Skycontrol news archive for june 2008

30/06/08: LMS introduces LMS Virtual.Lab Motion Quick Start: Start-up service delivers a short learning curve and quick productivity gains

Leuven, Belgium – June 30, 2008 – LMS, the engineering innovation company, announced the introduction of LMS Virtual.Lab Motion Quick Start, a dedicated service program for a smooth and seamless deployment of LMS’ multibody dynamic motion simulation software. Based on training and expert guidance, Quick Start helps novice LMS Virtual.Lab Motion users build and validate their first models with the assistance of experienced LMS engineers. The program can include a full set of customized simulation templates to automate simulation processes and quickly assess the dynamic performance of design variants. LMS Virtual.Lab Motion Quick Start will help users to be productive in the shortest possible time.

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30/06/08: Munich Airport: Terminal 2 celebrates fifth anniversary

Treats and discounts galore for passengers and visitors / Timeline: Five years of Terminal 2 This past Sunday, June 29th, marked a big anniversary for Munich Airport and Lufthansa: Terminal 2 went into operation five years ago in the summer of 2003. Since then, more than 100 million passengers have used the terminal, which is among the most modern facilities of its kind in Europe. This Sunday alone, approximately 70,000 passengers passed through the terminal and joined in on the celebration of this special anniversary. Most shops in Terminal 2 offered a 5 percent discount on purchases. In addition, 2000 shopping coupons worth 5 euros each were handed out to lucky passengers and visitors in the arrival and gate areas. The coupons can be redeemed in selected shops and restaurants in Terminal 2.

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30/06/08: Swedish and Swiss High Tech on a long duration balloon flight over the Atlantic

Swedish Space designs, tests, launches and operates space and aerospace systems. Our operations are carried out within four business units located in Stockholm, Kiruna and Vidsel. At our facility in Stockholm, we develop satellites, space vehicle subsystems and payloads for sounding rockets as well as airborne systems for maritime surveillance. We also own Stockholm Teleport, a ground station for satellite communication services. At Esrange Space Center, east of Kiruna, we launch sounding rockets and balloons and from here we also operate one of the world’s busiest civilian satellite ground stations. In addition we are involved in testing various air and space vehicles through the North European Aerospace Test range – NEAT - at Vidsel Test Range, RFN.

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30/06/08: Airbus selects Lead Logistics and Transport Providers

Airbus has selected Kuehne+Nagel as lead logistics provider and DHL as lead transport provider, becoming Tier 1 partners for Airbus. The decision is a significant step towards the integration of Airbus and will allow a further harmonization and optimisation of Airbus’ logistics and related transport processes in Europe. The integration will lead to substantial savings in the range of a high double-digit million Euros amount. The process is part of the Power 8 programme. The Airbus new logistics concept foresees the successive consolidation of all local warehouse facilities into regional hubs in Germany (Hamburg), France (Toulouse, Nantes-Saint Nazaire), Spain (Madrid, Puerto-Real) and the UK (Broughton) by 2010. They will be fully managed and operated by Kuehne+Nagel. These logistics centres provide more than 150.000 m² of floorspace for storing aircraft equipment, parts and raw materials to serve the Airbus production lines.

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30/06/08: The Best Fighter Aircraft Protects Austria

Eurofighter Typhoon is ruling the skies over Austria, you may have read the press release we issued today. Defence Minister Norbert Darabos highlighted the extremely short time, the Austrian Armed Forces needed to get Eurofighter Typhoon into service. And stated “Eurofighter is probably the best available system in the world. It is ready to fulfil its tasks in Austria.”

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30/06/08: Honeywell to Turbocharge First Ford EcoBoost Engine: 2010 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost V-6 with Twin-Turbos from Honeywell Will Help Improve Fuel Economy and Cut CO2 Emissions

TORRANCE, Calif., July 30, 2008 – Honeywell (NYSE: HON), the world’s largest turbo manufacturer, is helping Ford find a “replacement for displacement.” As the industry leader in developing advancements in turbo technology, Honeywell has been selected by Ford to develop turbochargers for its first introduction of EcoBoost technology on next year’s 2010 Lincoln MKS. The new turbocharged 3.5L V-6 engine will perform like a large V-8, but will deliver the fuel economy of a V-6. Engine downsizing is big news in the U.S. – thanks to a new, environmentally-friendly engine technology from Ford that’s harnessing the power of direct injection and using Honeywell’s advanced gasoline turbo technology. Ford’s EcoBoost engine range is creating a new dynamic in the equation between power, fuel economy and CO2 output. The result will be one of the world’s most powerful, yet fuel efficient, gasoline-powered luxury sedans.

