February 21, 2008

Airbus sharpens its focus on new A380 family members

By Ian Goold

Airbus continues to consider stretched, longer-range and cargo versions of its A380 very large airliner, but is no longer studying shortbody or combination passenger/cargo variants, according to Richard Carcaillet, head of A380 marketing. Carcaillet told AIN that current engineering activity covers development of the 239-foot standard A380-800 (formerly dubbed Series 100) model and work on more

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GE convinced PDE holds ‘game-changing’ potential

By Julian Moxon

The efficiency of the gas turbine engines that power today’s commercial and military aircraft is approaching the highest level possible with current turbofans. But a totally new technology being pioneered by GE Aviation and researchers worldwide promises far simpler, more efficient engines that will extend aircraft range, cut fuel costs and reduce emissions.

For more than 60 years, the more

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EADS advances research in Singapore

By Thierry Dubois

Two years ago EADS decided to tap Singapore’s strengths in science and technology by shifting part of its research and development effort here. Today, its investment in the Singapore Research and Technology Center (SRTC) appears to be reaping dividends, and the facility is now conducting work in four scientific areas, having reached a staff of 15 and an annual budget of approximately $1.7 million. more

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‘Global’ R-R keeps home fires burning

By Charles Alcock

At face value, Rolls-Royce’s recent establishment of new facilities in Singapore, the U.S. and Germany might be construed as the group’s snubbing its UK home and a possible indictment of successive British governments that some say have failed to nurture the country’s aerospace industry. But that’s not how Ian Godden, chief executive of the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC), views the more

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Local company develops system to counter FOD

By Bernard Fitzsimons

Singapore-based advanced technology and e-systems developer Stratech Systems (Stand No. J96) has logged the first sale of its iFerret runway surveillance system. The system will be deployed at Changi International Airport following the signing of a S$12 million ($8.5 million)-plus contract here yesterday by Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore chairman Lim Kim Choon.

iFerret uses what more

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BAE outsources some spares inventory

By Martin Fendt

As part of a wide-ranging rationalization of its global spares support business, BAE Systems Regional Aircraft (BAERA) has transferred all its Jetstream 31/32 spares to Saywell International, and factory-surplus BAe 146/Avro RJ inventory to Ansett Spares & Service. For both fleets, however, BAE will continue to provide full technical and airworthiness support, including delivery of technical p more

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ITT specializes in ‘letting it go’

By Brian Walters

To take a place in the top ten United States defense companies represents an achievement by any measure, and ITT (Stand No. P51) continues to raise its profile in the wake of the recent key acquisition of EDO, renowned as a major supplier of weapons release systems. Added to the existing ITT defense products and services capabilities, the company’s BRU-57 and Smart-TER multiple weapons carriage re more

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B777 crash reveals fault in checklist

The UK air accidents investigation branch (AAIB) has issued a safety recommendation calling for Boeing to notify all 777 operators that they should change safety procedures during an emergency landing in the type.

The action follows the accident of a British Airways Boeing 777 at Heathrow Airport on January 17 when the aircraft landed short of the runway after the Rolls-Royce Trent 800 more

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XP-1 patroler is on target for delivery

By K.K. Chadha

Kawasaki Heavy Industries aims to deliver the first XP-1 fixed-wing maritime patroller to Japan’s defense ministry by the end of this year. The aircraft, rolled out as P-X, completed a successful hour-long first flight on September 28 from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Gifu Base.

The XP-1 features the world’s first fly-by-light system with high electromagnetic interference toleran more

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LHT exec guarded about future growth

By Bernard Fitzsimons

The world’s airlines may have made $5.6 billion profit last year and achieved record load factors of 77 percent but Lufthansa Technik CEO August Wilhelm Hennigsen said here yesterday, “With fuel at $100 a barrel and the smell of recession coming from the U.S. the question is whether the industry will continue to grow.”

For now, though, the manufacturers’ order books are bulging and the more

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