Bombardier Aerospace unveiled a plan to develop an all-new 90-seat regional jet and rival Embraer announced about $1.5 billion in firm orders for its RJ-145 and RJ-135 jets at the Farnborough air show.
Oblivious to the financial and political turmoil back home, MAPO-MIG is introducing a second upgrade of the MiG-29 to its catalogue and preparing an expanded Western equipment package for the fighter. At Farnborough, MAPO-MIG unveiled the MiG-29 UBT, a modernized two-seat long-range multirole version. It was displayed alongside the MiG-29 SMT, an upgraded single-seater with extended-range capabilities.
Satellite Technology Implementation (STI) has developed 29 instrument approach procedures for use with GPS navigation systems, and company officials expect to complete development of an additional 51 approaches by the end of this year. In May, the FAA authorized STI to design the GPS procedures. Prior to that time, approaches were developed by the FAA, which still must test and approve STI's work. In addition, the FAA is allowing the company to develop new GPS approaches using its proprietary software tools which incorporate digital terrain and obstacle databases.
Civilian pilots make up 61% of all pilots hired by major airlines--according to AIR Inc., the Atlanta-based airline career consulting service that surveyed some 3,100 military and civilian pilots who interviewed for airline slots in the June 1, 1997-June 1, 1998 period. AIR Inc. says the data are helpful to candidates because they reflect the qualifications necessary to win an airline job. The 1997-98 statistics indicate new-hires as the majors fall within the 22-55 age range. The average age at hiring is 34 for civilian pilots and 37.5 years for military.
Turmoil in Russia has frozen a reengineering development program for the Tupolev Tu-334. BMW Rolls-Royce is ready to supply two BR700-series engines, but wants state payment guarantees before delivering them. ``The Russian side has to make it happen,'' CEO Klaus Nittinger said. A shortage of cash is not the only problem for Tupolev, another BMW Rolls-Royce official said. It also is waiting to see which carriers survive an expected shakeout in the Russian airline industry.
Facing major overhauls of its fleet of aging helicopters, the Maryland State Police (MSP) plan to take delivery of a new Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin in April of next year. According to State Police Superintendent Col. David B. Mitchell, the twin-engine helicopter will alleviate potential service shortfalls, allow the Aviation Div. to begin cycling its 11 AS365 Dauphins through the major inspections and overhaul process and will reduce the number of hours on the fleet to extend service life.
Japan's air force has selected the turboprop modification package for the Fuji T-3 advanced trainer over a bid by Pilatus with the PC-7 (AW&ST Aug. 17, p. 71). Current T-3s are piston-powered. The award is for the purchase of 50 450-shp. Rolls-Royce/Allison 250-B17F engines. Allison has been a long-time supplier to Japanese defense forces, including the 420-shp. Model 250 engine for the four-place T-5 advanced patrol plane.
A U.S. NAVY F/A-18 SUCCESSFULLY FIRED a High-Speed Antiradar Missile (Harm) Block 5, which used its new ``home-on-jam'' capability to lock-on to a simulated jammer at the Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, Calif. The Block 5 program gives Raytheon's Harm AGM-88C the capability to attack a GPS jammer with the same accuracy as the existing missile. Other enhancements include greater ability to attack the last known geographic location if a threat radar goes off the air, and improved capability against advanced radar waveforms.
France's Messier-Bugatti plans to establish in Covington, Ky., A-Carb, a fully owned subsidiary, to produce brake system carbon disks. According to Chairman/CEO Yves Leclere, A-Carb will invest $30 million to produce about 80 metric tons per year of composite materials disks. Production facilities will be completed by the end of 1999. A-Carb expects $20-40 million in annual revenues and could significantly expand when it acquires a stronger share in the U.S. market, including upgraded Boeing 767 brake systems.
Defense ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. have signed a treaty giving legal status to OCCAR, the European weapons procurement agency. The treaty allows OCCAR to employ its own staff and place and manage contracts for collaborative weapons procurement programs. OCCAR, which has been understaffed and lacking in real authority, currently manages four Franco-German projects, and five more with British and Italian involvement are soon to come under the agency's purview.
Aeronavali, Alenia Aerospazio's maintenance and overhaul subsidiary, delivered to Ireland's Ten Forty Corp. the first of 10 all-cargo-converted DC-10-40s. Three of the aircraft, which were formerly operated by Japan Airlines, will be leased by Miami-based Challenge Air Cargo.
