25 Dec 2006 - ANA to Launch 'BusinessJet' Service; World's First Boeing 737-700ER on Nagoya-Guangzhou in March 2007
To better serve the needs of the international business traveller, ANA will launch a new service called ANA BusinessJet when it takes delivery of the world's first Boeing 737-700ER.
The 48 seat aircraft will be fitted with 24 business class and 24 economy class seats, both in a 2-2 configuration. Club ANA BJ will feature seats with a pitch of 61 inches - similar to that on ANA intercontinental services, and Economy BJ seats will have a pitch of 38 inches. The seats will be 20.6 inches and 20.5 inches wide respectively.
This 737-700ER, of which ANA is the launch customer, will be used to open ANA's fifth international route from Nagoya's Centrair Airport to Guangzhou from March 25,2007, serving on a daily basis. This will bring the number of China routes plied by ANA to a total of 20, with 147 flights per week.
"We are introducing the 737-700 as part of our commitment to flying the most efficient, customer pleasing and environmentally friendly fleet of next generation aircraft," said ANA President and CEO, Mineo Yamamoto. "With the new 737-700ER we can offer a product tailored for the business community, and at the same time secure the cost benefits derived from streamlining our narrow body fleet into one family of aircraft," he continued.
17 Nov 2006 - 737-300 Advanced cockpit from Universal Avionics receives FAA certification
Boeing 737-300F Flight Deck shown with newly installed Universal Avionics EFI-890R Displays, Dual UNS-1F FMS and Class A Terrain Awareness & Warning System. Universals Synthetic Vision System can be seen displayed on the Pilot’s PFD and the Copilots Navigation Display.
Tucson, AZ – November 11, 2006 – Universal Avionics along with Commercial Jet, Inc. (CJI) and ARC Avionics (ARC) announced today that the first Boeing 737-300F EFI-890R flat panel display flight deck retrofit received FAA STC approval on October 19, 2006. The installation of 4-Universal Avionics EFI-890 flat panel displays, the Vision-1™ Synthetic Vision System, dual UNS-1F Flight Management Systems, Class A Terrain Awareness & Warning System was seamlessly integrated with the existing autopilot. A follow-on certification will add Universal Avionics TSO’d & STC’d Application Server Unit. This server unit provides weather graphics, charts, checklists and E-Docs to be displayed on the EFI-890R Navigation Display.
The core of this system is the Universal EFI-890 high-definition LCD display. This 8.9” diagonal display is the only large display system capable of both Synthetic Vision and Electronic Charts on the market today. In addition, flexible interface capability and ease of installation means a lower “out the door” price than competitive products.
“The B737-300F Advanced Cockpit offers our customers a new standard for operational capability, flight safety, reliability and for fleet operators, standardization,” said Iso Nesaj General Manager Commercial Jet, Inc.
The ARC Avionics and Commercial Jet, Inc. teams are co-located at the Miami International Airport. They were responsible for all aspects of the Advanced Cockpit installation including design, fabrication and certification.
ARC is comprised of DAR, DER, DMIR, FAA licensed A&P mechanics and FCC licensed avionics technicians. During the past 20 years, ARC has established a reputation for quality and expertise. Today ARC Avionics is recognized as a leading provider of avionics engineering services.
CJI specializes in complete airframe inspections, passenger to cargo conversions, heavy maintenance repair/modifications, interior modifications and avionics upgrade programs for a wide variety of commercial aircraft. CJI takes pride in maintaining a high standard of quality, workmanship, reliability and satisfaction for its worldwide customer base.
http://www.uasc.com/marketing/newsdetail.asp?newsid=85
16 Oct 2006 BBJ3 Officially Launched
Boeing Business Jets today celebrates its 10-year anniversary by launching the newest member of its business jet family -- the BBJ 3. The airplane, which is based on the new Next-Generation 737-900ER (Extended Range), won two orders from undisclosed customers.
Boeing does not reveal the identity of BBJ owners at the request of its customers.
The new BBJ 3 is the largest BBJ family member and offers 1,120 square feet (104 square meters) of cabin space, 35 percent more than the BBJ and 11 percent more than the BBJ 2. With up to eight auxiliary fuel tanks, the BBJ 3 has a maximum range of 5,475 nautical miles (10,140 km).
In addition to the two BBJ 3 orders, Boeing Business Jets has secured 10 new orders for BBJs in the last 11 months, bringing total program sales to 114 airplanes.
