APPLE IPAD TO REPLACE airline LOGS

Alaska Airlines receives approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to use the iPad as a replacement for in-cockpit flight manuals.

Alaska Airlines is officially the first domestic air carrier to replace flight manuals with Apple‘s ever-popular i Pad tablet, a press release reveals. It’s not the wholesale changeover that the aviation industry has been inching toward, as the release also states that the airline is at this point still “exploring” the possibility of replacing paper charts with a tablet app. It’s a big first step regardless, though not an unexpected one.

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AIR CRASH @ FARIDABAD: IS india losing its air safety?

An charter aircraft in mission on ambulance crashed at faridabad,near india capital delhi on thursday night, the plane which took off at patna in a mission to delhi carrying patient for medical treatment had a fatal crash killing all 10 including pilots on-board!

 

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EUROFIGHTER--TYPHOON likely to bag the whooping IAF CONTRACT for MMRCA

 yeah the deal which grabbed the attention of the world is about to be dragged by Euofighter Typhoon.
India had short-listed French Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets for the project to acquire 126 fighters, while rejecting American Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin F-16, Sweden's Gripen and Russian MiG-35 fighters.

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THE COMPLETE ECONOMY CLASS!!

The planes that can hold as many as 1000 passengers may soon be a reality. According to a report by Australian Business Traveller, Airbus is set to release an expanded version of the world’s largest passenger jet, the A380.

While most airlines are currently using versions of the jet that can carry between 400 and 540 passengers, the capacity of the next-generation A380 planes will reportedly be much higher.In fact, the current planes will seem spacious when compared to future jets.

Air Austral has ordered a pair of A380s packed with 840 economy seats that are set to take to the skies in 2014.

Meanwhile the A380-900 currently being developed by Airbus will carry up to 900 passengers in an economy-only configuration, and 650 people in a standard multi-class layout.

However Lufthansa and Air France are reportedly keen to squeeze even more passengers on board. The airlines are eyeing a larger version called the A380-1000 that is capable of carrying as many as 1000 travellers.

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson has previously told of his preference for the 900-seat version of the A380, saying he’ll wait for the stretched version to be developed.“Ideally, we'd like Airbus to stretch them because for the A380 to be really competitive it needs to be even bigger than it currently is,'' Branson said.



This is certainly gonna make history. a 1000 passenger plane!!!!

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CSIRO recommends BIO FUEL for greener aviation!!

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has released a report which shows that, with oil around $US100 a barrel, lower emission jet fuels are economic for the Australian aviation industry.

It predicts that 40 per cent of an airline's fuel could be the lower emission biofuel by 2050.The CSIRO says the global airline industry emits 2 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions a year.

"Even though that sounds small the aviation industry acknowledges that it does need to look at reducing its emissions," said Paul Graham, the CSIRO's manager of carbon futures.
The industry will need to work harder to do that as more and more people take to the skies.

A key part of the solution could be the replacement of regular jet fuels

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Passengers options on travel- the EU ash cloud!

If flight has been cancelled,

If you are flying from your local airport, you can rebook free of charge for a later flight – or cancel, and apply for a refund, which, with luck, will turn up in a couple of weeks. Of course if you've booked (as many people do these days) an outbound on one airline and an inbound with another carrier,

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ICAO expresses one-third of crashes happens on ground!

Nearly one-third of airplane accidents worldwide occur on the ground due to poor runway designs or air traffic control miscues, the International Civil Aviation Organization said Tuesday.Some 450 delegates form 75 states and international organizations are attending the Montreal conference.

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FAA proposes 757 roll to fix!

The US FAA is proposing that operators of 686 US-registered Boeing 757perform corrective actions on the twin-jets within five years to prevent possible unintended roll axis motions just before landing in windy conditions.

"We have received numerous reports of Boeing 757 events where flight crews experienced unintended lateral oscillations during final approach, just before landing," says the FAA in a notice of proposed rulemaking to be published on 24 May. "One event resulted in a nose gear collapse after a hard landing and another event resulted in a tail strike during a landing that was aborted because of the oscillations."

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SINGAPORE AIRLINES to increse its BUISNESS CLASS on A380s

Singapore Airlines (SIA), the world's first carrier to fly the Airbus A-380, will reduce the number of seats on eight new superjumbos by 13 per cent to accommodate a bigger business class section.

The on-order planes will have 409 seats each, including 12 in first class, 86 in business and 311 in economy, SIA said in response to e-mailed questions yesterday. The carrier's 11 existing A-380s each have 471 seats, comprising 12 in first class, 60 in business and 399 in coach.

The new aircraft, all due for delivery by the end of March, may let SIA benefit from rising demand for premium-class travel and help it fend off competition from Korean Air Lines and Emirates.

Korean Air is set to receive its first A-380 this week as it works to get 50 per cent of passenger sales from premium classes by 2019. The carrier's A-380s will have 407 seats, including 12 in first class and 94 in business.

Emirates, the largest A-380 customer, is building up a fleet of 90 superjumbos and fitting its planes with 489 to 600 seats, according to its website.

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The GRAIL mission

The Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission will fly nearly-identical spacecraft in tandem orbits around the moon for several months to measure its gravity field in unprecedented detail. The mission will also answer longstanding questions about Earth's moon, and provide scientists a better understanding of how Earth and other rocky planets in the solar system formed.

The lunar orbiters will fly 30 miles (50 kilometers)

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AIR FRANCE FLIGHT 447 priliminary INVESTIGATION leaks!

The fate of Air France Flight 447 was sealed in just four minutes. That short time span began with the first warning message on one of the Airbus A330 aircraft's monitors and ended with the plane crashing into the Atlantic between Brazil and Africa, killing all 228 people on board.

 Since last week, investigators from France's BEA civil aviation safety bureau have been analyzing the flight data and voice recordings extracted from the cockpit of the Air France flight that crashed on June 1, 2009 while traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. What they have learned from the recordings seems to suggest both technical and human failure.

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AIRBUS received patent for COMPOSITE STRUCTURES.

United States Patent no. 7,942,368, issued on May 17, was assigned to Airbus Operations Ltd. (Bristol, Great Britain).

"Composite Aircraft Component" was invented by James Lloyd (Bristol, Great Britain).

According to the abstract released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "This invention relates to improving the tolerance of composite laminate structures to damage and/or delamination, resulting in weakening of the structure and/or to reducing the possibility of such damage and/or delamination. In particular, but not exclusively the invention relates to protecting the end surfaces of composite laminate structures present on aircraft from impact damage. The invention provides an aircraft component comprising a composite laminate structure, the composite laminate structure including an end surface at which a multiplicity of the layers of the laminate structure terminate, wherein the aircraft component further comprises a deformable strip mounted to protect the end surface of the composite laminate structure from direct impacts."

