AVIONEWS - World Aeronautical Press Agency
101,892 news found

AccidentsFrance: tragic accident at the International Championship of Sail-flying
Romorantin, France - A young female pilot for AMI is dead
Giulia Incisa della Rocchetta, 24 from Turin, died yesterday for an accident with the glider taking part to the International Military Championship of Sail-flying at Romorantin (France). Her glider would... more

IndustryPaul Canavan awarded of a over 9 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the engines
Paul Canavan, General Electric Aircraft Engines, Lynn, Mass, is being awarded a maximum $9,182,183 firm fixed price contract for Navy, and Air Force for adding 6 NSNs to existing contract for commercial... more

IndustryATK Tactical Systems Co. LLC awarded of a over 14 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For several aircraft
ATK Tactical Systems Co. LLC, Rocket Center, W. Va., is being awarded a $14,496,884 firm fixed price contract modification to provide for the DSU-33B/B proximity sensor, a nose-mounted radio frequency... more

IndustryHamilton Sundstrand awarded of a over 14 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the C-2 aircraft
Hamilton Sundstrand, Windsor Locks, Conn., is being awarded a $14,257,144 modification under previously awarded contract (N00383-95-G-004A) to exercise an option for procurement of NP2000 propeller systems... more

IndustrySikorsky Aircraft Corp. awarded of a over 35 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded on June 3, 2005, a $35,070,665 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for plus-ups of the UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters. Work will be performed... more

IndustrySikorsky Aircraft Corp. awarded of a over 72 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded on June 3, 2005, a $72,158,252 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for project systems management for the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.... more

ReportV-22 Osprey: titanium components "charged" in the USA
Washington, USA - Magistracy started investigating on the lack of certification for some parts of the military tilt-rotor
US magistracy is investigating on the possible provision of non-certified components for the Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey military tilt-rotor. Some persons would have been charged for favouring the supply and... more

Latest newsIndra electronic countermeasures to protect the A-400M
Madrid, Spain - EADS group forecasts to make the total orders for the military cargo rise up to some 500 airframes by the next two years
Electronic countermeasures for the protection of the new EADS-Airbus A-400M military tactical airlifters against hostile radars will be provided by Spanish company Indra, competent for defence electronic... more

Latest newsThailandia: the SAAB's "Griffon" challenges the Lockheed Martin's "Falcon"
Bangkok, Thailand - The Gripen and the F-16 compete to become the new fighter for the Thai Air Force to replace the F-5s and the OV-10s
Thailand intends to retire its old F-5 Freedom Fighter e OV-10 Bronco combat airplanes from operational service by the end of the current year and Thai Air Force is evaluating some hypotheses among which... more

AerospaceNASA: a new probe to travel towards Mars in 2007
Washington, USA - The Phoenix programme is under development by the Lockheed Martin, universities and Canadian Space Agency's contribution
NASA will launch a new probe destined to study Mars’ ground in August 2007. The programme, named Phoenix, schedules the sending of a static device endowed with a mechanical arm which will be deployed t... more

Civil aviationIran launched regional cooperation against weapons of mass destruction proliferation
Teheran, Iran - An answer to fear expressed by the USA with reference to the Iranian nuclear programme
Whereas the United States go on fearing that Iran is making efforts to produce atomic bombs, Teheran’s regime launched an initiative of regional concern offering to the states in the Persian Gulf the p... more

MiscellaneousRainy season threatens the arrival of new troops in Darfur
Washington, USA - Decision on reinforcements' dispatching reached a stalemate
NATO meeting is expected to occur tomorrow to try putting an end to the dispute in progress since several weeks threatening to delay reinforcements’ air transport to Darfur. The obstacle is caused by U... more

AirlinesContinental Airlines will inaugurate tomorrow non-stop service to Hamburg, in Germany
New York, Usa - It's the fourth of six trans-Atlantic routes being added this year
Continental Airlines will inaugurate daily non-stop service starting tomorrow from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport to Hamburg, Germany. The flight times are 7 hours and 45 minutes... more

