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+++ A400M fuselage and wing assembly starts +++ Second German Air Force wing takes Eurofighter +++ Eclipse 500 achieves FAA Type Certification +++ Honda markets 'HondaJet' +++ Cessna unveils Light Sport Proof-of-Concept Aircraft +++ Cessna's Next Generation Piston Aircraft shown at Oshkosh +++ EADS sees “solid” results +++ Pratt has partners for Geared Turbofan +++ News in brief +++
A400M fuselage and wing assembly starts
Montage des A400-Transporters beginnt
A ceremony held in Bremen, Germany, launched the beginning of the Integrated Fuselage Assembly (IFA) process for the first A400M airlifter. The start of IFA also marks the commissioning of the brand new facility at the Airbus Deutscheland manufacturing site in Bremen. Representing a 95 million euro investment, the 10,600 sq m assembly plant is capable of producing a complete A400M fuselage, excluding the nose section, in eight working days. The 32 m -long fuselage assembly, made up of four major elements delivered from facilities in Germany, South Africa and Turkey, is joined together using state-of-the-art semi-automatic riveting machines. The complete process also includes the installation of electrical, hydraulic and air-conditioning systems as well as the cargo door, cargo loading ramp and the cargo handling system. Some cabin linings, insulation and seats will also be installed in Bremen before the complete assembly is transported to the A400M Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Seville, Spain.
On Thursday 20th July, final assembly of the first set of wings for the first A400M military transport aircraft began at the Filton plant of Airbus UK. This milestone in the A400M programme represents a major step in both the A400M programme and Airbus wing technology as A400M features the first-ever composite (carbon fibre reinforced plastic, CFRP) wingbox for an Airbus-built aircraft and the largest composite wing ever made. The wing box consists of pre-assembled leading and trailing edges made of composite spars, metallic ribs and 20 metre-long composite wing skins which incorporate integrated stringers (longitudinal stiffeners). These components all commenced final assembly in a dedicated facility at Filton. The facility is equipped with new, state-of-the-art, jigs and tools - including automated machinery such as the purpose-built Composite Automated Wing Drilling Equipment (CAWDE). After final assembly of the whole wingbox, each wing will be fully equipped with hydraulic, pneumatic, fuel and electrical systems and fitted with moving surfaces before delivery to the final assembly line in Seville, Spain. The first wing deliveries to the final assembly line are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2007.
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Second German Air Force wing takes Eurofighter
Eurofighter beim JG 74 in Neuburg
Fighter Wing 74 (Jagdgeschwader JG 74) of the German Air Force took delivery of its first four Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft at their air base in Zell, near Neuburg/Donau. Fighter Wing 74 will focus purely on operational and tactical flying, in comparison to Fighter Wing 73 at Rostock-Laage, whose responsibilities in addition to their operational role also include the pilot training for the German Air Force and the conversion to type of the Austrian Eurofighter pilots. The German Air Force has already accumulated over 2,000 flying hours on Eurofighter Typhoon. In total, the four Air Forces of Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom have flown over 9,600 hours of flying up to the beginning of July in operating the 84 aircraft delivered to the four Nations. In addition to Germany's 23 aircraft, Italy have received 16, Spain are operating 14, and the United Kingdom 31. Eight further aircraft are ready for handover to the Air Forces. In December 2005, the Italian Air Force has started operations with Eurofighter Typhoon while, in the UK, No 3 Squadron received its first aircraft on 31 March 2006, making it the first operational unit of the Royal Air Force.
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Eclipse 500 achieves FAA Type Certification
Zulassung für neuen leichten Geschäftreisejet
On July 27, Eclipse Aviation received provisional type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the Eclipse 500 very light jet (VLJ),. The company expects to receive the full type certification for the Eclipse 500 by August 30th that will allow day/night, Visual Flight Rules (VFR)/Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), single-pilot and Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM) operations throughout the complete operating envelope, and enable the company to start delivering Eclipse 500s to customers. “We have looked forward to this monumental accomplishment since Eclipse was founded nearly eight years ago,” said Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse Aviation. “I am incredibly grateful for the tireless efforts of the combined Eclipse-FAA team that guided us to this critical moment in our company's history. As we celebrate today, we also know that certification is not our destination; the most important measure of our success will be our ability to continue to deliver unprecedented performance, reliability, technology, training and service innovations to our customers for years to come.”
The Eclipse 500 is the least expensive twin-turbofan business jet in the world, delivering acquisition and operating costs that are dramatically lower than those of current entry-level jets. The Eclipse 500 gives customers technologies and capabilities traditionally only found in jets costing millions more. Further lowering customer cost of ownership, the Eclipse 500 is designed for high hour/cycle operations, providing airline-like reliability and dispatch availability.
Using a test fleet of five FAA conforming aircraft, the Eclipse 500 was certified in more than 1,800 flights and 2,700 flight hours. To meet the FAA's stringent performance and safety requirements, Eclipse's comprehensive flight test program assessed the Eclipse 500's performance across thousands of test points that examined aircraft handling, flight characteristics, avionics and electronics performance, environmental/noise impact, systems reliability and aircraft safety. Tooled and designed for high-volume, low-cost production, Eclipse plans to deliver more than 50 Eclipse 500s through the end of 2006.
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Honda markets 'HondaJet'
Neuer leichtes Business Jet wird mit Piper vermarktet
Honda announced plans to enter the innovative HondaJet in the growing very light jet market, with the process of accepting sales orders expected to begin in the U.S. in fall 2006. Toward this goal, Honda will establish a new U.S. company to hold FAA type certification and production certification. Honda's goal is to complete type certification in about 3-4 years, followed by the start of production in the U.S. Making the announcement at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture 2006, the world's largest annual aviation gathering, Honda also revealed plans to form a business alliance with Piper Aircraft, Inc. to collaborate on sales and service, and to explore opportunities in engineering and other areas within general and business aviation. Honda and Piper will provide a new level of sales and service to meet the needs of jet customers with the goal of setting a higher standard for the quality of the ownership experience. No specific details regarding additional collaboration were announced.
"Aviation has been an important dream of Honda for more than four decades," said Satoshi Toshida, senior managing director of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. "Our goal is consistent with the philosophy of other Honda products -- to provide convenient and efficient transportation that will make people's lives better. We are excited now to enter a new dimension of mobility." HondaJet features several innovations that help it achieve far better fuel efficiency, larger cabin and luggage space and higher cruise speed than conventional aircraft in its class. The announcement to commercialize HondaJet comes one year after the plane made its world public debut at EAA AirVenture 2005 in Oshkosh, Wis. The result of 20 years of aviation research, key HondaJet innovations include a patented over-the-wing engine-mount configuration, a natural-laminar flow (NLF) wing and fuselage nose, and an advanced all-composite fuselage structure. To date the prototype six-to-seven seat HondaJet has completed more than 240 hours of flight-testing since December 2003. So far, the prototype HondaJet has achieved an altitude of 43,000 feet and a speed of 412 knots and is on course to meet or exceed all of its design specifications.
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Cessna unveils Light Sport Proof-of-Concept Aircraft
Neues Kleinflugzeug von Cessna
Cessna revealed a proof of concept aircraft that it will use to help determine whether the company will enter into the popular Light Sport Aircraft sector. The unveiling took place here this morning as thousands of aviation enthusiasts and professionals gathered for the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual event known as AirVenture 2006. Last month, Cessna announced it was studying the feasibility of developing and producing a Light Sport Aircraft. Over the next several months, the company will evaluate a range of issues to determine if there is a favorable business case. “More people have learned to fly in Cessnas than all other aircraft combined,” said Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack Pelton. “As the largest producer of single engine piston airplanes in the world, we believe we are well positioned to bring unique capabilities to the LSA market. Considering our sales, distribution, training and support networks, it appears this could be a logical extension of our product line. But more importantly, we believe that Light Sport Aircraft may be the key to stimulating new pilot starts, re-energizing our industry and feeding the important pipeline of human talent which is so important to all of us,” he said. “I do want to make clear, however, that we have yet to make the decision to enter the LSA sector. We will be assessing the market and the business case over the next few months and plan to make a go/no go decision in the first quarter of next year,” Pelton said.
