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+++ Switzerland orders 20 EC 635s +++ MRO demand in Europe increases +++ USAF issues tanker RFI +++ European Columbus laboratory ready for delivery +++ Eurocopter flies new bearingless rotor +++ News in brief +++
Switzerland orders 20 EC 635s
EC 635 für die Schweiz
The Swiss procurement agency, armasuisse, and Eurocopter signed a contract for 20 helicopters on April 25th in Berne, Switzerland. Under the Swiss Light Transport and Training Helicopter (LTSH) program, 18 EC635 for utility and advanced training missions and two EC135 for VIP/parliamentarian transport missions have been ordered. The contract was signed by Dr. Alfred Markwalder, Chief of Armament and Peter Lyoth, Director Federal Office for Weapon Systems for the Swiss government and by Philippe Harache, Executive Vice President Customers Directorate of Eurocopter and Dr. Lutz Bertling, Executive Vice President Governmental Helicopters of Eurocopter and CEO of Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH.
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH is prime contractor. Deliveries of the helicopters will take place between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2009. The first four machines will be delivered from Eurocopter Deutschland's facility in Donauwörth, while the next 16 aircraft will be assembled and delivered by RUAG in Alpnach, Switzerland. RUAG will also be responsible for level O, level I and level D maintenance of the Swiss Army's EC635s/EC135s throughout their service life. The EC635s/EC135s will successively replace the Swiss Army's Alouette III helicopters. According to Dr. Lutz Bertling, "the selection of the EC635/EC135 by the Swiss Armed Forces, renowned for their professionalism and top-class international standards, further underlines the high quality and military capability of our best-selling light twin".
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MRO demand in Europe increases
Wartungsmarkt in Europa expandiert
Persistent growth in intra-European air traffic between Eastern and Western Europe as operators capitalise on growing world trade activities and air transport liberalisation, coupled with the outsourcing trend led by the low-cost operator business model, will underpin steady growth in the European commercial airframe and engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market. Frost & Sullivan finds that the European Commercial Airframe and Engine MRO Market earned revenues of US$10.6 billion in 2005 and estimates this to reach US$15.2 billion in 2012. "A robust air traffic outlook, combined with the shifting of the airline business model and the anticipated surge in demand for heavy maintenance, looks set to drive significant growth in the European airframe and engine MRO industry" notes Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Patrick Yeung.
The enlargement of the European Union (EU) will continue to play a role in stimulating intra-European air passenger growth over the long term. Increasing aircraft utilisation and expanding fleets will parallel this trend thus, in turn, translating into growing demand for MRO services. Further, the MRO outsourcing trend is expected to increase as legacy carriers continue to streamline their business models with the objective of slashing costs and focussing on core activities in response to the proliferation of low-cost carriers. A significant number of A320 family and B737 New Generation aircraft, which constituted circa 70 per cent of total deliveries over the peak of the delivery cycle between 1997 to 2002, will experience their first airframe heavy maintenance checks and engine removals and correspondingly create a short-term spike in demand during the forecast period.
However, the increasing vertical integration of OEMs into the aftermarket as well as the opening up of lower-cost MRO facilities in Eastern Europe and the Far East have been fuelling the hyper-competitive climate as the industry continues to recover from various adverse external events. Simultaneously, intensifying demands for flexible commercial/technical solutions in line with operators' re-aligned business models suggest that price is no longer the sole criterion for success, rather perceived value for money is becoming as important.
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USAF issues tanker RFI
Tankerausschreibung der US Air Force
The Air Force has issued a request for information, or RFI, for its tanker recapitalization program. The Tanker Systems Modernization Systems Squadron of Aeronautical Systems Center's Mobility Systems Wing here sent out the RFI for publication in Federal Business Opportunities (www.fedbizopps.gov) and will manage the program. By issuing the RFI, the Air Force has restarted the requirements and acquisition processes necessary for a traditional competitive acquisition program to replace the KC-135 Stratotanker. ASC Commander Lt. Gen. Jack Hudson said, “We're looking forward to starting this very, very important program. Tankers are key enablers for our fighters, bombers, and transports in worldwide operations, especially over Iraq and Afghanistan.”
The RFI requested information on KC-135 replacement platforms that is consistent with the findings of the Analysis of Alternatives, which focuses on a commercial-derivative tanker aircraft in the 300,000- to 1 million-pound-take-off weight class. The RFI asks for vendor inputs on capabilities to complement the recapitalization effort, such as specialized commercial aerial refueling services and KC-135 modifications and upgrades. A draft request for proposal is expected to be released by September, with a final RFP to be published by January. The award of the contract is expected in summer 2007.
