News Desk

Leahy Also Said That the Manufacturer Would Raise Its Production of A330s From Eight to 11 a Month, Driven by Strong Demand for the Type, and Added That Airbus Was Investigating a Freighter Version of the A330-300. “we Haven’t Launched It Yet but We’re Talking to the Market About It,” but Later Added That It Was Not an Immediate Priority for the Company.

The Manufacturer Also Noted That It Would Not Be Ready to Offer a Narrow Body Successor to the A320 Within the Next Decade, as New Technologies to Deliver the Expected 20 Per Cent Efficiency Improvement Airlines Required Are Still Immature. “we Think This Industry Deserves a Quantum Change for the All-new Airplane That Would Succeed the Very Successful A320 Family – and That Will Take Us Out to Somewhere Around 2020,” Said Leahy.

Airbus Ceo Tom Enders Also Said That the Manufacturer Was Hoping to Close a Deal to Sell a Stake in Airbus Uk to Gkn, and Noted That Negotiations With the British Company Were Advanced. Enders Also Said That He Was “confident” That the Sale of a Plant in Laupheim, Germany to French Defence Company Thales Would Go Ahead.

787 on Track, but Brakes Eating Margins Boeing Commercial Airplanes 787 Program Manager Pat Shanahan Used the Farnborough Airshow to Announce That the 787 Remains on Track, but Problems With the Aircraft’s Braking System Were Eating Away the Contingency Time Ahead of the Aircraft’s First Flight.

“My Schedule Has Us in November” for First Flight, Shanahan Said in an Interview With ‘bloomberg News’, Adding That He’s Certain the Plane Will Be Airborne by Year-end. “I Put Padding Into My Schedule, and I’ve Been Eating Some of That Up. ” the Problem Has Been in the Software for the Aircraft Brake Control and Monitoring System, Which Was Developed by Crane Co as a Subcontractor to Ge Subsidiary Smiths Aerospace. Shanahan Said That the Problems Were Not So Much That the Software Was Not Functioning but That Crane Had to Trace Back Some Issues and Make Small Rewrites to the Software as Part of the Certification Process and Added That He Was Confident That Smiths and Crane Would Resolve the Issues Soon.

Shanahan Also Gave an Update on the Current State of Tests Which the Aircraft Has Been Going Through Since Passing the ‘power-on’ Milestone in June. “We Are Currently in the Build-verification Testing Process, Which Validates Electronics and Hardware on the Airplane to Make Sure They Are Functioning Properly,” He Said. “Things Will Really Get Exciting When We Fuel the Airplane and Start the Engines and Apu for the First Time. After That, We’ll Move Forward Into Gauntlet Testing, Which is a Series of Ground-based Tests Where We Trick the Airplane’s Systems Into Thinking That It is Airborne. Then We’ll Conduct Taxi Tests and the Airplane Will Take to the Skies. ” the First 787, Za001, is Due to Fly in Early November, With First Deliveries for Launch Customer All Nippon Airways Due in the Second Quarter of 2009. As of July 15, Boeing Was Holding 896 Firm Orders for the 787.

Middle East Dominates Orders

With Us and European Airlines Cutting Back Aircraft, It Was Little Surprise That Airlines and Lessors in the Middle East Again Dominated the Order Book at Farnborough.

The Crown for Biggest Order Went to Etihad Airways, Which Announced Major Orders With Both Boeing and Airbus Worth Us$43bn (a$44bn) Covering Boeing 787s, 777s and Airbus A320s, A350s and A380s, to Be Delivered From 2011 to 2020.

As Well as the Order From Etihad, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Also Featured Prominently, Firming Up an Order for 70 Airbus A320s and 30 A350s That It Announced at Last October’s Dubai Airshow. Dae Also Announced That It Would Buy the 10 Boeing 747-8fs and Eight 777fs Emirates Has on Order Through a Purchase/leaseback Agreement.

Qatar Airways, Which in Recent Years Has Placed Major Orders From Both Manufacturers, Had a More Low Key Airshow, With Only an Order for Five A321s.

The Large Orders Placed by Middle East Carriers and Lessors Has Led to Some Speculation That the Current Capacity Boom in the Region is Something of a Bubble, Particularly Given That the Fast Expanding Qatar, Emirates and Etihad Are All in Close Proximity to Each Other, and Are Coming at a Time When World Economic Growth is Slowing. However, the Outlook From a Number of Airlines in the Gulf Remains Positive, Thanks to the Strong Growth in the Petroleum Industry in the Region.

Pratt Looks to Bigger, Pure Power From Gtf

Pratt & Whitney Has Renamed Its Geared Turbofan (Gtf) as the Purepower Pw1000g, and Also Confirmed That It Has Been Approached About Building a Larger Version of the Engine for the Widebody Market.

Pratt Test Flew the Pw1000g on Its Boeing 747sp Testbed for the First Time on July 11. The Engine Will Accumulate 40 Hours of Flying Testing on the 747sp Before It is Shipped to Airbus for Further Trials on an A340-600 for a Further 75 Hours of Testing During the Fourth Quarter of the Year. According to Various Sources, the Pw1000g Has Performed Well So Far in Testing.

Pratt Has Also Added the Smaller Pw800 Business Jet Engine to Its Purepower Range, and Has Signed an Agreement With Volvo Aero Which Will See the Swedish Company Take Responsibility for the for the Intermediate Case and the Turbine Exhaust Case and Production of the Turbine Exhaust Case for the Pw1000g.

Atr Expects Strong Market Despite Recent Softening Atr Ceo Stephane Mayer Said in a Press Conference on July 14 That While the Company Was Experiencing Some Softness in the Turboprop Market, It Expected to Reach Some Major Milestones in the Second Half of the Year.

Atr Sold Only Eight Aircraft During the First Half of the Year, Comprising Two Atr 42s and Six Atr 72s, Mostly to Existing Customers Including Air Tahiti and Lao Airlines.

“while the First Semester Has Been Characterised by a Slowing Economy, High Pressure on Airlines’ Costs and Rocketing Fuel Prices, There is Strong Growth Potential in the Regional Market,” Said Mayer. “there is an Expected Demand for 2900 Turboprops in the Next 20 Years, and an Estimated Annual Passenger Traffic Growth Around Eight Per Cent. We Strongly Believe That the Fundamental Reasons of Atr’s Success Are Long Term, and That Our Capacity to Provide Aircraft That Feature the Most Updated Technology, the Lowest Operating Costs and the Highest Environmental-friendliness of the Regional Aviation Will Sustain Our Success. ” Atr is Hopeful of Winning an Order From Air New Zealand to Replace the Atr 72-500s Currently Operated by Mount Cook Airlines, for Which It is Competing Against the Bombardier Q400 and Embraer’s E-jet Line. Atr Has Offered the Newer -600 Series of Turboprops, Which Will Enter Service in 2010 and Feature an Updates Thales Cockpit and Newer Pratt & Whitney Canada Pw127 Engines.

Farnborough Briefs – Commercial

Mitsubishi Aircraft Says That It Will Freeze the Design of the New 70 and 96 Seater Mitsubishi Regional Jet Family in the Third Quarter of 2009.

Nigeria’s Arik Air Announced Its Intention to Become the Second Customer for the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, but Was Still Settling the Terms of Purchase at the Farnborough Airshow.

Bombardier Has Firmed Up Arrangements With the Uk and Canadian Governments to Assist With Finance for the Recently Launched Cseries.

Atr Announced That It Will Open a New Training Centre in Kuala Lumpur to Offer Simulator Training for a Number of Customers in Southeast Asia. Firefly, Which is Soon to Take Delivery of Its First Atr 72s, Will Cooperate With Atr on the Centre.

Ge and Safran, Which Currently Partner to Produce the Cfm56 Engine for Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s, Will Set Up a Joint Venture to Develop and Produce Nacelles for the Next Generation of Narrowbody Aircraft.

Qatar Airways Ceo Akbar Al Baker Says That the Airline is Still Interested in Ordering the Bombardier Cseries to Provide High Frequency on Thin Routes in the Middle East. Qatar Was Expected to Be the Launch Customer for the Cseries After Strong Backing of the Type, but That Has Now Fallen to Lufthansa, Which Signed a Letter of Intent for 30 Aircraft Before the Airshow.

Easa Has Granted Approval for the Airbus/sita Onair Mobile Telephony System to Be Fitted to Airbus A320 Family of Aircraft.

Farnborough News – Military

Boeing Chief to Visit Australia? Boeing Company Chairman, President and Ceo Jim Mcnerney Has Indicated His Plans to Visit Australia Later This Year.

“as You Know We Have Some Program Execution Issues I’m Not 100 Per Cent Happy With,” Mcnerney Told a Small Group of Journalists at the Farnborough Airshow on July 16, in a Reference to the Company’s Australian Operations Struggling With a Number of Defence Projects, Including Wedgetail, Jp129 (Army Tactical Uavs) and the Raaf’s Vigilaire Command and Control Network.

“but I’m Very Pleased With the Quality of the People and the Leadership Down There and I Hope to Visit Sometime This Year and Spend Some Time Assessing Myself Personally. But Over the Years It Has Been a Source of Strength for the Company, and I Want to Find a Way to Keep It That Way. ” Boeing’s Australian Subsidiaries Boeing Australia and Hawker De Havilland Represent the Company’s Largest International Presence Outside of the Usa.

Alenia Confirms Raaf Trainer Interest

Alenia Aermacchi Ceo Carmelo Cosentino Has Confirmed His Company’s Interest in Bidding for the Raaf’s Forthcoming Pc-9 Trainer Replacement Program.

“in Australia, as for Today, We (Are) Work(Ing) on Their Requirement of the Mid Phase, (With) the M-311, for the Basic Training, Because We Know That Today They Have a Requirement to Replace (Pc-9s),” Consentino Told a Farnborough Airshow Press Conference on July 16.

“i Also Know Potentially Later on They Will Be Interested to Have a Trainer for the Upper Segment, and of Course We Believe That the M-346, Especially in Potential Combination With the M-311, May Give the Customer a Lot of Synergies,” He Said of Longer Term Prospects to Replace the Raaf’s Hawk Lead-in Fighter Trainers.

“yes, We Are Very Much Interested. ” the Raaf Aims to Replace Its Current Pilot Training System, Centred on Contractor Operated Ct-4s and the Pc-9s of 2fts, Under Project Air 5428 (Pilot Training System), With Replacement Aircraft Due to Enter Service From 2013.

More Jsf Engine Work for Oz Companies Pratt & Whitney Has Announced It Has Awarded Further Jsf F135 Engine Work to Australian Companies, Levett Engineering and Production Parts.

Adelaide Based Levett Engineering Has Been Tasked to Manufacture Second and Third Stage Turbine Vane Transfer Tubes and Covers Which Provide Cooling Air to the Turbine Discs and Blades on All Variants of the F135 Engine, With a Contract Valued at Up to Us$23m (a$23. 6m) Over the Life of the F-35 Program.

Meanwhile, Production Parts Has Been Awarded an Up to Us$90m (a$92m) Contract to Provide Bearing Covers for the No 5 Bearing Compartment of the F135 Engine After the Company’s First Inspection Article Was Approved by P&w.

Meanwhile, Melbourne Based Metaltec Precision International Has Been Awarded a Us$2m (a$2. 03m) Contract to Manufacture Assembly Tooling for the Rival F136 Engine Which is Being Developed by Ge and Rolls-royce.

Ex-ran Seasprites Up for Sale Kaman is Now Actively Marketing the 11 Former Australian Sh-2g(a) Super Seasprites Built for the Ran After Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon Cancelled the Project Earlier This Year.

Now Dubbed Sh-2g(I), Kaman is Offering a Rapid Response Delivery Package Including the Aircraft and a Complete Logistics and Training Package “as Soon as Contracting Will Allow. ” “this is a Great Opportunity for a Nation, or Nations, to Obtain a Readily Available, Cost-effective, and Incredibly Capable Multi-mission Aircraft,” Kaman Helicopters President Sal Bordonaro Said in a Statement.

“numerous Maritime Countries Expressed Individual Interest in a Portion of These Sh-2g(I)s,” Added Mark Tattershall, Kaman’s Director for Marketing and Business Development After a “very Positive” Survey of Various Embassies in Washington Dc. “kaman Would Prefer a Single Integrated Fleet or Regional Procurement. These Aircraft Are Backed Up With a Moving Base Simulator and a Complete Integrated Logistics Support Package to Sustain 11 Aircraft. ”

Farnborough Briefs – Military

The F-35 Jsf’s P&w F135 Engine Exceeded 10,000 Hours of System Development and Demonstration (Sdd) Ground Testing in Early July, a Major Milestone in the Engine’s Test Program.

The Ge/rolls-royce F136 Engine for the F-35 Jsf Program Successfully Completed a Series of Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (Stovl) Tests at Ge’s Test Facility in Ohio in Early July. The Engine, an Alternative to P&w’s F135, Was Put Through a Variety of Tests Designed to Test All Possible Flight Configurations for the F-36b Stovl Variant, as Well as the Engine’s Advanced Controls Architecture.

Raytheon Says It Has Completed a Series of Captive Carriage Tests of the Powered Variant of the Agm-154 Jsow, Dubbed Jsow-er. The New Variant Sees the Addition of a Small Hamilton Sundstrand Turbojet to the Jsow Glide Bomb Airframe, Giving the Weapon a Range of More Than 500km. Free Flight Trials Are Expected to Be Conducted Next Year.

Rolls-royce Turbomeca Announced That New Zealand and Belgium Have Chosen the Rtm322 Engine to Power Their Nh90 Helicopters They Have on Order, Making the Rtm322 the Engine of Choice for 12 of the 14 Nh90 Operators.

