Berlin won the "Low Cost Airline Service Excellence Award" from UK airline consultants Skytrax in a survey of over 3,000 business travellers. Separately Air Berlin was named #1 in customer service by leading German business magazine Capital. The Skytrax survey polled 3,400 business travellers from 59 countries and evaluated airlines on 800 criteria. Air Berlin was the only airline in Europe to win an award - all other airlines were based in Asia or the Middle East. The report found that "Air Berlin has demonstrated that low-cost does not need to equate to lower standards of customer service, delivering a quality level across their route network that many of the major legacy airlines in Europe would be happy to achieve."
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Space International Services and Sea Launch Company are pleased to announce the award of a firm launch contract with Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd., utilizing the Land Launch system. The delivery-in-orbit (DIO) agreement requires a Zenit-3SLB vehicle to launch the AMOS-3 communications satellite to geostationary orbit from the Land Launch site at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, in the 4th Quarter of 2007. The AMOS-3 spacecraft will have both Ku-band and Ka-band transponders and will consist of fixed as well as steerable beams, to provide broadcast and communications services to Europe, the Middle East and the East Coast of the United States. It has a planned operational lifetime of 12 years. Built by Israel Aircraft Industries' MBT Space Division, AMOS-3 will be located at a final orbital position of 4 degrees West Longitude, where it will join existing co-located satellites AMOS-1 and AMOS-2. AMOS-3 eventually will replace AMOS-1 when it comes to its operational end-of-life, currently expected in 2008. The AMOS system is owned and operated by Space-Communication Ltd. (Spacecom). As with other Land Launch missions, this third commercial mission under contract for launch in 2007 will have both the satellite and the launch vehicle processed and launched from existing Zenit processing and launch facilities at the Baikonur launch complex. Optimizing on heritage hardware, systems and expertise, Land Launch uses a Zenit-3SLB version of the reliable Sea Launch Zenit-3SL rocket.
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Luftfartsverket (LFV Group) and the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR), member of the AT-One Research Alliance, have agreed on a strategic cooperation in the area of Air Traffic Management Validation and Simulation. Through this agreement, the LFV Group has become member of the NARSIM user community. This community has been established to enhance the development of the existing NARSIM platform for prototyping and validation of ATM functions and services, supporting the community needs for improved air travel, at the lowest cost possible. By becoming a member of this community, the LFV Group obtains the possibility to use the current NARSIM platform at its sites in Sweden. This will support LFV in the process of validating new CNS/ATM concepts and education of staff. LFV's membership will also bring valuable knowledge and experience to further develop and enhance NARSIM together with AT-One. NARSIM was developed by NLR as an advanced real time simulator for air traffic control operations with both pilots and air traffic controllers in the loop. The NARSIM software enables prototyping and validation of new ATM concepts with humans in-the-loop. New ideas can therefore be quickly evaluated towards operational feasibility.
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Lufthansa is expanding its services in an eastward direction. This summer the airline is launching flights to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan since the end of 1997. Starting March 26th the new destination will be served non-stop, twice weekly from Frankfurt. Flights, operated by an Airbus A330, are scheduled to leave Frankfurt on Mondays and Thursdays at 13.20 hrs. The return flights will depart from Astana the same day at 04.15 hrs. Lufthansa is also launching a new service to Eastern Europe from its Munich hub. As of April 22nd, it will serve St. Petersburg daily with an Airbus A319. Flights will depart from Munich at 11.15 hrs. The return flight will leave St. Petersburg at 17.05 hrs.
