Sikorsky Global Helicopters Delivers Six S-300CBiTM Helicopters to Bristow Academy

HORSEHEADS, New York – Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.’s Sikorsky Global Helicopters unit today announced it has delivered six S-300CBi^TM helicopters to Bristow Academy, a Florida-based flight training school. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).
All six aircraft will join Bristow’s fleet of 48 S-300CBi helicopters, currently used for training instruction at Bristow’s three U.S. locations in California, Florida, and Louisiana.

“The S-300CBi helicopter is an excellent training platform with great stability,” said Samantha Willenbacher, director of Bristow Academy. “The helicopter’s characteristics give students a more efficient and positive learning experience.”

David Oglesbee, Director, Light Helicopter Programs, Sikorsky Global Helicopters, said: “We are very excited that Bristow Academy has continued its long history of loyalty to the S-300CBi. We look forward to another generation of professional pilots starting their careers in Sikorsky helicopters.”

Bristow Academy, a subsidiary of Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS), first introduced S-300CB helicopters in 1995 and has operated more than 100 S-300CB and S-300CBi helicopters since then.

Bristow is also an authorized sales center for Sikorsky Global Helicopters Light Helicopter Division. The S-300CBi helicopter operates throughout the world primarily as a training helicopter, renowned for its excellent flight characteristics, impressive safety record, and competitive operating costs. Combining these features has made it the most cost- and mission-effective training helicopter of its kind on the market.

Bristow Academy has long been recognized for its flight training program. The company started in Concord, Calif. in 1987, and since then has graduated more than 2,000 helicopter pilots who now work in an array of missions worldwide. Bristow has earned a reputation for excellence and for its extensive range of services for military, Federal Aviation Administration, and Joint Aviation Authority training. It is the only flight school outside of Europe approved to offer the Joint Aviation Authority Integrated Commercial Pilot License (Helicopter) program. The Academy is also one of only three helicopter schools approved by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT), a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

Source: Sikorsky

Delivery of the 900th PC-12

Pilatus Aircraft is pleased to announce a major program milestone today with the delivery of the 900th PC-12. At a celebration at the company’s US headquarters in Broomfield, Colorado, owner Ron Roma accepted the keys to his new aircraft from Pat Epps, President of Epps Aviation, the factory authorized Pilatus Center for the southeastern United States based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Roma, who has owned no less than four new PC-12s previously, not only has the distinction of owning the milestone aircraft, a brand new 2009
PC-12 NG, but also for taking delivery of his 5th new PC-12 from Pilatus. Roma explained, “Why do I keep coming back? I’ve flown PC-12s for many years now on personal flights with my family and for business. I have flown all over the United States and around the world twice in them. The aircraft is extremely solid and reliable. Pilatus engineering just nailed it when they originally designed it and since then they have made very thoughtful improvements over the years. The PC-12 is just a great thing that keeps getting better, and now I’ll have the latest with the PC-12 NG.”

Thomas Bosshard, President and CEO of Pilatus Business Aircraft, Ltd., added, “Ron has been a tremendous customer to Pilatus and it’s impossible to overstate how much we appreciate his business. The 900th delivery is a very proud moment in the PC-12 program, which is why we are so pleased to deliver this milestone aircraft to him. He will certainly put it to work, and we are anxious to hear about the new adventures he’ll have in his PC-12 NG.”

Source: Pilatus

The French Defense Ministry Orders Five EC725 Helicopters from Eurocopter

The French Defense Ministry has ordered five additional EC725 helicopters from Eurocopter as part of the government’s economic recovery plan.

This new acquisition is part of the plan to revitalize the economy, which the French government introduced in December 2008. The five helicopters are scheduled for delivery between late 2010 and early 2012.

The contract was placed by the French DGA (Délégation Générale pour l’Armement) and comprises the delivery of five EC725s plus the related support services. It secures work for 100 Eurocopter personnel and 150 suppliers’ employees over a period of 3 years. The aircraft will be built at the Eurocopter plant in Marignane, in the Bouches-du-Rhône area of France.

