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Week ending November 8, 1998
+++ Germany participates in Operation Eagle Eye +++ DSS delivers space radar to California +++ Luftwaffe Transalls end Sudan mission +++ GB Airways chooses A320 family +++ Mars Express wins unanimous support +++ Dusseldorf airport to build new teminal +++ Certification for Boeings Business Jet +++ ATR: Secondhand business expands +++ News in brief +++
Germany participates in Operation Eagle Eye
Bundeswehr mit Drohnen über dem Kosovo
The German government has approved the participation of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) in operation "Eagle Eye", the aerieal surveillance of Kosovo in support of an OSCE mission to bring peace to the region. According to defence minster Rudolf Scharping, 30 soldiers will move to Mazedonia at once to prepare the arrival of a battery of unmanned air vehicles operated by the Heer (Army). In total, 350 troops will be needed to operate the drone system, which uses a turbojet-powered Cl-298 UAV, which is launche with rocket booster assistance and retrieved by parachute.Besides Germany, ther will be other nations involved with a total of 20 aircraft. Even Russia could participate with an Antonov An-30, it was indicated by NATO in Brussels. Regarding drone use, the USAF is also operating the Predator from a base in Taszar (Hungary). Overflights have to be announced a week beforehand, but could also be conducted at short notice. The whole of Kosovo province plus a 25 km wide buffer zone can be covered, it is said. Yugoslavia has agreed to de-activate all its air defence systems during the overflights. Until now, only the USAF U-2 and Predator were able to get pictures.
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DSS delivers space radar to California
Dornier liefert Raumfahrt-Radar aus
The German space radar instrument X-SAR/SRTM is ready for transport to the USA. After a two-day final acceptance, Dornier Satellitensysteme GmbH (DSS/Friedrichshafen) - a unit of Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa/Munich) - has got the go-ahead for flight hardware shipping by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). X-SAR/SRTM is the German contribution to the "Shuttle Radar Topography Mission" (SRTM). The goal of this space shuttle flight is to generate a global digital elevation model by means of two parallely operating radar instruments. The eleven-day mission is expected to start on September 16, 1999. Earth observation from the orbit is possible with various instruments. The radar sensors have many advantages: they work at day and at night, the penetrate also clouds and, in the planned configuration, they permit the generation of 3D images of the Earth's surface. The method planned for SRTM, the so-called radar interferometry, is the technologically most advanced and effective method for the acquisition of topographic information. During the eleven-day SRTM mission, it is planned to collect data for a digital elevation model of landmasses within a range between +60 and -56 degree geographical latitude. Thus, about 80 per cent of the Earth's complete landmass will be acquired.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Luftwaffe Transalls end Sudan mission
Bundeswehr beendet Operation Lifeline Sudan
German defence minister Rudolf Scharping has decided to bring two Luftwaffe C160 Transalls back from Operation Lifeline in Sudan after an eight week mission. The first aircraft is to land back at Cologne/Bonn airport on November 9. The Transalls were the only military aircraft in the war-torn country recently, contributing to food distribution at the height of a famine situation. Aircraft were essential, as roads tend to be closed during the rain season in the south of Sudan. The German Luftwaffe was in Sudan since September 13 and made its first humanitarian flights on September 21. Until November 2, there were 76 missions with a total of 350 flight hours. Nearly 540 tons of food were moved from Khartoum and El Obeid into the Wau region in the south of Sudan.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
GB Airways chooses A320 family
Airbus A320 für GB Airways
On November 4, GB Airways, which operates as a British Airways franchise carrier, has announced it will acquire nine new A320 Family aircraft from Airbus Industrie. The first A320 will be delivered in 2001, and all nine aircraft will be in service by 2003. GB Airways, part of the Bland Group, has also taken options on an additional five A320 Family aircraft. The A320 Family was selected to replace GB Airways' current fleet after a year-long evaluation. John Osborne, GB Airways' Managing Director said, "the A320 and the A321 offer the right combination of passenger comfort, low operating costs and capacity to best suit our needs for the future." Gatwick-based GB Airways currently flies an extensive route network from its base and London Heathrow, to destinations in Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, Morocco, Malta and Tunisia. Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Mars Express wins unanimous support
