AirGuide Aircraft News

All Nippon Airlines Signs 10-Year Engine Management Agreement with Pratt & Whitney

2009-12-10T09:54:00.000-05:00

All Nippon Airways (ANA) signed a 10-year Engine Management Program agreement with Pratt & Whitney. This agreement covers 80 engines including spares. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company.
The agreement includes on-wing engine performance monitoring services utilizing Pratt & Whitney's ADEM (Advanced Diagnostics & Engine Management) tools, for ANA's fleet of 30 Boeing 777s powered by PW4000 engines. Engine management enhances the ability to forecast engine health and maintenance resulting in greater reliability, operational performance and lower costs.
"This Engine Management Program agreement further demonstrates ANA's faith in our ability to provide the best tailored solutions designed to meet our customer's expectations over the long term," said Jim Guiliano, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Global Customer Services. "This proactive service solution will deliver ANA with superior value with diagnostic and prognostic data analysis to aid in maintenance decisions."
Pratt & Whitney's Engine Management Programs (EMPs) provide expert analysis of engine operational data to monitor and forecast engine health and maintenance. Through detailed analysis of engine data, Engine Management Programs help operators achieve superior reliability and lower maintenance costs throughout the lives of their engines. Engine Management Programs are offered by Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners.
Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners (GSP) is a total service provider of CFM56, V2500 and Pratt & Whitney engines. In addition to engine overhaul and repair services, GSP provides customers improved engine performance and increased asset value through a broad portfolio of services including line maintenance services, engine monitoring and diagnostics, EcoPower® engine washes, leased engines, custom engine service programs, and new and repaired parts.
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.
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United Air to Purchase 50 New Jets Over Decade

2009-12-09T10:35:00.001-05:00

United Airlines said on Tuesday it would spend billions of dollars over the next decade on 50 new jets, splitting its order between the Boeing Company’s 787 and the Airbus A350.
Deliveries of the planes, which will replace United’s Boeing 747s and 767s, are expected between 2016 and 2019.
At list prices, the new jets would be worth more than $10 billion, with about $4 billion for Boeing’s 787-8 and about $6 billion for the Airbus planes. John Tague, president of United, said the carrier got a discount on the price, which is common for jet orders, though he did not specify how much.
“We felt that we had a significant opportunity by timing the order with the backdrop of the current economic environment,” he said.
United has not yet worked out financing for the planes, although Mr. Tague said the manufacturers had agreed to provide loans if needed.
The deal requires United to put up $152 million over the next five years. In October United raised about $424 million in a stock and notes offering, and it has been mortgaging other assets such as spare parts to get it through the drop-off in travel demand brought on by the recession.
United said it had signed letters of intent for both planes. John Leahy, chief operating officer of Airbus, said the company expected a firm order in a month or two. That would bring total orders for the A350 to 530, Mr. Leahy said.
“We’re not surprised by the decision to split the order,” Mr. Leahy said. He said it was noteworthy because it was the first time United has ever ordered wide-body jets not made by Boeing.
Both planes have two aisles and would usually be used on international flights. The 787-8 seats 210 to 250 people. Airbus said the A350 seats 314 in a typical configuration. Both can fly more than 9,000 miles enough to go nonstop from United’s hub in Chicago to Shanghai.
“They give us access to virtually every region in the world from all of our hubs,” Mr. Tague said.
Both planes are made with composites, meant to be lighter and more fuel-efficient than the usual aluminum construction. Neither plane has ever flown. Boeing hopes its 787 will make its first flight by the end of this year, while Airbus is aiming to deliver its first A350 in 2013.
Shares of Boeing fell 16 cents, to $55.66. Shares of United rose 4 cents, to $9.87. Both companies are based in Chicago.
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Delta TechOps Expands Asian Maintenance Presence by Signing Five-Year Deal with Tokyo-based Skymark Airlines

