All news – Page 6822
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News
Sabena in the black as European traffic takes off
Herman De Wulf/BRUSSELS Belgian flag carrier Sabena attributes its first net profit in 40 years to sustained growth in Europe, with the airline's low exposure in Asia shielding it from the full impact of the economic downturn there. The airline made a net profit of BFr703 million ($20 ...
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UTC goes back to core values with purchase of Sundstrand
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC United Technologies (UTC) has agreed to buy fellow US manufacturer Sundstrand for $4.3 billion in a move that reinforces UTC's commitment to the aerospace sector as a core business. Sundstrand will merge with UTC's Hamilton Standard subsidiary to form one of the world's leading suppliers ...
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Air France's Wings talks 'well advanced'
Negotiations over Air France's possible membership of the so-called "Wings" alliance are said to be "well advanced" following formal talks with Alitalia and KLM in Paris. The two European members of the emerging alliance, together with Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines of the USA, are eager to accelerate the ...
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hover bother
Folks attending the Helicopter Association International's Heli Expo show in Texas last week were generally upbeat about their industry, despite the negative effects on some sectors of the Asian economic downturn and low oil prices. Outside the doors of the Dallas convention centre, however, the view was less than ...
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Heli-Dyne enters naval helicopter market
Heli-Dyne Systems has entered the naval helicopter market with a version of the Bell 412 originally developed for the Ecuadorian navy. The Texas-based company has responded to requests for proposals from Brazil, Greece, Thailand and Turkey, and provided unsolicited proposals to countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and Singapore. Heli-Dyne general ...
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Denel continues Mokopa tests
Denel Kentron has completed the third series of test firings of its helicopter-launched Mokopa anti-armour missile, at the Overburg test range in South Africa. While the first two test series focused on missile aerodynamics and propulsion, the third tested the missile's flight controls along a pre-programmed flight path, says Denel. ...
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Helicopter operators face airspace restrictions
A major challenge facing helicopter operators in the next millennium will be maintaining the freedom to fly in unrestricted airspace, says Helicopter Association International president Roy Resavage. Speaking at the show, Resavage said that a proposed bill before Congress effectively would give US communities the power to control the ...
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Heli Expo hosts revamped S-55 Whisper Jet and S-61N Short
New versions of two older helicopters, Vertical Aviation Technologies' S-55QT Whisper Jet and Helipro International's Offshore S-61 Short, were displayed for the first time at the show. Certification of both conversions is imminent. Florida-based Vertical Aviation has completed flight testing of a five-blade rotor on its turbine conversion of ...
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Pilot shortage will hit industry growth
A shrinking US pilot population and its potential to limit the growth of the helicopter industry are issues raised by a 10-year market forecast unveiled by UK engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce at the show. The survey says the number of commercial helicopter pilots in the USA fell from around 27,000 in ...
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EC-funded tiltrotor hits setback
Eurocopter's hopes of establishing a pan-European consortium to pursue a European Commission-funded tiltrotor demonstrator has suffered a setback, with Agusta instead pressing for aid to develop a compound helicopter. "We're proposing that Agusta and Westland study something that does not exist now, such as a compound helicopter. Money ...
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Hughes and China Great Wall rocked by satellite export ban
Tim Furniss/LONDON Hughes Space and Communications and China Great Wall Industry have been hit by a US Government decision to delay issue of an export licence for a satellite launch on a Long March 3B booster. The launch of the Hughes-built Asia Pacific Mobile Telecommunications satellite from China ...
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Last of the Mir crews are put into orbit
Russia launched what may be the final crew to inhabit the Mir space station, 13 years after the launch of first core module. The Soyuz TM29 was lifted off on a Soyuz U booster from Baikonur on 20 February and docked with the station on 22 February. The crew ...
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Doubts over future of VentureStar and X-33 SSTOs
A key Congressman, who is responsible for oversight of US space activities has voiced doubts over the viability of the Lockheed Martin X-33 and VentureStar projects to develop and operate a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) vehicle to replace the Space Shuttle. Lockheed's plan to finance VentureStar development with venture capital will ...
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Minerva 328 runs into sea at Genoa
A Minerva Airlines Fairchild Dornier 328 turboprop ran off the runway into the sea when landing at Genoa, Italy, on 25 February. The aircraft was operating an Alitalia codeshare flight from Cagliari, Sardinia, with 28 passengers and four crew on board, including an instructor. Early reports indicated four fatalities with ...
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Indian Airlines drops fleet renewal plans
State-owned Indian Airlines has shelved plans to replace its fleet of 11 ageing Airbus A300B2/B4s and 12 Boeing 737-200s, opting instead to pursue a refurbishment programme. The programme, which will include an interior refit, will allow the aircraft to be operated for "several more years", according to Indian Airlines. ...
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US safety agency urges FAA to adopt JT8D strip-down plan
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Thousands of airliners powered by Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofans could be taken out of service temporarily if the US Federal Aviation Administration decides to adopt an engine inspection recommendation published by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The move would affect Boeing 727s, 737-100s ...
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KLM to order 747s
KLM is poised to order four Boeing 747-400s. It already operates 19 of the type, of which 14 are combi-configured. KLM aims to standardise a longhaul, widebody fleet which includes 747 Classics, MD-11s and 767-300ERs. Source: Flight International
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Embraer wins order for a LOT of ERJ-145s
LOT Polish Airlines is to acquire up to 12 Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets as part of a major restructuring plan which is aimed at reversing three consecutive years of losses. The carrier will use its new fleet of 50-seaters, replacing Boeing 737s, to boost frequencies on low-density routes to ...
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Control snags hit Metrojet 737
A Metrojet Boeing 737-200 suffered a sudden unexplained roll in the cruise at 33,000ft (10,000m). The 737, operated by the US Airways' low-fare subsidiary, made a safe precautionary landing and the US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. The in-flight incident follows changes to the 737 rudder system, prompted ...
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Marketplace
*Sabena has contracted to lease a three-year-old ex-Malaysia Airlines, Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered Airbus A330-300 in April on a six-year-lease from International Lease Finance (ILFC). Sabena operates three General Electric CF6-powered A330-300s on lease from Airbus, and will also add three new PW4000-powered A330-200s from ILFC from August. *The ...