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European Columbus laboratory ready for delivery
ESA-Labor für ISS bereit zur Lieferung
The Columbus laboratory is Europe's cornerstone contribution to the International Space Station. Final integration has been successfully completed in Bremen. Columbus will be shipped to Cape Canaveral at the end of May, from where it will be flown on a Space Shuttle to the ISS in the second half of 2007. During its planned 10-year operational lifetime, scientific researchers in Europe, with the help of the astronauts onboard and a Europe-wide support infrastructure on the ground, will be able to conduct a vast programme of experiments in the areas of the life and physical sciences, materials science, fundamental physics and technology research. ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and EADS SPACE Transportation President Evert Dudok are inviting leading figures from industry, research institutes, space agencies and government institutions involved in the programme, together with political representatives and the media, to attend a ceremony to celebrate the completion of Columbus development on 2 May, starting at 10:00, at EADS SPACE Transportation in Bremen, Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel will be attending the event and addressing the participants.
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Eurocopter flies new bearingless rotor
Neuer lagerloser Rotor im Test
Eurocopter has celebrated another milestone in the development of the rotor technology of the future at its Donauwörth plant. Following the first successful flight of a BK117 helicopter with an adaptive rotor system in September 2005, saw the maiden flight of the newly developed 5-blade "Advanced Technology Rotor" fitted on an EC145 test helicopter. This rotor is designed to be ideally suited for 4-ton class helicopters. The development of advanced technology rotor systems goes back a long way at Eurocopter. It began with the hingeless main rotor with composite blades, used by the BO105 and BK117 models, followed by the bearingless four-blade rotors used by the EC135, and now sees its latest development, the ATR 5-blade rotor.
Key characteristics of the new bearingless ATR is its extremely compact and light-weight rotor hub and its use of modular components. These design innovations result in improved flight characteristics and a more comfortable ride in comparison to the existing EC145 rotor, while also yielding cost and weight benefits. Added comfort thanks to reduced vibration and improved flight characteristics. The design of the ATR as a 5-blade rotor results in reduced vibrations, which affect helicopter components and passengers alike. Due to the compact rotor hub the helicopter's flight characteristics are also improved. An additional benefit, in particular for the helicopter's environmental compatibility, is the reduced fuel consumption and noise generated by the helicopter due to the increased range over which the rotor speed can be varied. On this topic, it is also worth mentioning that Eurocopter helicopters are amongst the quietest worldwide and are well below the international noise level thresholds.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Boeing and Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE) announced an order by the lessor for 10 Boeing Next-Generation 737s, plus 10 options and 10 purchase rights. The agreement, valued at US $675 million at list prices for the 10 firm airplanes, is the second SALE order for 737s in less than a year, after an order for 20 airplanes in May 2005. The new airplanes are scheduled for deliveries beginning in 2009 and extending through 2010. The 737-800 is the baseline model SALE has specified; however, the agreement provides for conversions to other Next-Generation 737 family models at a later date.
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The EADS Board of Directors has appointed Mr. Jean J. Botti (49) as Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of EADS. Botti will be the focal point, based in Munich, for research, technology development, development of design and manufacturing tools and innovation across the Group. As of 1 May 2006, Botti will be a Member of the EADS Executive Committee. Prior to assuming this position at EADS, Botti held a top management position at Delphi Corporation in Troy, Michigan, USA. He has been working in the United States for 17 years, serving with Delphi Corporation in various executive and management functions in engineering and development. In 2002, he managed the newly created Corporate Dynamics & Propulsion Innovation Center as the Chief Technologist. +++
After a competitive procurement process lasting eighteen months, the French Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded EADS the management and support of the ab initio training for future military aircrews of the French Air Force's Flying School at Cognac. The ten-year, multi-services contract, includes the procurement of new aircraft, line and base aircraft maintenance as well as ground-based training devices including flight simulators, integrated logistic support with supply-chain management plus infrastructure handling and will be performed by EADS Socata and EADS Military Air Systems. In addition, EADS will handle future staff recruitment as well as the transfer of existing technical functions carried out by the French MoD. The project constitutes the first comprehensive outsourced service solution initiated by the French Armed Forces. As the producer of the EADS Socata TB 30 Epsilon currently used by the French MoD for basic flight training and a long-time manufacturer and maintenance provider for training aircraft, we are proud to be selected for this unique service solution. To fulfil the needs of the French Air Force's Flying School at Cognac, where also future French Naval Aviation and French Army aircrews obtain their basic training, EADS submitted two proposals to the MoD: one based upon a fleet of upgraded EADS Socata TB 30 Epsilon aircraft, the second based on partial replacement of the Epsilon by Grob Aerospace 120A trainer aircraft. The Ministry selected the second option, which means that EADS will operate future flight training utilizing 24 of the existing TB 30 Epsilon fleet plus 18 new Grob 120A aircraft. Flexibility and the high-potential for further development of training requirements means that the hours flown under this contract may vary between 15,000 and 32,000 flying hours. Remuneration of services provided by EADS will be based on the flight hours flown, with a minimum of 15,000 flying hours per year. The maximum value of the contract is 175 million Euros. +++
ImageSat International (ISI) announced on April 25 that an EROS B commercial observation satellite, manufactured by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) was successfully launched from the Cosmodrome located in Svobodni, Siberia, Russia. The satellite was sent into orbit by the Russian Start-1 launcher. The launch took place on April 26, 2006, 02:47 hours Siberia time and the satellite separated from the Start-1 rocket as planned. Communications with the EROS B satellite were established, also as planned, within 13 minutes after launch. A few days are required to verify that all the satellite sub-systems are operating according to predetermined specifications. The satellite will be operated and control by a team of engineers and technicians from the main ground control station located at IAI MBT Space Division facilities. EROS B is a lightweight commercial satellite which will deliver very high resolution imagery based on advanced technology in both photographic and data processing capabilities. Its low weight (290kg) ensures maximum agility and stability for optimum imaging quality. EROS B can observe the earth and transfer the data to a ground station in either real time or accumulate the data and relay it to the ground at a chosen time. The satellite will pass a ground control station for 10 minutes, four times a day, twice in daytime and twice in nighttime.
