Red Arrows unveil new-look Aircraft ahead of Overseas Tour

The Red Arrows are set to unveil a new aircraft paint-scheme this week as they leave the UK on a six-week overseas tour.  The change to the world-famous design is thought to be the first major permanent alteration since the Red Arrows took delivery of their Hawk aircraft in 1979.

“The Red Arrows’ Hawk aircraft are known and loved by millions of people around the world.” said Wing Commander Jas Hawker, Red 1.  “We needed to keep a careful balance between making our famous aircraft unrecognisable and reminding people that we are proud to represent the Royal Air Force.  This is especially important when many Royal Air Force personnel are away from home, serving overseas in front line operations such as Afghanistan and Iraq.  We are a visible way of reminding people of our colleagues’ hard work and professionalism in the line of duty.  The change to our aircraft paint scheme will help us to do this more effectively.”

The Red Arrows will leave the UK on Sunday 04 November 2007 for a six-week tour of the Middle and Far East, returning to the UK on 18 December 2007.  They are set to visit 13 countries, including Jordan, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Malaysia, India and Pakistan.  During their 15,000 mile trip they will perform their famous air display a total of 18 times.  Millions of people are expected to turn out to watch the Team display during the course of the goodwill tour.  The tour has been made possible by the support of two UK companies; BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce. 

“We are proud to represent the UK overseas.” said Wing Commander Hawker, “We hope to demonstrate the very best of British to millions of people in the countries we will visit, both in terms of the skill of our people and of the quality of the Hawk aircraft that we fly.”

Flying the BAE Systems Hawk, all nine display pilots are operational fast jet pilots from front-line Royal Air Force squadrons.  They will be supported during the six-week tour by a support team of 30 Royal Air Force personnel.  The BAE Systems Hawk aircraft plays a key role within the Royal Air Force and other air forces world-wide.  With a top speed exceeding Mach 1.2, the Hawk is powered by a Rolls Royce Adour engine producing 5,200lb of thrust.  During the Red Arrows’ 23-minute display, pilots pull up to eight times the force of gravity, showing off the aircraft’s power and manoeuvrability. 

2007 is the Red Arrows’ 43rd display season.  Since the Team’s creation in 1965, the Red Arrows have flown over 4,000 displays in 53 countries.

Source: RAF

Vought Reaches Milestone Delivery with 800th Set of Wing Components for Airbus A330 Aircraft

NASHVILLE, OCT. 31, 2007 – Vought Aircraft Industries, Inc. recently delivered its 800th unit of wing components to Airbus in the United Kingdom for the A330/A340 family of commercial airplanes.

In May, Vought signed a life-of-program contract extension with Airbus to be its sole-source supplier on the A330/A340 for mid-and outboard leading edge assemblies, top panel assemblies, center spar assemblies and mid-rear spars. The contract also covers A340-500/600 mid- and outboard leading edge assemblies, top skins and stringers, center spar assemblies and mid-rear spars. Vought will deliver its 800th unit of A330/340 wing components to Airbus in Germany next year.

“This is a significant production milestone on the Airbus program,” said Neil Peace, Vought’s Airbus program director. “With more than 600 of our Nashville employees supporting Airbus, it is rewarding for us to play a role in this successful aircraft program.”

In 1988, the company became the first major U.S. supplier to Airbus with the award of wing components for the A330/A340. Initial deliveries began in 1990.

The U.S. Air Force has identified the tanker replacement KC-X program as its top acquisition priority. A Northrop Grumman-led consortium is offering a version of the Airbus A330 jet for the KC-X competition.

