Aircraft

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

Aircraft

DFS is where Falcons roost

When the Dassault Falcon 7X arrived at Le Bourget on Friday to begin its debut appearance at the Paris Air Show, pilots Yves Kerherve’ and Philippe Deleume
Aircraft

Does the U.S. Army have a Spartan in its future?

The Alenia C-27J Spartan that features in the daily flying display here is a far better fit for the U.S.
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MD-80s are legalized by hushkits

A new Pratt & Whitney noise-reduction kit will permit operators of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 twinjets to meet Chapter 4 International Civil Aviation Organiza
Aircraft

Dassault Flamingo spreads its wings

Here at the Paris air show on the static display, visitors can see a rebuilt Dassault Flamant (Flamingo) MD-312 light military transport.
Aircraft

M-D landing gears gives aviators a soft touchdown

Messier-Dowty, here at Le Bourget in Hall 2 Stand D14, is highlighting a wide variety of landing gear technology for a range of commercial and military air
Aircraft

Italian Finance Police Get Piaggio P166 DP1

Piaggio Aero Industries presented its first P166 DP1 maritime patroller to the staff of Italy’s Guardia di Finanza (financial police) during a ceremony her
Aircraft

MA60 may become freighter

Xi’an Aircraft Industry is showing a model here at Le Bourget of a proposed cargo version of its MA60 regional turboprop.
Aircraft

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

The Pilatus Porter never won any beauty contests and may look as if a committee designed it.
Aircraft

New Grob jet features quick-change luxury

Selected by Grob to design and engineer the cabins for both the new SPn Utility Jet and the G-160 Ranger, Germany’s Rücker Aerospace could draw on the expe
Aircraft

Piaggio makes French Avanti sale

Piaggio Aero Industries yesterday sold a Piaggio P.180 Avanti II to an undisclosed French customer.
Aircraft

Grob Bases HALE Aircraft on New SPn Jet

Grob is developing a new high-altitude long-endurance aircraft based on the new SPn Utility Jet.
Aircraft

FlyBe Exercises Option on Four More Q400s

Bombardier Aerospace announced yesterday that Exeter, UK-based FlyBe has converted four options on the Bombardier Q400 turboprop airliners to firm orders.
Aircraft

SSBJ at least a decade away, Gulfstream says

Gulfstream Aerospace President Bryan Moss made his company’s position on supersonic business jets clear at a Paris press conference yesterday when he said,
Aircraft

Boeing not locked in to 787-9 size

Boeing does not yet know what size its 787-9 will be.
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Sun fuels aircraft for Piccard

The dream of solar-powered, long-distance flight is taking shape.
Aircraft

A380 graces Dubai after visits to Europe and Asia/Pacific

With almost 150 flights and well over 500 hours of test flying behind it, the Airbus A380 very large airliner’s participation at Dubai 2005 marks only its
Aircraft

From Russia, with fighters and more

Celebrating the fifth anniversary since its formation, Rosoboronexport has successfully promoted the sale of Russian aerospace products, valued at more tha
Aircraft

777-200LR ready to stretch its legs to the limit

As the second Boeing 777-200LR makes its public debut right here in Paris this week to show off its snazzy interior, prototype number-one continues to work
Aircraft

France, Canada Orders Launch Triple-Seven Freighter

Boeing last month launched the much-anticipated 777 Freighter with five firm orders from Air France.
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India driving changes to Russian fighter platforms

Russian fifth-generation fighter programs could undergo major revisions to meet India’s requirements, following Sukhoi’s offer of an export version of the
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All systems go for the world’s biggest airliner

Less than 50 days after the A380’s first flight, Airbus has reported an essentially satisfactory start to the very large jetliner’s test program.
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How does one unload 873 people in 90 seconds? Airbus recruits a select crowd of 1,100 to find out

Airbus officials hope to eventally have the new A380 very large airliner certified by European and U.S.
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Decision imminent on final design of 787 shell

Say what you will about Boeing’s political and boardroom troubles over the past few years, the company’s technical proficiency doesn’t appear to have dimin
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A380, 787 models of global cooperation

The April 27 first flight of the Airbus A380 was undoubtedly a triumph for Europe’s aerospace industry.
Aircraft

A400M on a roll as South Africa joins partnership

Just before the 2003 Paris Air Show, the long-running saga of the Airbus Military A400M finally resulted in a definitive launch for the project, when seven
Aircraft

BAE’s out-of-production quadjets still in demand

A recent slew of new announcements from BAE Systems Regional Aircraft has reminded the industry that the BAE146/ Avro RJ jetliner family has not gone away.
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Jetstream Sales Goal in Sight

BAE’s Jetstream regional airliner family enjoyed a successful year in 2004, delivering 25 turboprops to lease customers, and expecting to achieve its 2005
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Osprey evaluation reaching its climax

Unless you have stood next to a Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor–and you won’t be able to at Le Bourget this week because it’s not here–it is difficult to
Aircraft

A350 adds seat-mile value as battle with Boeing 787 looms

Recent changes to the proposed Airbus A350 have rendered the planned A330 variant much more competitive against the Boeing 787 in the battle for the “middl
Aircraft

RJ builders flirting with the big boys

The chasm separating the realm of full-size airliners and regional airplanes has claimed another victim, swallowing the Boeing 717 as surely as it did the