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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 3733.PDF
HEADLINES AIR TRANSPORT MAX KINGSLEY-JONES / LONDON FedEx reneges on Swissair MD-11 buy Deal frozen as US parcel carrier moves to cut capacity FedEx Express has U-turned on an agreement to purchase Swissair's entire Boeing MD-11 fleet as part of efforts to rein-in capacity growth. The US express parcel operator agreed in 1998 to acquire Swissair's 15 Pratt & Whitney PW4000-pow- ered MD-lls, as well as four LTU aircraft that the Swiss carrier was purchasing. The 19-strong fleet, owned by Swissair leasing arm Flightlease, was originally due to leave the fleet between August next year and December 2006 as new Airbus A340-600s were delivered to replace them. Although the A340 order is effec tively cancelled, it is understood that the disposal of at least some of the MD-1 Is was still planned. According to industry sources, FedEx, which has 36 MD.-l Is in ser vice, tried to defer the Swissair acquisition earlier this year due to the slowdown in the cargo busi ness, and the Swissair bankruptcy in October gave it the opportunity to terminate the agreement, as it was an event of default under the forward purchase agreement. It is understood, however, that FedEx would still be interested in acquir ing the aircraft if deliveries were pushed back by two to three years. The US parcel carrier began cut ting capacity growth plans in mid year, primarily with a decision to curtail an MD-10 conversion pro gramme and deferring delivery of Airbus A300s Flight International, 3-9 July). Flightlease confirms that the deal has been "suspended", but says "negotiations are ongoing and we can't speculate on the outcome". The MD-lls will remain in oper ation throughout the airline's win ter schedule, says Flightlease, but beyond that their fate is unclear, as the future long-haul needs of the revamped Swissair when it is inte grated into Crossair are not fin alised. "It is up to the new airline to determine which aircraft it wants to continue operating, and negotia tions are currently under way," says Flightlease. It is understood that the owner ship of the MD-lls reverts from Flightlease to, banks which finance the aircraft, and the two entities are working together to shore up a long term plan for the aircraft. DEFENCE Hungary signs for Czechs face hard Saab/BAE Systems has secured its second export deal and first NATO customer for the Gripen multirole fighter with Hungary's signing of a lease for 14 aircraft. Swedish defence minister Bjorn von Sydow and his Hungarian counterpart Dr Janos Szabo signed a memorandum of understanding on 23 November for a 10-year lease of 12 single-seat and two twin-seat Gripens. An offset deal will be signed next month. The lease includes weapons and is worth around $490 million. The first Gripen will be handed over in the third quarter of 2004, with the single squadron due to Gripen, while fighter choice become operational the following year. The unit will be based at Kescskemet in eastern Hungary, home to the air force's RSK MiG-29 squadron. Saab will upgrade the Gripens to NATO standards, with initial pilot and technician training provided by the Swedish air force. Meanwhile, the Czech Govern ment is due to decide by the end of this month whether it will con tinue with its fighter acquisition. Dassault and US manufacturers withdrew from the competition leaving the Gripen as the only con tender. The government could decide to begin talks with Saab/BAE or postpone a decision. Briefing Beamont: from Hurricane to Tornado OBITUARY One of the most influential UK test pilots of the past 50 years has died aged 81. Roland Beamont began his career in the Royal Air Force in 1939 and flew the Hawker Hurricane during the Battle of Britain. His test pilot career started with Hawker, testing the Typhoon, for which he also helped develop the tactics when he returned to operational flying. A further stint at Hawker included testing the Tempest, which he also flew operationally. After the Second World War, Beamont joined Glosterthen de Havilland, before joining English Electric at Warton where he secured his place in history, flight testing the Canberra, P1, Lightning and TSR2. He also led the flight test programmes for the Sepecat Jaguar and Panavia Tornado. European navigation charges frozen NAVIGATION CHARGES Airlines have secured a three-month freeze of en route navigation charges in 30 European states in response to their requests not to increase charges due to traffic falls after 11 September and the subsequent economic slowdown. The move follows pressure from European airline groups, including the Association of European Airlines and the European Regions Airline Association. The freeze, from January, will be reviewed by Eurocontrol's route charges committee in the second quarter with a view to verifying whether cost reductions and a better understanding of traffic levels could justify lower charges for the rest of the year. The groups had requested a 12-month freeze. Malev replaces Boeing 737s LEASES Malev Hungarian Airlines has signed a lease agreement with International Lease Finance for up to 16 Boeing 737s. Malev has ordered six -700s, two -600s and two -800s and has an option on six further aircraft as it replaces its 15 Boeing 737 Classics. Deliveries of the aircraft will start from February 2003 and they will be used on its European network. Global Hawk goes to Afghanistan DEPLOYMENT US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the US Air Force has deployed to Afghanistan the Northrop Grumman RQ4A Global Hawk high-altitude long-endurance unmanned air vehicle. Rumsfeld says the intelligence-gathering Global Hawk is not being used every day as it is still in the "research, development and demonstration phase.... It will be managed as a demonstration model". Independent report gives EC Galileo boost SATELLITE NAVIGATION An independent report commissioned by the European Commission (EC) and produced by Price Waterhouse Coopers has determined that the Galileo satellite navigation system that Europe is developing is economically viable and that a concession company model is the best way to approach a public-private partnership for the project. The financial advisers estimate the 30-satellite system will cost €3.6 billion ($3.2 billion), with €2.35 billion to be sourced from public and private sector funding following the initial €1.25 billion investment from the EC and the European Space Agency. Revenues are estimated at €66 million in 2010, rising to €370 million five years later and €515 million in 2020 - €100 million of which is expected to come from commercial aviation in 2020. A concession scheme would allow financing of the deployment phase by the private sector in return for availability payments for service provision. Ryanair targets Frankfurt LOW COST AIRLINES Low-cost carrier Ryanair is to develop a hub at Hahn airport outside Frankfurt from next February. The German city will join Brussels South Charleroi, Dublin and London Stansted as hubs for the airline, and will be the base for four Boeing 737s. Ryanair will offer 30 flights daily to 10 points including destinations new to the airline - Milan/Bergamo, Italy, and Montpellier, France. Ground services at the terminal, 90km (56 miles) from Frankfurt, are being extended ahead of the carrier's arrival. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 27 NOVEM BER - 3 DECEM BER 2001 5
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