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30/06/08: Philip Stevens reports on the Air-Britain Classic Fly-In

The Air-Britain Fly-In is organised by aviation enthusiasts for aviation enthusiasts, pilots and photographers alike. Its and event where you can meet like-minded people and enjoy civilian aircraft of character in a relaxed atmosphere. This year’s event was the 29th and as such is proof that the Air-Britain fly-in formula is a successful one. Air-Britain with currently over 4,000 members has been around since 1948 and to commemorate its 60th anniversary this year invited owners of aircraft built 60 years ago. As 2008 is also the 60th anniversary of the first flight of the Piper Vagabond/Clipper and the 75th anniversary of the SV4 Stampe, Air-Britain invited owners of the two wonderful vintage aircraft.

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27/06/08: Boeing Awarded B-52 Airborne Electronic Attack Technical Maturation Contract

ST. LOUIS, June 27, 2008 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a $14.9 million contract by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to develop and mature technologies required to enable airborne electronic attack from long distances, filling the stand-off electronic attack role. The contract includes systems engineering studies focusing on potential pod installation on the B-52H aircraft, as the designated demonstration airframe. This effort will advance the technology required for the planned Core Component Jammer (CCJ). “We look forward to maturing the planned CCJ technology, which will keep our warfighters safer as they complete missions in the air and on the ground,” said Scot Oathout, director of B-52 Programs for Boeing. “This is the first step in getting this capability fielded, and the B-52H is the right platform to mature this technology.”

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26/06/08: Eurofighter Typhoon announces Elite 2008

Eurofighter prepares for another international exercise. ELITE 2008 is starting next week on 3 July and will end 17 July. The objective is to train air operations under realistic conditions, as the name suggests: Electronic Warfare Live Training Exercise. Involved are fighter and transport aircraft, helicopters, ground based air defence units, jammers, NATO E-3A AWACS. Amongst them are Eurofighter Typhoon of Fighter Wing 74 at Neuburg/Donau, the wing that recently has taken responsibility for defending Germany’s Southern air space.

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26/06/08: Lambert-St. Louis International Airport Selects Consultants for Airport Improvements: First project in Airport Experience Program begins in July

(St. Louis) Lambert-St. Louis International Airport has selected its first round of design consultants for its major renovation campaign called the Airport Experience Program. The renovations will modernize and restore the Main Terminal and concourses to improve airport functions and improve the overall passenger experience. Proposed improvements include restoring the terminal’s domed ceilings; replacing inbound baggage claim systems; overhauling Lambert’s roadway sign program; modernizing ticket counter operations; constructing new restrooms, upgrading security screening checkpoints, installing new floor, ceiling and wall finishes; improving passenger circulation areas and adding new restaurants and other concessions.

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26/06/08: SITA appoints svp to run new global customer serviceS and commits 1,400 staff

GENEVA, 26 June, 2008 – SITA, the specialist provider of IT solutions to the air transport industry, today signalled a major shake-up of its customer services worldwide with the appointment from July 1, of Dave Bakker as Senior Vice President, Customer Services and Operations. He will be tasked with delivering best-in-class customer services to SITA’s 600 members and 1,800 customers through a new organization comprising 1,400 SITA staff. Francesco Violante, SITA CEO, said: “Our expectation, following the full implementation of this new organization, will be the provision of best-in-class customer services on a global basis and a more effective, integrated, end-to-end operations capability which will directly deliver value and benefits to our customers so improving our competitive market position and the end-customer experience.”

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26/06/08: Airbus Military announces A400M ready to roll

The A400M, the first all-new military airlifter produced in over thirty years, will tomorrow make its first public appearance at the production line in Seville, Spain. At a ceremony presided over by His Majesty Juan-Carlos I of Spain, the first aircraft will be revealed to its customers, government officials and an international body of journalists. Designed to common requirement identified originally by the European Staff Requirement (ESR), the A400M will introduce a whole new set of standards to the domain of military airlift. To date, 192 orders have been received from nine customer nations, comprising Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Malaysia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

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26/06/08: Dubai’s Low Cost Airline Named FlyDubai: FlyDubai on track for launch of first flights mid-2009

26th June, 2008 – Dubai’s new low cost airline has been named “FlyDubai”. The brand identity and livery for FlyDubai will be unveiled in the coming months. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the name FlyDubai from a shortlist presented by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman of the new low-cost airline. Sheikh Ahmed said: “FlyDubai is a simple, yet powerful call to action. It makes an immediate link to our core business, which is providing no-frills flights to bring people to and from Dubai. The name also carries a strong association with the city of Dubai, itself a brand synonymous with excellence, reliability and an international, pro-business approach.