"This has been a remarkable year for the BBJ," Boeing Business Jets President Steven Hill said during a media briefing at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Convention and Exhibition in Orlando. "Since last year's NBAA, we have won 12 new orders. The continued success of the BBJ is validation of the airplane's value to its owners. And I can't think of a better way to celebrate 10 years of success in the VIP market than with a new family member."
A decade ago, Boeing and General Electric launched Boeing Business Jets, providing private owners, heads of state, corporate leaders and charter companies with a long-range airplane that offers three times the interior space of traditional business jets with similar range capability.
Since then, Boeing Business Jets has become the eighth-largest Next-Generation 737 customer. Boeing Commercial Airplanes provides airplanes to Boeing Business Jets, which then delivers them "green" to a customer-selected completion center for interior configuration and paint.
Private individuals comprise 43 percent of the BBJ customer base. About 35 percent are government heads of state, 12 percent are corporate operators and the remaining 10 percent are charter operators.
The BBJ 3 joins an airplane family that includes the BBJ, which is a high-performance derivative of the 737-700, and the BBJ 2, which is based on the 737-800. The BBJ was launched July 2, 1996, and was followed by the BBJ 2 on Oct. 11, 1999.
27 Sep 2006 - Launch order for BBJ3
The first BBJ3, based on the 737-900ER, has received its first order. This is ahead of the formal launch expected at the NBAA meeting in Orlando, Fl. in October.
13 Sep 2006 - Boeing Considering Two 737 Replacements
Boeing is weighing options for replacing its best-selling 737 and one scenario might include separate aircraft for two markets, the company's senior marketing official said on Wednesday.
The 737 family covers the 110- to 200-seat range and is the most popular commercial plane ever with more than 5,000 produced in nearly four decades. There have been several 737 upgrades, including a major overhaul in the early 1990s.
With airlines seeking variety in seating capacity and more fuel and operating efficiency, Boeing is studying how to meet expectations and continue to offer a workhorse for the short- and medium-haul market.
A decision is nearly two years off and production several years away but one option under study, said Boeing marketing vice president Randy Baseler, is dipping into the under 100-seat market dominated by regional jets and satisfying customers who want more than 200 seats at the same time.
Boeing currently does not manufacture a regional jet, a market dominated by Canada's Bombardier Inc and Brazil's Embraer SA. Boeing would also compete with any changes by Europe's Airbus, which now makes the A320 to compete with the 737.
A Boeing foray into the 100-seat market with the 717 aircraft ended in May. The plane was initially a product of McDonnell Douglas and was renamed after Boeing absorbed that company in 1997.
Baseler said Boeing first must determine whether it should replace the 737 -- one for one -- with another one-class single-aisle aircraft. He said the company is studying the 80 and 90-seat market and what regional jet manufacturers are planning for 100-seat aircraft.
"It could end up being it doesn't make any sense for us being in the 90 or 100-seat market," Baseler said.
But if Boeing goes that way, Baseler said it will have to have two models to also satisfy airlines that want more than 200 seats.
SEATTLE, Sept. 05, 2006 -- The newest member of the Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplane family took to the skies over Washington state Friday on its maiden flight.
Painted in the Boeing blue-and-white livery, the 737-900ER (Extended Range) took off at 9:21 a.m. PDT from the Renton Municipal Airport in Renton, Wash.
The first flight marks the beginning of a five-month flight test program to obtain certification of the airplane from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency by early 2007.
Boeing flight test pilots, Capts. Ray Craig and Van Chaney, flew the airplane west toward the Pacific Ocean, then south to Astoria, Ore., and over Washington state's Olympic Peninsula before landing at Boeing Field in Seattle. The first flight tested the airplane's airworthiness, aerodynamic performance, stability and cruise performance. Flight controls, the autopilot, pressurization, avionics, air condition systems and the flight management computer also were checked during the flight.
"It was a near flawless flight," said Craig, following the one-hour, 45-minute flight. "We've been working on this airplane since 2001 and to see it come to fruition under budget and ahead of schedule is a great tribute to the Boeing engineering and manufacturing team."
The 737-900ER flight test program will include a second test airplane, and the two jets are scheduled to accrue a total of 235 hours of flight testing and 210 hours of static ground testing. Both flight-test airplanes are scheduled to be delivered next year to Lion Air, the 737-900ER launch customer.