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Airbus A330-243 and A330-343 fitted with new Trent 772C engines were approved for 180 min Extended-Range Twin-Engine Operations (ETOPS) on Thursday April 20th, 2006. The approval was granted by the new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The first aircraft fitted with these engines will be delivered to Air China by the end of May. The increased Take-off and Max Continuous thrust of these new engines provides improved aircraft performance in high altitude and hot day conditions. The 180 min ETOPS Type Design approval at Entry Into Service recognises that Trent 772C engines are close derivatives of already ETOPS approved A330/Trent 772B models, and the significant ETOPS experience accumulated worldwide as well as the high reliability of A330 ETOPS operations. All A330-200 and 300 models are currently approved for 180 min ETOPS by EASA. Since 1998, all newly certified A330 models have received 180 min approval at EIS (Entry-into-service).
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The German-Dutch Wind Tunnels, DNW, is an organization dedicated to aeronautical testing excellence. It was established in 1976 by two national laboratories, the National Aerospace Laboratory NLR of the Netherlands and the German Aerospace Center of Germany, for the benefit of national and European aerospace research and development programs. Today, DNW operates not less than ten wind tunnels and one model engine calibration facility located in five different places in Germany and the Netherlands. It now not only services customers from Europe, but has a world wide clientele. The latest success for DNW has been the winning of a contract from the Naval Air Systems Command valued at $ 11.7 million to perform wind tunnel testing, and a subcontract to Northrop Grumman Corporation for $ 3.7 million for the manufacture of the wind tunnel model of the U. S. Navy's propeller aircraft "E-2D Advanced Hawkeye". The model manufacture was further subcontracted to the NLR model workshops, the most capable source for complicated wind tunnel models with propellers or rotary wings. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye will replace the existing AN/APS-145 radar system and other aircraft system components that are either obsolete or becoming unsupportable, and upgrade or replace other aircraft systems as required to support and enable the radar upgrade. It will feature digital controlled 8-bladed carbon fiber propellers. Essentially it is a whole new aircraft. With the winning of this contract DNW has been recognized by another major United States organization for its unique features for aircraft model testing. The recognition of DNW by NAVAIR complements the successful participation of DNW in another Defense project, the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). With the support of the parent organizations NLR and DLR, DNW has developed world class experimental simulation capabilities in its wind tunnels in such a way as to be able to attract worldwide customers with most demanding test programs.
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The first of four Super Lynx 300 helicopters for South Africa took to the air for the first time on 24th April 2006 at AgustaWestland's Yeovil factory in the UK. The successful first flight was witnessed by Mr Francois Kotze, Programme Manager, Armscor and Lt Col Rob Sproul, Project Officer, South African Air Force. Alan Johnston, Managing Director Military Programmes at AgustaWestland said “We are delighted that this important milestone has been achieved on time and we look forward to seeing the Super Lynx 300 enter service with the South African Air Force next year.” The fully marinised Super Lynx 300 aircraft for South Africa are equipped with a range of advanced sensors including a 360 degree scan search radar, a nose mounted FLIR and an advanced Electronics Support Measures system. The aircraft also have a comprehensive communications suite comprising HF, V/UHF radios and a data link. The South African Air Force Super Lynx 300 aircraft have a high level of South African sourced avionics and mission equipment making it the most advanced version of the Super Lynx 300 helicopter developed and produced so far. Pilot and ground crew conversion training will be conducted by AgustaWestland at its Customer Training Centre in Yeovil starting in early 2007 and will be completed prior to the delivery of the aircraft to the South African Air Force later in 2007. The aircraft will be based at Air Force Base Ysterplaat where they will be flown by South African Air Force pilots for the Navy and will be deployed on the South African Navy Valour class frigates performing anti-surface warfare, maritime patrol and SAR roles. The contract for the four Super Lynx aircraft was placed in 2003 by the South African Government following a thorough evaluation of the aircraft and its competitors. South Africa is the forth country to select the Super Lynx 300 following Malaysia, Thailand and Oman who operate the aircraft in a range of maritime and land based roles.
