All news – Page 7051
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Orbital aspirations
Tim Furniss/LONDON The Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST) has announced plans for a national manned spaceflight (see box), an unmanned lunar explorer and radical improvements to space applications technology, thus enabling China to compete more effectively in the international marketplace. A space applications plan has been announced to ...
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Three nations study anti-radiation missile
Douglas Barrie/LONDON Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC The USA, Germany and Italy have begun to explore the joint development of a next-generation anti-radiation missile, with negotiations on a memorandum of agreement (MoA) expected to get under way within the next few months. The three countries are already collaborating on ...
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Korean wraps up 737 deal with Boeing/GECAS
Korean Air (KAL) has finalised a series of financially convoluted lease, loan and trade-in deals with Boeing and General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) for 35 Next Generation 737s. The agreements entail KAL rolling over its entire fleet of 26 Boeing MD-82/83 and Fokker 100 twinjets. In return, Boeing ...
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USN raises more backing for JSF prognostics
Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems (LMTAS) has received a further $6 million contract from the US Navy to continue work on the Air Vehicle Prognostics and Health Management (AVPHM) demonstration programme for its X-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) demonstrator. The original $6 million contract for AVPHM was awarded in ...
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Schreiner adds Belgium's EATC to portfolio
Schreiner Luchtvaart-Groep of the Netherlands, which owns Schreiner Airways, has acquired European Aviation Training (EATC) at Brussels Airport through its newly founded Simubel subsidiary. EATC has six flight simulators for the Airbus A310, Boeing 727-100, and 727-200, McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and MD-80 and Lockheed Martin C-130. EATC gains 85% ...
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DC-10s go as BA juggles its orders
The fleet of eight McDonnell Douglas DC-10s operated by British Airways (BA) from London Gatwick will be retired from service during 1999, following an order for eight more Boeing 757s and 777s. The airline has also confirmed plans to cancel orders for four 747-400s in favour of three additional ...
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B/EA acquires AMP
Airliner cabin systems specialist B/E Aerospace (B/EA) is to acquire leading business aircraft interior manufacturer Aircraft Modular Products (AMP), for $118 million. AMP, based in Miami, Florida, makes components for executive interiors in new and modified aircraft, including VIP-configured airliners. Source: Flight International
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Partners re-arrange KTX-II schedule after budget cuts
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE Samsung Aerospace and partner Lockheed Martin are examining ways of re-arranging KTX-II development work and funding schedules, in the wake of the South Korean Government's decision to slash the programme's first year budget. The new administration of recently inaugurated President Kim Dae Jung has halved the ...
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FAA fuel tank explosion concerns now extended to 737s
Potential explosion danger from fuel vapour in Boeing 737 fuel tanks is to be addressed in a new US Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive (AD). The proposed AD, affecting 1,140 US-registered and about 1,600 other 737s, specifies all models from the -100 to the -500. It calls for protection ...
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Pentagon selects UCAV contractors
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has officially selected Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon Systems to conduct initial studies on an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV). The four firms, already identified as the only US groups capable of leading the project, will now undertake initial 10-month ...
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GE's revolutionary laser surface treatment improves on peening
Ian Sheppard/LONDON GE Aircraft Engines is pioneering use of a laser surface treatment technology to increase significantly the crack resistance, fatigue life and impact strength of turbine engine blades. The technique, known as laser peening, introduces compressive stresses in metals to four times the depth achieved with traditional ...
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BA cadets start US training
Paul Richfield/BATTLE CREEK The first class of British Airways cadets has begun training at Western Michigan University (WMU) as part of the airline's drive to take on some 2,500 pilots over the next decade. A second group of BA trainees will arrive at Michigan in May under the ...
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FSI plans two more ERJ-145 simulators
FlightSafety International (FSI) has announced plans to build two additional full flight simulators for the Embraer RJ-145 regional jet. The US company is the official training organisation for the ERJ-145 and has so far completed two simulators. One ERJ-145 simulator has entered service at FSI's Houston, Texas, centre, where ...
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DHFS gets twin sim
The UK Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) has taken delivery of a Frasca built Bell 412 flight training device for multi-engine training. The device is fitted with a full flight package, complete aircraft systems modelling and a Frasca FVS-200 visual display. Source: Flight International
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Iberia's engine choice
Iberia has decided to stick with the CFM International CFM56 for its recent order for up to 76 more Airbus A320-family aircraft. The airline concluded the order in February for 50 firm orders and 26 options (nine A319s, 36 A320s and 31 A321s), and decided to hold a new engine ...
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An-70 bid for FLA nears an end
Douglas Barrie/LONDON Julian Moxon/PARIS European Future Large Aircraft (FLA) partners are to meet early next month to discuss the outcome of a critical study into considering the Antonov An-70 as an FLA candidate. The study, which is widely expected to reject the An-70 as a serious contender, is almost ...
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ESA identifies cause of Ariane 5 roll as new launches approach
Tim Furniss/LONDON The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that roughness inside the first stage engine nozzle was to blame for the roll that endangered the success of the second Ariane 5 launch in October 1997. A solution is in prospect as Arianespace prepares the launcher for fully commercial ...
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New Atlas
ILS International Launch Services has unveiled an upgraded version of its Atlas 2AR, now rebranded under the Atlas III name. The basic Atlas IIIA uses a Russian RD-180 for the first stage, plus a single RL-10A second stage, while the uprated version, dubbed the Atlas IIIB, will use two RL-10As. ...
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Boeing enters UPS bidding with 767 'Special Freighter'
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELS A "special Freighter"(SF) conversion of the 767-200, along with the MD-10, is being offered by Boeing to UPS for its ongoing McDonnell Douglas DC-8 replacement competition. Boeing is offering these aircraft against freighter conversions of the Airbus Industrie A300B4 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar for the ...
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French cargo carrier secures Brasilias to start freighter operations
Start-up French cargo airline Air Open Sky is preparing to begin operating the first of three Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias which have been configured for quick change (QC) passenger-to-freighter operations. The airline planned to start flying the Brasilias late in 1997 but hit delays due to problems in securing the ...