Source: Vought

U.S. Air Force Joins U.S. Navy and Marines in Using Raytheon’s Laser-guided Maverick in Combat Operations

TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 31, 2007 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. Air Force fired
Raytheon Company’s (NYSE: RTN) AGM-65E laser-guided Maverick missile in
combat operations for the first time in June.
    Until now, only the Navy and Marine Corps have used the laser-guided
version of the Maverick missile. The laser-guided Maverick has a
combat-proven record of effectiveness and reliability against armored and
moving surface targets in urban environments and during close air support
missions.
    Raytheon’s laser-guided Maverick addresses a joint Air Force and Navy
urgent operational need for a close air support weapon to defeat high-speed
moving targets with minimal collateral damage.
    To meet its long-term need for precision engagement of high-speed
moving targets, the Air Force asked Raytheon to restart the laser-guided
Maverick production line after a 15-year hiatus. The latest laser-guided
Maverick will incorporate state-of-the-art seeker technology that is
expected to improve on Maverick’s proven combat record. Raytheon
anticipates laser-guided Maverick production for the Air Force, Navy and
international customers as early as 2009.
    Maverick is the most widely used precision-guided missile in the world.
Maverick has been upgraded to meet evolving threats and played a key role
in recent conflicts.
    Raytheon Company, with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion, is a technology
leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government
markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 85
years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems
integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and
command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a
broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham,
Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.
    Note to Editors:
    The Air Force used the AGM-65E Maverick in combat on June 14, 2007.

Source: Raytheon

FAA Revokes AMI Jet Charter’s Certificate

WASHINGTON , DC — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revoked the air carrier certificate held by AMI Jet Charter of Burlingame, CA, on October 12 for allowing entities that do not hold air carrier certificates to exercise control over flights and for failing to keep records needed to ensure continued safety.

The FAA found that AMI permitted TAG Aviation — an entity not holding a U.S. air carrier certificate — and various “charter ally” companies to schedule flight crews and operate flights in violation of federal regulations. The FAA alleges that AMI also failed to keep required records on maintenance, crew members, ground and flight training, and flight and duty time for the aircraft and crews operated by those companies.

The FAA originally warned AMI in mid-September about the deficiencies found by agency inspectors. When the company could not produce the appropriate records and demonstrate that it was maintaining operational control during a follow-up inspection that began October 1, the FAA issued an emergency suspension effective October 4. The revocation supersedes the suspension.

“This case sends a clear message that the FAA will act when it finds evidence that any air carrier is engaged in the franchising or rental of its air carrier certificate,” said FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Nicholas A. Sabatini. “Federal Aviation Regulations clearly require that an air carrier maintain operational control of the aircraft and crews on its certificate.”

The FAA’s action is part of a continuing national review of air taxi operational control issues.

Source: FAA

Boeing and Airborne Laser Teammates Celebrate 2007 Program Achievements During California Ceremony

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 31, 2007 — The Boeing Company [NYSE:BA], industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency today celebrated the Airborne Laser (ABL) program’s 2007 major accomplishments and highlighted California’s contributions to ABL’s revolutionary missile defense capabilities during a ceremony at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Missile Defense Agency and Department of Defense representatives, Air Force guests and elected officials stood alongside hundreds of California workers and members of the Air Force’s 417th Flight Test Squadron at Hangar 151, which houses the ABL aircraft, as officials from the Missile Defense Agency and the industry team hailed progress toward giving the United States a first-ever speed-of-light defense against hostile ballistic missiles. The Airborne Laser recently completed a series of flight tests at Edwards in which ABL tracked an airborne target, measured and compensated for atmospheric turbulence and fired a surrogate high energy laser at the target.

The Airborne Laser consists of a modified Boeing 747-400F whose back half will hold the high energy laser — the world’s largest and most powerful mobile laser. Northrop Grumman Space Technology in Redondo Beach, Calif., designed and built the megawatt-class laser. The aircraft’s front half contains the beam control/fire control system, provided by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, Calif., and the battle management system, provided by Boeing in Seattle, Wash. Altogether, the program accounts for about 800 jobs in California.

“This ceremony symbolizes many significant accomplishments,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems. “The collective team has done a phenomenal job completing system flight tests with the surrogate high energy laser and preparing the aircraft for installation of the actual high energy laser. Once again, we made and demonstrated enormous progress toward ushering in a new age of directed energy weapons.”

