FLUG REVUE update: Week ending 25 February 2007

UPDATE - Week ending 25 February 2007

+++ Airbus job cut decisions postponed +++ Bombardier launches CRJ1000 +++ German Heeresflieger order CH-53 upgrade +++ UAE signs for A330 tankers +++ GEnx engine takes its first flight +++ Rosetta comet-chaser swings by Mars +++ News in brief +++

Airbus job cut decisions postponed
Weiter Proleme mit Airbus-Sanierung

On February 18th, the EADS Board of Directors interrupted its work on Power8. The company announced that the meeting will be resumed within the next days to find an agreement regarding the cross national sharing of the industrial workload related to the A350XWB. Consequently, the Airbus work council “ECA” meeting planned on February 20th has been postponed.
Louis Gallois, CEO of Airbus, underlined “the need to very quickly find a solution that overcomes national issues. I made proposals which I deem balanced, both from an industrial and a technological point of view, and which serve our objective of economic competitiveness,” he said. “I wish that they can lead to the consensus we urgently need. Airbus cannot delay any longer implementing Power 8. Quite naturally, employees are eager to know how the future of their Company together with their own future is being shaped”.
The Airbus problem also was a main topic during the French-German consultations an 23 February near Berlin. Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Jacques Chirac emphasisec that they are fully supporting Airbus and the pending decisions (in the next few days) on improving competitiveness. They also said that the principles of partnership must be the basis for the necessary cutbacks. Fair distribution of job losses should be the main aim. They are convinced that the management will hold its promise of balanced measures regarding jobs, technology and competences.

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Bombardier launches CRJ1000
Neuer Regionaljet von Bombardier

On 19 February, Bombardier announced the launch of its CRJ1000 regional jet, the next major step in the evolution of the CRJ Series aircraft family, the world's most successful family of regional aircraft. Previously designated the CRJ900X jet, the CRJ1000 regional airliner is designed specifically to meet the needs of growing regional airlines for jets of up to 100 seats, with a focus on extremely low operating costs and improvements to cabin comfort.
"We anticipated the need for larger regional aircraft when we introduced the CRJ700 regional jet in 1997 and the CRJ900 regional jet in 2000. These aircraft are now the backbones of many airline fleets worldwide," said Pierre Beaudoin, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace. "Today, with the CRJ1000 aircraft, Bombardier continues to build on its ongoing commitment to product innovation. The CRJ1000 regional jet combines the proven platform, reliability and flexible cabin configurations of its predecessors with its closest competitor having up to 15 per cent higher trip cash operating costs."
The CRJ1000 aircraft program is launched with 38 firm orders, 15 of which are CRJ900 conversions, and 23 conditional orders and options. The following three customers have placed these orders.
Brit Air of Morlaix, France, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air France, has placed a firm order for eight CRJ1000 aircraft, and has taken options on eight additional CRJ1000 aircraft. Based on CRJ1000 list price, the value of Brit Air's eight firm ordered aircraft is approximately $371 million US which could rise to $768 million US if the airline exercises its eight options.
With the launch of the CRJ1000 aircraft, My Way Airlines of Italy is converting, as announced in September 2006, 15 of its 19 CRJ900 regional jet orders to CRJ1000 regional jets. The original contract value for the 19 CRJ900 aircraft, based on CRJ900 aircraft list price, was approximately $702 million US. This value will increase to approximately $857 million US for four CRJ900 and 15 CRJ1000 aircraft, based on CRJ900 and CRJ1000 aircraft list prices.
An undisclosed customer has placed a firm order for 15 of the aircraft, with a conditional order for an additional 15. Based on CRJ1000 list price, the contract value for this 15 aircraft firm order is approximately $704 million US, which could increase to $1.5 billion US if the airline's 15 conditional orders are executed.
The new CRJ1000 regional jet is scheduled to enter service in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2009. First flight is scheduled for the summer of 2008. With a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 91,800 pounds (41,632 kilograms), the CRJ1000 aircraft will offer a maximum range of 1,691 nautical miles (3,139 kilometres) with 100 passengers, under certain operating conditions. Compared to older generation aircraft of similar passenger capacity currently in operation, the CRJ1000 will also respond to today's environmental needs by providing substantially lower fuel consumption and achieving up to 30 per cent reduced carbon dioxide engine emissions.

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German Heeresflieger order CH-53 upgrade
Modernisierung der deutschen CH-53G

On 14 February, the German procurement agency BWB awarded a contract for the product improvement of the CH-53G medium transport helicopters to Eurocopter Germany, based in Donauwörth. With the fundamental renewal of its avionics equipment, the mission capabilities of the CH-53G medium transport helicopter operated by the German Federal Armed Forces will be secured.
The improvement package, which will be implemented on 40 of the 80 CH-53Gs in the German Army fleet, will modernize the communications and weapon systems, and ensure that the helicopters remain suited for the expanding range of missions carried out by the Federal Armed Forces. The contract is worth 520 million euros, and the upgrade is to be completed by 2013.
The improvement package is broadly focused on avionics (supplied by Rockwell Collins) and self-protection. It includes new communications, data transmission, navigation, a civilian-standard flight management system, an autopilot, forward-looking infrared, new electronic warfare system and an additional, internal fuel tank.
Once completed, the upgraded aircraft, designated CH-53GA, will be compatible with the German Army's Tiger and NH90 helicopters, and will remain operationally effective until its successor ultimately enters service.