Boeing and Finmeccanica Have Signed a Joint Manufacturing Agreement for the Ch-47f Chinook for the Italian Army. Finmeccanica Subsidiary Agustawestland Will Be Responsible for the Design and Systems Integration, and Delivery of the Aircraft, While Boeing Will Manufacture the Airframes at Its Philadelphia Facility. The Agreement Also Allows Agustawestland to Market the Ch-47f to the Uk and Other European Countries.

General Atomics Has Successfully Completed a Series of Performance Flight Tests of Its New Lynx Ii Radar for the Us Army’s Er/mp Sky Warrior Uav Program. The Lynx Ii is a Synthetic Aperture Radar With Ground Moving Target Indicator (Sar/ Gmti) Modes.

Singapore Has Further Shortlisted the Aermacchi M-346 and the Kai/lockheed Martin T-50 for Its Advanced Jet Trainer Competition, Eliminating the Bae Hawk 128 in the Process. A Decision on the Successful Bidder is Due in Mid 2009.

The Us Navy Has Reportedly Approved a Us$150m (a$154m) Development Program for a Spiral Upgrade Package for Its Forthcoming Boeing P-8a Poseidon Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft. The Spiral 1 Package Should Be Available From 2015, While the Basic P-8a is Due to Enter Service From 2013.

Farnborough Sales

Flydubai, the New Dubai Based Low Cost Carrier, Has Ordered 50 Boeing 737-800s.

Lessor Aviation Capital Group Has Ordered an Additional 15 Boeing 737-700s Malaysia Airlines Has Confirmed an Order for 35 Boeing 737-800s and Options on a Further 20 737s.

Arik Air Has Ordered Seven Boeing 737s. The Specific Model Was Not Announced.

Air China Has Ordered 15 Boeing 777-300ers and 30 737-800s.

Etihad Airways Has Ordered 35 Boeing 787-9s and 10 777-300ers. The Airline Has Also Taken Options for 25 787s and 10 777s With Further Purchase Rights of 10 and Five Respectively.

Etihad Has Also Ordered 20 Airbus A320s, 25 A350s and 10 A380s. The New A380 Order Effectively Cancels the Previous Order for Four Aircraft Which Were to Have Been Refurbished Test Aircraft.

Saudi Arabian Airlines Has Ordered Eight Airbus A330-300s.

Asiana Airlines Has Ordered 30 Airbus A350s.

Synergy Aerospace Has Ordered 10 Airbus A350-800s. Synergy is the Major Shareholder in Three South American Airlines Including Avianca and Oceanair.

Aeroflot Ordered Five Airbus A321s.

Tunisair Has Ordered Three Airbus A350-800s, Three A330-200s and Ten A320s an Unidentified European Regional Airline Has Helped Boost the Sukhoi Superjet 100 With an Order for 20 of the Type. Sukhoi Has Also Sold Five Aircraft to Swiss Lessor Asset Management Advisor.

Porter Airlines of Canada Has Firmed Two Options on Bombardier Q400s.

Independent Yemeni Carrier Felix Airways Ordered Eight Bombardier Crj700s.

Aeromexico Has Ordered 12 Embraer 190s and Has Taken 15 Options.

Niki From Austria Has Ordered Five Embraer E-190s Saudi Arabia’s Nas Has Ordered Five Embraer E-190s.

Commercial

777 Freighter Flies the First Boeing 777 Freighter Took to the Skies on July 14, Completing a Number of Tests During Its Three and a Half Hour Flight From Paine Field, Everett.

“the 777 Freighter Completed the Scheduled Three Hour Inaugural Flight With No Airplane Performance-related Issues,” Said Dennis O’donoghue, Boeing’s Vice President of Flight Operations, Test & Validation. “the Only Issue Was a Data-communication Problem Between the Airplane and the Telemetry Room at Boeing Field. ” the Communication Issue Prevented the 777 From Completing Its Full Set of Tests and It Was Forced to Return to Paine Field Instead of Landing at Boeing Field in Seattle.

For Its First Flight, the Aircraft Was Piloted by Boeing’s Chief Pilot Suzanna Darcy-hennemann and 777 Deputy Chief Pilot Van Chaney, and the Aircraft Reached an Altitude of 18,000ft and a Speed of 270kt.

Boeing is Due to Deliver the First 777 Freighter to Launch Custom Air France Cargo Later This Year. Since Launch, 78 777fs Have Been Sold.

Bombardier Launches Cseries as Expected, Bombardier Has Used the Uk’s Biennial Farnborough Air Show to Launch Its Cseries Single-aisle Twinjet.

The Canadian Manufacturer Will Pitch the 100-149 Seat Cseries Range Against Boeing’s 737-700 and Airbus’s A319 at the Top End of Its Capacity Range, and the A318 and Embraer’s 190/195 in the 110 Seat Range, and Has Promised 20 Per Cent Better Fuel Burn Against Its Competition. The Aircraft Will Provide a Newer and More Efficient Option for a Market Which is Accelerating the Retirement of Older Generation Md-80s and 737-300/400 Series Airliners and Will Also Be an Important ‘up-gauging’ Option From Smaller and Less Efficient 50-70 Seat Regional Jets, Particularly in the Us.

The Cseries Will Be Assembled at Bombardier’s Mirabel Facility in Montreal From Components Built in Northern Ireland (Wings), China, (Fuselage) and the Us (Engines). The Engines Will Be New Generation P&w Geared Turbo Fan (Gtf) Engines Which Are Currently Undergoing Development and Promise Up to 20 Per Cent Lower Fuel Burn and Emissions, Compared to Current Engines.

Bombardier Said It Had Hoped to Be Able to Launch the Aircraft on the Back of at Least 50 Firm Orders, With Some Observers Predicting China or the Middle East Would Be the Source of Such an Order, but It Had Found Provisional Interest Difficult to Convert in Recent Months Due to Higher Oil Prices and the Tenuous Financial Positions of Some Airlines. But It Did Reveal It Was Holding a Non-binding Letter of Intent From Lufthansa for 30 Cseries With Options for 30 More, and It Hoped to Firm That Order Up Soon. Qatar Airways, Which Previously Expressed Major Enthusiasm for the Cseries, Could Also Announce an Order Soon but is Now Looking More Likely to Place a Major Narrow Body Order With Airbus Instead.

Perhaps Controversially, the Cseries Will Be Launched With the Assistance of Government Loans From the Province of Quebec, the Canadian Federal Government, and From Northern Ireland, Similar to the Arrangement Airbus Has With Various European Governments Which is Currently Being Challenged by the Us in the World Trade Organisation.

Bombardier is Targeting the Cseries to Enter Service in 2013, With the Company Forecasting a Market of 6300 New Aircraft Worth Over Us$250bn (a$259bn) Over the Next 20 Years.

Efficiency to Push New Aircraft Sales – Boeing

Boeing’s Latest Current Market Outlook, Released in the Lead Up to This Week’s Biennial Farnborough Air Show, Forecasts That New Aircraft Sales Will Be Driven by Airlines Seeking More Efficient and Modern Types to Replace Older Aircraft.

“we’re Facing a Very Dynamic Situation Today in the Commercial Aviation Industry,” Said Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vp Marketing Randy Tinseth. “this Year’s Forecast is Rooted in Today’s Realities, but Also Recognizes the Nature of a Long Term Outlook. ” Key Indicators in the Forecast, Released on July 9, Are That the World Economy Will Grow by an Average of 3. 2 Per Cent, With the Number of Airliners in Service Growing at the Same Rate, While Passenger Numbers Will Grow by Four Per Cent. This Will See the Global Airliner Fleet Grow to 35,800 Units, Which is Less Than Predicted in Last Year’s Cmo, and Boeing Says Reflects the Push for Newer, More Efficient Aircraft as They Come to Market.

Over the 20 Years, Boeing Estimates That There Will Be Demand for 29,400 New Aircraft, of Which 43 Per Cent Will Be as Replacements for Older Aircraft, Compared With Last Year’s Cmo Which Predicted That This Would Account for 36 Per Cent of Aircraft Orders. Of Total Orders, 65 Per Cent Are Predicted to Be for Single-aisle Narrow Body Aircraft, 23 Per Cent for Twin-aisle Aircraft, Nine Per Cent Regional Jets and Three Per Cent for Large Aircraft of 747-size and Above.

By Region, 31 Per Cent of Deliveries Are Slated for the Asia Pacific Region, Followed by North America (29 Per Cent), Europe and the Cis (27 Per Cent), Latin America (Six Per Cent), Middle East (Five Per Cent) and Africa (Two Per Cent).

“We’re Seeing an Increasing Share of Airplane Deliveries to the Asia-pacific Region, as Well as the Middle East, Latin America, and the Commonwealth of Independent States,” Tinseth Said. “the Result is a Much More Geographically Balanced and More Stable Long Term Market, Which is Less Vulnerable to Swings in Regional Economies or Other Variations in Demand. ”

Eads to Sell Airbus Uk, Socata Eads is Reportedly in Talks With Gkn to Sell a Majority Stake in Airbus Uk, While the European Aerospace Conglomerate Has Also Earmarked Its Eads Socata Division for Sale.

An Anonymous Source Quoted in a Reuters Report Claims That Eads and Gkn Are Close to a Deal Which Could See the British Manufacturer Take a Significant Stake in Filton Based Airbus Uk, Which Produces Wings for Most Airbus Aircraft. At the Time of Writing, It Was Not Known What the Deal May Involve or How Much It May Cost, but the Companies May Make an Announcement About It at This Week’s Farnborough Airshow.

Eads is Also Understood to Be in Talks With Diversified Company Daher to Sell Off Its Socata Division, Which Produces Light Aircraft and Some Parts for Airbus. “Bringing Together Daher and Eads Socata Would Allow the Creation of a Major Actor in the Area of Aerostructures and Business Aviation and Develop Joint Projects in These Two Areas, in Particular With Regards to the A350 for Which Eads Socata Daher Would Be a Tier One Partner,” an Eads Statement Said.

Airbus Names New A380 Program Chief

Airbus Has Made a Number of Senior Staff Changes, Including Appointing a New Head of the A380 Program as a Result of an Abrupt Staffing Change.

Mario Heinen, Who Took Over the Role of A380 Program Manager in 2006, Has Now Been Appointed as Executive Vice President of the Centre of Excellence for Fuselage and Cabin, Following the Sudden Departure of Rüdiger Fuchs Who Has Left to “pursue Other Opportunities Outside of Airbus. ” Alain Flourens Has Now Been Promoted to the Role of A380 Program Head, While Daniel Baubil Takes Over Flourens’s Former Role as Head of A320 Family.

Quickstep Process Wins Support for Trial Ohio Based Vector Composites Has Won a Contract From the Us Navy to Compare a Process Developed by Perth Based Quickstep Holdings With the Traditional Autoclave Used for Composite Curing.

Quickstep Managing Director Nick Noble Said the Contract Represents Significant Progress in Bringing Quickstep’s Unique ‘out-of-autoclave’ Curing Process to a Highly Sophisticated Customer Base Like the Us Department of Defense. “this is One of the Outcomes We Expected When We Established Our Network of Quickstep Centres of Excellence in Strategic Locations Worldwide,” He Said. “we Are Very Pleased That the Us Navy Sees the Need for Newer Processing Technologies to Lower Costs and Speed Up Manufacturing, and Considers Quickstep a Potential Viable Solution to That Need. ” While the Initial Trial Will Focus on Lab Testing of the Quickstep Process Against Autoclave Composite Curing, Both Companies Are Hopeful That Success in This May Lead to a Contract to Fabricate Aircraft Parts for Use in Further Trials.

Cfm Leaps to Next Gen Engines

Ge and Snecma’s Joint Venture Cfm International Has Started Development Work on a New Generation of Narrow-body Turbofans Under the Name of ‘leap-x’.

Leap-x Will Incorporate a Number of New Technologies, Including Possibly the Use of Open Rotor Technology in a New Baseline Turbofan Which Could Burn Up to 16 Per Cent Less Fuel Than Current Cfm56 Tech Insertion Engines as Used on Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s. The First Demonstrator Leap-x is Expected to Run in 2012, With Certification Possible by 2016, Although the Development Timetable Will Likely Rest on the Timetables of Airbus and Boeing on Developing a New Generation Narrow-body Aircraft.

“we Are Excited About This New Engine, but We Also Think We Need to Remain Flexible,” Said Cfm Ceo Eric Bachelet. “if Fuel Prices Continue to Rise, We Will Need to Raise the Bar Even Higher and Introduce Even More Advanced Technology. For the Next Three Years, We Are Pursuing Parallel Paths the Leap-x Advanced Turbofan and the Open Rotor. The Foundational Technologies Support Either Architecture, and We Are Making Good Progress Toward Finding Solutions for the Inherent Technical Challenges of an Open Rotor Configuration. ” Ge and Snecma Recently Renewed Their Cooperation on Cfm International Until 2040, Ensuring That the Two Companies Will Deliver the Next Generation of Narrow-body Powerplants Through the Consortium.

Last 747-400f Delivered Boeing Has Wound Up Production of the -400 Series of the 747 With the Last of 16 747-400f Freighters for Cargolux Airlines Handed Over in a Ceremony in Everett on July 25.

Boeing is Now Concentrating Its Efforts on the Forthcoming 747-8 Series, With Launch Customer Cargolux Due to Take Delivery of the First of 13 747-8f Freighters Next Year.

