Gegenstand der Prüfungen sind ebenso Funktion und Wechselwirkung der Stromabnehmer mit der Stromschiene Berliner Bauart sowie die fehlerfreie Erkennung von Stromschienenlücken und die Aufrechterhaltung des elektrischen Fahrzeug-Bordnetzes innerhalb von Trennstellen in der Berliner Infrastruktur.
Tests are conducted on the functioning and interaction of the current collectors with the Berlin S-Bahn power rail, the accurate detection of power rail gaps, and the capability to maintain electrical system operation while crossing section interfaces in the Berlin infrastructure.
Berlin’s new S-Bahn trains are a hundred days old, yet already proving highly reliable. The new 483/484 series has passed its baptism of fire and also proved itself during the spell of cold winter weather in February: The trains successfully defied snow, ice, and wind.
The first train punctually entered service at 0.01 a.m. on New Year’s. Since then, the ten pre- series trains have been running on Line S47 (Spindlersfeld – Hermannstraße) and have replaced the old 485 series trains.
With the new trains, S-Bahn Berlin not only offers its passengers greater comfort, but also provides more capacity for our customers. When all the 21 two-car units and 85 four-car units ordered from Siemens Mobility and Stadler have been delivered by the end of 2023, a total of 106 new quarter trains will be in operation.
Beginning this summer, the first series trains will be delivered and join the 483/484 fleet once they have been accepted.
Getafe, 15 April 2021 – The Egyptian Air Force, the largest C295 fleet operator worldwide, has recently signed a five-year services contract with Airbus for the performance-based support of its fleet, composed of a total of 24 aircraft.
The Egyptian Air Force joins now the community of C295 operators that benefit from the provision of integrated and performance based services which ensure that all elements of support are in place where and when required, in order to optimize fleet availability and mission readiness.
The contract includes the provision of material services, on-site technical support as well as on-wing maintenance.
Since the delivery of the first aircraft in 2011, Airbus has been providing support through a wide service portfolio with the highest quality standards including both technical and personnel resources. In signing this contract, Egypt goes further by reaffirming and extending their trust in Airbus by implementing the first integrated support contract.
Évora, Portugal, April 6, 2021 – The Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) FLEXCRAFT, a modular and remotely piloted aircraft concept, which allows quick reconfiguration of the cabin for multiple missions, won the International Design Awards (IDA) in the Transport Design category.
With the ability to land and take off on short lanes and use alternative energy sources, the concept seeks to foster ideas for transforming the future of air mobility, combining the human, technological, social and economic perspectives in a sustainable manner. IDA highlighted the passenger experience through the flexibility of fuselage design and new technologies.
The futuristic project was the result of a Portuguese consortium led by Sociedade de Engenharia e Transformação, SA (SET.SA) that brought together Embraer Portugal, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Almadesign, Instituto de Ciência e Inovação em Engenharia Mecânica e Engenharia Industrial (INEGI), plus the support from Embraer SA (Brazil). The initiative was funded by the Portugal 2020 program, under the Operational Program Competitiveness and Internationalization through the European Regional Development Fund.
The scientific research aimed to raise the critical technologies of this concept in an integrated way, such as configuration, flexibility solutions and production and material processes. Through the FLEXCRAFT project, it was possible to evaluate the development of new production processes, eco-efficient technologies, and the integration of new materials, among other research fronts.
Toulouse, 9 February, 2021 – ATR has appointed Tiziana Masullo Managing Director and President of ATR Americas, a subsidiary of ATR, effective from December 2020. Based in Miami, Tiziana previously served as Vice President of Services Sales and Contracts, and succeeds Jurgen Lebacs. Tiziana will oversee a staff of 32 people, covering the following areas: Technical support and Safety, Training and Flight Ops, Services Sales and Contracts, Customer Material Support, GMA & Repairs, CSDs and FSR, Finance and Human Resources.