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UAE signs for A330 tankers
Absichtserklärung der Emirate für A330-Tanker

The UAE Armed Forces GHQ announced at IDEX 2007 Defence Exhibition in Abu Dhabi the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding with EADS CASA for the procurement of the A330 MRTT as the new air-to-air refuelling aircraft for its UAE Air Force & Air Defense Following the contract signed with the Royal Australian Air Force, and after being selected as preferred bidder for the Future Stategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) in the UK, the UAE decision consolidates further the A330 MRTT position as the most advanced and capable air-to-air refuelling aircraft available in the market. EADS CASA, responsible for the design and production of the MRTTs, is positioned as a key worldwide supplier in the field of tanking and transport aircraft.
The expected order will be for three (3) A330 MRTT aircraft, equipped with underwing pods and the EADS CASA Advanced Refuelling Boom System, and will be due for delivery from 2011 onwards.

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GEnx engine takes its first flight
Erstflug des Genx an einer 747

On 22 February, the GEnx engine took to the skies in Victorville, California, marking the start of flight-testing on GE's 747 flying test-bed. During the four-hour first flight, the GEnx-1B engine demonstrated aircraft systems and instrumentation functionality, climbed to close to 40,000 feet and established engine performance baseline for flight-testing.
"The engine performed extremely well, and we look forward to gaining additional valuable information on the engine's capabilities from flight-testing," said Tom Brisken, general manager of the GEnx program. "Today's flight puts us another step closer to certification later this year on the GEnx-1B engine for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner."
Preparations for the first GEnx flight on GE's flying test-bed began more than two years ago. The electrical system requirements for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner posed unique challenges. GE's 747 flying test-bed was modified to manage the electrical load from the engine's two starter-generators and to provide the power necessary for electrical ground and air starts. The modifications were completed last month, and the GEnx-1B engine was installed in the inboard location on the left wing of the aircraft in just one day.
The GEnx flight test team has a rigorous schedule ahead, with about three flights per week over the next three months. These flight-tests will evaluate the steady-state and transient performance of the engine, verify air re-starting capability, determine the combustor operability margins, validate throttle response and assess the nacelle and undercowl cooling characteristics. The majority of the flight tests will occur in Victorville, California with hot-day assessments taking place in Yuma, Arizona, and high-altitude takeoff evaluations occurring in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A second round of flight-testing later this year will focus on the engine control system.
The GEnx began ground testing in March 2006 with engine certification scheduled in September 2007.

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Rosetta comet-chaser swings by Mars
Mars-Vorbeiflug von Rosetta erfolgreich

There was considerable relief at ESA's space operations centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany. In the early hours of 25 February, spacecraft controllers, orbital mechanics experts, engineers and scientists were able to witness a spacecraft playing 'cosmic billiards'. Between 03:13 and 03:40 CET, ESA's comet chaser, Rosetta, swung by Mars at a distance of only 250 kilometres and then whooshed away from the Red Planet, on a brand new path, continuing on a journey that will ultimately take it beyond Jupiter's orbit.
Its final destination is comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko, which it will reach only in 2014, after travelling some 6000 million kilometres in 10 years (its epic voyage began on 2 March 2004 with a launch by an Ariane 5 rocket). Rosetta will next be heading for the Sun, and its journey will require two more swing-bys around the Earth, in November this year and November 2009.
“The successful Mars swingby of the ESA Rosetta spacecraft has been the most critical event in the mission since launch. Now we are heading back to Earth in order to gain, in November this year, further momentum for the subsequent visits of the asteroids and the comet. I would like to thank all those who have contributed to this achievement”, said Manfred Warhaut, Head of the Mission Operations Department.
During the approach to Mars, instruments onboard Rosetta - as well as on its lander - were switched on at predefined times to observe the environment and take imagery of the Red Planet. In September 2008 and July 2010, when it is deep inside the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, Rosetta will also observe the asteroids Stein and Lutetia close up.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