First 767 With Winglets Flies

the First Boeing 767 Retrofitted With Aviation Partners Boeing Winglets Made Its First Flight on July 20.

The Flight Was Made on an American Airlines 767-300er as Part of a Ferry Flight From Kansas City Where the Winglets Were Fitted by Aa Engineers, to San Bernardino, California, Where the Aircraft Will Undertake Certification and Performance Testing. Faa and Easa Certification is Expected to Be Achieved in November With Entry Into Service in December.

“the 767-300er Blended Winglet Program Launch Has Been Our Most Successful to Date,” Said Aviation Partners Boeing’s President and Ceo, John Reimers. “We Are Four Months Away From Expected Certification and Already Have Firm Commitments for Over 130 Systems From 10 Different Airlines. As a Result, We Are Currently Sold Out of 767-300er Blended Winglet Systems Through November of 2009. ” Apb Claims That the 3. 4m Tall Winglets Will Provide Up to a 6. 5 Per Cent Fuel Consumption Saving.

New Composites & Helicopters Research Centre for Qld the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures Ltd (Crc-acs) Opened Its New Helicopter Composite Structures Program on July 24 at the Australian Aerospace Facility at Brisbane Airport.

The Research Program Will Focus on How Carbon Fibre Composites May Be Used in Helicopter Structures. The Crc-acs Will Also Involve Australian Aerospace, University of Queensland, Bac Technologies, Qmi Solutions, and Aviation Australia.

“continued Development of Advanced Composite Technology is of Major Importance to Us,” Said Australian Aerospace Ceo Dr Jens Goennemann, “and Crc-acs Possesses World Class Expertise in the Development of Technologies Which Offer Potential Weight and Cost Savings in the Manufacture of Composite Wing, Fuselage and Other Structures. ” the Research Program Represents an Investment of $10. 5m Over Three Years, and is Supported by Crc Program Supplementary Funding From the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, as Well as Indirectly by the Queensland Government’s Smart State Innovation Fund.

Commercial Briefs

Embraer Delivered 43 Commercial Jets and Six Legacy 600 Business Jets During the Second Quarter of 2008. As of June 30, Embraer’s Backlog Stood at 478 Aircraft.

Airbus Took Net Orders for 487 Aircraft for the First Half of the Year, Comprising 323 A320 Family, 105 A330s (Including 11 Freighters), 59 A350s, and Three A380s, While Three A340-600s on Order for Air Canada Were Cancelled.

A Report in French Newspaper ‘la Tribune’ Claims That Airbus Will Launch a Successor to the A320 Family of Narrow Body Aircraft in 2014 for an Entry Into Service in 2018. Airbus Said in Response That It Would Launch the New Aircraft “when the Technology is Ready”, but Refused to Comment on a Timetable.

Sukhoi Has Delayed Delivery of the First Superjet 100 to Launch Customer Aeroflot Until the Second Half of Next Year. Sukhoi Now Does Not Expect the Superjet to Receive Certification Until Mid-2009, Despite the Aircraft Having Flown in May.

According to China’s Xinhua News Network, Boeing Has Increased Its Stake in Aviation Parts Company Bha Aero. Boeing Now Reportedly Holds an 80 Per Cent Stake in the Company With the Remainder Owned by China’s Aviation Industry I (Avic I). Bha Started Operations in 2002 and Supplies Parts for Boeing, Korean Aerospace Industries and Goodrich Corp.

Sales

Chinese Regional Carrier Kun Peng Airlines Has Ordered Five Embraer 190s.

Military

Litening Pod Datalinks Delivered Northrop Grumman Has Delivered the First Batch of Plug and Play Ii Datalinks to the Us Marine Corps for Use in Litening at and G4 Targeting Pods on Its F/a-18 Hornets and Av-8b Harrier Iis.

The Company Says Plug and Play Ii Provides “increased Range, State-of-the-art Digital Data Recording and an Option to Incorporate Secure, Two-way Communications Over Ultra-high Frequency (Uhf) Radios Without the Need for Aircraft Modifications. ” “with the Plug and Play Ii, Warfighters Have Many Options to Customise Their Datalink, Including Incorporation of Advanced Data Recording for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Increased on-board Computing to Host User-defined Networking Applications, and the Ability to Enable Secure Communication of Data and Imagery Through the Addition of User-selected Uhf Radios,” Northrop Grumman’s Vice President of Targeting and Surveillance Programs, Mike Lennon, Said in a Statement. “all of These Capabilities and Options Enable Our Users to Tailor the Configuration of Their Datalink to Their Mission. ” the New Datalink Has Also Been Ordered by the Usaf, the Italian and Spanish Navies, the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and by the Raaf for Use on Litening at Pods Recently Introduced Onto the F/a-18a/b Hornet Fleet. “the Raaf Will Acquire a Plug and Play Ii Datalink Capability Under Hornet Upgrade Phase 2. 4,” an Adf Spokesman Told ‘australian Aviation’. “the Raaf Version Will Be a One-way Datalink (Air to Ground). ” the Datalink Capability Was Believed to Be a Major Factor in the Raaf Choosing the Litening at Over the Rival Atflir and Sniper Xt to Replace the Hornet’s Older Aas-38 Nite Hawk Pods, and No Issues With Integrating the Datalinks Are Expected. “integration of the Capability Onto Raaf Aircraft is Relatively Simple,” the Spokesman Added. “the Raaf Litening at Pods Were Purchased With the Appropriate Antennas for This Datalink, and No Changes to the Aircraft Are Required to Enable the Capability. Although Some Test and Evaluation is Required to Demonstrate Operation With Raaf Aircraft and Equipment, the Capability is Essentially Proven Military Off-the-shelf. ” the Datalinks Should Be Operational on the Raaf’s Hornet Fleet by the First Quarter of 2009.

Wedgetail “immature” at Contract Sign – Boeing

the Head of Boeing’s Integrated Defense Systems (Ids) Division, Jim Albaugh, Said on July 13 That His Company’s Wedgetail Aew&c Program for the Raaf Was Over-ambitious and Relied Upon Immature Technology When the Contract for the Program Was First Signed a Decade Ago.

“that Was a Program Whose Contract Never Should Have Been Signed Back in 1998,” Albaugh Told Journalists in London the Eve of the Farnborough Airshow. “that Program Had Immature Technologies, It Did Not Have a Well Defined Test Program, It Did Not Have the Test Assets, (the) Resources Necessary. ” the Comments Come After Boeing and Adf Officials Confirmed in June That the Wedgetail Program Had Been Delayed by a Further 10 Months. As the August Edition of ‘australian Aviation’ Will Detail, the Raaf Will Now Not Receive Its First Two of Six 737?700 Based Wedgetails for Training Use Until July 2009, With the First Fully Operational Aircraft Now Planned for Delivery in January 2010, 38 Months Later Than Originally Contracted.

“it Depended on a Lot of Inventions, Almost, to Take Place in Order to Deliver the Radar and Systems on the Airplane and We Struggled, No Question, but I Feel Pretty Good About Where We Are Now,” Albaugh Said. “we Did Not Understand All the Technology, We Didn’t Have in Place a Really Sound and Executable Plan. ” Albaugh Stressed His Comments Were “not a Criticism of the Customer, It is a Criticism of Boeing,” Noting, “we Haven’t Taken a Contract Like That in 10 Years. ” Boeing Has Taken a Further Earnings Hit in the Wake of the New Delays to Wedgetail, Saying It Expects to Take a Pre-tax Charge of About Us$250m (a$258m) or 0. 22c Per Share “primarily Due to Subsystem Development Issues on the Electronic Warfare and Ground Support Systems as Well as Additional Time Required for Integration Testing. ” Wedgetail is the Most Prominent of a Number of Boeing-led Australian Defence Projects to Suffer Delays, With Reports That the Jp129 Tactical Uav Project for the Army is Close to Cancellation, and of Continuing Delays to the Raaf’s Vigilare Command and Control System. “we Have Not Done Well in Australia,” Albaugh Admitted. “we Took on Some Projects There Where We Didn’t Have the Indigenous Capability to Execute as Well as We Wished We Could Have, as the Australian Government Wished We Could. We’re Working Hard to Deliver on Those Programs and We’ve Assigned a Lot of Very Good People From the United States to Go Down and Help Our Australian Team Get Through It. ” “i Think You Only Re-establish Your Reputation (in Australia) by Delivering,” He Said.

Renewed Push for Stovl Jsfs the Navy League of Australia Has Again Raised the Possibility of Acquiring a Number of Vertical Lift F-35b Jsfs for Operations on the Navy’s Forthcoming Canberra Class Lhds as Part of a Larger Raaf Jsf Buy.

An Editorial in June’s ‘the Navy’ Magazine Has Called for the Adf to Buy at Least a Dozen Stovl F-35s in Order to Bolster the Adf’s Amphibious Combat Capability in Conjunction With Armed Arh Tiger and Troop Carrying Mrh-90 and Chinook Helicopters, and Has Called for Consideration of the Option by the Working Group Putting Together the Government’s Defence White Paper.

“like It or Not, the Adf’s New Amphibious Capability Will Be Used at Some Stage and When Used Will Mean the Situation is a Serious One, Requiring Serious and Decisive Firepower,” It Said. “however, Without an Airborne Fire Support Capability, Then All the Lhds Can Do is Deliver Our Troops Into the Waiting Gun Sights of the Enemy, in Many Respects Just Like at Gallipoli. ” However, Not All Observers Agree With ‘the Navy’s’ Push, Saying a Mixed Fleet of Jsf’s, Despite the Type’s Inherent Commonalities, Would Dilute the Overall Combat Effectiveness of Not Only the Overall Jsf Fleet, but Also of the Crews Who Would Be Trained to Fly and Maintain the Aircraft in Very Different Operating Environments.

Despite the Lhds Being Delivered With a Ski-ramp Bow Area Designed for Fixed Wing Short Take Off Operations, and Plans to Operate Initially Harriers and Later F-35bs Off Similar Ships Being Built for Spain, the Ran Has Not Specified Such a Capability for the Canberra Class and Would Therefore Require Additional Design Work to Be Done on the Two Vessels in Order to Do So for Sustained Periods.

Meanwhile, Defence Materiel Organisation (Dmo) Head Dr Stephen Gumley Says the Raaf Should Pay No More Than $75 Million

for Each of the Up to 100 F-35a Jsfs It Plans to Acquire Next Decade, if Manufacturer Lockheed Martin is Able to Deliver a Planned ‘fixed Price’ Unit Cost Consortium Buy Plan for Partner Nations.

“as I Sit Here Today, Jsf is Affordable,” He Told a Parliamentary Committee in Early July. “i Don’t Have Any Significant Issues With the Cost…i Would Be Surprised That We Would Be Paying More Than About 75 Million Aussie Dollars a Copy for the Aircraft, Measured in 2008 Dollars. ” That Amount is Well Below the Estimates of Some Critics of the Program Who Have Suggested Figures of Up to $130 Million for Early Build Aircraft Which Are Due to Be Delivered From 2014.

Tanker Wars Iii – a New Hope?

Us Congressional Interest Groups Have Partially Got Their Way, for Now at Least, With the Us Dod Agreeing to Rebid the Usaf’s Kc-45 Tanker Contest for a Third Time While, at the Same Time, Taking the Eventual Decision Making Capability Away From the Usaf Itself.

The Move Comes After an Appeal by Boeing to the Usaf’s February 29 Decision to Award the Up to 179 Aircraft Deal to Rival Bidder Northrop Grumman/eads Was Partially Upheld by the Us Government Accountability Office (Gao) in Mid June.

This Time Around, Us Defense Secretary Robert Gates Says It Will Be His Office and the Pentagon’s Chief Acquisitions Officer, John Young, Who Will Decide by the End of January Who the Winner of an Accelerated Competition Will Be After a Revised Tender is Issued in Late July or August, Providing a Slap in the Face to Usaf Procurement Officials Whose Credibility Has Again Been Called Into Question by Pro-boeing Political Figures in Recent Months. “Industry, the Congress and the American People All Must Have Confidence in the Integrity of the Acquisition Process,” Secretary Gates Said in a Statement on July 10. “I Believe the Revised Process Will Result in the Best Tanker for the Air Force at the Best Prices for the American Taxpayer. ” but Despite the Further Delays to the Program Initially Giving Renewed Hope to Boeing’s Kc-767at Contender, Reports Indicate the New Competition May Actually Favour the Northrop Grumman/eads Kc-30. The ‘seattle Times’ Reported on July 12 That John Young Has Indicated That the Revised Criteria Will Give Further Weight to the Kc-30’s Greater Offload and Cargo Capacity Over the Smaller Kc-767at, Which May Make the Result Even More Decisive Than That of Five Months Ago.

And Because of the Accelerated Re-bid Process, It is Unlikely Boeing Will Have Time to Even Prepare a Bid Based on Its Own Larger-still 777 in Response, Let Alone to Develop an Operational Capability in the Timeframe Required, Especially With Its Engineering Resources Already Stretched Across Its Civil 777f, 787 and 747-8 Programs.

Although Secretary Gates and Mr Young Hope to Complete the Selection Process by December and Thus Keep It in the Current Bush Administration, Pro-boeing Congressional Members Have Promised to Tie the Project Up Well Into Next Year. “I Think Ultimately the Decision Probably is Going to Be Made by the Next Administration,” Said Washington State Representative, Norm Dicks. “Because There’s Going to Be a Lot of Hullabaloo About This. ” “I Have Followed the Bouncing Ball Now for Eight Years and the Ball is Still Bouncing,” Added Washington State Senator Patty Murray. “i Am Going to Stay in the Pentagon’s Face. ” Dicks Added That He Had Told Young to “bring Your Helmet” to House Armed Services Committee Hearing Set Down for This Week, Indicating That This is Going to Be a Far From Painless Process.

