All aerospace news – Page 1756
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Next-generation datalink held up
Efforts by the US Federal Aviation Administration to develop and deploy the next-generation digital air-to-ground communications system could be delayed by budget cuts, US aviation agency officials have warned. For now, controller pilot datalink communications (CPDLC), a key element of the FAA's "free flight" programme, remains on track despite ...
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Libyan carriers to discuss division of domestic market
Andrew Chuter/TRIPOLI Libyan Arab Airlines will hold talks with Air Jamahiriya next year over a possible division of Libya's domestic market between the two carriers. The Libyan Government lifted operating restrictions on Air Jamahiriya, formerly the Light Air Company, earlier this year, giving it permission to operate domestic ...
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Marketplace
United Parcel Service (UPS) has decided to accelerate the acquisition of its new Airbus A300-600 freighters, with the delivery of seven aircraft next year instead of the four originally planned. The airline holds firm orders for 30 Pratt & Whitney PW4158-powered A300s plus 30 options, with deliveries due between next ...
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New PETAL partners will join in 2001
Swissair, Northwest Airlines and Honeywell (formerly AlliedSignal) are to join Europe's Preliminary Eurocontrol Test of Air/Ground Data Link (PETAL II) programme in 2001. PETAL II is Europe's groundbreaking validation of air-ground data links in operational air traffic control. The three-phase programme involves air traffic controllers and aircraft crew communicating ...
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Nigeria continues rebuilding as privatisation looms
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Nigeria Airways has begun the next phase of rebuilding its network as it gears up for partial privatisation in early 2001. The airline has expanded its joint weekly services with British Airways between Lagos and London Heathrow from three to six frequencies, and introduced a dedicated Boeing ...
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Athens hub draws BA interest
Julian Moxon/PARIS British Airways is targeting Olympic Airways as a possible oneworld partner as part of a strategy aimed at developing the new Athens Spata airport as a major regional hub. The UK airline, which, through its consultancy arm Speedwing, has a contract to restructure Olympic in preparation ...
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Rocket science
NASA must be eagerly awaiting the New Year following its string of disasters in 1999. The US space administration, which has done so much for space exploration this century, is hardly ending it on a high note. The latest setback - the further delay of the crucial Hubble Space ...
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Boeing secures deal for Skybridge launch
The Alcatel-led Skybridge consortium has selected Boeing Delta III and IV vehicles to launch half of its planned 80-satellite constellation from 2002, in a deal which is a major blow to Arianespace. Boeing will also take a "significant" financial stake in Skybridge, which will operate a high-speed broadband multimedia ...
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Mission failure leaves Mars exploration in disarray
Tim Furniss/LONDON The Mars Polar Lander Mission (MPL) was declared lost on 6 December after the failure of the seventh and final attempt to pick up signals from it using the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor. NASA administrator Dan Goldin says that a detailed review will be conducted of ...
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Orbcomm launch
Orbital Sciences launched a Pegasus booster from its Lockheed L-1011 TriStar carrier over the Atlantic on 4 December, placing seven Orbcomm subsidiary satellites into orbit. It was the fourteenth consecutive successful Pegasus launch, with the number of Orbcomm satellites in space reaching 35. Source: Flight International
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Europe to define GalileoSat
The European Space Agency and the European Commission (EC) have signed a contract to launch the €20 million ($20.2 million) GalileoSat definition phase for the proposed Galileo satellite navigation system. By mid-December, the EC was also expected to sign four major contracts with industry on Galileo system definition. The ...
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Matra Marconi wins climate monitor deal
Matra Marconi Space (MMS) has received a €791 million ($798 million) contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat) to build three polar-orbiting Metop satellites. Metop is the first European polar-orbiting satellite dedicated to operational meteorology and climate monitoring. ...
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Quality regulations push back Eaglet certification schedule
Euro-ENAER has pushed back certification of its Eaglet single-engined utility aircraft until the first quarter of 2000 because of the unforeseen demands of new European quality assurance regulations for general aviation aircraft. The fully composite two-seat Eaglet, originally set for approval in March, may become the first aircraft to ...
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Sweden wins contract to develop Smart for ESA
The Swedish Space Corporation and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a €33 million ($32.9 million) contract to develop the Small Advanced Research and Technology 1 (Smart 1) science and technology demonstration spacecraft. Smart 1 will be launched to the moon in about 2003. The Smart series of small ...
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Ibis plans Ae270 sales offensive
Ibis Aerospace, the joint venture between Czech company Aero Vodochody and Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), plans to launch a sales and marketing campaign for the single-turboprop Ae270 utility aircraft following its first flight in February. "We want to establish a certification and delivery timetable before we start ...
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Canada wants to fly MD-11 in crash investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) wants to conduct test flights with a Swissair Boeing MD-11 with its inflight entertainment system activated as part of the continuing probe into the 2 September, 1998, crash of the same craft, off Nova Scotia, the TSB confirms. Tests are intended to ...
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Virgin fires starting gun for Australian no-frills market
Paul Phelan/CAIRNS Virgin Group owner Richard Branson unveiled plans in Sydney at the end of November for a low-cost Australian domestic airline in the style of Europe's Virgin Express. Branson says he hopes to have his new no-frills airline, provisionally titled Virgin Australia, fully operational well before the ...
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EC approval puts new Honeywell in business
The new Honeywell began trading on 2 December following European Commission (EC) approval for the merger of avionics giants Honeywell and AlliedSignal. EC clearance, which follows US Department of Justice (DoJ) approval, came after the partners agreed to certain undertakings to allay EC concerns over the merger. The EC's ...
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Eagle Aircraft picks Kansas distributor
Eagle Aircraft has delivered six Eagle 150B trainers to its recently appointed US partner, GLH Aviation of Augusta, Kansas. GLH is responsible for final assembly, quality-assurance flights, and sales and marketing for the US market. GLH is negotiating with Eagle to expand the deal to include installing key components ...
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JAA subcommittee starts work on OPS requirements
A European Joint Aviation Authorities subcommittee is drawing up recommendations for Joint Aviation Requirements Operations (JAR OPS 2) - the regulatory code that will cover corporate and aerial work. Requirements for these operations are being developed by the aerial work and general aviation sub-committee (AWGAS), which is part of ...