The patent was filed on June 13, 2007, under Application No. 11/762,362.

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RR & PW patent infringement case

Rolls-Royce Group, the world’s second-largest maker of jet engines, lost the patent- infringement case it brought against United Technologies Corp. (UTX)’s Pratt & Whitney over fan technology.

Pratt’s GP7200 Fan Stage doesn’t violate a patent issued in 2000 for a Rolls-Royce Trent engine used on the Airbus SAS A380 airplane, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, said in a decision issued May 20.

Rolls-Royce had been seeking as much as $3.7 billion in damages before Brinkema on May 4 told the London-based company it was likely overstating the effect of competition on sales. Brinkema rejected the infringement claims last week after determining the two competing technologies weren’t the same because the Rolls-Royce patent covers a fan stage with three sweep regions, while Pratt fans have four, according to the opinion.

“Rolls-Royce takes protection of its technology and intellectual property very seriously,” the company said in a statement, adding that the company “will carefully consider our options.”

Rolls-Royce competes against a venture of East Hartford, Connecticut-based Pratt and General Electric Co. (GE) to provide engines for the A380. GE is the largest maker of jet engines.

“The court’s ruling confirms what we have always maintained, that our products do not infringe the Rolls patent,” Pratt said in an e-mailed statement. Pratt in November filed its own patent-infringement case against Rolls-Royce with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington. A trial is scheduled for October before the agency, which has the power to block imports of products found to violate U.S. patents.

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JET AIRWAYS to lease aircrafts to THAI AIRWAYS

Jet Airways has executed an agreement with Thai Airways International Public for the sub (dry) lease of two of its B 777-300ER aircraft. The lease is set to commence from October 2011 and November 2011 respectively and will continue for a period of 24 months.

Both these aircrafts are currently given on lease to Turkish Airlines and are expected to be returned later this year on the expiry of the respective lease terms.

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CHINA threatens AIRBUS against ETS

China has threatened retaliation against French plane maker Airbus if the European Union (EU) goes ahead with plans to include international aviation in its carbon market, three sources said on Friday.From Jan. 1 next year, the EU will require all airlines flying to Europe to be included in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), a system that forces polluters to buy permits for each tonne of carbon dioxide they emit above a certain cap.But China's aviation authority opposes the measure, saying it will cost Chinese airlines 800 million yuan (US$123 million) in the first year and more than triple that by 2020.

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HYPERSONIC launch!!

The launch needs the auxiliary means to reach the design speed where the scram jet engine can operate on its own, till now the operating time is rarely around 8 secs because of instabilities in scram jet combustion and shock train interactions with boundary layer!

The video shows the flight of x-51 animation by pratt & whitney rocket dyne.

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The ASH CLOUD story!

The much of the european aerospace is closed on last april considering the ash clouds following the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland.

The new study grounded the threat and recommends a protocol to assess the risks to aircraft from similar events in the future,the research, carried out by the University of Copenhagen and the University of Iceland and published on 26 April in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analysed particles collected immediately

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El Al 777 makes emergency landing!!

A Boeing 777 operated by Israeli carrier El Al made an emergency landing at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport today, after the aircraft was forced to return to the Israeli city due to problems with its landing gear.

The aircraft had taken off on a flight for Newark Liberty airport with 279 passengers on board when it had to turn back after flight crew discovered problems with the aircraft's landing gear, said reports. The 777 dumped fuel over the Mediterranean Sea before it landed safely at Tel Aviv, where emergency crews were waiting, the reports added.

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CHINA TO AID PAKISTAN IN AIR DOMAIN!!

 Pakistan’s defense deal with China has caused alarm in Indian Defence circles. India faced with the two neighbouring countries hostile to it had decided to go in for purchases with Russia and france for its air force and also update some of its existing aircrafts,the news is that China has agreed to immediately provide Pakistan 50 new JF-17 Thunder multi-role jets under a co-production agreement even as talks are on for more fighter aircraft including those with stealth technology.

An unamed official quoted by The Dawn said the war planes to be fully funded by China would help bolster Pakistan’s defence and add to tactical capability of its air force.

The News daily reported that it is likely that these planes will be supplied by June next year.

China will immediately provide 50 JF-17 Thunder aircraft to Pakistan, an unnamed official was quoted as saying by the Dawn daily.

“We will get these planes in weeks,” he said, adding that a formal agreement to that effect was likely to be signed today.

The official said Pakistan and China were already jointly producing the JF-17 aircraft, but these 50 planes would be equipped with more sophisticated avionics.

The PAC JF-17 Thunder also designated CAC FC-1 Xiaolong is a light-weight, single engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAC) of China, thePakistan Air Force and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). It is designated as "JF-17 Thunder" by Pakistan, which is short for "Joint Fighter-17" and as "FC-1 Xiaolong" by China, which is short for "Fighter China-1".

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AIR ASIA to sign major deal with AIRBUS

Air Asia,a Malaysia based low cost airliner is about to sign a major deal to buy revamped Airbus  A320 aircraft imminently.

AirAsia has been in talks to buy the A320neo, a revamped version of Airbus' best-selling A320 passenger jet due to enter service in late 2015.also it said in February that it was considering buying as many as 175 of a revamped medium-haul passenger jet called the A320neo, as well as wide-body A330s.

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TIGER AIRWAYS in loss!!

Tiger Airways says its Australian operations will focus on flying profitably rather than growth in fiscal 2012, after natural disasters pushed the airline’s local business to a full year loss.Singapore-based Tiger started flying in Australia in November 2007. It has bases at Melbourne’s Tullamarine and Avalon Airports, as well as Adelaide.

Tiger said its Australia business posted an operating loss of $S9 million ($6.8 million) in the 12 months to March 31, 2011, compared with an operating loss of $S600,000 in the prior year. Revenue in Australia rose to $S279.5 million, from $S208 million, Tiger’s audited financial results showed.

‘‘Challenging operating conditions in the financial year impacted on the Tiger Airways Australia result, with weather events significantly impacting on its performance in the fourth quarter,’’ Tiger said in a statement released last night. ‘‘As a consequence seat capacity will now be kept in line with the previous year.‘‘This strategy will simplify our domestic Australian operations and focus the business on profitable routes to generate improved returns from our Australian business.’’

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued the airline a show cause notice in March this year, amid concerns about the carrier’s pilot training standards, maintenance and other operations. It was understood Tiger cannot add to its existing nine Airbus A320 fleet in Australia until the show cause notice was lifted.

