Aviation Partners Boeing has received a supplemental type certificate for its blended-winglet technology for the Boeing 757-200, a modification the company says can save 150,000 gal. of fuel per year for each aircraft. The winglets also allow the plane to take off 14,000 lb. heavier, according to Aviation Partners Boeing.
Pratt & Whitney finally received European Aviation Safety Agency certification for its PW6000; FAA approval came late last year. The 18,000-24,000-lb.-thrust turbofan was designed for the Airbus A318 to compete against the CFM56 and give Pratt a foothold in the narrow-body market. But the engine had to be redesigned when an early version missed fuel-burn targets.
Solar-powered aircraft crossed an important milestone this month when the privately developed SoLong drone flew for 48 hr., including two full nights (see p. 48). This demonstrated that SoLong had enough battery capacity to stay aloft through the night and enough solar power could be collected during the day to fully recharge the battery--the basis for sustainable flight. SoLong was developed by AC Propulsion of San Dimas, Calif. It is shown in this William G. Hartenstein photo on the El Mirage dry lakebed in the southern California desert, where the first 24-hr.
Jan DeGiorgio has been promoted to president/CEO from vice president-sales of Los Angeles-based Corrigan's Express. She succeeds Warren Barnes, who has left the company.
Singapore Technologies Aerospace said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkish Airlines to set up a 50-50 maintenance, repair and overhaul partnership at Kurtkoy Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul. The center is to provide airframe, engine and component overhaul services.
Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) has inked a letter of intent with Aermacchi to work on the Italian aircraft maker's M-311 trainer. Under the arrangement, the two will establish a joint engineering team to determine possible workshare for TAI. Aermacchi is actively seeking international partners, in part to broaden the potential customer base for the trainer.
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Brazil will provide ground facilities for data reception from France's Corot stellar seismology and extrasolar planet search mission under an agreement between the Brazilian space agency AEB and the French space agency CNES. Brazil also will participate in development of the ground segment in France and Spain, and Brazilian astronomers will have a role in observations from the satellite, which is set for launch in mid-2006.
Raising air fares is not the obvious answer to airline woes that Bruce Elliot suggests (AW&ST June 6, p. 8). Airlines that do so will lose market share and go out of business because their planes will fly empty.
Ralph Thompson, International Air Transport Assn. (Montreal, Quebec)
(An article on the International Air Transport Assn.'s road map for a new global air traffic management incorrectly identified the contributors, as pointed out by Ralph Thompson, IATA's director of infrastructure strategy (AW&ST May 30, p. 42)--Ed.)
Israel and France have concluded an agreement to jointly develop a multispectral imaging mission, known as Venus. It will expand Israel's microsatellite and electrical propulsion capabilities while affording Europe a precursor mission for its planned Global Monitoring for Environment and Security network (AW&ST Apr. 25, p. 18). The spacecraft is to enter operation in 2008.
Go Air, India's latest start-up airline, is leasing four Airbus A320s from GATX. Deliveries are scheduled for the end of this year, when the carrier plans to launch operations, according to Airbus officials speaking on behalf of Go Air. The airline is owned by textile conglomerate Bombay Dyeing.
James C. May and Paul P. Bollinger, Jr., have been named co-chairmen of the Industry Management Council of the Arlington, Va.-based Next-Generation Air Transportation System Institute, which assists the federal government as it defines and implements a new air traffic control system. May is president/CEO of the Air Transport Assn. (AIA), while Bollinger is president of the Air Traffic Control Assn. Charlie Keegan, director of the Joint Planning and Development Office, is an ex-officio member. The other council members are: John W.
Iceland's Competition Authority has ruled that Bluebird Cargo/Flugflutnigar and Icelandair Cargo would have to be operated as independent companies within the parent FL Group. The group operates Icelandair and intends to complete the acquisition of Bluebird after a four-week due diligence process, says Ragnhildur Geisdottir, president/CEO. The acquisition is part of a strategy of expansion in the international cargo and charter market.
European aerospace giant EADS is rekindling speculation about whether it may attempt to strike a deal later this year to acquire the 20% of Airbus it doesn't own from BAE Systems plc. EADS officials are making little secret of their desire to see their company become the sole owner of the commercial airplane manufacturer, which accounts for about 80% of EADS' revenues and most of its profits. The question is whether BAE Systems is willing to deal. Top executives there are playing coy.
Transport Canada has granted provisional certification for the Thales enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) on the Bombardier Global 5000 and Global Express XRS. The European Aviation Safety Agency is also expected to certify the system by Sept. 30.
USAF Brig. Gen. John C. Koziol is among the officers of his rank who have been nominated for promotion. He is commander of the 55th Wing, Air Combat Command (ACC), Offutt AFB, Neb. Others are: William T. Lord, commander of the 81st Training Wing, Air Education and Training Command, Keesler AFB, Miss.; Arthur B. Morrill, 3rd, director of resources/deputy chief of staff for installations and logistics, USAF Headquarters; Larry D. New, deputy commander of Combined Air Operations Center 7, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, NATO, Larissa, Greece; Richard Y.
Members of the House Science Committee meet this week to mark up their version of a five-year NASA authorization bill, increasing the chances that Congress will actually authorize the agency's appropriation for the first time since Fiscal 2000-02. Spending since then has been enacted without authorization by the appropriations committees in both chambers. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved an authorization bill last week that follows the Bush administration budget request in Fiscal 2006-07 and tracks with inflation after that.
CSC Investment Group of suburban Chicago has acquired ATA Airlines subsidiary Chicago Express for $1.25 million. The deal includes the operating certificate, aircraft parts and ground equipment. Two Chicago Express Saab 340B aircraft remain in ATA's hands and will be sold.
Alcatel has completed technical qualification of the Egnos GPS/Glonass augmentation system, the company says. Egnos is a forerunner of the Galileo satellite navigation system that will provide much higher resolution and signal integrity information needed for air navigation and other critical positioning applications. Egnos will now be cleared for routine operations, although safety-critical use will have to await certification, set for 2007.
Abu Dhabi is increasing the stakes in its bid to have flag-carrier Etihad Airways rival neighboring Dubai's Emirates Airlines. The small sheikdom is expanding its aviation spending spree with the announcement of plans to build a new airport and with the looming purchase of new twin-aisle aircraft. Abu Dhabi's aggressive strategy has raised eyebrows before, most notably when it stated it would become an Airbus A380 customer soon after the airline's launch a mere two years ago.
Rolls-Royce has added Air China to its customer list with an $800-million order to power its 20 Airbus A330-200's. The order includes a long-term service agreement.