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With the Lufthansa Private Jet service firmly on course for success, Lufthansa is continuing to expand its exclusive offer. In addition to the more than 1,000 destinations already served in Europe, customers can now travel in a Private Jet to any of the international airports in the Russian Federation, or fly from there to Europe. Passengers can also take a connecting flight to other destinations within Russia as long as they have just entered Russia via an international airport and completed all immigration formalities there. "We have expanded our offer to destinations in the Russian Federation to meet our customers' growing desire to travel to this region with maximum flexibility and comfort," said Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President Marketing and Sales, Lufthansa German Airlines. In addition to point-to-point flights, Lufthansa Private Jet services to Russia can be booked in combination with a long-haul Lufthansa flight via Frankfurt or Munich. Passengers in transit at these airports are picked up from their aircraft by limousine and accompanied by Personal Assistants. During their stay at the airport they can take advantage of the exclusive services in the First Class Lounges or the First Class Terminal. Passengers are also assigned a Personal Assistant to guide them through immigration, security and customs, and deal with any other formalities.
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Air Pacific, the flag carrier of the South Pacific island republic of Fiji, and Boeing announced an order for five Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with three additional purchase rights. With this announcement, total orders for the Boeing 787 family have reached 350 airplanes from 26 customers. The first of the long-range, high-technology jetliners will be delivered in 2011 and will fly the airline's key routes from Nadi, Fiji, to Australia, New Zealand, North America and Japan. The new Dreamliners will eventually replace two Boeing 747-400s and one 767-300ER. No list price is currently published for the 787-9 model.
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Lockheed Martin and the Air National Guard (ANG) F-16 fighter-jet equipped 174th Fighter Wing in Syracuse, NY, celebrated the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of Lockheed Martin's Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) at a ceremony. "Being the first fighter unit to achieve IOC status is a significant accomplishment, and Syracuse should be justifiably proud," said Ken Fuhr, program director - Sniper ATP at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "The Syracuse ANG F-16 unit has been flying its Sniper ATPs in Air Force training exercises and live-fire events to prove out Sniper ATP's capabilities and hone pilot and maintainer skills to a razor's edge." Sniper ATP generates precision coordinates outside threat ranges for global positioning system-aided weapons and guides precision laser-guided precision-guided munitions. Sniper ATP is the targeting system of choice for the U.S. Air Force and the Air National Guard. Combat proven on the F-15E and F-16, Sniper ATP's advanced targeting technology and features are changing the way our armed forces operate in theater by providing new capabilities in meeting the challenges of non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and in fulfilling precision strike mission requirements.
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Australian Aerospace announced plans for a $15 million state-of-the-art composite fibre manufacturing plant in Queensland, creating more than 60 new jobs at stable production levels and bringing the latest helicopter technology to Australia. Initially the facility will produce key fuselage parts and fittings for the Tiger and for the current and future MRH90 military helicopter orders which should ensure sustainability of the activity, as well as carrying out maintenance and repairs. New staff will be trained by European experts in the latest corrosion-free composite material technology for the Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopter and the medium-lift MRH90, which are being built by Australian Aerospace at its Asia-Pacific Centre of Excellence in Brisbane. The new facility also will manufacture parts for the global supply chain and worldwide production of the Tiger and the NH90, the European version of the MRH90.
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Raytheon has created an Integrated Airport Security System (IASS) that makes it easier for airports to ensure the safety of passengers from their arrival at the airport to departure in the aircraft. The company will showcase this new technology at the 78th annual American Association of Airport Executives Conference in San Diego, Calif., this week. Using a new turnkey airport security solution, Raytheon will help airport executives create a seamless relationship between airport operations and airport security without creating an additional burden on travelers or airport management. “Raytheon has taken its expertise in systems integration and addressed it to the needs of airports,” said Andy Zogg, vice president of Raytheon's Airspace Management and Homeland Security business. “Today's airport executive realizes that security concerns have to be addressed as a part of airport operations. Our system provides them a vehicle to integrate security from the outer gate to the aircraft gate.” The first practical application of Raytheon's aviation security tools will be showcased in the implementation of the New York region's Perimeter Intrusion Detection System, or PIDS. PIDS is a recent Port Authority of New York and New Jersey project for which a Raytheon-led team will design and implement a system to protect the four airports in the New York and New Jersey region: John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia, and Teterboro.
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Airbus and EADS-CASA have selected Goodrich to provide the air data system for the A400M military transport aircraft. The system, which uses Goodrich SmartProbe technology, will provide all the primary and standby air data information required by the aircraft. The award is the most recent Airbus program to select the SmartProbe system and the first European military program to make use of the technology. "The award shows the adoption of SmartProbe technology by Airbus for their new platforms," said Jan Mathiesen, Vice President, Goodrich Sensor Systems. "It further supports the industry's recognition of our SmartProbe architecture which not only helps to reduce manufacturing costs, but can also significantly reduce operator maintenance costs. The A380 was the first Airbus program to use the SmartProbe technology," Mathiesen added.