While Tiger said Australia would not get any additional aircraft in fiscal 2012, nine Airbus A320s were expected to be added to the Singapore fleet.

‘‘Given the growth opportunities in Asia and our ongoing focus to optimise group profitability, Tiger Airways Singapore has increased its northern summer 2011 seat capacity by 41 per cent year-on-year,’’ Tiger said.

The airline group reported an operating profit of $S47.2 million for fiscal 2011, up 82 per cent from $S26 million in the prior corresponding period.Revenue rose 28 per cent to $S622.2 million, Tiger’s audited financial results showed.

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AIR-INDIA to increase Aircraft Utilisation!

In a bid to address Air India pilots’ complaints on inadequate flying hours, the ministry of civil aviation will soon call a meeting in Mumbai to increase the airline’s aircraft utilisation.

“Air India badly needs to increase its fleet utilisation so that the pilots get to log more flying hours. There are various requests pending with the airline on Tier II routes and even on the North East sector routes and AI should start flights to those sectors,” said a senior ministry official.

He said that more flights to smaller cities and remote areas are anyway mandated as per the government’s route dispersal guidelines and the ministry would insist on the airline connecting smaller cities.

This follows the recent strike by a section of pilots, who were demanding (among other things) more flying hours which requires more flights per day under the airline’s network. One of the promises made by the government during the strike was that it would periodically review pilots’ demands on such issues.

If Air India’s aircraft utilisation can be increased by two-three hours per day, it will give the airline around 400 extra flying hours to be distributed among 1,500 pilots in the airline.

Recently, around 800 pilots of erstwhile Indian Airlines went on a ten-day strike after demanding an increase in their salaries, which had been impacted because of fall in flying hours. Erstwhile Indian Airlines pilot are paid on the basis of flying hours whereas the erstwhile Air India pilots are paid a fixed pay only to exceed if the pilots fly over 80 hours in a month.

Aircraft utilisation is the average number of hours during each 24-hour period when the aircraft is actually in flight. At present, Air India holds the dubious distinction of having the lowest aircraft utilisation of 9.1 hours everyday.

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AIRBUS TO BOOST production rate of A320

Airbus will raise A320 Family production to 42 a month in the fourth quarter of 2012, the plane maker announced Monday.

Airbus parent EADS said earlier this month that the company was considering another boost beyond the 40 a month set for early next year. It now builds 36 a month and plans to go to 38 in August.

“The low operating costs and high dispatch reliability offered by the A320 Family make it the best seller in its market” Tom Williams, Airbus executive vice president, Programs, said in a news release. “With a backlog of over 2,300 A320 Family aircraft to deliver, we need to increase production to accommodate continuing strong customer demand for these new eco-efficient aircraft.”

Both Boeing and Airbus are looking to monetize large backlogs for their single-aisle mainstays, but are constrained by their own capacity and that of their suppliers. Boeing plans to raise 737 production from the current rate of 31.5 a month to 35 early next year and 38 in the second quarter of 2013, and will look at going to 42 or more a month after that, Chief Financial Officer James Bell said in March.

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ATSB focuses on quality control of TRENT 900 engine on QANTAS flight QF32

Australian investigators are reviewing Rolls-Royce's quality control procedures as a probe into last November's uncontained Trent 900 engine failure on a Qantas Airways Airbus A380 continues.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), in an update on the 4 November 2010 incident released on 18 May, said it is studying how the engine manufacturer could have missed a defect in an oil feed tube, which had been identified as the cause behind an oil fire and the subsequent engine failure.

Investigations into the incident so far have showed that the defect had caused a section of the oil tube to thin out and crack, leading to an internal engine oil fire which weakened the intermediate pressure (IP) turbine disc. The disc then separated from the turbine shaft, puncturing the engine case and wing structure.

Together with the United Kingdom's Air Accident Investigation Branch and Rolls-Royce, the ATSB is "examining the circumstances and missed opportunities with the potential to have detected the reduced wall thickness and offset counter bore of the oil feed tube" before, during and after the manufacturing of the IP turbine module case.

The bureau is also reviewing the quality audits and quality assurance system as part of the manufacturing process and assessing how effective they are in detecting defects, it added.

Following the uncontained engine failure, Rolls-Royce initiated the removal of 53 Trent 900 engines from service due to concerns over the wall thickness of the oil feed tube.

As part of the probe into the incident, investigators and Airbus are also studying the A380 and the system damage that occurred as a result of the engine failure.

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AIRBUS used illegal subsidies for LAUNCH AID- WTO confirmation

The World Trade Organization’s Appellate Body today confirmed that Airbus received $18 billion in illegal “launch aid” and other subsidies from European governments.

“This is a clear, final win for fair trade that will level the playing field for America’s aerospace workers,” said Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman, president and chief executive officer. “The WTO has concluded that launch aid and other illegal Airbus subsidies distorted the market, harmed U.S. industry and now must end. The administration—particularly the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative—and the Congress are to be commended for their long-standing efforts in this case to enforce global trade rules. We join them in calling for immediate compliance with this landmark ruling,” McNerney said.

“The WTO has rendered its final verdict, and now Europe must comply within 6 months,” said Boeing Executive Vice President and General Counsel J. Michael Luttig.

Altogether, the WTO confirmed that Airbus received $18 billion in illegal subsidies (principle amounts only). That includes $15 billion in launch aid, including $4 billion for the A380, without which Airbus could not have developed its fleet of airplanes. It also includes $3 billion in non-launch aid subsidies, which alone exceeds the $2.7 billion of un-remedied U.S. subsidies to Boeing (mainly NASA R&D spending) that the WTO identified in a separate ruling in March and that currently is under appeal.

“Airbus and its government sponsors have tried to justify their illegal subsidy practices by claiming that Boeing benefitted equally from government R&D contracts,” Luttig said. “But the WTO in March categorically rejected that argument, dismissing 80% of the EU’s claims against the United States and confirming the huge competitive advantage Airbus has as a result of massive illegal government subsidies.”

Luttig stressed that Europe’s obligations resulting from today’s decision do not hinge on the ultimate WTO decision in the European case against the United States.

“Europe must end all practices held illegal by today’s decision—particularly launch aid; government loans for the A350 and future products must be on proven commercial terms,” he said.

Luttig also answered recent calls by Europe for a negotiated settlement.

“I understand why Airbus and its sponsor governments now want to negotiate. For 40 years they have relied on massive injections of launch aid, which today were confirmed to be illegal. We’re not interested in a settlement that would allow a continuation of illegal launch aid—the most pernicious, market-distorting subsidy of all,” he said. “Airbus currently has more than $17 billion of cash on hand. It can well afford to bring itself into compliance with the WTO ruling and thereafter develop airplanes without illegal aid from European governments.”