The proof-of-concept aircraft Cessna unveiled features a high wing spanning 30 feet, side-by-side seating for two in a cabin with a maximum width of 48 inches (a half-foot more than the ubiquitous Cessna 152), tricycle gear, and a 100-hp Rotax 912 engine. Cessna's sport aircraft incorporates dual control sticks, upward opening doors, toe brakes, and a castering nose wheel. Construction is primarily of aluminum, with selective use of composite parts for the cowl, wing and dorsal fin.
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Cessna's Next Generation Piston Aircraft shown at Oshkosh
Neue Cessna-Einmot fliegt
Cessna's Next Generation Piston Proof-of-Concept aircraft paid a surprise visit to AirVenture 2006, making low passes before a crowd of thousands, providing the first glimpse of the airplane that has been quietly under development for several years. Last year, Cessna disclosed that it was working on such an aircraft to augment its current piston product line of 172 Skyhawks, 182 Skylanes and 206 Stationairs, but the company did not reveal any details. At that time, Cessna Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack Pelton said, “We are committed to maintaining our lead in the single engine piston sector. We have been looking at a range of possible technologies, features, materials, and processes that will result in an aircraft that is responsive to market needs and preferences and will be a strong competitor to the most modern single engine piston designs.” Today, some of the mystery was lifted as the crowd was shown features under consideration that included a forward swept, strutless high wing and advanced-shaped fuselage.
According to Pelton, the aircraft made its first flight from Cessna facilities in Wichita, Kan., on June 23, and has since flown approximately 20 hours in the development program. “We're absolutely delighted with the progress we're making on this program. Development of this aircraft – which is a proof-of-concept aircraft that will represent a family of airplanes – is fulfilling all our expectations, and then some,” he said. “It will set new standards in performance, comfort and safety, and will be backed by Cessna's worldwide sales, distribution, training and service infrastructure. Cessna has been the undisputed leader in general aviation for more than half a century, and we intend to widen that advantage even further in the decades ahead.”
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EADS sees “solid” results
Vorsichtige Prognose für EADS
EADS delivered solid results in the first half of 2006, while tackling operational issues associated with the A380 delivery schedule, establishing the all-new A350 XWB aircraft family, and addressing changes in the Group's top management. From January to June 2006, the company benefited from the positive development of its growing markets and increased its revenues across all Divisions by 18 percent to Euro 19.0 billion (H1 2005: Euro 16.0 billion) and achieved an EBIT (pre-goodwill and exceptionals) of Euro 1.6 billion, up six percent (H1 2005: Euro 1.5 billion). The Group's US growth strategy received strong backing with the US Army's recent selection for up to 322 UH-145 helicopters. This will mark EADS' breakthrough in the US defence market. Thanks to its good commercial background, Airbus expects to deliver 430 aircraft for the full year.
“Our solid first-half year performance confirms the growth perspectives of all EADS Divisions. Together we will address the huge challenges ahead, particularly A380, A350 and the US Dollar issue”, stated EADS CEOs Tom Enders and Louis Gallois. “We will rebuild the market's confidence in EADS. Our Group has a very solid foundation in its technologies and products, its employees and customers' loyalty. Performance is our key challenge today. We will keep on working hard to further improve performance, foster transparency, and adapt processes and organisation.”
The increase in EADS revenues to Euro 19.0 billion (H1 2005: Euro 16.0 billion) was achieved across all Divisions, in particular Airbus, Military Transport Aircraft and Eurocopter. The Airbus contribution to the Group's increased revenues resulted mainly from higher aircraft deliveries reaching record of 219 (H1 2005: 189). Revenue growth in the Military Transport Aircraft Division was supported by higher revenue recognition in the A400M programme, while Eurocopter benefited from strong commercial momentum leading to a volume increase. The combined revenues from EADS defence businesses amounted to Euro 4.1 billion (H1 2005: Euro 3.1 billion). As in previous years top and bottom line contribution from the defence, helicopter and space businesses is much stronger in the second half of the year. EBIT increases compared to the same period of 2005 came from positive volume effects and ongoing EBIT improvements in all Divisions. EBIT grew to Euro 1.6 billion (H1 2005: Euro 1.5 billion), despite the strong Dollar headwind with hedges maturing at an average rate of Euro 1 = US$ 1.08 (H1 2005: Euro 1 = US$ 1.01), EADS Sogerma Services charges, additional costs related to the revised A380 delivery schedule and increases in Research & Development (R&D) expenses. The EBIT margin amounted to 8.6 percent. In the first half of 2006, self-financed R&D expenses amounted to Euro 1,139 million (H1 2005: Euro 950 million). This increase was mostly due to the development costs on the A350 programme. The five percent rise in EADS' Net Income to Euro 1,043 million (H1 2005: Euro 992 million), or Euro 1.31 per share (H1 2005: Euro 1.25) reflects the Group EBIT* increase being partly offset by finance costs.
In the first six months of 2006, EADS created more than 2,000 new jobs. At the end of June 2006, EADS had 115,247 employees (year-end 2005: 113,210).
Based on the achievements of the first half of 2006 and the momentum created in Farnborough, EADS expects strong commercial activities to continue throughout 2006. This healthy market forms the background to EADS' upgraded expectation for Airbus deliveries, now set at 430 aircraft in 2006, for EADS revenues well over Euro 37 billion for the year, and it supports further growth in the years beyond. The EADS first half-year earnings are consistent with a year-end EBIT of about Euro 3.2 billion, and EPS of around Euro 2.35 (taking into account a US Dollar year-end closing rate similar to 2005) at the lower end of EADS' initial outlook. This outlook, incorporating many moving parts since last May, takes into account the financial effects of the revised A380 delivery schedule and assumes charges for the partial disposal of EADS Sogerma Services.
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Pratt has partners for Geared Turbofan
MTU am Geared Turbofan beteiligt
Pratt & Whitney announced the formation of strategic relationships with MTU Aero Engines, Avio and Volvo Aero for continued development of key Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine technologies. The Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan engine represents a step-change in commercial engine performance for single-aisle aircraft. The expected benefits will include up to a 12 percent improvement in fuel efficiency and a 30-decibel noise reduction over Stage III requirements. A ground demonstration test is planned in the third quarter 2007 and a flight demonstration test in 2008. "Our market research had indicated that customers of the next generation single-aisle aircraft will be equally focused on engine performance and cost of operation," said Steve Heath, president, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines. "Pratt & Whitney, together with our business partners, MTU, Avio and Volvo Aero, are committed to developing and maturing the Geared Turbofan technology in advance of the next generation single-aisle aircraft."
