All news – Page 6598
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TAS prepares GeoSAR to gather geological data
A Gulfstream II-mounted GeoSAR (geographic synthetic aperture radar) system is being prepared for operations during January by Total Aircraft Services (TAS) of Van Nuys, California. TAS had expected to have US Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type certification for the system by November, but this was delayed by electromagnetic interference ...
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Ibis rolls out Ae270
Ibis Aerospace, the joint venture of Czech company Aero Vodochody and Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), rolled out its Ae270 single-engined turboprop in Prague on 10 December. The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A-powered aircraft, the first of five prototypes, will begin flight testing in February, with US and Czech ...
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Eurocopter delivery
Eurocopter has delivered its 100th AS350B3 Ecureuil helicopter to its Japanese distributor, Kawasho, less than two years after the twin turbofan received certification. The aircraft will be handed over to an unnamed operator shortly. According to the manufacturer, the "multipurpose" B3, which "is operated by 50 customers in 22 countries", ...
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Chinese cropsprayer faces re-engining for N American market
Canadian Aerospace Group International (CASG) is looking for a new 300-410kW (400-550shp)-class engine to power the single-engined Hongdu N-5A agricultural aircraft, which it has agreed to market in North America for China's Nanchung Aircraft Manufacturing company. The two-seat cropduster was originally powered by the Textron Lycoming IO-720, but production ...
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Wolfsberg-Evektor sets date for prototype Raven first flight
Andrew Doyle/PRAGUE Czech/Belgian joint venture Wolfsberg-Evektor Aircraft aims to fly its prototype eight-passenger Raven in May, in time for the utility aircraft to be exhibited at the Farnborough air show in July. The Raven, powered by two 223kW (300hp) Teledyne Continental IO-550-Ns, is built at Evektor-Aerotechnik's factory in ...
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Single-engine IFR push hots up in Europe as UK reviews policy
The commercial operation of single-engine instrument flight rules (IFR) in Europe, so far stalled by UK opposition, is back on the agenda again, according to the Single Engine Turbine Alliance (SETA). The Joint Aviation Authorities is about to set up a working group to prepare a notice of proposed ...
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Tangara delayed 'indefinitely'
Francois Legros/PARIS Socata, the light aircraft subsidiary of France's Aerospatiale Matra, has delayed indefinitely certification of its TB360 twin-engined Tangara. Chairman and chief executive Philippe Debrun says Socata "preferred to mobilise its energy and skills in aircraft that are ready and can be sold at once, rather than deploying ...
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Boeing adds 163 'unidentified' orders to swell backlog list
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Boeing has added 163 aircraft to its firm order backlog by revoking its policy of not listing sales to unidentified customers. The aircraft, ordered over the past two years, are valued at $9 billion. The US manufacturer says its move to "adopt an industry-wide practice" ...
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Lido plans navigation breakthrough
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Lufthansa's rapidly expanding flight planning subsidiary Lido will launch a flight management system (FMS) navigation database service in April and is forming an aeronautical charting joint venture company with SAS and Air France. The German company's entry into the FMS data market follows its abortive attempt ...
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Rolls-Royce plans expanded role for German powerplant subsidiary
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Rolls-Royce Deutschland, the engine manufacturer formerly known as BMW R-R which comes under full ownership of R-R in the new year, will take on an expanded role within the UK group as it targets new applications for its BR700 series turbofans. Meanwhile, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) has ...
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BFGoodrich sits in US ejection driver seat
BFGoodrich has detailed a new strategy for its ejection seat business after stringing together a succession of deals to make it the USA's sole domestic producer in the sector. The company bought Boeing's ACES II ejection seat product line in November, following its 1998 acquisition of United Propulsion's Stencil ...
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Time travel
No-one spirited direct from 1899 to the present would find advances in surface transportation unbelievable, but aerospace would amaze them. While ships, cars and trains have seen massive gains in efficiency, they are still fundamentally the same machines. Within the past 100 years, however, powered flight has not only ...
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Boeing unveils X-32 demonstrators
Guy Norris/PALMDALEBoeing unexpectedly rolled out both its X-32 Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstrators during a 14 December ceremony at its plant in Palmdale, California. The conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) X-32A had been expected to make an appearance, but the short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) X-32B's presence (above) was a ...
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US Navy awards contracts for next-generation catapult
Northrop Grumman and General Atomics have won US Navy contracts to develop competitively an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) for the navy's CVX next-generation aircraft carrier. The two companies, selected from seven bidders, will perform EMALS programme definition and risk reduction tasks. Northrop Grumman's contract is worth $62 million, ...
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Eurofighter bases
The UK Ministry of Defence has outlined its plans for the Eurofighter's service entry. The first aircraft will be delivered to a Royal Air Force Operational Evaluation Unit at BAE Systems' Warton factory from mid-2002. An Operational Conversion Unit and the first squadrons are scheduled to be formed at Coningsby, ...
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NZ could dump F-16s to purchase C-130s
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark says her new government is considering using funds allocated to acquire 28 Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft from the USA to instead buy Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transports. Clark said on 13 December that a review of the F-16 acquisition would be carried out ...
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Uruguay goes on look-out for secondhand fighters
Uruguay is seeking second-hand fighter aircraft in an effort to broaden the operational capabilities of its small air force, which until now has largely been confined to the role of light attack and transportation. A senior Uruguayan air force official says: "We don't currently have fighters and this is an ...
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Spain ready for VECTOR
Spain is bidding to join the second phase of the X-31 experimental aircraft programme after Sweden's failure to commit funding to the planned trinational project. Formal talks between Spanish and German Government officials are expected to start in February, say industry sources. The USA and Germany are preparing ...
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Forecasts for 2000 - Environment
Green issues pose biggest industrial challenge David Learmount/LONDON Glimpses of how environmental issues will be handled in the future are visible in the Euro-US row about hushkits. Ostensibly, environmental concerns embrace purely the control of noise, emissions, and safety for those who live near airports. However, this debate ...
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Irish pave way for Aer Lingus offer
The Irish Government has approved the flotation of shares in flag carrier Aer Lingus, paving the way for an initial public offering by early 2001. Public enterprise minister Mary O'Rourke indicates Dublin may dispose of its 95% holding in Aer Lingus, but the government is opposed to the carrier's ...