2009-12-08T10:35:00.000-05:00

Delta Air Lines' maintenance division, Delta TechOps, today announced it has signed a five-year maintenance agreement with Tokyo-based Skymark Airlines.
Delta TechOps will partner with Evergreen Aviation Technologies (EGAT), which provides comprehensive maintenance to Skymark, to provide engine maintenance for Skymark's CFM56-7B engines, which power their Boeing 737NG fleet.
"We are honored to be selected to provide these services for Skymark Airlines," said Tony Charaf, president of Delta TechOps. "We share a long and successful relationship with EGAT and working together we are now able to offer our services to Skymark as well. This partnership combined with Delta's expanded maintenance capabilities and increased global footprint will help Delta TechOps bolster its maintenance repair and overhaul presence in Asia."
"It is great opportunity for Skymark Airlines to launch this maintenance partnership with Delta TechOps and EGAT," said Kimiyoshi Sakaki, Vice President of Engineering & Maintenance Division of Skymark Airlines. "We trust excellent quality of both companies and this also helps Skymark Airlines enhance our competitiveness and establish a presence in Asia. We believe Delta TechOps and EGAT will respond to our expectation satisfactorily."
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Airbus order brings $2bn in sales for Rolls-Royce

2009-12-08T10:34:00.000-05:00

Rolls-Royce, the engine manufacturer, has won a $2 billion (£1.2 billion) contract, with United Airlines placing its first new aircraft order in 12 years.
Rolls will supply Trent aero engines for 25 Airbus A350 XWBs in a deal that will boost significantly the aircraft’s profile in the United States. Rolls is the sole engine supplier for the A350.
Airbus has sold the A350, which is expected to be introduced from 2013, to only one other American carrier, US Airways. Boeing, Airbus’s rival, also benefited from United’s order yesterday as it sold 25 of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft to the carrier.
Rolls and General Electric will compete to provide the engines for United’s 787s in the coming months.
The value of the two aircraft orders is $10 billion, with the larger Airbus aircraft worth about 60 per cent of the total. In addition, United has placed provisional orders for 50 more of both aircraft.
Mark King, president of Roll’s civil aerospace division, said: “This represents a significant endorsement of our Trent XWB technology and its operational advantage. We are delighted that United Airlines has put its trust in the long-term performance advantages of Trent technology.”
United Airlines is America’s third-largest airline but it has struggled financially in recent years and has been unable to buy new, fuel-efficient aircraft. It emerged from four years in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2006 but then was forced to reduce its fleet as the US economy entered recession. It has retired nearly 100 older Boeing 737s and six 747s.
The financial weakness of many North American carriers means that the continent now has an ageing fleet of aircraft. This brings significant costs to the airlines as older aircraft need more maintenance, burn more fuel and emit more carbon dioxide. The new 787 and A350 aircraft are expected to be about 25 per cent more fuel-efficient than existing aircraft.
United’s order for new aircraft is a key boost for Airbus and Boeing in a year in which orders have dried up. Many carriers have been forced to cancel orders or postpone delivery because of the severe downturn in the aviation sector. Boeing, for example, had added only 13 orders for the 787 before the United announcement, but has lost 83 orders.
Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, the budget airline, has continued to apply public pressure on Boeing to conclude a deal for 200 new aircraft. Mr O’Leary said that he might shelve plans to place the $6 billion (£3.7 billion) order because Boeing wanted to change the delivery conditions. “We have effectively almost reached agreement on price for a 200-aircraft order ... but the deal is unlikely to take place because now they want to go back and change delivery conditions,” he said.
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Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Boosts U.S. Department of Defense Satellite to Increase Worldwide Military Communications

2009-12-07T10:34:00.001-05:00

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne helped boost into orbit the third in a series of Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites designed to increase communications capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. The mission launched Dec. 5 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta IV medium+ rocket with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne RS-68 and RL10 engines providing the booster and upper stage propulsion, respectively. This was the 11th launch of a Delta IV vehicle powered by Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne engines. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United Technologies Corp. company.
"Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is proud to have been able to provide reliable propulsion for this critical mission," said Craig Stoker, RS-68 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. "By successfully boosting WGS-3, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne played a significant role in increasing the communications capabilities for military forces deployed worldwide."
The WGS satellites are part of a larger system that increases military communications capabilities for U.S. and allied forces deployed worldwide. They help support the exchange of information, execution of tactical command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
"Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne's engines performed as expected in providing the power to place these critical communications systems into space and enable operational use," said Christine Cooley, RL10 program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc., a part of Pratt & Whitney, is a preferred provider of high-value propulsion, power, energy and innovative system solutions used in a wide variety of government and commercial applications, including the main engines for the space shuttle, Atlas and Delta launch vehicles, missile defense systems and advanced hypersonic engines.
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Phenom 300 Wins Brazil Certification