MTU Aero Engines, based in Munich, Germany, and Pratt & Whitney are working closely to develop new, scalable common engine core technology for the 90 to 200 passenger commercial and military markets. The common core components include development of new high-pressure compressor and high-speed, low-spool turbine technologies. Moreover Pratt & Whitney finalized an agreement with Avio, headquartered in Torino, Italy, for the development and manufacturing of the advanced fan drive gear system for the GTF ground and flight test demonstrator. The GTF development program is taking advantage of Avio's capabilities for the design and prototyping of power transmission gearboxes and particularly of geared fan transmission systems. This system is a critical part of the Geared Turbofan technology; it enables the fan to operate at optimal speeds independent of the low-pressure compressor and turbine. "The optimization of the fan speed results in significantly lower noise emissions and an increased bypass ratio, which contributes to greater fuel efficiency gains for the customer," said Heath.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Boeing design enhancements that increase the short-field performance of the Next-Generation 737 earned certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration following a successful four-month flight-test program. European Aviation Safety Agency certification is expected to follow soon. "Our ultimate goal is to help our customers succeed by offering them products that add value to their operations," said Mark Jenkins, vice president and general manager of 737 Airplane Production. "The 737's short-field performance enhancements will allow airlines to generate more revenue." The 737 design enhancements allow operators to fly increased payload in and out of airports with runways less than 5,000 feet long. The design enhancements include a two-position tail skid that enables reduced approach speeds, sealed leading-edge slats that provide increased lift during takeoff, and increased flight spoiler deflection on the ground that improves takeoff and landing performance. The short-field design package is an option on the 737-600, -700 and -800 and is standard equipment for the new 737-900ER. The enhancements increase payload capability for landing up to 8,000 pounds on the 737-800 and 737-900ER and up to 4,000 pounds on the 737-600 and 737-700. They also increase payload capability for takeoff up to 2,000 pounds on the 737-800 and 737-900ER and up to 400 pounds on the 737-600 and 737-700. To date 11 customers have ordered the short-field performance package for more than 250 airplanes. In addition to GOL, Alaska Airlines, Air Europe, Air India, Egyptair, GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS), Hapagfly, Japan Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Sky Airlines and Turkish Airlines are among some of the operators that have ordered the design package.
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A major project of NASA and the German aerospace agency DLR to build an airborne astronomical observatory received a go-ahead to complete the nearly finished effort. Meanwhile the project continues to pass crucial milestones in its development. Called the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, the NASA/DLR mission uses a heavily modified Boeing 747-SP aircraft to carry aloft a telescope larger than the Hubble Space Telescope. The aircraft, which has a large opening for the telescope in its left flank, will fly to altitudes of up to 45,000 feet, putting it above more than 99% of the Earth's obscuring water vapor. SOFIA represents one of the largest modifications ever undertaken to a Boeing 747 aircraft. A large section of the rear of the 747 is essentially newly built, with a large cavity and pressurized bulkhead to accommodate the telescope and its intricate door and aperture system. The door will open in flight to allow astronomical observations. NASA had held off on committing final funding to the project in its FY2007 budget submission to Congress, pending the outcome of a special review of the project by a panel of outside experts. On June 15, following its review, NASA announced the conclusion that "there were no insurmountable technical or programmatic challenges to the continued development of the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)." And on July 6, addressing the NASA Advisory Council Science Subcommittees, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin said, "Having received this report, I now believe the best course going forward is to continue SOFIA ... I have made this consideration carefully, and I believe that it is the best course of action for SOFIA as well as the rest of the astronomy and astrophysics portfolio." Last month, the aircraft, with the telescope inside, received a rigorous "Ground Vibration Test" at the L-3 Communications Integrated Systems facility in Waco, Texas. The test involved installing sensors throughout SOFIA and then shaking the aircraft for many hours per day during a 10-day span. At times, the shaking was enough to make the wings visibly flap up and down in the hangar, by distances of a foot or more. During some parts of the test, the telescope was held stationary; during other parts, the telescope was moved slowly as it would during scientific research observations. Preliminary analysis of the test data showed no problems or surprises. SOFIA is being prepared for its first test flight later this year. Having passed the vibration test, the airborne observatory is now scheduled for a series of aircraft ground operational tests and finishing touches. In July and August, the aircraft will undergo fueling and pressure tests, culminating in run-ups of the newly installed engines.
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The Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) closed after a highly successful week in which over US$38 billion of business was announced together with major new product and programme launches. FIA 2006 was one of the biggest in recent memory with 1480 exhibitors from 35 countries taking part. Some 75 defence delegations from 43 countries attended, along with 40 civil aerospace delegations from 15 countries. Trade show attendance figures during the week are expected to top the 2004 level of 133,000. Trevor Sidebottom, Managing Director of Farnborough International Limited, the airshow organiser said today: "We have had a truly fantastic airshow this year. From the scale of business announced, the high calibre of the visitors attending and the fact that companies are using our airshow to make significant product or partnership announcements, there is no doubt that Farnborough International Airshow is the world's pre-eminent business to business airshow."International aerospace companies used the airshow to announce significant new business worth in excess of US$38 billion. Orders have been announced from across the aerospace spectrum, covering civil and defence products, aero- engines, the supply chain, the MRO sector, training, equipment and services.
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ARINC Incorporated introduced a breakthrough in display technology that facilitates the use of electronic documents in the general aviation cockpit. ARINC eFlyBook is a self-powered electronic library that stores and displays enroute charts and other essential documents on a glare-free screen of “electronic paper.” eFlyBook stores all of the digitized U.S. terminal procedures, enroute charts, the complete airport facility directory, and FAR/AIM documents—with room to spare for user-installed documents. Unlike laptop screens, the eFlyBook display remains sharp, clear, and legible under all cockpit lighting—even direct sunlight. Based on new “persistent display” technology, the screen requires very little power and no backlighting. The display can run during long hours of flight over several days on a single charge. ARINC demonstrated eFlyBook this week to thousands of aircraft owners and pilots at the world's largest general aviation venue—AirVenture 2006, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. eFlyBook combines two revolutionary technologies: award-winning chart viewing and compression software developed by MyAirplane.com, and the slim, portable “iLiad” eReader developed and manufactured by iRex Technologies of the Netherlands, a spin-off of Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands. “ARINC eFlyBook finally delivers on the promise of electronic documents for the pilot. It far exceeds the usability of laptops, tablet computers, or PDAs, whether in the cockpit or elsewhere—it is actually usable under real flight conditions,” stated Rolf Stefani, Senior Director of the ARINC Technology Innovation Center, who is himself a private pilot. “With eFlyBook, FAA enroute charts and other documents become easy to store and locate, easy to interact with and update. And the screen makes them as easy to read as regular paper documents, even in direct sun. Pilots have to see it to believe it.” The pencil-thin eFlyBook is smaller, lighter and less expensive than conventional laptops and tablet PCs used in cockpits today. It features easily accessible memory for user-installed documents in multiple formats via a PC-USB connection. It also provides for the use of SD, CF, and USB memory cards and devices. A simple and intuitive stylus-based screen interface retrieves and displays documents easily. The “electronic paper” screen also captures and stores handwritten notes from pilots using the stylus.
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Boeing named SR Technics, Smiths Aerospace and Hamilton Sundstrand as partners for GoldCare, the revolutionary lifecycle support solution for the 787 Dreamliner. "Bringing these key team members on board further solidifies this comprehensive service option for 787 customers," Bob Avery, Boeing's vice president 787 Services & Support, said. "We're already working together to ensure GoldCare delivers the value and quality that will revolutionize airplane lifecycle support options." Under GoldCare, Boeing leads and integrates a global team to deliver maintenance, engineering and spares logistics tasks within a predictable per- flight-hour cost. With maintenance operations and logistics simplified, GoldCare customers can focus on their passengers -- all the while knowing that their airplane assets achieve maximum utilization and are maintained to the highest standards of excellence by Boeing through GoldCare partners. SR Technics, a globally recognized leader in aviation maintenance, component and technical support, is the first partner selected to provide maintenance for 787 customers that choose GoldCare. "SR Technics brings tremendous capability and experience in high-quality customer support to the GoldCare service," Avery said.
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Southwest Airlines has taken another step separating themselves from their competition by committing to install Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets on up to 90 of their 737-300 aircraft. The order of 59 firm systems and 31 options follows Southwest's commitment in June of 2003 to install Blended Winglets on all of their 737-700 aircraft. Installations are planned to begin in early 2007. The business case for Blended Winglet Technology is absolutely compelling because the design optimizes performance at stage lengths typical to the 737- 300, rather than at the maximum design range. Additionally, low speed performance improvements provide significant takeoff performance improvements resulting in greater takeoff weight capability, reduced takeoff noise, or reduced engine maintenance costs. Southwest is a good neighbor to the communities in which it operates and Blended Winglets enhance that image through quieter operations on takeoff and landing as well as reduced fuel emissions.