A new cross-border airspace structure in Europe – which airlines have been demanding for years – could soon become a reality. Six European States, their air navigation service providers and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation EUROCONTROL have convened the first international forum in Brussels to discuss this issue. With the Single European Sky, the European Commission has called for the creation of so-called functional airspace blocks (FAB) in order to respond to the challenges resulting from growing air traffic in Europe. These blocks of airspace would be organised according to traffic flows rather than national boundaries as is the case today in most parts of Europe. Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland as well as the Eurocontrol centre in Maastricht are currently conducting a feasibility study to determine how a common airspace block, to be called FAB Europe Central, would meet the goals set by the European Commission. Consultation of all stakeholders is essential to ensure that the requirements of all parties are taken into account during the planning process. This mainly concerns the airlines and military airspace users but also airports, decision-makers, the industry, meteorological service providers, neighbouring States as well as air navigation services personnel. Air safety, of course, is the top priority but capacity, cost-effectiveness, efficiency and last but not least environmental aspects and sustainability are the drivers for all actions. The FAB Europe Central will be realised through a substantial degree of cooperation, across the full range of air navigation service provider activities: operations, technical systems and services, human resource management and development of new activities. The airspace of the six countries, located as they are in the core of Europe, is one of the busiest and most complex in the world. Most of the large European airports and major civil and military airways are located in this area. The participating States are well aware that this project is an enormous challenge and that many aspects will have to be taken into account. This task can only be accomplished step by step and the project is expected to extend over several years. It is, however, of great importance to set the stage for these future developments today and to already identify all potential improvement opportunities that can be seized in the short term.
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In the fourth round of pay talks, Lufthansa and the public service workers' union ver.di reached an accord on a new labour agreement. The agreement will run for a total of 17 months until the end of May 2008. From May 2007, staff will receive a 3.4 per cent increase in their basic pay. For the months of January to April 2007, a one-off payment of 525 euros will be made. Staff will receive a share of the company's profits. The actual amount, which will be determined once the annual result for 2006 has been established, will be calculated on the same basis as before. The regulations concerning phased retirement will be extended until the end of 2009 in line with current legislation on phased retirement. Furthermore, both sides have agreed to prolong the “crisis” clause, which enables the company – under certain economic conditions – to flexibly adjust its personnel capacity to requirements. Stefan Lauer, Member of the Executive Board, who conducted the negotiations, said, “After two years with zero wage increases, this is an equitable settlement. It reflects the improvement in Lufthansa's result as well as the economic developments in Germany. The long term of the agreement with a one-off payment and a moderate increase in pay scales also gives us the security we need for future planning.”
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Boeing´s first production CH-47F Chinook helicopter for the U.S. Army has moved into Operational Testing (OT) at Ft. Campbell, Ky. The aircraft successfully completed acceptance and developmental flight testing in December 2006. The flight tests will be conducted by Bravo Company, 7 th Battalion, 101 st Aviation Regiment, 159 th Combat Aviation Brigade, 101 st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The acceptance flight phase included engine performance, communication and navigation verifications in addition to basic aircraft functionality testing. The OT phase, which ends in April, includes more than 60 flight test hours that simulate a wide range of mission scenarios. The Army will field the aircraft in July 2007. The aircraft is the first of 452 CH-47F helicopters included in the U.S. Army Cargo Helicopter modernization program. It features a newly designed, modernized airframe and a Rockwell Collins Common Avionics Architecture System cockpit and BAE Digital Advanced Flight Control System. The advanced avionics provide improved situational awareness for flight crews with an advanced digital map display and a data transfer system that allows storing of preflight and mission data. Improved survivability features include Common Missile Warning and Improved Countermeasure Dispenser Systems.
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NASA's THEMIS mission successfully launched Saturday, Feb. 17, at 6:01 p.m. EST from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. THEMIS stands for the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms. It is NASA's first five-satellite mission launched aboard a single rocket. The spacecraft separated from the launch vehicle approximately 73 minutes after liftoff. By 8:07 p.m. EST, mission operators at the University of California, Berkeley, commanded and received signals from all five spacecraft, confirming nominal separation status. The mission will help resolve the mystery of what triggers geomagnetic substorms. Substorms are atmospheric events visible in the Northern Hemisphere as a sudden brightening of the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis. The findings from the mission may help protect commercial satellites and humans in space from the adverse effects of particle radiation. The Mission Operations Center at the University of California, Berkeley, will monitor the health and status of the five satellites. Instrument scientists will turn on and characterize the instruments during the next 30 days. The center will then assign each spacecraft a target orbit within the THEMIS constellation based on its performance. Mission operators will direct the spacecraft to their final orbits in mid-September.
