Aviation News, Headlines & Alerts
 
Category: <span>Industry</span>

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British Airways Plane Diverts to Germany due to Fumes in Cabin

British airwaysBritish Airways flight BA-143 diverted and made an emergency landing at the runway of Frankfurt Airport, Germany, on September 4.

The Boeing 777-200, flying from Heathrow Airport, England, to Dehli, India, had to be diverted after the crew noticed fumes in cabin.

The plane landed safely and no injuries were reported.

The incident was being investigated.


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Lion Air Compensation

Lion Air is compensating the passengers of the plane that crashed in Bali on April 13. The 101 passenger (we don’t know if the 7 crew are included) is handing out $5600 to each passenger.

Lion Air is working with Jasa Raharja, an Indonesian insurance company to cover the medical bills for five injured passengers. The insurance company is paying up to IDR 25 million ($2500) and the airline is covering anything in excess of that.

Unofficial reports state the plane was flying low.

Twenty-five people have yet to receive their compensation.

The alcohol and drug tests of the crew, cockpit voice recorder, and the flight data recorder are still in process. No conclusions have been public on the cause of the accident.


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More Battery Buzz Builds for Boeing

  • Since U.S. and Japanese authorities have ordered the grounding of Boeing 787s, All Nippon Airways is canceling 177 flights beginning Wednesday. Considering that weather is expected to be grounding European flights anyway, the grounding could not have come at a better time. Plus, any time the precautions come before the fatalities, it is a good day.
  • GS Yuasa Corporation in Kyoto makes the “notorious” lithium-ion battery in the Japan Airlines Co. (9201) plane and an emergency landing by an All Nippon Airways Co. (9202) jet. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will be running battery tests. An NTSB group of four officials and two Japan transport officials will be on hand. To be the fly on the wall of that test!
  • The ANA pilot received 3 warnings that the battery was overheating. This suggests the safety components were working.
  • Investigators were sent to the U.K. to investigate a valve actuator maker for the 787. The company was not identified. If a problem is found, the name of the company will soon be public knowledge
  • The technology has a damning history: Securaplane’s Tucson, Arizona-based unit made the battery charger on the jet that was in the Boston fire on Jan. 7. Whistleblower Michael Leon was employed at Securaplane when he wrote a report (2006) saying that the battery technology was risky and that substitute battery technology should be used on the 787, after which a battery test went wrong and burnt down a Securaplane building. Leon refused to ship a battery assembly to Boeing for the 787 and that battery later malfunctioned in a prototype. Why haven’t we heard this story before? Was the system Michael Leon objected to the same one that is causing problems now?
  • The Seattle Times reported that hot chemicals sprayed out of the battery on the 787 Dreamliner that made an emergency landing in Japan, leaving a gooey dark residue—a different malfunction from the incident in Boston. The plot thickens. More than one problem? Which is the onetime event, and which is the chronic issue (if at all)? That is the factor that will be significant for Boeing and the future of the Dreamliner.
  • Boeing stands by the 4 battery circuits, because they stopped the overheating before a fire started.

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Airline Food: A Video Report

Roaches, gnats, unrefrigerated food, utensils on dirty racks, flies, and more revealed in this report on airline Food.


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Dana Air Interim Payments Offered


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer Peter Tonna
What: Dana Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83 en route from Abuja to Lagos, Nigeria
Where: Iju neighborhood, Lagos
When: June 3, 2012
Who: 153 passengers
Why: Dana air stated that it is fully aware of the mandatory requirement by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), for interim benefits to be paid to the families of the victims within 30 days of the accident.

Although 68 families have completed their insurance compensation documentation, only nine families were given $30,000 each, having been the only ones to successfully run the legal gauntlet.

Beneficiaries said the interim payment fell short of their expectations.

Claim forms must be taken to Yomi Oshikoya & Co, for verification. Yomi Oshikoya & Co was appointed by the insurers in Lagos.

Dana Air attempted to distribute cheques as interim compensation to some individuals made homeless by the crash. Dana Air prepared N500, 000 for one of the victims, Mr. Daniel Omowunmi, N100, 000, each to two occupants of the boys’ quarters and N200, 000 each to six families in the block of flats. Full payment of the compensation by the insurance company is pending. The lawyer rejected the checks as inadequate and also not all of the victims were included.

In George’s Point of View

Interim payments, that is good.

It’s Lloyds of London.

Judge Interprets Widow as Unentitled. Canadian Charter is No Common Carrier


Mark McLean had a million dollar life insurance policy under Canadian Premier Life Insurance Company, through Sears Canada Inc. When he was killed in a Vancouver Island plane crash three years ago, it seemed an open and shut case that his widow would get an accidental death benefit of $1 million under the 2007 policy. McLean was one of four Seaspan employees on an amphibious Grumman Goose flight from Port Hardy to Chamiss Bay.

But the policy was only valid for the fare-paying passenger of common carrier. The charter restricted to employees or contractors of Seaspan does not qualify as a common carrier. The The Honourable Mr. Justice Bracken found that “In this case, the aircraft was not operating as a regularly scheduled airline and was instead under a charter restricted to employees or contractors of Seaspan. It was a flight where Seaspan determined who the passengers were, the time of the flight and its destination. Thus, it did not fit within the definition of “common carrier” under the accidental death benefit rider.”

