AVIONEWS - World Aeronautical Press Agency
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Science and technologyNaples: the 'Mediterraneo' prize awarded to Gesac
Naples, Italy - The managing company for Naples' airport rewarded for its contribution to local touristic development
The ceremony during which Gesac, the company that manages Naples' airport, is awarded the 'Mediterraneo' prize will be held on Friday, 2 April. The prize was conceived by Grande Albergo Mediterraneo and... more

DefenseTomahawk Block IVs have been ordered by US Navy
Tucson, USA - 225 missiles have been requested after last tests' results in December
Raytheon has received by US Navy an order for some 225 Tomahawk cruise missiles updated to the Block IV standard. This last version of the well-known surface-to-surface shipped missile had concluded its... more

AerospaceRussian military satellite successfully launched
Moscow, Russia - It is the first of ten satellites to be launched this year
A Russian military satellite was successfully launched last Saturday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It is the first of ten satellites to be launched in 2004. The spokesman of the Interfax... more

PeopleAircraft returns to Olbia for engine breakdown
Olbia, Italy - The engine turned out ot be seriously damaged
An MD-80 leaving from Olbia to Milan-Linate was taking off when the pilot declared the state of emergency for an engine breakdown and returned to the Sardinian airport. Following checks, the engine turned... more

IndustryThe 767 Tanker programme's legitimacy in doubt
Washington, USA - It would have been ordered even if not satisfying all the specification requirements unlike Airbus' proposal
The new airtanker which is being developed in the United States, the Boeing 767 Tanker, would be under indictment by part of American press and by some taxpayers' associations. Recent disclosures would... more

Fair and showsBorgman to resign from Sikorsky in July
Stratford, USA - The Chairman of such important helicopter group however retires with significant expectations
Sikorsky Chairman, Dean C. Borgman, has recently announced he will retire from his role by July 1st 2004. Borgman proved trustful about vision capabilities of President Steve Finger, as he considers him... more

DefenseUS Peacekeeper intercontinental missiles have been decommissioned
Washington, USA - In compliance with nuclear arsenals reduction treaty signed with Russia in 2002
The United States are enforcing nuclear armaments reduction treaty, signed together with Russia in May 2002, through the recent decommission of the Peacekeepers multi-warhead intercontinental missiles.... more

Latest newsThe Italian Air Force at VolaGenova the 22 and 23 May
Genoa, Italy - With exhibitions, demonstrations and the show of the "Frecce Tricolori"
The aeronautical show VolaGenova will take place Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May in Genoa as part of teh celebrations for 'Genoa European capital of Culture'. On Saturday and on Sunday morning the aircraft... more

DefenseLithuania as the first Baltic state protected by NATO's fighters
Brussels, Belgium - Four Belgian F-16s are combat-ready
The starting of patrolling activity by NATO’s fighters over Baltic Sea’s skies had been already confirmed yesterday (see for details AVIONEWS). Then it has been known the first among the three Baltic Rep... more

IndustryAvio to manage logistic support for Typhoon's engines
Rome, Italy - Agreement between such Italian company and NETMA
Italian company Avio, as responsible for 20% share in designing and producing the EJ-200 engine of the EF-2000 Typhoon developed by Eurojet syndicate, has gained the granting for the entire logistic support... more

Science and technologyCagliari's airport closed for fog: first flight landed at noon
Cagliari, Italy - Only two airplanes took off, the others cancelled or diverted
The 'Elmas' airport of Cagliari was closed today during the morning because of thick fog that had reduced visibility to 0.93 miles (1.5 km) for departures and 3.1 miles (5 km) for arrivals. Only the first... more

AirlinesFit Cisl contests Alitalia on Gandalf takeover
Rome, Italy - The bid was too high for a loss-making airline
Union Fit Cisl contests Alitalia’s takeover of bankrupt carrier Gandalf, for which the Italian flag airline offered EUR 7.1m during the auction held at Parma’s court-house, exceeding by far those of... more