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Alenia Aeronautica and the Romanian company Romaero, have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) which envisages the start of a series of joint manufacturing activities in the field of aeronautics. In particular, this agreement envisages the production in Romania of Section 13 of the ATR42/72 fuselage and the relevant engineering activities. This Industrial Cooperation project represents an outstanding opportunity for Romaero to join the ATR worldwide successful programme within the regional transport aircraft market, with over 800 aircraft sold since the beginning of the programme and over 100 customers in 65 countries.
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Rockwell Collins announced the introduction of its CISS-2100 Configurable Integrated Surveillance System. A key element in Rockwell Collins' new Premier Series, this new, highly integrated system combines weather detection, traffic alert and collision avoidance, Mode S surveillance and terrain awareness and warning functions into a single system. CISS 2100 also provides the platform for Rockwell Collins' next generation cooperative surveillance operations and applications. "The CISS-2100 significantly enhances safety of flight, lowers airline operating costs, and enables seamless integration of future surveillance and hazard detection functions," said Kelly Ortberg, vice president and general manager, Air Transport System for Rockwell Collins. "Our expertise in advanced flight deck design enables us to offer our customers a comprehensive solution for improved situational awareness and operational efficiency." Rockwell Collins CISS-2100 uses 40 percent fewer parts than traditional federated aircraft surveillance systems. This results in reduced weight, volume and power consumption. Simultaneously, the integrated system offers the most advanced weather, traffic and terrain surveillance functions.
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Embraer announced that it has reached an agreement for the sale of 30 firm EMBRAER 175 aircraft to Republic Airlines Inc. This brings to 78 firm and 75 options the total number of E-Jets on order for Republic. These aircraft were originally options under the amended and reinstated Embraer / US Airways purchase agreement. With the consent of Embraer, US Airways has transferred to Republic its right to purchase these aircraft. Today's announcement does not affect the 25 firm EMBRAER 190 aircraft and the 32 additional EMBRAER 190s, subject to reconfirmation, in US Airways' order book.Deliveries of the EMBRAER 175's -- all in 86-seat single class configuration and to fly in US Airways Express colors -- are expected to start in 2007 and continue through 2008.
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MT Aerospace AG, Augsburg, a subsidiary of OHB Technology AG has been awarded a contract by Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Ltd., Tokyo, for the delivery of components for the HTV, the unmanned Japanese space transporter. The components, which will be produced in Augsburg, will form part of the interior structure separating the vehicle's drive from the transportation area. This contract marks a further chapter in the successful long-standing partnership forged between MHI and MT Aerospace, which has previously supplied components for the tanks of the Japanese H-IIA launch vehicle and continues to do so. MT Aerospace has gained high renown in the development and production of spin-formed tank domes. This production method drastically reduces the number of steps required in the process by forming the component from a single template. The delivery schedule for the HTV components as well as for the parts for the H-IIA launch vehicle extends into 2009.
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Pratt & Whitney Canada has successfully completed the first run of its new PW617F turbine engine, selected by Embraer to power the Phenom 100 very light jet (VLJ). The PW617F development engine successfully ran at its full takeoff thrust of 1,695 lbs. at P&WC's test facilities in Mississauga, Ontario, on June 29, 2006 . "We're very proud to have achieved first run only a year after beginning development work on the PW617F," said Keyvan Fard, vice president - Regional Airline & Turboshaft Engines, P&WC. "This demonstrates yet again the design robustness of our new PW600 engine family, which offers an optimized combination of value and performance to operators."
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The Sentinel satellite series, which are being developed by ESA in support of the European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme (GMES), will meet the needs of the user in a variety of application areas by providing real-time services relating to the land, sea, atmosphere and ice fields. It is imperative that these, as with other Earth Observation missions, yield data with the quality and timeliness that users truly need for their applications. It is not surprising then, that along with the task of designing and building the satellites, airborne campaigns can play an important role in helping with the development of the mission as they allow satellite data to be simulated long before the actual launch of the mission. The ESA AgriSAR campaign, which finishes on 25 July, represents an ambitious large-scale attempt to assess the performance of the Sentinel-1 (C-band SAR) and Sentinel-2 (Optical Multi-spectral) for land applications. The campaign was unique in scope and scale. AgriSAR represents one of the few, perhaps the only, land-oriented campaign of its type including frequent airborne SAR coverage during the entire crop-growing season -from sowing to harvest. The main test site was Demmin, an agricultural site located in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in North-East Germany, approximately 150 km north of Berlin. The German Aerospace Centre's (DLR) E-SAR system was flown over the Demmin test site more than 14 times between the months of April and July. Weekly in-situ measurements were taken on the ground in selected fields throughout the same period. In addition to SAR coverage, optical data using the Canadian CASI from ITRES Research and the Spanish AHS from the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) were acquired during critical phases of the growing season in June and July. The June acquisitions were extended to include a forest and grassland site in central Netherlands, used by the EU EAGLE project. In total, over 15 research institutes from Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Britain, Canada and Denmark participated in the campaign.
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Rockwell Collins recently delivered the 787 Dreamliner's first fully operational pilot control system to Boeing. The system was delivered on schedule and will be used to develop an integrated test vehicle to ensure all 787 Flight Controls systems are functional, before building the actual aircraft. "The 787's pilot control system provides capabilities to enhance safety and performance, and offers operational commonality with other Boeing flight decks," said Kelly Ortberg, vice president and general manager of Air Transport Systems for Rockwell Collins. "We are proud to be part of yet another important milestone in bringing the 787 Dreamliner closer to reality."
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At the Farnborough International Airshow, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) and Cranfield University signed a 20-year partnership agreement to offer a wide range of top-level courses at the new DAE University, which will open its doors in Dubai this October. The agreement follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the parties in February, and will enable the institute to offer the first aerospace-focused business and engineering Master and Doctoral programmes in the Middle East. Speaking at the press conference, Dr Mohammed Al Zarouni, Managing Director of DAE, said: “DAE will be forming international partnerships at the highest level of industry with the aim of establishing one of the most innovative and successful businesses in the global aerospace industry.
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Embraer announced the firm order backlog and production schedule for its Executive Jets business. The Executive Jets portfolio includes the super mid-size business jet, Legacy 600; the very light and light jets, Phenom 100 and Phenom 300; and the recently announced Lineage 1000 ultra-large jet. "As of June 30, 2006, our executive jet firm order backlog stands at US$ 1.25 billion," said Mauricio Botelho, Embraer Chairman, President and CEO. "In respect to the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300, since our launch announcement just over a year ago, we have logged in excess of 235 firm orders." In mid-2008, deliveries of the Phenom 100 will commence, totaling 15-20 units by the end of the year. In 2009, when deliveries of the Phenom 300 begin early in the second half of the year, the production of the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 is projected to reach 120-150 units combined. Delivery of up to two Lineage 1000 is anticipated for the second half of 2008 in its first production year. In 2009, three to four Lineage 1000 are planned to be delivered.
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The 56th Rescue Squadron launched its first flight out of RAF Lakenheath. "We are very excited to get our local flying started," said Lt. Col. Thomas Greetan, 56th RQS commander. "It's a tribute to all the various groups and squadrons within the wing who have played a significant part in bringing the squadron to its current operational capability since we arrived and maintaining our alert up at Iceland." The 56th RQS and 56th Aircraft Maintenance Unit relocated here from Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, last month. The squadron provides North Atlantic theater rescue, combat rescue and reaction force response services for the 48th Fighter Wing and combatant commanders. To complete this mission, the 56th RQS uses HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters which increase the 48th FW's ability to meet the nation's warfighting mission, Colonel Greetan said.