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The Russian State Commission has completed its investigation into the Proton M/Breeze M anomaly that left the Arabsat 4A satellite in the wrong orbit eight weeks ago, during a mission for International Launch Services (ILS). The commission concluded that an anomaly in the oxidizer supply system caused the Breeze M upper stage main engine to shut down prematurely. Based on telemetry data, the most probable cause of the oxidizer supply interruption was a foreign particle that blocked a nozzle of the booster hydraulic pump, the commission stated. Flight operations should be able to resume after corrective actions have been implemented, the commission stated. Implementation of such steps is expected by the end of May. The launch of the Arabsat 4A satellite took place at 11:10 p.m. Moscow time Feb. 28 (2:10 a.m. March 1 at the Baikonur launch site). The Proton M launch vehicle inserted the space head unit (Breeze M upper stage with satellite) into the proper orbit, according to the mission profile. At 5,536 seconds after liftoff, during the second burn of the Breeze M, an unplanned main engine shutdown occurred. In accordance with standard procedures, the flight control system produced an emergency command, and at 5,541 seconds after liftoff the spacecraft was separated from the upper stage, into an orbit of 51.5 degrees inclination, 14,679 km apogee altitude and 506 km perigee altitude.
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Lockheed Martin announced it has achieved a significant production milestone with the delivery of its 4,300th F-16 aircraft. F-16 number 4,300 will be in service for Oman, which has purchased 12 Advanced Block 50 F-16s in the Peace A'sama A'safiyah (Clear Skies) Program. Clear Skies is a U.S. Government Foreign Military Sales program. The Omani F-16s are just one of six F-16 aircraft programs currently in production at the Fort Worth facility. Lockheed Martin is currently producing F-16 aircraft for Chile, Israel, Oman, Poland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Greece has also recently placed an order for 30 F-16 aircraft planned for delivery in 2009.
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Kingfisher Airlines, the carrier headquartered in Mumbai, India signed a contract for five Airbus A340-500 and an option for five more, on Monday, April 24th, 2006, in Hannover, Germany. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2008. The aircraft are the latest high gross weight versions, allowing higher payloads to be transported. Dr Vijay Mallya, Chairman of Kingfisher Airline's parent company UB Group, and Gustav Humbert, Airbus President and CEO, signed the deal in a ceremony attended by Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel and EADS CEO Dr Thomas Enders. All five A340-500 in the Kingfisher fleet will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines, which burn up to 20 per cent less fuel than older generation engines, whilst providing outstanding range and payload performance.
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New supplies arrived at the International Space Station on April 26 as an unpiloted Russian cargo spacecraft linked up to the Zvezda Service Module. The ISS Progress 21 is filled with 2.5 tons of food, fuel and personal items for the station's Expedition 13 crew. Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams will open the hatch to the supply ship once leak checks are completed later today. Automatically guided by its computers, the Progress docked to the aft port of Zvezda at 1:41 p.m. EDT as the spacecraft and the station sailed 219 miles above Greece. The Progress was launched Monday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The supplies include food, fuel, oxygen and air, clothing, experiment hardware and spare parts, as well as personal items from the crew's families. The new Progress joins an older Progress supply ship that arrived at the station's Pirs Docking Compartment just before Christmas. Progress 20 will remain docked until mid-June. It will be used to stow trash, and its supply of oxygen will help replenish the station's atmosphere. ISS Progress 21 holds 1,918 pounds of propellant for the Russian thrusters, 103 pounds of oxygen and air in tanks as a backup supply for the oxygen generated by the Russian Elektron system and 661 pounds of water to augment the supplies already on board. The spacecraft's cargo also includes more than 2,300 pounds of spare parts, experiment hardware and life support components.
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GKN Aerospace has moved further towards becoming a global MRO provider with the addition of two vital new services to its portfolio and strong growth achieved across its aero-engine support, aircraft transparencies repair and replacement, and composite and metallic component repair businesses. Two major new services have resulted from the Company's investment programme in its MRO activity: Centralised, global customer service centres for the maintenance and repair of transparencies; and a new, comprehensive radome test facility. Frank Bamford, Senior Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development, of GKN Aerospace comments: "We have worldwide sales today of over $1bn of which 15% is derived from our aftermarket business. We continue to see this growing and are actively building upon this solid base. We are working with both our OEM and airline customers to ensure the highest level of service provision and the addition of the Transparency Service Centres, along with our investment in radome repair, make clear statements concerning our long term intent in this market. We are now looking at how we bring our extensive structural composite expertise to the aftermarket environment. " The new Transparency Service Centres have already secured increased long term airline business by offering customers a single point of contact and by providing strategic parts stocking to support both airlines and MRO demand. The first long term contracts, covering flight deck windows, have been awarded by Northwest Airlines and American Airlines. Strategic stocking of parts has ensured airlines can have confidence in GKN Aerospace to supply parts on demand. This enables internal airline inventories to be reduced and brings critical cost and efficiency benefits.
