Aircraft News - Europe

AirGuide Business, March 10, 2008

Mar 10, 2008

A bill going through U.K. parliament and expected to become law within three months commits the government to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, the main climate change culprit, by at least 60 percent from 1990 by 2050 and by 26-32 percent by 2020. UK Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has promised to look at raising the end target to 80 percent. Mar 3, 2008

Airbus

Airbus is preparing to establish an A330-200F freighter final assembly line in Mobile, Ala. The company will "co-locate" the freighter assembly line and an aerial refueling tanker assembly line. The Air Force last week awarded Airbus parent EADS and Northrop Grumman a contract to build KC-30 aerial refueling tankers based on the A330. Mar 6, 2008

B/E Aerospace

B/E Aerospace said it won a $200 million contract with an unnamed international airline to retrofit existing widebodies and outfit new aircraft with its Super First Class private suites. Features include personal beds, interactive IFE and dining amenities. Mar 7, 2008

CTC Aviation

CTC Aviation and flyLAL Training signed an agreement to cooperate in the training and supply of flight deck and cabin crew. Contract calls for delivery of training courses and other activities to support airlines in Europe and Russia. Mar 6, 2008

CTT Systems, Boeing

CTT Systems and Satair A/S of Denmark signed a worldwide distributor agreement covering initial provisioning and aftermarket support of CTT Systems consumables for the Boeing 787. Satair also placed a large order covering initial provisioning of CTT Systems parts to the first 787 customers. Mar 4, 2008

Lockheed Martin

The UK has made a significant change to its weapons fit plans for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The original UK intention was to clear four MBDA Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAMs) for internal carriage but this has been revised to include two internal and two external weapons instead. The configuration change was agreed with the JSF Program Office in the United States late last year and was shown in public for the first time during the Singapore Airshow in February. The external ASRAAM fit will be common across all three JSF variants and could therefore attract interest from other international customers, who will otherwise be tied to Raytheon's AIM-9X Sidewinder. The new ASRAAM plan is a 'work swap' that does away with the requirement to clear the ASRAAM on the F-35's two internal air-to-ground weapon stations. The integration team now has the more straightforward task of providing underwing carriage on stations 1 and 11. The ASRAAM is a rail-launched missile and internal weapons must be carried on a trapeze that swings down clear of the F-35's weapon bay before they can be launched. Mar 4, 2008

Lufthansa

Lufthansa said on Monday its pilots had averted a crash at Hamburg Airport after a strong gust of wind caused a plane, with 130 passengers on board, to veer dangerously on landing. Amateur video footage, played repeatedly on German television, showed the Airbus A320 buffeted by crosswinds and driving rain as it landed on Saturday at Fuhlsbuettel airport near the northern German port city. The jet approached the asphalt runway at an odd angle, then swerved sharply before touching down, with one of its wings scraping the ground. The pilots averted disaster by quickly taking off again, going into a so-called go-around maneuver. No passengers or crew were injured and the plane, which had taken off from Munich, circled for about 10 minutes before landing safely on another runway. Gale force winds caused chaos in Germany and other central European countries over the weekend, killing several people and causing power cuts as well as major travel disruption. Flights across Germany were cancelled, diverted or delayed. Mar 3, 2008

SAS Scandinavian Airlines

SAS announced March 4 the launch of an aggressive environmental strategy aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20% from 2007 levels by 2020. The airline group said it will reach the target, which assumes passenger growth of 4% annually, by implementing energy enhancements and mixing jet fuel with renewable sources. Mar 5, 2008

STG Aerospace

STG Aerospace said it received EASA approval for its photoluminescent exit signage for MD-80 aircraft. Mar 7, 2008

STG Aerospace

STG Aerospace reached an MRO deal with Inflite Engineering Services to provide its WEPPS emergency power system to BAe 146/Avro RJ operators. System offers wireless status monitoring and nonrechargeable battery modules. Mar 5, 2008

Virgin Atlantic, Rolls-Royce, Boeing

Rolls-Royce won a $2.6 billion deal from Virgin Atlantic Airways for Trent 1000s to power up to 43 787s and announced an environmental partnership with the carrier to cut carbon emissions and identify opportunities to reduce aircraft fuel burn through enhanced engine performance. "Rolls-Royce engines will help us cut emissions per flight by nearly 30% and become the most sustainable airline in the world," Virgin President Richard Branson said. "Our new environmental partnership will also bring major benefits to the aviation industry, enabling us to work together on researching and developing the most efficient engines in the sky, and continuously improving the fuel burn of our fleet of aircraft." Along with an accompanying TotalCare services agreement, the contract includes 15 firm aircraft plus eight options and 20 purchase rights. Delivery is scheduled to begin in 2011. Mar 4, 2008