“The WTO rules, combined with the ruling in this case, give clear guidance on what governments can and cannot do to support their respective aerospace industries. These rules will govern all market participants and help ensure that competitions are won or lost based on the merits of the respective product offerings rather than on government subsidies,” he said.

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DEMAND for BOEING aircrafts in MIDDLE EAST!

Following the rapid growth of air travel in the region, airlines in the Middle East will require around 2, 340 airplanes worth USD 390 billion by 2029.

The Current Market Outlook from Boeing has estimated Middle Eastern air travel will grow by an average of 7.1 percent per year over the next 20 years, outpacing the region's projected economic growth rate of 4 percent over the same period.

"Middle East airlines have consistently led the rest of the world in traffic growth over the past two years and there is every indication that this trend will continue into the foreseeable future," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes VP (Marketing) Randy Tinseth while releasing the Outlook.

Buyers count for a huge share of Boeing’s twin-aisle backlog in the region which accounts for 31 percent of 777s and 15 percent of 787s on order. Presently, Boeing has a total of 47 customers in the region that operate an estimated 1,200 flights per day on 423 airplanes.

The twin-aisle aircraft will account for 50 percent of the region’s new airplane deliveries over the 20-year period-as compared to 25 per cent globally.

Large airplanes such as the Boeing 747 will account for 7 percent of the forecast demand. Single-aisle jets such as the Boeing 737 will account for 47 percent of the deliveries and regional jets will account for the remaining 3 percent.

"While we expect the global fleet size to double by 2029, Middle Eastern airlines are projected to expand their fleets by more than 150 per cent during the same period. This is a sure indicator that airlines in the region are planning for growth, while also modernising their fleets to improve operating efficiencies," Tinseth said.

With this, demand for trained pilots will also increase as the projected requirement stands at 32,700 personnel over the next 20 years. Boeing also forecasts demand for 44,500 technicians in the region during this time.

"Their well-coordinated growth and investment plans are already delivering results and Gulf airlines currently have an estimated wide-body order backlog of almost 140,000 seats, which is significantly higher than most other regions in the world," he said.

Airlines around the world will need 30,900 new airplanes through 2029, valued at USD 3.6 trillion.

The world fleet is projected to double from 18,890 to 36,300 airplanes total airplanes during this span.

As of April, 2011, Boeing had a backlog of 3,445 airplanes, 345 of which have been ordered by customers in the Middle East.

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OIL LEAK CAUSED PARTIAL POWER LOSS ON QANTAS A380

An oil leak in a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine has been identified as the cause behind a partial power loss on a Qantas Airways Airbus A380 this February.

The leak, which led to a gradual decrease in oil quantity in the number four engine, prompted the aircraft's flight crew to reduce the powerplant to idle thrust during a Singapore-London flight on 15 February. The aircraft, registration VH-OQC, did not experience further oil level variation during the rest of the flight.

Inspections after the incident showed that there was an oil leak from an external high pressure / intermediate pressure (HP/IP) oil tube at its connection to the engine case, said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

The ATSB add that it is now conducting a "holistic investigation" into the oil leak and other reported cases of oil leaks in Trent 900 engines.

Checks of the tube involved in the February incident showed that the attaching nut had less than the required torque, said the ATSB. "A torque check of the tube revealed the attaching B-nut was at 80 pound force/inch. The correct torque value for the B nut was 240 pound force/inch," it added.

It is not certain how the attaching nut had less than the required torque. An uncontained engine failure last November involving another Qantas Trent 900 engine had led to inspections of all of the airline's Trent 900s. These inspections involved the removal of the HP/IP oil tube to allow for an internal borescope inspection of the engine, said the ATSB.

"Specific torque procedures for the re-installation of the tube were required on completion of the borescope. A review of the operator's maintenance documentation confirmed the correct installation procedure had been carried out," it added.

That inspection on the engine involved in the partial power loss was conducted 20 days before the leak developed, said the bureau. During this time, the engine completed 20 cycles and about 241 flight hours. There was no other maintenance carried out on the oil tube during the 20-day period.

During the incident, the engine's oil quantity began decreasing three hours into the flight while the aircraft was cruising near New Delhi.

The quantity continued decreasing gradually to about 3.5 quarts at about 7.5 hours into the cruise, said the ATSB. The oil pressure had dropped to 75 psi from 100 psi. The flight crew was then advised by the airline to reduce the engine to idle thrust for the rest of the flight, which stabilised the oil pressure at 45 psi.

Upon arrival at London, only 0.7 quarts of oil remained, said the ATSB. The oil tube in the engine was subsequently replaced.

The incident was not an isolated one as Qantas and another A380 operator have reported a total of seven HP/IP oil tube leaks due to "low torque of the attachment fitting", said the ATSB.

"All of these incidents were following removal / installation of the oil tube to facilitate a borescope installation," it added.

Shortly after the 15 February incident, another incident involving decreasing oil quantity on another Qantas A380 was reported on 24 February. The engine in that incident, which also took place on a Singapore-London flight, was also reduced to idle thrust.

"As a result of the multiple events, the ATSB initiated an investigation... to conduct a holistic investigation into the factors surrounding these failures," said the bureau.

The ATSB is still investigating last November's uncontained Trent 900 engine failure, which has been traced to a manufacturing defect in an oil feed pipe in the IP turbine module.

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INDIAN ARMY to INCREASE ITS STRENGTH WITH ATTACK CHOPPERS!!

With the rapid evolution of battlefield concepts, the Indian Army is preparing to shore up its aviation wing with attack and tactical-lift capabilities to increase the punch of its three potent strike corps, a concept fine-tuned during a just-concluded war game in the Rajasthan desert close to the Pakistan border, defence analysts say.

With the strike corps tasked to slice through the enemy's defences, the helicopters will supplement this by the quick insertion of fully-armed soldiers and their heavy weaponry, as also provide close air support to the troops and the armoured elements, a senior officer of the army's Ambala-based 2 Kharga Corps explained.

It was this transformational doctrine that was validated during the month-long exercise Vijayee Bhava (Be Victorious), even though the army does not operate any attack helicopters in its aviation wing at present and has to depend on the Indian Air Force (IAF) for them, the officer added.

"The strike corps trains for rapid mobilisation and resolute application. Mechanised (battle tanks and armored personnel carriers) manoeuvres are the essence of offensive operations. In the future battlefield, air assets will play a decisive role. With the exponential increase in the air assets with the army and the air force, these will be employed in an integrated manner to gain a decisive edge in combat. This is the first time we have used the combat air assets in such an exercise," the officer told IANS, but speaking strictly on condition of anonymity as he was not supposed to speak to the media directly.