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The U.S. Army AH-64 Apache combat helicopter fleet, produced by Boeing has logged more than two million flight hours, according to recently released U.S. Army operational summary data. Nearly one-third of all flight hours have occurred in the past four years, including almost 700,000 hours since the war on terror began following the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Apache helicopters continue to fly hundreds of hours a month in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of peacekeeping operations. The summary data, compiled from U.S. Army Apache deployments around the world, indicates the combat helicopter fleet reached the two million flight hour milestone in late 2005. Currently, the U.S. Army's total combined flight time for the fleet is more than 2.1 million hours. Neither the number of combat hours logged by U.S. Army Apaches nor the total number of flight hours for all Apache helicopters worldwide has been released.
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International Communications Group (ICG) announced that it has been selected by Bombardier Aerospace to provide ICG Iridium satellite communication systems as standard equipment on all new Challenger 605 widebody business jets. The new aircraft will be fitted with ICG's ICS-200 dual-channel Iridium satellite phone systems, which will provide global voice and data services. The ICS-200 incorporates two Iridium transceivers, using a single antenna, with an internal cabin telecommunications unit (CTU), providing a stand-alone, comprehensive communication system.
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Lufthansa Technik AG announced the launch of the new Total Material Operations TMO, its latest spares and consumables service & operations package product at the MRO USA Conference and Exhibition in Phoenix, Arizona. As part of Total Material Operations TMO - the widest-ranging product of its type to date - Lufthansa Technik establishes central component and supplies depots at the main bases of its customers and subsequently at all the airline's stations throughout its network. For North American customers this would e.g. support a coast-to-coast operation where Lufthansa Technik employees from California to New York will supply all maintenance stations throughout the network with line-replace-able units (LRU), consumables and expendables, including cabin interior furnishings and fittings (buyer furnished equipment - BFE). Airlines will be able to call upon more than 5,000 different types of components. The service portfolio embraces both the routine provision of components and unplanned replacements such as thrust reversers and other large items.
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The U. S. Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command (AMCOM) awarded a three-year, $45.7 million contract today to BAE Systems, Nashua, NH., for the system development and demonstration of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II. The contract includes priced options for qualification of the system and two years of Low Rate Initial Production. The total program, if all options are exercised, will be in excess of $96 million. APKWS II is intended to quickly fill an aviation systems' weapons gap between the HELLFIRE missile and unguided Hydra-70 2.75-Inch rockets, with an affordable, lightweight, precision aerial 'guided rocket' by means of integrating a laser seeker and guidance section onto the Hydra-70 rocket components. The APKWS II is a joint interest program to be employed on Army and Marine Corps helicopters to provide a guided rocket capability to precisely hit a target within an effective range of .93 miles to 3.1 miles.
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The future meets the past as researchers from NASA, Boeing and the U.S. Air Force test what could be the shape of some airplanes to come. Engineers have installed a small-scale blended wing body prototype in an historic wind tunnel that once hosted some of America's greatest aviation pioneers, including Orville Wright, Howard Hughes and Charles Lindbergh. Designated the X-48B by the U.S. Air Force, the prototype was developed by Boeing Phantom Works, St. Louis, Mo. It is being tested in the Langley Full- Scale Tunnel at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. The 21-foot wingspan aircraft, designed and built to Boeing specifications by Cranfield Aerospace, Cranfield, England, is an 8.5 percent scale version of a blended wing body concept. A blended wing body looks like a modified triangular-shaped wing and different than traditional tube and wing airplanes.
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The Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force General T. Michael Moseley announced a new F-22A initiative to kick off at Langley Air Force Base, Va., in early 2007. The “Ready Elmendorf” program will kick-start the process for Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, to become the second F-22A operational location by training pilots, crew chiefs and maintainers at Langley before the Alaska-bound Raptors and Airmen transition to Elmendorf. “We have two F-22A squadrons already up and running at Langley, and the aircraft and our personnel are performing in a magnificent manner,” said General Moseley. “Our next operational base for the F-22 will be in Alaska, and we want to ensure we send a ready capability to the base for its initial beddown.” Pilots will complete their F-22A initial qualification training at Tyndall AFB, Fla., and then move to Langley AFB for follow-on training in aircraft bound for Alaska. Once several aircrews and maintainers have completed their follow-on training at Langley, the group of aircraft and people will depart for Elmendorf AFB, where the 3rd Wing will eventually host two squadrons.