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Virgin America could save U.S. passengers $786 million per year, or $88 per roundtrip, in reduced fares once the airline becomes certified as a new entrant in the domestic airline market. According to a study conducted by the aviation and economic research firm The Campbell-Hill Aviation Group Inc., the introduction of low-fare service by Virgin America would reduce market fares, increase service frequency and capacity, and stimulate new passenger traffic. Of the $786 million in annual fare savings, approximately 84 percent of this would be a benefit to current passengers. Virgin America also could create 3.3 million new passengers, attracting customers who are more price sensitive. The study examined the expected national and regional benefits of Virgin America's potential services on fares and passenger traffic for a theoretical set of markets based on service and fleet objectives already announced in public documents. "If crowded planes and higher air fares this summer are not enough evidence, what Campbell-Hill has found confirms that the U.S. market needs another airline," said Virgin America CEO Fred Reid. "Whether it's lower fares, better service or simply more consumer choice, Virgin America can't wait to bring these tremendous benefits to U.S. consumers. We are pleased that the DOT, as promoter of consumer interests in the U.S. aviation market, recognizes what is at stake and is moving forward with a timely review of our application."
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TTTech has become a partner, with 13 leading actors of the European aerospace industry, in the DRESS project for research into "more electric" aircraft as well as automatic airport navigation. The project aims to perform research, and to develop and validate a distributed and redundant electrical steering system for an aircraft nose landing gear. Coordinated by Messier-Bugatti, a world leader in aircraft braking, this project was selected by the European Commission as part of the 6th framework program for research and development. The project kick-off took place in May 2006; project duration is planned for three years. DRESS stands for Distributed and Redundant Electrical nose gear Steering System. Its main goal is to replace current hydraulic actuators by electromechanical actuators and electronics. This will improve the industry's competitiveness and increase aircraft safety by reducing system weight. Moreover, this approach will improve reliability because it will be possible to install additional redundancies, and it will lead to steering systems that can be integrated with fully automated aircraft ground guidance systems. TTTech's contribution will be focused on system architecture studies, data communication and advanced system integration technologies. TTTech will build easily reconfigurable plug and play hardware and software modules for fault-tolerant, distributed embedded computing and networking. This will enable control system reuse among different aircraft platforms, reduction of certification effort, shorter development cycles, and reduced integration costs. All TTTech solutions are based on a time-triggered approach that supports fault-tolerant computing.
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Lockheed Martin has won a $13 million U.S. Army contract to develop, integrate and flight-test two systems that will improve a helicopter's ability to survive attack from small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs). The first system, the Hostile Fire Indicator (HFI), uses sensors to detect muzzle flashes from small arms fire and RPGs, and precisely compute the bearing to the threat's location. The second system, a Visual Acquisition Disruptor, will inhibit the ability of enemy combatants to acquire an accurate shot at the aircraft. Lockheed Martin will integrate the two systems with an additional processor that maintains Visual Acquisition Disruption (VAD) as the aircraft continues flying. To enhance situational awareness, the processor will provide crewmembers with audio alerts and visual threat location symbology shown on their helmet-mounted or heads-down displays.
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The global air cargo market will continue its growth patterns of the past few years, with strong 20-year growth, according to the Current Market Outlook (CMO) 2006 from the Boeing Company. This pattern will lead to a doubling of the world freighter fleet from 1,789 to 3,563 airplanes, both numbers slightly up from the previous forecast. This growth, accounting for expected airplane retirements of 1,209 airplanes, will result in a total of 2,983 airplanes added to the freighter fleet by 2025, according to the annual CMO, which was released earlier this month prior to the Farnborough Air Show. “Relatively stable total fleet numbers over the past five years are a bit misleading since strong deliveries have been offset by a roughly equal number of retirements,” said Jim Edgar, regional director, Cargo Marketing for Asia. “Rising fuel prices apply replacement pressure on older inefficient fleets, contributing to unprecedented freighter interest while we experience minimal negative impact upon traffic levels.” Most of these additions – nearly 62 percent – will be in the widebody category (medium widebody plus large freighters). Widebody freighters with a capacity of 40 tons or more will increase in share from 50 percent of the current fleet to 64 percent of the 2025 fleet. Consequently, there will be an increase in overall average freighter airplane payload. These findings are consistent with prior years' forecasts. “The total number of airplanes in the freighter fleet forecast is only slightly higher than last year's totals,” said Edgar. “However, the move to large freighters is already taking hold as the 2005 fleet is only 50 percent standard-body freighters, versus 53 percent for the same segment in 2004. The underlying trend towards accelerated widebody growth, encompassing such airplanes as the 747 freighter family and the 777 Freighter, is masked by this retirement of older standard-body freighters.”
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NASA has awarded a 90-day study contract to four space-related companies to separately examine long-term ground processing and infrastructure planning for the agency's Constellation Program. The contractor teams are expected to provide a wealth of knowledge and experience during the study phase to support ground systems and operations planning through 2030, including missions supporting the International Space Station, lunar exploration and Mars exploration. Contract awardees are: ATK Launch Systems Group, Corrine, Utah; Boeing Space Operations Co., Titusville, Fla.; Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Littleton, Colo., and United Space Alliance, Houston. The awards are limited to $150,000 per contract. Study recommendations will be considered in NASA's Kennedy Space Center's planning for the Ares I crew launch vehicle, Ares V cargo launch vehicle operations and crew exploration vehicle processing. The contracts, which should be completed in October, were awarded in response to the Constellation ground operations Broad Agency Announcement Request for Proposal issued in April.
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) today reported that 2006 international passenger traffic for the first half of the year grew 6.7% while international freight traffic was up 5.2% over the same period in 2005. The passenger load factor reached 75.1%, 1.2 percentage points higher than during the same period last year. For the single month of June, passenger traffic continued the pattern of strong and stable growth seen over the past 18 months with a 6.5% expansion over June 2005. With only a 4.4% expansion in capacity, the passenger load factor reached 78.3%, over 1.5 percentage points over June 2005. Freight performance was disappointing with 4.1% growth, a drop from the 5.1% growth recorded in May. "The bottom line is all about oil. Prices continue at near record levels and we expect a fuel bill of US$112 billion this year at an average price of US$66 per barrel. Increased political instability in the Middle East does not bode well for a price drop any time soon. The good news is that neither the extraordinary price of oil nor the inching-up of interest rates negatively impacted demand," said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's Director General and CEO. Bisignani continued, "The revenue environment is strong. In each of the last three years, revenues increased 10%. And careful capacity management has seen global load factors move about the 75% level for the first half of the year. None-the-less, airlines will still end the year US$3 billion in the red." "Change is urgent and now is the time. Airline efficiency gains must be matched throughout the value chain. And we must find new ways of doing business. Airlines are leading the way by Simplifying the Business. The 100% conversion to e-ticketing by the end of 2007 is a great example. But we now look to the oil industry to move faster at developing alternative fuels to further improve efficiency and environmental performance," said Bisignani.
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The second Eurofighter Typhoon destined for Austria has started final assembly at EADS Military Air Systems at Manching north of Munich. AS002 (Austrian Single-seat) will be delivered to the Austrian Air Force in 2007 with the contracted capability. Major component production for the other aircraft for Austria is under way in the four partner companies Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems, EADS Germany and EADS CASA. The first Eurofighter Typhoon for Austria, AS001, has finished the comprehensive electrical tests and is currently receiving further equipment and undergoing hydraulic plus electronic testing. Rollout of AS001 will be later in 2006. The Eurofighter consortium is under contract to deliver 18 aircraft, four in 2007, 12 in 2008 and 2 in 2009. These aircraft will be assembled at EADS Military Air Systems in Manching on behalf of the four national consortium, and accepted by the Austrian Air Force through the German Air Force quality management organization.