As per the army's plans for its aviation wing -- mooted in 2007 and to be implemented over a 15-year period ending 2022 -- the three strike corps would be beefed up with an aviation brigade comprising two squadrons of 12 attack helicopters each, apart from two squadrons with 15 choppers each for tactical battle reconnaissance and casualty evacuation, top army sources said.

Apart from the 1, 2 and 21 strike Corps, the army will also provide aviation brigades to each of its 10 pivot or defensive corps, but these would essentially be in the nature of tactical lift capabilities, with some offensive elements.

At present, the army relies on two squadrons of Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters and Mi-17 medium-lift choppers of the IAF for testing its transformational concepts.

Defense ministry officials, when asked about the army's aviation plans, said the IAF would continue to play a "strategic" role while the army would acquire its air assets for a "tactical" role.

The army, obviously, wants to have "full command and control" over the "tactical" operations of air assets so that it could meet its rapid deployment needs and for combat air support.

The army is already looking at procuring 114 of the indigenously-developed light combat helicopter (LCH), which took to the skies for the first time in March 2010, and 64 of which IAF is buying.

This apart, the army is in the process of acquiring 133 light utility helicopters for $1.9 billion, along with the IAF's 64 for $960 million, as part of a 197-chopper deal for which Eurocopter's AS550-C3 Fennec and Russia's Kamov Ka-226 are in the race. These would replace the 150 Cheetah and Chetak helicopters of 1970s vintage in the army aviation fleet which are extensively used for transportation in high-altitude areas, including the Siachen Glacier.

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WIND TURBINES at Airport!

A UK airport has taken a new renewable energy lead by adding a pair of high capacity wind turbines to its infrastructure.

The two turbines are installed at East Midlands Airport and will help the site's renewable energy production levels top those of all other airports in the UK.

East Midlands Airport pledged over four years ago to implement strategies that would lower its CO2 emissions and, so, limit its individual contribution to climate change.

The turbines have a combined capacity of 500 Kilowatts and it's possible that, following EMA's lead, other airports may also now look to wind power as a clean energy source. 15 metres in width and 45 metres in height, the turbines will generate five per cent of EMA's energy needs and will stop an estimated 300 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year.

Ultimately, two more turbines will join the set-up and these are scheduled to arrive in coming months.

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AIRBUS adds Comlux America as cabin outfitter ..

Airbus has appointed Comlux America Llc of Indianapolis, Indiana, as a new cabin-outfitter in America, expanding the range of completion centres available to its corporate jet customers.

The first aircraft outfitted by Comlux America, an Airbus ACJ320 that features an outstandingly quiet cabin, is being displayed at the EBACE show in Geneva, allowing potential customers to see its unmatched comfort, space and freedom of movement at first hand.

”With our origins in VVIP charter and aircraft management, we are uniquely well placed to understand and satisfy the cabin outfitting needs of private jet customers,” says Comlux America President Ettore Rodaro. “We can also take care of their cabin refurbishment and and maintenance needs via Comlux Aviation Services, which was previously known as Indyjet and which has around 30 years of experience,” he adds

Comlux’s approval follows a complete audit of the company and its capabilities, allowing Airbus to recommend the company to its customers with confidence. Its intention is to outfit three to four private jets a year.

“We now offer our corporate Jet customers a choice of nine Airbus-approved cabin-outfitters, giving them a wide choice of cabin completion options that will help them to get a great cabin to go with an outstanding aircraft,” says Airbus Executive Vice President, Programmes, Tom Williams.

“Growing the Airbus-approved VIP cabin outfitting network by adding companies such as Comlux America helps us to provide an efficient solution to increasing customer demand for turnkey solutions, as well as facilitating faster access to completion slots,” adds Airbus Executive Vice President, Procurement, Klaus Richter.

Airbus offers the largest and most modern corporate jet family in the world, with aircraft that offer more space, more comfort and more freedom of movement than traditional business jets.

The family comprises the Airbus ACJ318, ACJ319 and ACJ320 and, for customers that want even more comfort, capacity and capability in range, VIP widebodies such as the ACJ330, ACJ340, ACJ350 and ACJ380.

Airbus corporate jets have won more than 170 sales to date, and are flying on every continent, including Antarctica.

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LIGHTNING STRUK A JET BLUEs A320

The Airbus A320 en route from Phoenix to John F. Kennedy airport was carrying 151 passengers, none of whom were injured.

Smoke could be smelled in the cabin, and the flight crew requested that emergency vehicles meet the plane upon landing at JFK, according to Alex Headrick, a spokesperson for the airline.

The plane reached the gate at 7:22 a.m and being inspected by maintenance crews.

The carrier is not planning major changes to its schedule as a result of the strike, but is warning passengers to plan for delays as a result of thunderstorms in the area.

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AIRBUS expects 20 A380s this year!

European plane producer Airbus expects to deliver more than 20 A380 superjumbo airliners this year, its parent company EADS said last week, having previously forecast only 18.

"We still expect to be in the mid-twenties and at least above 20," EADS finance director Hans-Peter Ring told reporters in a conference call. On May 5, an Airbus spokesman had said production would match last year's 18 deliveries.

Production of Airbus's flagship, the world's biggest passenger airliner, was disrupted by modifications that became necessary after a Rolls Royce engine on a Qantas A380 exploded in flight on November last year.

Only five of the planes were delivered in the first four months of 2011, but Ring said the company's plant was getting back up to speed.

Ring added that Airbus would make a decision in the coming days on ramping up production of its smaller A320. It aims to make 40 of them a month by the first quarter of 2012 and might raise that as high as 44 later that year.

The European defense giant EADS, which owns Airbus meanwhile said it slipped into the red in the first quarter of this year due to the low level of the dollar against the euro, which hurts export sales.

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CAE to double its GLOBAL LOCATIONS!!

Montreal-based simulation and training company CAE will double its global footprint for business aviation pilot and maintenance training over the next 12-24 months, bringing training closer to customers in emerging markets in Mexico, Brazil, Europe and Asia.

CAE today has four business aviation training centres with 56 simulators for pilots and maintainers of nearly 80 different business aircraft types, spread between the SimuFlite centre in Dallas, Texas; North East Training Center in Morristown, New Jersey; Training and Services Burgess Hill in the UK, and Emirates-CAE Flight Training joint venture in Dubai.

The doubling of locations started in earnest last year with the opening of a new facility in Amsterdam that went operational in early 2011 with a Level D full-flight simulator programme for the Bombardier Challenger 300 and Challenger 604.