“This order is confirmation that the French Armed Forces and Eurocopter made the right decisions when the program was launched,” explained Eurocopter CEO Lutz Bertling. “It is also further proof of the strong trust that a customer like the French Armed Forces has placed in us. The Army and Air Force are already operating these helicopters on a daily basis.”

The five helicopters will join the 14 EC725s that are currently in operation with the French Armed Forces. Since December 2006, the EC725 has been used to support France’s NATO operations in Afghanistan, performing emergency medical services, search & rescue missions and escort duties, and providing humanitarian aid.

The EC725 is the latest addition to the Cougar family. The EC725 is a twin-engine helicopter with a five-bladed main rotor in the medium-lift category (11 metric tons). The aircraft has an exceptional fuel capacity with a flight endurance of five-and-a-half hours and can also be refueled in flight. The multi-purpose EC725 has been designed to perform various missions, including combat search and rescue (CSAR), long distance transport, logistics support, and special operations.

Source: EADS

Royal Air Force’s Boeing C-17s Surpass 50,000 Hours of Flight Time

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 30, 2009 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) today announced that the RAF fleet of six C-17 Globemaster III airlifters has surpassed 50,000 flying hours in eight years of service.

A mission out of Afghanistan on Tuesday, April 28 helped the fleet achieve the milestone.

“The C-17 is a remarkable airlifter in every way imaginable, from mission readiness and reliability to its flexibility in being able to handle tough tasks,” said RAF Air Marshal Kevin Leeson, Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff for Logistic Operations. “I can’t imagine operating without them.”

The C-17s, assigned to 99 Squadron at RAF base Brize Norton near London, provide critical airlift capability for the Joint Rapid Reaction Force. Brize Norton is the RAF headquarters for strategic air transport and air-to-air refueling.

“This accomplishment is a testament to the RAF and to the Boeing employees who build this reliable, durable aircraft and support our customers’ maintenance crews around the world, 24 hours a day,” said Jean Chamberlin, Boeing vice president and general manager, Global Mobility Systems.

“The Royal Air Force was the first international C-17 customer to utilize a unique ‘Virtual Fleet’ concept developed by the U.S. Air Force and Boeing as an offer under a foreign military sales case. The virtual fleet structure ensures cooperative support and spares to the RAF fleet no matter their geographic location,” said Gus Urzua, Boeing vice president and program manager for the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership (GSP). “Congratulations to the RAF.”

The RAF received its first C-17s from Boeing in May 2001. The four leased aircraft accumulated more than 16,000 flying hours in their first three years. The UK government decided to buy the four airlifters at the conclusion of their lease, and to purchase additional aircraft.

By the time UK5 and UK6 were delivered in April and June 2008, the fleet had reached 41,000 flying hours. Within hours of delivery, both aircraft flew out of Brize Norton on RAF missions.

“Eighty percent of our current tasking is in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan,” said RAF Wing Cmdr. Simon Edwards, Officer Commanding 99 Squadron. “The RAF C-17 has exceeded expectations from Day One. This is another excellent example of how much we contribute to UK Defence.”

The RAF marked another notable C-17 achievement in March when RAF Squadron Leader Keith Hewitt logged 5,000 flying hours in the aircraft. Hewitt is one of only a few C-17 pilots to reach this milestone.

There are currently 200 C-17s in service worldwide — 14 with international customers. The C-17 is the world’s only tactical airlift aircraft with strategic capabilities that allow it to fly between continents and land on short, austere runways.

The U.S. Air Force, including active Guard and Reserve units, has 186. International customers include the UK Royal Air Force, the Canadian Forces, the Royal Australian Air Force, Qatar, and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability consortium of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations. The United Arab Emirates announced in February that it will acquire four C-17s.