Civil aviationTerrorism: Heathrow had to be attacked in 2001
London, UK - Bin Laden wanted to attack London after the USA
It has emerged from the interrogation to Bin Laden's right-hand man, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, arrested one year ago in Pakistan: shortly after the terroristic attacks in the USA in 2001, Bin Laden was ready... more

IndustryFinmeccanica approves the results for 2003 (6): results by sector of activity. Oto Melara, Wass, Mbda
Rome, Italy - Value of production: EUR 1,102m (16%); Ebita: EUR 88m (+13%).
"The defence systems business includes missile systems (Mbda, a joint venture with BAE Systems and Eads), land, naval, air, underwater and sonar systems. The defence systems market has been the hardest... more

IndustryFinmeccanica approves the results for 2003 (5): results by sector of activity. Galileo Avionica, Marconi Selenia Communications, AMS, Horizon Naval Systems
Rome, Italy - Value of production: EUR 1,858m (+37%); Ebita: EUR 160m (+78%)
"Defence electronics activities include the production of avionics equipment, unmanned aircraft, radar systems, land and naval command and control systems, air traffic control systems, integrated communications... more

IndustryFinmeccanica approves the results for 2003 (3): results by sector of activity. AgustaWestland
Rome, Italy - Value of production: EUR 2,594m (+5%); Ebita: EUR 275m (-14%), figures refer to 100% of the joint-venture
"Finmeccanica is a leading player in the global helicopter industry through AgustaWestland, a joint-venture with the British group GKN. In 2003 AgustaWestland continued its strategy of penetrating markets... more

IndustryFinmeccanica approves the results for 2003 (2): results by sector of activity. Alenia Aeronautica, Aermacchi
Rome, Italy - Value of production: EUR 1,318m (+5%); Ebita: EUR 137m (-1%)
"Finmeccanica is present in the sector via Alenia Aeronautica and Aermacchi, which became part of the group on 1 July 2003. During the year, Alenia Aeronautica continued to implement measures aimed at... more

Press releaseFinmeccanica’s board of directors has approved the results for 2003
Rome, Italy - Net profit excluding STM advanced 27% to EUR 158m, value of production rose by 11% to EUR 8.6bn and new orders were up 5% at EUR 9.1bn
"2003 results were very encouraging and matched Finmeccanica’s forecasts, with net profit for the year excluding STM up 27% to EUR 158m versus EUR 124m in 2002. This was a highly satisfactory result g... more

Latest newsThe X-45 has completed its first free-falling weapon launch
Washington, USA - It even succeeds in avoid the risk of collision during flight
It has been completed at Edwards Air Force Base (California) the first free-falling weapon launch test for the new stealth UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) called X-45. This airplane would seem to... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Airbus model A-330-301, -321, -322, - 341, and -342 series airplanes; A-340/211, -212, 213, -311, - 312, and -313 series airplanes
Usa - To prevent cracking of the wire harness slot on the inner rear spar of the wing, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the wing
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. 2001-NM-380-AD; Amendment... more

IndustryFinmeccanica approves the results for 2003 (4): results by sector of activity. Alenia Spazio, Telespazio
Rome, Italy - Value of production: EUR 767m (+45%); Ebita: EUR 14m (EUR 2m in 2002)
"Finmeccanica operates in the space industry through Alenia Spazio (which produces space infrastructure and scientific telecommunication, remote sensing and payload satellites) and Telespazio (earth stations,... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on The Lancair Company models LC40-550FG and LC42-550FG airplanes
Usa - To detect and correct chafing and wear of the fuel pressure transducer, which could result in failure of the transducer threaded fitting with a resulting fuel leak
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. 2004-CE-07-AD; Amendment... more

AirlinesSummer schedule for Qatar Airways
Rome, Italy - 4 weekly Rome-Milan-Doha flights
Qatar Airways has announced the summer schedule for its 4 weekly circular Rome-Milan-Doha flights. Connections will be operated from 28 March to 30 October on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.... more

AccidentsAir crash in the United Arab Emirates: engine reversal apparently caused accident
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - The aircraft was in bad maintenance conditions
Apparently, a sudden engine reversal caused the Fokker 50 of the Iranian airline Kish to crash on 10 February 2.5 miles (4 km) from the runway of the Sharjah airport, in the United Arab Emirates, killing... more

