AVIONEWS - World Aeronautical Press Agency
101,497 news found

Latest newsC-17: production closed by 2008 because of lack of new orders
Washington, USA – Pentagon would not be able to face additional costs despite such a vehicle proves a major one today from an operational point of view
C-17 Globemaster III military airlifter’s assembly line could be closed by 2008 in case no new orders are gained by Boeing. Programme’s representatives appear particularly worried, also considering the... more

Science and technologyHurricane "Katrina": New Orleans Airport to reopen
New Orleans, USA - The air station restarted cargo operations yesterday
Passengers flights are expected to restart tomorrow after repairing the air station’s roof said airport’s director, Roy Williams. Only about 30 services among the daily 174 departures and arrivals wil... more

AirlinesIs Iberia thinking about the foundation of a low-cost carrier?
Barcelona, Spain - It could be the solution to face the great competitiveness of the low-fare airlines in the country
Iberia is about to release its strategic plan 2006-2008 and it seems that the major Spanish airline intends to found, fully own of acquire stakes in a low-cost carrier. Iberia would so appear willing to... more

AccidentsCyprus: trainer fell headlong, both crew members died
Nicosia, Cyprus - It happened during a military exercise on last Saturday
A Pilatus PC-9 basic trainer belonging to Cypriot National Guard fell headlong during a military exercise on last Saturday. The aircraft, with two persons on board, would have started turning over Kolossi... more

Latest newsItalian Air Force: air defence on the alert on Saturday, September 10
Rome, Italy - Double interception South from Trento in the morning and North from Naples in the afternoon by the F-16s
Air defence on the alert in Italy on last Saturday. A Cessna flying from Olbia to Munich did not honour radio communication procedures with air traffic controllers on the ground and it was intercepted... more

AirlinesAlitalia (2): Alitalia Express bound for an operational transformation
Milan, Italy - Some MD-80s could be transferred to it replacing the ATRs, changing it in a sort of low-cost carrier headquartered in the North
Among the steps to be performed in order to contain the rising oil cost, the Italian national airline could change the role of Alitalia Express. The purpose would be the one of headquartering it in Milan... more

Weather forecastsAir shows and exhibitions in the second week of September
Rome, Italy - From today, on Monday 12 to next Sunday 18
Monday 12 - McIntyre Aero Club Fly in 05. Goondiwindi, Queensland, Australia. + 61 7 4677 5186 Wednesday 14 - Expeditionary Forces 2005. Prague, Czech Republic. + 44 (0)1628 604311 www.shephard.co.uk... more

Press releaseANSV: the Flight Recorders of the Tuninter ATR-72 which ditched off the coast of Palermo on the 6th of August 2005 have been downloaded
Rome, Italy - The Flight Recorders cases opening started at 10:30 in the morning and lasted until late in the afternoon
"Last Saturday, at the Agenzia Nazionale per la Sicurezza del Volo - Ansv, in the Flight Recorders, the Cockpit Voice Recorder-CVR and the Flight Data Recorder-FDR have been opened and the data contained... more

IndustryGeorgia Technical Applied Research Corp. awarded of a 15 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the MH-53M helicopter
Georgia Technical Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Ga., is being awarded a $15,000,000 cost-plus fixed-fee contract to provide for Engineering Services for software simulation support for the Integrated... more

IndustryBoeing Wichita Development awarded of a near 39 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the VC-25A aircraft
Boeing Wichita Development, Wichita, Kan., is being awarded a $38,929,861 time and material contract modification. This effort is for scheduled depot level heavy maintenance on the VC-25A aircraft. There... more

IndustryBell-Boeing Joint Program Office awarded of a over 6 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the CV-22 Osprey
Bell-Boeing Joint Program Office, Patuxent River, Md., is being awarded $6,220,576 for delivery order 0053 under previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00383-03-G-001B) for the procurement of fiscal... more

IndustryMcDonnell Douglas Corp. awarded of a near 7 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the F/A-18 A/B/C/D aircraft
McDonnell Douglas Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo. is being awarded a $6,947,725 firm-fixed-priced order against a previously awarded Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-03-G-0009)... more

