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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 0246.PDF
• Singapore Technologies Aerospace (ST Aero) and FR Aviation (FRA) have signed a joint venture agreement to establish a heavy maintenance facility at FRA's Bournemouth Hum base in the UK. Named Bournemouth Aerospace Engineering, ST Aero will hold a 60% majority stake and FRA the remaining 40%. The company plans a £9 million ($13 million) investment in the first three years, with ST Aero providing £5.4million and FRA £3.6million. The company will initially lease a 8,500m2 hangar, and offer main tenance and modification of narrowbodies including the Airbus A320, Boeing 727,737 andMD-80. • SAS Compo nent has signed a long-term component maintenance deal with Norwegian Air Shuttle covering its fleet of six Fokker 50s. • New Belgian long-haul airline VG Airlines has signed a €14.8 million ($12.9 million) con tract with Sabena Technics covering full maintenance of its three Airbus A330-200s. AIR TRANSPORT ETOPS DAVID FULLBROOK / SINGAPORE Johnston's closure leaves transpacific flights up in air Twinjet operators face bill for keeping airport open, or will have to find alternative Transpacific twinjet services may have to fly longer routes if airlines cannot find a cost-effective way to keep Johnston Atoll's airport open after it ceases operations in 2004. Carriers, principally Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Continental Airlines, Polynesian Airlines and United, are assessing the impact of the US government's closure of the airport for extended-range twin- engine operations (ETOPS) on routes across the central and south ern Pacific. The atoll is 700nm (1,300km) southwest of Hawaii. Johnston's demise is expected to add 20min to flying times, says International Air Transport Assoc iation assistant director for Asia- Pacific infrastructure Capt Neil Jonasson. "The issue is cost. A way needs to be found to pay to main tain the runway," he adds. One suggestion is for airlines to pay part or all of the cost of main taining air traffic control, emer gency services and other facilities required for an alternate airport. The services are currently pro vided by the US Air Force. It will leave in mid-2004 when the US Army has finished decontaminat ing the atoll after destroying chem ical weapons stored there. Johnston's closure will not only increase fuel costs and flying times, but could also leave airlines facing the cost of bringing alternatives up to scratch. "We need to look at an alternate alternate," says Association of South Pacific Airlines secretary-gen eral George Faktaufon. "One option is Christmas Island, but it would have to be redeveloped as it is currently restricted to 737 opera tions. We are going to approach the US government about continu ing operations at Johnston Atoll," he adds. Air New Zealand proposes to use Majuro in the Marshall Islands. "We will use Majuro when Johnston is no longer available. On occasion we already specify Majuro," says the airline. Majuro or Christmas Island will probably still force airlines to fly longer ETOPS routes. FLEET EXPANSION Ex-BA 747s back into service European Aviation Air Charter has prepared the first of five ex- British Airways Boeing 747-200s for service. The UK charter airline, which is associated to Formula 1 racing team European Minardi, wil use one of the aircraft to fly motor racing teams to Grand Prix meet ings around the world. Two of the five 22-24 year old aircraft are expected to be retired and used as spares back-up and the other 747s will be operated by its European Airlines arm on ad hoc char ters. European plans to configure one of the 747s in a 200 seat, all-business class layout. REGIONAL JETS PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC Alliance seeks clarification of Chinese partnership Would-be US regional-jet manufac turer Alliance Aircraft is seeking clarification from Chinese partner Harbin Aircraft on the future status of the planned SL100 Starliner. Meanwhile Harbin's parent, Aviation Industries of China II (AVIC II) continues collaboration talks with other foreign manufac turers on developing rival 30- to 50-seat products. In June, Alliance signed an agreement for Harbin to participate in creating a new family of small regional jets, which would include Chinese manufacture of the 35-seat SL100-30 version for local and worldwide markets. Alliance plans two other models, the 40- and 50- seat SL100-40 and -50. According to Alliance, Harbin in return will underwrite an undisclosed pro portion of the $325 million needed to develop and certificate the three planned versions, and has already dispatched engineers to its Martinsburg, West Virginia, facility. Recent AVIC II statements, how ever, indicate that the state-run con glomerate has yet to select an offi cial partner to develop a new small regional jet family. Fairchild Dornier says that it is still pursuing talks with AVIC II to make the 528JET locally, while collaborative propos als have been submitted by com petitors Bombardier and Embraer (Flight International, 15-21 January). "We've a meeting coming up in the near future with Harbin, and we intend to seek clarification on the way forward," says Alliance founder and chief executive Earl Robinson. "As far as we are con cerned, we have an agreement with them and will press on," he adds. He concedes, however, that the deal with Harbin is not exclusive, and would not prevent other mem bers of the AVIC II consortium pur suing rival programmes. Alliance has set itself an ambi tious schedule, aiming to fly the first member of its SL100 family by August 2002, and certificate by November 2004. The company says it has lined up a series of partners, including Pratt & Whitney Canada, with PW308 engines, and Rockwell Collins with ProLine 21 avionics. 16 29 JANUARY - 4 FEBRUARY 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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