HelicoptersAustralian Navy Sea King restarted flying
Sydney, Australia - They were stopped after the serious accident occurred in Indonesia
Sea King helicopters of Australia’s Navy have restarted flying after having been grounded due to the accident occurred last April 2 when nine servicemen, including some women, have been killed and two h... more

DefenseUS and Australia to perform military drill
Sydney, Australia - The largest bilateral exercise undertaken by the United States
The joint exercise of US forces together with Australian forces started today off the State of Queensland’s coast and will involve 11,000 US soldiers and 6000 Australian servicemen, up to the end of t... more

MiscellaneousIsraeli air attack on Gaza Strip
Gaza City, Strip of Gaza - The target were some Hamas' militiamen
An Israeli airplane would have fired two rockets on a car carrying Hamas’s militiamen, who seem were equipped with mortar launchers: it happened today at Khan Younis, in Gaza Strip. Three militiamen w... more

Latest newsJavelin: the Israeli way to advanced military training
Tel Aviv, Israel - The trainer has been produced together with US Aviation Technology Group and IAI will attend to its promotion in the international market
Israel Aircraft Industries tries again: the Israeli company will show its first military aircraft since the cancellation of the Lavi programme (late in the 80s) during the next edition of Le Bourget Air... more

Latest newsIsraeli aircraft violated Lebanese airspace
Beirut, Lebanon - A show of strength after Hezbollah election in Parliament?
8 Israeli war aircraft, including two drones as well, would have flown low yestarday over Lebanese territory for more than an hour. Firstly Israeli aircraft would have violated the Southern regions’ a... more

DefenseAfghanistan: first Italian troops called on KMNB have landed
Kabul, Afghanistan - One hundred soldiers took off from Malpensa yesterday
The first 100 Italian soldiers destined to take part in Kabul Multi-National Brigade (KMNB) for the first Italy-led NATO mission -which is expected to affect 600 Italian militaries- have left around 6:00pm... more

Press releaseEuropean Commission: conditional go-ahead for the recapitalisation of Alitalia
Brussels, Belgium - Yesterday the decision
"The European Commission yesterday found that the recapitalisations of Alitalia and its services subsidiary do not involve any State aid provided that the conditions laid down to ensure that the State... more

Latest newsFrench and Swiss planes to work jointly in case of emergency
Berne, Switzerland - Two countries can carry out air operations of transfrontier police
In the army restructuration started by Swiss Confederation (see for details AVIONEWS), the air surveillance squadron will be retired after 64 years’ honourable service, CFS President Samuel Schmidt unveiled. T... more

Civil aviationB-737 en route from Portugal to GB diverted due to alleged bomb-pack
London, United Kingdom - It was an unclaimed cell phone
An airliner flying from Portugal to Great Britain with 108 passengers, has been re-directed in the late afternoon yesterday, to London-Stansted Airport under two RAF’s Tornado escort, because a suspect p... more

MiscellaneousItalian Air Force F-16 broke the sound barrier
Trento, Italy - To intercept a Russian aircraft which was violating Italian airspace
An Italian F-16 from the 23rd Interceptor Group belonging to the 5th Wing, has taken off yesterday around 3:10am from the Pisignano base (Ravenna, Emilia Romagna Region), following the signal from Poggio... more

People"Airlines want the A-350 and we are going to produce it"
Amsterdam, Holland - EADS to formally start the programme by the end of next September following careful market surveys
European aerospace holding EADS and British Aerospace group intend to perform the formal launch of the Airbus A-350 programme by the end of next September. The official notification by the company owning... more

AirlinesRoyal Air Maroc presented the flight from Catania's Airport to Casablanca yesterday evening
Catania, Italy - From next July 3 until September 11 and it will be served by a B-737
Royal Air Maroc presented the new flight between Sicily’s capital and the Moroccan city of Casablanca, yesterday evening in Catania. The link will be operative from next July 3 until September 11. According t... more

Civil aviationSri Lanka: "Tamil Tigers could be provided with airplanes"
Colombo, Sri Lanka - Fears expressed by central Government for the rebels' activities would not be confirmed by UN's sources in the country anyway
Sri Lanka’s authorities and Indian Government would be convinced that rebels belonging to the group of Tamil Tigers own at least a couple of small airplanes that Colombo’s Government fears can be maybe use... more

