Researchers to release design for silent, efficient passenger jet

Researchers today are scheduled to unveil plans for a passenger jet that will be fuel efficient and virtually silent. The design blends fuselage and wings together so the entire airframe provides lift. The body shape of the “silent aircraft” would allow for a slower landing approach and takeoff to cut airport noise.

Northwest nears retirement of all DC-10s

Northwest Airlines will stop flying DC-10s on Jan. 7. The airline is replacing the planes with the Airbus A330, which burns less fuel and carries more passengers.

Brazil’s Gol orders 20 more Boeing 737s

Brazil’s Gol airlines has boosted its order for Boeing 737-800s from 67 to 87 planes and increased its option to buy more. The airline says the additional planes will help it achieve its expansion plans.

Boeing Delivers Buraq Air’s 1st 737-800

SEATTLE, Oct. 30, 2006 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has delivered the first of three 737-800s ordered by Buraq Air, Libya’s first private airline. The airline was founded by a group of pilots in 2000 and began operations in 2001. Buraq Air’s newest fleet addition arrived at the airline’s home base in Tripoli today after departing Boeing Field on Saturday. Buraq Air’s second 737-800 is scheduled for delivery next month.

“This is an important day for Buraq Air as we move forward with our plan for future growth,” said Buraq Air’s Chairman and CEO Capt. Mohamed Bubeida. “As an active airline pilot, I can make a true firsthand assessment of the Next-Generation 737’s operational excellence.”

Boeing Delivers First Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise 737-800

SEATTLE, Oct. 30, 2006 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] has delivered the first of 30 Next-Generation 737s ordered by Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE), the leading Asia-based aircraft leasing company. The new airplane, a 737-800, will go into revenue service with Kenya Airways and is the first 737-800 to join Kenya’s fleet, which currently includes four 737-700s.

The new airplane is the first direct delivery from Boeing to SALE of a 737, although the lessor’s portfolio already includes Next-Generation 737s purchased from airlines. SALE ordered the airplane in May 2005 and will continue to take delivery of 737s through the end of 2010.

Boeing KC-767 Tanker Transfers Fuel for First Time

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 30, 2006 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] successfully transferred fuel for the first time Oct. 23 from its KC-767 Tanker advanced boom to a simulated receiver on the ground.

Through a series of tests at the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems facility in Wichita, Kan., boom operators on-board the aircraft used the aerial refueling systems to offload fuel from the new tanker to an aircraft receptacle on the ground. Fuel flow, delivery and surge pressure all were measured while the fuel was pumped to nearby trucks.

“The KC-767 aerial refueling systems exceeded our expectations during these initial ground tests, and we’re on track to deliver fuel to various aircraft receivers during flight in the near future,” said Mark McGraw, Boeing vice president for Tanker Programs. “The tests also show future customers, like the U.S. Air Force, that Boeing will deliver a proven boom and refueling system for their KC-X Tanker.”

Surpassing 400 flight hours recently, the KC-767 Tanker also has extended the boom’s telescoping tube while in-flight. The advanced boom will be able to transfer 900 gallons (3,400 liters) of fuel per minute to receiver aircraft, provide more responsive controls to the operator and has 2,600 fewer parts than previous booms.

Boeing has delivered nearly 2,000 tankers in its history and is building tankers for Italy and Japan, with delivery to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in February 2007, followed by delivery to Italy in mid-2007. In addition to flight-testing the KC-767 for international customers, Boeing is competing for a contract to build the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation tanker aircraft.

The KC-767 Global Tanker is a fuel-efficient, long-range aircraft specifically sized for diverse air-refueling; cargo, troop and passenger transport; and aeromedical evacuation missions.

Qantas orders Boeing, Airbus jetliners

Australian airline Qantas has ordered eight more A380s and four A330-200s from Airbus. Qantas has also purchased five more 737-800s from Boeing.

Airborne laser aircraft may start flight tests soon

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency on Friday said it is ready to flight-test a low-power system on an airborne laser anti-missile aircraft. The system, which will not be operational until late this decade, is designed to detect, track and destroy ballistic missiles.

Emirates cancels A340 order, sends auditors to assess A380

Emirates Airlines has canceled an order for 10 A340-600 airliners and will instead fly Boeing 777s, Executive Vice Chairman Maurice Flanagan says. The airline is also sending auditors to assess Airbus’ problems with its A380 superjumbo jet.

LOCKHEED MARTIN COMPLETES NATIONAL DEPLOYMENT OF NEW AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CAPABILITY–SAVING AIRLINES OVER $600 MILLION IN FUEL

ROCKVILLE, MD, October 30, 2006

Today, air traffic controllers around the country are using new technology developed by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] to safely route aircraft more efficiently, saving airlines flight time and fuel. During the deployment of the advanced air traffic control planning technology, the User Request Evaluation Tool (URET), the Federal Aviation Administration has estimated a savings for carriers of 89.5 million nautical miles or $626.5 million in fuel and operational costs.

The Federal Aviation Administration this summer deployed the URET system at the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), the last of 20 en route centers in the nation to start using the new technology. All 20 installations were completed on or ahead of schedule.

URET can determine whether pilot-requested changes in flight plans are free of conflicts with other air traffic. It can evaluate pilots’ requests to deviate from their planned routes to avoid adverse weather, assign more direct routing of aircraft and evaluate changes in altitude to take advantage of favorable winds. All this saves time, fuel and money for the airlines and saves travel time for passengers, while helping to ensure safe aircraft separation.