After graduating from ITC Serra with a diploma in Foreign Languages and Literature, Tiziana began her career with Leonardo, before moving to ATR where she has spent 27 years. With a lengthy background and many leadership positions in Training, Flight Operations and Services Sales, as well as Contract Negotiation, Tiziana brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She is also the first woman to lead one of ATR’s subsidiaries.
Tiziana has two children, David who is 22 years old and is studying sociology at London School of Economics in London, and Nikita who is 18, who lives in Miami studying to be a veterinary assistant.
Airbus has signed a contract to deliver 38 new Eurofighter aircraft to the German Air Force. This makes Germany the largest ordering nation in Europe’s biggest defence programme. The order, also known by its project name Quadriga, covers the delivery of 30 single-seater and 8 twin-seater Eurofighters. Three of the aircraft will be equipped with additional test installations as Instrumented Test Aircraft for the further development of the Eurofighter programme.
Dirk Hoke, CEO Airbus Defence and Space, said: “The new Tranche 4 Eurofighter is currently the most modern European-built combat aircraft with a service life well beyond 2060. Its technical capabilities will allow full integration into the European Future Combat Air System FCAS”.
The renewed order from Germany secures production until 2030 and comes at a strategically important time for the programme. In addition to an expected Eurofighter order from Spain to replace its legacy F-18s, procurement decisions in Switzerland and Finland are imminent in 2021.
The variant offered in Switzerland corresponds to the configuration of the German Quadriga order. The equipment includes the world’s latest electronic radar, future-proof hardware and software and unlimited multi-role capability for engaging air and ground targets.
Eurofighter is Europe’s largest defence programme, in which the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy are involved alongside Germany. In addition to technological capabilities, it secures more than 100,000 jobs in Europe.
– The demonstrator will help the Navy determine technical requirements for future carrier-based weapons systems
Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Navy will demonstrate advanced missile technologies that will make carrier air wing strike fighters more lethal against threats into the next decade.
Boeing has been awarded a $30 million contract from the Navy to co-develop the Supersonic Propulsion Enabled Advanced Ramjet (SPEAR) flight demonstrator with the Navy’s Air Warfare Center Weapons Division. The contract award comes after the Department of Defense requested information from the defense industry to help the Navy determine technical requirements of future carrier-based land and sea strike weapons systems.
“The SPEAR flight demonstrator will provide the F/A-18 Super Hornet and carrier strike group with significant improvements in range and survivability against advanced threat defensive systems,” said Steve Mercer, Boeing’s SPEAR program manager. “We have a talented team of engineers to meet the challenging technical demands and schedule timeline that the SPEAR program requires. We look forward to working with Navy experts to advance technologies for the Navy’s future capabilities.”
Boeing and the Navy Air Warfare Center Weapons Division plan to fly the SPEAR demonstrator in late 2022. Prior successes by Boeing in developing supersonic and hypersonic technologies include the X-51 Waverider test vehicle in 2010 and the Variable Flow Ducted Rocket propulsion system under the Triple Target Terminator program in 2014.
Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As a top U.S. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.
Today, Boeing [NYSE: BA] submitted its offer to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency for the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) competition, proposing a design that leverages the company’s more than 60-year track record and expertise in strategic missile and weapon systems.
“Boeing’s NGI proposal delivers unmatched performance, affordability and reliability for the nation and the warfighter,” said Norm Tew, Missile and Weapon Systems vice president and general manager, and Huntsville site senior executive. “Building upon our prior investments and proven technologies, our innovative proposal offers a creative, compelling and game-changing technical approach to outpace, out-innovate, deter and defeat rapidly evolving advanced threats.”
If selected, Boeing will utilize its proven capabilities along with a best-of-industry team to ensure its unique offering is delivered to the warfighter on time.
“Boeing is well-positioned to deliver innovative solutions that greatly expand this key missile defense capability, ever focused on supporting the warfighter,” said Tew. “We are leveraging our unparalleled mission knowledge to design, develop and deliver a low-risk, highly-effective solution for the MDA.”