The widow was denied the accidental death benefit of $1,000,000 under the policy.

In George’s Point of View


Unfortunately, a judge must base his opinion on the wording of the policy.

The Judge had no choice. The policy excluded a non fare paying trip. Everyone should take advice from Insurance 101 and get out the magnifying glass. Read the fine print. It is still valid advice.

Insurance Companies salivate when they win a case like this. The agents who sell these policies, even they don’t know what they are selling and if they do, fail to explain all the fine print that will be included in the policy if the proposed insured buys a policy, or fail to use a combination of Life Insurance and Accidental Death Insurance that combine to cover all eventualities.

No doubt when Mark McLean got on that plane, he was confident of his coverage. I believe that as Seaspan regularly chartered that flight exclusively for their employees, either they should have provided insurance coverage, or made certain that the employees are otherwise covered. Perhaps they too needed to take a magnifying glass to their policies as well.

Stupid, almost a scam, my opinion, misleading, overall.


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Air India Stalls Hurt Families already Suffering


Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
Contact photographer WT
Update

May 22 was the anniversary of Air India Express Flight 812 from Dubai, which overshot the runway and crashed at Mangalore, India. The crash victims’ support group spokesman said that “About 50 families have received compensation from the insurance companies, but many families have not even been contacted. ” According to the organizer, Rafik Eroth, “…insurance representatives are playing foul over the payouts…Many families have lost their breadwinners and face major financial difficulties. I believe [the insurance companies] are delaying the process to pass the two-year mark so that the families lose their claims.” Families of crash victims had a two-year period in which to apply for compensation

The Civil Aviation Ministry ordered the airline to provide up to $159,840 to families of the victims in accordance with the Indian Carriage by Air Act, (following the Montreal Convention.)

It has been a year, and still some of the families have not yet been contacted about compensation.

The Indian Court of Inquiry probe report was submitted to the civil aviation ministry yesterday. The report says that “Air India pilot Zlatko Glusica, from Serbia, was asleep for much of the three-hour flight and was “disoriented” when the plane started to descend.” The experienced First Officer had fewer hours but was soon due for command, and had landed frequently at that airport. He called for a go-around which the Captain ignored.

Captain Z Glusica had more than 10,200 hours of flying experience—but not landing at that airport. He was the pilot in command and reacted late, and was suffering from “sleep inertia”. His heavy nasal snoring and breathing was captured on the CVR. Many standard operating procedures were not followed during landing. Co-pilot H S Ahluwalia repeated “abort landing” saying they didn’t have enough runway left, three times asking for a “go around”.

With less than 3,000 feet of runway left, the pilots tried to take off again and crashed in the gorge at the runway’s end.

The plane’s takeoff gear was found activated. Experts concluded if the pilots had not attempted to take off again, the plane emergency brakes could have brought the plane to a halt.

This is not the first time Air India has had exhausted pilots. What had their schedule been that week?

June 2008: Mumbai air traffic controllers woke two sleeping pilots with an alarm when they were 200 miles past their destination.

What: Air India Express Boeing 737-800 en route from Dubai to Mangalore
Where: Mangalore airport
When: 6:00 a.m May 22 2010
Who: Passengers including 23 children, 6 crew= 158 fatalities and 8 survivors
Why: Air India Express flight 812 attempted touch down was around the middle marker. (Conflicting) reports are that it overshot the runway, and that the pilot intended a go round (tapes reveal the co pilot was urging a go-round) but the plane hit the localizer antenna at the runway’s end, plowed through the perimeter losing part of a wing, and went down 75 feet into a ravine, and broke into pieces and burst into flames. On touchdown, there was a reported “bang” which may have been a tire bursting. A drizzle started after the accident. From 5 to 10 people have been hospitalized, but according to reports there are possibly 3 survivors.

Survivor Abdul Puttur suffered burns. He was seated near the wing exit and said that the pilot had announced the landing, then there was a thud. He saw huge flames after the plane fell into the ravine and then he jumped out from the back entrance. Another passenger said the pilot made no announcement.

The Serbian pilot was Zlatko Glusica, first officer was S.S. Ahluwalia.

According to DGCA rules, Mangalore International Airport is deemed a “critical airfield” which means that “supervised take offs and landings” are prohibited. Only the captain (not the first officer) can pilot take-offs and landings. Mangalore International Airport has a controversial table top runway and which forces pilots to make a precision landing. The airport has no buffer zone, and pilots landing planes must fly precisely or risk hurtling off the edge.


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CVR FDR NOT a Flight of Imagination

Read in Portuguese
In the continuing pursuit of the unvarnished reality behind Air France Flight 447, it does not matter why “Le Figaro” posted rumors and factoids in lieu of truth after the BEA reported that the complete data (flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder) was successfully recovered in Paris.

It does not matter if “Le Figaro” is more concerned with stimulating traffic than it is about veracity, legitimacy and validity in reporting truth.

Perhaps someone at “Le Figaro” is heavily invested in Airbus, and hopes to falsely boost the airline’s reputation. We have no idea of what their motives might be.

What matters are the facts.

What matters is that on recovery of the data from the data containers, the information appears to have been intact (according to the BEA).

What matters is that the data recovery teams were able to open, extract, clean and dry the memory cards, and retrieve the actual data.

