Cessna Debuts 350 Corvalis and 400 Corvalis TT
January 15, 2009
WICHITA, Kan., Jan. 14, 2009 Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, introduced the 350 Corvalis and 400 Corvalis TT during this year’s annual sales meeting in Wichita.
The Cessna 350 Corvalis and 400 Corvalis TT (twin turbocharged), formerly the Cessna 350 and Cessna 400 respectively, have been renamed as part of Cessna’s acquisition of certain assets from Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing Company in 2007.
“Our customers and sales team asked us to name these products like other popular Cessnas such as the Cardinal and Skyhawk. The name Corvalis, although spelled differently, was inspired from the name of a picturesque Oregon town about 120 miles west of Cessna’s Bend, Ore. manufacturing facility. It is a graceful word befitting the flowing lines of the aircraft and its unique Northwest heritage,” said Tom Aniello, vice president of marketing.
“The logo graphic evokes a stylized depiction of the Three Sisters mountains, part of the Cascade mountain range separating the Eastern and Western halves of Oregon, and clearly visible from Cessna’s Bend facility,” Aniello said.
At a maximum cruise speed of 235 knots, the Cessna 400 Corvalis TT is the fastest fixed-gear single-engine piston aircraft on the market. Equipped with a 310-horsepower Teledyne Continental TCM IO-550N, the Cessna 350 Corvalis has a certified ceiling of 18,000 feet and a maximum cruise speed of 190 knots. The twin turbocharger equipped, intercooled TCM TSIO-550C installed in the Cessna 400 Corvalis TT enables it to cruise as high as 25,000 feet while its pilot and passengers enjoy the convenience of the 400’s standard 4-place, built-in oxygen system.
Like all current Cessna single-engine piston products, the Caravan and the Citation Mustang, the 350 Corvalis and 400 Corvalis TT are equipped with the integrated Garmin G1000 avionics system and GFC700 autopilot, and are backed by Cessna’s extensive support network.
“”China Southern selects Thales for passenger In-Flight Entertainment and Support Services”
January 15, 2009
Neuilly-sur-Seine, 15 January 2009 – Thales, a world leader in In-Flight Entertainment
(IFE) systems, is proud to announce that it has been selected to install the TopSeries on ten
A330-300 aircraft owned by China Southern. Each aircraft will be equipped with audio and
video on-demand at every seat with the first delivery scheduled for March 2010. With this
commitment, Thales will now have its most advanced TopSeries aircraft on all major China
carriers.
Thales has a main service center in Beijing, which is populated with talented, customerfocused
professionals who truly relate to the customer. “We feel very positive about our
selection. Thales’s IFE system is proven in our region and we find that our relationship with
Thales people is very strong with uninterrupted dedication and attention to our airline,” said
Mr. Dong Suguang, Vice President of China Southern.
“China is a very important, strategic market for Thales. We are delighted to be selected for
China Southern’s A330 aircraft and appreciate their vote of confidence,” said Alan Pellegrini,
Vice President and General Manager of Thales’s IFE business. China Southern and Thales
are also looking into service programs to support both repair and content management.
About Thales
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and
security markets worldwide. Thales’s leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers
who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical
information systems. To this end, the group’s civil and military businesses develop in parallel and
share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and
nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted
partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to
support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries
with 2007 revenues of €12.3 billion
Vodochody Airport Became Separate Company
January 15, 2009
Odolena Voda, Czech Republic, January 15, 2008: So far a private international airport of Aero Vodochody, the largest aerospace manufacturer in the Czech Republic, has from the New Year become a separate company. Martin Kacur, so far Vice President for Airport Development, became General Manager of the newly established company Letiste Vodochody a.s. (Vodochody Airport). He will be responsible for finalizing and realizing the project of transfer, building a second airport for Prague and its vicinity in Vodochody.
„In the last quarter of 2008, we succeeded in winning several important licenses necessary for current operation of the airport as well as its development. By the end of January, we are going to launch negotiations on the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA),” says Martin Kacur, General Manager of Vodochody Airport.
At the end of 2008, Vodochody Airport obtained the airport operation license from the national Civil Aviation Authority, the European air-traffic control license as well as the handling license. The Airport has also signed an agreement with the alien police and customs administration on handling of passengers. A new security program of the airport was approved by the national Ministry of Transport.
AERO Vodochody a.s. is a sole shareholder of Letiste Vodochody a.s. (Vodochody Airport).
Technometra Has New General Manager
January 15, 2009
Prague, Czech Republic, January 15, 2008: Erik Zajic, so far Commercial Director of Technometra Radotin, a traditional producer of landing gears and other aerostructures based in the Czech Republic, has become General Manager of the company since the New Year. Ladislav Simek, who had been at the position of the General Manager since 2007, left to the parent company Aero Vodochody, where he became Vice President for Strategy and Strategic Programs.
