Congratulations to Matjaz Feraric for his first place at the “Paragliding Accuracy World Championships” flying an Airwave WAVE and to Rafael Kerin for his second place on a SPORT.

Read more »

ST. LOUIS, June 29, 2007 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth up to $2 billion between 2007 and 2018 for engineering services and the manufacturing of 242 wing sets for the Air Force’s A-10 fleet. “We are pleased that the Air Force has recognized that Boeing has the skilled expertise, engineering know-how and the affordable solution to address the needs of the A-10 program,” said Charles T. Robertson, vice president of Boeing Support Systems’ Maintenance, Modifications and Upgrades division.

Read more »

Jakarta and Cannes, June 29, 2007 - PT Indosat Tbk, today appointed Thales Alenia Space to build and launch the Palapa-D satellite. Palapa-D, which launch is expected during second half 2009, will replace Palapa-C2 satellite which will expired in 2011 placed in slot 113º BT. Based on Thales Alenia Space Spacebus 4000B3 platform, Palapa-D satellite will have larger capacity compared to Palapa-C2 satellite of which it has 24 standard C-band, 11 extended C-Band and 5 Ku-band transponders, with coverage of Indonesia, ASEAN countries, Asian countries, Middle East and Australia. Palapa-D satellite will have a launch mass of 4.1 tons, a payload power of 6 kW and service life time of 15 years.

Read more »

Menominee, Michigan, June 25, 2007 – Enstrom Helicopter Corporation has certified an option for its turbine model 480B that will increase the airframe temperature limitation from 41° C to 50 ° C. This modification was sought due to the high temperatures realized in its newest market, India. With the certification and installation in the first two production aircraft completed, the results have proven effective in lowering component temperatures. Venture Aviation, the introductory customer for Enstrom in India, has arranged contracts to operate the aircraft throughout India for a multitude of missions. This increase in airframe temperature will now allow them to take full advantage of the low acquisition and operation costs associated with the 480B.

Read more »

WASHINGTON, DC, June 28, 2007 — The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today commended aviation policymakers in the House of Representatives for introducing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding legislation that promotes transformation to the Next Generation Air Traffic System based on established aviation excise taxes rather than a user fee structure. “These House leaders have demonstrated a tremendous commitment to strengthening the nation’s aviation system with legislation that builds on a proven funding mechanism rather than a foreign-style user fee,” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said.

Read more »

Leading Brazilian carrier TAM Linhas Aéreas has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for 22 A350 XWBs, as well as for four additional A330-200s. TAM was the launch customer for the A350 in Latin America when it signed a contract for ten aircraft in December 2005. Since then, and after a thorough evaluation of the new A350 XWB programme, TAM has more than doubled its requirement for the aircraft. TAM currently operates a fleet of 86 Airbus aircraft, including 15 A319s, 61 A320s and ten A330-200s, and is Airbus’ largest customer in Latin America.

Read more »

London, June 29th, 2007 – Canadian Affair, the UK’s largest tour operator to Canada, today announces the launch of the first-ever direct flight from the UK to New Brunswick – their second Atlantic Canada province, starting from May 2008. The new service, launching for the start of the 2008 summer season, will allow passengers for the first time to travel direct from London Gatwick to New Brunswick’s capital city of Fredericton. This will give travellers even greater access not only to the New Brunswick region but also the Atlantic Provinces of Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia. Prices will start from £99 one-way including taxes and will operate weekly from 7th May 2008.

Read more »

Paris, 29 June 2007 - Kazakhstan’s Air Navigation Service Provider, RSE Kazaeronavigatsia, awarded Thales a contract to provide its Advanced-Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS), a product called STREAMS, and new navigation aids for Almaty Airport. The navigation aids to be installed at Almaty include two ILS* 420 with the DME* 415 and one DVOR* 432 with the DME 435. These systems will provide Almaty International Airport Air Traffic Controllers with enhanced visibility on the runways, taxiways and apron areas for increased aircraft movement and safety, and ensure that the airport continues to be fully compliant with international standard terminal guidance.

Read more »

LINCOLN, NEB - Duncan Aviation is pleased to announce its new Parts, Components and Services (PCS) area is now ready to assist jet, turbine and piston-powered aircraft operators with any part or component need. PCS has streamlined the operations of Duncan Aviation’s former Parts Support Services and Component Services areas to provide customer-friendly, comprehensive solutions to aircraft operators with specific needs. PCS consists of two cross-trained teams who are able to utilize all the resources of Duncan Aviation to solve a wider variety of your aviation problems than ever before.