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The U.S. Air Force has awarded Rockwell Collins a $49 million firm fixed price contract modification for Lot IV of the C/KC-135 Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) program. This fourth production phase calls for building, delivery and installation of 39 additional R-model aircraft ship sets with deliveries beginning in 2006. If fully executed, the GATM program could generate $780 million in revenue for Rockwell Collins. In October 2005, Rockwell Collins officials presented the U.S. Air Force with the 100th
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Some three months before the International Aerospace Exhibition opens its doors the ILA's organisers, the Federal Association of the Aerospace Industry (BDLI) and Messe Berlin GmbH, are currently registering the highest number of early bookings since the show's return to the German capital in 1992. From 16 to 21 May over 1,000 exhibitors from more than 40 countries are expected to attend this leading industry event in continental Europe. Already the chalet section occupied by the major aerospace companies and directly adjacent to the runway is almost booked up. The increased demand for exhibitor and display space is due to ILA exhibitors increasing their stand areas and to first-time registrations, but also to new display sections such as the International Suppliers Center (ISC), an additional platform for equipment manufacturers and second-tier suppliers, and the ILA Space World, which combines a presentation of Europe's aerospace industry as well as displays of other aerospace companies and agencies. In addition, more exhibitors than at any previous event will be occupying the central plaza amid the halls where the international aerospace industry is on display. Companies include the Eurofighter Consortium, Meggit Defence, TIPS Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution, Raytheon Aircraft and Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg International bbi. The USA in particular is among the countries represented by numerous leading manufacturers, among them Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, UTC, as well as Sikorsky and Bell Helicopter. Companies such as Airbus, Eurocopter, Eurofighter, EADS, Safran/Snecma and Thales from Europe have registered, as well as Embraer from Brazil. Engine manufacturers include MTU Aero Engines, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce. Aircraft from all the leading makes such as Beechcraft, Bombardier, Cessna, Cirrus, Diamond, Pilatus, Piper and Thielert will be on show along the General Aviation Avenue. Russia has the largest group of international exhibitors, and will offer a comprehensive overview of its aviation and aerospace programmes in Hall 10. With such record numbers of Russian companies attending, western suppliers of systems and equipment will have good opportunities to meet and do business. Participants include Roskosmos, MiG, Sukhoi, Irkut, Beriev, Rosoboronexport, the engine manufacturers' association Assad, and the helicopter companies Kamov, Kazan, Rostvertol and Mil.
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Air Malta and Lufthansa intend to start a bilateral cooperation. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Ernst Funk, CEO of Air Malta, and Joachim Steinbach, Vice President of Lufthansa German Airlines. “Air Malta already has a very close cooperation with Lufthansa Technik since several years”, Ernst Funk, CEO of Air Malta, stated at a press conference in Malta. “Based on this excellent experience we have decided to enhance this cooperation to the passenger airline”. Both airlines are planning to adjust their timetables and give their passengers the opportunity to increase connections to worldwide destinations.
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Vision Systems International, LLC (VSI) has been awarded additional content from Lockheed Martin on the F-35 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase. The value of the firm fixed price contract is $156 million. This new contract expands the company's effort to include provision of pilot flight gear, including the oxygen mask and chemical/biological hazard protection. VSI was previously awarded a contract to design the advanced Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS) for the F-35. In a related action, Lockheed Martin informed VSI that it has been selected to supply helmet mounted displays (HMDs) to all domestic and international F-35 customers. The HMDS has been designed to integrate with the advanced avionics architecture of the F-35, providing the pilot with video imagery in day or night conditions combined with precision symbology to give the pilot unprecedented situational awareness and tactical capability. Additionally, VSI is incorporating advanced head tracking capability to provide the pilot with a virtual head-up display.
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A prolific flurry of orders in the final quarter sent aerospace industry statistics into record territory last year, shattering old marks for orders and backlog while also recording the largest number of shipments in history. The good news for the industry continued in employment numbers, with aerospace adding 7,300 jobs in the final quarter of the year. While nowhere near a record, the employment increase continues an upswing in new jobs after hitting a 50-year low in 2004. “The continued strength in aerospace is a good sign not only for our industry, but the U.S. economy as a whole,” AIA President and CEO John Douglass said. Statistics complied by AIA's Aerospace Research Center show orders totaling $241 billion in 2005. The previous high value for orders was $166 billion in 2000. The backlog swelled to $281 billion, besting the previous mark of $221 billion in 1997, and shipments increased to $175 billion, up from $154 billion in 2004. Dramatic jumps in civil aircraft, which includes commercial airliners, fueled the statistics, increasing $73 billion to $156 billion. That represents a gain of 88.5 percent over the previous year, and much of that was in the final quarter, when $67 billion in orders came in. Defense orders also increased $7 billion to $73 billion – the second highest level in 14 years. The increase in aerospace jobs, which includes instrument manufacturing, took the total workforce to 626,300 in December 2005, representing a gain of 21,400 for the year. Aerospace employment had been declining steadily from 1.3 million in 1989 to the low point of 579,700 in February 2004.
