AVIONEWS - World Aeronautical Press Agency
101,705 news found

DefenseMost important news of the week: Malaysia wants the A-400M
Rome, Italy - The JSF at risk with possible cuts in Europe; new details on the UH-145 and the A-149 for the US Army's LUH programme
The LUH, A-400M and JSF programmes in the centre of attention in the defence sector from November 28 to December 4. Military Aviation - Malaysia is the third customer of the EADS-Airbus A-400M outside... more

CuriositiesNewborn Australian airline forced to cut flights due to lack of passengers
Sydney, Australia - It will also discount its fares from the next week untill January 31
The new Australian domestic carrier OzJet has been forced to cancel 25% of its services between Sydney and Melbourne only 2 days after the beginning of its activity. The reason is simple: there are not... more

AirlinesDelta cut 160 flights at Cincinnati Airport
Washington, USA - The first effects from bankruptcy's proceeding
Starting from December 1st Delta Airlines cut 26% of its flights at Cincinnati Airport in the Northern Kentucky. Late night and early morning flights have been eliminated. Airport’s spokesperson said t... more

Finance and economyAlitalia. Intermonte: carrier's rating passed from "Neutral" to "Outperform"
Milan, Italy - The rating company's press release
Intermonte lifted Alitalia’s rating to "Outperform" from "Neutral" to the price of EUR 1.18. The rating company said that Italian Treasury Ministry sold 26.6 million of rights at EUR 0.5 with this operation (... more

AerospaceAnniversary of Swift satellite's launch celebrated in the US capital with a conference and a party
Washington, USA - The satellite is studying Gamma Rays
The first anniversary of the launch of Swift satellite has been celebrated at Italian Embassy to the United States with both a conference and a party. The Swift project has been developed by Italy, United... more

AccidentsTuninter ATR-72 crash: accident's survivors hearing started yesterday
Bari, Italy - It hopes to obtain information to discover the cause of the incident
Twenty passengers survived after the air crash occurred on August 6 (see for details AVIONEWS), have been heared last afternoon. The hearings are expected to complete today: they are conducted by judges... more

Civil aviationArabs banned from entering Iraq (2): Syrian Airlines confirmed the measure too
Damascus, Syria - Connections with Baghdad were interrupted last month
"Also Syria received a similar request from Iraqi Government which demanded Jordan’s flag carrier to ban Arab citizens from flying to Iraq", Syrian Airlines spokesperson said. Additionally, the spokesperson r... more

AirlinesCathay Pacific Airways carried out the biggest ever order
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - The comment of airline's CEO, Philip Chen
"Cathay Pacific Airways placed yesterday its biggest ever order acquiring 16 Boeing 777-300ER (with options for 20 more) and three Airbus A-330/300s. 12 have been ordered directly to the Boeing, while... more

Civil aviationArab citizens can't arrive in Iraq until elections of next December 15
Amman, Jordan - Some officers of the Jordan Interior Ministry said it
Royal Jordanian cannot transport Arab passengers in Iraq without the necessary authorization by Iraqi Government. The ban is valid until December 15, date in which the Parliamentary elections will take... more

PeopleICAO's day: "The Greening of Flight" is the theme of celebrations in the anniversary of its creation
Montreal, Canada - It was December 7, 1944
"The Greening of Flight — maximizing compatibility between safe and orderly development of civil aviation and the quality of the environment" is the theme for the 2005 edition of International Civil A... more

IndustryEmbraer: Finnair selected the EMB-190
São José dos Campos, Brazil - Airline to increase its fleet of E-Jets to 16 aircraft
Embraer announced today that Finnair has exercised four of its EMBRAER 170 options, converting them to EMBRAER 190 firm orders. These aircraft add to the original firm order of 12 EMBRAER 170s placed in... more

MiscellaneousAmerica West's aircraft made an emergency landing for a threat
Kansas City, Usa - Found a minatory message on board
A passenger has found a note on which was written "Talebans are here", and showed it to Captain who has immediatly decided to make at Airbus a forced landing at Kansas City’s International airport. Flight w... more