Read more »

Today during the parade the 17 Wing Logistics Branch officially assumed the new title of 17 Wing Logistics and Engineering Branch to better reflect the composition of the Branch. Lt.-Col. Gauthier is posted to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. Lt.-Col. Watson was previously posted to 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region Headquarters here. The parade also saw the change of the senior non-commissioned member of the 17 Wing Logistics Branch, with Chief Warrant Officer Pierre Chainé assuming the appointment from Chief Warrant Officer Dale Dieleman, who received his commission in the rank of Capt. and is posted to 1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region Headquarters here.

Read more »

The San Diego Air & Space Museum celebrates Mexico’s aviation heritage with a temporary art exhibit opening tomorrow, Thursday, June 28th at 12:00 p.m., followed at 12:30 p.m. with a performance of music created just for this exhibit! Historia de la aviacioń en México (History of Mexican Aviation) features eighteen acrylic on canvas paintings by Candelario Castańeda showcasing Mexico’s aeronautical past. The exhibit will close Sunday, August 19, 2007.

Read more »

Kota Damansara - Reflecting the present boom in the Asian and worldwide aerospace market, Airfoil Services Sdn. Bhd. (ASSB) of Malaysia is expanding its engine parts repair capacity: the joint venture company between MTU Aero Engines and Lufthansa Technik with around 350 employees at present has moved to a new production facility at Kota Damansara near Kuala Lumpur. Over 250 new jobs have been created so far through the expansion and the product portfolio is to be extended further. The new, state-of-the-art production facility was opened on June 28 in the presence of local representatives of industry and government.

Read more »

Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today it has reached agreement with Germany’s Thielert Aircraft Engines GmbH, a wholly owned subsidary of Thielert Aktiengesellschaft (FSE: T3C), to collaborate on future programs centered on the Thielert diesel engine. Cessna is the world-leading manufacturer of piston aircraft and therefore becomes one of the most important OEM customer for Thielert’s Centurion engines. Over the upcoming years Thielert expects thousands of engine deliveries. Details are scheduled to be announced later this year by Cessna. This announcement is a significant step forward in the relationship between the two companies that has been formally established through the framework agreement dated 2004.

Read more »

The joint venture contract for the Airbus A320 Family Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Tianjin was signed today in Beijing between the Chinese Consortium and Airbus in the Great Hall of the People. Visiting German Minister of Economics and Technology Michael Glos and Airbus Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Brégier attended the signature ceremony. Upon the creation of the joint venture, Airbus will hold 51 per cent of the shares, while the Chinese Consortium will hold 49 per cent. The Chinese Consortium comprises Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TJFTZ) holding a 60 per cent interest, China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC I) holding 20 per cent and China Aviation Industry Corporation II (AVIC II) holding 20 per cent of their 49 per cent.

Read more »

By the end of June, construction work will be underway in Munich Airport’s Terminal 2 to adapt the terminal’s layout to permit separate handling of passenger streams. According to European Union regulations, German airports must take steps by January 1, 2009, to ensure that all connecting passengers arriving from outside the EU (as well as the EFTA nations Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) undergo mandatory security checks and hand baggage screening before continuing their journey. This regulation is designed to prevent departing passengers that have been screened according to EU standards from mixing with passengers catching a connecting flight in Munich after starting their journey at an airport where EU security standards do not apply.

Read more »

Brussels, Belgium - EUROCONTROL is promoting broader awareness on the emerging surveillance technique known as Wide Area Multilateration (WAM), which provides technical and financial benefits to users. WAM is a technique where several ground receiving stations listen to signals transmitted from an aircraft and then mathematically calculate its position in three dimensions. WAM is an excellent surveillance choice for En-Route and Terminal Manoeuvring Area coverage as it provides equal to or better performance than secondary surveillance radar and reduces pollution on radio frequencies by passively receiving the majority of its data. WAM is considerably less expensive to deploy and can be configured to provide excellent coverage, even in mountainous regions, thus bringing new safety benefits to those areas unsuitable for conventional radars. Importantly WAM does not need any additional avionic equipment; it uses signals that already exist today.