ESA: Volle Untersützung für Mars Express
All fourteen national delegations in the European Space Agency's Science Programme Committee have backed the project to send a spacecraft to Mars in 2003. Support for Mars Express, as this exciting mission is called, is qualified by concern about the long-term budget of ESA's science programme. At its meeting in Paris on 2 and 3 November, the Science Programme Committee made its approval of the implementation of Mars Express conditional on sufficient funding for the science programme and no impact on previously approved projects. "The green light for Mars Express shows that Europe is perfectly capable of seizing special chances in exploring space," said Roger Bonnet, ESA's director of science. "At a cost to ESA of 150 million ECU, Mars Express is the cheapest Mars mission ever, yet its importance and originality are far greater than the price tag suggests." Bonnet continued. Development of the spacecraft will now proceed swiftly, to meet the deadline of an exceptionally favourable launch window early in June 2003. Mars Express will go into orbit around Mars at Christmas 2003. Seven scientific instruments on board will include a high-resolution camera, a range of spectrometers, and a radar to penetrate below the surface. For the first time in the history of the exploration of the Red Planet, scientists can hope to detect sub-surface water, whether it exists in the form of undergound rivers, pools, glaciers or permafrost. Signs of life on Mars, whether extinct or continuing today, may reveal themselves to a lander carried by Mars Express. This is Beagle 2, a project led by the Open University in the United Kingdom, with contributions from many other European countries.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Dusseldorf airport to build new teminal
Zentralterminal wird von Hochtief/Billfinger/Holzmann gebaut
Dusseldorf Airport GmbH has announced that a consortium of HOchtief AG, Bilfinger + Bergaer Bau AG and Philipp Holzman AG will renovate and greatly expand the central terminal. Work will start in December and should be completed by summer 2001. Total outlay will be 785 million DM. This includes the demolition of a parking garage to make room for the expanded terminal with its A and B gate areas, especially to make room for more concessions. To keep parking facilities up, there will be a new underground facility. Also, there will be a new, elevated access road. The construction companies further hold an option to expand gate area C for 75 million DM. To cover investments in the nex five years, Flughafen Dusseldorf has taken a 1,05 billion DM credit line with a banking consortium led by Landesbank Baden-Württemberg.Back to the top of the page / Zurück zum Anfang der Seite
Certification for Boeings Business Jet
BBJ erhält FAA-Zulassung
Boeing Business Jets has announced that an enhanced version of the 737-700 received Federal Aviation Administration and Joint Aviation Authorities approval on October 29. This version of the 737-700 will be the platform for the Boeing Business Jet. Borge Boeskov, president - Boeing Business Jets, said: "This is another important milestone in the BBJ program. After just returning from the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas, where we announced 11 new orders, this set of approvals from the FAA and the JAA is more great news." Boeing Business Jets' current order book stands at 46. Nine are committed to the Boeing NetJets fractional-ownership program, a joint venture between Boeing Business Jets and Executive Jet. Boeing Commercial Airplanes provides airplanes to Boeing Business Jets, which delivers them to PATS Inc. in Georgetown, Del., for installation of supplemental fuel tanks. From there, the airplanes are flown to customer-selected centers around the world for interior installation and exterior paint. Five such centers include Associated Air Center in Dallas; The Jet Center in Van Nuys, Calif.; Raytheon in Waco, Texas; Lufthansa Technik in Hamburg, Germany; and Jet Aviation in Basel, Switzerland. Other completion centers are available and may be used at the discretion of the customer. The unfurnished or "green" airplane is comparably priced to existing executive jets, selling for $33.8 million. A completely furnished and equipped BBJ costs approximately $40 million to $45 million.