AirlinesAlitalia: trade unions fear for new redundancies
Rome, Italy - They could consist of 1500 but measures to face the rising fuel cost should be considered during company Board of Directors meeting today
Alitalia Board of Directors is going to meet today, and new measures to face the rising fuel cost could be taken into account. The carrier would need to find about EUR 200m and it could affect jobs once... more

PeopleENAC: an analysis of air transport after the end of Summer season
Rome, Italy - A meeting with the major subjects of the sector to occur on next September 15
Italian National Civil Aviation Agency (ENAC) will gather together with the major subjects in the air transport sector on next Thursday, September 15, to analyse the situation following the end of Summer... more

AirlinesLufthansa and El Al prove closer thanks to Swiss International Airlines
Frankfurt, Germany - A code-share agreement is possible by January 2006
Lufthansa and El Al could implement a code-share agreement, currently under analysis, starting in January 2006. Such a possibility would be a plausible one when considering the fact that the Israeli airline... more

Science and technologyLas Cruces International Airport to receive USD 603,000 by US Air Force to repair damaged strip
Washington, USA - Plane carrying equipment for Bush's visit made a drill on runway
The US Air Force would have offered over USD 603,000 to repair runway at Las Cruces Airport which was damaged by an airplane carrying equipments for President Bush’s visit. A C-17 cargo plane with on b... more

AirlinesStar Alliance launched "upgrade award"
Stockholm, Sweden - Some carriers have already it but the other ones later
Star Alliance has become the first alliance to offer Frequent Flyer Programme (FFP) upgrade redemption option across the alliance, rather than on individual carrier basis. This brings travelling in either... more

AirlinesUS Airways-America West merge carrier's Board of Directors has been appointed
Washington, USA - The operation is expected to be completed within October
US Airways and America West Holdings Corp. have selected the 13 board members who will lead the airline after the two companies merge. The board will be chaired by Doug Parker, 43, Chief Executive of America... more

IndustryBoeing: bound for a plea-bargaining, worth USD 500m
Seattle, USA - Story stemmed from a well known industrial spying matter damaging Lockheed Martin
Boeing is about to resort to a plea-bargaining worth USD 500m with US Justice Department. "Wall Street Journal" stated it, citing well informed sources. This matter stemmed from an industrial spying operation... more

Science and technologyAncona-Pescara operational unity: the solution to face tourism crisis
Ancona, Italy - The Italian Marche region's air station would have reported a lowering passenger traffic with -11,600 units
The Ancona-Falconara Airport’s strategical choice to create an operational unity with Pescara Airport (see for details AVIONEWS) is additionally remarkably spurred by the delicate Marche region tourism c... more

AirlinesMalaysia Airlines forced to increase fuel surcharge too
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Operating costs continue to growth due to the oil
Malaysia Airlines unveiled today its intention to boost by 14% the fuel surcharge and to ask Government for authorizing additional changes as oil price continue to lift. Malaysian carrier’s surcharge n... more

Science and technologyBudapest Airport's privatization (2): workers to be on a war footing towards strike
Budapest, Hungary - Meeting between unions and airport's operator has been unproductive
Budapest Airport risks to cancel all departures and arrivals in case of a great partecipation to the strike threatened by union trades said the airport’s spokesperson, Ibolya Forika: "The entire airport r... more

AirlinesTransavia.com to inaugurate new Rome-Rotterdam route
Rome, Italy - Dutch airline to launch other new destinations from Rotterdam
Transavia Airlines is about ot launch four new routes from its Rotterdam base: starting from October 31 2005, carrier will operate daily connections bound for Rome-Fiumicino with Boeing 737-400 airplanes.... more

DefenseA new success for the Patriot PAC-3 missile
Washington, USA – A test to evaluate the guided rocket's anti-ballistic missile capabilities has been positively accomplished
A new test launch for the Lockheed Martin Patriot PAC-3 has been performed in the United States. A surface-to-air guided rocket hit and destroyed a same-type missile properly modified in order to simulate... more

PeopleIndia: Airbus thinks about a pilot training centre
New Dheli, India - The project is likely to be started by the end of this month
Airbus intends to build a pilot training centre in India and it has already sent some experts to the Asian country, in order to appraise which site can prove the best one for its construction. Also a structure... more