2009-12-07T10:34:00.000-05:00

The Embraer Phenom 300 light jet received type and production certificates from Brazil's ANAC National Civil Aviation Authority on Dec. 3.
The aircraft, powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535-Es, can accommodate up to 10 occupants and has a design life of 35,000 flight hours. It has a top speed of 453 kt. TAS (true airspeed), a maximum range of 1,971 nautical miles (with six occupants and NBAA IFR reserves), and a 45,000-foot operational ceiling.
The Phenom 300's takeoff field length at maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 3,138 feet -- an improvement when compared to the original 3,700 feet. Its landing distance at maximum landing weight is now 2,621 feet --329 feet shorter than the targeted 2,950 feet.
The Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil-based aircraft manufacturer expects the FAA type certificate to be issued in the coming weeks. Embraer's customer support and services structure is prepared for the Phenom 300's entry into service. According to Embraer, the list price of the FAA-certified Phenom 300 will be $8.14 million, under 2010 economic conditions.
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United Airlines orders Boeing 787, Airbus planes

2009-12-07T10:33:00.000-05:00

United Airlines on Tuesday said it would buy its first new jets since 1998, splitting an order for 50 planes between Airbus and Boeing Co.
United said it ordered 25 of Boeing's long-awaited 787 widebody jetliners and 25 of the Airbus A350. Delivery is expected between 2016 and 2019, around the same time the airline will retire Boeing 747 and 767 aircraft.
At list prices the planes would be worth roughly $10 billion, with about $4 billion for Boeing's 787-8 and about $6 billion for the Airbus plane. United President John Tague said they got a discount, which is common for jet orders.
"We felt that we had a significant opportunity by timing the order with the backdrop of the current economic environment," he said.
United has not yet worked out financing for the planes, although Tague said the manufacturers had agreed to provide loans if needed.
John Leahy, Airbus chief operating officer, said the deal is valued at about $6 billion at list prices. He said the deal is a letter-of-intent, which Airbus expects to convert to a firm order in a month or two. Once the order is official it will bring Airbus' total orders for the A350 to 530, Leahy said.
"We're not surprised by the decision to split the order" Leahy said. He said it was noteworthy because it was the first time United has ever ordered non-Boeing wide-body jets.
United, the third-biggest airline in the U.S., said this summer it was seeking dueling proposals from Boeing and Airbus to replace the biggest jets that make up nearly half of its fleet.
The orders come with future rights for 50 of each aircraft, United said.
The airline said the new jets will reduce fuel burn and environmental impact, while expanding service to more international locations.
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Surprise Order Lifts Airbus Above 200 Sales

2009-12-03T10:40:00.000-05:00

Airbus sold 52 A320 single-aisle jets worth USD$4 billion in an unexpected bounce in plane demand in November, but the name of the airline betting on a recovery in depressed travel demand was kept under wraps.
The deal was part of a total of 74 new sales that included a portion of business reported at the Dubai air show, when Airbus signed a handful of contracts despite a dearth of orders from major Gulf airlines that have spurred much of its growth.
Airbus sold 15 planes at the November 15-19 show, held days before Dubai was absorbed by a financial crisis.
Airbus said on Thursday it had sold a total of 225 aircraft in the first 11 months of the year, falling to a net tally of 194 orders after deducting 31 cancellations.
The European planemaker is ahead of Boeing which had net sales of 91 aircraft up to November 24.
But sales of both Airbus and Boeing planes are down sharply this year due to the weak economy and a slump in air travel that has left most airlines' balance sheets severely stretched.
Airbus has a target of up to 300 gross orders in 2009, which most analysts say is beyond reach. But the tally so far this year leaves it closer to the goal than some had predicted.
Airbus also delivered 437 aircraft between January 1 and the end of November, compared with a full-year target of 490 planes.
Deliveries of the A380 superjumbo remain below schedule, however, with no deliveries reported during November and 2009 deliveries still running six short of the full-year goal of 13.
Airbus faces both continued production snags and a difficult climate for customer financing and has said it expects to push "one or two" of the 13 A380 deliveries scheduled for 2009 into the beginning of next year.
Emirates said earlier it would take delivery of two A380s in December.
Airbus earlier this week expressed confidence in the finances and growth plans of Dubai-based Emirates, by far the biggest customer for the world's largest airliner.
In latest available figures, Boeing took orders for 202 new aircraft but airlines cancelled orders for 111 between January 1 and November 24, leaving 91 net sales.
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Bombardier Profit Drops With Weak Aerospace Market