Science and technologyGenoa: emergency landing for a passenger's indisposition
Genoa, Italy - The pilot feared it was a heart attack, but it was hypotension
An Iberia airplane fliying from Barcelona to Venice made an emergency landing in Genoa at about 5.30 pm last Saturday. A 50-year-old Spanish passenger had a sudden indisposition so the pilot, fearing it... more

DefenseUnited States' worries about nuclear proliferation
Washington, USA - The USA should increase their investment for anti-missile defences, according to some think tanks
Recently, a research by US Department of Defence would have put into evidence how USA's territory is risking to become more vulnerable time after time to potential missile attacks. This danger could come... more

PeopleUSA: psychic "sees" bomb onboard, flight cancelled
Washington, USA - Authorities say: "We cannot ignore anything"
Mass hysteria rages in the US. An American Airlines airplane scheduled to depart yesterday from Fort Myers, Florida, to Dallas, Texas was cancelled because a psychic called the police saying that he had... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Boeing model 747-400F series airplanes
Usa - To detect and correct fatigue cracks in the fuselage skin and frame shear tie assemblies, which could propagate and result in possible in-flight decompression of the airplane
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. 2002-NM-288-AD; Amendment... more

Press releaseSea: Alitalia flight Milan-Malpensa to Washington inaugurated yesterday
Milan, Italy - With a B-767 and with a daily frequency
"Yesterday it took off from Malpensa the Alitalia maiden flight that connects Milan with Washington directly. This new service carried out by a Boeing 767 and a frequency every day with scheduled departure... more

Civil aviationLibya scheduled an attempt against a US airliner in 1986
London, UK - It would be revealed by sources which belong to intelligence services of some western countries
As a consequence of the recent overture by Tripoli's regime, it seems the possibility for discovering some tragic back stages of last decades history begins to be less remote. Some intelligence sources... more

CuriositiesSoya oil in place of kerosene?
Anaheim, USA - It is a recent discovery concerning bio-fuel performed by a group of scientists in California
Although researches for the development of ecological fuel based on vegetable substances (the so-called bio-fuels) are going on during time, recently it seems that some scientists have succeeded in the... more

Latest newsJSF programme on the verge of its feasibility
Washington, USA - Several american military think tanks would be convinced of it
US Air Force and US Navy’s representatives for the JSF programme (Joint Strike Fighter) have put forward different and quite alarming points of view about, on the one hand, the technical feasibility o... more

Weather forecastsAermacchi attends FIDAE at Santiago de Chile
Santiago de Chile, Chile - The purpose is to reinforce its already significant presence in South America
Aermacchi, a worldwide leader in producing basic and advanced trainers, is attending FIDAE (Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio) Airshow in Santiago de Chile (March 29-April 4). This Italian company... more

AirlinesUnited Arab Emirates: the carriers of the small Arab Country
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - The rich Country on the Persian Gulf has three airlines
The United Arab Emirates are the Switzerland of the Arab world: a small but rich Country on the Persian Gulf composed of seven emirates. The Emirates stand out in the region also for their air traffic,... more

DefenseNew NATO's members ready to adapt their own defence systems (3): NATO surveillance patrol over Baltic skies has started
Brussels, Belgium - Russia could increase the number of soldiers and means nearby its bounds with the three Baltic Republics
NATO’s fighters have started patrolling Baltic skies over Latvia’s, Estonia’s and Lithuania’s air spaces today, as new members of the Atlantic Alliance. Russia’s protest (see for details AVIONEWS) has not b... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on BAE Systems Limited model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes; and BAE Systems Limited model BAe 146 series airplanes
Usa - To prevent uncommanded inputs to the nosewheel steering, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane during takeoff and landing
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. 2001-NM-317-AD; Amendment... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Airbus model A-319 and A-320 series airplanes
Usa - To prevent the loss of the emergency evacuation slides during flight, which could result in damage to the fuselage, and to prevent incorrect inflation of the emergency evacuation slides, which could result in the emergency exits being unusable
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. 2001-NM-339-AD; Amendment... more