Source: Boeing

Lockheed Martin Delivers 50th C-5 AMP Aircraft

MARIETTA, Ga., April 29th, 2009 — Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently delivered the 50th C-5 Galaxy strategic airlifter upgraded with Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) improvements. AMP is the first part of the two-phase C-5 modernization program. The aircraft, delivered to Air Force Reserve Command’s 433rd Airlift Wing at Lackland AFB, Texas, is now equipped with a state-of-the-art glass cockpit with modern avionics and flight instruments.

“This delivery brings the Air Force one step closer to realizing the full capability of an upgraded and more efficient C-5 fleet,” said Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin C-5 program vice president. “We’re currently running two very successful AMP production lines. This effort, along with the upcoming second phase of the C-5 modernization program, will ensure the Air Force has a C-5 fleet that will be highly effective for the next 40 years.”

The AMP installations are taking place at Dover AFB, Del., and at Travis AFB, Calif. The fleet-wide AMP modifications are scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2014. A total of 111 C-5s are scheduled to be modified with AMP upgrades.

The AMP upgrades replace the analog cockpit instruments and systems in the C-5 with digital displays and equipment. This modernization phase also provides the necessary communications and navigational avionics to comply with Global Air Traffic Management (GATM) requirements, the new set of international standards for aircraft movement and reduced separation in flight.

The second phase of the C-5 modernization effort is the Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining Program (RERP). RERP includes 70 enhancements or replacements of major components and subsystems, including the installation of GE CF6-80C2 commercial engines. Fifty-two of the 111 airplanes receiving the AMP upgrades are currently scheduled to receive the RERP upgrades. When one of the giant transport aircraft receives both the AMP and RERP modifications, it receives the C-5M Super Galaxy designation. Three aircraft (two former B-models and one former A-model) were used as the C-5M test fleet. All three of the C-5M aircraft have been delivered back to the U.S. Air Force.

The C-5 has been the backbone of strategic airlift in every military and humanitarian engagement since it entered service. It is the only aircraft capable of carrying 100 percent of certified military air-transportable cargo with a dedicated passenger compartment enabling commanders to have troops and their equipment arrive simultaneously in an area of operation. The C-5 can carry twice the cargo of other strategic airlift systems, and the C-5M Super Galaxy will be a force multiplier through 2040. Modernization of the C-5 pays for itself through savings in operation and sustainment costs.

Source: Lockheed Martin

U.S. Air Force, Northrop Grumman to Commemorate Successful Bomber Partnership

DAYTON, Ohio, April 30, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The nearly 30-year B-2 stealth bomber partnership between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) will be center stage on Friday evening May 1 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.

A private gala hosted by the Air Force will become the latest stop in a year-long series of festivities designed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first flight of the B-2. The event will feature comments and perspective by B-2 program leaders past and present.

Northrop Grumman is the Air Force’s prime contractor for the B-2, the flagship of the nation’s long range strike arsenal. The first flight of the B-2 took place on July 17, 1989 from Palmdale, Calif.

“The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is the one of the most powerful, most survivable airborne weapon systems in the world today, and, in my opinion, the finest aircraft ever developed and put into service for our country,” said Col. Kevin Harms, USAF, Commander, 702nd Aeronautical Systems Group. “We are currently engaged in several modernization efforts to keep this great aircraft flying for many years to come. I would like to recognize and thank the men, women and families of Wright Patterson Air Force Base whose dedicated service to the B-2 program helps keep the fleet ready at all times to defend America’s interests anywhere in the world.”

“Northrop Grumman is honored to be the Air Force’s partner in developing, producing and today sustaining this most treasured of national assets,” said Dave Mazur, vice president of long range strike and B-2 program manager for Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Systems sector. “We remain committed to modernizing and maintaining the fleet so that it remains as capable against enemy threats in the future as the day the first aircraft rolled off the assembly line.”

The B-2 museum gala will include a cocktail party held in the shadow of a ground-test version of a B-2 named the “Spirit of Freedom,” the world’s only B-2 aircraft on permanent public display. Also on display will be a B-2 themed motorcycle that Northrop Grumman commissioned and paid for as part of the 20th anniversary year celebration. The B-2 Stealth Bike was designed and built by Orange County Choppers, Newburgh, N.Y. It was featured on the season premiere of the cable reality show “American Chopper,” which airs on TLC.