2009-12-03T10:39:00.002-05:00

Bombardier said quarterly profit fell 26 percent, in line with expectations, as weak demand in the aerospace sector offset strength in the company's rail segment.
The world's No. 3 civil aircraft maker and No. 1 train maker earned USD$168 million in its third quarter, ended October 31. That was down from USD$226 million a year earlier.
Revenue at Montreal-based Bombardier, founded as a snowmobile manufacturer in 1942, was flat at USD4.6 billion.
"We think that this was a solid quarter for Bombardier in a tough environment," Rama Bondada, an analyst at Macquarie Equities Research, said in a note to clients.
"As we had expected, aero headwinds were offset by gains in transportation, and we think this scenario will likely continue into the near term."
The company delivered 61 aircraft in the quarter, compared to 80 in the same period last year. Revenue at Bombardier Aerospace was down 9 percent at USD$2.06 billion.
Bombardier said the business aircraft market was still experiencing difficulties due to a lack of customer financing, but there were signs of stabilisation. Net orders for business aircraft, the company's most profitable segment, returned to a positive position for the first time in a year.
Bombardier also said AMR Eagle Holding, parent company of American Eagle Airlines, signed a firm order agreement for 22 CRJ700 regional jets. The deal, which is not included in the third-quarter results, is worth USD$779 million.
Last week Bombardier said it was cutting 715 jobs due to a lack of new orders for CRJ jets. The layoffs came on top of 4,360 job cuts earlier in the year as the company cut production.
Bombardier said on Thursday that based on projected sales, the production cuts were still necessary, even with the new CRJ orders.
Bombardier had USD$3 billion in cash at the end of the quarter, compared to USD$3.5 billion at January 31. Its overall backlog was USD$47.4 billion, compared to USD$48.2 billion at January 31.
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Northrop Wins Air Force, National Guard Contracts

2009-12-03T10:39:00.001-05:00

Northrop Grumman Corp. said Friday it won a $303 million contract to build five unmanned aircraft systems for the U.S. Air Force. The Los Angeles defense contractor also was awarded a $50 million U.S. National Guard training contract.
Northrop will build five Global Hawk unmanned aircraft systems for the 303d Aeronautical Systems Group at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. The company also will build a ground station at the base for the planes.
The Global Hawk can send near real-time reconnaissance data and fly at altitudes of more than 60,000 feet for more than 32 hours, the company said.
In the five-year training contract, Northrop will support planning and execution for education, training, exercises and assessments for the National Guard Bureau headquarters.
Shares were up 2 cents, or less than 1 percent, to $54.52 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
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Northrop links to academics to boost cyber defense

2009-12-03T10:39:00.000-05:00

Northrop Grumman Corp unveiled Tuesday an industry-academic research group to tackle growing cyber threats to U.S. computer networks and to networked infrastructure.
Joining the Pentagon's No. 3 supplier by sales are cyber research arms of Carnegie Mellon, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Purdue University.
The initiative is the latest by a major U.S. defense contractor aimed at hatching solutions to cyber threats at a time that big-ticket weapons programs are being squeezed by cost-cutting imperatives.
Northrop plans to invest an unspecified "number of millions of dollars per year" to fund graduate fellowships and other research for at least five years and probably much longer, said Robert Brammer, chief technology officer for Northrop Grumman's Information Systems business unit.
"We need significant new technology developments," implemented widely, to counter growing cyber threats to the economy and to U.S. national security, he told a news conference. The theme was echoed by representatives of Carnegie Mellon's CyLab, MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab and Purdue's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security.
Northrop will deal on a case-by-case basis with each research institute on splitting jointly developed intellectual property, said Brammer.
The group, called the Northrop Grumman Cybersecurity Research Consortium, initially will sponsor 10 projects with an eye to such things as attribution in cyberspace, supply chain risk and securing critical infrastructure networks, the company said.
The group's members will coordinate research projects, swap information and author joint case studies, among other efforts to speed hardware and software solutions into practice, participants said.
The consortium will serve "to help increase our nation's security in cyberspace," Brammer added in a statement. He said in a brief interview he expects some research results as soon as next year.
Northrop's cyber work was in the news recently for a report prepared by the company that implicated the Chinese authorities in extensive cyber activities against the United States.
The report, commissioned by the congressionally chartered U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, said Beijing appeared to be conducting "a long-term, sophisticated, computer network exploitation campaign" against the U.S. government and U.S. defense industries.
Brammer told the news conference that identifying a cyber aggressor was "very difficult" with current technology.
Lockheed Martin Corp, the Pentagon's No. 1 supplier by sales, last month announced the formation of a cyber security technology alliance of its own with leading technology providers, including Microsoft Corp, Cisco Systems Inc and Dell Inc.
Boeing Co, the second-biggest Pentagon contractor, also has put together a cyber-security research alliance, headquartered in Washington state, with university and commercial partners, said Barbara Fast, the company's vice president of cyber and information solutions.
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Pratt & Whitney and Malaysia Airlines to Form Aftermarket Joint Venture

