All aerospace news – Page 1829
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Correcting the deviants
David Learmount/LONDDONPilots and maintenance engineers not only make mistakes, some often break the rules, a fact confirmed by studies on human performance presented at a seminar held by the UK Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) on 24 September, in London. The aim of the seminar, entitled Professionals performing poorly, was ...
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UK halts Air Atlanta leasing in parts maintenance inquiry
David Learmount/LONDON In a surprise move, the UK Civil Aviation Authority suspended operating permission for five days for UK airlines to lease aircraft from Air Atlanta Icelandic. The issue, says the CAA, was the manner in which Air Atlanta was using an out-of-service Boeing 747 to supply parts for ...
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British Midland to outline fleet expansion for long haul services
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON British Midland (BM) will this week outline plans to acquire a fleet of long-haul aircraft, as well as new deals for additional short-haul aircraft. In February, the UK airline unveiled plans for transatlantic services from London Heathrow in anticipation of a UK/US "open skies" accord, and ...
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Glenn blasts off into history
John Glenn, the USA's first man in orbit, returned to space aboard the SpaceShuttle Discovery STS95 mission on 29 October. At 77, the former Mercury astronaut and pilot of the Friendship 7 mission on 20 February, 1962, became the oldest person in space. The Discovery may have to land after ...
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Japan Air Lines ramps up efficiency plan
Japan Air Lines plans to accelerate efficiency improvements across the airline including a reduction of up to 10 aircraft in its fleet acquisition planning. Measures in the new"strategic business plan" include: achievement of a 10% cost reduction is to be brought forward from March ...
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SAA secures bilaterals ahead of sell-off
Hilka Birns/CAPE TOWN South African Airways (SAA) has secured bilateral agreements with Swissair and Singapore Airlines (SIA) and has extended its alliance with Lufthansa as part of its streamlining process ahead of privatisation. The airline is also negotiating similar alliances in the Middle East, North America, South America ...
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Army offered combat 427 variant
Samsung Aerospace is studying development of a new multirole combat version of the SB427 commercial helicopter to offer to the South Korean army to replace its Boeing MD500s. The proposed SB427M derivative of the co-developed Samsung/ Bell twin-engine helicopter is being aimed at the army's future Korean Multi-purpose Helicopter ...
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American Utilicraft Freight Feeder makes progress
American Utilicraft has selected several subcontractors for its FF-1080-200 Freight Feeder, a twin-turboprop cargo aircraft which is being designed specifically for overnight package carriers. The UK's Meggitt Avionics will supply the flat panel flight and engine displays, and fuel quantity gauging and engine fire detection systems. Securaplane of Tucson, ...
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Samsung wins first order for licence-built Bell 427 helicopter
Seoul-based helicopter operator Heli Korea has placed the first firm order with Samsung for the Samsung-Bell SB427 eight-seat utility helicopter. Apart from this order for three aircraft, Samsung says that it has letters of intent (LoIs) covering 25 further potential sales, including five in China. Among possible Chinese customers ...
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Delta II sends NASA's first New Millennium craft into space
Tim Furniss/LONDON A Boeing Delta II booster launched NASA's $152 million Deep Space 1 (DS1) technology demonstrator spacecraft from Pad 17 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 24 October. The DS1 is flying the first NASA New Millennium "faster, better, cheaper" technology development and demonstration mission. The Spectrum Astro-built DS1 ...
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Pegasus undergoes hypersonic test
An Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL booster originating from Cape Canaveral, Florida, was launched from its Lockheed L-1011 mother ship over the Atlantic on 22 October, carrying Brazil's SCD-2 commercial satellite into low earth orbit. The XL was also equipped with a NASA aerodynamics experiment, the Wing Glove, which was ...
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Russia does it with mirrors for Progress docking
A Russian-built tanker has docked with the Mir space station, carrying a specially designed "mirror" for use in a navigation experiment. The Progress M40 docked with the Mir on 26 October, two days after its launch from Baikonur in Kazakhstan. The tanker delivered a cargo which included a unique ...
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Air Canada rings up the costs of strike
Its pilot strike may push Air Canada temporarily into the red, but analysts differ over how much that will hurt the carrier's long-term strength. Air Canada's two-year settlement involved a 4% pay raise this year retroactive to April, a 5% raise next year plus stock options, pension enhancements and ...
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Mesa unveils new look
As part of its uphill battle to regain its reputation and its financial feet, US regional Mesa Airlines unveiled a new livery in mid October, as well as a new corporate logo for the carrier's parent company, the Mesa Air Group. Jonathan Ornstein, who took over as president and ...
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Indian Airlines raises fares
Burdened with a depreciating rupee and rising operating costs, Indian Airlines has again hiked its fares, this time by just over 11%. The latest rise, which took effect at the start of October, is the tenth since 1990 and comes less than a year after the airline last announced a ...
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Nigeria back to London
Nigeria Airways is edging its way back onto the Lagos-London route, which it was forced to abandon 20 months ago after a safety row ignited between Nigeria and the UK. A deal has now been agreed with British Airways, under which the Nigerian flag carrier will partner BA on a ...
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SAA gets competitive
South African Airways (SAA), now under its new chief executive Coleman Andrews, has laid out plans to give British Airways much stronger competition on the lucrative London routes and may be seeking closer ties with Virgin Atlantic to help achieve its goal. SAA recently poached Virgin's general manager for ...
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Current outlook
There are still some glimmers despite the gloom, it seems. Although there is little doubt that the world is poised for downturn, the latest projections coming out for the airline industry, if not exactly buoyant, are at least cautiously optimistic. The new passenger forecasts from the International Air Transport ...
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Why slots maynot be enough
Airline competition authorities may be looking in the wrong direction with demands for slot surrender to tame the global alliances. As the champions of competition continue to do battle over transatlantic airline alliances, it may be worth taking time out to reflect on exactly what they hope to achieve and ...
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Air France faces domestic challenge
The going promises to get tough for Air France as European competitors take up positions in its home market, snapping up some key French regional carriers. In the latest deal, Swissair has stepped in to acquire a 44% stake in Air Littoral. The partnership now gives Swissair a ...