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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2122.PDF
HEADLINES DEFENCE CRAIG HOYLE / TEL AVIV Israel eyes STOVL variant of F-35 But air force warns option may be costly The Israeli air force is interested in acquiring the F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) vari ant of Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter QSF), but the service is some way from making a deci sion, according to the service's senior procurement official. "We haven't decided yet which type of aircraft we are going to buy," says Brig Gen Zeev Snir, head of the air force's materiel direc torate. Israeli interest in the F-35B is partly linked to tentative navy plans to acquire a helicopter carrier also capable of hosting operations by STOVL aircraft. The STOVL version offers enhanced operational flexibility, but this must be balanced against the type's cost and performance, he says. The F-35B is probably going to be "more expensive and more lim ited, from a point of view of load and range" than the F-35A/C air force and navy variants, he says. Discussions are continuing with the US Air Force on the JSF project, and Israel is "starting to learn about it and understand it", says Snir. Israeli requirements for a two- seat version of the F-35 have receded, he says, with the aircraft's increased level of automation promising to provide a major leap in reducing pilot workload. During an 18 October interview with Flight International, Snir also underlined the air force's determi nation to take delivery of JSFs already fully modified to meet national requirements. "We would like to see the JSF come to the Israeli air force in the same way as the F-16I," he says. Introduced into Israeli service last February, the Lockheed Martin- built fighter arrived equipped with Israeli systems including software, electronic-warfare equipment and weapon systems. "We believe strongly that we need an Israeli version of the JSF, the same way that we had with the F-16I," says Snir. "We have to incorporate systems that are compatible with our own way of fighting, and we need the ability to control the configuration of the aircraft," he adds. AIR TRANSPORT GRAHAM DUNN / LONDON Germanwings to test 717 through AeBal wet lease Germanwings is to test the Boeing 717 in the European low-cost environ ment through a wet-lease agreement with Spanish carrier Aerolineas de Baleares (AeBal), in a move that could lead to its parent, Eurowings, acquiring the type. The German budget airline is an all-Airbus A320 family operator, but will evaluate Boeing's smallest jet across a range of routes in a pilot programme over the European winter season. Germanwings' vice-president marketing, sales and business develop ment, Andreas Bierwirth, says the carrier already has a requirement for two more aircraft for its winter timetable, and is taking the opportunity to look at the 717 after being impressed with its performance with US budget operator Air Tran. "The cost side on paper looks excellent and we want to analyse this," he says, noting that a smaller capacity than its 142- and 150-seat A319/A320s could be useful for some routes. Spanish carrier AeBal will initially operate the services on a wet-lease basis. The next step, if the experiment succeeds, would be for regional carrier Eurowings to operate some 717 services for Germanwings next year. Eurowings - part-owned by Lufthansa - would also study deploying the aircraft on regional routes. Bierwirth says a decision on whether Eurowings will add some 717s will be made before the year-end. Briefing NTSB completes AA587 probe ACCIDENT The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will receive the draft report on the 12 November 2001 Belle Harbor, New York crash of American Airlines flight AA587 this week. The report is set to be controversial, since the crash has sparked debate between the manufacturer Airbus and the airline as to whether the incident was pilot error or a design fault. The crash followed the separation of the tail fin of an American Airbus A300-600R after the aircraft had passed through wake turbulence. Airbus alleges American pilot training for flight upset recovery, including the use of rudder to correct roll where appropriate, may have caused the first officer of AA587 to use a sequence of full rudder reversals taking the load on the fin beyond its design limits. American says it has never trained its pilots to do what appears to have happened. The report is due in four months. First non-airline deal for 747-400SF ORDERS Boeing has secured its first non-airline, and first non-Asian, customer for its 747-400 Special Freighter conversion programme. US leasing company Guggenheim Aviation Partners has acquired four ex- Singapore Airlines 747-400s through Boeing Aircraft Trading and booked slots with Boeing Commercial Aviation Services for their conversion to freighters between 2006 and 2009. The first two 747-400s will be leased to Air India pending conversion and Guggenheim is marketing the third aircraft for interim passenger-configuration use. Following modification at locations that have still to be decided by Boeing, the company's first two Special Freighters will be available for lease in 2007, followed by one in 2008 and one in 2009. Business jet orders pick up SALES Cessna Aircraft booked 71 Citation business jet orders in the third quarter and has now sold all its 2004 production and 185 of the 225 Citations planned for next year, as the business aviation recovery gathers pace. Gulfstream plans to build 58-60 large-cabin aircraft in 2005, up from 55 this year. Production for next year is already two-thirds sold. Gulf fund takes Liberty major stake ACQUISITION The Kuwait Finance House, Bahrain (KFH-Bahrain) has signed an agreement to acquire a 75% interest in Liberty Aerospace, US manufacturer of the XL-2 piston single. KFH's stake in the Melbourne, Florida-based company will consist of 72.5% in shares and 2.5% in cash. The remaining 25% will stay in the hands of existing Liberty shareholders. Tony Tiarks, Liberty president and co-founder, says the company has been seeking a suitable investor for several months. Tiarks says Liberty is actively pursuing training and surveillance markets and cites the Middle East, South- East Asia and Asia Pacific. Start-up earmarks 7E7s for business ORDERS US business class-only start-up Primaris Airlines has set out plans to take 20 Boeing 737-800s and to acquire 20 Boeing 7E7-8s for use in its all-business class shuttles. Las Vegas, Nevada-based Primaris plans services from 2005 and says it will need up to 45 Boeing 737-800s for city- pair operations. Primaris says the 7E7-8s, to be delivered between 2010 and 2013, will fly long-range services. The airline also has options for 15 more of the type. Radio frequency tracking site gets backing PARTS TRACKING An internet portal promoting standardisation of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology for tracking aircraft parts has won the backing of Airbus and Boeing. The Antenna portal, a joint effort between Siemens Business Services and Sopheon, is expected to become the industry's platform for RFID standardisation. A subscription-based, password-protected service, Antenna will enable Airbus and Boeing to publish their own RFID requirements to suppliers. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 26 OCTOBER - 1 NOVEMBER 2004 5
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