SecurityFinland: grenade-launcher exploded during an exercise, seven soldiers injured
Helsinki, Finland - All personnel involved has been immediately carried to a hospital by a helicopter
After the recent accident during a military exercise in Ukraine (see for details AVIONEWS), also Finland suffered for the bad effects of a sudden terrible event during a training stage for its ground forces.... more

Science and technologyBudapest Airport's privatization: revenues to go to central bank
Budapest, Hungary - The affair is expected to conclude on the next week
Proceeds from the sale of Budapest Airport’s managing company will go into the central bank’s foreign currency reserves, government sources revealed today. This means that the bank will convert the rev... more

AirlinesRoyal Jordanian inaugurated Malpensa-Amman flight
Milan, Italy - Jordanian ambassador to Italy was present at the cerimony yesterday
The inauguration cerimony of the first flight from Malpensa to Amman, operated by Royal Jordanian, has been attended by Jordanian ambassador to Italy, Ramef Goussous, Jordan’s Consul General to Milan, M... more

DefenseIsrael: Arrow missile destroyed in flight an Iranian Shahab 3 mock-up
Tel Aviv, Israel - Development of the Israeli defence system goes on successfully
The latest test launch for the Israeli Arrow surface-to-air missile system, promoted by both IAI and US Boeing, proved successful. The guided rocket left from a launcher located in an Israeli Air Force’s b... more

Civil aviation"Airports are not in the sight of terrorists"
Brussels, Belgium - EU's counter-terrorism coordinator, Gijs de Vries, affirmed it
European Union justice and interior ministers agreed yesterday on a strategy to combat the recruitment of Europeans into terrorist groups. Gijs de Vries, EU’s counter-terrorism coordinator from Holland, e... more

AirlinesWind Jet: flights from Catania and Forlì to Paris reopened
Catania, Italy - Connections resume again next December 9 with two weekly frequencies
"Wind Jet begins again links to Paris. The Sicilian carrier will connect Forlì with Paris and to offer comfortable coincidences from/to Catania as of December 9 every Mondays and Fridays. The flights... more

Government actsUrgent Interpellation: monitoring use of white phosphorus in Nassiriya
Rome, Italy - By Hon. Silvana Pisa (DS) and other Deputies
Italian Deputy Hon. Pisa asked Italian Minister of Defence for making clear if Italian soldiers performed a monitoring of Nassiriya area to verify the presence and use of the white phosphorus. more

CuriositiesBoeing: bed and shower in the first class
Seattle, USA - A feasibility study is being carried out for new services aboard commercial airplanes
Boeing considers travel comfort on its commercial aircraft as a priority and the evidence of it is also shown by its Seattle-based Payload Concepts Center (PCC), a centre devoted to feasibility studies... more

DefenseRussian Admiral Gorshkov air carrier changed "Citizenship"
New Dheli, India - It will enter service with Indian Navy in 2008
Indian Navy will operate the former Russian Admiral Gorshkov air carrier in 2008. The naval division of Indian defence will be so self-evidently strengthened, also because the Mig-29Ks are deployed on... more

AirlinesAerolineas Argentinas: strike to continue
Buenos Aires, Argentina - Fines worth over USD 2m in sight for unions
Aerolineas Argentinas dependents are continuing their strike which has touched its 9th day (see for details AVIONEWS) despite of Argentina’s Minister of Labour has threatened to take legal actions against u... more

Latest newsFinland: Hornet, almost a public holiday
Helsinki, Finland - Finnish authorities celebrated ten years activities with the US multirole fighter
Finnish political and military authorities celebrated ten years operational activities with the F/A-18 Hornets for Finnish Air Force. It is almost a public holiday as the purchase of the US fighter in... more

MiscellaneousCIA planes landed also in Rome to "Le Figaro"
Rome, Italy - The French daily took its cue from "The Guardian" revelations
According to the French newspaper "Le Figaro", CIA airplanes carrying supposed terrorist prisoners, would have had a stop-over also in France and Rome at least 2 times, in 2002 and 2005. A Learjet plane... more