2009-12-02T10:38:00.000-05:00

Pratt & Whitney and Malaysia Airlines have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form an engine nacelle repair facility in Kuala Lumpur via a joint venture. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company.
Ownership for the joint venture will be split 50/50 between Pratt & Whitney and Malaysia Airlines. The venture is expected to service nacelles for Malaysia Airlines' fleet in addition to conducting third-party work in the Asia-Pacific region and Middle East.
"This venture is an opportunity to strengthen our position in the Asia-Pacific region, where the aviation market is expected to see significant growth in the coming decades," said Tom Hutton, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Global Repair Services. "Our service experience and technical excellence along with the reputation and fleet size of Malaysia Airlines provide this venture with the right ingredients to succeed."
The new unit will become a part of Pratt & Whitney's Global Service Partners (GSP) network and offer service and repair of engine nacelle components. The venture will complement GSP's existing nacelle repair operations located in Michigan and have capabilities to service nacelles for Pratt & Whitney, partner and competitor engines.
Pratt & Whitney GSP is a total service provider for Pratt & Whitney, CFM56® and V2500 engines. In addition to engine overhaul and repair services, GSP provides customers improved engine performance and increased asset value through a broad portfolio of services including line maintenance services, engine monitoring and diagnostic services, EcoPower® engine washes, leased engines, custom engine service programs, and new and repaired parts.
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.
This release includes "forward looking statements" concerning future business opportunities and other matters involving this proposed joint venture that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in forward looking statements include changes in the health of the global economy and the strength of end-market demand in the aerospace industry; as well as company-specific items including the ability to achieve cost reductions at planned levels; challenges in the implementation and integration of the proposed joint venture; and delays and disruption in delivery of materials and services from suppliers. For information identifying other important economic, political, regulatory, legal, technological, competitive and other uncertainties, see UTC's SEC filings as submitted from time to time, including but not limited to, the information included in UTC's 10-K and 10-Q Reports under the headings "Business," "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors that May Affect Future Results," as well as the information included in UTC's Current Reports on Form 8-K.
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Sikorsky Aircraft Delivers UH-60M BLACK HAWK Helicopter to Bahrain Defense Forces

2009-12-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. today celebrated the formal delivery of a UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter to the Defense Forces of Bahrain. It is the first of nine aircraft that will ultimately be delivered. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
The delivery also marks the beginning of the first squadron of UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters that will be operated by an international military organization. The Royal Bahrain Air Force will fly the aircraft for military operations that include protection of sovereign borders as well as protection and defense of U.S. and coalition strategic facilities.
"The Bahrain Air Force is getting a powerful tool in the UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter," said Doug Shidler, Sikorsky Vice President, U.S. Government Programs. "The sophistication and capabilities of this aircraft will greatly enhance the Bahrain military's ability, and will serve their country well for years to come."
Bahrain officials signed the U.S. Army Letter of Offer and Acceptance on May 7, 2007, to purchase nine UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopters through a Foreign Military Sale (FMS), the first such sale for the UH-60M aircraft.
The aircraft are being completed at Sikorsky's Military Derivatives Completion Center in Horseheads, N.Y. Deliveries are scheduled to continue into 2010.
The UH-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter is a twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter designed to a U.S. Army requirement to carry an 11-man squad and four-man crew under combat conditions. Sikorsky Aircraft has been manufacturing the BLACK HAWK helicopter for the U.S. Army since 1978. The UH-60M helicopter is the latest and the most advanced model to be fielded to the U.S. Army.
The UH-60M helicopter provides additional payload and range, improved handling qualities, lower operating costs, and greater survivability than earlier generation BLACK HAWK helicopters. These improvements are achieved with improved engines, revolutionary rotor blade design, improved durability transmission system, advanced digital avionics and an integrated "glass" cockpit.
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New Consortium To Focus On Cyber Research

