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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1720.PDF
AIR TRANSPORT RULEMAKING Eurocontrol defines path to power Eurocontrol has released a Eurocontrol notice of proposed rulemaking (ENPRM) defining the process by which it will be able to make rules that are bind ing on all contracting states. The purpose is to create a single executive body that can ensure agreed air traffic man agement (ATM) standards are applied uniformly throughout Europe. The development is an important step towards the declared "single European sky" objective. At present, Eurocontrol is a co-ordinating body, like the Joint Aviation Authorities, for ATM pol icy in its 31 member states in Europe, but it does not have executive power. The draft document - in the form of an ENPRM - defines the "regulatory framework" for Eurocontrol's future rulemaking processes. Its publication is the penultimate stage in its execu tive empowerment, and it is the result of consultation that started in 1999. Stakeholders and the public have until 31 July to comment. Eurocontrol will be able to make legally binding rules when the comments have been "reviewed and consolidated" into the final document, which then has to be approved by Eurocontrol's council. Eurocontrol proposes a rule making process like that of the JAA and the US Federal Aviation Administration, starting with an ENPRM to allow consul tation. The rules the agency makes, says the draft document, will be compatible with Internati onal Civil Aviation Organisation and JAA standards and guide lines, and they will be "drafted to avoid divergence of implementation". When proposed rules are finally approved, "decisions taken by the Eurocontrol deci sion-making bodies are automatically binding to con tracting parties and the agency," according to the draft rule. AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT ANDREW DOYLE/ TOULOUSE Airbus set to finalise risk sharing roster for A380 Outsourcing allows manufacturer to offload almost a third of development costs Airbus is close to finalising equip ment vendor selection for its $10.7 billion A380 ultra-large airliner pro gramme and says it has takers for most of the risk-sharing work on offer to outside partners. There are now suppliers for 80% of outsourced equipment, by value, says Airbus executive vice-presi dent A380 programme Charles Champion. Contracts cover flight control, fuel, electrical, hydraulic and environmental systems, cock pit avionics, landing gear, engines, nacelles and evacuation slides. Still out to tender are cargo loading, water/waste, oxygen, ground steer ing control, inertial navigation, Air conditioning Auxilliary power unit Cockpit displays Electrical power generation Evacuation slides Flight management system Fuel system Hydraulics Landing gear - main Landing gear - nose Nacelles Powerplant Pneumatics Primary flight controls Ram air turbine Wheels and brakes radio, fire detection, cabin lighting, anti-ice systems, cockpit seats and windows, flight recorders and tyres. "We intend to be 99% complete by year-end," says Champion. So far, 33 risk-sharing partners have been secured for 81% of the work, enabling Airbus to offload around 30% of the programme's cost, says chief executive Noel Forgeard. Partners include Alenia, CTRM of Malaysia, EADS Socata, EADS Sogerma, Eurocopter, Finavi- tec, Fokker, Gamesa, GKN, Labinal, Saab, Sabca and Sonaca. Korea Aerospace Industries is expected to sign up for a 1.5% stake and pro duce aluminium wing panels. Hamilton Sundstrand Pratt & Whitney Canada Thales Thales/TRW Goodrich Honeywell FR HiTemp, Parker and Intertechnique Vickers Goodrich Messier-Dowty Aircelle Engine Alliance or Rolls-Royce Liebherr/Honeywell Liebherr/Parker and TRW Hamilton Sundstrand Honeywell/Dunlop "We are comfortable with part ners' and vendors' commitments," says Forgeard. Government refund able loans account for 33% of pro gramme cost, with the rest funded by Airbus partners BAE and EADS Systems. About $2.1 billion of the costs are being covered by risk-shar ing partners on the airframe, and $900 million by equipment ven dors, says Champion. In a surprise move, Fuji Heavy Industries and Jamco of Japan have taken risk- sharing work. Mitsubishi is invol ved via Eurocopter. Champion says Asian aerostructures suppliers have won $ 1 billion of A380 business. The 555-seat A380 will include a carbonfibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) centre wingbox, rear pres sure bulkhead and rear fuselage sec tion aft of the bulkhead. Wing ribs will also be CFRP. The upper fuse lage will be part constructed from glassfibre/aluminium composite Glare, and laser beam welding will be used for the lower fuselage. A380 development peaks later this year when over 5,000 engi neers will work on the project, says Champion. Metal for the first A380 part was cut in January in Nantes. The prototype A380 is due to fly by the end of 2004, and enter ser vice with Singapore Airlines in the spring of 2006. SAFETY DAVID LEARMOUNT / LONDON Germans query Linate crash report German observers of the 8 October Milan Linate Airport collision inquiry are concerned the interim factual report fails to include cru cial detail about another relevant aircraft movement taking place. While the doomed aircraft - a Cessna Citationjet and a Scandina vian Airlines Boeing MD-87 - were about to collide in 100m (330ft) vis ibility, an Italian Bombardier Learjet pilot, who had been informed in Italian that he would be following the Citationjet on the northerly R5 taxiway, told ground control he could not see the Cessna at the pos ition it had reported it was in. The Cessna pilot had taken the south-easterly R6 taxiway from the start despite an unambiguous clear ance north via R5. According to the Italian investigators' interim rep ort, the Cessna pilot had reported twice that he was at "Sierra 4 app roaching the runway". Sierra 4 is on the southern R6 taxiway, but the ground controller did not notice - despite the Learjet pilot's report that he could not see the Cessna on R5 - and cleared the Cessna to "continue taxi |via the) main apron". The Citationjet pilot failed to query this unlikely instr uction and continued across the main runway. Meanwhile, the MD-87, on tow er frequency, had been cleared to take-off and the two collided at the intersection, killing 114 people. 10 11-17 JUNE 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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