The NGI will be used to maintain ready deterrence and ensure the continued protection of the U.S. homeland from intercontinental ballistic missiles. A contract award is expected later this year.
Alstom has launched the validation test campaign for the Prima T8 AZ8A freight locomotives in Azerbaijan on the main freight transit line, which has recently been converted from 3kV DC to 25kV AC.
In 2014, ADY awarded a contract to EKZ, Alstom’s joint venture with Transmashholding (TMH), for a total 50 electric locomotives, including 40 Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locomotives and 10 Prima M4 AZ4A passenger locomotives.
The Prima T8 AZ8A is based on the KZ8A locomotives currently in service in Kazakhstan and ADY’s specific technical requirements and is compliant with GOST[1] standards and specifications.
Alstom’s Prima T8 is one of the most powerful electric locomotives in the world. This model is a 25 tons per axle two-section freight locomotive capable of towing up to 9,000 tons and running at 120 km/h, with installed continuous power of 8.8 Megawatts. The AZ8A is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -25°C to 50°C. It requires minimum maintenance and provides high reliability levels and low lifecycle costs thanks to its modular design.
Alstom’s Prima range is covering all market segments of locomotives from heavy-haul, freight and passenger operation and shunting or trackwork operation. Over the past 20 years, more than 3,200 Prima locomotives (more than 4,600 sections) have been sold worldwide.
Alstom is present in Western & Central Asia with more than 850 people, three country offices, four depots, repair center and two plants, EKZ in Nur-Sultan for electric locomotives manufacturing and maintenance and production of on-board transformers, and KEP in Almaty to produce point machines. Alstom is a major contributor to the revitalization of country’s mobility industry and the development of its economy.
EKZ, a joint venture between Alstom and TMH[2], employs 700 people and is working on supplying and maintaining the Prima electric locomotives ordered by KTZ, Kazakhstan’s national railway company and export markets, like Azerbaijan.
[1] GOST: Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) technical certification organisation
ATR and one of its long-standing customers, the Finnish airline Finnair, signed a 10-year Global Maintenance Agreement (GMA). Through this package, Finnair and Nordic Regional Airlines (NoRRA) – who operates Finnair’s regional ATR traffic – will benefit from a customised support from ATR, which will help the airline better anticipate maintenance costs while enhancing the dispatch reliability of its fleet of 12 ATR 72-500.
This pay-by-the-hour contract covers the repair, overhaul and pooling services of Line Replaceable Units, along with their door-to-door delivery and an on-site leased stock of spare parts. Finnair will also benefit from blades maintenance and availability, and maintenance recommendations based on ATR’s expertise to enhance aircraft reliability.
Juha Ojala, Vice President Technical Operations of Finnair, declared: “Our ATR flights form a key part of our feeder traffic to our Helsinki hub, and as a large share of our customers are transfer customers, they have strong expectations in terms of punctuality and reliability. This Global Maintenance Agreement is one step further in our relationship with ATR and ensures we benefit from the most suitable services, so that we can in turn provide our customers with a reliable and punctual travel experience.”
Stefano Bortoli, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, added: “Finnair is new to our GMA programme but they have been part of the ATR family from the very beginning, as they took delivery of their first ATR aircraft, MSN 006, in 1986. During the challenging times we are currently living, the confidence from a valued customer is the best tribute they can offer to the quality and economics of our products and services. We are looking forward to sharing our knowledge and expertise with Finnair, so that they can in turn keep on operating regional traffic in a responsible and efficient fashion.”
Virgin Australia’s share price dipped below 10 cents on Monday – days after credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s downgraded its outlook to negative.
The drop represents an enormous fall from a high of $2.19 in February 2007. Virgin played down the developments, claiming any speculation of the future of the business was “untrue and misleading”.
Last week, Australian Aviation reported that the wider group announced a $97 million half-year loss and its intention to cut its Tigerair fleet.