AccidentsUSA: Army helicopter had a hard landing
Washington, USA - The two crew members reported light wounds
A reconnaissance and attack helicopter belonging to US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division has been forced to a hard landing on an airfield at Camp Mackall on Fort Bragg, the US’s most active military installations, las... more

AerospaceIran speeds up the mastery of space
Teheran, Iran - Fearing of possible UN's santions due to its nuclear programme as they could prevent the country from access to space technology as well
Iran intends to invest in space industry a lot in order to become part of the still restricted group of states able to carry on an effective and broad dedicated policy, with its own satellites and rocket... more

IndustryEADS about to lead the Dutch space industry
Amsterdam, Holland - The major company in such field, Dutch Space BV, has been acquired
The leading Dutch company specialized in the space sector, Dutch Space BV, has been acquired by EADS’ Space division. This effort enables EADS to lead a large part of the space activities in some five E... more

PeopleJustice Committee for Italian Senate gave the green light to passengers protection rules
Rome, Italy - Up to EUR 50,000 fine against overbooking
The Justice Committee for Italian Senate, passed rules providing for serious sanctions against carriers which fail to follow dispositions over air passengers protection. In case of overbooking or cancellation... more

PeopleUkraine opened its air space to EU airlines
Brussels, Belgium - The Commission's press release
"Ukraine’s sky opens up to Europe’s airlines. The agreement signed yesterday at Kiev, as a part of EU-Ukraine’s summit, by Prime Minister Tony Blair for the EU Presidency and by President José Manuel Barros... more

HelicoptersRobinson Helicopter: lessons in growth
Los Angeles, USA - One of the fastest annual growing US private firms thanks to the great success of its helicopters
After more than 30 years activities and after achieving 6500 helicopter deliveries to its customers worldwide, Robinson Helicopter (which employs 1200 persons) can be considered as one of the fastest annual... more

Latest newsIsrael hopes to find an aviator disappeared in Cyprus 19 years ago
Nicosia, Cyprus - Banners offering reward appeared on the island
The Israeli navigator Ron Arad disappeared 19 years ago while he was overflying Southern Lebanon. His plane, according to following narrations, had been downed by the artillery fire of Lebanese militiamen... more

Latest newsMalaysia selected the A-400M
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - A contract about to be signed to purchase four military cargo aircraft
The EADS-Airbus A-400M got its third non-European customer after South Africa and Chile: it deals with Malaysia which is about to sign a contract (maybe next week) to purchase four new tactical airlifters,... more

Science and technologyKabul International Airport: Greece replaced Portugal in leading ISAF forces
Kabul, Afghanistan - The Afghan airport involved in the 34,000 soldiers pass
A Change in Kabul International Airport Command has been celebrated yesterday. Greece replaced Portugal to lead the competent airport ISAF forces. Portuguese officer said that, starting on August 1st,... more

Latest newsSAAB and BAe launch an "All-Danish" Gripen
Copenhagen, Denmark - A competitive offer has been suggested to replace the F-16s with the JAS-39s
Danish Air Force requested SAAB and BAe to provide technical information about the JAS-39 Gripen multirole light fighter and the two companies, by the Gripen International’s promotional activities, created t... more

AirlinesAlitalia: a new competitive and flexible ticket price for the Rome-Parma route
Rome, Italy - It costs as much as EUR 29 per route during week-ends
Alitalia launched an important initiative concerning the Rome-Parma route, by a competitive ticket price and a service under banner of flexibility. It costs as much as EUR 29 per route during week-ends... more

IndustrySikorsky Aircraft awarded of a over 14 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the H-60 Helicopter
Sikorsky Aircraft, Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a $14,354,633 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity option contract for the repair/overhaul for the tail rotor blades on the H-60... more

Press releaseENAV-MFF: programme's results presented today in Rome
Rome, Italy - It was born in 2000 with an investment of EUR 51m in five years
The final workshop on Mediterranean Free Flight (MFF), a pre-operative and quinquennial programme, opened today in Rome. It has co-financed by European Commission with participation by ENAV (Italian Flight... more