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Boeing reported a second-quarter net loss of $160 million, or $0.21 per share, which includes $1.15 per share of previously disclosed charges for a legal settlement and an international airborne surveillance program. The company also increased its 2007 earnings per share and revenue guidance to reflect the continuing strength of its commercial airplanes business. Revenue for the second quarter rose 2 percent to $15.0 billion. In the year-ago quarter Boeing posted net earnings of $566 million, or $0.70 per share, on revenues of $14.7 billion. The year-ago revenue total included a $0.4 billion benefit from a customer's buyout of several operating leases. The charges disclosed on June 29 included $615 million for the global settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, which yielded a net charge of $571 million after reserves, or $0.75 per share. Boeing will not claim a tax deduction for this payment. The company also disclosed it would record a charge for a reach-forward loss provision on an international Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) program; the charge recognized in the quarter was $496 million or $0.40 per share. Because of the charges, which were partially offset by improvements in the commercial airplanes business and by lower pension expense, Boeing reduced its 2006 earnings per share guidance (provided on a GAAP basis) to between $2.40 and $2.55. Based on the strength of the commercial airplane business and companywide productivity improvements, the company's 2007 earnings per share guidance was raised 15 cents per share to between $4.25 and $4.45 per share and its revenue guidance was increased $1 billion to between $64.5 billion and $65.5 billion. Additional details on financial guidance are provided below. "Boeing's outlook is strengthening due to sustained demand for our commercial airplanes, our steady but modestly growing defense business, and our companywide focus on growth and productivity," said Boeing Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney. "This quarter's charges overshadowed solid fundamentals that reflect our commitment to providing exceptional value for all our stakeholders." Boeing's backlog at quarter-end grew to a record $220 billion, up 3 percent from the end of the first quarter and 7 percent for the first six months of 2006. That growth primarily reflects strong demand for Boeing's commercial airplane products.
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International Communications Group (ICG) was a major participant in a recent series of test flights to demonstrate new-generation “paint-on” antenna technology using a unique SA-60 spherical airship designed for high-altitude research. The test flights took place June 21 in the Nevada desert. In addition to ICG, participants included the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center, Research Triangle Institute (RTI International); Applied EM Inc., Unitech, Sierra Nevada Techsphere Systems International and 21st Century Airships. The goal was to demonstrate new, light-weight conformal “paint-on” antenna technology for high-altitude communications through the Iridium global satellite network. The antennas successfully transmitted Iridium voice and data calls from various locations on the airship with outstanding radio frequency performance and bit error rates. ICG flew a four-channel Iridium aircraft communication package on the airship. In addition to qualifying similar performance between the paint-on antenna and standard FAA/TSO-qualified aircraft antennas, ICG demonstrated remote bi-directional data file transfers between the airship and various ground locations. Of particular note was the ability of the communications package to host multi-party airborne connections among geographically separated ground locations, establishing the relay capability resident on the airship.
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Boeing made history by delivering the 2,000th Next-Generation 737 nearly seven years sooner than any other commercial jet airplane model. The milestone delivery -- a 737-700 to Southwest Airlines -- occurred nearly nine years after Southwest received the first Next-Generation 737. "This is a tremendous day for the Boeing team and our customers. The 737 family just keeps getting better and better, and this milestone is a reflection of the continued value our customers place on the airplanes and the people who design, build and support them," said Mark Jenkins, vice president and general manager of 737 Airplane Production. Earlier this year, the current airplane family eclipsed order totals for Classic 737s. As of June 30, 2006, 97 customers have placed orders for more than 3,300 airplanes. The program has 1,365 unfilled orders with a value of $91 billion at current list prices. So far this year, the Next-Generation 737 has won net orders for 399 airplanes. The order total represents 78 percent in units of all Boeing commercial airplane orders for the year. The Next-Generation 737 has been in service since 1998, making it 10 years younger than the Airbus A320. The fleet has accumulated more than 24 million flight hours and flown more than 12 million flights. The reliability rate is an industry-leading 99.4 percent.
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Boeing announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS, a member of the Switzerland-based Liebherr Group, to supply the environmental control system for the new 747-8 airplane. Liebherr's environmental control system will use outside air supplied by the 747-8's General Electric GEnx engines to supply the cabin. The system will condition the air, making it comfortable for passengers and crew. "Having a robust environmental control system is critical for cabin safety and comfort," said Corky Townsend, chief project engineer, 747-8 program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Liebherr has a proven track record in environmental control systems for commercial aviation. They also have proven to be a reliable supplier for The Boeing Company." Liebherr will design and manufacture the environmental control system at its facility in Toulouse, France. Group members Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH and Liebherr-Elektronik GmbH also will participate in this project. Boeing expects the first hardware deliveries to begin late 2008.
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Rockwell Collins announced that it will complete this summer the first delivery of avionics to AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Co. (ACAC) Ltd. of China for the new ARJ21 regional jet. Officials from both companies celebrated the milestone with a formal acceptance ceremony at Rockwell Collins headquarters in Cedar Rapids. "This delivery marks the first large system integration test rig from our international suppliers and the start of aircraft system integration," said ACAC President Zheng Qiang. "We appreciate the efforts of Rockwell Collins to accomplish this important milestone ahead of schedule. This achievement shall inspire all ARJ21 stakeholders and elevates our confidence in future milestones and the success of our aircraft." The ARJ21-700 is scheduled to make its first flight in March 2008 and is expected to go into revenue service by mid 2009. The 78- to 90-seat aircraft is designed to meet the demanding conditions of China's diverse environment and will be a contender in the world marketplace for regional jets.
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Bombardier Aerospace announced that the Government of Spain has placed a firm order for one Bombardier 415 amphibious aircraft. The contract is valued at approximately 30.6 million $US and includes initial spare parts provisioning, training and technical support. With this firm order, the government of Spain is increasing its fleet to 20 Bombardier amphibious aircraft. It is already operating 14 CL-215T and 5 CL-215 aircraft. The new aircraft is scheduled for immediate delivery and is expected to enter service for the current fire season.
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NASA engineers around the country recently completed tests associated with rocket engines, heat protection systems and spacesuits destined for use in the Constellation Program of moon and Mars missions. Engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., completed an early step in developing the upper-stage rocket engine that will be used in both the Ares I crew launch vehicle and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle. The Marshall team completed the first series of tests on a scaled-down version of main injector hardware, which will inject and mix liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants in the engine combustion chamber, where they are ignited and burned to produce thrust. The initial tests were performed on a hardware model, approximately 1/13th the thrust level of a full-scale J-2 engine injector, that contained 40 individual elements for propellant flow. The injector was fired horizontally with varying fuel temperatures and different propellant mixture ratios for 10 to 20 seconds at a thrust of approximately 20,000 pounds. Approximately 50 tests are planned for this series. At Johnson Space Center, Houston, recent tests focused on materials that could be used to protect the Crew Exploration Vehicle when it makes its fiery descent through the atmosphere on the way home to Earth. Also in Houston, astronauts and other personnel practiced walking back to base from a stranded moon rover to test basic spacesuit requirements for use in designing the first new spacesuit for use on the moon since Apollo. These suits will need to be more comfortable and durable than earlier spacesuits since the next lunar explorers will be staying on the surface for longer periods, eventually up to six months at a time, and conducting more scientific research and construction tasks than ever attempted in Apollo.
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The U.S. Army has awarded a $170 million contract to HELLFIRE Systems, Limited Liability Company (HSLLC) for continued production of the combat-proven HELLFIRE II air-to-ground missile. Options for additional missile production, if exercised, would bring the contract's value to more than $500 million. Lockheed Martin performs all the work scope on behalf of HSLLC and will produce the missiles at its manufacturing facility in Troy, AL.