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Honeywell has announced that the Netherlands Ministry of Defense has selected Honeywell to provide a fully-integrated avionics cockpit for Boeing's CH-47F (NL) Chinook Helicopter fleet. Honeywell recently received authorization to proceed (ATP) from Boeing for the production preparation agreement (PPA) phase for the Royal Netherlands Air Force acquisition of CH-47F (NL) aircraft. The PPA agreement provides for planning and long-lead activities that will support the production of new Netherlands Ministry of Defense CH-47F (NL) helicopters.
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Honeywell has announced that Airbus has selected the Honeywell HGT1500 auxiliary power unit (APU) to supply pneumatic and electric power for the Airbus's new long- range, wide-body A350 aircraft. The program could generate up to $4 billion in original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket revenue for Honeywell over the life of the program. The new HGT1500 is a high-power density gas turbine APU configured to provide pneumatic and electric power to support aircraft operations. The pneumatic and electric power supports cabin conditioning and main engine starting during ground operations and emergency power for in-flight operation. "The HGT1500 is the newest addition to Honeywell's world-leading portfolio of auxiliary power units that support commercial airline and business and military aircraft," said Tim Mahoney, President, Air Transport and Regional, Honeywell Aerospace. "It incorporates proven technologies from Honeywell's fleet of Airbus APU's, optimally combined with the newest technology to reduce weight, maximize performance, and reduce direct maintenance for efficient, low-cost operations."
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A high-capability new infrared satellite, ASTRO-F, was successfully launched last night by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). In a collaborative effort involving ESA and scientists across Europe, the spacecraft is now being prepared to start its mapping of the cosmos. Orbiting the Earth, ASTRO-F (to be renamed Akari (light) now that it is in orbit) will make an unprecedented study of the sky in infrared light, to reveal the distant phenomena hidden from our eyes that tell the story of the formation and evolution processes taking place in the universe. Prof. David Southwood, ESA's Director of Science, said: “The successful launch of ASTRO-F (Akari) is a big step. A decade ago, our Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) opened up this field of astronomy, and the Japanese took part then. It is wonderful to be cooperating again with Japan in this discipline.” “Our involvement with the Japanese in this programme responds to our long-term commitment in infrared astronomy, whose potential for discovery is huge. We are now off and rolling with ASTRO-F/Akari, but we are also working extremely hard towards the launch of the next-generation infrared telescope, ESA's Herschel spacecraft, which will go up in the next two years,” he continued.
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Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has signed an exclusive five-year agreement with ATR to maintain engines for Air Deccan's fleet of ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop aircraft. The agreement will provide engine maintenance and accessory coverage for Air Deccan's fleet of PW127 and PW121 engines. The contract includes Air Deccan's 2005 order for 30 ATR72-500s, some of which have been delivered already. P&WC will establish Hot Section Inspection (HSI) capability in India by year-end to support Air Deccan's fleet and the growing number of commercial and corporate operators in India. "This investment reflects our firm commitment to support our growing customer base in this region," says Claude Lachapelle, Commercial Director, P&WC Service Centres. "We expect to have more than 500 P&WC engines in India by 2008."
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Eurocopter and Global VECTRA Helicop, largest India-based helicopter operator for offshore missions today signed a contract for three Eurocopter EC155 aircraft. VECTRA, who had acquired its first two EC155 in 2005, will extend its missions all over India. According to Lt. General (Retd.) SJS Saighal, CEO of Global VECTRA, the EC155 as the latest member of Eurocopter's renowned Dauphin series, offers "the optimal performance, comfort and safety characteristics for our specific mission scenarios".
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Wind Jet S.p.A, the largest Italian low cost carrier, and Lufthansa Technik, the leading provider for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of airplanes, components and engines, today announced the signing of a new Technical Support agreement for the Airbus A320 fleet. Over the next five years Lufthansa Technik will serve the fleet of currently eight Airbus A320 airplanes, which will grow to 10 by the end of April this year, via a Total Component Support TCS contract including the provision of components at the carrier's hubs in Catania and Sicily. Till 2011 Lufthansa Technik will as well provide the full range of its Airframe Related Component ARC services e.g. for thrust reversers.
