On April 30th, the South African Air Force received and accepted its first new Gripen fighter aircraft opening a new chapter in the forces modernisation and transformation. 08/05/2008 | As part of its 1999 Strategic Defence Procurement, South Africa ordered 26 modern Gripen fighters for its front-line air defence and fighter requirement. The new multiple capability aircraft are replacing the SAAF’s fleet of Cheetah aircraft. South Africa will receive 26 Gripen new generation fighters – 9 dual-seat and 17 single-seat. Delivery of the first Gripen follows an extensive two-year flight test programme in South Africa to integrate local avionics, defence and combat systems. Initial work was conducted in Sweden before migrating to a dedicated Gripen Flight Test Centre established at the SAAF’s Test Flight Development Centre near Bredasdorp in the Southern Cape.

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AgustaWestland is pleased to announce that Motorbike World Champion Mick Doohan has taken delivery of a Grand light twin turbine engine helicopter during an official handover ceremony held at AgustaWestland’s Vergiate plant in Italy today. Mick Doohan is one of the most famous Australian sportsmen having been crowned MotoGP world champion five times and winning 54 Grand Prix races between 1989 and 1999. He also has set a number of motorcycling world records and has been awarded numerous honours in recognition of his outstanding motorcycle racing career.

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Brussels, Belgium – SKYbrary - www.skybrary.aero - a new wiki-style web site which aims to be the single point of reference for aviation safety knowledge was launched today by EUROCONTROL in partnership with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Flight Safety Foundation. SKYbrary provides in-depth information for aviation professionals, backed-up with an attractive search engine. It already hosts some one thousand articles, covering fifteen areas, including critical safety issues such as Level Bust and Runway Incursions. Articles are added regularly, and search words inside the articles link to additional information both on SKYbrary and on external sites. The wiki format means that visitors can contribute both articles and information to SKYbrary. An open discussion forum aims to enhance visitors’ awareness of and interest in safety.

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CCTV specialist AD Group is sponsoring the ambitious ‘Vulcan to the Sky’ project designed to return an original Vulcan V-bomber to flight and allow the majestic delta-wing design to once again wow the crowds at public air displays. As part of its support for the project, AD Group plans to supply a state-of-the-art FlightVu digital video recorder - and associated CCTV cameras - from its subsidiary AD Aerospace to provide valuable in-flight footage of this historic aircraft. To reach a position where Vulcan XH558, which left RAF service in 1993, is only weeks away from obtaining a CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) permit-to-fly is the end result of an eleven year restoration project. An outcome which has only been made possible by the hardwork of a network of volunteers and funding from business and private donations.

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SEATTLE, May 09, 2008 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) today began negotiating a new labor contract for more than 26,000 employees, largely in the Seattle area, Portland, Ore., and Wichita, Kan. “Boeing is committed to providing employees with outstanding pay and benefits, and we intend to reward employees for generating productivity improvements that help us meet our commitments to customers and win new business,” said Doug Kight, the Boeing vice president of Human Resources responsible for these negotiations. “Working with the union, we’ve agreed to start discussions much earlier than usual. This will allow us to spend more time listening, understanding each other’s positions, and resolving issues early.

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The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) intend to conduct joint research on Sonic Boom Modeling. Sonic Boom Modeling is one of the key technologies needed to enable a next generation supersonic aircraft quiet enough that it can fly supersonically over land without significant disturbance to the public. Such a vehicle also could connect Los Angeles and Tokyo in about 5 hours, flying at Mach 2.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale will announce a significant new education initiative at a NASA Future Forum on May 14 at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, Calif. Dale will make the announcement during a keynote address at 8:45 a.m. DT and be available to answer questions during a media opportunity at 10 a.m. The forum focuses on how space exploration benefits California’s economy and is part of a year-long series celebrating NASA’s 50th anniversary. Ames Research Center Director S. Pete Worden will serve as master of ceremonies.

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STENNIS, Miss. — NASA engineers Thursday successfully completed the first series of tests in the early development of the J-2X engine that will power the upper stages of the Ares I and Ares V rockets, key components of NASA’s Constellation Program. Ares I will launch the Orion spacecraft that will take astronauts to the International Space Station and then to the moon by 2020. The Ares V will carry cargo and components into orbit for trips to the moon and later to Mars. NASA conducted nine tests of heritage J-2 engine components from December to May as part of a series designed to verify heritage J-2 performance data and explore performance boundaries. Engineers at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss., conducted the tests on a heritage J-2 “powerpack,” which, in a fully assembled engine, pumps liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the engine’s main combustion chamber to produce thrust. The test hardware consisted of J-2 components used from the Apollo program in the1960s through the X-33 program of the 1990s.