The B-2 fleet today consists of 20 aircraft: 19 operational aircraft and one flight test aircraft. The 509th Bomb Wing, a part of Air Force’s Air Combat Command, flies and maintains the fleet from its home at Whiteman AFB, Mo. The 702 Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright Patterson AFB serves as the acquisition arm and overall lead for the B-2 program. The Air Force’s Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center manages the sustainment and ensures the availability of spare parts for the fleet.

Northrop Grumman performs periodic programmed depot maintenance on the fleet at its B-2 program headquarters in Palmdale, Calif., in the same facilities used to assemble and test the B-2s in the 1980s. The company also leads a variety of B-2 modernization programs designed to improve the aircraft’s radar, communications, and weapons delivery capabilities.

Source: Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Completes Delivery of 44th F-5 Tiger Adversary Aircraft to United States Navy; Former Swiss-Owned F-5E Aircraft Modified for U.S. Use

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., April 29, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) employees today celebrated the delivery of their 44th modified F-5 Tiger for the U.S. Navy. In a ceremony at the company’s East Coast Aircraft Manufacturing and Flight Test Center, officials from NAVAIR PMA 207 accepted the delivery of the final aircraft under the current Navy F-5 Acquisition/Re-capitalization Program, which provided for the modification of 44 Swiss Air Force aircraft into 41 F-5N’s (single-seat aircraft) and three F-5F’s (two-seat trainers).

Photos accompanying this release are available at: http://media.globenewswire.com/noc/

“The transformation of these formerly Swiss-owned fighters to U.S. Navy assets was a smart, strategic, and cost-effective move,” said Capt. James Wallace, PMA 207 program manager. “It speaks to the entire team’s effort that all of the aircraft were delivered on cost and on schedule. The objective of this program was to achieve a cost-effective solution for providing our naval aviators with real-time, hands-on training to simulate enemy aircraft in aerial combat training exercises, which only platforms like the F-5 can deliver. Clearly, we achieved that goal.”

“The team’s ability to deliver on our contract commitments is a testament to the talent of our U.S. Navy/Northrop Grumman team to get the job done. As the original manufacturer, our generations of experience in building new, and modifying existing, military aircraft greatly benefited our Navy customer,” said Rick Matthews, Northrop Grumman vice president for east coast production operations and St. Augustine site manager. “We have supported the global F-5 fleet for more than 40 years.”

The F-5 is an agile, highly maneuverable, reliable supersonic fighter, combining advanced aerodynamic design, engine performance and low operating costs. A highlight of the effort, according to Matthews, included the conversion of three single cockpit F-5E aircraft to dual cockpit F-5F aircraft.

“This conversion replaced the F-5E forward fuselage with a refurbished F-5F forward fuselage at the basic manufacturing attachment assembly point,” Matthews said. “It was a monumental task completed by outstanding craftsmen and women.”

“The company has long had the expertise to maintain and enhance the structural integrity of the F-5 airplane to ensure satisfactory, cost-effective structural integrity for the newly extended service life and at the more severe operational spectrums anticipated by countries operating the F-5,” Matthews said.

Since 1999, Northrop Grumman has been under contract to the U.S. Navy to perform depot level maintenance for the Navy’s fleet of F-5E/F aircraft. This phased depot maintenance program provides structurally sound F-5 aircraft that will operate safely in the severe spectrum associated with the adversary role of the F-5 fleet.

“Today, we are focused on a total system support plan approach to ensure all current and future F-5 users can obtain the necessary structure spare parts and systems upgrades well into the future,” Matthews added.

Northrop Grumman continues to support F-5 user air forces with cost-effective support solutions through the U.S. Air Force (under foreign military sales agreements) and through direct contracts with user air forces. Many of the international F-5 operators are considering (and some have committed to) basic structural life extension programs and avionics/subsystems upgrade packages to obtain an effective lead-in trainer with a modest investment.