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StarAlliance carrier bmi awarded a heavy maintenance contract to Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP), signifying the carrier's trust and confidence in the five-year old maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company. In this agreement, LTP will perform IL- checks on bmi's three A330s, making BMI the fourth European carrier to entrust its aircraft to LTP for heavy maintenance checks.
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Japan Transocean Air (JTA), one of the major domestic air carriers in Japan, and Lufthansa Technik, the leading provider for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of airplanes, components and engines, announced the signing of a new technical support agreement for the Boeing 737-400 fleet. Over the next five years Lufthansa Technik will serve the fleet of all together 23 Boeing 737-400 airplanes via a Total Component Maintenance TCM contract with the provision of components at the carrier's hub in Okinawa. The contract enables JTA and as well JAL Express to take advantage of high-tech component repairs and a seamless material provision for more than 200 different part numbers of LRUs (Line Replaceable Unit), which have been pre-selected.
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Lufthansa has received a top award from the Armbrust Aviation Group for having the best fuel management department in the aviation industry. The fuel suppliers who took part in the 5th Armbrust Survey ranked Lufthansa first in six of the eight individual categories, including "Most innovative", "Most price conscious" and “Best staff”. Helmut Fredrich, General Manager for Fuel at Lufthansa, accepted the prize in the United States. "Fuel is an important cost factor for every airline,” he said. “Given the drastic increase in the price of oil and kerosene, now more than ever we need an integrated and professional approach to fuel management." Lufthansa has an annual fuel requirement of about six million tonnes. Since 1990 the Group has successfully hedged against fluctuating jet fuel prices. To date, it has made cost savings totalling more than 1.5 billion euros.
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Frontier Airlines announced the firm order of six new A320 aircraft, as well as the exchange of eight existing A319 aircraft orders for four A318 and four A320 aircraft orders. The amended aircraft order introduces the A320 aircraft to Frontier's existing fleet plan and extends Frontier's growth plan into fiscal year 2011 from its previous last delivery date of March 2008. At the end of fiscal year 2011, Frontier's fleet will consist of the following mix of aircraft: (11) A318, (49) A319 and (10) A320. Frontier President and CEO Jeff Potter said, "Today's announcement is exciting for us for a number of reasons, including our taking the next step in our growth strategy by ordering the larger A320 aircraft. We have reached an optimal level of frequencies in several of our most popular markets, and the A320 will provide us an opportunity to continue to expand while maximizing the economies of scale that the A320 can offer. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we are adding four new A318 aircraft to our existing fleet, allowing us the flexibility to ensure we are "right-sizing" our markets. The flexibility of the A320 family is an integral part of our growth plans and we are eager to take the next step with this new order."
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Lockheed Martin announced, in partnership with the State of Florida, its plans to locate final assembly and testing of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) in Florida if the corporation is successful in its bid to provide the next generation crew transportation system for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The CEV, an advanced blunt-body crew capsule design, is a key element of NASA's Vision for Space Exploration, and will transport up to six crew members to and from the International Space Station and up to four crew members for lunar missions, to Mars and beyond. Lockheed Martin, as prime contractor, is leading a team that is competing to help NASA develop and produce a CEV that will be safer, more reliable and more cost-effective than previous human spaceflight systems. As NASA retires its venerable Space Shuttle system in 2010, the new Crew Exploration Vehicle will carry forward the next generation of astronauts to Earth orbit, back to the moon and on to farther destinations.
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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems announced that is has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with General Dynamics Canada, Canada's largest defence systems integrator, to offer the Predator B unmanned aircraft system (UAS) and integrated communications systems to meet the Canadian government's surveillance needs. “GA-ASI's establishment of a working relationship with General Dynamics Canada represents a strategic commitment by both companies to help Canada strengthen its domestic security and sovereignty, as well as its defence operations overseas,” said Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr., president, Aircraft Systems Group, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. “General Dynamics Canada's proven expertise in the collection, fusion and delivery of data in complex operational environments complements the multi-mission Predator B system's well-estabished, long-endurance reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.” “The introduction of GA-ASI's Predator B aircraft system will play a key role in the Canadian Forces' transformation and add to the new ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance] capabilities that we are providing to the CP-140 Aurora and CH-148 Cyclone maritime air platforms,” said John Watts, president, General Dynamics Canada.
