Flight Daily News

16.07.2010 2:00

In from the cold

The Cold War Atlantic alliance this year saw its first recruits from the former Soviet empire. We look at the challenges facing NATO as it adjusts to enlargement and its new global security role Winston Churchill remarked at the end of the Second World War that it is much more complicated to keep a wartime alliance together to secure the peace. The USA and UK lost the USSR as an ally, but in signing the North Atlantic Treaty, 10 western European countries formed an alliance with Canada and the USA that could unite against the Soviet Union and its satellite states, yoked together into the Warsaw Pact bloc. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Fuelling ambition

EADS's creation brought with it Spain's airlift specialist CASA. Now the business wants to be a serious player in aerial refuelling When EADS was formed through the amalgamation of the French and German defence industries in 2000, the inclusion of a Spanish counterpart appeared a peripheral step to some observers. But by acquiring the interests of Spanish airlift specialist CASA, now known as EADS Casa, the company has established a powerful force in EADS Military Transport Aircraft, in which it has great hopes for the future. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

USA offers niche potential

EADS Casa has already tasted success in the USA, with its CN-235 being selected as part of the US Coast Guard's (USCG) $11 billion Deepwater fleet recapitalisation programme. The company has a contract to produce an initial three aircraft for the Lockheed Martin-led project, but hopes an unfunded request for six more will be approved for fiscal year 2006. Two prototypes are nearing completion at its San Pablo plant near Seville, with these to be delivered to the USA late next year to support a two-month operational analysis that will also involve an assessment of a palletised mission system being developed jointly by EADS Casa and Lockheed. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Tactical Italian

Contracts have already been signed for Alenia's C-27J Spartan and the Italian manufacturers will be promoting the transport aircraft at Paris Italy's Alenia Aeronautica has been involved in the tactical transport business since the late 1960s, selling 111 of its G222 aircraft to nine countries, including the USA. The short take-off and landing aircraft, which has demonstrated its capabilities with the Italian air force in locations including East Timor and Somalia, and with the US Air Force in Central America, formed the basis of the more capable C-27J Spartan developed by the Finmeccanica group member and Lockheed Martin. Already in production for the Greek and Italian air forces, the new version was also selected by Bulgaria recently and is being promoted to numerous other potential buyers. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Not if... but when

Airbus’s A320 and Boeing’s 737 are the most popular airliner ranges ever made. So how will the manufacturers top them? As suitable technology advances, the race is on for the superior successor . [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

A cut above

The Boeing 787 has forced Airbus to reinvent its A330 as the A350 long-range twinjet family. And the manufacturer is convinced that the ?4 billion it is spending will enable it to create a more than worthy rival . [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

Making history

The first dedicated Paris air show took place soon after Bleriot flew across the Channel and interest in this new mode of transport was at fever pitch. As this year again promises to be one of the most exciting ever, we look back at some of the event's memorable moments History has often been made at the Paris air show. And with the world's biggest airliner – the Airbus A380 – and the first fly-by-wire business jet – the Dassault Falcon 7X – due to make their air-show debuts, this year ranks among the best. [Read more]

16.07.2010 2:00

ATR bullish on new aircraft sales

ATR expects to sign up 25 orders for new aircraft during the show, pushing its sales for the year to over 50 and giving it the most healthy backlog since 1993. Meanwhile the manufacturer is handing over the first of 30 new ATR 72s to India’s Air Deccan during the show. [Read more]