The ceremony highlighted the Airborne Laser team’s success in achieving a series of significant performance objectives in flight for the first time:

• March 16: Fired ABL’s track illuminator laser (TILL) to track an airborne target
• May 1: Used ABL’s infrared sensors to locate, acquire and track an F-16 fighter jet moving vertically at a rapid rate of ascent
• June 29: Fired ABL’s surrogate high energy laser (SHEL) through the aircraft’s nose-mounted turret
• July 13: Fired both the TILL and the SHEL at an airborne target
• July 24: Fired ABL’s beacon illuminator laser (BILL) at an airborne target and used the reflection to determine compensation for atmospheric disturbances
• Aug. 23: Completed numerous flight tests in which ABL fired all three lasers — the TILL, the BILL and the SHEL — at an airborne target, demonstrating the ability to track the target, measure and compensate for atmospheric turbulence and deliver the SHEL’s simulated lethal beam on the target

The team began installing the actual high energy laser in the aircraft on Sept. 4 at Edwards. When integration is completed, the program will conduct an extensive series of system-level ground and flight tests, leading to an intercept test against an in-flight ballistic missile in 2009.

Boeing is the prime contractor for ABL, which will provide speed-of-light capability to destroy all classes of ballistic missiles in their boost phase of flight. ABL’s speed, precision and lethality also have potential for other missions, including destroying air-to-air, cruise and surface-to-air missiles. Boeing provides the modified aircraft and the battle management system and is the overall systems integrator. ABL partners are Northrop Grumman [NYSE: NOC], which supplies the high energy laser and the beacon illuminator laser, and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], which provides the nose-mounted turret and the beam control/fire control system.

Source: Boeing

Boeing Continues to Log C-130 AMP Milestones

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 31, 2007 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] continues to log test milestones on its C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP), including some significantly ahead of schedule.

Most recently, Boeing flew the first C-130 AMP aircraft Oct. 20 for the first time following a series of Code 2 engineering improvements. The work, completed by Boeing 12 days ahead of schedule, consisted of converting analog signals to digital signals and enhancing the aircraft’s heads-up display capabilities.

“The improvements give the aircraft increased mission capabilities and allow the customer to expand the system, if needed,” said Mike Harris, Boeing vice president and C-130 AMP program manager.

Boeing performed the work in San Antonio, Texas, and the aircraft has since returned to the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Boeing also flew the second C-130 AMP aircraft for the first time using its newly installed Core Complete 1 software. The successful flight took place Sept. 25 at the Air Force Flight Test Center. The software upgrade provides a fully functional Flight Management System (FMS) aboard the AMP aircraft, eliminating the need for the navigator position in the cockpit.

“This is a very exciting upgrade for the program and our customer because it offers the flight crew a variety of new options,” said Harris. “For example, it computes airspeed, altitude, time of arrival and fuel at each waypoint in the flight plan. It also includes the initial military FMS functionality of airdrop, take off and landing data, which reduce the workload of the flight engineer.”

Michael Leone, Boeing’s C-130 AMP chief test pilot, said the software performed beyond his expectations during the flight.

“Core Complete 1 is a terrific follow-on to the remarkable first build,” he said. “It offers some rich, new options, and truly improves the functionality of the cockpit.”

Core Complete 1 is the second of three major software builds that are under way. The next phase, Core Complete 2.2, is scheduled for installation early next year.

The program will receive its next aircraft, a C-130 (H3) from the West Virginia Air National Guard, in November.

Boeing’s C-130 AMP provides enhanced digital avionics that significantly increase situational awareness for the warfighter. The U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing the AMP contract in June 2001. The upgrade commonality brought to the fleet of C-130 transport aircraft by the AMP also offers additional flexibility in assigning aircrew, regardless of the model design type.

Source: Boeing

AgustaWestland AW109 Power Helicopters Ordered By Ministry Of The Interior Of Latvia Enter Service

AgustaWestland is pleased to announce that the two AW109 Power light twin helicopters ordered by Ministry of the Interior of Latvia for State Border Guard have entered service. Operational readiness was officially announced during a ceremony held in Ludza on October 26th celebrating the fifth Anniversary of the State Border Guard Aviation Service and the opening of new Ludza Base’s facilities. Minister of Interior of Latvia Mr. Ivars Godmanis, Chief of State Border Guard of Latvia General Gunars Dabolins and delegations from Finnish, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, German, Slovenian, Russian and Belarusian Border Guard services attended the event.