Source: Northrop Grumman

Satellite imagery shows fragile Wilkins Ice Shelf destabilised

28 April 2009
Satellite images show that icebergs have begun to calve from the northern front of the Wilkins Ice Shelf – indicating that the huge shelf has become unstable. This follows the collapse three weeks ago of the ice bridge that had previously linked the Antarctic mainland to Charcot Island.
 
The ice bridge, which effectively formed a barrier pinning back the northern ice front of the central Wilkins Ice Shelf, collapsed on 5 April removing about 330 sq km of ice. As a consequence of the collapse, the rifts, which had already featured along the northern ice front, widened and new cracks formed as the ice adjusted in the days that followed.

Dr Angelika Humbert from the Institute of Geophysics, Münster University and Dr Matthias Braun from the Center for Remote Sensing, University of Bonn have been monitoring the ice shelf using a combination of radar images from ESA’s Envisat satellite and the German Aerospace Centre’s TerraSAR-X satellite.

Larger image:  HI-RES JPEG (Size: 1386 kb)

On 24 April, the satellite data showed that the first icebergs had started to break away from the fragile ice shelf. A very rough estimate suggests that, so far, about 700 sq km of ice has been lost from the Wilkins Ice Shelf.

In contrast to the ice bridge, which shattered very quickly, it is expected that the discharge of ice will continue for some weeks. The icebergs are calving as a result of fracture zones that have formed over the last 15 years and which turned Wilkins into a fragile and vulnerable ice shelf.

“The retreat of Wilkins Ice Shelf is the latest and the largest of its kind. Eight separate ice shelves along the Antarctic Peninsula have shown signs of retreat over the last few decades. There is little doubt that these changes are the result of atmospheric warming on the Antarctic Peninsula, which has been the most rapid in the Southern Hemisphere,” explained David Vaughan from the British Antarctic Survey.

“The changes to Wilkins Ice Shelf provide a fabulous natural laboratory that will allow us to understand how ice shelves respond to climate change and what the future will hold for the rest of Antarctica,” Vaughan commented. “The quality and frequency of images acquired by ESA satellites mean that the break-up of Wilkins Ice Shelf can be analysed far more effectively than any previous event. For the first time, I think, we can really begin to see the processes that have brought about the demise of the ice shelf.”

However, it is still unclear how the situation will evolve. Humbert noted that, “We are not sure if a new stable ice front will now form between Latady Island, Petrie Ice Rises and Dorsey Island. If the connection to Latady Island is lost, the projected loss of 3370 sq km of ice might be greater – though we have no indication that this will happen in the near future.”

The combination of high resolution TerraSAR-X images and the more frequently acquired Envisat images, increases the understanding of ice shelf break-up more than ever before.

Source: ESA

Aerolia wins the Airbus A350 XWB tubes and pipes contract

Since its creation in January 2009, Aerolia has shown its determination to conquer sales markets throughout the world and with all manufacturers. With a wide range of products and services, the Aerolia teams can respond to calls for tender as a « build to print » production partner or with global « design & build » solutions.

It is in the framework of this industrial and business strategy that Aerolia has just won a contract for hydraulic and cabin systems tubes and pipes to equip the whole Airbus A350 XWB fuselage.

In competition with several other major aeronautical equipment manufacturers, the know-how and competitiveness of its teams have made the difference and are the reason why Aerolia is present on this highly competitive and coveted market.

«Representing an annual work load of over 80,000 hours, this contract fulfils one of the many ambitions announced by Aerolia at its creation. We are very proud, as it is a victory for all the teams of our three plants. With our detail parts and nose fuselage subassembly specialities, Aerolia can now offer an extensive selection of products and services» declared Christian Cornille, CEO of Aerolia.

Source: EADS

Boeing Airborne Laser Engineers Receive Missile Defense Agency Award

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2009 — Three Boeing [NYSE: BA] Airborne Laser (ABL) engineers and three of their government and industry teammates received the Technology Pioneer Award from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on March 23 for advancing technologies that would enable ABL to intercept and destroy ballistic missile threats.