There is no reason the data would not support exactly what the ACARS data already indicates, which is that the pitot tubes failed, and started a catastrophic landslide of mechanical events that led inevitably toward systems failure.

We believe the aircraft stalled all the way from 35000 feet to the ocean. If the BEA had considered this, they would have found the plane in weeks.

The plane sent out automated messages from which the sequence of failure has been inferred.

It is an acknowledged FACT that the mechanical systems on board Air France Flight 447 were standard Airbus A330 systems, a “fly by wire” technology which is known to remove responsibility and action from the pilots when in certain situations. A fly-by-wire system modifies manual inputs of the pilot in accordance with control parameters.

The pilots on this type of fly-by-wire system are unable to manually override if faulty data come streaming in from the frozen pitot tubes. The current thinking is that in the Air France Flight 447, the faulty Thales tubes streamed in faulty data to the on board systems. Disaster was all but inevitable.

(In Sept 2009, the FAA sent out a directive indicating that “use of the Thales model has resulted in reports of airspeed indication discrepancies while flying at high altitudes in inclement weather conditions …(that) …could result in reduced control of the airplane.” )

Prior to receiving the content of the black boxes, the collected data pointed to the following series of events:

The Thales pitot tubes are small devices affixed to the plane exterior which measure air speed, but which have a proven tendency to freeze over, which obfuscates the data. Simply put, the Airbus system requires correct data input for the plane to fly correctly. When the frozen-over tubes began sending corrupted data, the system could no longer manage flight. On the 330, there is no way for pilots to manually override the failing systems.

No one expects the black boxes to indicate anything else. What is expected, perhaps is a clarification of data, and a way to study the events in order to prevent a repetition of the same.

The BEA strongly objected to media speculation. In fact, it sent out a press release specifically naming “Le Figaro” as the sensationalist publisher of invalid information. Here is what the BEA said:

According to an article that appeared in « Le Figaro » on the evening of Monday 16 May 2011, the « first elements extracted from the black boxes» would exonerate Airbus in the accident to the A330, flight AF 447, which killed 216 passengers and 12 crew members on 1st June 2009.

Sensationalist publication of non-validated information, whilst the analysis of the data from the flight recorders has only just started, is a violation of the respect due to the passengers and the crew members that died and disturbs the families of the victims, who have already suffered as a result of many hyped-up stories.

The BEA repeats that, in the framework of its mission as a safety investigation authority, it alone has the right to communicate on the progress of the investigation. Consequently, any information on the investigation that comes from another source is null and void if it has not been validated by the BEA.

Collection of all of the information from the audio recordings and from the flight parameters now gives us a high degree of certainty that everything will be brought to light concerning this accident. The BEA safety investigators will now have to analyse and validate a large quantity of complex data. This is long and detailed work, and the BEA has already announced that it will not publish an interim report before the summer.

At this stage of the investigation, no conclusions can be drawn.

So while we do respect our own experts who believe what they already believe (based on what was then available about the pitot tubes and fly-by-wire), we trust the BEA analysis will provide a solid analysis of the data and are aware that they have not released any new conclusions.

We reiterate their emphasis, rejecting non-validated information, and agree no one should be jumping on any band-wagon of opinion, at least not until the authorities apply their proficiencies and start analyzing the data that no one was expecting would surface.

While we are ruling nothing out and closing no doors, we are impervious to the contingent of nay-sayers who—regardless of the drastically different facts of every given situation—chant the same chorus in every aviation event, blaming the dead pilots because they are easy targets and can not defend themselves. Also, let us not ignore that liabilities due to pilot error are capped by International Convention. So no matter what the actual error, Airlines prefer “pilot error” because it means less coming out of their pockets.

The Montreal Convention imposes two tiers of liability on airlines:
-the first tier provides automatic compensation, deals with claims up to 100,000 Special Drawing Rights ($155,000 US). The airline has no defense against claims up to this amount.
-the second tier deals with the portion of a claim exceeding the $155,000 limit. An airline can avoid liability of this portion only by proving it was not negligent or otherwise at fault. To avoid the liability the airline must prove a negative. There are, in fact, infinite ways an airline’s negligence can be involved, all of which the airline must disprove-a burden which is next to impossible to meet.

If we as armchair analysts must err, let us err believing until proven otherwise, that the pilots were dependable, reputable, and rock-solid; let us remember that they too were passengers aboard the flight, human beings who fought as best they could, against whatever forces or failures brought them down. We believe pilots are valiant men who know the weight of their office, who know they are responsible for the lives they carry, and when they do their human best to survive, even in face of overwhelming physics, nature, weather, or mechanical failure, it is rash and unworthy of us to blame them precipitously. Sure, pilots can err, but let us not tar them with that brush without the facts.

But for a single action, delayed reflex or overwhelming odds, those dead pilots who are so often blamed because they are defenseless targets, are themselves dead heroes.

Fred Flintstone Airlines? No, it’s Air Zimbabwe


Like the nineteen year old Yemenia Airlines* Airbus A310-324 that was written up as having passengers with standing room only, unattached seats and an assortment of safety problems that were so bad that the plane was disallowed from flying over European airspace, Air Zimbabwe’s fleet demonstrates how not to run an airline.