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SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems (SELEX S&AS) has been awarded a contract by AgustaWestland to provide the multi-mode e-scan surveillance radar for the MoD's “Future Lynx” helicopter programme. The £20M contract will see the SELEX S&AS Seaspray 7000E radar, which has the latest Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar technology, installed on the Royal Navy's Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR), a variant of the Future Lynx helicopter. This latest AESA radar win builds on the contract awarded by Lockheed Martin for the Common Processor for the Blue Kestrel radar on the Royal Navy's Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus (MCSP) programme. This standardisation allows the significant benefits of coherent system acquisition to be achieved across the Royal Navy helicopter fleet – both operational and value for money.
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clickair, Spain's new airline, announced an expansive Summer 2007 network, featuring 24 new routes from its base at Barcelona El Prat International Airport. From April 1 through to October 2007, and coinciding with the delivery of more Airbus A320 jets, clickair will launch more destinations around continental Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa. The first round of new revenue flights will commence from 1 April and by October 1, 2007, when clickair marks its first birthday, the airline will be embracing a total of 28 international and eight domestic destinations - a seven-fold increase compared with its start of operations on 1 October, 2006. Also by that date, clickair, which is currently ranked sixth at Barcelona El Prat in terms of passenger numbers (according to January '07 statistics from the Spanish Airport Authority AENA), will be operating more destinations from Barcelona than any other carrier.
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Elbit Systems was awarded a contract to establish a training centre for "Tzofit" (King Air B200 Beechcraft) for the Israeli Air Force. Elbit Systems will serve as the project's prime contractor, while Arkia and the Canadian Mechtronix will serve as sub-contractors. The training centre will operate through a PFI (Private Financing Initiative) program, with Elbit System providing the Israeli Air Force a turn-key solution including the establishment of the training centre, its operation and the supply of simulators, training services and maintenance for a 10-year period. The MoD will purchase flight training hours for the Air Force from Elbit Systems. Potential revenues from the project are expected to exceed $15 million. The training center will be established on a civilian property outside military bases. Furthermore, for the first time in Israel, it will be possible to open a training centre for civilian pilots providing them training in accordance with international aviation requirements while using local flight simulators and facilities.
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Raytheon has successfully demonstrated the engine of Joint Standoff Weapon Extended Range (JSOW ER), a new low-cost extended-range missile. The engine ground test of JSOW ER successfully evaluated a flush inlet design and overall engine performance and showed that engine performance matched simulation results. The inlet will maintain the missile's excellent low observable characteristics. Hamilton Sundstrand manufactures the JSOW ER 150-pound thrust engine that will significantly increase the range of the battle-proven glide weapon. Continued prototype design and testing will continue in 2007. A free flight is planned in 2008 with the potential for production in 2011.
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Skyways Express has chosen to extend the component service agreement with Saab Aerotech and partner SAS Component Group A/S covering the fleet of Fokker 50 aircraft. The contract is valued at approximately 100 MSEK over the term of the agreement. Saab Aerotech together with partner SAS Component Group A/S has provided component services to Skyways Express Fokker 50 operation for several years. Skyways Express has now chosen to extend this successful relationship for a new contract period of three years. The support solution comprises a total component supply program, including parts exchange, MRO and component engineering services for the entire Fokker 50 fleet at the airline.
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Sikorsky and Gulf Helicopters of Doha, Qatar signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to explore establishing an Aviation Center of Excellence in the Middle East region. The proposed Aviation Center of Excellence would provide maintenance support, spares, training and design/development services to Sikorsky, Gulf and other commercial and governmental aircraft owners and operators in the Middle East region. This would include the establishment and management by Sikorsky and Gulf through the Aviation Center of Excellence of a fleet management operations center to provide logistical support as well as local inventory of Sikorsky and other aircraft manufacturer's spare parts.
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Pratt & Whitney will purchase the majority of Volvo Aero Engine Services' (VAES), assets. VAES is located in Bromma, Sweden. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Assets to be purchased include the spare parts inventory and engine overhaul tooling and machinery for the JT8D, JT9D and PW4000 engines made by Pratt & Whitney. The tooling and machinery will be moved to Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners (GSP) locations worldwide to support maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities. The spare parts inventory will be distributed among the six GSP engine overhaul centers and the company's spare parts hub in Dallas, Texas. The Volvo Aero Engine Services facility in Bromma currently overhauls PW4000 94-inch, JT8D-200 and JT9D engines. On Nov. 7, 2006, VAES announced a strategic decision to close the Bromma facility.