Latest newsSpain to supply Colombia with military air forces
Madrid, Spain - It talks about 21 airplanes and 4 helicopters in all
The following day of the historic agreement with Venezuela which has irritated so much the United States (see for details AVIONEWS), Spain’s Defence Minister Jose Bono, announced to have achieved a deal w... more

AerospaceIce beneath Mars' red surface
Brussels, Belgium - It would have been discovered by Italian Marsis radar installed on the Mars Express probe
The Mars Express probe found ice in the planet’s underground. Realizing about its presence was possible thanks to the Marsis radar, designed and manufactured by Alenia Spazio on the behalf of the Italian S... more

AirlinesUS Airways confirms order for 20 A-350s with a press release
New York, Usa - The engines's choice and the seats' configuration are not unveiled yet
"Following to the order announced in May by US Airways and America West, US Airways Group has confirmed the order and signed the purchase contract for 20 A-350s, but carrier has not been unveiled yet about... more

Science and technologyExercise at Hong Kong Airport
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - To prepare for protests on the occasion of WTO meeting
Hong Kong Airport and city hospitals are preparing for the event of this month: the Ministerial Conference of the WTO, World Trade Organization which will be held from December 13 to 18. Fourteen hospitals... more

AerospaceTitan: Huygens probe detected the first bolt outside the Earth
Rome, Italy - Thanks to Hasi-produced-Galileo Avionica technology
The bolt was detected last January 14 by ESA’s Huygens probe sent to Titan, Saturn’s greatest moon after Cassini. Hasi, Huygens Atmosphere Structure Instrument, designed by Marcello Fulchignoni, a res... more

MiscellaneousMan selling parts for fighter planes to China sentenced to 15 years
Washington, USA - "A threat to worldwide air safety"
A man who tried to sell component for fighter planes to China and forged the certificates of quality of other aircraft parts, has been sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in prison by a judge who described... more

HelicoptersIndonesia: US helicopter market opened again
Jakarta, Indonesia - The Asian country could purchase new military aircraft but problems related to available funds remain
After the US armaments embargo against Indonesia in 1999, the Asian country was prevented from providing with American military helicopters as scheduled at first. The recent cancellation of sanctions,... more

AirlinesRyanair: new flight from Ciampino to Ireland as from February 23
Milan, Italy - The Western city of Shannon will be linked with Murcia, Manchester and Warsaw
"Ryanair announces a new route for Ireland. The flight from rome to Shannon will start on February 23, 2006. Michael O’Leary, airline’s CEO, during the press conference held at Shannon today, also ann... more

AirlineseasyJet took off from Malpensa today
Varese, Italy - Milan-London/Gatwick route has started
The British low-cost airline inaugurated today the new connection from Milan-Malpensa Airport toward London-Gatwick (see for details AVIONEWS): flights will be operated from Monday to Friday while in the... more

AccidentsSpain: helicopter carrying politicians went down
Madrid. Spain - Passengers suffered for light injuries only
Mariano Rajoy and Esperanza Aguirre, the presidents of the Partido Popular and the Autonomous Community of Madrid respectively, survived a helicopter accident occurred after midday today. The mayor of... more

Government actsQuestion time: Finmeccanica's activities in Brindisi territory
Rome, Italy - By Hon. Giovanni Carbonella (Dl-l'Ulivo)
Italian Deputy Hon. Carbonella asked Italian Minister of Productive Activities for making clear some negative and doubtful aspects concerning Finmeccanica firms’ role in Brindisi territory as it would s... more

Science and technologyBudapest Airport's privatization: BAA to offer EUR 1.58bn
Budapest, Hungary - The Hungarian newspaper "Nepszabadsag" revealed it
The previous highest offer had been that from Germany’s Hochtief concerning the first tender (see for details AVIONEWS). Today newspaper "Nepszabadsag" said that the British Airport Authority would h... more

AirlinesAustrian Airlines: new links from Vienna to Pecs starting from next March 26
Budapest, Hungary - The Hungarian newspaper "Vilaggazdasag" wrote it
Austrian Airlines, according to the financial Magyar newspaper "Vilaggazdasag" reported, should inaugurate next March 26 four weekly links between Austrian capital and Pecs, the Hungarian city. Flights... more