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Lufthansa has continued its successful course and reports significantly higher profits for the first six months of 2006. The Group lifted operating profits by 44 million euros to 297 million euros. Net profit for the term rose against the break-even result in the first half 2005 to 85 million euros. Commenting on the first-half results, Lufthansa Chairman and CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber said: “Our strategy is working and we are doing our homework. That is paying off. Our results are fully in line with planning.“ The second quarter, especially, was highly gratifying for the Group. Operating profits in that quarter were up by 93 million euros to 372 million euros. The Lufthansa Chairman remains optimistic for the full year and is now expecting the Group to improve on the year-earlier results. Last year, the Lufthansa Group returned a profit of 577 million euros. “We can see progress and potential in all our business segments,“ Mayrhuber emphasised. It is, however, especially important that good results were achieved in our core passenger business. “Raising profits by close to 40 million euros despite the high oil prices demonstrates Lufthansa's strength,” said the Chairman. “Our customers are flocking to Lufthansa. They appreciate our quality, the professionalism of our staff and the customised products which Lufthansa offers them.” With that approach, the Group has improved yields in all traffic areas. “Our market driven capacity expansion was exactly right.“ Wolfgang Mayrhuber emphasised that Lufthansa has succeeded in saving while, simultaneously, continuing to develop high-level quality and service. “We are saving in the right place, namely at our Company and with partners. We are not saving at the customers we are investing for them. Customer satisfaction remains at a high level. Our premium products in First and Business Class, the Lufthansa Private Jet Service and the highly attractive “Better Fly” economy fares are meeting with an enthusiastic response.“
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A civilian Dnepr rocket built from a modified intercontinental ballistic missile failed to carry a clutch of small satellites into orbit Wednesday as it crashed just south of its Central Asian launch site. The Dnepr's engine apparently shut down prematurely just after rocketing spaceward from its Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan, Russian space officials told the Interfax News Agency. The rocket was scheduled to launch at 3:43 p.m. EDT (1943 GMT) and reach orbit a short time later. “The first stage failed to separate on time, it stopped working about 10 minutes earlier, and that is why the engine shut down in emergency mode,” Yury Nosenko, deputy head of Russia's Federal Space Agency, told Interfax.
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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University announced an order for 29 new Garmin G1000-equipped 172 Skyhawks from Cessna. At any given time, about 1,700 students are learning to fly in Embry-Riddle's Skyhawks at the Daytona, Fla., campus and Prescott, Ariz., campus. With the additional 29 Skyhawks on order, the all-Cessna fleet will now include 69 Skyhawks.
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ESA's spacecraft constellation Cluster has hit the magnetic bull's-eye. The four spacecraft surrounded a region within which the Earth's magnetic field was spontaneously reconfiguring itself. This is the first time such an observation has been made and gives astronomers a unique insight into the physical process responsible for the most powerful explosions that can occur in the Solar System: the magnetic reconnection. When looking at the static pattern of iron filings around a bar magnet, it is difficult to imagine how changeable and violent magnetic fields can be in other situations. In space, different regions of magnetism behave somewhat like large magnetic bubbles, each containing electrified gas known as plasma. When the bubbles meet and are pushed together, their magnetic fields can break and reconnect, forming a more stable magnetic configuration. This reconnection of magnetic fields generates jets of particles and heats the plasma. At the very heart of a reconnection event, there must be a three dimensional zone where the magnetic fields break and reconnect. Scientists call this region a null point but, until now, have never been able to obtain a three-dimensional picture of it, as it requires at least four simultaneous points of measurements.
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American Capital Strategies Ltd. announced it has invested $58 million in the One Stop Buyout of the assets of Pan Am International Flight Academy's Commercial Division and Air Traffic Control Division and certain assets of the Regional Division. Pan Am International Flight Academy is a leading provider of simulator-based flight training to commercial airlines and professional pilots. American Capital's investment takes the form of a senior term A loan, senior subordinated debt and series A convertible preferred equity. American Capital is also providing a revolving credit facility. Dimeling, Schreiber & Park and Pan Am International Flight Academy management are also investing in the equity. "The operating experience of our Special Situations Group and our ability to execute this One Stop Buyout(TM) by funding throughout the balance sheet will provide the necessary support for the continued growth of Pan Am International Flight Academy," said American Capital Managing Director Gordon O'Brien. "This is an excellent opportunity for the Special Situations Group to leverage American Capital's knowledge of the aerospace industry from previous investments and we look forward to working with management to further expand the Company's reach domestically and overseas and in pursuing other avenues of growth."
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MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg has just secured the largest CF34 repair contract in its history. Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation will send all of the CF34-3B1 engines powering its fleet of 70 twin-engine Bombardier CRJ200 regional jets to Ludwigsfelde for repair and overhaul. The ten-year contract is worth about 240 million euros ($300 million). Bernd Kessler, President and CEO, commercial maintenance at MTU Aero Engines, noted: "We're very excited about this long-term relationship." He continued to say: "In Air Wisconsin, we added to our customer list a very successful airline that will have nothing less than our all-out support. We'll be happy to contribute to the airline's future success. This contract assures our status as one of the leading CF34 maintenance providers." CF34 family engines are among the best-selling in their class. MTU Maintenance Berlin-Brandenburg provides service support not only for the -3B1 variant, but also for all other popular versions of the General Electric engine. In the shop's engine portfolio, the CF34 is evolving into the single most important program. André Wall, President and CEO of the MTU affiliate at Ludwigsfelde, commented: "We put a high priority on being available to our customers around the clock every day of the year." Wall is banking on this key contract having a ripple effect among further potential customers.
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Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) has completed testing of its hypersonic Ground Demonstrator Engine No. 2 (GDE-2) at NASA's Langley Research Center in Virginia. This is the first time that a closed-loop hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet propulsion system has been successfully tested at hypersonic conditions. The PWR GDE-2 produced significant hypersonic data results during several test runs conducted at Mach 5 conditions in the eight-foot High Temperature Tunnel at the Langley Research Center. The engine used standard JP-7 fuel in a closed-loop configuration to both cool engine hardware and fuel the engine's combustor. "Completing the testing of GDE-2 marks a significant milestone in hypersonic technology," said Mike McKeon, manager of hypersonic programs for PWR. "GDE-2 is a complete propulsion system that contains many of the technologies required to make real world hypersonic propulsion a reality." Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne teamed with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and NASA to complete the testing of GDE-2. A government/industry team that includes AFRL, DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), NASA, PWR and The Boeing Company will use technology demonstrated by GDE-2 to develop the propulsion system for the X-51A flight demonstration program, which will begin flight testing in 2008.
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Mooney Airplane Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mooney Aerospace Group, Ltd. will feature the industry's two fastest single engine airplanes, the turbo-normalized Acclaim and the 310 horsepower Ovation3, in its exhibit at the Experimental Aircraft Association's (EAA's) annual AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 24-30. Both aircraft joined the Mooney family earlier this year when Mooney introduced two new models within two months of each other. The EAA AirVenture display will be the first time the two latest additions to the Mooney product line will be presented together. The popular Ovation2 GX will also be displayed. Priced at $453,500, the Ovation3 offers all the amenities and features of the Ovation2 GX, but with a 310 horsepower, normally aspirated Teledyne Continental Motors IO 550-G/AP engine that improves climb and cruise performance. It allows the Ovation3 to take off in a shorter distance and cruise as much as 7 knots faster than the 280 horsepower Ovation2 GX, depending on altitude. It's the fastest normally-aspirated, piston-engine powered single engine airplane on the market.
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The Australian Government has moved a step closer to a $1b to $1.5b project for Defence to obtain a Multi-mission Unmanned Aerial System (MUAS). First pass approval has been granted to allow Defence to commence formal negotiations to participate with the United States Navy in the cooperative development of a MUAS capability. This exciting new capability signals a change in the way Australia will undertake maritime surveillance and reconnaissance in the future. The MUAS capability can operate up to 18 km above the earth's surface, thousands of kilometers from home and for periods exceeding 24 hours. The high altitude, long range, all weather operation of the MUAS provides Defence with an important surveillance capability. It could play a significant role in the patrolling of such areas as the North West Shelf, the sea-air gap to the North as well as Australia's Antarctic territories. The introduction of the MUAS will reduce the operational burden on Air Force's AP-3C Orion maritime patrol fleet until the aircraft's planned withdrawal from service around 2015 to 2018. Under Project AIR 7000 the existing manned maritime patrol capability will be replaced with a mix of both unmanned and manned aircraft. Phase 2 of AIR 7000 will focus on determining whether to refurbish or replace the AP-3C Orion fleet.