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The Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center (ATC) has been awarded a $2 million, 12-month contract by the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to proceed to the formulation phase for the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) instrument that will fly on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) GOES-R Series environmental satellites. GLM's ability to monitor convection on a global scale via lightning will provide new insight into the formation, distribution, morphology and evolution of storms, and allows investigation into the mechanisms at the core of the global water and energy cycle. "Along with our teammates from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), we are enormously excited to be moving forward into the Geostationary Lightning Mapper formulation phase" said Earl Aamodt, Lockheed Martin GLM program manager at the ATC. "Our team has worked together since 1992 on successful lightning imaging missions, and this extensive spaceflight heritage is directly applicable to GLM. The combination of this team's experience and knowledge of GLM requirements, a proven systems engineering approach, and our detailed formulation phase plan will make this formulation phase a success."
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Boeing announced it has selected North Carolina-based supply chain management company New Breed Logistics Inc. to provide logistics services supporting the final assembly of the all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. New Breed will locate a new facility in Everett from which it will deliver smaller 787 airplane hardware. While Boeing intends to use three specially modified 747-400s to fly large composite parts from partner locations around the world, smaller components for the Dreamliner will continue to be shipped to Boeing via land, sea and rail. New Breed will deliver all Dreamliner components to designated locations in the Boeing factory for installation by 787 final assembly employees.
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The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $68 million contract to provide Weapons Systems Trainers (WST) to support the service's C-130J and the U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J aircraft. Under the contract, the Air Force will receive two trainers and the U.S. Marine Corps will receive one trainer. The WST will provide training for Air Force aircrews who fly the C-130J -- the latest version of the medium-lift transport aircraft in service with the U.S. Air Force for nearly four decades. The KC-130J is used by the U.S. Marine Corps for aerial refueling and troop transport. The C-130J and KC-130J incorporate state-of-the-art technology to reduce manpower requirements, lower operating and support costs and provide life-cycle cost savings over earlier C-130 models.
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South Korean aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries said on Thursday (Feb. 23) that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus SAS, the world's largest commercial jet maker, to jointly develop wing panels and parts for the European aerospace giant's new A350 commercial jet. Under the agreement, which was reached at an aerospace industry fair in Singapore, Korea Aerospace may win as much as $1 billion worth of parts in a supply contract for the new A350 commercial jet, the Korean company said in a statement. Airbus is developing the new A350 commercial jet, a midsize, long-haul passenger plane, to counter competition with rival Boeing's Dreamliner model. So far, Airbus has received orders to build 176 A350 planes, which are scheduled to begin operation in 2010, from 13 airlines around the world, according to the statement. +++
EADS has chosen Singapore as the location for its first Research and Technology (R&T) Centre in Asia. On Tuesday, Noel Forgeard and Tom Enders, EADS CEOs together with Chan Soo Sen, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, inaugurated the EADS Singapore Research & Technology Centre (SRTC). The ceremony took place during the Asian Aerospace 2006 exhibition at Changi Exhibition Centre. “The opening of the SRTC is a part of our global industrial development efforts”, said the CEOs of EADS, Tom Enders and Noël Forgeard. “EADS is developing international R&T capabilities in order to access new technologies and engineering resources in a more efficient way and close to our strategic markets.” Daniel Deviller, Chief Technology Officer of EADS, added: “The superb Singaporean technology and research capabilities and EADS' strategic interests in Asia have led us to this decision. EADS highly welcomes Singapore's policy to become a hub for the Asia activities of international companies, especially for knowledge-based operations.”
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Boeing will provide the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) weapon system to the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) under an agreement recently reached with Norway. The JDAM system will equip RNoAF F-16 aircraft with all-weather, autonomous, accurate delivery of bombs against a broad spectrum of targets. The contract includes JDAM guidance kits, F-16 weapon system integration and operational support. A GPS-aided, near-precision weapon, JDAM guidance kits are capable of guiding inventory warheads ranging in size from 500 to 2,000 pounds. JDAM has been used extensively in global operations by the U.S. Air Force and Navy.