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Alcatel Alenia Space announced that it has signed a contract to build a new powerful telecommunication satellite for the U.S. operator SES Americom, an SES Global company. Beginning in mid-2008, the AMC-21 satellite will transmit programming to PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) affiliated television stations throughout the Continental United States (CONUS), Alaska, Hawaii and Caribbean regions, expand occasional resources for broadcasters, and support enterprise communications networks. As prime contractor, Alcatel Alenia Space will have overall responsibility for the implementation of the AMC-21 program, being in charge of the design, manufacturing, test and delivery on the ground of the AMC-21 satellite, along with Launch and Early Operations Phase (LEOP), In-Orbit Test (IOT) support and associated services. Alcatel Alenia Space will also provide the communications payload. Orbital Sciences Corporation (Orbital), as a subcontractor of Alcatel Alenia Space, will provide its small sized GEO spacecraft platform, STAR-2. Alcatel Alenia Space will be responsible for integrating the Orbital bus into the fully assembled satellite. AMC-21 will be fitted with 24 Ku-band transponders, each 36 MHz in bandwidth and will have an operational life time exceeding 16 years. Weighing about 2,500 kilograms at launch and having 6 kW of electrical power, it will operate from 125°West longitude.
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Pratt & Whitney's F135 engine program has achieved more than 5,000 hours of System Development and Demonstration (SDD) ground testing and is on schedule to support the first flight of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) this fall. The 5,000 SDD hours are in addition to the more than 3,600 hours accumulated during the concept demonstration phase of the F-35 program, reflecting the F135's maturity and reliability. Most recently, the F135 team completed the accelerated mission test required for flight clearance. This test is considered among the most challenging that development engines undergo, and initial hardware reviews show the engine performed exceptionally. The F135 program is on schedule to complete all flight clearance testing next month. "The ground test program for the F135 has been extremely successful, and the engine continues to meet or exceed expectations," said Bill Gostic, Vice President of F135 Engine Programs for Pratt & Whitney. "The F135 program continues to be on plan as we lead up to the F-35's first flight later this year." There are currently nine ground test engines in the F135 SDD program. The first flight test F135 engine was delivered to Lockheed Martin ahead of schedule in December 2005. The engine was installed in the first Conventional Take Off and Landing variant F-35 aircraft in February.
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Elbit Systems Ltd. and Avioane Craiova held the rollout ceremony of the 1st IAR-99 SOIM training aircraft of LOT II. The SOIM aircraft was developed for the Romanian Air Force by the Romanian aircraft manufacturer Avioane Craiova SA and was upgraded by Elbit Systems. The ceremony took place in Craiova, Romania, with the auspices of senior Romanian government officials, high ranked Romanian Air Force officers and local Romanian industry representatives. The IAR-99 is equipped with Elbit's advanced avionics systems, including the Virtual Training package ACTS (Advanced Combat Training System). The aircraft will be used by the Romanian Air Force as a trainer and for Close Air Support (CAS) missions. The advanced training features of the aircraft allow the Romanian Air Force to train its pilots for the modernized MIG 21 aircraft as well as for the next generation fighter combat aircraft. This SOIM LOT II program follows a previous upgrade of 4 IAR-99 SOIM aircraft that were already delivered to the customer and are operational, to the full satisfaction of the customer.
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Afghan National Army aviators completed their first combat-support mission April 15 in partnership with the coalition's Task Force Falcon. Two Afghan National Army Air Corps crews arrived at Bagram Air Base April 10, completed several days of training, and then flew supplies aboard their Mi-17 Hip helicopters to Afghan and U.S. forces in Jalalabad. Afghan and coalition participants are calling the mission a success. "It was special to me to be part of the first time we've done this mission together with the coalition. We had no problems and executed the mission properly," said Col. Nematullah, an Afghan National Army Air Corps pilot who, like many Afghans, uses only one name.
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Air France Industries, a world-leading multi-product aircraft maintenance (MRO) provider, and the Engine Alliance have signed an Industrial Cooperation Agreement for Air France Industries to operate as a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center for the GP7000 engine, the best-selling powerplant for the Airbus A380. The center will be located in Paris and serve as a repair facility for the Engine Alliance, a 50/50 joint venture between General Electric Company and Pratt & Whitney, which produces the GP7000 engine. The Air France Industries facility will work as a part of the Engine Alliance MRO network. Air France, which has ordered GP7000-powered A380s, will start with partial GP7000 service capability next year when the engine enters into service, and ramp up to engine overhaul capability as the fleet grows. The Engine Alliance will provide Air France Industries with a technology package to fulfill its MRO role. Air France Industries and the Engine Alliance will offer customer and product support services, supply chain management, logistics for component repair as well as LRU support.
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China successfully launched a remote sensing satellite and put it into preset orbit Thursday morning, the first of a series of space launches planned by China this year. The Remote Sensing Satellite No. 1 blasted off atop a Long March 4-B carrier rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China's Shanxi Province at 6:48 a.m. Thursday. An official with the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a major developer of both the satellite and the rocket, said the 2.7-ton satellite will be mainly used for scientific experiment, survey of land resources, appraisal of crops and disaster prevention and alleviation. "China has made a good start in space launch this year. That's a nice gift for the 50th anniversary of the founding of China's spaceflight program," he said. He revealed China will launch several communication satellites and scientific experiment satellites this year.