AccidentsBangladesh: military plane plumbed into a house killing the owner
Dacca, Bangladesh - THe pilot was safe while four persons were left wounded
An F-7MB of Bangladesh Air Force, during a training flight, has fallen yesterday over a Dacca residential area, near Zia International Airport, killing a woman and injuring other four persons. Single-seat... more

MiscellaneousPortugal on fire: firemen's helicopter at work
Lisbon, Portugal - The country is gripping with the most serious drought in the last 60 years
A wide blaze raged yesterday has been fought by 200 firemen and a helicopter that worked on a wooded area near the city of Alhada (200 Km North to Lisbon). The cause determining the fire result still unknown... more

IndustryDutchAero: Avio acquired a 80% stake of Philips Aerospace
Amsterdam, Holland - The Dutch company can boast collaboration with firms such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin
DutchAero: the well known Italian company Avio, competent for the aerospace powerplant systems field, founded recently a new firm stemming from the acquisition of a 80% stake of the Dutch group Philips... more

Latest newsSouth Korea: the USA provide "visibility" to the presence of the stealth planes in the Asian country
Seoul, South Korea - Pentagon confirmed the re-deployment of 15 F-117s which will attend exercises with the F-16s
Pentagon confirmed the deployment of 15 F-117 Night Hawk stealth strikers in the South Korean territory (see for details AVIONEWS). The combat aircraft are located in a base some 270 km South from the... more

Weather forecastsLe Bourget Air Show: Boeing's attendance
Paris, France - Analysing results achieved and future prospects for the main products both in the civil and defence sectors
Boeing is going to attend the next edition of Le Bourget Air Show (Paris, June 13-19), describing its key products and its global view with reference to both the commercial aviation and defence sectors.... more

AirlinesAlitalia (2): dominating the domestic market again and promoting the "Made in Italy" abroad
Rome, Italy - Two key priorities according to the company and Government for the relaunch of the airline
Alitalia is ready to talk about possible alliances with all the subjects in this sector but it is still too soon to set a programme in this sense, also in the case of air France-KLM. Italian airline President... more

AirlinesAlitalia: satisfaction for the EU approval of the business plan
Rome, Italy - Italian airline to start recapitalization next Autumn and it intends to achieve the break even by 2006
Alitalia President and CEO, Giancarlo Cimoli, and Italian Minister of Infrastructures and Transport, Pietro Lunardi, welcomed the approval of the business plan 2005-2008 by European Commission, thanking... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Boeing model 727-200 series airplanes equipped with a No. 3 Cargo Door (2005-11-09)
Washington, Usa - To detect and correct cracking of the forward, lower corner frame and forward end of the lower beam of the No. 3 cargo door, which could result in failure of the affected door stops, loss of the cargo door, and consequent rapid decompre
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information [Federal Register: June 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 108)] [Page 32984-32986] Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Bombardier model DHC-8-400, -401, and - 402 series airplanes (2005-11-11)
Washington, Usa - To prevent the attachment fittings from becoming detached, and consequent loss of control of the airplane
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information [Federal Register: June 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 108)] [Page 32998-33000] Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Bombardier model DHC-8-102, -103, -106, -201, -202, -301, -311, and -315 airplanes (2005-11-10)
Washington, Usa - To prevent the loss of hydraulic power from both hydraulic systems, which could lead to reduced controllability of the airplane, and to prevent brake failure, which could result in the loss of directional control on the ground and
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information [Federal Register: June 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 108)] [Page 32986-32988] Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Grob-Werke model G-120A airplanes
Washington, Usa - To replace front and rear main landing gear bearings that are susceptible to damage when exposed to high axial loads, which could result in failure of the landing gear bearing. This failure could lead to loss of control on landing
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information [Federal Register: June 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 108)] [Page 32988-32990] Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on BAE Systems (Operations) Limited model BAe 146 Airplanes
Usa - To detect and correct fatigue cracking in the fuselage pressure skin above the left and right MLG bay; such fatigue cracking could adversely affect the structural integrity of the fuselage and its ability to maintain pressure differential
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information [Federal Register: June 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 108)] [Page 32982-32984] Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal... more