There are apparently 5 planes and 50 pilots; far too many engineers (300? For a fleet of 5?), and is an accounting nightmare, being $108 million in debt and accruing more as it is operating in the red, and it has reportedly fallen behind on quarterly insurance payments.

A B767 may be auctioned if Air Zimbabwe fails to pay a monthly installment of US$500 000 to Lufthansa Technics. Repair of the B767-200 engine which requires US$2,5 million for repairs, hinged on the condition of making US$500 000 monthly payments from May 2011 to redeem the debt.

Skytrax, which rates airlines on a scale of 5-1 (5 being good) rates Air Zimbabe as a 2. Passenger reviews include random cancellations, ancient planes, unexpected delays, missed connections, owed reimbursements, misdirected charter flights, and strange excuses from gate personnel.

Yemenia Airlines* is also a 2 star airline.


Aerosvit Airlines
Air Algerie
Air Malawi
Air Slovakia
Air Zimbabwe
Armavia
Azerbaijan Airlines
Bellview Airlines
Biman Bangladesh
bmibaby
Bulgaria Air
Cubana Airlines
Donbassaero Airlines
HiFly
Iceland Express
JetStar Pacific
Mahan Air
Macedonian Airlines
Merpati
MIAT Mongolian Airlines
Nepal Airlines
Onur Air
Pegasus Airlines
Rossiya Airlines
Royal Air Maroc
Ryanair
Sky Express
Sudan Airways
Syrianair
TAAG Angola Airlines
Tajikistan Airlines
Transaero Airlines
Turkmenistan Airlines
Ukraine International
Uzbekistan Airways
Yemenia Yemen Airways


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Safekeeping of Passengers Flies or Dies on Banks Due Diligence of Ethiopia Airlines


While one should congratulate Ethiopian Airlines for securing a $765 million package deal to finance five 777s, I hope the banks checked more than just their credit history and their relationship with the banks.

In terms of technological adulthood, Africa is still in its infancy. The pressure put on even a fairly reputable airline company like this to keep up with maintenance and pilot training is immense. It is succeed, or else. Or else, they call the loan and repo the planes. Or else there is a catastrophe and people lose their lives.

If all is ok when plane is leased but two years later airline gets a rap for bad maintenance or pilot training or any of the hundreds of other things that could happen, then the lease co or bank needs to step in and use their clout to demand changes/corrections, or face the consequences. Their contract should have teeth, with consequences that matter enough to the lessee to compel them to action, such as the right to repo that plane for maintenance or neglect issues, or pilot training issues, just as if the lessee were not making their payments. Lenders are pretty good at covering their investment by including clauses like this. Such a provision may already exist. The clause is not window dressing. It can be acted upon. Not for money’s sake. For the sake of lives.

Yes, lives are at stake here. Banks have a duty to monitor the lessee or buyer they entrust, and a duty as well to supervise not only the money but keep up with what is being purchased with the money. Entrusting a less than capable entity in ownership and maintenance of a jet worth millions is certainly dangerous instrumentality. Sufficient time should be allocated to responsible due diligence, beyond the loan/lease, to monitor not only timely payments but also if the company is living up to aggressive guidelines of maintenance and training.

These planes bought with this money, like all other airplanes but especially jets, are weapons of mass destruction. Even if they are not used in a deliberately terrorist act, inexperienced pilots and shotty maintenance can cause that plane to crash and become a weapon for those on board and for those on the ground.


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Goodrich Completes B787 Electric Braking Sys Certification

First electrically actuated braking system on a commercial aircraft

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 3, 2011 — Goodrich Corporation’s electric brake system for the 787 Dreamliner has completed all required dedicated flight test conditions. The achievement follows a comprehensive development and qualification program involving multiple Goodrich business units and close collaboration with Boeing.

The braking system incorporates the latest iteration of Goodrich’s proprietary DURACARB(R) carbon heat sink material which provides exceptional brake performance and up to 35% better brake life than competing carbon friction materials. Required test conditions included extensive on-aircraft testing of the wheels and electric brake hardware as well as validation of the proprietary software incorporated in the electric brake actuator controllers. Max brake energy testing was completed at Edwards Air Force Base.

Brian Brandewie, president of Goodrich’s Aircraft Wheels and Brakes business said, “We anticipated demand for an alternative to traditional, hydraulically actuated braking, and began the pursuit of electrically actuated braking technology more than 15 years ago. The 787 system represents our sixth generation of electric brakes. Goodrich is again honored to be part of aviation history by being a supplier for the world’s first electric brake system on a commercial airplane. We look forward to working with Boeing and the launch customer airlines to ensure a successful entry into service.”

The majority of announced 787 customers have selected the Goodrich electric brake system.

All Nippon Airlines is the airplane’s launch customer.


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Goodrich Hosts Rescue Hoist Users Conference

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 2, 2011– Goodrich Corporation’s Sensors and Integrated Systems business will present its tenth annual Rescue Hoist Users Conference along with a special maintenance training session, March 3-4, 2011, immediately prior to the HAI HELI-EXPO(R) trade show in Orlando, Fla.

The conference will take place at the Hilton Orlando. The conference will include an exchange of information between operators, helicopter manufacturers and Goodrich about operational experiences, concerns and lessons learned. Hands-on rescue hoist maintenance training is planned for March 4, in which a full-scale hoist will be used for demonstrating troubleshooting, cleaning, inspections and other common maintenance tasks. A highlight of the conference will be the presentation of the Rescue of the Year award on March 3, in which Goodrich recognizes exceptional heroism and safety in a helicopter rescue effort.