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Finnair, one of the oldest operating airlines in the world, is celebrating 85 years of operations by painting one of its Airbus A319 in the livery of a Convair aircraft, which Finnair flew under its original name Aero in the 1950s. The retro aircraft will begin flights at the end of July and the aircraft’s crew is also dressed in the spirit of the times in 1950s uniforms. “With this special aircraft we want to pay respect to Finnair’s long experience in flying. Even though our sights are set on the future as we build Finnair into the airline of choice in air travel in the Northern Hemisphere, it is also a good idea to look back and remember our distinguished history,” says Finnair SVP Commercial Division Mika Perho.

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Finnair begins flights from Helsinki to the city of Yekaterinburg in the Urals region of Russia at the beginning of September. The route is to be served three times a week with Airbus A319 aircraft. The flight time will be just three hours, with excellent connections in both directions. “The flight time from Helsinki to Yekaterinburg is half that of any other connection via Western Europe,” says Finnair’s Sales director in Russia, Vesa Vilkkula. “There are fast connections in both directions to about 40 Europe destinations and especially to Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo. “The opening route also serves our long-haul connections to North America and Asia as well as growing demand for domestic traffic to Rovaniemi, Kittilä and Kuusamo in northern Finland,” says Vilkkula.

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MANCHESTER UK Friday 9 May 2007: Swissport UK is to provide a new Central Load Planning service to Virgin Atlantic worldwide, under a new contract between the two businesses. The service will be operated by Swissport from mid-May for all of Virgin Atlantic’s fleet on all services globally. Although Swissport provides a full ground handling service for Virgin Atlantic at Gatwick (since 2004) and Manchester Airports, the contract covers Virgin Atlantic flights at other UK airports and for aircraft down route in other countries. This is the first time that Swissport has provided its Central Load Planning skills to an entire airline.

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Kuala Lumpur/Zurich, May 12, 2008 – Swissport International, the world number one in the ground handling sector and SITA, the leading provider of technology solutions to the global airline industry, are trialling a new check-in application using the customer’s mobile phone. The new facility was tested live during the current IGHC in Kuala Lumpur. The system’s formal market launch is expected in the next few months.

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Brussels, 9 May 2008 - Aviapartner Handling is proud to announce that it has signed a major contract with Air One for the provision of full handling services in Milan-Malpensa. The contract, effective since 30 March for ramp handling and as of 1 July also for passenger services, covers about 130 flights per week (roughly 7000 flights per year) and will double the volume (the total number of flights handled per year) at this station! Air One started with a new programme of various domestic and international operations out of Milan-Malpensa on 30 March with A320 and CRJ900 aircraft and foresees a growth rate of 40% per year for this service. Air One will also launch two intercontinental flights to the United States (to Boston and Chicago) from mid of June 2008 with brand new A330-200 aircraft.

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Athens International Airport was honoured with the GreenBuilding Award 2008, a significant European distinction within the framework of the voluntary GreenBuilding programme initiated by European Commission, in recognition of its remarkable energy saving performance of its facilities and buildings (lower power consumption for air-conditioning, ventilation, lighting). The objective of GreenBuilding is to raise awareness and stimulate energy efficiency investments in non-residential buildings. European Commission awarded Athens International Airport for its exemplary energy saving figures reflected in the two previous years: In 2006 AIA saved 3,750 MWh (-9% compared to 2005 figures) and 2,921 MWh in 2007 (-4,7% compared with the 2006 consumption), notwithstanding the considerable increase in passenger traffic during the respective period. In terms of CO2 emissions, the reduction was 3,560 tones in 2006 and 2,775 tones in 2007.

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The Chairman of BAR UK, Robert Atkinson of Air Canada, has reluctantly taken the decision to resign that role. This is due to an increased role within his company. The Board has, just as reluctantly, accepted his resignation but is delighted that he is able to remain as a director. In his place, it is a great pleasure to announce that Sandra Bloodworth, Area Manager UK and Continental Europe for Royal Brunei Airlines, was unanimously elected by the Board to succeed him.

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Air Serv International is preparing to be a first responder to Myanmar disaster. With helicopters ready to deliver crucial supplies and relief workers to areas hardest hit in this devastated country, Air Serv is conducting a needs-assessment on how to deliver aid to the Myanmar people quickly and efficiently. As time is always an issue in responding to a disaster, Air Serv mobilized its Rapid Response Team the moment news broke about the events in Myanmar. Aid agencies are struggling to get supplies into remote areas where they are needed. While the Myanmar military has made a few helicopters and boats available, far more will be needed. Air Serv will be requesting pledges to help the people of Mynamar recover from this terrible disaster.

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Regional Express (Rex) today announced that as a direct consequence of the record high oil price, the airline will increase its fuel surcharge by $3.00 (including GST) per sector effective on all sales from 13 May 2008. This will see Rex’s fuel surcharge increase from $33.00 to $36.00 per sector. Rex General Manager, Network Strategy & Sales, Mr Warrick Lodge said, “Oil prices have risen by another 10% since the last time we raised the fuel levy and are now at historic highs above USD120 a barrel. In addition, the refining margins have also increased presenting a double blow for airline fuel.”