In 2012, CAE will open a training centre in Toluca, near Mexico City, with Level D simulators and training programmes initially for the Bombardier Learjet 45 and Bell 412 helicopter. The facility will be Mexico's first business jet training centre, said CAE.

Further south, CAE in 2012 will also begin offering Level D simulator training for the Embraer Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 in the São Paulo area, home to airframer Embraer. CAE says the facility, the third location for its Embraer-CAE training services (ECTS) joint venture, will be South America's first business jet training centre. ECTS also has locations in Dallas and the UK.

Somewhat mysterious are CAE's plans for a training capability in Asia by 2013. Roberts says the company is "in final negotiations" with a customer for a facility of "at least four bays" initially and probably expandable up to 10 bays, with aircraft types to be "based on market demand".

Not including Asia, CAE's growth and expansion will boost its number of training simulators to at least 65 by 2012, with five new devices set for service entry this year and four announced so far for 2012.

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777 in demand :: BOEING moves to seven-per-month PRODUCTION RATE

This is the fourth time that the program has built the 777 at the seven-per-month rate. The program also built at this rate from July 1997 to February 1998, August 1998 to October 1999 and most recently from November 2006 to May 2010.

"This rate increase reflects the strong demand for the 777. It continues to be the clear leader in the 300-400 passenger seat market," said Larry Loftis, 777 vice president and general manager. "We were prepared, thorough and disciplined as we have increased our production rate from five to seven."

As production rate increased, the program reduced production flow from 52 to 49 days from start to finish. Days of flow were removed in wing spar, service-ready wing and final body join areas. The flow reduction is attributed to increased productivity in those areas.

"We incorporated lessons learned from previous rate increases to ensure we'd have the smoothest transition," said Loftis. "Fortunately, we entered the rate break when the program is very healthy, and we are experiencing some of the all-time-best metrics," he added.

"Our customers are eager to buy more 777s and the airplane has rightly earned the reputation as the market leader. Now, our job is to deliver," said Loftis.

The 777 program received 48 new orders through April 2011, and has a backlog of more than 280 airplanes. In first quarter 2013 the program will again increase rate from seven to 8.3 airplanes per month –100 airplanes per year – an all-time high

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Boeing & Greenpoint Technologies Team on 747-8 VIP Modifications

The Boeing Company has been selected by Greenpoint Technologies Inc. (GTI) to install GTI's Aeroloft modification on four new 747-8 Intercontinental VIP airplanes purchased by customers of Boeing Business Jets. Greenpoint Technologies is a recognized Boeing Business Jets completion center in Kirkland, Wash.

The airplanes will be modified starting later this year at Boeing's Global Transport & Executive Systems (GTES) facility in Wichita.

"Boeing is excited to be part of the team that will provide this capability for the new 747-8 Intercontinental," said Boeing GTES Director and General Manager Steve Wade. "GTES has a long history of modifying Boeing's commercial platforms -- including 747 VIP airplanes -- and we hope this is the first of many opportunities to support GTI on similar projects."

The Aeroloft is a passenger area installed above the 747-8 Intercontinental's main deck between doors four and five, forward of the overhead crew rest. The modification includes installation of a staircase, an entry vestibule, a lounge, sleeping berths, and a crew rest adapter module.

"Partnering with GTES on the Aeroloft installation is an ideal solution," said GTI President Scott Goodey. "Our working relationship spans more than 10 years of GTI support for executive head-of-state interior modifications. This combined expertise benefits our customers with a beautiful, reliable product."

The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental VIP represents a new benchmark in fuel efficiency and noise reduction, allowing customers to lower fuel costs and fly into more airports at more times of day. The 747-8 Intercontinental is 16 percent more fuel-efficient than the Boeing 747-400, and 11 percent more fuel-efficient than the Airbus A380.

GTES, part of the Global Services & Support business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is a Boeing commercial derivative business headquartered in Wichita, with major domestic operations in Oklahoma City and the Puget Sound area of Washington state. GTES supports all Boeing aircraft in the U.S. Air Force's executive fleet, including VC-25, C-32A and C-40B/C, as well as the National Command Authority's E-4B and the U.S. Navy’s C-40A and E-6B.

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AIR FRANCE FLIGHT 447 data recorder is READABLE!

French investigators have confirmed that the flight recorders from the crashed Air France Airbus A330-200s contain readable data.

The flight-data recorder was retrieved from the wreck of flight AF447 on 1st May while the cockpit-voice recorder was similarly recovered on 3rd May.

"All of the data" from the flight-data recorder and the "whole recording" of the final two hours of flight from the cockpit-voice recorder.
"Following operations to open, extract, clean and dry the memory cards from the flight recorders, BEA safety investigators were able to download the data over the weekend," it says.
"All of this data will now be subjected to detailed in-depth analysis."

BEA says it expects the work to take several weeks but will publish another interim report into the 1 June 2009 accident "during the summer".

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THE FINAL FLIGHT OF SHUTTLE---ENDEAVOR LAUNCHED.

The space shuttle Endeavour launched Monday, 16 May on STS-134, its final mission before retirement and second to last before the end of the shuttle program, it marks Endeavour's 25th and final flight into orbit.

At 08:56 EST, Endeavour lifted off from pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center carrying supplies and scientific payloads to the International Space Station (ISS). The shuttle is planned to dock with ISS on 18 May; its return to Earth is planned for 1 June.
The launch was postponed from 29 April due to electrical problems.

Endeavour carries 150 scientific experiments, including the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a sensor that will be attached to ISS to measure cosmic rays for evidence of antimatter and dark matter.

Upon returning, Endeavour will be retired and sent to the California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.The shuttle's retirement will leave the US without an independent means of putting humans into space until commercial launch providers go operational in 2016.

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SOLAR POWERED PLANE MADE MAIDEN FLIGHT

A solar energy plane made the world's first international flight powered by the sun on Friday to show the potential for pollution-free air travel.

The Solar Impulse took off from an airfield at Payerne in western Switzerland on Friday morning and landed at Brussels airport after a 13-hour flight.

"The objective is to demonstrate what we can do with existing technology in terms of renewable energy and energy savings," project co-founder and pilot Andre Borschberg told Reuters by telephone during the flight.

Borschberg believes such solar-harnessing technology can be used to power cars and homes. "It is symbolic to be able to go from one place to another using solar energy," he said.

The Solar Impulse project began in 2003 with a 10-year budget of 90 million euros ($128 million) and has involved engineers from Swiss lift maker Schindler and research aid from Belgian chemicals group Solvay.

The plane, which requires 12,000 solar cells, embarked on its first flight in April 2010 and completed a 26-hour flight, a record flying time for a solar powered aircraft, three months later.