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British Airways has taken the first step towards expanding its longhaul fleet by ordering four Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft for delivery during early 2009. The airline has also taken out options on four Boeing 777-200 ER aircraft for delivery in 2010. Robert Boyle, British Airways' commercial director, said: "These new aircraft will enable us to grow our longhaul business after we move to Terminal 5. "It was a close decision between the Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s. However, the ease of assimilating up to eight aircraft into our existing 777 fleet, rather than having a small number of A330s, swung the balance in Boeing's favour. "We are confident of a similarly competitive approach from both manufacturers as we move towards our major longhaul fleet renewal and expansion order later this year." The list price for a new Boeing 777-200 ER is US$201 million per aircraft. British Airways has 43 Boeing 777 aircraft in its fleet of which 27 have GE engines and 16 have Rolls Royce engines. The airline's other longhaul aircraft are 57 Boeing 747-400 and 14 Boeing 767-300. In addition, British Airways has turned options for four Airbus A320 shorthaul aircraft into firm orders. The aircraft will be delivered in 2008 to replace Airbus A320 family aircraft that are leaving the airline's fleet.
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DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH is the most punctual air navigation services provider in Europe. Although delays in European air traffic have increased on the whole, the share caused by the German air navigation services has steadily decreased over the past few years. Ninety-seven per cent of all flights in German airspace in the past year reached their destinations without any delays caused by air traffic control. Airlines cause around 50 per cent of all delays and are therefore the main causative factor. Other reasons for being unpunctual are the lack of capacity at airports (approximately 17 per cent of cases) and meteorological conditions (approximately 15 per cent). In Germany, each flight was delayed by an average of 0.63 minutes (37.8 seconds), of which DFS caused 0.07 minutes' delay (only 4.2 seconds). These figures are taken from calculations by the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL).
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Diamond Aircraft delivered 33% more aircraft in 2006 than in 2005. By comparison, the industry-wide increase for piston engine aircraft sales in 2006 was 11.6%, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). “Diamond has sustained this level of growth over the last 5 years,reported Christian Dries, CEO of Diamond Aircraft. “The production ramp-up of new models like our DA42 Twin Star and DA40 Diamond Star, in combination with continued popularity of our existing models continues to fuel this growth. There are several factors that ensure continued success for Diamond, specifically offering a complete product line, continued technological innovation and expansion into non traditional markets. Whether for personal, business or flight training use, no other manufacturer offers a comparable range of modern technology aircraft, from our economic 2 seater through 4 seat singles and twins, including complementary full cockpit flight training simulators. We are committed to providing a higher level of performance, capability, safety and efficiency in our market segments through continued innovation in avionic, airframe and propulsion technology, including bringing jet propulsion to private pilots with the class defining D-JET.
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BAE Systems delivered another year of good financial performance, underpinned by programme schedule and cost adherence across the Group and reflecting the benefits now flowing from our world-class Lifecycle Management and Performance Centred Leadership processes. Sales1 increased 9% from £12,581m to £13,765m. Organic growth was 5%. Sales in the full year from the former United Defense activities, acquired in June 2005, were £1,670m (2005 £789m). EBITA2 increased 33% to £1,207m (2005 £909m). The growth includes the benefit of a full year's trading from the former United Defense activities, acquired in June 2005, which contributed EBITA2 of £169m (2005 £60m) in the year. As reported at the half year, included within EBITA2 is a £61m one-off accounting gain in the Electronics, Intelligence & Support business group arising from a reduction in the net pension liability following the changes to the calculation of final US pensionable salaries. Losses at Regional Aircraft amounted to £114m, these are reported within HQ and other businesses. Return on sales (EBITA2 adjusted for uplift on acquired inventories expressed as a percentage of sales) for the Group increased from 7.6% to 8.8%. Return on sales excluding the one-off pension gain referred to above was 8.3%. Order book increased to £31.7bn, primarily on US awards in the Land & Armaments business and on securing the Availability Transformation – Tornado Aircraft Contract (ATTAC) in Customer Solutions & Support. The performance of the US businesses has again been excellent with the Group's expansion in the US market over recent years generating good returns. Good progress has continued in the UK businesses with programmes on track and meeting their key milestones. A number of export opportunities have also progressed, most notably in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where, under an agreement between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UK government, the Group is working to modernise the Saudi armed forces including progressing towards a contract for 72 Typhoon aircraft. A big concern for the Group in recent years has been the funding of its pension schemes. Agreements were concluded during 2006 to address funding deficits. The revised funding plan in the UK schemes includes a combination of higher company and employee contribution rates, reductions in future benefits for employees and one-off cash and asset contributions by the Group. This shared approach has achieved a good outcome for all parties. The Board is in consultation with the trustees of the Group's pension schemes to consider the implication of the Airbus sale on pension scheme funding.
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The sixth Hawk for the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been delivered from BAE Systems' Brough plant to the Company's Warton site. The milestone represents 25 per cent completion of the UK assembly programme. The aircraft is the sixth of 66 new Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers for the IAF. The first 24 aircraft are being built at BAE Systems' facilities in Brough, East Yorkshire, with flight-testing taking place at Warton in Lancashire. The remaining 42 aircraft are being manufactured under licence in India through a partnership with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, based in Bangalore.