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Vancouver International Airport (YVR) will achieve another world first later this year when it deploys new cameras developed by QinetiQ to enhance its Tarsier runway debris detection system. QinetiQ’s Tarsier system, which uses millimetre wave radar as its primary sensor, has been operational at YVR for more than a year, providing the Airport Authority with 24-hour automated runway debris detection. FOD, or Foreign Object Debris, can be as small and seemingly innocuous as a broken wheel from a suitcase, a bolt or a discarded plastic bag, but can damage aircraft and, in extreme circumstances lead to aircraft failure. Debris also has an adverse impact on airport operations through regular interruptions to aircraft movements required by manual sweeps of the runway.

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ST. LOUIS, May 08, 2008 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today dedicated a new test and evaluation facility in Huntington Beach, Calif., that provides the technology and capability to support both current and future radar-based weapon systems. The Dynamic Advanced Radar Test (DART) facility represents a $10 million investment for the company. “DART is a one-stop, full-service facility to support design, development and qualification testing of our most sophisticated radar-based weapons before taking them to the field, where testing can be very costly,” said Debra Rub-Zenko, Weapons Programs vice president for Boeing. “This facility is unquestionably a leap forward in our ability to meet the rapidly expanding requirements surrounding test and production of increasingly complex weapon systems.”

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CHICAGO, May 08, 2008 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney has named Timothy J. Keating senior vice president for Public Policy, effective June 2. He succeeds Tod R. Hullin, who earlier this year announced his plans to retire from Boeing by the end of 2008. Keating, 46, currently serves as senior vice president, Government Relations, for Honeywell. At Boeing, he will lead company-wide public policy efforts, including all U.S. federal, state and local government liaison operations. He will report to McNerney from Boeing’s Washington, D.C. office and join the company’s Executive Council.

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ST. LOUIS, May 08, 2008 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] joined the wing assembly and fuselage of the first P-8A Poseidon for the U.S. Navy on May 1 in Renton, Wash. Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) and Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) are working together to build the P-8A, a military derivative of the 737-800, on a new final assembly line. The factory’s third line takes advantage of the proven efficiencies, manufacturing processes and performance of the highly reliable Next-Generation 737.

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SEATTLE, May 08, 2008 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Asiana Airlines have completed an order for two 777-200ERs (Extended Range). The order is valued at $438 million at list prices. The South Korean airline holds rights to substitute the larger 777-300ER which features increased payload and range capability, if needed, in the future. Asiana currently operates 40 Boeing airplanes including nine Boeing 777s.

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The launch vehicle for Ariane 5’s third flight of 2008 is now under Arianespace responsibility after its delivery by prime contractor Astrium at the Spaceport in French Guiana. Handover of the heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA occurred with its transfer yesterday (May 6) from the Launcher Integration Building - where Astrium performed the vehicle’s build-up, to the Final Assembly Building - where Arianespace will carry out payload integration and final checkout. This mission remains on schedule for May 23, with Ariane 5 carrying two passengers: Turksat 3A and Skynet 5C.

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European airlines and airports responded warmly to the European Commission’s formal announcement that it would not pursue further limitations on cabin baggage size. In a move welcomed by all, the Commission admitted that it was keen to avoid the undue operational complications and inconvenience for passengers that the proposed cabin baggage size restrictions would cause. Originally mooted in 2006, restrictions on the size of cabin baggage size were envisaged to come into effect in May 2007, until Commissioner Barrot requested further studies on the effectiveness of the planned legislation. ACI EUROPE and the Association of European Airlines (AEA) established a joint-working group, the European Strategic Partnership for Aviation Security (ESPAS). ESPAS cooperated extensively with the European Commission in its efforts to study the potential outcomes of limiting maximum permitted size of cabin baggage throughout the EU to 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm.

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Iberia’s wine list for May, June, and July features an interesting tour of different Spanish regions and vintages, marking the second anniversary of cooperation between the Spanish airline and the Club Todovino Spanish wine consultancy firm. Business Plus passengers on Iberia’s long-haul flights can choose between two of the Spain’s most intriguing whites, the almost confidential and very personal Clarión of Somontano, and the intense and fragrant José Pariente of Rueda, which has become a model of the winemaker’s art and the maximum expression of one of Spain native grape varieties, the verdejo. The selection of reds rests on the solid pillars of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, with an offering from another region which has long produced superior tintos: Navarre. The region’s Señorío de Andión vintner boasts one of its most sought-after labels. From Ribera del Duero comes Cillar de Silos, a typical Ribero red of great character. And the Rioja is an excellent and reliable reserve that has steadily gained popularity in recent years: Luis Cañas.

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