Erik Zajic was born in 1975. Before he came to Technometra in 2008, he had worked as Sales Manager in the electrician company Unirec, an agency of the German GE Power Controls, later as General Manager of the subsidiary company for Central and Eastern Europe of the German company Accumulatorenwerke Hoppecke Carl Zoellner & Sohn and finally as Commercial Director and Member of the Board of the manufacturing company PRAGA Louny CZ. He is married and has one newborn daughter with whom he tries to spend his whole free time.
In 2008, Technometra year-on-year increased its revenue by 50% and in following two years, this growth rate is planned to increase. In the context of recently signed contracts with American companies Epic and Cirrus and other new projects, Technometra plans to hire several dozens of new employees in 2009.
Technometra Radotín a.s. is a traditional producer of landing gears, control blocks, hydraulic units, actuators and other assemblies for aircraft and helicopters. The Company has had extensive experience in development and production of landing gears since 1930s, having produced more than 10,000 units. 100% of the shares of Technometra are held by AERO Vodochody a.s., the largest aerospace producer in the Czech Republic. Find more on www.technometra.cz.
Airbus 2008 Commercial Results
January 15, 2009
In 2008 Airbus delivered a new record number of 483 aircraft, 30 more than in 2007. This number is made up of 386 A320 Family aircraft, 85 A330/A340 and 12 A380s.
The order intake in a difficult year was remarkably strong. Overall, Airbus won 777 net orders (900 new gross orders) valued at US$100 billion at catalogue prices or 54 per cent of market share of all aircraft units over 100 seats. These include 472 A320 Family aircraft, 138 Long-Range aircraft (A330/A340) and nine A380s. The recently launched A350 XWB won 163 new firm orders increasing the total to 478 from 29 customers, making it the fastest selling aircraft in aviation history. At 2008 year end, Airbus had increased its backlog to a new record of 3,715 aircraft. These figures underline the continuing strong demand for Airbus products.
Airbus’ turn-around programme, Power 8 again exceeded targets for the second year in a row, delivering cost savings of about 1.3 billion Euros. The savings are over half way towards the 2010 objective and Power 8+ will add a further 650 million euros in savings by 2012.
In 2008 Airbus has also successfully completed its aerostructures strategy. The former Airbus site in Laupheim and Filton’s manufacturing unit were sold to leading partners. The German sites Nordenham, Varel and Augsburg were merged into Premium Aerotec and the French sites Meaulte and St. Nazaire Ville into Aerolia. The two companies became fully operational on January 1st, 2009. They are well positioned to become major players on the global market. These divestments and restructuring allow Airbus to concentrate on its core activities of aircraft architect and integrator, while capital investments, risks and benefits in developing new aircraft technologies are shared.
“We all know that 2009 will be a very challenging year for the aeronautics industry. At Airbus we are prepared and confident: our leadership team is aligned, our workforce is motivated again, integration is progressing well and we have a solid financial basis, thanks to our improvement programs, our prudent cash and production management, and our strong orderbook,” said Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO.
Discovery of Methane Reveals Mars is Not a Dead Planet
January 15, 2009
The team found methane in the Martian atmosphere by carefully observing the planet throughout several Mars years with NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility and the W.M. Keck telescope, both at
“Methane is quickly destroyed in the Martian atmosphere in a variety of ways, so our discovery of substantial plumes of methane in the northern hemisphere of Mars in 2003 indicates some ongoing process is releasing the gas,” said
Methane, four atoms of hydrogen bound to a carbon atom, is the main component of natural gas on Earth. Astrobiologists are interested in these data because organisms release much of Earth’s methane as they digest nutrients. However, other purely geological processes, like oxidation of iron, also release methane.
“Right now, we do not have enough information to tell whether biology or geology — or both — is producing the methane on Mars,” Mumma said. “But it does tell us the planet is still alive, at least in a geologic sense. It is as if Mars is challenging us, saying, ‘hey, find out what this means.'”
If microscopic Martian life is producing the methane, it likely resides far below the surface where it is warm enough for liquid water to exist. Liquid water is necessary for all known forms of life, as are energy sources and a supply of carbon.
“On Earth, microorganisms thrive about 1.2 to 1.9 miles beneath the Witwatersrand basin of
It is possible a geologic process produced the Martian methane, either now or eons ago. On Earth, the conversion of iron oxide into the serpentine group of minerals creates methane, and on Mars this process could proceed using water, carbon dioxide and the planet’s internal heat. Although there is no evidence of active volcanism on Mars today, ancient methane trapped in ice cages called clathrates might be released now.