With an average flying speed of 70 km/h (44 mph), Solar Impulse is not an immediate threat to commercial jets, which can easily cruise at more than 10 times the speed. A flight from Geneva from Brussels can take little more than an hour.

Project leaders acknowledged it had been a major challenge to fit a slow-flying plane into the commercial air traffic system.

Friday's flight was Solar Impulse's fifth. Previous flights did not leave Switzerland. A larger prototype is scheduled to fly around the world in 2013.

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CATHAY A330 TURN BACK ENGINE STALL WARNING!!!

A Cathay Pacific Airways Airbus A330 turned back to Singapore Changi Airport on 16 May after a stall warning from one of its Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines.

Cathay's flight crew shut down the no. 2 engine after receiving the alert, said the Oneworld carrier. The A330, which had departed Singapore for Jakarta at 00:54, landed back at Changi at 01:57 without incident.

The airline and Rolls-Royce are investigating the incident, said Cathay.

"The 136 passengers on the A330 were accommodated in hotels, and most were transferred to other flights later this morning," it added.

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AEROSHELL-MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY !!!!

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) aeroshell and cruise stage were delivered to Kennedy Space Center, Fla. yesterday. Lockheed Martin built the aeroshell and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory built the cruise stage. The aeroshell will encapsulate and protect the Curiosity rover during its deep space cruise to Mars, and from the intense heat and friction that will be generated as the system descends through the Martian atmosphere. 

NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) aeroshell and cruise stage were delivered to Kennedy Space Center, Fla. yesterday. Lockheed Martin built the aeroshell and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory built the cruise stage. The aeroshell will encapsulate and protect the Curiosity rover during its deep space cruise to Mars, and from the intense heat and friction that will be generated as the system descends through the Martian atmosphere.

The MSL backshell and the cruise stage departed from March Air Reserve Base, Calif. on an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport plane. The plane stopped a Buckley Air Force Base near Denver where the heatshield was loaded on board, and then continued to Kennedy Space Center. The Curiosity rover and its descent stage will be shipped to Florida in June.

Recently, Lockheed Martin integrated the MSL Entry Descent and Landing Instrument (MEDLI) onto the back of the heatshield. Provided by NASA's Langley and Ames Research Centers, MEDLI will collect temperature and pressure data during the spacecraft's descent through the Martian atmosphere.

In October 2008, the backshell, half of the large and sophisticated two-part aeroshell, was delivered to JPL in Pasadena, Calif. where it was integrated with other flight systems. The aeroshell/heatshield is the largest ever built for a planetary mission at 4.5 meters (nearly 15 feet) in diameter. In contrast, the aeroshells/heatshields of the Spirit and Opportunity Mars Exploration Rovers measured 8.5 feet and Apollo capsule heatshields measured just less than 13 feet.

The rover Curiosity is in testing at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,Pasadena, Calif., which manages the Mars Science Laboratory project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The rover and other parts of the Mars Science Laboratory are being delivered in May and June to NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch late this year. In August 2012, Curiosity will land on Mars for a two-year mission to examine whether conditions in the landing area have been favorable for microbial life and for preserving evidence about whether life has existed there.

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LASER WEAPON from BOEING!!!

The Boeing Company  has received a $4.2 million, 16-month contract to design and develop a 25-kilowatt high-brightness laser for the Pentagon's High Energy Laser – Joint Technology Office (HEL-JTO). Boeing will develop the solid-state, electric laser based on the highly efficient Thin Disk Laser (TDL) technology.

The project's goal is to demonstrate that the performance of a TDL-based system is consistent with the HEL-JTO Robust Electric Laser Initiative program objectives of high brightness and high electrical efficiency.

Boeing's approach incorporates a series of commercial, off-the-shelf lasers used in many industries for cutting and welding metal parts. These proven industrial lasers have demonstrated high reliability and the associated support and maintenance benefits. Successful completion of this 16-month effort could lead to the development and production of operational versions of the laser system.

"The Thin Disk Laser project provides a great opportunity for Boeing and the Pentagon to advance the efficiency and performance of solid-state laser technology," said Mike Rinn, vice president of Boeing Directed Energy Systems. "As we work the details of this project, we are building on Boeing's industry leadership in the integration of high-power laser devices. Our team is proud to be on the forefront of directed energy capabilities."

A high-power, solid-state directed energy weapon has the ability to damage, disable or destroy targets at the speed of light, with little to no collateral damage. The laser also can flexibly support missions on the battlefield as well as in urban operations.

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SATELLITES TO GUIDE PLANES ON LANDING!!!

An airport in southern France has become Europe's first to guide aircraft in for landing using highly accurate satellite navigation signals, officials said.

Pau Pyrenees Airport is the first to utilize the new EGNOS Safety-of-Life Service, a European Space Agency release said Tuesday.

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System combines geostationary satellites with a network of ground stations to sharpen the accuracy and integrity of GPS signals across Europe, the release said.

The EGNOS system was officially made available March 2 for the safety-critical task of providing vertical guidance to aircraft on final approach.

Clermont-Ferrand Airport in central France is set to start using EGNOS, as is Marseilles Airport and Le Bourget in Paris.

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F-35 TESTS UPDATE!!

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft have conducted 125 test flights, bringing the total number of flights for the year to 331.Several flight test key milestones were accomplished :

The F-35 program flew the most flights ever recorded on one day (May 6) when a combined total of eight test flights were completed at all three of its flight test locations. (Edwards AFB, Calif.; Fort Worth, Texas, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.)

The U.S. Air Force accepted into its fleet the first of a planned 1,763 production-model F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters when AF-7 was delivered to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on May 6. It is the first aircraft from Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lot one delivered.

The first F-35A production aircraft that will be delivered to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., accomplished its first flight on May 6. Known as AF-8, the aircraft will be delivered to Eglin for pilot and maintainer training later this year. This jet is the first aircraft to fly from Low Rate Initial Production lot two.

The second F-35C carrier variant (CV), known as CF-2, completed its first flight April 29. Later this month it is scheduled to be delivered to the F-35 test fleet at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., (PAX).

The program recorded the 300th System Development and Demonstration flight of 2011 on May 6.

At Edwards, F-35s passed the 250 flight mark of the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant on May 5. The first test jets, AF-1 and AF-2, arrived there on May 17, 2010.

Two more F-35B short takeoff /vertical landing (STOVL) jets, BF-3 and BF-4 performed their first vertical landings. BF-4 flew its mission on April 27 and BF-3 on April 29. STOVL jets have conducted 94 vertical landings to date in 2011.

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RESTRICTION OF CELL PHONES ON-BOARD!!