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Arianespace announced that it will launch the AMC-21 telecommunications satellite. AMC-21 is the 26th satellite entrusted to Arianespace by a member of the SES family of companies (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), one of the world's leading satellite operators. The launch of AMC-21 is scheduled for the 2nd quarter of 2008 on an Ariane 5 vehicle from Europe's Spaceport at the Space Center in French Guiana. AMC-21, under construction by Alcatel Alenia Space, will have a liftoff mass of approximately 2500 kg. The satellite is based on Orbital Science's Star-2 satellite bus, and will provide high-powered satellite services with its payload of 24 active Ku-band transponders. The AMC-21 satellite, which will be operated by SES AMERICOM, is designed for a minimum operational lifetime of 15 years, and will offer television and enterprise distribution services across the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America from the orbital position of 125 degrees West.
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NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured for the first time enough light from planets outside our solar system, known as exoplanets, to identify signatures of molecules in their atmospheres. The landmark achievement is a significant step toward being able to detect life on rocky exoplanets and comes years before astronomers had anticipated. "This is an amazing surprise," said Spitzer project scientist Michael Werner of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif. "We had no idea when we designed Spitzer that it would make such a dramatic step in characterizing exoplanets."Spitzer, a space-based infrared telescope, obtained the detailed data, called spectra, for two different gas exoplanets: HD 189733b is 370 trillion miles away in the constellation Vulpecula, and HD 209458b is 904 trillion miles away in the constellation Pegasus.
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NASA officials signed a memorandum of understanding Tuesday with a U.S. company, Virgin Galactic, LLC, to explore the potential for collaborations on the development of space suits, heat shields for spaceships, hybrid rocket motors and hypersonic vehicles capable of traveling five or more times the speed of sound. Under the terms of the memorandum, NASA Ames Research Center, located in California's Silicon Valley, and Virgin Galactic LLC, a U.S.-based subsidiary of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group, will explore possible collaborations in several technical areas employing capabilities and facilities of NASA's Ames Research Center. "As we constantly seek to build upon the advances made by explorers who have come before us, we now embark upon an exciting time in space exploration history that realizes the unlimited opportunities presented by a commercial space economy," said Shana Dale, NASA's deputy administrator. "By encouraging such potential collaborations, NASA supports the development of greater commercial collaboration and applications that will serve to strengthen and enhance the future benefits of space exploration for all of mankind."
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Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, has begun assembly activities for the first production series of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner horizontal stabiliser in its Foggia plant, after having successfully completed tests on a pre-production example of the stabiliser. The horizontal stabiliser, consisting of 2 monolithic cocured boxes, is 20 metres long and, like the 787 fuselage and wings, is made of carbon fibre materials. The cocured box of the 787's horizontal stabilizer produced in Foggia is to date the biggest composite monolithic structure ever built for a commercial airplane, weighing 540 kg, and is manufactured in a one-shot autoclave polymerization cycle starting from 27 wet uncured complex components. The completion of the first horizontal stabiliser, now in the assembly stage, and the positive result of the tests confirm the validity of the innovative production process designed and implemented by Alenia Aeronautica. This achievement is a further confirmation of Alenia Aeronautica's role as prime partner in the 787, currently the most advanced commercial aviation programme, and confirms that the activities on this programme are proceeding on schedule.
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Lockheed Martin announced a realignment of some of its business areas along with several personnel changes. The realignment is being made to enhance support for critical customer missions and increase the corporation's integration of resources in areas of solid growth potential. Effective immediately, the Integrated Systems & Solutions (IS&S) business area and the Information Technology and Global Services (IT&GS) business area will be combined. The new business area will be named Information Systems & Global Services (IS&GS) and will be led by Linda Gooden. Gooden is currently Executive Vice President of IT&GS. The new business area will be headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., and will include most of the existing components of the current IT&GS and IS&S organizations with the following exceptions: Aircraft and Logistics Centers, now part of IT&GS, will report to the Aeronautics business area. Management of Sandia National Laboratories and our ownership interest in the joint venture that manages the Atomic Weapons Establishment in the U.K., both now part of IT&GS, will report to the Electronic Systems business area.
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Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin retracted a stuck antenna on a cargo spacecraft during a 6-hour, 18-minute spacewalk that ended at 10:45 a.m. CST Thursday. On Oct. 26, the antenna failed to retract when the Progress vehicle docked to the station's Zvezda Service Module. Moving the antenna was necessary to ensure it would not interfere with the Progress undocking in April. Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin had planned to release the antenna latch with a punch and a hammer. When clearance issues prevented that, they cut struts supporting the antenna. That enabled them to partly retract the antenna and secure it with wire ties. They reported it had about six inches of clearance from Zvezda, adequate for undocking. Early in the spacewalk, Tyurin had problems with his spacesuit's cooling system, which caused his visor to fog up. But he and Lopez-Alegria were able to complete a number of other tasks. They began the spacewalk by photographing a Russian satellite navigation antenna and changing out a Russian materials experiment. They also inspected and photographed an antenna for the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). The European cargo craft has more capacity than the Progress and is scheduled to make its first trip to the station later this year. The spacewalkers also photographed ATV docking targets. They photographed a German robotics experiment, inspected, remated and photographed hardware connectors and inspected retention mechanisms and bolted joints on a hand-operated Strela crane that helps transport people and equipment outside Pirs. They also stowed two foot restraints on a ladder at Pirs before ending the spacewalk.