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The US Air Force will meet all requirements to proceed with multi-year funding on purchasing of the last 60 F-22 Raptor aircraft. During a July 26 testimony before the Senate Armed Service Committee air-land subcommittee, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said the service has met five of six legislative requirements for proceeding with multi-year funding on the F-22 aircraft. "The one I lack, really, is the authorization from the Congress," Secretary Wynne said. "I believe we have met five out of the six, the sixth being the funding, which I intend to meet in the fiscal year 2008 program objective memorandum." In order to proceed with multi-year funding on the F-22, the Air Force must meet the six criteria laid out in Title 10 U.S. Code, Section 2306B. That part of the law requires the Air Force to show the multi-year contract promotes national security, the number of aircraft required is stable, the aircraft design is stable, the contract will result in substantial savings, the costs estimates for the contract and cost avoidance are realistic, and be able to provide stable funding throughout the contract period.
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Lower-cost maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) hubs in Eastern/Central European region look set to benefit from the growing demand for airframe maintenance which characterises their core competency base, as Western European participants are faced with the rising challenge of maintaining acceptable margins given the inherent labour cost disadvantage. To build on this advantage, Eastern European MROs must continually explore options to maintain and improve the competitiveness of their service deliveries as economic and living standards achieve equilibrium across the EU. Frost & Sullivan finds that the Eastern European MRO Market was worth $1059.5 million in 2005 and estimates this to reach $1571.0 million in 2012. For the purpose of this research service, the geographical description 'Eastern Europe' has been loosely applied in the context of the acceded EU-10 together with Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and other non-EU Balkan states (Albania, Moldova, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina). “Both Eastern and Western European airlines are preparing to absorb the surge in intra-European air travel demand through a combination of network and fleet expansion,” says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Patrick Yeung. “In parallel, the upward spiralling of fuel costs will provide the impetus for ex-Soviet-aircraft operators to introduce Western-built aircraft that provide better operating economies and lower maintenance costs.” The net effect of network and fleet expansion driven predominantly by narrowbodies, will be increased aircraft utilisation and installed base, translating into growing market opportunities for Eastern European MROs. In addition, Eastern European MROs will prove increasingly attractive for airline operators in surrounding Western Europe, Russia and Commonwealth Independent States, as the maintenance outsourcing trend continues to develop.
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GKN Aerospace will supply the complete, assembled airframe for 70 Future Lynx helicopters for the Royal Navy and Army. The Company will be responsible for managing the entire supply chain for this work and will assemble the airframe at its base in Yeovil, prior to delivery to AgustaWestland. This contract is valued at approximately £50 million through to 2016. Rob Lewis, General Manager & Operations Director, GKN Aerospace – Yeovil: "This represents the culmination of three years of effort to secure the contract and is the result of a true team effort to provide an elegant and efficient solution which delivers significant cost reductions for the Future Lynx Airframe." The airframe for the Future Lynx represents a considerable progression from the current Lynx airframe which is also supplied, fully assembled, by GKN Aerospace Structures at Yeovil. GKN Aerospace has worked with the AgustaWestland design team throughout the development cycle to achieve a new and less complex design. The result is a new Lynx airframe that will continue to be manufactured in aluminium but will incorporate monolithic machined components to reduce the component count by some 30%.
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Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC) leasing company and Aviacor – Samara Aviation Plant JSC signed the agreement on delivery and operational support of Antonov-140-100 turboprop airplanes. According to this agreement Aviacor will deliver to the 25 of such aircraft within 5 years. Yakutia airlines became the first operator of the Russian-assembled Antonov-140-100. Till the end of 2006, Samara Aviation Plant plans to deliver two more Antonov-140-100s to this customer. Besides the above-mentioned aircraft, Yakutia expressed its intension to purchase 5 more airplanes of such type. This order is realized by another Russian leasing company – FLC. Thus, at present, Aviacor has the orders to produce 32 of Antonov-140-100 aircraft.
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Kongsberg conducted a successful test firing of the NSM (Naval Strike Missile) in California, USA. The test firing was part of the Norwegian Navy's final approval of the development phase. The test was conducted in the U.S. because the Americans have a test firing range that allows the missile to be tested over land and sea alike. This is essential for testing several of the missile's functions. This successful test firing confirms the missile's highly sophisticated features, meaning the project risk is now further reduced. As planned, the missile is now ready for deployment on board the new Nansen class frigates and on the new missile torpedo boats.
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From 1 December 2006, Lufthansa passengers will be able to fly non-stop to the Indian city of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). The German flag carrier will serve India's third-largest city directly from Frankfurt, three times a week. In February 2005, Lufthansa added Hyderabad to its network, which already included Delhi, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Chennai (formerly Madras) and Bangalore. The new connection to Kolkata will enable passengers to reach this economically important region in north-eastern India in just nine-and-a-half hours on average. With more than 13 million inhabitants, Kolkata is India's second-largest urban agglomeration.
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Swiss International Air Lines (Group) generated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of CHF 98 million for the first half of 2006. The company reported a negative EBIT of CHF 9 million for the same period last year. The consolidated net result for the first six months also showed a year-on-year improvement, rising from the CHF 89 million net loss of 2005 to a net profit of CHF 76 million for the current year.
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On Saturday July 15th, as the grand finale to the night's gala dinner, Diamond unveiled the newest member of its exciting fleet - the D-JET personal light jet. During dinner, guests enjoyed presentations from Phil Boyer, AOPA President as well as Matt Huff, VP Business Development at Williams International and Gary Kelley, VP Marketing at Garmin. After dessert, the over 500 guests watched and applauded with excitement as Christian Dries, CEO of Diamond Aircraft, taxied the D-JET into the hangar, jumped out the aircraft door and announced "Ladies and Gentlemen, that was a small jump for mankind, but a giant leap for Diamond Aircraft and me." The reveal of the D-JET included 2 "aircraft", S/N 001 that has now logged over 30 hours flight time, plus a fully outfitted mockup that guests could sit inside and try out the controls and the avionics. "I was just blown away by the quality and the level of finish of the mockup. The high quality materials, the incredible attention to detail and size and brilliance of the flight displays were unlike anything I've seen before" said Neil McGrath a Diamond Star owner, "the thing that struck me most is the incredible feeling of space inside the aircraft - I always had the impression that VLJ's were a bit tight, but the D-JET has the feel of a much bigger cabin-class jet. The fact that I can realistically train up from my DA40 and ultimately become a D-JET pilot, makes it a dream that could actually come true!" Touted as creating a new market segment in personal aviation, the D-JET has been optimized for flight at lower altitudes. "The high altitude cruise segment for a VLJ is actually a proportionally small part of the entire flight as compared to conventional jets, and to fly around at lower altitudes will greatly diminish their practical performance. With the D-JET we intentionally focused on practical performance, low cost and high comfort. The Diamond D-JET made its first public appearance today at AirVenture 2006 and was welcomed by a host of aviation dignitaries and a crowd of spectators.
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NASA announced the award of launch services for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission to Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services Inc. of Littleton, Colo. The total cost of launch services for NASA, which includes spacecraft processing, and associated mission integration services such as telemetry support and mission-unique items is $136.2 million dollars. The spacecraft are scheduled for launch aboard an Atlas V 401 rocket from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station during a launch window that opens on Oct. 31, 2008. The launch service was awarded in support of the NASA Launch Services Program office at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The orbiter will spend a year mapping the moon from an average altitude of approximately 30 miles. It will carry six instruments and one technology demonstration to perform investigations specifically targeted for preparing for future human exploration. The instruments are provided by various organizations throughout the United States, and one is from Russia.
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