“We observed and mapped multiple plumes of methane on Mars, one of which released about 19,000 metric tons of methane,” said co-author
According to the team, the plumes were seen over areas that show evidence of ancient ground ice or flowing water. Plumes appeared over the Martian northern hemisphere regions such as east of Arabia Terra, the Nili Fossae region, and the south-east quadrant of Syrtis Major, an ancient volcano about 745 miles across.
One method to test whether life produced this methane is by measuring isotope ratios. Isotopes of an element have slightly different chemical properties, and life prefers to use the lighter isotopes. A chemical called deuterium is a heavier version of hydrogen. Methane and water released on Mars should show distinctive ratios for isotopes of hydrogen and carbon if life was responsible for methane production. It will take future missions, like NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory, to discover the origin of the Martian methane.
The research was funded by the Planetary Astronomy Program at NASA Headquarters in
erospace Can Bolster U.S. Economy in Challenging Times
January 15, 2009
Speaking during a National Aeronautics Association luncheon, Blakey said one way to take advantage of the industry’s strength would be to include several aviation infrastructure provisions in the bill.
“Additional investment would increase the economic benefits our industry provides,” Blakey said.
Dedicating
Two other steps the authors of the stimulus should take are making the R&D tax credit permanent and repealing the 3 percent withholding rule. These steps would boost innovation and keep cash generated by the industry in the economy rather than government budgets.
“The biggest mistake would be to cut defense and space investments, making our industry a bill payer for other industries that are asking the government to bail them out,” Blakey said. “This would diminish our strength and momentum in the recovery and cost thousands of high-paying jobs. And that, I’m sure we all agree, would be a very bad move right about now.”
Blakey gave an overview of the aerospace industry, highlighting the fact it is still showing modest growth in important measures like overall sales and employment during a timeframe when many other industries have seen dramatic downturns.
Founded in 1919, the Aerospace Industries Association represents the nation’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military, and business aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial systems, space systems, aircraft engines, materiel, and related components, equipment services, and information technology.
NASA Extends Shuttle and Space Station Spacesuit Contract
January 15, 2009
This will be the first option period of the contract known as the Extravehicular Activity Systems Contract. The contract is a cost-plus-award-fee contract.
Under the contract, Hamilton Sundstrand and its subcontractors perform engineering management for hardware systems used in spacewalks, supporting enhancements, ensuring flight and spacewalk readiness, providing safety and mission assurance, meeting flight milestones and achieving mission goals.
Work covered under the option will begin in
Boeing Awarded $234 Million to Complete Production of 6th Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite
January 15, 2009
With this authorization, Boeing is now fully funded for the production of all three WGS Block II satellites, and is on track to deliver the first in this new series in 2011. The first of three WGS Block I satellites went into service in April, and the second is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2009.
“The arrangement between the U.S. government and the Commonwealth of
The WGS Block I and II contracts, together valued at
One difference between the Block II and Block I satellites is that the Block II satellites include a radio frequency bypass capability designed to support airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms requiring additional bandwidth.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems (http://www.boeing.com/ids/) is one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in
CAE and partners inaugurate the world’s first NH90 training centre in Germany
January 15, 2009
MONTREAL, QUEBEC–(Marketwire – Jan. 15, 2009) – (TSX:CAE)(NYSE:CGT) – CAE and consortium partners, Eurocopter, Thales, and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics, inaugurated the world’s first NH90 helicopter full-mission simulator and the first NH90 training centre at a ceremony held today at the German Army Aviation School in Buckeburg, Germany. The release issued today by the consortium Helicopter Flight Training Services (HFTS) is available at www.cae.com/HFTS.
The NH90 helicopter program is the largest ever launched in Europe, with firm orders now totaling 507 aircraft to equip and modernize the Armed Forces of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Oman, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Belgium. In addition to the NH90 training centres in Germany, CAE is also involved in the design and development of NH90 training systems for the following customers:
– Australia: CAE is the prime contractor with overall responsibility for providing two MRH90 full-flight and mission simulators (FFMSs), training facilities, and comprehensive engineering and support services to the Australian Defence Forces.
– Netherlands: Rotorsim, a consortium owned equally by CAE and AgustaWestland, has prime contractor responsibility for providing one NH90 full-mission flight trainer (FMFT) and an NH90 virtual sensor trainer for training rear crew sensor operators.
– France: Helisim, a training centre based in Marignane, France and jointly held by Eurocopter, Thales, and Defense Conseil International, has ordered an NH90 full-mission simulator from Helicopter Training Media International (HTMI), a joint venture of CAE and Thales responsible for the design and development of NH90 training media, including full-mission simulators.
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