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The Australian Department of Defence has signed a contract with Qantas, for the ongoing engineering, maintenance, supply and training support of Australia's five Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft. The MRTT aircraft, also called the KC-30B, will replace the RAAF's fleet of B707s, and is scheduled to enter service in 2009. The MRTT will be capable of refuelling F/A- 18, F-111, C- 17, Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft and the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. The initial term of the contract is five years after the arrival of the aircraft in Australia, with provision to be extended up to 20 years or the life of type of the aircraft. The contract will also directly benefit local Australian industry with more than $70 million of Australian industry work over the initial term of the contract, and the creation of around 42 positions within the Qantas support organisation at RAAF Base Amberley and at Brisbane Airport.
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The JAL Group has decided to introduce the Embraer 170 as their new small aircraft. The Group will conclude a purchase agreement for 10 confirmed aircraft and 5 optional aircraft this spring. JAL plans to introduce the new small aircraft on domestic routes in FY2008, operated by J-AIR, the group's 100% owned regional airline subsidiary. Introduction of the Embraer 170 will enable the JAL Group to promote optimal aircraft size depending on the scale of demand on each domestic route, and develop business operations more efficiently.
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After more than a dozen years, Fort Rucker's instructor-pilots, students and maintenance crews reached an Army Aviation milestone here Jan. 16 - the one millionth flight hour in the TH-67 Creek training helicopter. Used to train initial entry rotary wing students in primary, instrument and basic warfighting skills, the Creek is a Bell Model 206B Jet Ranger III built by Bell Helicopter Textron. Replacing the UH-1H Iroquois (Huey), the first TH-67 Creek arrived here Oct. 15, 1993.
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The United Arab Emirates has chosen Korea's T-50 supersonic jet trainer as one of three candidates for its project of next-generation advanced jet trainers, government officials said Wednesday (Feb. 21). Italy's Aermacchi M-346 and Britain's BAE Systems Hawk 128 have been also picked by the UAE military as preferred bidders, according to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy. The Middle East country plans to make a final selection out of the three by the end of the year.
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Sagem Défense Sécurité (SAFRAN Group) has just signed a contract with France's defense procurement agency (DGA, Délégation Générale pour l'Armement) to prepare the future armed forces network, SOCRATE NG. (Système Opérationnel Constitué à partir des Réseaux des Armées pour les Télécommunications de Nouvelle Génération, i.e. Operational System Built on Armed Force Networks for Telecommunications, New Generation). As the prime contractor, Sagem Défense Sécurité will operate within a consortium comprised of Sagem Communication, SECOSYS, C2 Innovativ' Systems and Morgan Conseil. Following the study (within a year), the consortium will submit a technical and financial proposal for the design of SOCRATE NG to the DGA, with deployment scheduled for circa 2010. The solution will aim to provide high-speed end-to-end service, while taking into account security and availability constraints. It will also offer the best service in terms of the human, technical and financial aspects.
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International Launch Services (ILS) announced that EchoStar Communications Corporation will launch a satellite in 2008 on a Proton Breeze M vehicle. Financial details were not disclosed. EchoStar has a long-standing relationship with ILS that includes 100 percent success on all previous launches. ILS President Frank McKenna said, "We are happy to have completed this order for a returning customer, and we are dedicated to performing reliably and on-schedule to support EchoStar." The Proton vehicle, built by ILS partner Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center of Russia, has carried out more than 320 missions for the Russian government and commercial customers for more than 40 years. The Proton launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
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Virgin Blue has announced additional aircraft for its domestic fleet. In addition to its firm orders for three Embraer E-170 and eleven Embraer E-190 aircraft, Virgin Blue has this morning exercised options for a further six aircraft, being three Embraer E-190 and three Embraer E-170 aircraft for delivery in 2008/9. The Company also advises it has placed firm orders with Boeing Corporation for five 737-800's for delivery in 2010/11 as replacement capacity and the Board has approved the acquisition of an additional three leased 737- 800's to enter service in Q3 and Q4 of this calendar year. The Company will also retain for a further 12 months, two leased Boeing 737 aircraft due for return in 2007. Both the Embraer and Boeing 737 aircraft will be fitted with adaptable configurations to allow maximum flexibility from single class to a high density seating. Virgin Blue's new Boeing 737-800 aircraft will be typically configured with a one class 177-180 seat layout, with ability to increase seat capacity by over 5% up to a 189 seat configuration and deploy these aircraft on price sensitive or leisure routes.