Boeing Back in Jca? Boeing May Have Struck a Deal With Alenia to Jointly Manufacture the C-27j Transport for the Us Army/usaf Joint Cargo Aircraft (Jca) Program, After Previously Stating That It Was Pulling Out of the Deal.

Boeing Had Previously Said That the Business Case for the Joint Manufacturing Program Wasn’t Strong Enough for It to Continue Its Involvement, and Publicly Announced It Was Pulling Out of the Deal in May. Alenia Followed Boeings Announcement by Saying That Talks to Come to a Mutually Satisfactory Business Arrangement Had Failed, and That It Would Go It Alone With the Program or Look for New Partners. “Boeing and Alenia Agreed to 60 Per Cent and 40 Per Cent Stakes Respectively in a New Company Set Up to Build the Line, Giving Boeing the Majority Share,” Alenia North America Ceo, Giuseppe Giordo Was Reported as Saying at the Recent Farnborough Airshow. “Boeing, However, Has Argued That a Greater Investment is Required Than That Which We Believed. If You Believe Investment Must Be Greater, It Follows That You Conclude That the Eventual Revenue Will Be Smaller in Relation to the Investment, Hence Our Different Conclusions. ” “It Comes Down to – What Are the Assumptions About the Number of Airplanes, the Investment, the Cost You Can Build the Airplanes for and the Cost You Can Sell the Airplanes for,” Boeing Ids Ceo Jim Albaugh Said. “those Are the Fundamental Variables, and Those Are the Discussions We Are Having. ” the Deal for Between 78 and Up to About 120 C-27js Would See All but the First Few Aircraft Manufactured in the Us, Most Likely at a Facility at Boeing’s Cecil Field Facility in Florida if Boeing is Able to Agree to Terms.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is Seeking an Additional Us$32m (a$33. 5m) for the Usaf to Purchase an Additional C-27j and Modify It as the First Prototype of a Possible Future Gunship Variant of the Tactical Airlifter. An ‘ac-27j’, Colloquially Known as ‘gunship Lite’, Would Feature Proven Off-the-shelf Sensors, Electronic Warfare Equipment and Weapons and Be Adapted to Operate From Austere Airstrips in Close Support of Ground Troops.

Pentagon to Terminate F-22 Production? The Pentagon Seems Intent on Not Only Capping Usaf F-22 Raptor Production at 187 Units After Less Than Favourable Capital and Sustainment Costs for the Super-fighter, but is Also Reportedly Reviewing the Future of the Aircraft in Usaf Service All Together.

The Report Comes as Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon Met His Us Counterpart, Robert Gates, in Washington Last Week. “the Debate in the Us is About the Capital and Sustainment Cost of the F-22,” Fitzgibbon Told ‘the Australian’ on July 25. “I Have to Say That if the Us is Having a Debate About Phasing the F-22 Out Because of Rising Sustainment Costs, Then It Certainly Reduces Options for Australia and Reduces Any Opportunity for Australia to Become a Country That Flies the F-22. ”

Eads Demonstrates Kc-30 Boom With Large Aircraft Eads Has Successfully Demonstrated the Capabilities of Its Air Refuelling Boom System (Arbs) as Fitted to the Raaf’s Kc-30 Tankers to Make Contact With a Large Receiver Aircraft.

Having Already Demonstrated the Capability Earlier This Year With a Portuguese Air Force F-16, Eads Conducted Airborne Contact Trials Over Spain With a French Air Force E-3f Awacs Aircraft From Its A310 Development Aircraft on July 18. The Fly-by-wire Boom is Also Offered on the Eads/northrop Grumman Kc-30 for the Usaf’s Drawn-out Kc-45 Program.

Boeing Acquires

in-house Uav Capability Boeing Has Agreed to Acquire Its Small Uav Partner Company, Oregon Based Insitu Inc.

Since 2002 the Two Companies Have Partnered in Offering Insitu’s Three Metre Wing Span Scaneagle Uav for Military Customers for Sale or on Commercially Operated Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (Isr) Provider Programs. The Scaneagle System Has Completed More Than 100,000 Operational Hours in Iraq and Afghanistan With the Us Marine Corps, Us Navy and the Australian Army.

“this Acquisition is Part of a Larger Plan to Aggressively Grow Our Presence in the Unmanned Systems Market,” Said Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick in a Statement.

Once the Acquisition is Finalised in Late September, Insitu Will Remain a Separate Subsidy of Boeing’s Integrated Defense Systems’ Military Aircraft Unit.

Military Briefs

Northrop Grumman Has Begun Production of the Fuselage Section of the Raaf’s First F/a-18f Super Hornet. The First Bulkhead Components Were Loaded Into Place on July 10 on Northrop Grumman’s F/a-18 Assembly Line in El Segundo in Los Angeles. The Company Builds the Centre and Rear Fuselage Sections of the Super Hornet as a Sub Contractor to Boeing.

Richmond Based 37sqn Has Celebrated Its 65th Anniversary Since It Was Formed on July 15 1943. The Unit Currently Operates 12 C-130j and 12 C-130h Hercules and, Along With Former C-130h Unit 36sqn, Has Had at Least Two Aircraft Continuously Deployed to the Middle East Since February 2003.

The Plight of Former F-111 Maintenance Workers Known as the ‘goop Troop’ Will Finally Be Heard After the Commencement of a Parliamentary Inquiry on July 21 Into the F-111 Deseal/reseal Program Which Left Hundreds of Workers Ill and Increased Cancer Rates Amongst Workers and Their Families. The Inquiry Has Received 84 Submissions and is Due to Move to Brisbane Next Week, While Its Findings Are Due to Handed Down in a Report by October 23.

The First Group of Students Have Commenced Training on the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (Rsaf) New Basic Wings Course (Bwc) at Raaf Pearce in Wa. Lockheed Martin in Conjunction With Hawker Pacific Has a 20 Year Contract to Conduct the Course Using Courseware, Synthetic Training Devices and a Fleet of Pilatus Pc-21 Turboprop Trainers for the Rsaf’s 130sqn Based at Pearce.

The Rnzaf’s First C-130 Hercules to Be Upgraded by L-3 Comm Spar Has Completed a Series of Test Flights at L-3’s Facility in Canada. L-3 Says the Upgrade, Which Includes New Wing Spars, a Major Rewire, New Navigation and Communications Systems and a Cockpit Upgrade is “the Most Comprehensive Modernisation Project Ever Undertaken on a C-130 Worldwide. ” the First Boeing 737-700 Based Peace Eagle Aew&c Aircraft for Turkey Made Its First Flight in Seattle on July 16. The Peace Eagle is Similar to the Wedgetail Aew&c Aircraft Currently Under Development for the Raaf.

A Detachment of Raaf 41wg Personnel Were Officially Welcomed Home From a Six Month Deployment to Afghanistan by Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement, Greg Combet, and Air Commander Australia (Acaust), Avm Mark Skidmore, in Early July. The Team Was Part of 41wg’s Williamtown-based Number 3 Control and Reporting Unit (3cru) Which Has Been Providing Control of Afghanistan’s Airspace in the Kandahar Area Since April Last Year.

Construction of the Adf’s New Headquarters Joint Operations Command Facility at Bungendore Near Canberra Has Been Largely Completed and Delivered to the Adf on Time and on Budget. Hqjoc Will Provide a New Command and Control Environment for the Adf.

The Us Army is Reportedly Again Considering Cancelling Its Arh-70 Program After Cost Blowouts of More Than 40 Per Cent Incurred a Mandatory Review of the Program by the Pentagon Under ‘nunn-mccurdy’ Legislation. The Arh-70 is an Armed Development of the Civilian Bell 407 and, Following the Cancellation of the Stealthy Rah-66 Comanche in 2004, Was Hurriedly Chosen to Replace the Us Army’s Fleet of Oh-58d Kiowa Warriors.

The First Boeing Ah-64d Apache Block Iii Made Its Maiden Flight on June 27 and Was Presented to Us Army and Program Officials at a Ceremony on July 11. The Block Iii Incorporates New Communications for Greater Networkability With Ground and Airborne Assets Including Uavs, Enhanced Sensors, and More Powerful Engines, and is Planned to Enter Low Rate Production in April 2010.

Raytheon Has Delivered Its 3000th Aim-9x Infrared Air-to-air Missile.

The Us Dod Reportedly Vetoed Usaf Plans to Deploy the F-22 Raptor to the Middle East Earlier This Year. Former Usaf Chief Gen Michael Moseley and Former Usaf Secretary Michael Wynne Had Reportedly Planned to Deploy the Fighter to the Persian Gulf in Order to Bolster the Aircraft’s Interoperability With Other Us and Allied Combat Units in a War Zone, but Were Overruled by Defense Secretary Robert Gates Who Saw the Move as Being Too Provocative Towards Iran.

The Us Navy Has Awarded Lockheed Martin a Contract to Develop the Automatic Radar Periscope Detection and Discrimination (Arpdd) System for the Mh-60r ‘romeo’ Helicopter. The Arpdd System is an Upgrade to the an/aps-147 Multi-mode Radar, Allowing It to Automatically Detect and Track Submarine Periscopes From Floating Sea Debris.

Eight Indian Air Force Su-30mkis Supported by Two Il-78 Tankers Have Departed India for a Six Week Visit to the Us. The Unit Will Initially Be Deployed to Mountain Home Afb in Idaho Before Taking Part in Exercise Red Flag at Nellis Afb Near Las Vegas in Mid August. Also Participating at Red Flag Will Be Republic of Korea Air Force F-15ks and French Air Force Rafale Fighters, as Well as Numerous Us Fighter and Support Aircraft.

The Republic of Korea Air Force Held a Ceremony of July 1 to Formally Declare Its F-15k Fighter Force Combat Ready After a 33-month Pilot Training Program.

The Gulf State of Qatar Has Ordered Two Boeing C-17 Globemaster Iii Transports Under a Foreign Military Sales (Fms) Deal With the Us. Qatar Doesn’t Have a Large Military of Its Own, but Says It is Buying the Aircraft to Support Coalition Military Operations and Humanitarian Missions. The Usaf Uses the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as a Major Transport Hub in the Middle East in Support of Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Qatar Has Ordered 18 Agustawestland Aw139 Helicopters for Various Government Agencies for Duties Including Utility, Troop Transport, Search and Rescue, Border Patrol, Special Forces Operations, Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Duties.

The Raf Has Reportedly Abandoned a Plan to Upgrade Its Nimrod R. 1 Reconnaissance Aircraft Due to Ageing Aircraft Issues With Its Nimrod Fleet, and Will Instead Join the Us’s Rc-135 Rivet Joint Program. A Report in ‘ain’ Suggests the Us Will Convert Three Kc-135r Airframes Into Rc-135 Rivet Joint Signals Intelligence (Sigint) Aircraft for the Raf, and Will Operate the Aircraft as a Joint Task Force With the Usaf.

A Usaf B-52h Crashed Near the Pacific Island Base of Guam on July 21 Whilst Preparing for an Airshow, With the Loss of All Five Crew and One Passenger on Board. The Aircraft Had Been Deployed to Guam Since May From the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron Based at Barksdale Afb in Louisiana.

Boeing and Raytheon Have Teamed to Offer a Version of the 737-800 Based P-8a Poseidon for the Us Navy’s Ep-x Signals Intelligence (Sigint) Program to Replace the Lockheed Ep-3e Aeries.

The Us Marine Corps Has Ordered Six Hawker Beechcraft King Air B350s as Utility Transport Aircraft to Replace Six Ageing Uc-12s (Military King Air B200s).

Airlines

Qantas to Cut Staff Qantas Will Cut Up to 1500 Jobs and Retire 22 Aircraft in Order to Combat the High Price of Fuel, Ceo Geoff Dixon Announced on July 18.

The Restructuring Will Include the Loss of Up to 1500 Jobs, With the Majority Coming From Administrative and Non-operational Areas, Including Over 20 Per Cent of Its Managerial Positions. Approximately 100 Jobs Will Be Lost From Overseas as the Airline Closes Its London and Tucson Call Centres. Further, Plans to Hire an Additional 1200 Staff to Allow for Growth Have Been Cancelled, “acting Now, on Top of the Measures Already Taken, Will Protect Our Competitive Position, Protect the Great Majority of Over 36,000 Jobs and Enable Us to Grow Profitably When Conditions Improve,” Said Dixon, Who Said Planned Capacity Growth of Eight Per Cent for 2008/09 Will Be Cut to Zero.

The Airline is Also Putting on a Recruitment and Executive Salary Freeze, Which Will Also Include the 75 Pilots Which Jetstar Was Planning to Hire on Skilled Worker Visas. Jetstar Would Also Close Its Base in Adelaide by the End of August but Continue to Serve the City From Its Bases in Darwin and Sydney. This Has Required the Airline to Adjust the Timing of Some of Its Services Through Adelaide.

Qantas Will Also Retire 22 Older Aircraft as It Prepares to Take Delivery of Its First Airbus A380s Later This Year and Boeing 787s Later on.

Qantas Settles Pilot & Engineering Contracts at the Same Time It Announced the Major Workforce Cuts, Qantas Also Announced That Its Long Haul Pilots’ and Engineers’ Enterprise Bargaining Agreements Had Been Settled With Their Respective Unions.

While It Did Not Release Any Details of the in-principle Agreement With the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, Qantas Says That the Union Has Agreed to End Its Industrial Action. However, the Airline Has Warned That It Will Take Some Weeks for It to Return to a Normal Schedule.