These AW109 Powers will be used by the State Border Guard Aviation Service for patrolling the eastern European border and other law enforcement missions. Procurement of the helicopters is being financed by the European Community using Schengen Facility programme funds. The Border Guard helicopters will be equipped with latest generation FLIR, radar, dedicated mission console, rescue hoist, search light and a Night Vision Goggles compatible cockpit. The beginning of operational activities of the Latvian State Border Guard’s AW109 Powers follows the one of the first AW139 medium twin helicopter operated by Estonia Border Guard which entered service this month, demonstrating AgustaWestland’s commitment to provide European Union State members with state-of-the-art technology and a complete range of products and services to meet the most stringent requirements for homeland security purposes.

The AW109 Power is a highly versatile twin engine helicopter that is used for a wide range or commercial and government roles and offers the highest levels of performance with low operating costs. Ensuring superior speed, capacity, productivity and ease of maintenance, it sets the new standard in its class in the world market to an extent that it can be considered as the fastest twin with the lowest cost per nautical mile. Thanks to its features, the AW109 Power is perfectly suited for homeland security, patrolling and law enforcement duties offering all weather capability, high availability rates, low environmental impact, value for money in both acquisition and operating costs, safety for the crew and the public they serve. The AW109 Power can be endowed with an impressive range of dedicated equipment tailored on a customer demand basis. The ability to change the interior configuration ensures exceptional versatility to support the role. The AW109 Power has been selected for border guard, homeland security and law enforcement tasks by agencies from several countries such as Italy, UK, USA, China, Japan, Libya, Chile. Nearly 430 helicopters have been ordered to date for both commercial and government purposes from almost 50 countries. The AW109 Power range of roles also includes VIP/corporate, harbour pilot shuttle, maritime applications, emergency medical service, training.

Poland acquires another two (2) EADS CASA C-295 aircraft and increases its fleet up to twelve (12) units.

The Polish government has ordered today another two (2) EADS CASA C-295 military transport aircraft for the Polish Air Force. These two (2) units increase the number of eight (8) aircraft purchased in 2001 and two (2) additional ones in 2006 up to twelve (12). This contract with the Polish Air Force confirms again the suitability and efficacy of the C-295 and corroborates its leadership as a medium weight tactical military transport aircraft.

The delivery date will take place by the end of 2008. Recently, in August and September 2007 the Polish authorities received the two (2) aircraft purchased in 2006. The total number of units sold of the C-295 reaches up sixty (60) aircraft from which thirty-nine (39) have already been delivered. They accumulate thirty eight thousand (38,000) flight hours.

Besides Poland, countries like Brazil, Portugal, Finland, Jordan, Spain and recently Chile, have acquired the C-295. This is a multi-mission aircraft operated in humanitarian interventions, Deployment of Rapid Reaction Forces, Maritime Patrol, and Homeland Security Missions, among others, all over the World

Source: EADS

AgustaWestland Future Lynx Manufacture Commences

The first monolithic machined panel for the first AgustaWestland Future Lynx was manufactured last week at Oldland CNC’s facility in Bristol, United Kingdom. The manufacture of the first component, a lower fuselage bulkhead, was witnessed by representatives from the UK Ministry of Defence Integrated Project Team and AgustaWestland. Oldland CNC is manufacturing 83 of the 147 Future Lynx primary structure monolithic machined components and supplying them to GKN Aerospace for incorporation into the airframe prior to delivery to AgustaWestland. The monolithic machinings that are used in Future Lynx dramatically reduce parts count, assembly time and reduce in service maintenance. 

