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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1316.PDF
HEADLINES AIR TRANSPORT ACA delays CRJ arrivals United Express carrier Atlantic Coast Airlines (ACA) has recon firmed its firm order for 121 Bombardier CRJ200s, but rescheduled the 42 regional jets still to be delivered. The Dulles, Virginia-based carrier is deep in regional service negotiations with troubled United Airlines. ACA, which stopped accepting CRJs in March, has agreed to take delivery of 10 aircraft in Bombardier's 2003-4 fiscal year, which ends on 31 January. Two have been delivered, says Bombardier chief executive Paul Tellier. ACA will take nine aircraft in FY2004-5 and the other 25 in FY2005-6. The original schedule called for 35 deliveries in FY2003^ and nine in FY2004-5. The reduction will be partially offset by the handover of the first 10 of 60 CRJs on firm order for US Airways. Bombardier plans to deliver around 220 regional aircraft in FY2003-4, roughly the same as last year, Tellier says. He says financing for some of the 10 aircraft to be delivered to ACA this year will be provided by Canada's Export Development Corporation (EDC), and "some by ACA". The two delivered have been financed by EDC. SEE BUSINESS P24 DEFENCE BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE Shift T-50 wing work to South Korea, urges KAI Manufacturing partner claims move from USA offers better business case Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin are discussing moving wing production for the T-50 Golden Eagle lead-in fighter trainer from the USA to South Korea in a bid to lower the procure ment cost for the initial batch. Loss of the the wing would result in the US manufacturer's work- share on the T-50 dropping below the currently planned and agreed 20%. "Lockheed Martin and KAI are working on all aspects of the production contract to find where the work can be done that offers the best value for the programme," says Lockheed Martin. As the chief subcontractor, Lockheed Martin has developed the T-50's avionics system, flight control system and wings. It had been tasked with manufacturing the wings and helping to integrate the avionics for Korean-ordered air craft, but industry officials say KAI has determined that manufactur ing the wings in South Korea makes a better business case. The two are also partners in marketing the aircraft internationally and are The first two lead-in fighter prototypes join the test programme in August banking on South Korea's initial order to boost sales. KAI hopes Lockheed Martin will agree to the revised arrangement in the next few weeks so it can be wrapped into the initial production plan. Its initial production authori sation will include the first 25 of 94 planned trainers, approval for which needs to be secured in the third quarter for first delivery to occur in late 2005 as scheduled. In addition, KAI must complete 151 sorties and add two aircraft to the flight test programme before the start of initial production at the end of May. To date 120 sorties have been flown with two proto types. The first two lead-in fighter prototypes will join the flight-test programme in August. The four test aircraft collectively are expected to rack up 11,000 sorties by 2005. KAI has the capacity to deliver T-50s to export customers as early as 2005 and turn out as many as five aircraft a month, compared with the initial production rate of 1.5 a month. GENERAL AVIATION EMMA KELLY / PERTH Civil UAV manufacturers home in on Australia Aerosonde, EADS, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Northrop Grumman have submitted unman ned air vehicle-based solutions for Australia's Civil Maritime Surveillance 2004 (CMS04) Project. The Australian Customs Service recently called for expressions of interest, in a move that could see Australia become one of the first countries to use UAVs for civil sur veillance (Flight International, 15-21 April). A request for tender will be issued in the fourth quarter. Civil maritime surveillance is provided by 14 fixed-wing aircraft and two helicopters operated by Surveillance Australia and Reef Helicopters. The A$70 million ($46 million) a year contracts are due to expire from June 2004. UAVs feature in several of the 43 proposals submitted by late May. The UAV manufacturers have registered interest as part service providers and are tight-lipped on partners as they position them selves to be part of a full service package. Australian UAV manufac turer Aerosonde, with part owner Saab Systems, is proposing its Aerosonde UAV. The Eagle UAV is part of EADS's submission, along with CASA C295 maritime surveillance aircraft and Eurocopter helicopters. EADS confirms it is in talks with potential full service providers, as is Northrop Grumman with an RQ-4A Global Hawk-based solu tion, says Ken Crowe, vice-presi dent of the US manufacturer's Australian division. Crowe says two Global Hawks could provide "sub stantially greater" coverage than exists today, adding that civil sur veillance is a "potentially explosive area" of growth. IAI has registered interest with Malat UAVs, Elta Electronic mar itime patrol radars and Tamam electro-optic payloads, but declines to comment. The Israeli company is teamed with Boeing on the Australian Army tactical UAV requirement. Boeing Australia has applied as a full service provider but declines to disclose its CMS04 solutions. Systems integrator Serco says it is forming a consortium to include an Australian project management company with imaging capabili ties, a communications specialist, and surveillance and data transfer company CEA Technologies. Incumbent contractor Surveill ance Australia is applying as a full service provider and is courting potential partners. Other submissions include an integrated space, airborne and ground-based solution from Tenix Defence, a satellite-based platform from NEC Australia and an acoustic surveillance system from Zylotech. 6 3-9 JUNE 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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