AINonline > Airshow & Convention News > Singapore Air Show > Latest Issue

February 4, 2010 February 3, 2010 February 2, 2010

February 4, 2010

PiperSport LSA debuts here before deliveries

By Paul Lowe

Piper Aircraft’s entrant into the Light Sport Aviation (LSA) segment, the two-seat PiperSport, is parked in the static display here, its first venture outside of the U.S. in Piper colors. The U.S. manufacturer, which is making its Singapore Airshow debut, launched the aircraft last month.
The PiperSport is manufactured under a licensing agreement with Czech Sport Aircraft and distributed more

---

Flight-Testing Europe’s Huge New Turboprop

Before the long-delayed first flight of the A400M, the new airlifter’s TP400 turboprop was flown 18 times on a C-130 flight test bed (FTB) modified and flown by Marshall Aerospace. This was a challenging task, since the TP400 produces 2.5 times the thrust of a C-130’s standard T56 engine and weighs twice as much. Marshalls had to build a “pilot-in-the-loop” simulator from the cockpit of a more

---

PPG has it made in the shade

PPG Aerospace (Stand E83) is offering visitors live demos of its Alteos interactive window system, an electrochromic shade that replaces manual or electromechanical pull-down models. The system, just certified on the Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350i business aircraft, is to fly soon on the Boeing 787 airliner.

The Alteos windows are to be installed on the third flight-test Boeing 787, PP more

---

Honeywell’s move in Asia is now starting to pay off

By Charles Alcock

Honeywell’s recent move to quite literally get closer to its defense customers around the world is paying dividends quickly in Asia, as the U.S. group seeks to capitalize on the fact that military markets here are growing by between 4 and 8 percent each year–unlike those in the West that are flat or shrinking. “We’ve embarked on a plan to put our business and sales leadership in the region more

---

GE initiates blade tests for open-rotor mill

By Paul Lowe

General Electric has started wind-tunnel testing of multiple one-fifth-scale configurations for its open-rotor engine to identify the optimum blade design. Minimal noise output and minimal specific fuel consumption are primary benefits derived from the two counter-rotating stages of blades.
Ongoing acoustic testing has involved more complex blade configurations that reflect the technologica more

---

Marshall opens Aussie shop to serve Asia region

By Chris Pocock

Marshall Aerospace has created an Australian subsidiary to spearhead a drive for more business in the Asia-Pacific region. The British company is best known as a world-leading C-130 airframer and has provided engineering services to support the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-130 fleet at Richmond airbase for many years. It is exhibiting at the Singapore Airshow as part of Team Australia (Stan more

---

Ameco Beijing opens new digs

By Thierry Dubois

 Ameco Beijing (Stand F81) is promoting its maintenance services to increase the use of its new facilities. “Our logistics center is to fully open in May,” CEO Andreas Meisel told AIN. The company recently completed a A380 hangar and a 747 shop expansion, for a total $220 million investment between 2005 and 2010. He is counting on Asia’s growth, especially in China.
“Asia will more

---

Operation United Response for Haiti

By Paul Lowe

In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, civilian aid agencies and governments have mobilized airlift efforts to fly aid into the disaster area. Led by the U.S. under Operation Unified Response, the aid effort is focused on Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint L’Ouverture Airport. The single runway survived the quake intact, but the control tower and other infrastr more

---

Chengdu’s J-10B Multirole Fighter on Trial

By David Donald

With J-10A production in full stride, Chengdu is working on integrating new technology, which may lead to an improved production aircraft. A prototype has been seen and photographed with several important new features. Most obvious are new radome and intake structures. The radome is longer than that of the J-10A, is flattened in the style of the F-16 and joins the fuselage structure at an angled b more

---

Satair takes its customers under wing

By Paul Lowe

In order to lessen the fallout from the current economic downturn, Satair, a leading supplier of aircraft parts and service solutions for both aircraft OEMs and aftermarket maintenance providers, worked with its customers to provide solutions to help both parties weather the upheaval.

“We work with customers to provide a reasonable solution,” said John Staer, Satair’s CEO. “We m more

---