Qantas Was More Forthcoming About Its Negotiations With the Australian International Pilots Association. “under This New Agreement, the Difference Between the Three Per Cent Per Annum Wage Increase and Cpi, Along With a Proportion of Overtime Payments, Will Be Paid Out in a Similar Way to Executive Bonuses,” Airline Ceo Geoff Dixon Said. “the New Agreement Offers Greater Flexibility for Both Qantas and Its Pilots. It Finalises the Pay Arrangements for the Launch of the A380 Aircraft Later This Year, With Multiple Pay Rates Rationalised and New Rules on Career Progression That Will Reduce the Cost of Training Associated With Pilots Moving Between Aircraft Types. ” Both Ebas Will Still Need to Be Voted on by the Respective Unions’ Members.

Virgin Blue Introduces Baggage Charges, Cuts Aircraft Virgin Blue Will Start Charging for Checked Baggage on Its Lowest Fares, Raise Its Fully Flexible Fares, and Will Withdraw and Delay More Aircraft as It Seeks to Mitigate Effects of the High Fuel Price and Softening Demand.

But the Good News for Passengers is That the Airline Will Cut Its Lead in Fares by Up to $20 on Some Routes With the Addition of New ‘go Fares!’ to Its Inventory. The New Fares Will Be Available From August 18. Virgin Will Also Raise Its Fully Flexible Fares by Up to Five Per Cent.

“we Have Endeavoured to Seek a Reasoned and Balanced Approach to Recover Costs Associated With Current Punitive Fuel Prices and the Direct Effects on Our Business,” Said Chief Executive Brett Godfrey. “the Necessary Introduction of Baggage Fees and the Reduction of Our Lowest Fares for Our Price Sensitive Guests is Anticipated to Yield Both Improved Demand Levels and Revenue. ” Virgin Blue Will Now Charge a Flat $8 Fee for Checked Baggage Up to 23kg for Passengers Travelling on Its New ‘go Fare!’ and ‘blue Saver’ Fares When the Option is Purchased Online, or a $20 Fee at the Airport. Silver and Gold Velocity Members Will Be Exempt From the Charges.

Godfrey Also Announced That the Airline Would Take a Further Two Boeing 737-800s Out of Revenue Service by October, Resulting in Reductions on Some Routes and Representing a Three Per Cent Cut in Domestic Capacity, and Has Deferred Deliveries on Five Embraer Aircraft Due During 2009 Which Will Remove the Equivalent of a Further Three Per Cent Capacity.

However, Virgin Says That the Capacity Cuts Will Not Result in Any Redundancies at Virgin Blue or Pacific Blue.

Over 250 Submissions Received for National Aviation Policy

the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Has Received Over 250 Submissions From a Number of Different Individuals and Organisations Related to the Proposed National Aviation Policy Green Paper.

“i Am Greatly Encouraged by the Constructive Contribution All Sections of the Industry and the Broader Community Have Made to This Important Policy Development Process and the Quality of the Submissions Received,” Said Transport Minister Anthony Albanese in a Statement.

“amongst All the Submissions There is a Widespread Acknowledgement That if Australia is to Continue Benefiting From the Economic and Social Advantages of Air Travel Then We Need to Start Planning Now – the Previous Short Term, Ad-hoc, Problem by Problem Approach is Longer Tenable. ”

Toll to Exit Virgin Blue

Virgin Blue’s Largest Shareholder, Logistics Giant Toll Holdings, Announced on July 14 That It Will Cut Its 63 Per Cent Stake in the Airline to Allow Both Companies to “better Pursue Their Own Development Strategies. ” Toll Will Execute the Write-down in Its Stake Through Paying a Special ‘in Specie’ Dividend, Under Which Toll Shareholders Will Receive One Virgin Blue Share for Each Ordinary Toll Share They Own. The Distribution at Virgin Blue’s Current Share Price Has Been Valued by Toll at Approximately $330 Million, Although Toll Will Take a $1. 8 Billion Charge on Its Current Financial Year Profit. Toll Will Retain 11 Million Shares in Virgin Blue.

The Share Transaction Will See Toll Appointed Directors Paul Little, John Ludeke, Bernard Mcinerney and Terry Mallon Resign From Virgin Blue’s Board, Although Current Chairman and Toll Cfo Neil Chatfield Will Stay Until the Airline’s Agm Later This Year.

Virgin Blue Ceo Brett Godfrey Said That the Transaction Would Not Have a Major Impact on the Airline. “the Bottom Line Has Been That Toll Has Made It Abundantly Clear for Some Time That an Airline Asset Wasn’t for Their Portfolio So the Decision is No Surprise and It Does Actually Remove an Amount of Uncertainty That We Have Been Seen in Our Share Price for Some Time,” He Said. “the Overhang Caused by This Toll Shareholding Come August Will Be Removed and Finally Allow Virgin Blue to Seek Long Term, Strategic Investors. ” Godfrey Also Revealed That the Airline Would Soon Announce Where the Four Boeing 737s It is Removing From the Australian Domestic Market Would Be Allocated. “essentially They Will Be Redeployed Offshore Into the International Markets That We Fly Today,” He Said.

Godfrey Also Said That Financing for V Australia’s Boeing 777 Fleet Would Be Finalised in the Coming Three to Four Weeks.

Jetstar Launches Perth-singapore

Jetstar Has Announced That It Will Fly Daily Between Perth and Singapore From December 2.

To Mark the Launch on July 11, Jetstar Released a Limited Number of ‘jetsaver Light’ Fares From $129, With Regular Fares Starting From $199 One Way. The Carrier Will Operate a 177-seat Airbus A320 on the Route, the Same Aircraft as Its Rival Tiger Airways.

“the Perth-singapore Market Continues to Be the Third Biggest International Route in Australia in Terms of Traffic and Has Continued to Grow at Over 13 Per Cent Over the Last Year,” Jetstar Ceo Alan Joyce Said.

“singapore is the Biggest Source of South East Asian Traffic to Australia and This, Combined With the Strong Western Australian Economy, Shows Great Potential for the Jetstar Brand. ” This is the Third International Route From Perth for Jetstar, With the Carrier Earlier Announcing That It Would Take Over Qantas’s Services to Denpasar and Jakarta, and Joyce Says That Perth Will Continue to Play a Starring Role as the Carrier Pushes Into the Southeast Asian Market.

Interestingly, Jetstar Also Used the Launch of the Perth-singapore Flights to Highlight the Connections Which Would Be Possible From Jetstar Asia’s Network From Singapore. In Late June, Jetstar Asia Severed an Agreement Under Which the Australian Carrier Had Provided a Number of Services on Behalf of Jetstar Asia, Although Both Companies at the Time Noted That They Would Maintain a “close Working Relationship. ”

Cathay Reacts to Fuel Price Cathay Pacific is Raising Its Business and First Class Fares and Will Redeploy Capacity to Deal With the Sustained High Price of Fuel.

The Announcements Came a Week After Cathay Warned the Hong Kong Stock Exchange That Its Financial Performance Was Being “Materially and Adversely Affected” by the High Price of Jet Fuel, With the Average Price of Fuel 60 Per Cent Higher Than the Previous Year.

As of July 11, Cathay Raised Its Premium Fares Between Three and 15 Per Cent on Most of Its Flights to and From Hong Kong. It Will Introduce Four Additional Direct Flights From Hong Kong to Dubai Which Will Continue on to Bahrain, and Will Add Four Non-stop Services to Riyadh. The Airline Will Also Add Four Weekly Services to Auckland for the Winter Schedule, Bringing It to a Twice Daily Service.

Cathay Will Reduce Its Capacity on Routes to Canada as a Result of the Seasonal Downturn, With Four Weekly Services to Vancouver and Three Flights to Toronto via Anchorage Reduced.

“what We Are Facing at the Moment is a Cost Problem, Not a Revenue Problem,” Cathay Pacific Ceo Tony Tyler Said. “demand Remains High but the Soaring Cost of Fuel Means We Have to Operate More Flights to Areas With Revenue-earning Potential. We Will Not Take a ‘slash and Burn’ Approach to the Problem – It’s Important to Preserve Our Network as Hong Kong’s Home Carrier and We Aim to Keep Our Team Together. ”

Qantas Makes Submission to Aviation Policy Qantas Has Called for Faster Aircraft Depreciation Cycles, Level Competition and Modern and More Affordable Transport Infrastructure in a Submission to the Government’s National Aviation Policy on July 6.

Qantas Group Ceo Geoff Dixon Said That He Was Pleased That the Government Was Taking a Broad View of the Issues Facing the Industry. He Also Pointed to Increased Competition From Global Airlines, as Well as Major External Influences as Reasons That the Airline Industry Needed a Supportive Government Which Would Allow It to Make Adjustments as Required.

“policy Settings That Are Flexible, Practical, Coordinated and Forward-looking Will Best Place the Industry to Do This,” Dixon Said. “for the Australian Aviation Industry, This Includes the Ability to Secure Capital to Support Investment in New and More Efficient Aircraft, to Deliver Returns to Shareholders and to Operate on a Fair and Internationally Competitive Footing. ” in the Submission, Qantas Has Called for Shorter Aircraft Depreciation Cycles, Which It Claims Would Give Airlines Incentive to Invest More Frequently in Newer, More Efficient Aircraft Which Would in Turn Reduce Emissions. The Airline Also Called for the Removal of Restrictions on Its Ownership Contained in the Qantas Sale Act Which Have Prevented It From Accessing Large Amounts of Foreign Capital.

Loss Fears for Virgin Blue, Again a Report Out Last Week From Merrill Lynch Has Warned That Virgin Blue Could Face a Loss of $75 Million for the 2008/09 Financial Year.

The Analyst Report Pointed to Lower Load Factors by the Airline in May, Which Was Attributed to Higher Capacity in the Market and the High Price of Jet Fuel Which Virgin Blue May Be Highly Exposed to. This is Despite Recent Moves by the Airline to Cut Capacity and Slash Other Costs.

“Unless Fuel Prices Fall From Current Levels and/or Demand Rebounds, Then Vba’s Planned Capacity Cuts Will Not Be Enough to Keep It From Losing Money in Financial Year 2009 in Our View,” the Report Said.

Airnorth to Take Second E-jet Darwin Based Carrier Airnorth Will Acquire a Second Embraer E-170 Jet Which Will Be Delivered in April 2009.

“Airnorth Has Invested a Further $32 Million Into the Future of Regional Aviation Across the Top End of Australia and Into Neighbouring International Ports,” Airnorth Chief Executive Officer Michael Bridge Said on July 9.

“this Brings the Total Investment in Our Jet Acquisition Program to More Than $70 Million to Date, With More to Come in the Next Few Years. ” the New E-170 Will Be the First Advanced Range (Ar) Version, Which Will Be Delivered in April 2009 and Will Be Acquired Through a Lease/purchase Agreement With Florida Based Lessor Jetscape.

Airnorth Took Delivery of Its Existing E-170 Last Year From Hong Kong Express, Which It Uses on Flights to Mcarthur River Mine, Darwin, Kununurra, Broome, Perth and Dili. The Carrier is Expected to Use the Increased Range of the E-170ar to Operate a Number of Charter Flights to Ports in Southeast Asia as Far Away as Manila.

Jetstar’s Joyce to Head Qantas Jetstar Chief Alan Joyce Will Take Over as Ceo of the Qantas Group in November When Geoff Dixon Retires.

Joyce Will Assume the Role as Ceo Designate Effective July 28, With the Ceo Appointment to Take Effect From November 28, Qantas Board Chairman Leigh Clifford Announced. Over the Coming Months, Joyce and Dixon Will Work Together to Ensure a Smooth Handover.

“alan is, We Believe, the Best Person to Take Qantas Forward in What is a Very Challenging Environment,” Said Clifford in a July 28 Statement. “he Will Be Ably Supported by What the Board and I Regard as a Very Talented Team of Managers Throughout the Qantas Group. ” Joyce Was Widely Tipped to Take the Ceo Role Over Other Key Internal Candidates Including Cfo Peter Gregg and Qantas Egm John Borghetti.

Jetstar Has Not Yet Named a Replacement Yet for Joyce’s Role as Ceo of the Low Cost Carrier, but Likely Candidates Include Its Ggm Programs Gerard Turner or Ggm Commercial Bruce Buchanan.

Fuel to Shape ‘new World Order’ in Airline Industry – Dixon Current Woes Plaguing the World Airline Industry Would Fundamentally Reshape the Sector, but Qantas Was Well Placed to Take Advantage of the ‘new World Order’ That Would Be Created, Qantas Group Ceo Geoff Dixon Said in a Speech to the Council for Economic Development of Australia.

“the Size of the Aviation Industry in the Coming Years Will Be Significantly Determined by the Amount by Which Fuel Prices Rise,” Said Dixon. “the Industry Structure Will Be on a Global Scale, and Focused on Maximum Cost Constraint and Efficiency. Over the Next 12 Years Many More Airlines Will Vanish, Unable to Cope With High Fuel Prices, or They Will Be Swallowed Up in Takeovers or Mergers. ” While the Industry Would Change and Lead Towards Consolidation, Dixon Highlighted the Efficiency of Its Newer Fleet of A380s and 787s, Having the Right Partnerships, Its Two-brand Strategy and the Regulatory Reform as Reasons Why Qantas Would Survive the Inevitable Consolidation, and That It Would “be a Serious Player in the New World Order That Will Unfold in the Next Five to 20 Years. ” Dixon Also Challenged the View of Rob Fyfe, His Counterpart at Air New Zealand, That Smaller Niche Carriers Would Not Be Attractive Takeover Targets, Although He Denied That Qantas Was Interested in Taking Over Air New Zealand.

