All aerospace news – Page 1778
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OSC to build ozone monitoring spacecraft for NASA project
NASA has chosen Orbital Sciences (OSC) to build, launch and operate the QuikTOMS atmospheric ozone monitoring satellite. QuikTOMS will be integrated with the OSC-built Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument. OSC has built five TOMS sensors for NASA, with the latest sensor launched aboard a US Earth Probe satellite ...
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Wiring worry delays Shuttle mission
NASA has delayed the STS 99/Endeavour Shuttle Topography Radar Mission from 16 September to at least early October so that technicians can conduct a full inspection of the orbiter's cargo bay for damaged wiring. STS93/Columbia suffered a short circuit at T+5s on 23 July because of damage to a ...
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BA to axe 1,000 managers in bid to save profits
British Airways is to cut about 1,000 management jobs in a move it says is aimed at reducing costs to pay shareholder dividends. BA says it "will find additional savings of £225 million [$360 million] this year to deliver the profits that the City expects". Analysts had warned that ...
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Helicopter fractional is poised for launch
Kate Sarsfield/LONDON The first UK-based helicopter fractional ownership programme aimed at the European market is scheduled for launch on 1 September by helicopter sales and training company Skyhopper. The Marlow-based firm, which acquired Virgin Helicopters in August last year, will kick-start its helicopter "retained charter" programme simultaneously. "We were originally ...
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Fairchild could produce freighter version of 328JET
Paul Lewis/OBERPFAFFENHOFEN Fairchild Aerospace proposes to develop a freighter version of its new 328JET, while undertaking range performance improvements of the recently certificated regional aircraft. "There is a proposal for an all-cargo version of the 328JET," says Stanley Deal, Fairchild vice-president 228/328/428 series. He declines to identify the interested ...
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African nations to finance CNS/ATM system
Michael Wakabi/KAMPALA Twenty-one African countries are to invest jointly in a communications, navigation and surveillance/air traffic management (CNS/ATM) system to manage their upper airspace. A memorandum of commitment is expected to be endorsed by members of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in October, with ...
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Surge problems prompted P&W switch at CAL
Brent Hannon and Andrzej Jeziorski/TAIPEI Continuing surge problems with its Pratt & Whitney PW4056-powered aircraft contributed to China Airlines' (CAL) decision to choose General Electric as the engine supplier for its latest aircraft orders. "Engine surge is still a problem. We can live with it, but we are ...
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Mil, Kazan and Eurocopter sign Mi-38 deal
The MVZ Mil design bureau, Kazan Helicopter Plant, Eurocopter and Euromil (a joint venture between Mil and Eurocopter) have signed two memoranda covering the development and production of the Mil Mi-38 multipurpose helicopter. Eurocopter will act as avionics integrator. Kazan general manager Alexander Lavrentyev says the first Mi-38 fuselage ...
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Too late
Iridium's project for a constellation of satellites providing a global telephone service seemed to have real credibility in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Unfortunately, as is often the case with pioneering high technology, high investment schemes, it took too long to materialise, rendering the company a legend even before its own ...
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Kazan's Ansat makes first flight
The Kazan Ansat helicopter had its first flight on 17 August, marking the manufacturer's debut as a helicopter designer. Kazan is better known as the major maker of Mil helicopters, having produced more than 11,000. The 3,000kg Ansat, powered by a pair of Klimov-built Pratt & Whitney Canada PK206C ...
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Iridium seeks rescue package as it files for bankruptcy
Tim Furniss/LONDON Mobile satellite communications company Iridium is striving to put together a financial rescue plan after filing for bankruptcy protection from its creditors on 13 August. As the Motorola-led company works on the plan, fellow start-up mobile satellite communications (satcom) company ICO Global Communications is feeling the "Iridium ...
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Mergers
Ground services provider Worldwide Flight Services of the USA is to buy Miami Aircraft Support for $66.4 million, giving it a presence at a total of 82 airports. Worldwide was previously owned by American Airlines parent AMR, but was bought by private investors in March. US third-party maintenance provider Aviation ...
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Embraer chooses Latecoere to supply fuselage for new jet
Andrzej Jeziorski/TAIPEI Embraer has chosen Latecoere to manufacture fuselage components for the ERJ-170/190 , making it one of the first major suppliers to be signed up for the new regional aircraft family. Although the selection of the French structures specialist has not been announced formally, sources close to the ...
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Marketplace
Finnair will cease its Saab 340 services from October, with the cancellation of wet-lease operations, as it concentrates on services with its fleet of nine ATR 72s. China Airlines has grounded its four remaining Airbus A300B4s and is offering them for sale. The airline is still searching for buyers for ...
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KLM-Continental row hits Wings alliance
Chris Jasper/LONDON The planned launch of the so-called Wings alliance is in doubt after a disagreement between Dutch flag carrier KLM and Continental Airlines of the USA - two of the four major airlines that had been expected to launch the grouping this year. Sources close to the pair ...
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Strategic stretch
More than a long-range niche filler, Boeing's 767-400ER promises to bring new life to the entire big twin family Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Boeing's big twinjet strategy takes another important step forward on 26 August when the 767-400ER is officially rolled out of the company's Everett assembly site in ...
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Chinese launch
China's state media has reported that the country plans to launch an orbital test of a crewless spacecraft by the end of the year and put a person into orbit in about 2005. A Space Shuttle-type vehicle is also planned, but its development will depend on a new Long March ...
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Asteroid target
NASA's Discovery programme spacecraft - the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) - is on course for a close encounter with the asteroid 433 Eros on 14 February, 2000, following a 2min burn of its hydrazine engine. NEAR will spend a year orbiting Eros and sending back data and images. Source: ...
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US export changes hit Canada
Canadian industry is struggling to cope with changes to US export controls which have curtailed its access to US technology and markets. The special status previously accorded to Canadian companies has been removed following changes to US International Trade in Arms Regulations (ITARs). As a result, US companies now ...
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A300 autopilot checks ordered after approach yaws
Uncommanded rudder inputs on final approach traced to a faulty Airbus A300-600 autopilot have caused the US Federal Aviation Administration to issue an airworthiness directive (AD) requiring autopilot checks on the entire A300B, A310 and A300-600 fleet. The unidentified incident is still under investigation by the French civil aviation ...