Lockheed Martin Control Systems and Sextant Avionique have agreed to jointly offer flight and avionics systems for the military market. They plan to offer comprehensive integrated systems packages. Sextant will employ its wide-ranging avionics expertise, while the Lockheed Martin unit will rely on its experience in the design and manufacture of a variety of flight, mission and engine controls for military and civil aircraft.
General Electric Corp.'s Aircraft Engine Business Group has been selected by the U.S. Navy to provide 48 T700-GE-40 engines for the government of Taiwan's AH-1W aircraft program. The contract is worth $32.2 million.
Lufthansa Cargo has launched the Business Partnership Program, a three-tiered plan aimed at transforming the airline, through close cooperation with forwarding companies, into a global cargo integrator. The program is part of a series of measures, including fleet modernization and a line of time-definite services that were introduced earlier this year (AW&ST Mar. 9, p. 57; June 8, p. 37). Four forwarders will take part initially--Gebr. Hellmann&Co.
The Royal Danish Air Force signed a 20-year contract to train its pilots in Canada, becoming the first international customer for the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program, a partnership between the Canadian armed forces and Bombardier Services. Danish pilots will undergo basic and advanced training in Canada with Raytheon T-6A and British Aerospace Hawk 115 aircraft. British Defense Minister George Robertson, who discussed the program here, said it was an ``attractive option'' and one the Royal Air Force is seriously considering.
Boeing has successfully launched a Delta 2 booster with five Iridium satellites from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., less than two-weeks after failure of the company's first Delta 3 vehicle, a derivative of the smaller Delta 2. Launch of the Delta 2 7920-10 booster at 2:13 p.m. PDT on Sept. 8 was considered a key milestone in Boeing's recovery from the loss of Delta 3, which carried a Hughes/
In a surprise move that reinforces the trend toward consolidation in the helicopter industry, Agusta and Bell Helicopters said they plan to create a joint venture to take over development of Bell's 609 civil tiltrotor and to design, build and market an all-new midsize twin-engined helicopter.
Rolls-Royce and the Science Applications International Corp. of the U.S. have agreed to form a joint venture company to provide information-based services in predicting engine health and estimated remaining life before maintenance. It will be headquartered in northern Virginia and is expected to become operational before year-end with a staff of 350.
Five Aviation Week&Space Technology editors were honored with Royal Aeronautical Society awards during ceremonies held last week in London in conjunction with the Farnborough air show. -- Philip J. Klass, contributing avionics editor, received the Boeing Decade of Excellence Award for lifetime achievement. -- Joseph C. Anselmo, space technology editor, won the Matra Marconi Award for the Best Space submission, for an article on science on the space station.
Litton's new MobileVu display with bright sunlight readable display was demonstrated recently at the Airborne Law Enforcement Assn. conference in Ontario, Calif. It is shown installed in a Schweizer 330SP helicopter (see inset) flown by the San Antonio, Tex., police. The 10.4-in.-diagonal, color-active matrix liquid crystal display is designed for law enforcement and public safety roles, according to Litton Data Systems in San Diego. It has an optional video capability to display real-time Flir, color video camera or moving map imagery.
Asian carriers face a grim outlook for autumn as they leave the northern summer period--usually a time of peak revenues--weakened by ticket discounting and excess capacity, according to a leading industry analyst. ``The outlook for October and November is extremely grim,'' Peter Harbison, managing director of the Sydney-based Center of Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA), said. ``Current loads mask a gloomy outlook for not only Asian carriers but U.S. and European airlines forced to slash fares to compete.''
The Alaskan Aerospace Development Corp. will automate range safety and other functions at its new Kodiak Launch Complex using software technology developed initially by NASA, then licensed for commercial use. The ``spaceport control system'' software will be developed by Command and Control Technologies Corp. of Titusville, Fla., for $1.18 million. The software will be designed to support the launch of several different types of small launch vehicles envisioned to operate eventually from the southwest Alaskan site.
China is discussing the acquisition of 50 Sukhoi Su-30s based on the Su-30MKI standard sold to India. The Chinese have already agreed to take up to 200 Su-27s, some of them to be produced under license. Meanwhile, the Indian air force is looking to purchase 10 more Su-30MKIs, in addition to the 40 units now on order. Eight aircraft have already been handed over, but delivery of a second batch of 12 aircraft, due early next year, is said to be on hold while the two sides hammer out the details of the equipment package.
The U.S. Air Force is installing series 40T5 software upgrades to its fleet of more than 400 Block 40/42 F-16C/D fighters to improve their capabilities in the close air support role. Chief upgrades include a digital terrain navigation/ground proximity warning system, improvements to the low-altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night-targeting pod for air-to-air operations, and the APG-68 fire control radar.