2009-12-01T10:37:00.001-05:00

Northrop Grumman announced Tuesday the launch of a research consortium with three universities aimed at providing new tools and methods for countering cyber threats. The defense and intelligence community contractor will be working on research projects with Purdue University's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and Carnegie Mellon University's Cybersecurity Education and Research Center.
Northrop Grumman's Robert Brammer said his firm is spending "millions of dollars" on the five-year project with the three universities but would not give a specific figure on the company's investment. He said the consortium will combine "outstanding people and the flexibility and visionary style of leading research universities." The initiative, which will likely go beyond the initial five years, will involve 10 projects at the three universities along with complimentary research at Northrop Grumman, Brammer said. Purdue University's Eugene Spafford noted that the projects are aimed at looking ahead to future threats and problems instead of being reactive, which is what usually occurs today, he added.
The specific projects being tackled by the consortium play to each university's strengths. For example, MIT will have three projects including one that aims to make computers better able to identify right and wrong commands so they can identify when they are being asked to perform a malicious function. The three projects at Carnegie Mellon will focus on protection of critical infrastructure. And the four projects being tackled at Purdue will include work on building computer systems that make it easier to identify when a cyber attack has occurred. Brammer said he believes the research will provide his firm with a competitive advantage, but added that any intellectual property that each institution develops on its own will remain theirs while intellectual property developed collaboratively will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
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Northrop union voting on contract extension

2009-12-01T10:37:00.000-05:00

Members of unions at the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Ingalls yard are voting on an offer the company made to extend the work contract.
Union leadership, representing 7,200 members at the yard, endorsed the move, saying it benefits both the workers and the company.
If the members ratify the extension Tuesday, the contract will not end until March 2012 and will include two raises of 55 cents each for journeymen, less for other workers, and a $1,000 bonus in mid-December that would take the place of a cost-of-living raise set for early next year.
Also, the cost of health-care coverage would not increase for workers during the two years.
The Sun Herald reports workers at the company’s Gulfport site and the Avondale and Tallulah yards in Louisiana also will vote Tuesday.
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Boeing

2009-11-30T10:36:00.000-05:00

Boeing Co. was awarded a $386 million order to complete production of 44 EA-18G Growler airborne electronic attack airplanes for the Navy, the Department of Defense said on its website Monday. The order allows Boeing to proceed to so-called full-rate production of the airplanes spread across two production lots, the Pentagon said. Boeing will make about 20 aircraft a year following the Pentagon's approval of full production. The planes are used to jam enemy defenses.
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Rolls-Royce gets big order from Air China

2009-11-15T12:59:00.001-05:00

Rolls-Royce Group Plc said Saturday that it has won a big order from Air China, one of the largest Chinese airlines.
Rolls (UK:RR. 469.90, +2.70, +0.58%) said the order was for Trent 700 engines to power 20 Air China Airbus A330 aircraft. The contract is worth $1.5 billion, based on list prices, and includes long-term service support, it added in a statement on its Website.
The aircraft, to be delivered beginning in 2011, will take Air China's Rolls-Royce powered A330 fleet to 43, Rolls noted.
In China, 178 A330s, made by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space (FR:EAD 13.16, -0.14, -1.02%) , are in service or on order. Rolls said its Trent 700 engine has been selected fourteen times by nine customers to power those aircraft.
As part of the latest contract, Trent 700 engines for Air China's existing fleet of A330s will be retrofitted with enhanced performance kits, Rolls said.
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Boeing official confident about Dreamliner

2009-11-15T12:57:00.000-05:00

The head of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner program said he's confident the U.S. aerospace company's newest passenger jet will have its first official flight this year.
The Seattle Times reported Thursday that 787 program head Scott Fancher is confident the completion of reinforcements to the first Dreamliner's wing-body joint will pave the way for a 2009 flight.
Fancher said, "the first flight of the 787 Dreamliner will occur before the end of the year."
Any potential 2009 test flights of the Dreamliner model likely would not take place until mid-December as a series of tests on the aircraft has been scheduled.
Boeing initially postponed the first flight of the Dreamliner in June after tests revealed delamination of the advanced airplane's composite carbon-fiber skin at the wing-body joint.
Fancher explained in a statement once tests confirm the reinforcements are working properly, steps will be taken to work toward an official test flight, the newspaper said.
"As soon as we confirm the loads are being handled appropriately in the joint we will complete pre-flight activities on the airplane," he said.
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First Boeing 747-8 Freighter Leaves Factory