URET also automatically predicts aircraft-to-aircraft conflicts up to 20 minutes in advance, enabling controllers to plan more strategically. Prior to URET, controllers relied on paper flight strips and mental calculations to determine whether a proposed route change would be conflict free. The system also continuously monitors aircraft flight path conformance with its flight plan and issues a controller alert 40 minutes in advance of when an aircraft is predicted to penetrate restricted or prohibited airspace.

 

“With URET, the FAA has delivered a completely new capability to our nation’s air traffic controllers,” said Sue Corcoran, vice president of Aviation Solutions for Lockheed Martin Transportation and Security Solutions. “Lockheed Martin is proud to support the FAA by deploying a next generation technology that is already providing measurable returns on investment — meeting the FAA’s goals of becoming a more cost effective organization and increasing airspace availability for its customers.”

With jet fuel averaging over $2 a gallon, the airline industry’s total fuel expense increased by $10.4 billion between 2004 and 2005, and data for 2006 suggests higher prices this year. “We are pleased that the FAA is deploying new technologies, such as URET, to enable pilots and carriers to get more out of the national air system,” said Air Transport Association President and CEO James C. May. “With today’s high fuel costs, it is saving an extraordinary amount of money on fuel use alone.”

Lockheed Martin was responsible for URET systems engineering, software development, integration and deployment, hardware design and installation, and controller training material, and remains dedicated to system maintenance and user support and adaptation maintenance at all 20 ARTCCs. URET is based on a prototype that was developed by Mitre’s Center for Advanced Aviation Systems Development.

 

Lockheed Martin is now leveraging URET’s sophisticated trajectory modeling and flight planning capabilities, along with its basic infrastructure, as a fundamental part of the vital En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) program. ERAM will redesign and modernize the 40-year Host Computer System, which is the core automation system in the en route environment. Lockheed Martin is on schedule to begin deployment of ERAM in 2008.

Boeing Starts Production of Wing Set for 100th F-22 Raptor

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 30, 2006 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] this week began assembling the wings for the U.S. Air Force’s 100^th F-22 Raptor at the company’s Developmental Center in Seattle.

“I’m proud of this team’s perseverance in applying Lean Enterprise principles to the Raptor manufacturing process,” said Paul Bay, Boeing vice president and F-22 program manager. “Since delivering the first set in November 1996, we’ve reduced the time it takes to build a set of wings by more than 45,000 man-hours and cut cycle time by 70 percent.”

Boeing manufacturing engineers streamlined production in late 1999 when they developed new tooling that utilizes a built-in overhead handling system. The new tool also improved wing quality, allowing more rapid and even application of pressure as the upper and lower wing skins are matched to the substructure. This reduced variability and ensured a better overall fit.

During assembly, a caulk-like substance is applied to the skin and pressure is exerted to fill in any gaps between the skin and substructure. With the new tool, air bags inflate and apply uniform pressure, eliminating the need for 400 temporary fasteners.

Designed entirely with a computer-aided design application, the wings are made primarily of titanium and graphite composites. They are capable of withstanding supersonic speeds for extended periods of time and extremely “high-g” maneuvers. Each Raptor wing measures approximately 16 feet (side of fuselage) by 18 feet (leading edge) and weighs about 2,000 pounds.

The wing set is scheduled for delivery in December to teammate and prime contractor Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], which recently delivered the 81^st F-22 to the Air Force, with 26 additional Raptors currently on contract. The fighter is assigned to four U. S. bases: Testing is conducted at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), Calif.; tactics development takes place at Nellis AFB, Nev.; pilots and maintenance teams receive training at Tyndall AFB, Fla.; and operational F-22s of the 1^st Fighter Wing are assigned to Langley AFB, Va.

The F-22 Raptor is built by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Boeing and Pratt & Whitney. In addition to the wings, Boeing supplies the aft fuselage, integrates and tests the advanced avionics and has responsibility for the pilot and maintenance training systems. Parts and subsystems are provided by approximately 1,000 suppliers in 42 states. F-22 production takes place at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics facilities in Palmdale, Calif.; Meridian, Miss.; Marietta, Ga.; and Fort Worth, Texas, as well as Boeing’s Seattle plant. Final assembly and initial flight-testing of the Raptor occur at the Marietta facilities.

ANA Exercises Two Options With Order for 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighters

SEATTLE, Oct. 26, 2006 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Tokyo-based ANA (All Nippon Airways) today announced that the airline exercised options for two additional 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighters. ANA launched the 767-300BCF passenger-to-freighter conversion program in October 2005 with an order for three conversions and four options. Now the airline holds a total of five firm orders and two options.

ANA plans to use the converted freighters as part of its joint venture cargo operation called ANA & JP Express, with partners Japan Post, Nippon Express, and Mitsui O.S.K Lines.

Boeing will induct ANA’s first airplane in April 2007 and redeliver by December. The value of the agreement is not being disclosed.

“Once again, Boeing has the right product mix,” said Tomohiro Hidema, ANA executive vice president, Purchasing. “As our joint venture moves forward, we do so with confidence that both the 767 production and converted freighters will help us provide high quality, competitive air cargo services through ANA & JP Express.”

“We are gratified that ANA has again chosen the Boeing family of freighters – this time a Boeing Converted Freighter – as a solution to meeting its needs,” said Dan da Silva, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Boeing Commercial Aviation Services. “This deal is further evidence of the deep, long-term relationship with ANA that Boeing values so greatly.”

Boeing’s two Converted Freighter programs (the 767-300 BCF and 747-400 BCF) feature solid engineering and program management, quality workmanship, on-schedule delivery, access to MyBoeingFleet, an extensive suite of manuals, and the same level of ongoing customer support as the production airplanes

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