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26/06/08: e-publishing presents the Comm1 Radio Simulator: IFR Pilot communications Training on CD-Rom - Approved Radio Phraseology and FAA reviewed

Comm1 Radio Simulator, the only audio-interactive pilot communications training CD-ROM, is a wonderful tool for flight students and experienced pilots a like. No other product on the market is designed to interactively teach pilots how to communicate safely and professionally with Air Traffic Control. Comm1 Radio Simulator allows pilots to practice talking to ATC on their computer and ATC talks back! The briefings (tutorials), scenarios, interactive practice exercises and controller dialogue are very realistic — all written and recorded by master flight instructors and certified air traffic controllers.

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25/06/08: Northrop Grumman Stands Ready to Support Air Force Tanker Decision: GAO Analysis Does Not Alter the Air Force Finding that the KC-45 is the Superior Tanker

WASHINGTON — June 25, 2008 — Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) said, today, that it continues to support the United States Air Force and looks forward to its next steps regarding the direction of the KC-45 tanker program. This follows today’s public release of the full Government Accountability Office (GAO) analysis of the original tanker contract award to Northrop Grumman. “The document makes clear that the GAO’s issues with the contract do not reflect on the tankers’ capabilities. In fact, in several areas key to the selection decision the GAO found no basis to object to the Air Force evaluation,” said Paul Meyer, Northrop Grumman vice president of Air Mobility Systems and KC-45 program manager. “We look forward to a prompt assessment from the Air Force concerning what happens next.” On Feb. 29, the Air Force selected Northrop Grumman to provide the next generation of aerial refueling tanker, the KC-45. The Air Force has an urgent need to replace its aging tanker fleet.

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25/06/08: Second VH-71 presidential helicopter begins mission systems integration

OWEGO, NY, June 25th, 2008 — Lockheed Martin is integrating sophisticated mission systems aboard a second VH-71 test vehicle at the Presidential Helicopter Integration Facility in Owego, NY. Over the last eight months, four test vehicles have been transported to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo plane from AgustaWestland’s facility in Yeovil, England, where they were built. Two of the helicopters are in flight test at Patuxent River, and two more will be equipped with mission systems that will enable the VH-71’s use as a command and control platform by the office of the president. Following integration of advanced communications systems, the recently arrived helicopter dubbed TV-4 will validate the in-flight performance of systems previously evaluated in laboratories. TV-3 also is undergoing integration in Owego. The VH-71 program anticipates achieving several more significant milestones this year with the arrival of all five of the initial phase, or Increment One, operational helicopters.

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25/06/08: Lockheed Martin Receives $107 Million From the U.S. Air Force for Joint Air-To-Surface Standoff Missile Production

ORLANDO, FL, June 25th, 2008 — Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received a U.S. Air Force contract valued at $107 million for a seventh production lot of the JASSM™ cruise missile. The contract award will bring total contracted quantities of the cruise missile to 1,053. The contract is for procurement of 111 JASSM production missiles, along with systems engineering and flight test support. In recent flight tests on the B-52 and B-1 aircraft, the stealthy standoff cruise missile proved its reliability and capabilities across a wide variety of targets – including hardened, underground bunkers and air defense systems.

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25/06/08: Airmen to have more choices for death gratuity benefit

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas — Airmen will be able to select one or more persons of their choosing to receive death gratuity benefits beginning July 1. “This is a significant change to the (death gratuity) benefits election option for all Airmen,” said Steven Kelley, the director of Air and Space Expeditionary Force Operations at the Air Force Personnel Center here. Prior to the change in law, payments were restricted to the spouse, then children if applicable and then to a family member as elected by the Airman. It didn’t allow a married Airman to leave the death gratuity to anyone else. “Since the amount of death gratuity increased to $100,000, payment to minor children requires guardianship over the child’s estate and can be a lengthy and costly process depending upon the state in which the child resides,” Mr. Kelley said. “This change provides more flexibility to the servicemember in designating the gratuity benefit. “

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25/06/08: Maintaining Arianespace’s launch tempo: the Spaceport receives its fifth Ariane 5 of 2008

The fifth Ariane 5 of 2008 has arrived in French Guiana as Arianespace keeps up its mission pace during the busiest year of commercial mission activity for this workhorse launch vehicle. Components of the heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA were delivered to Pariacabo port near Kourou by the MN Toucan, which is one of two roll-on/roll-off vessels utilized by Arianespace to carry launch vehicle elements from Europe to South America. These components were then transferred to the Spaceport, where they will be assembled inside the Launcher Integration Building. This facility is ready to receive the Ariane 5 following last week’s roll-out of another heavy-lift launcher - which was transferred to the Spaceport’s Final Assembly Building in preparation for a July 4 liftoff with the ProtoStar I and BADR-6 satellite payloads.