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In the presence of the President of France and the Prime Minister of India, EADS Astrium and ANTRIX, the commercial arm of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), have signed a contract to provide a communication satellite for the international market. The aim of the alliance between EADS Astrium and ANTRIX/ISRO, which builds on the proven expertise of both Indian and European companies, is to jointly offer communications satellites in the market segment around 4kW of payload power and with a launch mass of 2 to 3 tons. This cooperation combining Indian platforms along with European payloads is designed to offer optimal, flexible and cost effective solutions to telecommunications operators.
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Kingfisher Airlines, which placed a firm order for 20 new ATR 72-500s and 15 options in November 2005, today announced conversion of the 15 ATR 72-500 options to a firm order plus an additional 20 options. The value of the contract, excluding options, is around $270 million list price. The additional aircraft are scheduled to be delivered from 2007 onwards. Equipped with the “Elegance” cabin, the ATR 72-500 aircraft will also be fitted with the newest technological innovations in the field of communications and navigation aid tools, and IFE (in-flight entertainment).
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Austrian Chief Financial Officer Kleibl: 'Sale guarantees a stable supplier relationship for the future and enlarges prospects for the development of Airest'.The detailed negotiations over the sale of Airest GmbH between Austrian Airlines AG and the Italian SAVE Group have come to an end, and the contract of sale has been signed on 22 February 2006. The volume of the contract is approximately EUR 30 million. The transaction will require the consent of the competition authorities. The companies are expecting to receive approval for the deal under competition law within the next few weeks. Austrian Chief Financial Officer Thomas Kleibl made the following statement on the successful conclusion to the sale: 'In Airest the SAVE Group is acquiring a first-class, internationally renowned catering company. With the SAVE Group as its owner, meanwhile, Airest will have strong prospects for development and continue to provide the Austrian Airlines Group with its high-quality passenger catering service in a reliable partnership.'
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At the end of 2005 and in service for more than four years, the Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System (EVS) is operating on 213 in-service Gulfstream business-jet aircraft. “The Gulfstream EVS is a proven navigational safety system,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president, programs, engineering and test, Gulfstream. “We knew four years ago that this was a revolutionary system and decided then to seamlessly integrate it into the flight decks of our new aircraft models. The EVS-generated images can be viewed by using the HUD or, for a larger view, on two of the four PlaneView display units.” Gulfstream EVS has become the industry standard for all of the vision-enhancing systems that have followed. The system incorporates a specially designed forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera that projects an infrared real-world image on the pilot's Honeywell Head-Up Display (HUD). EVS allows the pilot to see through the indistinguishable gray and black images normally seen out the cockpit at night or during inclement weather. With EVS, pilots can clearly see a mountain range, a communications tower, a runway and any aircraft or vehicles on taxiways, even on the darkest nights.
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“2005 was a landmark year for BAE Systems, in which we delivered a strong set of financial results and met our top ten objectives. We have consistently delivered on our strategy and have clearly established ourselves as the premier transatlantic defence and aerospace company.We have strengthened our position in the United States, restructured our businesses in Europe and we now have a strategic framework established with our customer for our business in the UK. Finally, we have made great progress in establishing a way forward for our pension schemes.”, said Mike Turner, CEO BAE Systems. Deliver 2006 financial targets Ensure application of mandated business processes Increase focus on schedule and cost commitments Continue to grow the US business Implementation of UK Defence Industrial Strategy Focus on key export opportunities Progress business in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Continue to grow support business Implement way forward on pension schemes Drive to performance culture
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Boeing this month successfully completed P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) weapons separation wind tunnel tests at the Arnold Air Force Base Engineering Development Center in Tullahoma, Tenn. The tests validated Boeing predictions that the U.S. Navy-required P-8A weapons, which include torpedoes, missiles and naval mines, will safely separate from the aircraft when launched during flight. "This major milestone moves us significantly closer to the start of flight-testing for weapons separation and also validates the aircraft's design," said Jack Zerr, Boeing vice president and P-8A program manager. "The team performed the tests in half the expected time, which further demonstrates our commitment to keeping the P-8A program on schedule and on budget." During three weeks and approximately 220 hours of testing Boeing engineers, monitored by Navy personnel, placed weapons on a moveable mount near a 6.2 percent scale P-8A model. As the weapons were moved away from the aircraft at various airspeeds and locations, aerodynamic forces were measured to gauge the effect.
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