AirlinesFinnair: demand and load factors up
Stockholm, Sweden - The traffic increased by 7.0% compared to August last year
Finnair scheduled traffic increased by 7.0% compared to August last year. Passenger load factor was at record levels in 71.4%, up 2.7 percentage points. Number of passengers carried was 599,700, up 7.9%. Finnair... more

PeopleLondon to give the green light to air ticket tax
London, United Kingdom - Great Britain to back France
French Finance Minister, Thierry Breton, at ECOFIN’s preliminary encounter, said to have gained Great Britain’s support over his project to tax air tickets to finance the fight against poverty in underdeveloped cou... more

Science and technologyBaghdad Airport closed (3): flights risk to restart without checks on passengers and baggage
Baghdad, Iraq - A warning signal called by Global Strategies Group which moaned about the lack of qualification for Iraqi personnel
Iraqi forces would have entered the airport at Ministry of Transport’s order but the British firm responsible for security activities would not intend to ask its members for leaving the area. It is dangerous t... more

Science and technologyBudapest Airport: legal proceedings not stop privatization
Budapest, Hungary - Hungarian Government appealed against Budapest work tribunal's sentence
There are new the developments in the situation of Budapest Airport privatization (see for details AVIONEWS), after Government appealed against Budapest work tribunal’s sentence which cancelled the privatization’s ten... more

Fair and showsChirac: no flights for six weeks
Paris, France - Orders set by military doctors after the problem affecting his vision and recently found
French President, Jacques Chirac, will not allowed to fly for at least six weeks. These are the orders put forward by doctors from the French military hospital where he had been committed to in recent... more

IndustryAirborne radars: lighter, smaller, high-powered
Brussels, Belgium - Exigencies put forward by the air forces, most of all the NATO's ones, with a European market worth over USD 5bn by 2014
European airborne military radar market will be worth around USD 5.44bn between 2005 and 2014. Analysts’ forecasts talk about a significant growth in the sector due to the need to adapt to operational e... more

IndustryFinmeccanica: US Coast Guard to use the Italian Group's radar system
Rome, Italy - It was the Seaspray 7500E radar fitting the HC-130H patrol aircraft
It is the last version of radar developed by the Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems -a company owned by Finmeccanica Group-the Seaspray 7500E radar system. It will be used by US Coast Guard’s patroller p... more

AirlinesAmerican Airlines operated flights at risk: now it could pay USD 1m of indemnity
Washington, USA - A FAA's inspector denounced the carrier accused to have compromised passengers' safety
American Airlines has been accused to have compromised passengers’ safety permitting that one of its McDonnell Douglas MD-82 flew with a faulty fuel tank: that occurred two years ago. Civil action taken a... more

Civil aviationATR-42 Italy First: operational activities started again for one of the two aircraft
Pantelleria, Italy - The turboprop which suffered for problem on one of its two engines is instead still grounded
One of the two Italy First’s ATR-42 commercial regional airplanes forced to stay on the ground for repairing activities following two different failures which affected their operational lifecycle starting l... more

MiscellaneousHurricane "Katrina": Russian Ilyushin landed in Arkansas
Washington, USA - Meanwhile IPA's pilot placed themself at disposal
The two Russian cargo planes loaded with humanitarian aid for New Orleans affected people, arrived yesterday at Little Rock, Arkansas. Aboard the first airplane there were 121 tents up to a total weight... more

Civil aviationUSA: special courses against hijacking for flying personnel
Washington, USA - Effectiveness must still be assessed but competent authorities ensured that significant results will be shown
US TSA (Transportation Security Administration) is expected to ensure the implementation of a series of security measures in the US air transport sector, with reference in particular to airlines personnel... more

AirlinesAlitalia: code-share agreement with Portugalia Airlines has started
Rome, Italy - Regarding Italian-Portuguese links besides some Alitalia's routes towards Germany, Hungary, Poland and Austria
The code-share agreement between Alitalia and Portugalia Airlines starts being enforced just this month. The NI code of the Portuguese carrier will appear on the following Alitalia’s flights: Lisbon-Milan a... more