A Day Later, Air Nz‘s Fyfe Told Radio New Zealand That He Still Believed That His Carrier Was Not Vulnerable, and That It Would Actually Benefit From the Adverse Trading Conditions. “We See Ourselves as an Airline That Will Not Only Be a Survivor Through This Phase of the Economic Cycle, but We Believe We’re Going to Come Out the Other Side of This Far Stronger Than Our Competitors. ”

V Australia to South Africa Virgin Blue’s Long Haul Subsidiary Looks to Be Considering Operating Services to South Africa, According to an Application to the International Air Services Commission (Iasc).

V Australia Has Applied to the Iasc to Operate Five Weekly Services Between Sydney and Johannesburg From October 2009. In Its Submission, the Airline Indicated That the Allocation Would Be “fully Utilised” by October 2009.

Thus Far V Australia Has Publicly Announced Plans to Fly to Los Angeles From Sydney and Brisbane.

Jetstar to Cut Back on Mel-mcy Jetstar Will Cut One of Its Three Daily Services From Melbourne to Maroochydore (Sunshine Coast) From September 1, Possibly Signalling That Demand on Leisure Routes is Suffering.

Sunshine Coast Airport Ceo Peter Pallot Said in a Statement on July 23 That It Was Another Blow for the Airport. “today’s News Follows Jetstar’s Cancellation of the Adelaide to Sunshine Coast Route on July 1 and is a Real Blow to Our Destination,” Pallot Said. “we Have Worked Very Hard With Our Airline Partners Over the Past Two Years to Secure Additional Capacity Into the Key Markets of Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Which Resulted in a Record 918,000 Passengers During 2007/08. ” Tiger Airways Spokesman Matt Hobbs Told ‘australian Aviation’ That the Melbourne-maroochydore Route Which It Serves Three Times a Week Had Been Performing Strongly, but Would Not Confirm if Tiger Planned to Increase Its Services Once It Takes Delivery of Additional A320s and New A319s Later This Year. “it’s Going Very Nicely and We’re Very Pleased With It,” He Said.

Aeropelican Gives Newcastle-tamworth “last Chance” Aeropelican Air Services Has Adjusted the Schedule for Its Four-times-weekly Newcastle-tamworth Services, but Has Warned That the Long Term Viability of the Service is in Doubt.

“our Board Has Given Us a Last Attempt to Preserve the Service,” Said Aeropelican’s Commercial Manager Andrew Burkett. “we Are at a ‘use It or Lose It’ Ultimatum. We Are Hopeful That the New Schedule Will Better Meet the Needs of the Newcastle and Tamworth Markets and That Patronage of the Service Will Increase. If It Doesn’t, We Will Be Forced to Cancel the Service. ”

Regional Aviation Growing

Albeit From Smaller Base Regional Routes Are Carrying More Passengers but to Fewer Destinations, According to a Research Paper Published by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (Bitre).

The Bitre Study Examined Trends in Regional Air Transport Between 1984 and 2005, Showing That the Average of 4. 4 Per Cent on Regional Routes, Compared to Growth of 6. 2 Per Cent for Routes Between Major Cities. While This Growth Has Been Strong, It Has Been at the Cost of Routes, With Almost Half of All Regional Services Cancelled and Only 170 Regional Airports, Compared to 278 in 1984. The Number of Regional Airlines Has Also Declined, With Only Five Continuously Operating Over the 20 Year Period.

The Report Showed That the Biggest Increases Have Had Been on Routes Where Low Cost Airlines Have Had a Large Presence, Including Hamilton Island-melbourne and Maroochydore-melbourne. Routes With the Biggest Falls in Passenger Numbers Generally Were Those Between Regional Cities, Including Orange-parkes, Katherine-tennant Creek and Coffs Harbour-newcastle.

Transport Minister Anthony Albanese Said That the Report Would Be a Vital Input Into the Government’s Aviation White Paper Process, Which Will Be Delivered in Mid 2009.

“if Regional Australia is to Continue Reaping the Economic and Social Benefits of Aviation, We Need to Plan Ahead Now. As Well as the Long Term Changes Outlined [in the Report], Regional Services Are Also Adversely Affected by More Immediate Difficulties Such as a Lack of Pilots and Rising Fuel Costs,” He Said.

Pacific Blue to Fly Melbourne-auckland Virgin Blue Subsidiary Pacific Blue Will Start Flying Daily Between Melbourne and Auckland From September 22.

Virgin Blue Announced the New Services on July 38, and Offered an Introductory Fare of $199 One Way for Travel Between September 22 and December 13.

“we Have Been Considering This Route for Some Time, as We’re Always Interested in Markets That Are Under-served,” Virgin Blue Ceo Brett Godfrey Said.

The New Services Will Help to Account for Some of the Capacity Virgin Blue Has Taken Out of the Australian Domestic Market as It Grapples With High Fuel Prices and Softening Demand. The Company Had Said Earlier That It Would Redeploy Four Boeing 737-800s Onto “existing International Markets,” Which is Likely to Lead to More Announcements of Increased Flying by Pacific Blue in the Coming Weeks.

Airline Briefs

Compared to the Previous Year, There Was an 8. 3 Per Cent Rise in Domestic Passenger Movements to 4. 06 Million During May, According to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport & Regional Economics. Rpks Increased by 10. 4 Per Cent to 4. 6 Billion, Although a 13 Per Cent Rise in Asks Led to a Decline in Load Factors of 1. 8 Points to 73. 3 Per Cent.

British Airways Has Become the First Airline to Launch an Application for the Apple Iphone Which Will Allow Iphone Users to View Schedules, Access Real Time Arrival and Departure Information and Book Flights. The Application is Available Free to Iphone Users Through the Applications Store.

Jetstar Ceo Alan Joyce Has Won the Airline Business Low Cost Leadership Award at the Aviation Strategy Awards in London on July 14. Lufthansa Ceo Wolfgang Mayrhuber Took Out the Award for Executive Leadership While Iata Chief Giovanni Bisignani Was Given the Airlines Business Lifetime Achievement Award.

American Airlines Will Retire Its A300-600 Fleet by the End of the Year Instead of Its Previously Announced Date of 2012. Aa Flies 34 A300-600s, Mostly on Domestic and Caribbean Routes.

The Australian Federation of Travel Agents Has Named Virgin Blue the ‘best National Airline’ and ‘best Regional Airline’ at the National Travel Industry Awards. Virgin Blue Was Also Inducted in the Afta Hall of Fame.

Skywest Raised Its Fuel Surcharge on July 9 to $41 on Turboprop Routes and $43 on Jet Routes, Exclusive of Gst. Skywest Also Made Some Price Adjustments to Certain Fare Classes Last Week.

Continental Micronesia Has Celebrated 10 Years of Service Between Guam and Cairns. Continental Flies Two Weekly Flights to Cairns, Operating a Boeing 737-800 on the Four Hour, 25 Minute Flight.

Negotiations on an Open Skies Agreement Between Australia and the European Union Started on July 7. The New Agreement Will Also Include Cooperation on Other Areas Such as Safety, Security and Environmental Protection, as Well as Air Service Rights.

The Bitre Domestic Air Fare Index for July Shows That, Compared to the Same Time Last Year, Business and Restricted Economy Airfares Increased While Full Economy and Best Discount Fares Were Lower.

Rex Has Sold One of Its Saab 340as, Vh-keq, to Bridges Worldwide Express in Slovenia. Keq Was Converted to a Freighter by Rex, and the Airline Intends to Convert the Remaining Seven 340as in Its Fleet, With Some to Be Operated by Pel-air.

Airservices Australia Has Confirmed That the Airbus A380 is Six Decibels Quieter Than a Boeing 747-400 on Takeoff From Sydney Airport.

Air France-klm Has Opened Talks With French Railways Operator Veolia on a Possible Rail Venture. Air France Has Faced Increasing Competition From High Speed Rail Services for Its Domestic French Flights.

Emirates Will Showcase Its Airbus A380 on Familiarisation Flights From San Francisco and Los Angeles on August 4 and 5 Respectively. Emirates Will Operate Its First A380 Passenger Flight to New York’s Jfk Airport on August 1.

Lan Will Codeshare on Qantas’s Three Weekly Flights Between Sydney and Buenos Aries, Which Commence From November 24. Lan Argentina Will Market the Codeshare Services in Argentina.

Australia and Brazil Have Agreed to a New Bilateral Air Services Agreement Which Will Allow Carriers From Both Countries to Offer Up to 14 Services Per Week Between Them.

Emirates Will Start a Third Daily Service From Dubai to Melbourne From February 3 2009. The Service Will Operate Direct to Dubai With an Airbus A340-500.

Emirates Has Placed a Large Scale Replica of an A380 at the Roundabout to the Entrance of London’s Heathrow Airport.

Shanghai Airlines and China Eastern Airlines Have Denied Reports That They Are in Merger Talks.

Environment

Qantas Not Happy With Ets Qantas Ceo Geoff Dixon Says That Domestic and Regional Air Services Will Be Affected by the Federal Government’s Decision to Include These Services in Its Proposed Emissions Trading Scheme.

“Domestic Aviation, Including Regional Aviation, Will Be Quite Severely Affected,” Said Dixon When Asked About the Ets During a Press Conference on July 18. “We Can’t Absorb a $100 Million Cost, Which is the Price Analysts Are Saying Would Be for Qantas. We Would Have to Put That Cost Back Onto Our Domestic Operations. ” “We Will Be Making That Very Claim to the Government and I Think That Could Have a Bigger Effect Than What We’re Doing Here Now. ” the Federal Government Released Its Green Paper on the Proposed Ets Only Two Weeks After the Garnaut Report, Identified Aviation as a “trade Affected, High Intensity” Industry. As Such, Airlines Would Be Eligible for a Rebate on Their Carbon Permits, but Would Still Be Forced to Purchase Additional Permits From Other Businesses for Emissions Above Their Cap.

Eu Ets Vote Draws Fire From Iata

the European Union’s Vote to Include Aviation in Its Proposed Emissions Trading Scheme (Ets) Has Drawn Criticism From a Number of Airlines and Iata, Particularly Over the Plan to Include All Carriers Flying to Europe in the Scheme From 2012.

“it’s Absolutely the Wrong Answer to the Very Serious Issue of Environment,” Said Giovanni Bisignani, Iata’s Director General and Ceo. “we Support Emissions Trading, but Not This Decision. Europe Has Taken the Wrong Approach, With the Wrong Conditions at the Wrong Time. ” Iata Has a Number of Concerns, Including the Extra-territorial Approach the Eu Has Taken to the Ets, Which It Says is Against the Chicago Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. It Also Highlighted That, in Its First Year of Operation, the Ets Would Cost the Industry €3. 5bn (a$5. 75bn) at a Time When Airlines Are Struggling Under Higher Fuel Costs.

The Association Also Highlighted Its Own Efforts, Particularly Its Four Pillared Environmental Strategy to Reduce Emissions. “our Focus is on Results,’ Bisignani Said. “last Year the Strategy Saved at Least 10. 5 Million Tonnes of Co2. Our Target is a 25 Per Cent Improvement in Fuel Efficiency by 2020. And We Are Working Towards Carbon-neutral Growth With a Vision for a Carbon-free Future. Europe’s Tunnel-vision Focus on a Unilateral, Punitive and Illegal Ets May Help Some Government Budgets, but It Will Do Little if Anything to Improve Environmental Performance. It’s Time for Europe to Re-focus. ”

Rr, Ba in Alternative Fuel Trials Rolls-royce and British Airways Announced on July 10 That They Will Undertake a Scientific Test of the Viability of Alternative Fuels in the Aviation Industry.

The Companies Will Soon Issue a Tender for Four Fuels for Testing on an Rb211 From a Ba Boeing 747. The Tests Will Be Undertaken on the Ground at Rr’s Facility in Derby, Which Will Allow for Greater Instrumentation and Measurement of Key Variables to Measure Its Effects Rather Than a Flying Test.

“the Key Criteria for the Selection of the Alternative Fuels Will Be Their Suitability, Sustainability and Industrial Capability,” Ric Parker, Director of Research and Technology at Rr, Said. “it is Critical That the Fuel Can Not Only Do the Job Required of It, but Can Also Offer a Co2 Benefit and Be Produced Without a Detrimental Impact to Food, Land or Water. There Must Also Be Clear Evidence of the Potential for Mass Production and Global Distribution of an Alternative Fuel to Support the World’s Aviation Industry. ” Rr Has Already Committed to a Biofuels Flight Test With Air New Zealand, Which is Scheduled to Be Carried Out Later This Year.

Short Range Aircraft Future for Airlines? Aircraft Designed for Shorter Range Flying and Flying Multiple Sectors Could Be the Future for Airlines, According to Bristol University’s Professor Nick Lieven.

Prof Lieven, Who is in Australia to Present at the 2008 Australia Pacific Aviation Outlook Summit, Said That in the Future That Long Haul Flying May Have to Return to Long Multi-sector Journeys in Order to Conserve Fuel and Reduce Carbon Emissions.

“fuel Burn is a Key Issue for Reducing Carbon,” He Said. “one Approach is to Reduce Speed, Range or Both. Neither of These is Likely to Appeal to Customers Who Like to Get to Their Destination as Quickly as Possible. ” Prof Lieven Also Believes That There is a Need to Change the Design of Aircraft. “there is a Strong Argument That We Are Designing the Wrong Aircraft – They Are Simply Designed to Travel Too Far and So Burn Unnecessary Fuel to Carry Additional Weight,” He Said.