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ATR: Secondhand business expands
Gebrauchte ATR: Vermarktung erfolgreich
New contracts covering the placement of 23 second-hand ATR regional aircraft with 9 airlines in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia have been announced by ATR. The transactions cover 21 ATR 42s and 2 ATR 72s, as follows:- C.I.C. (Canada): 6 ATR 42-300s
- LAER (Argentina): 2 ATR 42-300s
- PASSAREDO (Brazil): 2 ATR 42-320s
- TACA (Salvador): 5 ATR 42-320s
- Air Inter Gabon (Gabon): 1 ATR 42-300
- Scorpio (Egypt): 1 ATR 42-300
- Air Exel (Netherlands): 1 ATR 72-200
- ISRAIR (Israel): 4 ATR 42-300s
- Bangkok Airways (Thailand): 1 ATR 72-210
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
Boeing has delivered the first composite wing skin for its Joint Strike Fighter X-32A concept demonstrator to its final assembly plant in Palmdale, Calif. The skin, measuring nearly 29 feet across and weighing 742 pounds, is part of a single-unit composite wing module that sits atop the Joint Strike Fighter fuselage. The single-unit wing enables a highly modular approach that simplifies assembly processes and reduces cost. The single-unit wing also reduces weight by eliminating heavy side-of-body wing attachments. Boeing is competing to build the Joint Strike Fighter under a four-year joint U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps concept demonstration contract+++
The North Dakotas Air National Guard 119th Fighter Wing has made history by flying 40000 hours in nine years without any accident. The "Happy Hooligans" fly F-16s on air defence missions. The Hooligans last aircraft accident occuresd 25 years ago when the unit was flying the F-101B Voodoo fighter. Overall, the unit has amassed 112511 accident-free flying hours in fighter aircraft since the 1993 mishap.
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On October 31, British Airways and Boeing reached a significant milestone when the airline took delivery of its 50th Boeing 747-400. The two companies and their guests celebrated the special event at the Boeing Delivery Center at Everett, Wash. The relationship between British Airways and Boeing began in 1941 with the delivery of three Boeing 314 Clippers. In 1956, British Airways placed its first order for a Boeing 707. Over the years, British Airways has become The Boeing Company's largest commercial jetliner customer outside the United States, flying more than 250 Boeing airplanes, including 80 747s.
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Ukraine is still hopefull to put together an offer for its Antonov An-70 military transport in response to an invitiation for proposals by the German defence ministry. Closing date is January 31, 1999. "After a short pause we have resumed our cooperation with Germany's Dasa and hope to put our AN-70 into the tender," the head of Ukraine's Security and Defence Council Volodymyr Horbulin told Reuters recently. Ukraine hopes to win the German contract as part of its campaign to promote the Antonov-70 as a candidate for the new military transport aircraft sought by seven European countries under the Future Large Aircraft (FLA) project. "If we take part in this tender, it will be a gigantic boost towards the European aircraft markets," Horbulin said. Ukraine has said the aircraft would cost around $60-$70 million each.
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Boeing has announced the appointment of Seddik Belyamani as executive vice president - Sales. Belyamani will lead the company's worldwide commercial airplane sales team, which last year sold 568 Boeing aircraft valued at more than $42 billion. In his new position, Belyamani reports directly to Alan Mulally, president - Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Previously, Belyamani was vice president - South Asia/Pacific, Africa, Middle East.
+++
Swedish defence minister Bjorn von Sydow has not ruled out a reduction in the order for 204 Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighters, due to cuts in the defence budget. Sydow said in an interview: "I can't give you an answer on that but the issue in principle is on our agenda. It is on the cabinet's agenda as well as Parliament's."
+++
On November 6,Turkish Airlines (THY) celebrated the arrival of its first six Boeing Next-Generation 737-800s. The flag carrier for Turkey selected 49 of the advanced-technology jetliners in October 1997. In a unique delivery, all six airplanes left Seattle one-half hour apart to arrive in Istanbul for festivities marking this event. The delivery of these airplanes adds to the significance of Turkish achievement during the 75th Anniversary celebration of the Turkish Republic. The arrival ceremony took place at Atatürk Airport with Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz in attendance. The United States was represented by Mark Parris, ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, and Caroline Higgins, U.S. consul general in Istanbul.