AirlinesSmoke from cabin force-landed an American Airlines flight in Costa Rica
Washington, USA - 271 travellers bound for Florida emerged all safe
An Airbus by American Airlines en route from Costa Rica to Miami (Florida), met a mechanical failure and was forced to perform an emrgency landing at Liberia’s "Daniel Oduber" Airport yesterday. Flight w... more

HelicoptersThe BK-117 testing the adaptive rotor system flew
Paris, France - Operations on the main rotor enable to lower noise and vibrations
Eurocopter BK-117 devoted to testing activities concerning in particular the appraisals on the running and effectiveness of the new noise and vibration system, successfully performed its maiden flight.... more

AirlinesQatar Airways flies to Delhi, Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Rome, Italy - With departures from Malpensa and Fiumicino
Qatar Airways to fly torwards Delhi seven times per week from Milan-Malpensa and Rome-Fiumicino via Doha, with a promotional and launch round fare, until October 31, starting from EUR 439. Extra for departures... more

AirlinesSingapore Airlines: new readjustments in the ticket fuel surcharge
Singapore - Increase between USD 3 and 5 depending on the routes
The rising aviation fuel price goes on affecting also the Singapore Airlines’ activities, which decided to act again involving the ticket cost. Fuel surcharge will actually be readjusted with another r... more

AccidentsHurricane "Katrina": civil helicopter crashed
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA - No fatalities, passengers were safe
It is not clear what really happened, but local sources affirm that a civil helicopter whose model and operator has not been released, would have crashed last morning in Louisiana while was rescuing hurricane... more

AerospaceBaikhonur: two Russian rocket carriers took off in two days
Moscow, Russia - Used to carry a cargo spaceship with restocking devoted to the ISS and put a Canadian satellite into orbit
A double launch from Baikhonur Base (Kazakhstan) within two days. A Soyuz U rocket carrier took off yesterday, carrying the Progress M cargo spaceship with restocking including food, oxygen and various... more

AirlinesWizz Air to purchase 24 A-320s over next 5 years
Budapest, Hungary - Airline's CEO, Jozsef Varadi, revealed it
It was born only one year and 4 months before and has carried 1 million of passengers till April 2005 and 2 million till the end of last August. To meet growth forecast the low-cost carrier decided to... more

Science and technologyBaghdad Airport closed (2): Iraqi National Guard to attend to its security
Baghdad, Iraq - Replacing British company's personnel after an order by Iraqi Ministry of Transport
Iraqi Minister of Transport ordered to send Iraqi National Guard and Army’s units (still under setting and training) to Baghdad International Airport in order to replace British company’s personnel ass... more

AccidentsF-16 dropped in Netherlands
Amsterdam, Netherlands - Three helicopters engaged in crew's search
A F-16 jet crashed today close to Vlieland, a Dutch island in North Sea: it is not clear if crew’s members survived the crash; thre choppers and rescue ships are currently operating searches: The airplane m... more

Science and technologyBaghdad Airport closed due to a lower security level
Baghdad, Iraq - Because of a decision by the British firm providing security services as it moans about delays in payment by Iraqi Government
Global Strategies Group, as the British company which provides security services at Baghdad International Airport, forced the air station to stay closed today due to the suspension of services and the... more

PeopleNATS: flights up, delays down in August
London, UK - It has handled 213,756 flights, with a rise of 6.8 per cent over last year
"National Air Traffic Services (NATS) handled 213,756 flights in August, a rise of 6.8 per cent over August 2004. Despite rising traffic levels, NATS continued to improve its service to customers with... more

Latest newsJSF: tests on the electrical and hydraulic plants have started
Fort Worth, USA - Full assembly of the first prototype to occur by early 2006 while the maiden flight is expected to happen next Summer
Electrical and hydraulic plants of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) multirole stealth light fighter was "brought to life" recently by the beginning of tests on all the aircraft’s electronical c... more

Civil aviationDemocratic Republic of Congo: 35 airlines have been suspended
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo - Transport Minister to have a strong hand following recent events
After the emergency landing performed by a Twin Otter plane, the second one in few days occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo following the Antonov AN-26’s accident happened last September 5, T... more