World News Roundup 22 Mars Express radar deployment will aid mapping for subsurface water 23 Afghanistan's first private airline, Kam Air, crashes near Kabul 24 Office for domestic nuclear detection is proposed World News & Analysis 28 Fiscal '06 Pentagon budget seen as scene-setter for QDR 30 Military space spending bucks trend of Pentagon modernization plan 34 Missile defense cooperation setback in U.S., gains ground in Europe
Spiraling fuel costs hit British Airways (BA) third-quarter results, with pre-tax profit considerably down on the same period for the previous year. The airline's fuel bill grew by 106 million pounds ($197 million), an increase of 47%, while pre-tax profit fell to 75 million pounds, compared to 125 million for the third quarter in 2003. Turnover for the period grew by 4.3% to 1.98 billion pounds ($3.7 billion). While cargo revenue rose 6.3%, passenger income showed a marginal fall of 0.1%.
A promising worldwide economic climate and a spate of new aircraft and upgrade programs introduced at Heli-Expo 2005 presage a brighter future for the commercial helicopter industry. The global rotorcraft business cycle is slowly "turning around" and should result in more opportunities for growth this year compared with 2004, which saw only marginal improvement, says Helicopter Assn. International President Roy Resavage. HAI hosted the three-day event.
Eiichiro Sekigawa (Tokyo), Michael Mecham (San Francisco)
Increased departure and arrival slots at Tokyo Haneda airport have prompted Japan Airlines to upgrade its single-aisle fleet with a planned purchase of 30 Boeing 737NGs and an option for 10 more. The order, valued at $2 billion, could launch Boeing's 737-900X, a longer range version of the slow-selling 737-900. But since JAL's order isn't official, Boeing doesn't know the breakdown of the split among the 737-700/-800/900X models, so it isn't commenting on whether JAL's interest is large enough to launch the -900X program as a competitor to the Airbus A321.
The ILS Proton/Breeze M has been selected to launch Hotbird 8, an Astrium-built Eutelsat spacecraft to be orbited in early 2006. Proton is also said to have been chosen for SES' Astra 1KR, a Lockheed Martin satellite to be launched in September. Both of these payloads were initially on the manifest of Arianespace, whose operations have been hit by the unavailability of the Ariane 5 ECA heavy-lift booster. ILS officials say they now expect to perform up to 10 launches this year, including seven Protons. One Atlas and one Proton mission have been completed so far.
GenCorp posted a net loss of $398 million for the fiscal year ended Nov. 30, 2004, compared with net income of $22 million a year earlier, as it continued to shed nonaerospace business. The company's defense and aerospace sales rose 53% during the year to $492 million, mainly due to the acquisition of Atlantic Research Corp. in late 2003. In the fourth quarter, GenCorp had a net loss of $20 million, compared with net income of $12 million a year earlier.
The A380 is poised to make its first flight in the next two months. While the Europeans prepare to celebrate the milestone, the long-lasting ideological battle between Boeing and Airbus on the merits of ultrahigh-capacity aircraft is reaching new heights. Since program go-ahead four years ago, Airbus has secured 154 orders, exclusive of an estimated 50-plus options. The mega-transport's backlog significantly exceeds expectations at this early stage of production, says Airbus Chief Executive Noel Forgeard.
EASYJET WILL INSTALL ROCKWELL COLLINS' Class 2 EFB on its 54 Boeing 737s later this year. The system will use Aircraft Management Technologies' Flightman software to ensure accurate data transfer from the ground-based server to the cockpit. Flightman will allow Rockwell Collins to rapidly configure the EFBs for EasyJet.
USN Adm. William J. Fallon has been named commander and Rear Adm. (selectee) Michael C. Tracy director of stra-tegic planning and policy of the Honolulu-based U.S. Pacific Command. Fallon has been commander of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Fleet Forces Command and Tracy commander of Carrier Strike Group Ten, all in Norfolk, Va.
ATA Airlines has hired New York based Compass Advisers to work the sale of its Chicago Express subsidiary as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. The regional feeder's assets are an FAA Part 121 operating certificate, 16 Saab 340B aircraft, a parts pool, ground equipment, a maintenance facility and tooling and training materials. ATA owns two 340Bs and leases 14. The leases could be transferred to the new owner. Chicago Express employs 400 people in Chicago and 200 in seven other Midwestern cities.
Engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce saw sales grow 5% in 2004, up to 5.94 billion pounds ($11.05 billion) from 5.65 billion pounds for 2003. The company's preliminary results recorded pretax profits up 21% to 345 million pounds, before exceptional items. Service revenues grew 14%, with the company also noting a "better than expected cyclical recovery of the civil aerospace market." Its order book now stands at a record 18.9 billion pounds.
The Collier Trophy was awarded Feb. 8 to the SpaceShipOne team for creating and demonstrating the first privately financed manned spacecraft. The SpaceShipOne rocket glider, built and operated by Scaled Composites, coasted to above 100 km. (328,084 ft.) altitude three times in 2004, winning the Ansari X Prize with the final two flights just five days apart (AW&ST Oct. 11, 2004, p. 34). The Robert J. Collier Trophy is awarded annually by the National Aeronautic Assn. for the greatest achievement in aviation in America.
