All air transport news – Page 2298
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News
Quad TiltRotor under study
Graham Warwick/MONTREAL Bell Boeing is studying a four-proprotor tiltrotor aircraft as a potential replacement for both heavylift helicopters and tactical transports. The initial concept for the Quad TiltRotor (QTR) is to use the wing, nacelles, engines and proprotors from the Bell Boeing V-22, mating them to a modified ...
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NATO directors split decision on ground surveillance needs
Stewart Penney/LONDON The NATO Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) has agreed on a twin-track approach to satisfying the Alliance's air-to-ground surveillance (AGS) requirement. A US-led group, including Canada, Denmark and Norway, will move ahead with a two-year project definition phase for a system based on the Northrop Grumman/Raytheon ...
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S Korea's KAISAT-4 will carry Australian payload
South Korea's KAISAT-4 microsatellite, scheduled for launch in 2002, will carry an Australian-developed communications package. This is part of a new two-nation agreement intended to explore common payload applications for remote sensing and space-based rural area communications. The payload is a derivative of a combined UHF, S band and ...
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767-400 engine mounts strengthened
Boeing's design of different engine mountings for the 767-400ER, compared to other members of the 767 family, has been vindicated by a US Federal Aviation Administration proposal to accept the new design under the special conditions clause of its regulations. On 767-200 and -300 models, damage to the aircraft ...
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China order prompts Britten Norman to resurrect Trislander
Max Kingsley-Jones/LONDON Britten Norman (BN) has relaunched production of its 16-seat Trislander commuter aircraft, following an order from China for three aircraft. Shenyang-based China Northern Airlines has selected the tri-piston-powered aircraft to upgrade its regional services, with deliveries due between September next year and January 2001. The ...
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Western company buys Yak-42s for Moldova lease
A new Irish-based leasing company, Corvette Aviation, has bought two Yakovlev Yak-42Ds from Russian financial group Interros. The two secondhand aircraft are on short-term lease to Moscow-based Bykovo Avia. After refurbishment and overhaul, they will be leased to Air Moldova International, with delivery of the first aircraft slated for June ...
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Dispute threatens A318 start
Julian Moxon/PARIS Production start-up of the recently launched 107-seat Airbus Industrie A318 is being threatened by a dispute over workshares in the programme. The argument centres on Aerospatiale's complaint that it is paying more into A318 development than its 37.9% share in the Airbus Industrie consortium. An ...
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Brymon switches to Embraer for jets
Brymon Airways has switched allegiance for its new jet fleet, placing an order for up to 21 50-seat Embraer RJ-145s, rather than the rival Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ). The Plymouth-based UK regional airline, a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways, has an all-Bombardier fleet of 16 Dash 8-300 ...
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New beginnings from AlliedSignal
In July, AlliedSignal engineers will start a new engine for the first time. This is a critical milestone for any engine maker, but more particularly for AlliedSignal, which plans to make the AS900 turbofan a pivotal powerplant in its strategic plan for the 21st century. The AS900 is a ...
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Kawasaki partners on civil tiltrotor
Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) has signed an agreement with Aerostructures of Nashville, Tennessee, to manufacture components for the Bell Agusta BA 609 civil tiltrotor aircraft. Aerostructures is responsible for the aircraft's fuselage development. KHI says it will develop the cabin doors and fuselage tailcone under subcontract. KHI is the first ...
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Mission 212 prototype poised for assembly
Lambert Aircraft Engineering plans to start building the proof of concept Mission M212-100 prototype this month. It is also awaiting certification of the air-cooled Zoche ZO 01A engine to kick-start flight testing next year. The manufacturer, based in Kortrijk, Belgium, has completed destructive wing tests on the single-engined Mission ...
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Airbus Trent 500 prepared for first test runs
Rolls-Royce's Trent 500 turbofan for the Airbus Industrie A340-500/600 was expected to begin runs at the company's test site at Derby, UK, as Flight International went to press. The run marks the start of a test and certification programme involving seven test engines, which is due to be completed in ...
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Government blocks UK safety extension
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has been given the go-ahead to conduct more spot checks of foreign airlines operating into the UK. But there are no plans to extend formally the monitoring of foreign aircraft safety. The move follows further investigation of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), which has flouted fuel ...
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Cathay pilots start to disrupt services as pay talks collapse
Andrzej Jeziorski/HONG KONG Cathay Pacific Airways pilots have begun to disrupt scheduled services after the collapse of pay talks between airline management and unions. Three flights were cancelled on 28 May, when "a higher than average" number of pilots called in sick. Although airline management says it does ...
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Alitalia signs up
Alitalia has finally joined up as an official member of the Northwest-KLM alliance across the Atlantic. The three airlines have jointly applied for US antitrust immunity - required to allow co-ordination of prices and profits. The Italian carrier believes that US permission could be given as soon as September. ...
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Regional jet trade row drags on
Widely diverging interpretations of a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling on government subsidies for regional jets could leave airlines uncertain about the real cost of their new aircraft over the next few months. Although the WTO ruled earlier this year that a Brazilian Government subsidy known as proex is ...
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Canadian ponders domestic choices
David Knibb SEATTLE Canadian Airlines is searching for ways to reverse its continuing slide. A low-cost subsidiary heads its options, but the struggling carrier hints at other domestic initiatives as well as a foray into US capital markets. Canadian's first-quarter loss of C$107.8 million ($70 million) underscores its need ...
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Airlines press on 777 ETOPS
The Federal Aviation Administration may be receptive to a request that would allow Boeing's 777 to fly further from land on transpacific routes. Boeing and four US airlines - American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines - have asked the FAA to raise the 777's extended-range twin-engine ...
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Airbus still challenged by need to restructure
Kevin O'Toole TOULOUSE At its annual press briefing, Airbus Industrie appeared surprisingly subdued given that it has just achieved its 30-year goal of parity with Boeing. But then there are still plenty of hurdles ahead, not least, its conversion to a commercial company. When an Airbus salesman admits to ...
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euros can wait
Airline customers are beginning to angle for their first aircraft deals in the new European single currency. But there are good reasons why Airbus is not yet pushing too hard for the euro as an international replacement for the dollar. Dietrich Russell, Airbus chief operating officer, says that "a ...