MDA presented the award at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics/MDA 7th Annual Missile Defense Conference in Washington to honor the recipients’ work in developing critical technologies central to implementing high-power directed energy on ABL as a new class of powerful weaponry for the warfighter. Two critical ABL components are the high-energy laser to shoot down ballistic missiles soon after they are launched, and the beam control/fire control system that points the laser beam while compensating for atmospheric turbulence. The laser, the beam control/fire control system and a state-of-the-art battle management suite are now integrated aboard the ABL aircraft, which underwent the largest modification to an airplane ever accomplished by Boeing. ABL is scheduled to perform a missile-intercept test this year.

“The six members of the joint government-industry team that received this prestigious award greatly deserve this recognition,” said Michael Rinn, Boeing vice president and ABL program director. “Thanks to their technical skill, teamwork and boundless dedication, we will soon be able to demonstrate the revolutionary speed, mobility, precision and lethality that the Airborne Laser could provide to America’s warfighters. ABL could change not only missile defense, but warfare in general, and these technology pioneers have blazed a path for other directed-energy weapons to follow.”

The honorees are:

• Don Clapp, ABL chief engineer and mission assurance manager, Boeing
• Jeff Hartlove, ABL deputy program manager, Northrop Grumman
• Steve Lamberson, ABL chief scientist, ABL System Program Office, MDA
• Dave Morris, ABL chief scientist and system performance manager, Boeing
• Harold Schall, ABL chief engineer for integration and testing, Boeing
• Paul Shattuck, ABL beam control/fire control chief engineer and technical director, Lockheed Martin.

Boeing is the prime contractor and overall systems integrator for ABL, which is designed to provide speed-of-light capability to destroy all classes of ballistic missiles in their boost phase of flight. ABL also has the potential to be deployed for other missions, including destroying aircraft and surface-to-air missiles.

The ABL aircraft is a modified Boeing 747-400F whose back half holds the high-energy laser, designed and built by Northrop Grumman. The front section of the aircraft contains the beam control/fire control system, developed by Lockheed Martin, and the battle management system, provided by Boeing.

Source: Boeing

Boeing-IAI Missile Defense Interceptor Shoots Down Target in Test

HUNTSVILLE, Ala., April 29, 2009 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] built part of the Arrow II interceptor that successfully shot down a ballistic missile target April 7 in a test of Israel’s national missile defense system.

The operationally realistic test, conducted in Israel by the Israel Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, used an interceptor co-produced by Boeing and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and equipped with new capability enhancements.

“This successful test underscores the effectiveness of the cooperative relationship we have forged with IAI on the Arrow program and other international missile defense initiatives,” said Greg Hyslop, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems. “Boeing is proud to co-produce Arrow II interceptors, which provide the state of Israel with a proven defense capability against ballistic missile threats.”

The event marked the co-produced Arrow II’s second intercept in two attempts, as well as its third successful flight test. The Arrow II is part of the Arrow Weapon System, which Israel and the United States have jointly developed to defend Israel against the growing threat of short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

Under an agreement with IAI, the prime contractor for the Arrow Weapon System, Boeing provides several Arrow II interceptor components, including the Section II electronics assembly (part of the avionics and guidance subsystem); the nose cone; the canister assembly that houses the interceptor; electrical subsystems; and motor cases. IAI is responsible for system integration and final interceptor assembly in Israel.

Boeing’s major suppliers on Arrow II are Alliant-Techsystems (ATK) of Iuka, Miss., and Clearfield, Utah; Manes Machine, of Fort Collins, Colo.; Patterson Machine, of Union Grove, Ala.; and Sanmina-SCI, of Huntsville, Ala.

Boeing Unveils Performance, Comfort Changes to Next-Generation 737s

SEATTLE, April 28, 2009 — Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that seven airlines will be the first to incorporate the new, spacious 737 Boeing Sky Interior starting in late 2010. The interior features soft, blue-sky-like lighting overhead.

The airlines are:

Source: Boeing

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