Ever wonder why cell phones, laptops and other electronic devices are not allowed during flight..
Here check out the FAA link

http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsid=6275

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RR Trent 1000 clears the ETOPS approval!

Rolls-Royce has received Extended Twin-Engine Operations (ETOPS) approval from the FAA for the Boeing 787-powering Trent 1000 turbofan.

The authorization covers 330 min. of single-engine operations. Rival General Electric, offering the GEnx, is still working on achieving ETOPS approval; Rolls is ahead, owing to the fact it is providing the engine for lead customer All Nippon Airways.

In a statement announcing the approval, Simon Carlisle, Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 program director, says “ETOPS approval marks a major milestone for the Trent 1000 program, setting new industry standards,” adding, “We now look forward to supporting Boeing’s own ETOPS program and to powering the 787 Dreamliner’s entry into service with All Nippon Airways.”

Rolls notes that the Trent 1000 has logged 2,874 787 flight test hours on 1,064 flights; the bulk of the 787 flight testing program has been using the Rolls engine. Total flight and ground test time on Trent 1000s tops 10,000 hr., the engine maker says.

ETOPS stands for Extended Range Operations Performance Standards

This is particularly concerned with twin engine aircrafts, Usually it is operations beyond the safety limit of flying time.Aircrafts labelled as Extended Range (ER versions) have to conform the standards for engine and airframe to ensure safe operations.

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INDONESIA FORGOT SAFETY??

The Indonesian government’s efforts to improve its aviation safety reputation has suffered a setback with the May 7 crash of an MA-60 turboprop belonging to Merpati Nusantara Airlines.

MZ8968 crashed Saturday killing all 27 on board (21 passengers and six crew members) when the MA-60 turboprop crashed 600 meters short of the runway at Kaimana Utarom after departing the Sorong airport an hour earlier. The aircraft was attempting to land in poor weather, with heavy rain and strong winds.

The aircraft, registered PK-MZK, was delivered to Merpati in 2010 and had logged 615h in 764 flight cycles, said Indonesia’s ministry of transportation, adding that because the aircraft was so new, it had yet to undergo heavy maintenance. The MA60 is a 56-seat aircraft powered two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127J turboprop engines.

Indonesia has been making inroads in improving aviation safety, seeing several airlines removed from the European Union blacklist after the country was subject to a blanket ban in 2007. The FAA, at the time, also sanctioned the country.But ACTUALLY safety problems have persisted!!!

The European Union points out in its latest blacklist update that Indonesian safety officials notified them in March “that only 9% of the fleet of aircraft operating in Indonesia had yet to be fitted with the required ICAO equipment, that the [regulator] had issued an exemption permitting operations until the end of 2011, and that aircraft not fitted after this date would be grounded.”

Merpati Nusantara Airlines has been in the spotlight more than once. It suffered a runway overrun with a Boeing 737 injuring around 20 people when the aircraft landed in heavy rain at Manokawi Airport in Indonesia’s Papua Province. The airline -- which remains blacklisted by the EU -- also suffered a fatal accident in 2009.

Merpati still has some MA60s on order and due for delivery soon, under a deal signed between the Chinese and Indonesian Government in which China provided cheap financing. Merpati is a cash-strapped carrier that Indonesia’s government owns. The country’s transport minister, Freddy Numberi, has said publicly that Merpati will take delivery of the remaining MA60s on order and that the May 7 accident will have no impact on the deal.

Director general of Indonesia’s Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Herry Bakti, has also defended his organization’s decision to allow MA60s to operate in Indonesia. He says even though the Chinese-built aircraft has no FAA or EASA certification, it does have Chinese and Indonesian certification.

Merpati’s decision to purchase MA60s was already a controversial deal prior to the May 7 accident. The carrier, for example, complained in 2009 that one of its recently delivered MA60s, PK-MZC, had developed a crack in its vertical stabilizer. The aircraft had to be grounded and was only returned to service after the aircraft’s manufacturer Xian Aircraft changed a section of the aircraft’s stabilizer.

The MA-60 crash is the second accident in Indonesia this year after the death of five persons in the crash of a Casa Aviocar in February at Bintan Island, Indonesia.

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SBIRS launched into SPACE!!!

The much awaited US ARMY spacecraft finally launched suceessfully at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 2:10 p.m. EDT (1810 GMT). The mission had been delayed one day due to bad weather.

SBIRS is a consolidated system intended to meet United States infrared space surveillance needs for decades to come. The SBIRS program addresses critical warfighter needs in the areas of missile warning, missile defense and battlespace characterization.

ULA's next launch is the Delta II Aquarius mission currently scheduled for June 9, 2011 from Space Launch Complex-3 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

ULA program management, engineering, test and mission support functions are headquartered in Denver, Colo. Manufacturing, assembly and integration operations are located at Decatur, Ala., Harlingen, Texas, San Diego, Calif. Launch operations are located at Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., and Vandenberg AFB, California.

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LOCKHEED MARTIN SBIRS launch aborted!!!

lockheed martin's the first Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) geosynchronous (GEO-1) spacecraft whic was supposed to launch on Friday, May 6 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. was postponed due to adverse weather,the launch is still a question.


SBIRS GEO-1 will enhance early warning of missile launches around the globe, support the nation's ballistic missile defense system, greatly expand our technical intelligence gathering capability, and provide enhanced situational awareness for warfighters on the battlefield.


The GEO-1 satellite includes highly sophisticated scanning and staring sensors that will deliver enhanced infrared sensitivity and a reduction in area revisit times over the current constellation. The scanning sensor will provide a wide area surveillance of missile launches and natural phenomena across the earth, while the staring sensor will be tasked to observe smaller areas of interest with enhanced sensitivity.

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PHANTOM !

Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system (UAS) successfully completed its first flight April 27 at NASA's Dryden Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The 17-minute flight took place following a series of high-speed taxi tests in March that validated ground guidance, navigation and control and verified mission planning, pilot interface and operational procedures. Phantom Ray flew to 7,500 feet and reached a speed of 178 knots.

The flight demonstrated Phantom Ray's basic airworthiness, setting the stage for additional flights in the next few weeks. These company-funded flights will prepare Phantom Ray to support potential missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; strike; and autonomous air refueling.

"The first flight moves us farther into the next phase of unmanned aircraft," said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing. "Autonomous, fighter-sized unmanned aircraft are real, and the UAS bar has been raised. Now I’m eager to see how high that bar will go."

Phantom Ray is one of several programs in Phantom Works, including Phantom Eye, that is part of a rapid prototyping initiative to design, develop and build advanced aircraft and then demonstrate their capabilities. Boeing's portfolio of UAS solutions also includes the A160T Hummingbird, Integrator, ScanEagle and SolarEagle.

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