To date, Boeing has won orders for 80 737-900ERs from Lion Air, GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS), Sky Airlines, Continental Airlines and SpiceJet. Additionally, Futura International Airways and Excel Airways will begin operating 737-900ERs on lease from GECAS in 2008.
The 737-900ER incorporates a new pair of exit doors, a flat rear-pressure bulkhead and other structural and aerodynamic design changes that allow it to carry up to 215 passengers and fly up to 3,200 nautical miles (5,900 km).
The 737-900ER will begin commercial service with Lion Air in the spring of 20.
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2006/q3/060905b_nr.html
29 Aug 2006 - RAAF AEW&C almost 2 years behind schedule - The Australian.
Mark Dodd
The first of the RAAF's new Wedgetail airborne early warning aircraft is now slated for delivery in August 2008, almost two years behind schedule. The latest setback to the $3.5billion project was confirmed yesterday by the Defence Department in response to a series of questions put by The Australian.
"Software integration problems" are cited as the reason for the latest delay in delivery by US manufacturer Boeing.
In a meeting with Boeing chief executive Jim Albaugh in June, Defence Minister Brendan Nelson expressed the federal Government's disappointment that the project had fallen behind schedule. After the meeting, Dr Nelson was assured of a new delivery date in early 2008 following testing problems with radar and sensor computer systems.
"The first two Wedgetail aircraft are now expected to be delivered in the August 2008 timeframe," Defence said.
"When Boeing announced the schedule delay in June, the company cited 'problems associated with sub-system integration, hardware reliability, radar and ESM maturity, and aircraft modification' as the cause of the delay. This remains the case."
Australia has ordered six of the state-of-the-art airborne early warning aircraft.
Boeing is building the airframe based on its popular 737-700 commercial aircraft.
The first two aircraft will be built in the US, while the other four will be assembled in Australia. Dr Nelson earlier warned that the Wedgetail contract included a provision for damages.
But federal Opposition defence spokesman Robert McClelland said cost was not the issue, rather the lack of capability, and that the new delay posed a "very, very big" problem for the RAAF.
The air force was already looking at a gap in its air defence capability with the retirement of the F-111, Mr McClelland said.
That gap was supposed to be bridged by the Wedgetail, whose role was to enhance the capability of the FA-18 fighter bomber.
31 Jul 2006 - First 737 with Short Field Design Enhancements Delivered
SEATTLE, July 31, 2006 – Boeing on Friday delivered to GOL, Brazil’s low-fare, low-cost airline, the first Next-Generation 737 with enhanced short runway landing and takeoff capabilities.
The 737-800 is the first of that model type delivered to GOL as the carrier augments capacity on domestic and regional international routes. It also is the first delivery of 67 737-800s the all-Boeing carrier has on order for delivery out to 2012. The airline currently operates 50 737s.
"We have worked with GOL to enhance the 737 and add value to its operations. Our partnership drove development of these enhancements that now will benefit the product line and many airlines around the world," said John Wojick, vice president Sales, Latin America and the Caribbean, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The 737 design enhancements allow operators to fly increased payload in and out of airports with runways less than 5,000 feet long. The design enhancements include a two-position tail skid that enables reduced approach speeds, sealed leading-edge slats that provide increased lift during takeoff, and increased flight spoiler deflection on the ground that improves takeoff and landing performance.
"Boeing helped us to expand our capacity on the most profitable route in Brazil, (Sao Paulo-Rio De Janeiro) while offering comfort and safety to our clients,” said David Barioni, GOL’s vice president, technical.
The short-field performance changes were developed starting in 2004 in response to GOL’s needs at Santos Dumont airstrip in Rio de Janeiro. That 4,300-foot runway is short compared to other runways and could not accommodate larger airplanes at higher approach speeds with full payloads.
The short-field design package is an option on the 737-600, -700 and -800 and is standard equipment for the new 737-900ER. The enhancements increase payload capability for landing up to 8,000 pounds on the 737-800 and 737-900ER and up to 4,000 pounds on the 737-600 and 737-700. They also increase payload capability for takeoff up to 2,000 pounds on the 737-800 and 737-900ER and up to 400 pounds on the 737-600 and 737-700.
To date, 11 customers have ordered the short-field performance package for more than 250 airplanes. In addition to GOL, Alaska Airlines, Air Europe, Air India, Egyptair, GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS), Hapagfly, Japan Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Sky Airlines and Turkish Airlines are among some of the operators that have ordered the design package.