Civil aviationFAA AD on Saab model SAAB 2000 series airplanes
Usa - To prevent long-term damage to the engine mounting structure (EMS), and loss of redundancy on the EMS, which could result in possible separation of an engine from the airplane, reduced controllability of the airplane, and injury to persons or prope
Airworthiness Directive Federal Register Information Header Information DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. 2003-NM-115-AD; Amendment... more

Latest newsTyphoon more competitive after 2010?
Newton, USA - It would be foreseen by a Forecast International's analysis
Forecast International (a leader in providing analysis and statistics for defence and aerospace sectors) has recently put forward some forecasting related to the future of the military aviation market... more

HelicoptersUpdate for Life Lion health care service's Dauphins
Washington, USA - These helicopters to be updated from the N1 version to the N3 standard
Life Lion health care service operating in Pennsylvania has ordered through Eurocopter an updating for two AS-365 Dauphin helicopters, from the original N1 version to the new N3 standard. Modifications... more

AirlinesNew flights for Scandinavian Airlines
Stockholm, Sweden - Sas' charter offer is expanding, too, with a contract with Sts Solresor
It is a time for big changes at Scandinavian Airlines (Sas), which has just launched a new industrial plan and has been reorganized into national companies. Today, with the summer schedule, the airline... more

PeopleSerbia and Montenegro became Eurocontrol members
Brussels, Belgium - Last Friday the important step
Serbia and Montenegro last Friday took an important step towards becoming a Member of Eurocontrol. At the Organisation's headquarters, the country's Ambassador to Belgium, Mrs Milica Pejanovic Djurisic,... more

AccidentsA Mig-17 fell headlong in the USA
Phoenix, USA - Its pilot died as it was impossible to eject for him
A Mig-17 Fresco fell headlong in the United States on last Thursday while flying towards an airport in the north of Phoenix after leaving from Roswell. Search for this airplane had started immediately... more

AirlinesEmirates: inauguration of the First Class service on the B-777/300
Milan, Italy - Tomorrow afternoon at 3pm in Milan-Malpensa airport
Emirates, the international airline with headquarter in Dubai, will inaugurate the First Class service on the new aircraft B-777/300, the commercial airplane with a more capacity on the market on the flights... more

Latest newsPredator fighting terrorism: effectiveness and limitations in its project development
Washington, USA - The version provided with Hellfire missiles flew only one month later after the attack against the Twin Towers
Recently more information concerning American armed forces' debates on development possibilities for UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) aircraft and their employment have been spread. Even one year before the... more

Latest newsNew NATO's members ready to adapt their own defence systems (2): Italian Air Force to keep watch Slovenian air space
Ljubliana, Slovenia - Italy is the only country offering this task
Slovenian authorities had announced on March 17 that, joining NATO with full effectiveness by early April (with some efforts even performed today), Slovenia would have been defended by Atlantic Alliance's... more

AirlinesLuxor Air flights suspended in Italy
Rome, Italy - Pilot training system used by Egyptian airline is inadequate
The Egyptian airline, Luxor Air, has been suspended from flying over Italy. The precautionary measure has been introduced by the Italian authority for civil aviation (Enac) following the same decision... more

AirlinesEmirates launches new route Dubai-Glasgow
Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Starting 10 April
After having announced new non-stop connections with Australia (see AVIONEWS), Emirates has launched the new route Dubai-Glasgow. The flight will be operated from 10 April using an Airbus A-330/200 and... more

Science and technologyLanding for baggage alert: Enac starts inquiry
Rome, Italy - The suitcase had not passed security checks
Enac (Italian authority for civil aviation) has started an inquiry on the episode - reported by AVIONEWS - of the Air France flight 1567 departed last Friday from Pisa to Paris, forced to land at Milan-Malpensa... more

HelicoptersIndia updates its Hinds
New Dheli, India - Such update will be performed in association with Israel
India increases its cooperation with Israel concerning modernization processes which are involving its own weapon systems. Recently, Indian Air Force has pointed out the need for encouraging its Mi-24... more