2009-11-13T12:58:00.000-05:00

Boeing, on Thursday afternoon, towed the first 747-8 Freighter out of the factory in Everett, Wash. The airplane, ultimately destined for Cargolux, will be painted and begin preparations for flight test.
"It is very rewarding to see this airplane transition to the flight test phase," said Mo Yahyavi, 747 program vice president and general manager. "Our employees, suppliers and customers have put a lot of work into making the 747-8 Freighter a reality."
The 747-8 Freighter is the new high-capacity 747 that will give cargo operators the lowest operating costs and best economics of any freighter airplane while providing enhanced environmental performance. It is 250 feet, 2 inches (76.3 m) long, which is 18 feet and 4 inches (5.6 m) longer than the 747-400 Freighter. The stretch provides customers with 16 percent more revenue cargo volume compared to its predecessor. That translates to four additional main-deck pallets and three additional lower-hold pallets.
Boeing has secured 105 orders for the 747-8, 78 of which are orders for the new freighter. Cargolux, Nippon Cargo Airlines, AirBridgeCargo Airlines, Atlas Air, Cathay Pacific, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, Emirates SkyCargo, Guggenheim and Korean Air all have placed orders for the 747-8 Freighter.
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Panasonic Receives New Order from All Nippon Airways for eX2 In-Flight Entertainment System

2009-11-09T11:54:00.001-05:00

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced that it has received a new order for Panasonic’s eX2 IFE system from All Nippon Airways (ANA) for its Boeing 767-300ER aircraft and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
The eX2 system delivers an enhanced IFE experience through Audio and Video On Demand (AVOD) and other entertainment options on high-resolution seatback monitors. Passengers can also view their own iPod and other personal media content on the in-seat display using the iPod, USB and audio jacks. In addition, the eX2 system offers advanced interactive entertainment choices, including shopping, and games, movies and television programming.
“The eX2 system offers many innovative entertainment features that are valued and demanded by our passengers,” said Vice President Products & Service Innovations of All Nippon Airways. “We will continue to look to Panasonic Avionics to provide our passengers with new options in the area of in-flight entertainment and communications.”
“We have had a long and successful partnership with All Nippon Airways and are pleased to earn their repeat business,” said Yasu Enokido, Chief Operating Officer and President of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “It is exciting to be an integral part of their expansion plans and we look forward to providing their passengers with an amazing long-haul experience for years to come.”
Ranked among the top 10 airlines in the world, carrying almost 50 million passengers every year to 52 destinations in Japan and 26 cities throughout Asia, Europe and the United States, ANA is recognized for outstanding passenger service both on the ground and in the air. In the Japanese tradition of mixing hospitality with high technology, personalized, a la carte service complements state-of-the-art entertainment systems and the latest in cabin design. ANA has been in the airline business for over 50 years, and combined with ANA Group companies its activities extend across a host of complete travel and aviation-related services.
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CAE Wins 4 Contracts For Full-Flight Simulators

2009-11-09T11:54:00.000-05:00

Flight simulator company CAE INC. has signed contracts valued at C$55 million (U.S. $52 million) to design and manufacture four full-flight simulators and related training devices, and to provide simulator updates and relocations.
The contracts are with Malaysia Airlines, Kenya Airways, Korean Air, and Mount Cook Airlines and bring to 10 the total simulator sales this fiscal year, CAE said Monday.
"The civil aerospace market continues to be challenging; however, CAE's diversified portfolio allows us to offer airlines a range of aviation training solutions tailored to our airline customers' requirements," said Jeff Roberts, CAE's group president of civil simulation products, training and services.
CAE is a world leader in providing simulation and modeling technologies and integrated training services to the civil aviation industry and defense forces around the world.
The company has annual revenues of more than C$1.6 billion and a workforce of more than 6,500 people in 20 countries.
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Northrop unloads TASC to private equity in $1.65 billion deal

2009-11-09T11:53:00.000-05:00

Northrop Grumman Corp. is selling its consulting unit TASC Inc. to private equity firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and General Atlantic in a $1.65 billion deal.
TASC, which has about 5,000 employees serving a range of intelligence, defense, and civil agencies. provides engineering and technical consulting to the defense and intelligence industiries, as well as federal, state and local governments. According to a release, the unit brings in about $1.6 billion in revenue.
According to a release, neither General Atlantic nor KKR currently own companies that provide those services or providing technology services or platforms to the U.S. government, ensuring full compliance with government regulations.
"As a fully independent entity, TASC will expand its ability to solve the U.S. Government's most pressing technical challenges. Our singular focus, as always, will remain supporting the vital missions of our customers," Wood Parker, TASC's general manager and prospective president and chief executive, said in a statement.
After the close of the deal, which is expected in the fourth quarter, Northrop will use the proceeds to increase its stock buyback program by $1.1 billion.
Los Angeles-based Northrop acquired TASC through its 2001 purchase of Litton Industries.
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Costs, delays scupper Airbus A400M sale to S.Africa