Alex Echeverria, rescue systems business development director at Goodrich’s Sensors and Integrated Systems business said, “This conference allows commercial and military operators from around the world to share experiences that improve the use and maintenance of Goodrich rescue systems. The best ideas come from the people who use our products, and we look forward to sharing best practices to enhance safe, reliable and affordable operations.”

Goodrich’s Sensors and Integrated Systems business is a world leader in providing rescue hoist and cargo winch systems to commercial and military helicopter operators. Goodrich is the only rescue hoist manufacturer that provides a Category One translating drum cable management system, allowing for reliable operation in unlimited angles and extreme environments. A diverse array of Goodrich helicopter technology will be on display at the HELI-EXPO(R), stand 2142, March 5-8, 2011 in Orlando, Fla.

Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities.


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Northrop Grumman Provides Air Traffic Surveillance Sys for Greek Airport

LONDON – March 2, 2011 – Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Europe-based air traffic management subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, is providing its Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System ( for Greece’s Thessaloniki International Airport.

Under the contract awarded by Greek consultants ATESE following an international competitive tender process, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems will deliver its NOVA 9000 A-SMGCS system for operation by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA). The company has previously supplied a similar system for Athens International Airport.

“The NOVA 9000 A-SMGCS is widely accepted as a state-of-the-art system; we know it well and have been operating it for many years at our main airport in Athens. We and the controllers in Thessaloniki, look forward to its commissioning before this 2011 winter season”, said D6 director of Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority.

The air traffic control system has successfully undergone system and sensor testing in Norway, Denmark and Czech Republic. Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems will deliver A-SMGCS to manage the tracking of aircraft and vehicles on the ground and using surveillance systems based on radar and multilateration, it will monitor aircraft at the airport’s two crossing runways. The system will assist the efficient management of air traffic particularly in periods of high volume and during adverse weather conditions.

“We are pleased that our A-SMGCS capability has been recognised as the system of choice by airport operators”, said Eldar Hauge, managing director for Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems in Norway. “This win maintains our position as a leading supplier of A-SMGCS across Europe.”

With a 50-year legacy in air traffic management systems ranging from individual airport installations to countrywide, multiple-site turnkey integrated system solutions, Northrop Grumman’s state-of-the-art air traffic management systems are operationally controlling air traffic in numerous countries around the world including recent major programmes in: France, Norway, Brazil, Qatar, Oman, Canada, India, Poland, UAE, U.S. and the U.K., in both civil and military applications.

Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, based in Oslo and Horten, Norway, and in Peterborough, U.K., supplies communication, navigation and surveillance systems for air-space operations worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

Northrop Grumman’s Joint STARS Re-Engining Program Completes Preliminary Design Review for Updated Bleed Air System

MELBOURNE, Fla., Feb. 9, 2011 ( ) — Northrop Grumman Corporation recently completed the JT8D propulsion pod’s bleed air system’s preliminary design review (PDR) for the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS).

“The successful completion of the PDR indicates that the design is extremely mature and will meet the Joint STARS mission requirements,” said Steve Pauly, Northrop Grumman program director for Joint STARS Development and Modernization. “This significant design effort has been a major focus of the Re-Engining development program.”

The Northrop Grumman program team is re-designing the E-8C’s commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) bleed air system’s equipment in support of the Joint STARS Re-Engining program.

The main function of the bleed air system is to extract high-pressured hot air generated from the JT8D’s engines and convert it into cool air. The resulting cool air pressurizes the Air Cycle Machines (ACM) which cools the aircraft’s environmental control system, cabin and prime mission equipment (PME), as well as pressurizes the utility hydraulic subsystem, engine starting capability and liquid cooling system.

“The newly designed bleed air system will be installed and flight tested towards the middle of next year,” stated Pauly. “This is a major step toward clearing the way for full production and installation of the new JT8D propulsion pod system.”

Today, the 17-aircraft Joint STARS fleet is the only all-weather, long-range, real-time, wide area surveillance and battle management and command and control weapons system in the world. It is flown by the 116th Air Control Wing based on Warner Robins, Ga. and since 2001, the crews have flown over 63,000 hours in 5,200 combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

On Jan. 14, 2011, the weapons system marked the 20th anniversary of its first operational combat sortie in support of Operation Desert Storm. A developmental test aircraft system at that time, two E-8A aircraft were called into theatre in January 1991 by then General Norman Schwarzkopf.


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Northrop Grumman Delivers Europe’s First Runway Status Light Control System at Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris

LONDON — Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Europe-based air traffic management subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, has been awarded a contract to provide a Runway Status Light (RWSL) Control System for Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, the first European airport to implement this safety feature.

The RWSL Control System is an automated system that warns aircraft and vehicles if it is safe to enter or cross runways through a series of lights embedded in the pavement. The contract, awarded by Direction des Services de la Navigation Aérienne — Direction de la Technique et l’Innovation (DSNA-DTI) of France, is to be completed by end of 2011.