Civil aviationFAA (Correction) AD on Precise Flight, Inc. models SVS I and SVS IA Standby Vacuum Systems
Washington, Usa - To correct problems with the SVS before failure or malfunction during instrument flight rules (IFR) flight that can lead to pilot disorientation and loss of control of the aircraft
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information [Federal Register: June 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 108)] [Page 32992-32996] Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Boeing model 767-200, -300, and -300F series airplanes (2005-11-12)
Washington, Usa - To prevent fire extinguishing agent from leaking out of the seals around the ducts in the forward cargo compartment in the event of an in-flight fire, which could result in failure to extinguish the fire and consequent smoke or fire ext
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information [Federal Register: June 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 108)] [Page 32996-32998] Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal... more

IndustryNorthrop Grumman Systems Corp. awarded of a over 8 USDm contract
Washington, Usa - For the EA-6B aircraft
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Bethpage, N.Y., is being awarded an $8,475,343 firm-fixed-price order against a previously awarded basic ordering agreement (N00019-00-G-0425) for spares associated with... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Extra Flugzeugproduktions-und Vertriebs-GmbH models EA-300, EA-300S, EA-300L, and EA-300/200 airplanes
Washington, Usa - To prevent fuel from flowing behind the firewall in the case of a fuel leak. This could result in an in-flight fire, which could cause loss of the airplane and crew
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information [Federal Register: June 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 108)] [Page 32990-32992] Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal... more

Science and technologySouth Terminal at Basel-Mulhouse has been inaugurated
Basel, Switzerland - Works costed EUR 45 m
Basel’s EuroAirport will have a capacity of 6 million of passengers per year thanks to the new terminal inaugurated today: the cerimony has been attended by numerous civilian and military authorities, i... more

Latest newsIndia is ready to aid Sri Lanka's aviation
New Delhi, India - The country is threaten by separatist guerrilla that may be equipped with air conveyances
India’s Air Force has announced that it could provide its own aeronautics expertise if Sri Lanka’s Government should ask for it following the rumors indicating that rebels belonging to the separatist gro... more

AerospaceScientists succeeded in freeing Opportunity from sand
Washington, USA - The robot has been blocked in Mars' sand for about one month
Great joy for scientists from the Pasadena Jet Propulsion Laboratory when they understood, after taking delivery of the first Opportunity’s images while leaving fresh traces on Mars’ surface, as they suc... more

CuriositiesMBDA and Thales successfully tested the Aster missile naval version
Paris, France - An anti-ship missile has been destroyed about 10 km far from its target
French Navy recently successfully tested the launch of an Aster 30 missile jointly developed by MBDA and Thales. The guided rocket intercepted and destroyed an anti-ship missile flying with a sea skimming... more

AirlinesAir Canada's load factor was 79.9% in May
Ottawa, Canada - It was 78.5% in the same month in 2004
Canadian airline’s load factor was near 80%, the highest it has ever recorded in that month. This data results from the increasing in capacity by 4.7%. In the domestic market, capacity has grown by 1.7 p... more

DefenseVenezuela: new weapon systems and a 2 million soldiers reserve to face a prospective US invasion
Caracas, Venezuela - President Chavez's fear has been immediately give the lie by Washington
Venezuelan President Chavez is paying great attention to the increase of defensive capabilities of its own country and he would have decided to set the foundation of a reserve by the recruitment of about... more

Science and technologyInformational solution against baggage loss?
London, United Kingdom - British Airways concentrate its efforts on RFID
British Airways loses about 18 luggages on 1000 handled to the cost of USD 729m destined to compensations, so showed interest in solving the problem by using, for instance, the Radio Frequency Identification... more

MiscellaneousCIA and FBI behind the air attack to Cuba occurred in 1976?
Havana, Cuba - US knew about it according to Ricardo Alarcón de Quesada
57 Cubans, 11 citizens from Guyana and five Koreans were killed in October 6, 1976 when a civilian plane belonging to Cuba’s airline flying from Caracas to Havana, exploded in-flight over Barbados island: t... more