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25/06/08: Single Sky Package II: A Crucial and Welcome Step Towards a Single Sky and Greater Efficiencies for European Aviation

Brussels, 25 June 2008 - Today’s announcement by the European Commission on the second Single European Sky legislative package (SES II) is a crucial and welcome step towards a true ‘Single Sky’ and greater cost efficiencies, IACA believes. The Commission’s SES II package is an important acknowledgement that there is an urgent need for change in the current air traffic management system in Europe and that only through a reinforced Community framework will there be full convergence in regulation, deployment of technology and Air Traffic Management.

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25/06/08: Aviation & EU ETS: A Punitive ETS would be the ‘Final Straw’ for Airlines

Brussels, 25 June 2008 - IACA’s President, Christoph Mueller, today urged all parties negotiating the design of the inclusion of aviation into the EU emissions trading scheme (ETS) that a punitive ETS would be the ‘final straw’ for airlines and predicted that more bankruptcies would be inevitable if a badly designed scheme was allowed to be introduced. Following a last ditch meeting with Peter Liese MEP, the European Parliament’s Rapporteur, to discuss a more reasonable design from the Parliament, Christoph Mueller said:

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25/06/08: US Airways selects Rockwell Collins avionics for Airbus fleet

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (June 25, 2008) - US Airways has selected Rockwell Collins to provide its MultiScan Hazard Detection System and other avionics for the airline’s Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft. “US Airways now becomes one of more than 100 other airlines experiencing the benefits of this leading technology,” said Jeff Standerski, vice president and general manager of Air Transport Systems for Rockwell Collins. “This contract is one more example of how our customers trust Rockwell Collins to deliver best value solutions that make flights more efficient and comfortable for their passengers.”

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25/06/08: Merger of Cargologic and Airport Cargo in Amsterdam, effective 1 July 2008.

Cargologic is expanding its network in Europe by taking over responsibility for the 3,500 sqm warehouse currently operated by its sister company Airport Cargo Handling B.V. The cargo warehouse at Schiphol-South, Amsterdam has been renovated over the last two months to prepare it for new and existing customers. The building offers 10 truck docks, is equipped with an ETV system with refrigerated ULD storage spaces, and is located only 300 m from the transfer point with fast, undisturbed and secure access to the ramp. “The newly refurbished warehouse will help us to continue to serve our customers in the best possible way” says Ad van de Ruit, station manager, Cargologic B.V.

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25/06/08: Waco Classic Aircraft Corporation and Centennial Aircraft Services, inc., announce new ownership.

Battle Creek, Michigan, June 18, 2008 – WACO Classic Aircraft Corporation and Centennial Aircraft Services, Inc. are pleased to announce a new owner and management team headed by Peter F. Bowers of Kalamazoo, Michigan. The new management team will continue to build upon a long history of traditional aircraft manufacturing, professional service and support of WACO aircraft and other vintage and historic planes, as well as maintenance and services for general aviation piston engine aircraft.

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25/06/08: Minister of State for Transport Endorses Yorkshire Air Museum’s Education Resource Book.

“Reach for the Sky”, an education resource book produced by the Yorkshire Air Museum and the Royal Aeronautical Society received an enthusiastic endorsement from the Rt. Hon. Rosie Winterton MP, Minister of State for Transport and Minister for The Yorkshire & Humber Regions, at a lively launch ceremony yesterday (Tuesday 24th June.). The event was held at the prestigious London headquarters of the Royal Aeronautical Society, at Hamilton Place on Hyde Park Corner. In her letter of acceptance to the invitation to launch this book, the Rt. Hon. Rosie Winterton, said: “I am delighted to see the diverse and innovative ways that the Yorkshire Air Museum is working with the Royal Aeronautical Society to promote interest in the aerospace industry using the rich history that this centennial year of British powered flight will celebrate.”

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