Spain is emerging as the next European battleground between legacy and low-fare carriers, as airlines are massively expanding capacity in one of the continent's biggest domestic markets. This fall will see the launch of a new airline--Iberia's subsidiary Clickair--while EasyJet is preparing to open its Madrid base in February. At the same time, Spanair, Air Madrid, Air Europa and Vueling are all pursuing aggressive growth plans that will see large fleet increases over the next 3-4 years.
An uprated variant of the AgustaWestland EH101 fitted with British Experimental Rotor Program (BERP) IV blades, General Electric CT7-8E engines and improved cockpit avionics was flown for the first time last week at AgustaWestland's Yeovil site in the southwest of England. The test-flown version of the CT7 provides an additional 12% of power. Flight-testing of this engine for the US101 American presidential flight variant is nearing conclusion. The British Defense Ministry and AgustaWestland are jointly funding the BERP IV technology demonstrator program.
Tupolev is gradually building the order book of its Tu-204 passenger and freighter aircraft and hopes before year-end to receive the long-anticipated Western certification of the Rolls-Royce turbofan-powered version.
Not a week after the Air Force formally launched its competition for refueling tankers, questions are already emerging as to whether the service can adequately adjudicate the massive duel between a European-designed Airbus A330 and a combination of Boeing 767 and 777 aircraft.
An order for a Boeing 737 Next-Generation full-flight simulator from Continental Airlines is the first CAE has received from a U.S. legacy carrier since 2001. "We are beginning to see U.S. legacy carriers address fleet renewal initiatives," says Group President Marc Parent, head of CAE's simulation products and military training and services business unit. Continental recently placed an order for 60 737 NGs for delivery in 2008-09, raising its 737 fleet to 255 aircraft.
Letters 6 Who's Where 8-9 Industry Outlook 13 Airline Outlook 15 In Orbit 17 News Breaks 18-21 Washington Outlook 23 Arrivals 46 A European Perspective 68 Classified .................................71 Contact Us 72 Aerospace Calendar 73
The first EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft has arrived at NAS Patuxent River, Md., where it is assign-ed to VX-23. The unit will conduct aeromechanical test flights, and the aircraft will undergo electronic compatibility testing at the anechoic chamber to assess radar, receiver and jammer compatibility and performance.
The European Regions Airline Assn. reports its members are seeing passenger traffic for the first half of 2006 up 8.2% compared to last year's level, and load factors reaching an average of 62.2%. The load factor level is a record for the first six months of the year.
Rocketplane Kistler (RpK) has signed up Andrews Space Inc. as a strategic partner for its entry in NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program, after parting ways with Orbital Sciences Corp.
The president of Boeing Network and Space Systems, Roger Krone, says the company is working to recover from problems managing the USAF Family of Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) program that provides receivers for new space-based communications systems. After a $466-million overrun, an 18-month delay meeting key milestones, and some new requirements, Boeing replaced its program and technical managers. USAF has agreed to purchase an interim capability and rescope the initial work for FAB-T to lower risk in the program.
Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Interna- tional Airport opened Sept. 28, in spite of a military coup in Thailand last month. The new facility was a pet project of then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who remains exiled in London. A few days before the opening, junta members visited the new airport and decided it was being operated as planned.
Regarding operating restriction for unmanned aerial vehicles (AW&ST Aug. 21/28, p. 64), the FAA is right in holding the line on expansion of UAVs into the National Airspace System. Absent a clear and present danger to national security, and lacking a comprehensive "detect, sense and avoid" (DSA) capability, proponents cannot prove that the increased permissions will not help compromise aviation safety.
John Saabas has been appointed executive vice president and Benoit Brossoit senior vice president-service centers and operations for the Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp., Longueuil, Quebec. Saabas was senior vice president-engineering and operations, while Brossoit was vice president-service centers.
The positive flight performance of the ice-frost ramps on two space shuttle external tanks is leading NASA to reconsider whether the components should be replaced for safety. The ramps--relatively small foam structures designed to prevent ice from forming on brackets that hold tank pressurization lines in place--are currently classified as probable/catastrophic in a risk matrix that uses descriptive terms many managers believe are overstated.
Cathay Pacific Airways has received formal approval for a shares swap that will make Dragonair a wholly owned subsidiary. The regional passenger and cargo airline, which has an extensive China route network, will retain a separate brand identity.
The Mars Rover Opportunity is beginning complex and dangerous science operations 242 million mi. from Earth at the massive Victoria crater, the most spectacular and potentially significant target of the entire $800-million twin-rover Mars surface exploration mission. "We are frankly feeling a little overwhelmed by what we see so far," says Steve Squyres, rover principal investigator on his Cornell University web site.
The Homeland Security Dept. is stepping up its search for better technology to screen carry-on bags, now that it says it's OK for passengers to bring small amounts of liquids and gels onto U.S. airliners again. In addition to developing technology that can identify liquid and plastic explosives, department officials are considering replacing the X-ray machines at most carry-on bag checkpoints with the same explosives detection systems (EDS) technology now used to screen checked baggage.
USAF Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Goldfein has become vice commander of Air Combat Command (ACC) at Langley AFB, Va. He was commander of ACC's unit at Nellis AFB, Nev. Goldfein will be succeeded by Maj. Gen. Roy M. Worden, who has been director of operational plans and joint matters/deputy chief of staff for air, space and information operations, plans and requirements at USAF Headquarters at the Pentagon. Maj. Gen. John T.
The Rockwell Collins HGS-4200 head-up guidance system has been certified for use on the Bombardier CRJ705 and CRJ900 by the European Aviation Safety Agency, FAA and Transport Canada. Certification comes after 40 HGS approaches on Air Canada Jazz aircraft and 335 approaches in a Bombardier CRJ900 simulator. Air Canada Jazz plans to equip its 15 CRJ705s with the HGS-4200 for Category 3 approaches and for lower visibility than usually possible with Cat. 1 approaches.
The U.S. Navy's first digital control system for arrested landings on aircraft carriers has been approved for initial production by Northrop Grumman. The Advanced Recovery Control system is supposed to greatly improve--through greater precision, control and automation--the critical process of trapping high-performance aircraft. It also is a part of the Navy's plan for extending the service life of carriers and compensating for heavier aircraft that are entering operations. The system is to be installed on Nimitz-class carriers.
In reference to the letter by David Chigos (AW&ST Sept. 4, p. 6), total regular USAF personnel assigned to Air Mobility Command (AMC) are less than 56,000 and scheduled to drop several thousand more in the next two years. Even with the addition of gained mobilized air reserve component personnel (Air Force Reserve 41,000; Air National Guard 38,000) assign- ed personnel total only 135,000. AMC does outsource a substantial volume of its cargo and passenger lift to civilian contractors.
As it looks for sales of its F/A-18E/F, P-8As, T-45 Goshawks and Harpoon missiles, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) is pushing India to modify its offset policy to allow banking credits in advance of contracts. The biggest deal, with Boeing's F/A-18 as a candidate, is India's proposed buy of 126 multirole fighters, valued at $2.3 billion. The proposals request is expected in November or December. As it fields the F-16 in that contest, Lockheed Martin is joining the call for credits.
Representatives of about 20 member companies of the U.S.-based Aerospace Industries Assn. plan to visit India in December to explore business opportunities, reflecting changes in recent years in the U.S.-India strategic relationship that have opened the market to aerospace and defense products. It will be the first formal trade mission of its kind from the U.S. Participants expect to meet with Indian commerce and defense officials, as well as key domestic aerospace companies.