“Winning this first European RWSL contract is a major achievement which confirms Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems’ position as the leading supplier of advanced air traffic control surveillance systems,” said Eldar Hauge, managing director for Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems in Norway. “We are already a leading European supplier of Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control Systems (A-SMGCS) for some of the largest airports in Europe and Asia Pacific. RWSL can be offered as an upgrade to any A-SMGCS, regardless of make, and will give Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems a competitive edge in projects where RWSL is a requirement.”

Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems is also supplying the A-SMGCS which connects to the RWSL Control System, offering the best technical solution and providing added safety to busy international airports.

The A-SMGCS comprises the NOVA 9000 display processing system and surface movement radar. NOVA 9000 delivers enhanced air traffic control capabilities and ensures air traffic controllers have a clear view of ground movements under normal and low visibility operations.

With a 50-year legacy in air traffic management systems ranging from individual airport installations to countrywide, multiple-site turnkey integrated system solutions, Northrop Grumman’s state-of-the-art air traffic management systems are operationally controlling air traffic in numerous countries around the world including recent major programmes in: Norway, Brazil, Qatar, Oman, Canada, India, Poland, UAE, U.S. and the U.K., in both civil and military applications.

Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, based in Oslo and Horten, Norway, and in Peterborough, U.K., supplies air traffic management systems for air-space operations worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.


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Goodrich Receives Contract

Goodrich Receives US Air Force Contract for C-130 Boltless Wheels and Carbon Brakes

New equipment offers significant performance, cost, and maintenance advantages

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) has received a follow-on contract from Defense Logistics Agency Aviation to supply over 1,600 carbon brakes and over 1,400 boltless wheels for the U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft fleet. Deliveries will begin in October, 2011.

“With our successful development and qualification efforts behind us, we are pleased to have received this retrofit production order to begin delivery of our advanced wheels and carbon brakes to the U.S. Air Force. Upon installation, C-130 pilots and mechanics will see immediate performance improvements and maintenance savings over the current equipment, increasing reliability and reducing life-cycle costs for the U.S. Air Force,” said Jim Wharton, vice president of sales and program management of Goodrich’s Aircraft Wheels & Brakes business.

Goodrich’s C-130 wheel and brake retrofit features DURACARB® carbon brakes which provide lighter weight, longer life, higher performance and lower cost of ownership compared to steel braking systems. The boltless aircraft wheels employ a lock-ring design, substantially lowering maintenance time and costs, in addition to reducing parts count, when compared to traditional bolted aircraft wheels. Goodrich aircraft wheels and brakes are in service on more than 20,000 military, commercial, regional and business aircraft produced by manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Cessna, Embraer, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities.


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QBE Forms U.S. General Aviation Underwriting Group

NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — QBE the Americas has announced the creation of a U.S.-based general aviation underwriting operation.

Headquartered in Atlanta, QBE the Americas’ Aviation Team is designed to expand the company’s global aviation activities. QBE is already a major aviation insurance writer in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific.

The new team of seasoned aviation insurance professionals with a proven track record consists of William P. McGloin, Roger M. Ridings, Michael Clark and Russell Walker.

“The U.S. is the largest market for general aviation in the world,” says QBE’s Chief Executive Officer for the Americas, John Rumpler. “We’re pleased to start this operation that will offer a broad range of coverage and bring our company full circle as a true worldwide provider for general aviation insurance services. The aviation team that has been created will work in collaboration with QBE Aviation European Operations.”

General aviation insurance includes all types of aircraft except for military and major airlines. QBE the Americas’ Aviation Team of seasoned aviation professionals will work with personal-use aircraft owners, as well as corporations and airports to provide physical damage, liability and workers’ compensation coverage.

QBE Insurance Group Limited is one of the top 25 insurers and reinsurers worldwide. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, QBE operates out of 49 countries around the globe, with a presence in every key insurance market. The Americas Division, headquartered in New York, conducts business through various property and casualty insurance subsidiaries in 10 countries. QBE’s Americas Division produced $4 billion in gross written premium in 2009 and an 89.7 percent combined operating ratio. QBE Insurance companies are rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best and “A+” by Standard and Poor’s. For more information, visit qbe.com.


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Goodrich and Royal Jordanian Airlines Sign Support Agreement

Work will be performed through Prime Solutions(R) at the Goodrich Dubai campus

Goodrich and Royal Jordanian Airlines Sign Nacelle Services Agreement for Support of Airbus A320, A340 and Embraer E195 Fleets

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 31, 2011 -Goodrich Corporation has signed a nacelle services agreement with Royal Jordanian Airlines. The five-year Prime Solutions(R) agreement covers maintenance and support of nacelles and thrust reversers for the airline’s fleet of V2500-powered Airbus A320s, CF34-10E powered Embraer 195s and CFM56-5C- powered Airbus A340s. The agreement will be managed through Goodrich’s Dubai campus in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, which will provide the regional support to this national airline of Jordan.

Bob Gustafson, Goodrich Aerostructures vice president and general manager of Aftermarket Services said, “This agreement demonstrates the breadth of services we offer on different aircraft types that are in different stages of their lifecycles. From the newer E195 airplanes to the more mature A320s and the out-of-production CFM56-5C nacelles on the A340-200, Goodrich is committed to offering world-class nacelle maintenance services on all of these programs.”