27 Jul 2006 - Boeing 737 Short Field Design Enhancements Earn FAA Certification
Boeing design enhancements that increase the short-field performance of the Next-Generation 737 earned certification this week from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration following a successful four-month flight-test program. European Aviation Safety Agency certification is expected to follow soon.
"Our ultimate goal is to help our customers succeed by offering them products that add value to their operations," said Mark Jenkins, vice president and general manager of 737 Airplane Production. "The 737's short-field performance enhancements will allow airlines to generate more revenue."
The 737 design enhancements allow operators to fly increased payload in and out of airports with runways less than 5,000 feet long. The design enhancements include a two-position tail skid that enables reduced approach speeds, sealed leading-edge slats that provide increased lift during takeoff, and increased flight spoiler deflection on the ground that improves takeoff and landing performance.
The short-field design package is an option on the 737-600, -700 and -800 and is standard equipment for the new 737-900ER. The enhancements increase payload capability for landing up to 8,000 pounds on the 737-800 and 737-900ER and up to 4,000 pounds on the 737-600 and 737-700. They also increase payload capability for takeoff up to 2,000 pounds on the 737-800 and 737-900ER and up to 400 pounds on the 737-600 and 737-700.
The short-field performance changes were developed starting in 2004. The flight-test program was conducted on a new 737-800 and began when the airplane made its first flight on Jan. 24, 2006.
Boeing will deliver the refurbished test airplane later this week to the launch customer, Brazilian low-cost carrier GOL Linhas Aereas S.A. The jet is the first of 67 737-800s ordered by the carrier.
To date 11 customers have ordered the short-field performance package for more than 250 airplanes. In addition to GOL, Alaska Airlines, Air Europe, Air India, Egyptair, GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS), Hapagfly, Japan Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Sky Airlines and Turkish Airlines are among some of the operators that have ordered the design package.
The Next-Generation 737s are 10 years newer and fly higher, faster and farther than competing models. Through June 2006, 97 customers have placed orders for more than 3,300 Next-Generation 737s; the program has 1,365 unfilled orders with a value of $91 billion at current list prices.
20 Jul 2006 - Mulally Talks About 737 Replacement
In an interview before leaving Farnborough for Seattle, Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Alan Mulally spoke about the next jet-development program just over the horizon — the 737 narrow-body replacement. He talked in more detail about what will be the company's next new jet after the 787 -- a composite plane that will replace the popular 737. Although some airlines are eager for Boeing to develop this jet as soon as possible, Mulally said Boeing will take its time. He repeated that a 737 replacement won't be ready for airline service until at least 2012 and perhaps not before 2015.
Like the 787, the 737 replacement will have a composite airframe, now the "material of choice" for airplane design, Mulally said. "Composites don't corrode, don't fatigue and are more reliable and easier to maintain. This has been our goal and dream. Composites also allow a greatly simplified manufacturing process, and that can significantly drive down costs."
With the 787, the first commercial jetliner with a composite fuselage and wing, Boeing is introducing a new way of making jets. Large one-piece composite sections of the plane will be manufactured elsewhere and then taken to Everett for final assembly in only a few days. That manufacturing method will become even more efficient by the time Boeing is ready to build the 737 replacement. "The goal is to get the fewest number of parts that fit together accurately, and then final assembly takes the least amount of time and has the highest quality. To replace the most efficient plane in the world, the 737, we need to improve its fuel burn, maintenance costs, weight and manufacturing costs, which will translate into savings for airlines. It takes time to do that. We will end up with a very competitive airplane"
Udvar-Hazy, Chairman and chief executive of International Lease Finance Corp. said Boeing and Airbus shouldn't rush their upcoming development programs, expected around 2012 to 2015, to replace their narrow-body 737 and A320 families. He said he and Mulally had had "some off-site secret meetings ... to focus on what the airlines will need five, 10, 15 years from now." "It's really looking at a crystal ball," he said. "It gets a little hazy."
19 Jul 2006 - Innovative Solutions and Support, Inc. Announce Flat Panel Display System Upgrade for 737-3/4/500
Exton, PA. and Hampshire, U.K. – July 19, 2006- Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. and Jet Partners, LLC announced today at a joint press conference their program to install their Cockpit/IP Flat Panel Display System in the Jet Partners fleet of Classic B-737 aircraft. Deliveries will occur in IS&S’s fiscal year that begins October 1, 2006 for 30 firm and 30 options. The IS&S Flat Panel Display System can be utilized on the B737-300/400/500 models.