Environment Briefs

A Specially Equipped Bae 146 is Being Used on a Month-long Assignment in Sabah, Malaysia for Research Into Determining How Emissions From Vegetation in the Pristine Protected Rain Forest Impacts Upon the Concentration of Ozone and Methane in the Atmosphere. The Research Involves Flying the Aircraft at Various Altitudes and Measuring the Concentrations of the Gasses.

Boeing and a Number of Partner Airlines Have Demonstrated Significant Reductions in Fuel Consumption During a Recent Air Traffic Management (Atm) Trial in the San Francisco Area. Dubbed Tailored Arrivals, the Trial Involved 57 United Airlines, Air New Zealand and Japan Airlines Flights Operating Boeing 777-200ers and 747-400s on a Continuous Descent Profile Rather Than the More Conventional Staggered Descent Currently Employed, and Realised Fuel Savings of Up to 29 Per Cent and Emission Reductions of More Than 226 Tonnes of Carbon During the Trial.

Airports

Sydney Transport Links Slammed Sydney Airports Corporation Limited (Sacl) Has Blasted the New South Wales State Government for Not Providing Sufficient Public Transport to Sydney Airport.

The Criticism Came in Sacl’s Submission to the National Aviation Policy. “it is Clear That the Public Transport Infrastructure and Services Provided to Access Sydney Airport Are Well Below International Standards for Major World Airports,” the Company Said in Its Submission, Citing the High Cost of the Airport Link Train Service and the Fact That Only One Public Bus Route Serves the Airport, as Well as the Need to Upgrade Roads Into the Airport.

The Airport Called for the Nsw Government to Encourage Growth and Development in the Wider Airport Precinct, Which Would Provide for More Infrastructure Links to the Airport, as Well as Increased Spending in Conjunction With the Federal Government to Develop a Stronger Ground Transport Strategy.

But Nsw Transport Minister John Watkins Rejected the Criticism, Saying That There Were Eight High-frequency Bus Services and a Number of Train Services, However the Pricing of These Train Services Was Outside of the State’s Control as Airport Link Was Privately Operated.

He Also Called for Sacl to Involve Itself in Promoting More Public Transport, Saying to the Abc, “You’d Hope That Public Transport Just Isn’t the Burden of the State Government and the Taxpayers, That Perhaps the Owner of the Airport Could Also Play a Greater Role. ”

Darwin to Expand Passenger Terminal

Darwin International Airport Has Used the 10th Anniversary of Its Privatisation to Announce Plans to Expand Its Passenger Terminal to Cope With Expected Growth Over the Next Seven Years.

“this is the First Major Capital Investment in the Passenger Terminal Since It Opened in 1991,” Said Ceo Ian Kew. “in the Past 10 Years, the Airport Development Group Has Spent $100 Million on Capital Investment on the Airport, the Vast Majority of It on Aviation Related Projects. ” “we Have Modernised the Exterior, Refurbished the Terminal, Improved Traffic Flow, Provided Covered Walkways and Refurbished Lounges,” He Added. “however, There Has Been No Change to the Size and Layout of the Terminal, Leading to Sub-standard Service. ” the Expansion Will Add 11,000sqm of Floor Space and Will See the Staff Carpark Relocated and Extended. The Expanded Terminal Will Include Better Security Screening, Separate Baggage Reclaim and Arrival Areas for Domestic and International Flights, and a Dedicated Goods Delivery Precinct. The Expansion Will Also Provide an Additional Two Aircraft Parking Bays.

The Development Work Will Cost $60 Million, and Cater for the Expansion of Operations Expected by Airlines Including Tiger Airways, Jetstar and Airnorth.

Rex Calls for Halt to Airport Price Freezes Regional Express Has Called on Sydney Airports Corporation Limited (Sacl) and Other Capital City Airports to Place a Moratorium on All Rate Increases During the Current Financial Year.

Citing Sacl’s Record $320 Million Profit for the First Half of 2008, Rex’s Deputy Chairman John Sharp Said, “in a Period Where All the Airlines Are Struggling to Survive Because of Record Fuel Prices and the Global Economic Crisis, It is Staggering to See Monopoly Businesses That Live Off Airlines Making Record Profits. ” “the Government Must Use Its Not Inconsiderable Influence to Put Pressure on the Capital City Airports to Come to the Party. We Are in a Crisis Bigger Than Sars, 9/11 and the Drought Combined and Now is the Time for Decisive and Strong Leadership if We Do Not Want a Repeat of the Ansett Collapse. ” but Sacl Has Defended Itself, Claiming That Rex Has Not Had a Rise in Charges Since 2002. “like All Businesses, Rex Has to Act to Manage the Impact of High Fuel Prices,” Said Sacl Ceo Russell Balding. “this is Best Done by Sensibly Managing the Business – Not by Attacking a Provider That Has Not Increased Its Fees in Six Years. ”

Airport Briefs

Sydney Airport Reported Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Debt and Amortisation of $318. 6 Million for the Second Half of the 2007/08 Financial Year. The Profit Figure Represents a Rise of 9. 2 Per Cent on the Previous Year, but the Airport Has Warned That Softening Demand Could Reduce Profits During the Current Financial Year.

Perth Airport Has Started Construction of the Apron of the New Terminal Wa Which is Due to Open in 2010. A Sod Turning Ceremony Attended by Wa Premier Alan Carpenter Was Held at the Site on July 13. You Can Read More About Perth Airport’s Expansion Plans in the August Issue of ‘australian Aviation’.

Brisbane Airport Has Warned That, With the Coinciding of World Youth Day and the Peak School Holiday Period, Passengers Should Allow Extra Time and Use Online Check-in Where Possible When Passing Through the Airport Over the Next Week.

General Aviation

Rfds Takes New King Air

With Modular Interior the Royal Flying Doctor Service Has Formally Taken Delivery of a New Beechcraft King Air B200b Fitted With a New Modular Interior and Powered Cargo Door Designed to Improve the Loading and Unloading of Patients From the Aircraft.

‘mike Victor Whiskey’ Was Officially Named ‘rfds Friends’ by Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon, and Was Unveiled to Sponsors, Donors and Media at a Ceremony at Hawker Pacific’s Sydney Airport Fbo Facility on July 16. The Aircraft’s Interior Was Designed by Narellan, Nsw Based Total Aerospace Solutions and Features a Modular, Pre-manufactured Interior That Requires Far Fewer Structural Modifications to Be Made to the Aircraft, and a Hydraulically Operated Cargo Door and Patient Lift Which Allows Stretcher Litters to Be Lifted Out of the Aircraft and Straight Into a Waiting Ambulance.

“modifying an Aircraft to Make It Suitable for Use as a Flying Intensive Care Unit Has Always Been a Long and Complex Process,” Explained Rfds Business Manager Alan Tippett. “this New Design is Far Less Invasive… and Dramatically Cuts Down Installation Time and Has the Added Advantage That It is Easily Removed When It Comes Time to Sell the Aircraft. ” the New Interior Will Be Fitted to All New Aircraft on Current and Future Order for the Rfds, as Well as to Some of the Service’s Newer in-service Aircraft as They Come Up for Maintenance.

Hawker Makes Big Bell Buy Hawker Pacific, the Local Agent for Bell Helicopters Textron, Has Placed a Large Order With the Us Manufacturer for 12 407s and Two 206b3s.

“Strong Growth in the Oceania Market Ranges From Aviation Logistics Support in Papua New Guinea, Aerial Support of Mining Operations in New Caledonia and Corporate/private Operators in Australia/new Zealand,” Said Hawker Pacific Ceo Alan Smith. “Feedback From Customers Indicates That the Bell 407 is a Strong Performer at Altitude, With Excellent Reliability and Ease of Maintenance. Hawker Pacific Estimates That Helicopter Growth in This Region Will Continue Due to Increasing Demands for Energy Resources, Emergency Medical Services and Logistics Support Services. ” Hawker Pacific Has Represented Bell Helicopters in Australia and Papua New Guinea Since January 2004. The Company Also Represents the Helicopter Manufacturer in a Number of Key Middle Eastern Countries and is an Approved Customer Service Facility for Bell in New Zealand.

Cessna is Offering Up to $15,000 of Fuel Until the End of 2009 and a Free Garmin Synthetic Vision Upgrade for Buyers of New Cessna 182 Skylanes and Turbo Skylanes Sold Before September 30.

The Second Prototype of the Twin-engine Tecnam P2006t With Analogue Instruments Made Its First Flight on June 9. Type Certification for the Analogue P2006t is Expected in Early October, With Certification of the Garmin 950 Version to Follow Soon After, and Deliveries Likely to Commence From Late October.

The Worldwide Fleet of Over 800 Pilatus Pc-12s Has Passed the 2 Million Flying Hours Milestone. The Pc-12 Was First Introduced Into Service in 1994.

Avidyne is Now Offering Its Envision Integrated Flight Deck as a Retrofit for the Cessna 300 Series of Piston Twins.

Lancair International Has Shipped the First Lancair Evolution Kit on July 22. The Four Seater Evolution is Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Pt6 Turboprop, and Lancair Reports That Production Has Been Sold Out Until February 2009.

Finance

Boeing Second Quarter Profit Down as It Had Warned, Boeing’s Second Quarter Profit Was Down by 19 Per Cent on Last Year to Us$352m (a$367m) as Charges Relating to the Thrice-delayed Wedgetail Program and Past Discounts on New Commercial Aircraft Took Their Toll on the Company’s Results.

“while We Faced Some Challenges This Quarter That Affected Our Results, We Remain Confident in Our Outlook for the Remainder of the Year and 2009,” Said Boeing Ceo and Chairman Jim Mcnerney. “strong Global Demand for Our Products and Services, a Record Backlog, and a Sustained Focus on Productivity Improvement and Execution Will Continue to Drive Growth and Profitability for This Company. ” Boeing Commercial Airplanes Recorded Revenues of Us$8. 6bn (a$8. 7bn) for the Second Quarter, Representing a Two Per Cent Decline on the Previous Year. Operating Profit for the Quarter Was Us$777m (a$810m), Which Was 19 Per Cent Lower Than the Previous Year, Which Was Attributed to Lower Margins as Well as Expenses From the 787 Production Program. During the Quarter Bca Recorded Sales of 187 Aircraft, and Delivered 126.

The Integrated Defense Systems Division Reported a Profit of Us$637m (a$664m), a 25 Per Cent Drop on the Previous Year, on Static Revenues of Us$7. 9bn (a$8. 2bn). Revenues From Precision Engagement & Mobility Systems (Since Renamed Boeing Military Aircraft) and Network & Space Systems Recorded Lower Revenues While Support Systems Showed Revenue Growth of 11 Per Cent.

Despite the Lower Profit in the Second Quarter, Boeing Says That It Maintains Its Outlook Issued in April, Which Predicts Revenue of Us$67-$68bn (a$70-71bn), With Earnings Per Share of Us$5. 70-us$5. 85 (a$5. 94-6. 09).

Finance Briefs

Rolls-royce Group Has Recorded an Interim Profit Before Tax of £389m (a$807m) on Sales of £4bn (a$8. 3bn) for the First Half of 2008.

Security

American Eurocopter Has Won a Multi-year Contract to Provide Between 17 and Up to 50 as 350b3 Helicopters to the Us Department of Homeland Security for Use With the Us Customs and Border Protection Air/marine.

Cargo

The New Zealand Commerce Commission Has Filed Criminal Charges Against Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Aerolíneas Argentinas for Not Providing Information It Sought From the Carriers During an Investigation Into a Global Air Cargo Cartel. Each of the Airlines Faces a Nz$30,000 (a$23,400) Fine.

Aercap Has Become the Launch Customer for the Airbus A320/a321 ‘passenger to Freighter’ (P2f), With an Order for 30 Aircraft. The Aircraft Will Come From Aercap’s Existing Fleet of A320s, and First Conversion Will Be Completed by 2011.

Bae Relaunches 146 Freighter

Bae Systems Regional Aircraft Has Re-launched Its Quiet Trader Cargo Conversion Program for the Bae 146, With the First Aircraft to Go to Austrian Carrier Amrer Air.

Bae Carried Out the Conversion, Which Involves Stripping the Passenger Interior and Replacing It With a Class E Cargo Interior and Adding a Large Cargo Door at the Aft of the Fuselage. The First New Conversion Was Carried Out by Aerostar in Romania on a Former Flybe 146-200, Which Made Its First Flight on June 25.

Amrer Air Currently Operates a Fokker F27-500 on Behalf of Major Freight Companies, as Well as a Substantial Trucking Business in Austria, and Will Use the Bae 146qt for Both Ad Hoc and Long Term Contract Work on Behalf of Freight Integrators.

Boeing to Team on New Heavylift Airship Rotorcraft Hybrid

Boeing and Skyhook International Have Announced They Will Team on the Development of a New Commercial Hybrid Heavylift Rotorcraft Which Resembles a Large Airship.

While Skyhook Owns the Patent for the Neutrally Buoyant Craft, It Has Brought the Industrial Might of Boeing in to Develop and Build the Aircraft. “We Conducted a Feasibility Study and Decided This Opportunity is a Perfect Fit for Advanced Systems’ Technical Capabilities,” Said Pat Donnelly, Director of Advanced Rotorcraft Systems for Boeing.