2009-11-05T10:29:00.003-05:00

South Africa cancelled a $5.2 billion contract to buy eight Airbus A400M military transport planes, rattling aerospace group EADS which is already fighting to save the troubled project from cost overruns and delays.
South African cabinet spokesman Themba Maseko called the deal an "unaffordable burden on the taxpayer" at a time when Africa's biggest economy is struggling to emerge from its first recession in 17 years and government borrowing has risen sharply.
The minister in charge of South Africa's forces, which have taken a leading role in peace-keeping operations in Africa, said the country still needed to update its transport fleet, raising the prospect Airbus's loss could benefit U.S. rivals.
"We have terminated the contract with Airbus but we've not terminated our quest to ensure we have the necessary capabilities. That is very clear," Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said.
"We have as one of our priorities the acquisition of strategic military air transport capability."
Lockheed Martin, producer of the veteran C-130 airlifter, has predicted extra sales due to three- to four-year delays in the A400M, blamed on engine software problems.
The cancellation comes at a time when EADS is in the final stages of negotiating a rescue package for the 20 billion euro A400M contract it signed wkth a core group of European buyers, some of whom have also threatened to trim or cancel orders.
"Airbus Military is surprised by the South African government's announcement ... and regrets this declaration at a time when the programme is on track for a first flight by end-year," an EADS spokesman said.
Airbus will study the finacial impact, he added.
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Astronics Corp Q3 results beat estimates

2009-11-05T10:29:00.001-05:00

Astronics Corp posted better-than-expected quarterly results, helped by sequential decrease in estimated costs to complete several test systems long-term contracts and the company's cost reduction efforts.
The company, which provides lighting and electrical distribution systems to the aerospace industry, also cut the top-end of its full-year revenue outlook by $5 million to $190 million to $195 million.
"Although we were encouraged by the improved bookings during this quarter, as we look toward 2010, we currently do not expect any improvement in sales compared with this year and could potentially see a slight decline," Chief Executive Peter Gundermann said in a statement.
For the third quarter, net income was $2.5 million or 23 cents a share, compared with $2.4 million or 22 cents a share a year ago.
Sales rose 20 percent to $48.6 million. Sales to the military market increased 22 percent to $9.2 million.
Analysts on average were expecting earnings of 15 cents a share, before special items, on revenue of $48.2 million according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
About $34.0 million of the aerospace backlog is expected to ship in the fourth quarter of 2009, the company said.
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Airbus freighter makes first test flight

2009-11-05T10:28:00.000-05:00

Airbus will deliver the first of its new freight cargo aircraft in the summer of 2010, the company said Thursday after the plane took off on its maiden test flight.
Airbus says the aircraft, the A330-200F, meets a growing demand for freight haulers with smaller holds than the jumbo models currently based on rival Boeing Co.'s 747, and will be more economical to operate than the aging DC-10 freighters now serving the mid-size market.
"We see the first signs of recovery in the cargo market," Airbus' freighter marketing manager Jonathan Lesieur told reporters in a conference call.
Airbus forecasts total demand for about 1,600 freighters in the 30- to 80-ton capacity segment over the next two decades, Lesieur said.
The first A330-200F will be delivered to Etihad Crystal Cargo, an airline based in the United Arab Emirates, which has ordered three of the aircraft.
The A330-200F is a modified version of Airbus' A330-200 passenger jet, and it has a list price of around $180 million, Lesieur said. Since the program was announced in January, 2007, Airbus has received 67 firm orders from nine airlines for its freighter.
Last week Turkish Airlines announced its commitment to buy two A330-200Fs, though it has not yet placed a firm offer.
A version of the aircraft is also Airbus' contender for the U.S. Air Force's $35 billion contract to build new air refuelers and replace the Air Force's aging fleet of 179 tankers.
Lesieur said that Airbus could locate manufacturing of the A330-200 in Alabama if it wins the contract. Airbus is competing with Chicago-based Boeing for the order.
Airbus and its partner Northrop Grumman Corp. are offering a tanker based on the Airbus A330. Boeing may offer tankers based on its 767 or 777 jets or both.
Airbus is a a unit of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co.
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