Read more »

Hallbergmoos/Wien- 26 June 2007. The Eurofighter consortium has reached agreement with the Government of Austria on cost reductions of the Eurofighter procurement. The consortium thus reacts towards the political development in Austria to secure the programme in the long term and at a very advanced stage.

The agreement covers:

delivery of 15 aircraft with latest capability standard […]

Read more »

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2007 — The Boeing Company [NYSE:BA] announced today that the US-India Business Council (USIBC), the premier U.S.-India business advocacy organization, has presented the company with the USIBC Global Vision Award. The award recognizes Boeing’s deep and enduring commitment to India, its growing presence in the country, and its continuing efforts to create sustainable value through the development of strategic partnerships with government and industry.

Read more »

SEATTLE, June 28, 2007 — Boeing [NYSE:BA] today delivered a 777-200ER (Extended Range) airplane to Asiana Airlines in the airline’s new livery. The South Korean-based airline introduced its new livery during a celebration in November 2006, which features a tail design using traditional Korean colors on a gray background. The airline’s fleet will be converted to the new livery over the next five years. Asiana operates a mixed fleet of more than 60 airplanes, including 737s, 747s and 767s, that connects more than 60 cities in 17 countries. The twin-engine 777 is the most fuel-efficient airplane in its category, a key element in its leading economic performance, and it releases fewer emissions into the environment than its four-engine competitor.

Read more »

On the morning of February 24th, 2007, the first Italian Unmanned Space Vehicle (USV) successfully completed its first mission, which objective was to simulate the final part of a space vehicle’s re-entry into the atmosphere. The launch took place at 8:30 a.m. from Tortolì airport in Sardinia, next to the Italian Airforce Salto di Quirra Launch Base (PISQ). The USV was designed as a sophisticated research lab by CIRA (Italian Aerospace Research Centre) and created in collaboration with some of the most important Italian industries in this field.

Read more »

True to its word, Cirrus Design Corporation yesterday fulfilled its promise to a select group of customers by giving them the world’s first look at “the-jet” – the most anticipated aircraft in the company’s history. Each guest had placed a $100,000 deposit for their first “personal” jet in this new and exciting market. The company’s tight control of the project was evidenced even further by the fact that its own employees who were not directly working on the project were not able to see “the-jet” until hours before the depositors’ showing Wednesday night. Today, the rest of the world witnessed the same dramatic unveiling at a special event held at the company’s Duluth, Minnesota headquarters.

Read more »

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wis. - (June 26, 2007) - EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2007, “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration,” will host an impressive lineup of evening programs at Theater in the Woods, as some of aviation’s leading personalities and newsmakers will participate at the event July 23-29. Among those scheduled to appear are Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell; fighter pilot legends Bob Hoover, Tex Hill and Günther Rall; Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson, world record-setting pilots of the Perlan Glider; Anousheh Ansari, the world’s first female space tourist; Chuck Yeager, who 60 years ago became the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound; Berlin Airlift “Candy Bomber” pilot Gail Halvorsen; the crews of the F-22 Raptor, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the Goodyear blimp; plus a concert by the U.S. Air Force Band, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Air Force.

Read more »

WASHINGTON – For the second time in four months, the Federal Aviation Administration has been forced to raise its air traffic controller retirement projections for the current 2007 fiscal year, an acknowledgement of the agency’s continuing inability to get a handle on the alarming rate of retirements that rose after the FAA imposed work and pay rules on controllers against their will last September.

Read more »

Mechtronix enters into Very Fast Growing Market for Flight Training with the leading pilot training organization in Ireland. International Paris Air Show, June 19, 2007 – The Pilot Training College of Ireland (PTC), the leading Flight Training Organization (FTO) in Ireland and fast becoming one of Europe’s most respected flight school, has selected the Ascent® Flight Trainer™ for IR training. The Ascent® Flight Trainer™ is a fixed base flight training device manufactured by Mechtronix Systems Inc., a leading provider of flight training devices worldwide.

Read more »

QinetiQ today announces the creation of a new technology venture fund (QinetiQ Ventures LP) to accelerate the development and realisation of seven of its venture investments. The fund has been launched by QinetiQ and Coller Capital, a leading global investor in corporate venture assets. QinetiQ has established the new fund to drive faster growth from its venture portfolio by creating an independent team with exclusive management focus and long term capital commitment. The creation of the fund is expected to enhance value creation for the QinetiQ Group and is a logical step in the commercialisation strategy which QinetiQ set out at IPO.

Read more »