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MTU Maintenance has signed a contract with Cathay Pacific for the maintenance of CF6 engines. The open-ended contract includes 15 CF6-50E2 engines powering Boeing 747-200Fs operated by the airline. The maintenance work will be performed at MTU Maintenance Hannover at Langenhagen. MTU Aero Engines president and CEO commercial maintenance Bernd Kessler noted during the contract signing ceremony: "Cathay Pacific is a proud name in the global airline industry. We're delighted to add this new customer to our customer list and hope to further expand the new partnership." The contract is likely to have a ripple effect also on other airlines, considering that the Hong Kong-based carrier has an enviable reputation worldwide for the quality and reliability of its service. Says Kessler: "We would be happy to see our high service standards help bolster the fine respect the carrier is enjoying."
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Austrian Chief Executive Officer Alfred Ötsch issued the following statement today: “We have now begun to develop a staged hedging programme, in an effort to secure ourselves against fluctuations in the price of kerosene in future to a practical extent. Through the programme, we aim to hedge up to 20% of our annual kerosene requirement on a step-by-step basis. Where we did not previously have the balance sheet strength that is necessary to operate a hedging policy, we are now in a position to do so following the successful conclusion of our capital increase.” The hedging programme will be implemented in stages. In these so-called 'forwards', Austrian Airlines will buy one-twelfth of its hedging requirement for each month in advance and at an agreed price, on a monthly basis for a period of one year, based on a total kerosene volume for 2007 expected to be around 770,000 tons. The first contract was concluded for a total amount of 12,000 tons kerosene which results in a monthly amount of 1,000 tons. With this programme the Austrian Airlines Group aims at building up a hedging position of 20% of the company's fuel needs. The hedging programme will enable the Austrian Airlines Group to spread the risk in a more targeted manner and to level out, or stabilise, the medium-term kerosene costs. The cost of fuel is currently around 15 – 20% below its high point in 2006.
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UPS and Airbus signed an agreement yesterday that sets out a timetable for deciding the status of UPS's order for the freighter version of the A380. The agreement specifies changed delivery dates for the A380F and provides for possible termination of the original purchase agreement by either party later in 2007. Deliveries of UPS's first 10 A380s were originally scheduled to begin in 2009 and run through 2012. "UPS's decision to purchase the A380 freighter was based on a lengthy evaluation of our future network needs to meet customer demands across a variety of global trade lanes," said Bob Lekites, UPS's vice president of Airline and International Operations. "Those needs still exist and UPS has been carefully evaluating various options since Airbus announced production delays late last year. This agreement will provide us additional time to evaluate our network requirements and make a decision once and for all as to how best to ensure service to our customers."
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Brian H. Rowe, a towering figure in GE Aviation history and a world-renowned jet engine pioneer, died on Thursday, February 22, at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, following surgery. He was 75 years old. Mr. Rowe led GE Aviation from 1979 to 1993, serving as the division's president and CEO, as well as corporate senior vice-president. During his 38 years with the company, he played a central role in the global leadership position that GE Aviation enjoys today. In December 2006, GE Aviation renamed its Learning Centre to the Brian H. Rowe Learning Centre. "Everyone at GE Aviation today is a beneficiary of Brian's unique vision and courage," said Scott Donnelly, president and CEO of GE Aviation. While running GE Aviation, Mr. Rowe launched several new jet engines, including the CF34 for business and regional jets, the CF6-80C2, a leading engine for widebody aircraft, the F110 fighter engine for the F-16, and the GE90, the world's largest and most powerful jet engine.
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The Lockheed Martin Automated Flight Service Station team achieved a major milestone at 1a.m. EST on February 22. At that time the flight service network's Washington, D.C. Hub went live and began using a new mission operating system called Flight Services for the 21st Century (FS21). The recently-completed Washington Hub is a state-of-the-art Automated Flight Service Station located near Dulles International Airport in suburban Northern Virginia. Specialists at the facility provide aviation services such as weather briefings, in-flight information, flight plan filing, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS), clearances, and more to pilots. The facility is the first of its kind to operate under Lockheed Martin's FS21 system, a system designed to modernize and streamline the flow of information transfer to and from pilots by allowing all flight service stations to share the same set of nationwide data.
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A world-class team led by Lockheed Martin has been down selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to propose a solution for the Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) program, a cornerstone initiative for the next generation air transportation system. ADS-B uses Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and onboard technology, instead of ground-based radars, to help pilots and air traffic controllers keep aircraft in the sky safely separated. It is the enabling technology for future communications, navigation and surveillance capabilities. "By moving surveillance from ground-based radar systems to space-based satellites, ADS-B will provide more precise automatic broadcast of position, altitude and velocity. We believe the FAA is on the correct path with this essential NextGen system procurement, and are proud to be given the opportunity to bid on this critical service," said Sue Corcoran, vice president of Aviation Solutions, Lockheed Martin Transportation and Security Solutions.
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NASA has selected Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International Inc. of Rockford, Ill., to design, develop, fabricate, test and deliver engineering models of a turbine pump assembly for the Ares I upper stage thrust vector control subsystem. The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract - a competitive award - has a two-year period of performance with a maximum value of $5,009,388.
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18 February 2006 11 February 2006 4 February 2006