To Be Dubbed Jhl-40, Skyhook Believes the Revolutionary Aircraft Has Applications in Supporting Mining and Other Remote Site Operations. “There is a Definite Need for This Technology,” Skyhook’s President and Coo, Pete Jess Said. “the List of Customers Waiting for Skyhook’s Services is Extensive, and They Enthusiastically Support the Development of the Jhl-40. Companies Have Suggested This New Technology Will Enable Them to Modify Their Current Operational Strategy and Begin Working Much Sooner on Projects That Were Thought to Be 15 to 20 Years Away. This Boeing-skyhook Technology Represents an Environmentally Acceptable Solution for These Companies’ Heavy-lift Short-haul Challenges, and It’s the Only Way Many Projects Will Be Able to Progress Economically. ” the Jhl-40 Will Be Capable of Carrying a 40 Tonne Sling Load More Than 300km, and Has Applications in Remote Regions Such as the Arctic and Antarctic Where the Availability of Conventional Land Transport is Limited.

Cargo Briefs

Freightfeeder Corporation Announced That It Has Received a Letter of Intent From Uk Based Mk Airlines Which Could See It Order Up to 25 Freightfeeder 5500 Aircraft. Us Based Freightfeeder is Developing Two Specialist Pw150-powered Turboprop Freighter Aircraft Which Aim to Have Greater Capability and Performance Over Existing Aircraft.

Maintenance, Support & Training

Boeing’s Training Subsidiary Alteon Has Announced That It Will Place a Boeing 787 Simulator at Its Miami, Florida Training Centre to Cater for the Latin American Market. The Simulator Will Become Operational in March 2010.

New Flight Training School for Gunnedah

Australia Asia Flight Training Will Open a New Flying Training School in Gunnedah, Nsw, Which Will Cater for Commercial Pilot Trainees From Asia and Australia.

The New College Will Be an Extension of the Australian Wings Flying Academy, Currently Based at Coolangatta, Which Will Continue to Operate When the New Facility Opens in July or August Next Year.

The New Academy at Gunnedah Will Feature Accommodation for 200 Students and 80 Staff. It Will Also Feature a Number of Classrooms, Three Flight Simulators and Administration Facilities. The Academy Will Also Operate 30 New Training Aircraft, and is Expected to Inject $20 Million Into the Local Economy Each Year.

Jhas to Do Tiger C Checks John Holland Aviation Services Has Secured a Deal to Conduct All Maintenance Including C-checks on Tiger Airways Australia’s Airbus Fleet, in a Deal Which Could See the Company Add Up to 60 Additional Staff.

“john Holland Aviation Services Has Already Demonstrated Its Reliability and Excellence in Engineering Services Through the Routine Daily Maintenance of Our Melbourne Based Aircraft and They Have Shown That They Have What It Takes to Work Successfully With Australia’s Only True Low Fare Airline,” Tiger Airways Australia Md Shelley Roberts Said.

Jhas Has Recently Enjoyed a Strong Period of Growth Under Which It Has Secured New Work From Both Civil and Defence Aviation Sectors, and Parent Company John Holland Group Sees Strong Growth Opportunities Ahead.

It is Believed That the First C-check for Tiger Airways Will Begin During the Week Commencing July 28.

Casa Streamlines Licensing for Engineers

Casa Has Streamlined the Skills Recognition Process for Those Who Have Overseas or Defence Qualifications to Be Recognised for Endorsement as a Lame (Licensed Aircraft Mechanical Engineer).

The Changes Will Make It Easier for Engineers With Qualifications From Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands and the United Kingdom to Convert to an Australian License. Casa Has Also Reviewed the Qualification Provided by the Defence Force, and Will Now Not Require Aircraft Technicians From the Forces to Sit Any Further Exams Provided They Have Met the Appropriate Level of Technical Competency.

“the Aviation Industry Always Needs Engineers and by Cutting Red Tape We Can Open Up New Opportunities for New People With the Right Qualifications to Fill Critical Vacancies,” Casa Ceo Bruce Byron Said. “overseas Aircraft Engineers Will Find Australia a More Attractive Place to Work and Defence Force Engineers Can Move More Smoothly Into Civilian Occupations. ”

Maintenance, Support &training Briefs

Brisbane Based Company Flying Colours, Which Specialises in Aircraft Refurbishment, is Expanding Its Business to Include Surface Refinishing Training and Labour Hire and Support for Other Finishers.

Aviation Australia Has Farewelled Four Graduates Who Are Headed to Work With Abu Dhabi Carrier Eithad Airways to Take Up Roles as Junior Technicians. The Four Graduates Are Being Supported by Aviation Australia Employment Services and Will Work Towards a Certificate Iv in Aeroskills Over the Next Three Years Before Returning to Australia With Etihad.

Uk Based Airline Training Company Oxford Aviation Academy Has Bought Irish Flight Crew Provider Parc Aviation. Parc Provides Flight Crews for a Number of Airlines, Including Pacific Blue, on Medium and Long Term Contracts.

Cae Has Delivered the First Boeing 777 Simulator to Be Certified to Level D Under the Faa’s New Part 60 Rule to Delta Air Lines.

Casa Has Issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Amend the Civil Aviation Regulations to Create the New Multi-crew Pilots Licence. Public Comment on the Nprm is Open Until September 5.

Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners Says That Its Ecopower Engine Washing Service Has Seen a Tenfold Increase in Business Since Last Year. The High Price of Jetfuel Has Encouraged Many Customers to Use the Service, Which P&w Claims Can Reduce Fuel Burn by Up to 1. 2 Per Cent, Improve Performance and Increase Engine Time on Wing.

Air Safety

Faa Issues Mandate for Fuel Tank Fire Retardant the Us Faa Has Issued an Airworthiness Directive Which Will Make It Mandatory for Us Airlines to Retrofit Fire Inerting Equipment to the Fuel Tanks of Airliners Built After 1990 Fitted With a Centre Fuel Tank.

The Rule Was Issued on the 12th Anniversary of the Twa 800 Disaster, Which Was Blamed on an Explosion of Fumes in the Aircraft’s Centre Tank. A Similar Explosion Occurred on a Thai Airways Boeing 737-400 While on the Ground in Bangkok in March 2001.

“we Want to Do Everything Possible to Make Sure Safety Examiners Won’t Have to Investigate Another Plane Shattered by an Exploding Tank,” Said Us Transport Secretary Mary Peters. “we Can’t Change the Past, but We Can Make the Future Safer for Thousands of Air Travellers, and This Rule Does Just That. ” Installing the Fire Inerting Equipment is Expected to Cost Between Us$92,000-$311,000 Per Aircraft (a$94,670-$320,025), With Approximately 2730 Aircraft, Including Aircraft Across Boeing’s Model Range as Well as Airbus A320s and A330s Requiring the Retrofit.

“i Recognise That This is a Challenging Time for Commercial Aviation,” Secretary Peters Said. “but There is No Doubt That Another Crash Like Twa 800 Would Pose a Far Greater Challenge. ”

Training Failed Pilot in 717 Accident

the Australian Transport Safety Bureau Has Released an Interim Factual Report on the Heavy Landing of National Jet Operated Boeing 717 Vh-nxe, Which Found the Co-pilot Who Was in Control of the Aircraft Had Expressed Reservations About Their Ability to Land the Aircraft Only Days Before.

The 717 Sustained Damage to Several Longerons and Creases in the Skin as a Result of a Heavy Landing at Darwin on February 7 After a Flight From Cairns via Nhulunbuy (Gove).

The Report Went on to Say That the Copilot Had Experienced Two Heavy Landings in a 15 Day Period Prior to the Accident, Although These Did Not Result in Aircraft Damage, and Had Expressed Doubt in Their Ability to Land the Aircraft, Mostly Due to a Lack of Training by Njs. The Report Said, “since the Introduction of the 717 Fleet, the Manager Pilot Training and Checking Has Also Been Fulfilling the Role of Head of Pilot Training 717. Not Having a Separate Head of Pilot Training 717 Has Been a Factor in the Flight Crew Not Having Confidence in the Training Organisation to Satisfactorily Manage Information. This Situation Has Been Aggravated by the Irregularity of Check and Training Meetings. ” as a Result of the Accident, National Jet Has Filled the Role of Head of Pilot Training for the 717 With an Experienced Check Captain, and Was Also Looking at Appointing a Fleet Captain for the 717, as Well as Improving the Standard of Landing Training.

The Atsb Also Recommended That the Department of Defence Install Centreline Runway Lighting at Darwin Airport.

Qantas Aircraft in Mid-flight Decompression a Qantas Boeing 747-438 Operating a Flight From Hong Kong to Melbourne on July 25 Was Forced to Make an Emergency Descent and Divert to Manila After a Section of the Fuselage Ruptured, Causing a Rapid Decompression.

The Aircraft, Vh-ojk, Was at 29,000ft When the Crew Was Forced to Descend to 10,000ft as a Result of a ‘bang’ Followed by the Decompression. Oxygen Masks Were Deployed in the Main Cabin for the Diversion to Manila Where the Aircraft Landed Safety at 1115 Local Time, and All 346 Passengers and 19 Crew Were Able to Disembark. No Injuries Were Reported, Although Some Passengers Subsequently Complained About Faulty Oxygen Masks, Which Automatically Deployed as the Cabin Depressurised.

“this Was a Highly Unusual Situation and Our Crew Responded With the Professionalism That Qantas is Known for,” Qantas Ceo Geoff Dixon Said in a Statement.

The Aircraft Landed With the Forward Part of the Wing Fairing Missing, and a Hole in the Forward Cargo Compartment. Investigations Are Focusing on the Possible Failure of One of the Aircraft’s Emergency Oxygen Bottles, One of Which Was Found to Be Missing From the Aircraft.

Qantas is Now Inspecting the Oxygen Bottles on the Other 747-400s in Its Fleet. Both Qantas and the Atsb Despatched Teams to Manila to Investigate the Cause of the Incident.

Vh-ojk ‘city of Newcastle’ Was First Registered to Qantas in June 1991 as a New-build Aircraft From Boeing, and is Powered by Rolls-royce Rb211-524g2 Engines. Ojk’s Last D-check Was Performed in Sydney in 2004, With Two Subsequent C-checks, the Last Earlier This Year, Performed at Avalon.

Qantas Flew a Replacement Aircraft to Manila to Bring the Stranded Qf30 Passengers Back to Australia.

Air Safety Briefs

The Eu Has Maintained All Indonesian Airlines and Added Airlines From Gabon to Its Air Safety Blacklist on July 24 Which Bans Aircraft Registered in These States From Flying in European Airspace. A Ban on Iran’s Mahan Air Was Lifted.

Atc & Airspace

Airlines Call for Safety Review on Uncontrolled Airspace Virgin Blue, Qantas and Jetstar Have Called for a Review of Airspace Procedures Due to the Increasing Amount of Uncontrolled Airspace Commercial Airliners Are Flying in as a Result of Staff Shortages at Airservices Australia.

Representatives From the Airlines Met With Airservices on July 23 After They Were Warned That the Incidence of Uncontrolled Airspace is Likely to Get Worse, According to an Article in ‘the Australian’. The Article Stated That Air Traffic Controllers Were Worried That Pilots Were Not Aware or Unclear About the Correct Procedures When Flying Through Tiba Airspace.

Prior to the Meeting, Virgin Blue Ceo Brett Godfrey Blasted the Current Level of Service Delivered by Airservices, Particularly Where the Company Could Not Provide Service as a Result of Three or Four Air Traffic Controllers Meant That Tiba Had to Be Declared.

“It’s Pretty Infuriating That About a Dozen People Can Hold the Country to Ransom,” Godfrey Told ‘the Australian’. “I’m Being Told People Are Sick and I Know That There’s a Union Pay Claim Issue Here but I Really Think We’re Being Let Down. ” Airservices Said at Its Waypoint Industry Conference in June That It Was Working to Address Absenteeism and Remuneration Levels as Part of a Wider Human Resources Strategy.

Atc & Airspace Briefs

The Minister for Transport Anthony Albanese Issued a Statement on July 22 Which Refuted Media Claims That Air Zimbabwe Aircraft Transited Australian Airspace While on Flights to China. Minister Albanese Said That They Transited Through International Airspace Administered by Airservices Australia, and That Under the Chicago Convention It Was Open to All Civil Aircraft.

People

Former Thales Australia Vp for Sales & Marketing, David Harvey, Has Been Appointed as the New General Manager of John Holland’s Services Business, Taking Over From Andrew Henderson, Who Moves to the Position of General Manager, John Holland Aviation Services.

Former Tobacco Executive Paul Rayner Has Been Appointed to Fill a Casual Vacancy on the Qantas Board, Chairman Leigh Clifford Announced on July 16.

Caps

Airbus Senior Executives John Leahy, Tom Enders and Tom Williams at the Company’s Farnborough Airshow Press Conference. (Airbus)

Alenia Aermacchi Will Likely Offer the M-311 Against Air 5428. (Alenia)

The 777f Makes Its First Flight. (Boeing)

Health Minister Nicola Roxon With Rfds Officials at the Naming Ceremony for ‘mike Victor Whiskey’. (Andrew Mclaughlin)

Cargolux Has Taken Delivery of the Last 747-400 Series Aircraft, a -400f. (Boeing)

The Hole in the Side of Qantas’s Vh-ojk at Manila. (Aap Image)

Alan Joyce (Left) Has Been Appointed to Replace Geoff Dixon (Right) as the Ceo of Qantas. (Gerard Frawley)

Events

Avalon 2009 Dates Moved

the Dates for the 2009 Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition at Avalon Have Been Changed to March 10-15, 2009. The Airshow Was to Have Been Run Later in March, but Due to the Late Scheduling of the Melbourne Formula 1 Grand Prix Over the Same Weekend, Organisers Have Brought It Forward.