In addition to demonstrating the breadth of services and programs offered, Gustafson added that the agreement is another example of an airline recognizing the value of securing long-term nacelle services with a locally positioned nacelle MRO. “Goodrich’s Dubai campus is strategically located to provide local services to airlines so that they can achieve time and cost savings from having repairs performed on large components close to their main operating bases,” he said.

Royal Jordanian president and CEO Hussein Dabbas agreed that the Goodrich strategic MRO location was an important factor in the airline’s decision. “We are pleased to put this Prime Solutions agreement into place and that the work will be performed at the Goodrich Dubai campus, which is close to the Royal Jordanian base in Amman, Jordan,” Dabbas said. “The A320s, A340s and Embraer 195s represent a significant portion of the airline’s fleet and we look forward to the maintenance work being performed by a well-known, renowned nacelle MRO.”

Prime Solutions is a comprehensive suite of maintenance services and asset/inventory management programs that can be fully customized to meet any airline’s needs for nacelle maintenance.

Royal Jordanian is Jordan‘s national carrier and began operations more than 47 years ago. Under the guidance and direction of His Majesty King Abdullah II, the airline connects Jordan and the Eastern Mediterranean area with the rest of the world. It continues to continuously modernize and upgrade its services, renew its fleet and expand its route network and operations. Royal Jordanian operates flights from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan. Its fleet covers a network of 58 destinations on four continents.


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Goodrich to Address the Cowen and Company 32nd Annual Aerospace/Defense Conference

  • Address to be webcast on Goodrich website

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 26, 2011 — Scott Kuechle, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR), will address the Cowen and Company 32nd Annual Aerospace/Defense Conference on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011, in New York City. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 2:45 p.m. Eastern time.

A live audio webcast will be available on http://www.goodrich.com/ — see “Cowen and Company Conf.” link. Following the conference, the archived webcast will be available for replay. A slide presentation will be used during the conference and will be posted on the Investor Relations page of our website.

Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities.


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Goodrich to Address the Barclays Capital Third Annual Industrial Select Conference

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Marshall Larsen, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR), will address the Barclays Capital Third Annual Industrial Select Conference on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, in Miami. The presentation is scheduled to begin at 1:55 p.m. Eastern time.

A live audio webcast will be available on http://www.goodrich.com/ — see “Barclays Capital Conf.” link. Following the conference, the archived webcast will be available for replay. A slide presentation will be used during the conference and will be posted on the Investor Relations page of our website.

Goodrich Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, is a global supplier of systems and services to aerospace, defense and homeland security markets. With one of the most strategically diversified portfolios of products in the industry, Goodrich serves a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and service facilities.


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Goodrich Introduces New Lighter-Weight Wheels and Brakes for the Boeing 777 Fleet

New main wheels and brakes will provide weight and cost savings for airline operators

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Goodrich Corporation (NYSE: GR) has introduced new lighter-weight main wheel and brake assemblies for Boeing 777-200LR, 777 Freighter, and 777-300ER airplane models. The new configuration wheels and brakes provide a weight savings of 260 pounds (118 kg) per airplane, resulting in reduced fuel costs for 777 operators. The new equipment is now standard on 777 airplanes delivered with Goodrich equipment, and will be available in the aftermarket starting in January 2011.

The new assemblies are approved by Boeing, and are intermixable with existing Goodrich wheel and brake assemblies for the 777-200LR, 777 Freighter, and 777-300ER. In addition, the new brake will continue to provide a 35% brake life advantage over competitive products through the use of Goodrich’s latest DURACARB(R) carbon brake disk material.

Jim Wharton, vice president of sales and program management for Goodrich Aircraft Wheels and Brakes, said, “This is another example of our commitment to continuously improve the products and services we provide to our airline customers. The introduction of these new Boeing 777 wheels and brakes will allow our existing and future customers to realize weight and fuel savings and reduce their cost of operation.”


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AerCap Opens Representative Office in Abu Dhabi

AMSTERDAM, Jan. 19, 2011 – AerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE: AER) today announced the opening of a representative office in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

AerCap’s new Abu Dhabi office will be managed by a team of highly skilled aviation industry professionals with extensive experience in the region and will be led by Simon McLean, previously Chief Operating Officer of Waha Leasing PJSC.

The Abu Dhabi team will help expand AerCap’s activities in the Middle East/North Africa region, which is one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets. AerCap has a total fleet of 350 aircraft including fourteen aircraft on lease to seven airlines in the Middle East/North Africa region.

About AerCap
AerCap is the world’s leading independent aircraft leasing company. AerCap also provides engine leasing, aircraft management services, aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services and aircraft disassemblies. The company has over $10 billion of total assets including committed purchases and focuses on new, fuel-efficient narrowbody and small widebody aircraft. AerCap is headquartered in The Netherlands and has offices in Ireland, the United States, China, Singapore, the United Kingdom and in The United Arab Emirates.


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Altera’s DO-254/ED-80 Certifiable Nios II Processor Leveraged in Thales Safety-Critical Avionics System Certified by EASA


Industry’s First DO-254/ED-80 Certifiable Soft Core Processor Saves Thales Nearly Two Years in Development Time

SAN JOSE, Calif., Dec. 20, 2010 — Altera Corporation today announced the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified a safety-critical avionics system that includes a DO-254/ED-80-certifiable version of Altera’s Nios® II embedded processor. Thales Avionics implemented a safety-critical version of the Nios II embedded processor in an Altera® HardCopy® ASIC for use in its family of integrated electronic standby instruments rather than developing a custom ASIC solution. Leveraging Altera’s DO-254/ED-80-certifiable processor allowed Thales to significantly reduce overall system development time when developing their family of integrated electronic standby instruments.