+++
According to wire service Itar-tass, The European consortium Airbus Industrie has highly appreciated the quality of Russian metal, used in aircraft building. It is considering a possibility of signing a contract with the Samara Metallurgical Company (SAMECO) on metal deliveries to France, a spokesman for the Moscow office of the Siberian Aluminium group, of which SAMECO is a member, told Tass. The Samara metallurgists sent to France a prototype model of an aircraft unit, made according to the drawings of Airbus Industries. The unit was tested at the All-Russian Institute of Aviation Materials, and its technical characteristics, including strength and other parametres, surpassed the requirements of Airbus Industries. "In conditions, when the number of orders coming from Russian aircraft builders is being reduced, projects to be implemented jointly with Airbus Industries will make it possible to preserve unique technologies, possessed by Russia," Director-General of the SAMECO Trade House Yuri Nikolayev said.
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The Eurockot small satellit launcher will now be operated from Baikonur Kosmodrome as well. Previously, it was planned to launch from Plesetsk in northern Russia only, but that location does hamper direct orbital injections into lower inclinations. The first eurockot launch is scheduled for the second half of 1999 with a US payload. Eurockot hopes for ten launches a year thereafter.
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The second-largest US pilots' union has asked the Departments of Justice and Transportation to block Northwest Airlines proposed partial acquisition of Continental Airlines. The Allied Pilots Association, which represents the 9,000 pilots at AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, told both regulatory agencies the pact would be the first step toward a large-scale consolidation of the airline industry. Pilots fear salaries and work schedules could erode if competing carriers are allowed to sell seats on partners with lower operating costs and say the pacts would mean fewer jobs and the closing of some airline hubs.
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AlliedSignals Rubix Joint Venture in Russia has achieved FAA-standard rejected take-off tests for its wheels and brakes assembly on the Ilyushin Il-96T.
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To boost its presence in the Italian market, the Swiss SAir Group has bought a 45 per cent stake in charter airline Air Europa. The majority in the company still remains with the management team, including chairman Lupo Rattazzi. Air Euroe is Italy's largest charter carrier and operates a fleet of seven Boeing 767-300 from Hubs at Rome and Milan.
+++
Siemens is leading a consortium which has been contracted to build a rapid transit link between Kuala Lumpur city centre and the new international airport, which is no less than 57 kilometres away. Value of the deal is put at 1,3 billion DM. Construction will take 27 months, so that services can begin in early 2001, says the company.
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Aerospatiale has delivered the payload dispensers to STARSEM, which will place the Globalstar satellites launched by Soyuz into orbit. The first launch is planned for November from the cosmodrome of Baikonour in Kazakhstan. The dispenser is a 400 Kg structure which carries four Globalstar satellites during the phases of powered flight into orbit and then ensures their transfer from the injection orbit, their ejection and positioning in their final orbit. It is attached under the payload fairing to the re-ignitable IKAR stage at the summit of the Soyuz launcher. The dispenser with its payload of four satellites, each with a mass of 450 kg, measures 3.5 meters high and 3 meters in diameter. Total mass is 2.3 metric tons. Three satellites are attached vertically at the lower part of the dispenser, the fourth, horizontally on the top.
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Boeing, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy successfully demonstrated the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) recently on an F-15 test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and an F/A-18 test aircraft at the Naval Air Warfare Center - China Lake, Calif. The F-15 test flight was completed on Oct. 22 and lasted 1.2 hours. The test involved 11 test passes and 56 target acquisitions utilizing the JHMCS in conjunction with aircraft sensors. The F/A-18 test flight was completed on Nov. 2 and lasted 1.7 hours. It examined fit and comfort issues, display stability during high-G maneuvers, and accuracy of the magnetic head tracker.
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