Mexico-based Omnilife takes delivery of the country’s first ultra-large Lineage 1000


Source: EMBRAER

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WASHINGTON -- NASA's Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research Program (CRuSR) has awarded a total of approximately $475,000 to Armadillo Aerospace of Rockwall, Texas and Masten Space Systems of Mojave, Calif. The awards will allow the two companies to perform test
flights of their experimental vehicles near the edge of space.

The flights will demonstrate the capabilities of new vehicles to
provide recoverable launch and testing of small payloads going to
"near-space," the region of Earth's atmosphere between 65,000 and
350,000 feet. The CRuSR program fosters the development of commercial
reusable transportation to near space. The overall goal of the
program is regular, frequent and predictable access to near-space at
a reasonable cost with easy recovery of intact payloads.

"These two awards are just the beginning of an innovative teaming
relationship with industry to provide affordable access to the edge
of space while evaluating the microgravity environment for future
science and technology experiments," said NASA Chief Technologist
Bobby Braun at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "CRuSR represents the
sort of government-commercial partnership that will facilitate
near-space access at affordable costs."

The CRuSR awards will fund two flights this fall and one this winter
of Armadillo's Super-Mod vehicle from Spaceport America in New
Mexico. The first two flights will be to an altitude of approximately
nine miles and the third to approximately 25 miles.

The Masten Space Systems' Xaero vehicle will make four flights this
winter from the Mojave Spaceport in California. Two flights will
reach an altitude of approximately three miles and two others will be
to approximately 18 miles, with an engine shutdown during flight.

Both launch vehicles will be modified to mount three antennas for the
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) payload.
ADS-B-equipped vehicles can determine their position using global
navigation satellite systems. The vehicles can periodically broadcast
position data and other relevant information to ground stations and
other similarly equipped aircraft.

In NASA's fiscal 2011 Space Technology Program, CRuSR will become an
integral part of the Flight Opportunities Program within the Office
of the Chief Technologist.

For more information on NASA's Flight Opportunities Program, vist:

http://go.usa.gov/csj

For more information about NASA's CRuSR program, visit:

http://suborbitalex.arc.nasa.gov

For more information about NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/oct

Source: NASA

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SEATTLE, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) will perform landing gear exchange, repair and overhaul services on Qantas Airways' 747-400ER (extended range) jetliners. Qantas, the program launch customer for the 747-400ER and operator of six of the airplanes, becomes the launch customer for the 747-400ER Landing Gear Overhaul and Exchange Program.

Qantas will use the Boeing Service Center Repair Network for quick, reliable access to landing gear exchanges, repair and replacement around the world, greatly reducing maintenance time. The agreement takes effect in 2011.

The launch of the Landing Gear Overhaul and Exchange Program by Qantas for the 747-400ER family provides a similar opportunity for operators of the 40 747-400ER Freighters currently in service.

"We appreciate that a customer such as Qantas is demonstrating their confidence in Boeing to provide them with this important service," said Dale Wilkinson, vice president, Material Services, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "By choosing Boeing's landing gear exchange program, Qantas will have immediate access to a replacement gear without having to invest in a landing gear asset themselves."

Qantas Airways is the latest of more than 70 customers to take advantage of the Boeing's Landing Gear Overhaul and Exchange Program. Boeing coordinates with airlines and global component repair and overhaul suppliers to promptly return airplanes to service.

More than 500 airplanes have benefitted from the Boeing Landing Gear Overhaul and Exchange Programs for 717, Next-Generation 737, Boeing Business Jet, 757-300, 767-300, 777-200ER/-300/300ER, MD-11 and, now 747-400ER/ERF models. The program adheres to Boeing-approved quality processes and procedures and provides full technical and emergency support.

Source: BOEING

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ST. LOUIS, Aug. 30, 2010 – The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced the induction of the first C-130 aircraft slated to receive the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) upgrade at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Ga. This is the first of 20 aircraft to be upgraded during low-rate initial production (LRIP).

“Warner Robins is ready to receive the C-130 and begin installing the AMP kits,” said Tommy Jackson, C-130 AMP deputy program manager for the U.S. Air Force. “Our team has been trained by Boeing, and we are excited to get the first of many aircraft through our line and upgraded.”

Air Force workers at Robins will install glass cockpits that include a head-up display; six flat-panel, full-color displays; and night-vision capability in 10 of the 20 LRIP aircraft. Warner Robins will receive its second C-130 for AMP modification in October.

“The C-130 AMP is production-ready,” said Mahesh Reddy, C-130 AMP program manager for Boeing. “Today marks a very important day for the warfighter. Boeing and the Air Force are one step closer to delivering a fleet of C-130 AMP aircraft.”

Boeing will begin its portion of the installations in early 2012 at its San Antonio facility.

Source: BOEING

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Bombardier Aerospace announced today that Smart Aviation Company of Cairo, Egypt has signed a firm order to acquire two Q400 NextGen turboprop aircraft, and has also taken options on an additional three Q400 NextGen aircraft.

Based on the list price for the Q400 NextGen aircraft, the value of the firm order is approximately $62 million US, which could increase to $158 million US should all three options be converted to firm orders.

A corporate jet aircraft charter operator since its founding in May of 2007, Smart Aviation has formed a commercial airline subsidiary and will use its Q400 NextGen aircraft to launch scheduled and charter services to complement its corporate aircraft activities throughout the Middle East.

“Middle East tourism and business travel are growing steadily and we want to be in a position to meet this growth with efficient, reliable, economical and passenger-friendly aircraft,” said Wael El-Maadawy, Chairman and Managing Director, Smart Aviation Company. “Bombardier turboprop aircraft have excelled on these attributes in the Middle East operating environment for several years, so the Q400 NextGen aircraft was the first choice for our new service.”

“The Q400 NextGen aircraft is optimized for the intra-regional, shorter routes in the expanding North African and Middle Eastern travel market,” said Gary R. Scott, President,
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “We at Bombardier are confident that the Q400 NextGen aircraft is well-suited to Smart Aviation’s new venture and welcome the company to the growing family of Q400 NextGen aircraft operators.”

Optimized for short-haul operations, the “comfortably greener,” 70- to 80-seat Q400 NextGen aircraft is a large, fast, quiet and fuel-efficient turboprop. It provides an ideal balance of passenger comfort and operating economics with a reduced environmental footprint. Including Smart Aviation’s order, Bombardier has booked firm orders for a total of 391 Q400 and Q400 NextGen aircraft, and as of April 30, 2010, 300 had been delivered. The aircraft are in service with more than 30 operators worldwide.

Source: BOMBARDIER

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