Aircraft

'SABOTAGE' FEAR AT BOEING CHINOOK, V-22 PLANT

ROTORCRAFT Boeing has resumed manufacturing activities on the CH-47 Chinook and Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltorotor after a five-day hiatus at its Philadelphia site following discovery of a plastic cap in a V-22 fuel line during a US Defense Contract Management Agency inspection. Local news reports raised the possibility of sabotage. The incident came six months after the plant was shut after a disgruntled employee cut a bundle of wires on a CH-47. A second aircraft was found damaged on the same day. "Boeing Rotorcraft Systems will continue to work diligently to maintain the highest standards of quality and product integrity," the company says.

EADS EXPANDS MOROCCO OPERATION

MANUFACTURING EADS Socata has begun work on a new industrial park for its Moroccan subsidiary, Socaero, at Casablanca Mohammed V International airport. The 5,000m² (54,000ft²) facility will work on aerostructure subassemblies for Socata's TBM 850 business aircraft, Airbus A320 and A340, Eurocopter AS350/355 and the Dassault Falcon 7X business jet.

AIR ASTANA LAUNCHES AB INITIO SCHEME

TRAINING Kazakh flag carrier Air Astana is considering the creation of a flight training school in Almaty as it readies for the launch of a new ab initio pilot training scheme, in partnership with Commercial Airline Pilot Training Centre in the USA. Astana wants to double its 300-strong pilot base over the next four years.

LEHMAN BROTHERS HELPS PUSH AIRASIA INTO RED

CREDIT CRUNCH The collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers helped push Malaysian low-cost airline group AirAsia to an after-tax loss of 466 million ringgit ($129 million) for the third quarter ending 30 September. Chief executive Tony Fernandes attributed an exceptional charge of 215 million ringgit to the cost of "unwinding our fuel hedging and the likely non-recovery of margins held by Lehman Brothers Commodity Services".

ALITALIA TO RUN AS IS INTO 2009 DESPITE SALE

PRIVATISATION Issues including documentation of a change of aircraft ownership have prevented investor group Compagnia Aerea Italiana from operating Alitalia as a new carrier from 1 December as planned, so the airline will operate as is for the time being. CAI is paying €1.052 billion ($1.36 billion) for the troubled flag carrier's assets, including €427 million to be paid in cash.

BMI CHIEF WARNS OF WORST-EVER LOSSES

AIRLINES BMI chief Nigel Turner is warning that the UK carrier will post its highest-ever losses this year and says the carrier will be "in intensive care" for considerable time, hindered by weakening demand and increasing non-controllable costs such as airport charges. He adds that BMI's majority owner-designate, Lufthansa, will not allow the business to continue to bleed cash.