Graham Cole, Managing Director Business, AgustaWestland said “The start of manufacture of the Future Lynx represents an important step in the evolution of the next generation of Lynx for the Ministry of Defence. As the first programme to be signed under the Strategic Partnering Arrangement I am delighted that every programme milestone has been met on time and we look forward to the first flight in late 2009.” Kerry McCarthy, MP for Bristol East commented, “I am delighted to learn that the first machine cutting of the Future Lynx helicopter programme took place in Bristol. The entire programme is important for the region and the partnership between AgustaWestland, GKN Aerospace and Oldland CNC is good news for the 60 employees of Oldland CNC and the wider community.”

The first Future Lynx, a Battlefield Reconnaisance Helicopter (BRH) variant for the British Army, is on target to fly late 2009 and will be followed by the first Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR) variant for the Royal Navy. The BRH and SCMR variants have over 90% commonality and are powered by CTS800-4N engines. In June 2006 the UK Ministry of Defence awarded a contract valued at nearly £1 billion to supply 70 Future Lynx helicopters comprising 40 BRH variants and 30 SCMR variants with option for a further 10 aircraft. The BRH variant will enter operational service in 2013 and the SCMR variant in 2014. So far, more than 80% of the project design activity has been completed with a full air vehicle critical design review scheduled to take place in April 2008.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft announces share issue date

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft will launch an additional share issue worth over RUR1.457bn (approx. USD58.82m) on November 5. The Federal Financial Markets Service (FFMS) had registered the share issue on its meeting on October 23.

The Board of Directors of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft decided to nearly triple the company’s share capital to over RUR2.221bn (approx. USD90m) through issuing additional common shares.

Boeing Delivers 150th Next-Generation 737-800 to Ryanair

SEATTLE, Oct. 30, 2007 — Ryanair, Europe’s largest low-cost carrier, took delivery on October 26 of its 150th Boeing Next-Generation 737-800. Shown here, the 146th, 147th, 148th, 149th and 150th 737s for Ryanair are parked in formation at Boeing Field in Seattle, where they underwent flight-testing prior to delivery to Ryanair. The successful European carrier operates a fleet of 737-800s around Europe and northwest Africa. From its inception, Ryanair has relied on the 737 – first the 737 Classic and now the Next-Generation 737 – to help it meet strenuous efficiency, environmental, cost and reliability targets that are critical to the success of its business model. Ryanair has replaced all of its older 737 Classics with the newer Next-Generation 737 and has achieved a 50 percent reduction in CO2 emissions per passenger kilometer since 1998. An additional 121 737s remain to be delivered to Ryanair. The last 737 Classic was phased out in January 2006. Ryanair operates the second largest 737 fleet in the world, after Southwest Airlines in the United States.

Source: Boeing

NASA Announces New Center Assignments for Moon Exploration

WASHINGTON – NASA announced Tuesday which agency centers will take responsibility for specific work to enable astronauts to explore the moon. The new assignments cover elements of the lunar lander and lunar surface operations. The agency also announced work assignments for Ares V, a heavy-lift rocket for lunar missions.

“NASA’s Constellation Program is making real progress toward sending astronauts to the moon,” said Rick Gilbrech, associate administrator for Exploration Systems, NASA Headquarters, Washington. “Work on our new fleet of rockets and spacecraft, Ares I and Orion, is already well under way. With these new assignments, NASA will launch the next phase of its exploration strategy – landing crews and cargo on the surface of the moon.”

A center-by-center breakdown of assignments is available on the web at:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

The Ares V and lunar lander assignments will ramp up in fiscal year 2011, with surface system assignments in fiscal year 2012. While these decisions will result in budget and personnel allocations at the centers, detailed estimates will not be available until after prime contractors are formally selected for the work.

Each center will have the opportunity for additional work assignments as Constellation Program elements become further defined.

“These work assignments are helping to shape a true Constellation identity for each NASA center, which in turn will help the agency to foster the kinds of expertise needed to achieve our space exploration goals,” Gilbrech said.

NASA’s Constellation Program is working to send astronauts to the moon, where they plan to set up a lunar outpost to prepare for human exploration further into the solar system. The first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft, aboard an Ares I rocket, is scheduled for no later than 2015. Astronauts will return to the moon by 2020.

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