All aerospace news – Page 1783
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Netting a bargain
Now in their third year, sales of discount fares via the Internet appear to be a rousing success for US carriers. Is this a glimpse of the future? American Airlines started it all three years ago. Other US majors were quick to follow. Now, Internet discount fares are beginning ...
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Finding a role
Russia's new launcher family is searching for a niche in the market Tim Furniss/LONDON A family of new Russian launchers called Angara could be competing in the commercial market by 2001. The Angaras, designed by Russia's Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Centre, will fly from a modified launch ...
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Light and powerful
It may be slower than its competitors, but the power of Bell's 427 light twin turbine, simplicity of operation and overall comfort impressed Flight International's test pilot Peter Gray/MIRABEL Beginning with a clean sheet of paper, a list of desired design criteria and a rigid purchase price goal, Bell Helicopter ...
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Spoiling tactics
When Boeing concluded its recent trade-in deal with Singapore Airlines (SIA) for 10 more 777s in exchange for a guarantee to buy and remarket its entire A340 fleet, the move seemed as capricious as it was masterful. But, with arch rival Airbus Industrie putting the finishing touches to a ...
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South Africa to levy 'safety' fee
Doug Birch/LONDON Foreign airlines flying to South Africa will have to pay fees totalling almost $3 million over the next 18 months as a contribution to an "aviation safety charge", according to the South African Civil Aviation Authority. The fees replace a fuel levy implemented in January by ...
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MD-10 speeds up as passenger version is studied
Boeing is talking to potential customers about developing a passenger version of the MD-10, as it considers accelerating the cargo-led programme by up to three months. US express carrier FedEx is so far the only customer for the MD-10 conversion of the DC-10, with orders and options for 120. ...
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Airbus plans to thwart Boeing's SIA deal
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Airbus Industrie has drawn up a confidential business plan aimed at frustrating Boeing's efforts to remarket 17 A340-300s it is to acquire from Singapore Airlines (SIA)as part of a recent 777 deal. The consortium declines to comment on the plan, but a source familiar with its contents says: ...
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First taker for SpaceDev asteroid mission
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC SpaceDev has secured the first customer for its planned commercial asteroid rendezvous mission. The company has signed a $200,000 contract with Dojin to carry a package on the Near Earth Asteroid Prospector (NEAP), to rendezvous with asteroid Nereus in January 2002. Poway, California-based SpaceDev already ...
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India urges industry to join launcher venture
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is seeking increased industry participation in its commercial launch vehicle programme. Following the successful first commercial launch of India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in May, ISRO wants the country's manufacturing industry to upgrade its role from that of supplying launch vehicle subsystems ...
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Columbia flies at third try
NASA successfully launched the Space Shuttle Columbia mission STS93 on 23 July after its second launch attempt on 22 July was called off because of bad weather. The Columbia, with its Chandra X-ray Observatory payload, was originally due for launch on 20 July - the 30th anniversary of the ...
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NASA Messenger mission will map Mercury
NASA plans to return to Mercury, after an absence of more than 30 years, when its Messenger spacecraft reaches the innermost planet in 2008. The Messenger mission to map Mercury is one of two new projects selected for NASA's "quicker, cheaper" Discovery programme (Flight International, 21-27 July). The other ...
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USAF chips in for X-37 spaceplane
The US Air Force is to contribute $16 million to the NASA/Boeing X-37 experimental spaceplane programme as a follow-on to the USAF-funded X-40, to demonstrate technologies for future military spacecraft. The X-37 design is scaled up from the X-40, an unpowered vehicle built by Boeing and drop-tested from a helicopter ...
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Mergers
Northrop Grumman has bought Ryan Aeronautical - a manufacturer of target drones and unmanned air vehicles - from Allegheny Teledyne for $140 million. The business will move its base to San Diego, California, and will be used to develop Northrop's unmanned technology programmes. Allegheny Teledyne has also completed the sale ...
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Airbus expects Asian order bonanza after recovery
Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPOREAirbus Industrie is predicting that Asia's airlines will order 4,300 passenger aircraft worth $450 billion over the next two decades as the Far East renews its economic growth. Adam Brown, Airbus vice-president, forecasting and strategic planning, says signs of recovery in the Asia-Pacific market will appear by the second ...
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Jetphone hangs up on airline market
Emma Kelly/LONDON In-flight telephone service provider Jetphone will cease operations on 31 December following a lack of demand by airline passengers for in-flight telephony. Jetphone is in discussions with its airline customers on service cessation, which will leave Europe without a terrestrial flight telecommunication system (TFTS) service provider following ...
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Japan medical
MD Helicopters has delivered an air medical Explorer to Japanese distributor Tomen Aerospace for use by Aero Asahi, which will operate the helicopter for a hospital as part of a government-supported trial. Air Methods provided the interior for the helicopter. Colorado-based Air Methods believes the trial, the first air medical ...
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Routes
American Airlines will begin seasonal daily services to Los Cabos, Mexico, from Chicago O'Hare on 1 November, using Boeing MD-80s. The airline will also launch three daily Boeing 727 flights between Miami and Tampa on the same day, replacing services provided by regional partner American Eagle, which will reduce its ...
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Air Wisconsin aims to trade turboprops for regional jets
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Air Wisconsin wants to trade in its Fairchild Dornier 328 turboprops for new 32/44-seat regional jets, while playing down interest in the British Aerospace Avro RJ-X in the face of United Airlines' scope clause restrictions. The United Express carrier is evaluating the newly certificated Embraer RJ-135 ...
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Marketplace
Gandalf Airlines, based in Bergamo, Italy, has taken an ATR 42 on wet lease from Gill Airways for operation on services from Bergamo to Munich and Zurich. The deal was arranged by Cabot Aviation. China Airlines has signed a wet lease with Atlas Air for two 747-400 freighters. Singapore Airlines ...
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Emergency contract
Air Methods will provide emergency transportation services for the Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, Nevada, under a five-year contract. Operations will start in September, using a Bell 407 helicopter. Source: Flight International