Sporty's Pilot Shop Poster The latest in Sporty's Pilot Shop's series of cockpit posters features the Boeing 777 (pictured). The 86cm x 61cm poster is available for $US8.95 through Sporty's shop, which you can contact on fax +49 61120898.
Newsdesk — Commercial Aviation
Concorde Life Extension
UK and French aviation authorities are studying modifications necessary to keep the Concorde in airline service beyond 2000. Currently Concorde is cleared to 6700 reference flights (supersonic trans Atlantic crossings with a max takeoff weight over 170 tonnes), but the UK CAA, French DGAC, Aerospatiale, BAe, British Airways and Air France are studying and planning modifications required to take that figure out to 8500, allowing the Concorde to remain in service to 2005 at least. This will be possible because the Concorde is largely immune to corrosion (because it flies in the dry stratosphere with its airframe heated due to supersonic flight), and the fact that original estimates were very conservative because little was known then on supersonic airline operations. A Concorde Re-life Group is conducting a structural review of the airframe, the results of which will be presented to the CAA and DGAC. Thus far only a few areas have been identified as requiring further investigation. The graceful SST celebrates its 20th anniversary of revenue service this coming January.
Bae Doubles Profit
British Aerospace (BAe) has announced a pre tax profit of £160m (about $A327m) for the first six months of 1995, over twice that of the same period in 1994. The figure includes exceptional items which when accounted for reduce the figure to 116m ($A237m) but nevertheless represents a strong turnaround for the company, which lost money for many years before recording a profit of $211m ($A430m) in 1994. An overall profit of $330m ($A674m) is anticipated for 1995. BAe’s defence businesses continue to provide the basis of the company’s results, recording an operating profit of $240m ($A490m) in the first half of the year, while commercial aircraft operations continued to lose substantial amounts, some $59m ($A120m). Regardless, this is a £20m ($A41m) improvement on the same period of 1994 and the company predicts that its Avro regional jet business will be in the black by 1997. On the other side of the coin, the Jetstream regional turboprop business is expected to continue operating at a loss for the foreseeable future due to “too many players and crazy marketing”, according to the chairman of BAe’s commercial aerospace division, Mike Turner.
This content is available exclusively to Australian Aviation members.
A monthly membership is only $5.99 or save with our annual plans.
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
- Unlimited access to all Australian Aviation digital content
- Access to the Australian Aviation app
- Australian Aviation quarterly print & digital magazines
- Access to In Focus reports every month on our website
- Access to our Behind the Lens photo galleries and other exclusive content
- Daily news updates via our email bulletin
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?
Make Australian Aviation a preferred news source on Google.
Click here to add Australian Aviation as a preferred news source.