All news – Page 7388
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BA is first to pick Roll-Rolls 'hybrid'
British Airways has become the first airline to select the Rolls-Royce RB.211-524HT "hybrid" engine, having signed a letter of intent (LoI) with the UK manufacturer specifying the powerplant for 14 Boeing 747-400s, ordered in September 1996. The engine deal will be worth more than $500 million to R-R, ...
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Il-114 and An-38 are near approval
The CIS is to certificate the Ilyushin Il-114 and the Antonov An-38 by the end of this month. Valentin Sushko, chairman of the CIS Avia Register, has confirmed that certification work has been completed on the aircraft. Both will receive their NLGS 23 approvals later this month. The ...
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Air Plus start
Air Plus, a new Spanish charter airline, began operations in March using an Airbus A310-300, leased from United Technologies Finance. The Madrid-based airline will initially fly on behalf of Spanair. A second A310 is due to arrive in May. Source: Flight International
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F-117 could go as USAF moves to safeguard F-22 production
THE US AIR FORCE is prepared to replace its Lockheed F-117s with Lockheed Martin/ Boeing F-22s, rather than see procurement of the F-22 reduced. Gen. Richard Hawley, commander of US Air Force Air Combat Command, tells Flight International that he would consider retiring the F-117s to safeguard F-22 ...
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Georgia plans delayed
Georgia's plans to offer upgrade packages for Sukhoi Su-25 fighters to countries including Iraq are delaying secret talks over the upgrade of these fighters with Israeli avionics and weapon systems. The talks have been delayed, following revelations from Tiblisi plant managers that Su-25 operators such as Iraq and Afghanistan are ...
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B-2 arsenal grows
The Northrop Grumman B-2 bomber is now capable of delivering both conventional bombs and nuclear weapons. The nuclear-bombing capability was declared following recent flight tests. The US Air Force has received 13 of the 20 B-2s it plans to buy. The first B-2 Spirit was delivered in 1993. ...
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Pentagon discloses JSF and B-2 costs
THE US DEPARTMENT of Defense has disclosed the total cost of the Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bomber programme and the cost estimate for research and development for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The latest Selected Acquisition Report (SAR), which helps US lawmakers track the cost of major US ...
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First Tornado GR4 is flown
The first UK Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado to be upgraded to GR4 mid-life update standard by British Aerospace had a 39min maiden flight on 4 April, from BAe's Warton airfield. The GR4 has a forward-looking infra-red sensor and night-vision-goggle capability, as well as a comprehensive upgrade to avionics and ...
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Ukraine closes airspace after Russian air force 'violation'
Ukraine closed its airspace to the Russian air force on 3-5 April after claims that its aircraft had violated air traffic control (ATC) procedures over the Black Sea near Odessa in March. Gen Alexander Zatynaiko, Ukrainian Chief of Staff, claims that the aircraft were flying with their transponders ...
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Weight of the world
Until 1993, the world of freighter wet-leasing was an obscure one. This relatively minor niche in the air-transport business had few participants, most of them well-established, specialist all-cargo carriers. In 1993, however, Michael Chowdry, chairman and chief executive of Atlas Air, entered the scene with a "lone flyer" ...
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Raising the tempo
The Eurofighter EF2000 programme is about to enter what may prove to be its most critical phase, with funding and workshare again presenting the stumbling blocks. Despite this, however, the project remains robust in many areas. The four Governments involved in the project need, by the end of ...
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Centre of excellence
The market for cargo conversion of widebodied aircraft has been booming recently, as suitable aircraft have become available at the "right price" to make conversion programmes cost-effective. Although the Boeing 747 has been the prime candidate, the European specialists have developed conversions for the smaller, twin and tri-jet widebodies, the ...
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Explosive progress
On 5 May, 1987, a British Aerospace 146-200QT "Quiet Trader" freighter operating between Prestwick in the UK and a hub at Nuremburg, Germany, launched the European freight operations of Australia's TNT Transport group, which now trades as TNT Express Worldwide. In the ten years since then the company has established ...
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Varig restructuring effort begins to pay dividends
Varig's tough restructuring measures now appear to be bearing fruit, with the Brazilian carrier reporting an underlying profit for 1996 and looking for expansion this year backed by a fleet refurbishment and a new codeshare agreement with United Airlines. The Varig figures are complicated by the issue of ...
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Down to earth
Full deregulation (in theory, at least) of European air services is admittedly only a few weeks old, but even its most ardent enthusiasts must be disappointed at the apparent lack of effect so far. Those who predicted a more obvious impact from deregulation may, however, not have long to wait. ...
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Airborne-laser project passes major USAF review
A crucial programme-requirements review on the US Air Force's airborne laser anti-ballistic-missile weapon has been successfully completed, clearing the way for preliminary design and engineering work to begin. As part of the review, the contractors reached agreement with the USAF on the requirements to which the Air Borne ...
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Germany studies EF2000 as missile interceptor
The German air force is looking at the option of using its Eurofighter EF2000 fighter aircraft as part of a theatre missile-defence system. The air force has begun to consider whether the EF2000 could be deployed as part of an extended air-defence umbrella tasked with the boost-phase intercept ...
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Italy cuts F-104 upgrade numbers
The Italian air force has slashed the number of Lockheed F-104 Starfighters which it intends to put through what is effectively a continuing service-life-extension programme. The air force originally planned to implement an upgrade on 106 of its ageing F-104s, to cover the delays in the entry into ...
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Bidders line up for F-18E/F sensor work
THREE BIDDERS have declared their intentions to compete in a fly-off to equip the McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F-18 strike aircraft with an upgraded night navigation and targeting sensor. A team composed of the USA's Northrop Grumman and Israel's Rafael is expected to compete against Lockheed Martin and Hughes ...
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Chile cleared to receive data on F-16 and F-18
CHILE IS TO receive technical information on the Lockheed Martin F-16 and McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F-18, but the US Government remains undecided on whether it is willing to sell the aircraft to Chile. The move marks a shift of policy: the Carter Administration banned the sale of advanced ...