“When we began defining our integrated electronic standby instrument family, we determined it would be too costly and time consuming to develop a custom ASIC that meets the RTCA DO-254/Eurocae ED-80 objectives,” said Jerome Papineau, product manager at Thales Avionics. “The integration of a safety-critical Nios II embedded processor with a HardCopy ASIC saved nearly two years off our development while also saving considerable costs. The processor provides us with a compelling solution that meets our performance and system requirements while allowing us to manage system obsolescence. With its RTCA DO-254/Eurocae ED-80 level-B compliance determination, the Nios II embedded processor can be integrated into our system with confidence.”

Altera’s HardCopy ASICs offer customers a low-cost, low-risk and low-power migration path to take their FPGA prototype designs to volume production. The use of HardCopy ASICs provides Thales with improved single-event upset (SEU) immunity while also giving Thales pin-to-pin, functional and timing compatibility with the FPGA prototype design.

The development of a safety-critical version of Altera’s Nios II soft-core processor is the result of the close partnership and cooperation between Thales, HCELL Engineering and Altera, which dates back to 2006. The RTCA DO-254/Eurocae ED-80 compliance package of the Nios II embedded processor provides avionics equipment manufacturers a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) microprocessor that can be quickly and easily implemented in safety-critical avionics applications. Leveraging the Nios II embedded processor in these systems helps manufacturers comply with safety standards while dramatically lowering development time and costs and eliminating the threat of processor obsolescence.

“Today’s announcement significantly reduces the risk barrier for customers wanting to implement a soft-core processor into their safety-critical avionics system,” said Amr El-Ashmawi, senior marketing manager in Altera’s military business unit. “Having the EASA certify Thales’s integrated electronic standby instruments allow us to clearly demonstrate the significant reduction in cost, development time and risk that Altera’s DO-254-certifiable Nios II processor provides.”

About the Safety-Critical Version of Nios II Processor

Altera’s Nios II embedded processor is a configurable, 32-bit FPGA-based soft microprocessor used in a wide variety of applications and end markets, including military, aerospace and avionics. The safety-critical version of the processor core includes complete RTCA DO-254/Eurocae ED-80 compliance, with source code and documentation such as a plan for hardware aspects of certification (PHAC), a hardware design document (HDD) and a hardware accomplishment summary (HAS). Airborne electronic hardware designers complying with the DO-254 standard can leverage the Nios II soft processor core while minimizing obsolescence in systems that typically have long life cycles. Nios II embedded processors can be implemented within Altera’s portfolio of Cyclone® series and Stratix® series FPGAs and HardCopy series ASICs. For more information about Altera’s DO-254 strategy, visit www.altera.com/end-markets/military-aerospace/do-254/mil-do-254.
About Altera

Altera® programmable solutions enable system and semiconductor companies to rapidly and cost-effectively innovate, differentiate and win in their markets. Find out more about Altera’s FPGA, CPLD and ASIC devices at www.altera.com. Follow Altera via Facebook, RSS and Twitter.
ALTERA, ARRIA, CYCLONE, HARDCOPY, MAX, MEGACORE, NIOS, QUARTUS and STRATIX words and logos are trademarks of Altera Corporation and registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. All other words and logos identified as trademarks or service marks are the property of their respective holders as described at www.altera.com/legal.


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XL Insurance Continues Regional Build Up of US Aviation Team, Establishing Chicago Underwriting Operations

NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2010 XL Insurance, the global insurance operations of XL Group plc today announced the launch of a new regional aviation underwriting group in Chicago with the appointment of Brian J. Ackland to Class Underwriter.

Eric Donofrio, North American Regional Manager for XL Insurance’s Aviation unit, said: “We’re off to a good start in Chicago. Bringing both broker and underwriting experience, Brian is a strong addition to our underwriting team. Now with underwriters in Chicago, New York, and San Francisco, our brokers have more direct access to experienced staff who understands aviation risks and the needs of our clients. We’re looking forward to expanding this team in the very near future to be even more responsive to needs of the aviation industry in the US Midwest.”

Mr. Ackland joins XL Insurance from Aviation Insurance Services (AIS) of Illinois, Inc. In addition to his experience as a broker with AIS, his professional experience includes various underwriting positions with AIG Aviation and United States Aircraft Insurance Group, both in Chicago. A graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Mr. Ackland holds a commercial pilot certificate with multi-engine, instrument and rotorcraft ratings.

XL Insurance’s global Aerospace operations provide a broad spectrum of coverage for US based and international airlines, products manufacturers, general aviation and space risks around the world.

XL Insurance is the global brand used by XL Group plc’s insurance companies and underwriting divisions offering property, casualty, professional and specialty insurance products throughout the world. More information about XL Insurance is available at www.xlinsurance.com. XL Group plc, through its subsidiaries, is a global insurance and reinsurance company providing property, casualty, and specialty products to industrial, commercial, and professional firms, insurance companies and other enterprises on a worldwide basis. More information about XL Group plc is available at www.xlgroup.com.

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