Bristow Helicopters will fly Eurocopter EC 145s and EC 225s to conduct crew-change missions in the North Sea oil fields for Shell Exploration and Production, which recently concluded a seven-year contract with Bristow for transportation services. The U.K.-based operator has placed orders for two EC 225s and took delivery of the first aircraft in December, with the second scheduled to arrive in midyear.
Cessna Aircraft Co.'s Citation series of business jets and the utilitarian Caravan are achieving increased sales in India. In 2004, Cessna delivered two Citations and one Caravan to companies in that country--the highest number in one year. In 2005, Cessna is scheduled to deliver a Citation XLS and a Citation Excel to Jindal Iron & Steel Co. and Club One, respectively. Club One is a new fractional ownership operator and plans to place the Excel into service in March.
SAAB TRANSPONDERTECH OF SOLNA, SWEDEN, is equipping helicopters used in offshore operations with the latest airborne automatic identification systems (AIS) that transmit and receive GPS position, altitude and speed data, plus aircraft identification. The system, originally developed for tracking oceangoing vessels, allows company base stations ashore to track helicopter movements for safety, security and traffic management purposes.
It is clear Dale Gibby (AW&ST Jan. 31, p. 6) doesn't have a clue to what is involved in the design, fabrication and operation of a reusable space transportation system. While true that the Space Shuttle system is one of the most complex devised by mankind, one has to remember that it was the first of its kind and, even so, has been working remarkably well the past 14 years.
Bulgaria's decision to have an Elbit/ Lockheed Martin team upgrade 18 Mil Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters is in limbo due to accusations of procurement irregularities. Representatives from some of the losing bidders--BAE Systems, Israel Aircraft Industries and Sagem--have complained about the acquisition process and, for now, contract signature may be on hold.
Robert Wall (Washington), Michael A. Taverna (Paris)
Budget pressures are forcing the U.S. to slow efforts to expand its missile defense activities to Europe, just as European officials were starting to embrace the idea of broader transatlantic cooperation in this area. The Pentagon's Fiscal 2006 budget proposal applies brakes to several missile defense activities with an international flavor. One was to establish a European launch site for the ground-based, midcourse system, or GMD; the other, to broaden the Kinetic-Energy Interceptor (KEI) to overseas partners.
Lufthansa's apparent decision to dispose of its minority stake in Star Alliance partner British Midland could place a tantalizing merger possibility back on the table. A BMI/Virgin Atlantic hookup would be a stronger competitor to British Airways based at London's Heathrow Airport.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Branson continues stirring the competition pot. Virgin America, Branson's U.S. low-cost carrier, is preparing for its anticipated mid-2005 debut (AW&ST June 21, 2004, p. 48). An airline spokesperson last week said the carrier is in continuing negotiations with prospective equity investors. Fred Reid, former president and COO of Delta Air Lines, heads up the new airline that plans to be headquartered in New York and operate out of San Francisco with a fleet of Airbus A320s.
After failed efforts to form joint ventures in satellites and aeronautics, EADS and Finmeccanica are now turning to the space launcher sector. EADS space chief Francois Auque said last week that the companies have concluded a preliminary agreement to create an entity to manage the development and construction of future launch systems. Dubbed New Generation Launchers, it would be 70% owned by EADS, 30%, Finmeccanica, but probably be headquartered in Italy. A final agreement on the deal, which was first broached in mid-2004, is due later this year.
Dnata, sole ground-handling operator at Dubai International Airport, is the initial customer for the TBL600, manufactured by U.K.-Douglas Equipment. This is the first aircraft pushback and towing vehicle, without a towbar, designed to handle the Airbus A380--which could weigh 600 tons, fully loaded. The TBL600 towbarless tractor, powered by a Cummins QSK19 water-cooled 750-hp. engine to handle the additional weight of the mega-transport, can also be used on smaller aircraft. Douglas Equipment trained operators at Dnata in anticipation of the new aircraft.
THE FUTURE FOR TURBOSHAFT ENGINES IS BRIGHT, according to a report published by Newtown, Conn.-based Forecast International. Senior Analyst David J. Franus, says the projection for these engines is up nearly 13% from a previous prediction chiefly because certain models of helicopters are becoming more popular. He expects moderate production of turboshaft engines in the near future despite an essentially flat outlook for commercial helicopters powered by turboshaft engines.
Craig E. Steidle, associate NASA administrator for exploration systems, says the way is opening for greater international participation in the exploration effort. Steidle met with representatives of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) here and suggested Japan's planned Selene mission to the Moon could help with risk mitigation for future human exploration there.
World News Roundup 18 NATO meeting aims to rebuild transatlantic defense ties 19 Spanish air force getting EF-18s with midlife upgrades 19 Human-spaceflight managers review- ing latest space station EVA 20 Two secret NRO spacecraft undergoing checkout in orbit 20 Beagle 2 report unwrapped; four 'credible possibilities' cited for loss World News & Analysis 24 CEO Stonecipher says Boeing to decide 747, 767 fates by midyear