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Alenia Aeronautica and L3 Communications have signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, under which the latter will join the Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS) joint venture. GMAS was set up in 2005 to put forward the C-27J aircraft for the US Air Force and Army's Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) programme. Boeing will be fully involved in the joint venture, including the development of the special version of the aircraft requested by the US armed forces and, should GMAS be selected, in the production of the C-27J in the US. The C-27J team includes Alenia North America, Boeing, Dowty, Honeywell, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce and two dozen other suppliers from around the USA.
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LTU managing director Jürgen Marbach has become a new shareholder in the company, taking the 24 per cent stake held so far by LoMa. Thus he joints REWE Zentralfinanz (40 per cent) and Intro Verwaltungs GmbH.
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Two NASA satellites were launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on missions to reveal the secrets of clouds and aerosols, tiny particles suspended in the air. CloudSat and CALIPSO ? Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations ? thundered skyward at approximately 6:02 a.m. EDT atop a Boeing Delta II rocket. The two satellites will eventually circle approximately 438 miles above Earth in a sun-synchronous polar orbit, which means they will always cross the equator at the same local time. Their technologies will enable scientists to study how clouds and aerosols form, evolve and interact. "Clouds are a critical but poorly understood element of our climate," said Graeme Stephens, CloudSat principal investigator and a professor at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo. "They shape the energy distribution of our climate system and our planet's massive water cycle, which delivers the freshwater we drink that sustains all life."
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Boeing announced that AirTran Airways, the Atlanta- and Orlando-based low-cost carrier, has ordered 24 Next-Generation 737-700s. AirTran Airways converted options for 14 airplanes for delivery in 2008 and ordered 10 additional 737-700s for delivery in 2010. The estimated value of the order, at list prices, is $1.3 billion. "Orders by highly successful low-cost carriers such as AirTran Airways continue to validate the value of the Next-Generation 737 to cost conscious airlines," said Alan Mulally, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO. "As AirTran Airways continues to grow, the Next-Generation 737s will continue to contribute to the airline's bottom line with reliable, efficient and economical service."
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Pratt & Whitney Global Material Solutions recently completed a successful performance test of the CFM56-3 engine. The test, which will feed Pratt & Whitney's lifing analysis model, is another step toward certification and delivery of Pratt & Whitney Global Material Solution's new offering -- new materials for the CFM56-3 engine. "Our most recent CFM56-3 performance test went very well, and GMS remains on schedule for first part deliveries in early 2007," said Matthew Bromberg, Vice President & General Manager of Global Material Solutions. "We collected new data that will feed our analysis model as we work toward our certified lifing system for the CFM56-3." Global Material Solutions, an industry-revolutionizing initiative delivering OEM-quality life-limited and gas-path parts for the CFM56 engine at a competitive price, was announced earlier this year. The new business' first customer is United Airlines.
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SWISS is set to begin collaborating with three new codeshare partners, operating flights jointly with Spanair to Spain, with Blue1 to Helsinki and with All Nippon Airways (ANA) to Japan. The third daily SWISS connection between Zurich and New York becomes operational at the beginning of May. The codeshare partnership with Spanair starts May 1, with all SWISS and Spanair flights between Switzerland and Spain being operated jointly. Star Alliance member Spanair flies from Madrid and Barcelona to Zurich, giving SWISS the most comprehensive and most varied service in terms of non-stop flights between Switzerland and Spain. Under the new codeshare arrangement, customers can choose from five daily flights from Zurich to Madrid and four daily flights to Barcelona. SWISS serves a total of four destinations in Spain: Madrid, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Malaga.
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Summing up the highlights of the Austrian Airlines Group's balance sheet result for the first quarter of 2006, the Chief Executive Officer, Vagn Soerensen, made the following statement: 'In the first quarter of the year, traditionally a weaker period in the industry as a whole, we managed to report far stronger results than in the same period last year and continue building upon our Eastern offensive. We managed to increase availability (measured in ASK or available seat kilometers) by 12.9% and to sell this on the market at a rate significantly higher than the market average. As a result, we increased our load factor on scheduled services by 4.5 percentage points in the off-season to reach 72.4%. Based on this powerful traffic performance, and against the background of the continuing high price of kerosene, we improved our operating result by 18.6% (EBIT adjusted). Now, we have designed a range of important new measures – the launch of our new fare concept and internet offensives, the setting-up of a new traffic flow management system, future product innovations in the form of comfortable lie-flat beds in Austrian Business Class and high-speed internet access on our long-haul flights – to keep us on this successful course. In 2006 we expect to achieve a balanced result (EBIT adjusted). Although this will undoubtedly be a challenge, particularly in the context of the industry-wide uncertainty over the kerosene price trend, it is an entirely feasible objective from a present point of view given our commitment and strength.'
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