The state-of-the-art Cockpit/IP is an all-glass cockpit offering AMLCD displays for Primary Flight (PFD), Navigation (ND), and Engine Instrument Displays (EIDS) systems. The cockpit suite eliminates 65 traditional components and replaces them with 5 display units, 2 control panels, and 3 data concentrator units.
“Installing the IS&S Cockpit/IP Flat Panel Display System is the most cost effective way to retrofit aircraft with modern navigation technology,” says Innovative Solutions and Support’s President, Roman Ptakowski. “Through our agreement with Jet Partners, lessors of Classic B-737s will have the unique ability to configure their aircraft to their individual needs and preferences, while gaining significant safety, situational awareness and performance enhancements.”
With the addition of the IS&S Cockpit/IP to their B-737 aircraft, customers of Jet Partners will benefit from highly desirable options like a built-in Class 3 electronic flight bag with functionality that includes the Jeppesen certified database, XM or WSI satellite weather radar services, and advanced synthetic vision systems. Weight savings of 150 pounds, convection cooling, and a reduction in power consumption provide fuel and heat savings to the operator.
“IS&S flat panels replace 20-plus year old, virtually unsupportable technology with liquid crystal displays that offer a ten-to-one improvement in reliability as well as a platform for growth,” adds Ptakowski. “Existing instrumentation is increasingly difficult to support as the products are no longer in production, and parts acquisition and repair becomes increasingly more expensive. But with the IS&S Cockpit/IP, modern design technology and processes offer significant reliability improvements with MTBFs in excess of 24,000 hours.”
For additional benefits, improved dispatch reliability is provided by the Cockpit/IP’s triply- redundant engine instrument data concentrator unit and the dual redundant PFD/ND data concentrator units in each of the Pilot and Co-Pilot’s positions. On the B767, the Cockpit/IP solution received FAA MEL dispatch relief of three days. Customers can achieve further functionality and configuration growth from the Cockpit/IP’s capability to support data related to upcoming requirements such as ADS-B and RNP.
With thriving retrofit programs already in place for the B-747, 757, and 767, the IS&S agreement with Jet Partners offers easily installed cockpit upgrades at a low cost to an ever expanding variety of aircraft. The program has the ability to standardize pilot training, utilize industry recognized Primary Flight Display (PFD) and Navigation Display (ND) formats, provide health monitoring and exceedance recording for engines, and eliminate the complexity and support of analog and/or EFIS displays. Furthermore, changing requirements are accommodated by flexible graphic display formats certifiable by the FAA.
19 Jul 2006 - Southwest to Retrofit Winglets on 737-300 Fleet
Southwest Airlines committed to install Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets on up to 90 of their 737-300 aircraft. The order of 59 firm systems and 31 options follows Southwest's commitment in June of 2003 to install Blended Winglets on all of their 737-700 aircraft. Installations are planned to begin in early 2007. "This is a monumental order for our 737-300 winglet program and a real testament to the value of our Visible Technology," says Aviation Partners Boeing
31 May 2006 - Assembly Begins on the 737-900ER
Boeing today began final assembly of the first 737-900ER (Extended Range), the newest member of the world's most successful single-aisle airplane family. The wings and landing gear shown here are being joined to the 737-900ER fuselage in the Boeing manufacturing facility in Renton, Wash. Last-stage assembly and interiors installation will begin once the airplane joins the moving assembly line. The 737 derivative incorporates an extra pair of exit doors, a flat aft-pressure bulkhead and other structural and aerodynamic changes that allow it to carry more passengers and fly farther than the 737-900. The twin-engine jet can carry up to 215 passengers and fly up to 3,200 nautical miles (5,900 km). The 737-900ER, destined for Indonesian-based launch customer Lion Air, will embark on a five-month flight test program later this year.
02 May 2006 -- Boeing Business Jets today announced it has won six new orders, increasing total program sales to 108 airplanes.
"The continued sales momentum of the BBJ reflects the value customers place on the airplane's range capability, its industry-leading reliability and its spacious cabin," BBJ President Steven Hill said during a media briefing at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland. "The BBJ offers more than transportation; it offers the ability to travel with family, friends or business associates while working, eating, sleeping or entertaining in the air as you would at home or in the office."
Boeing Business Jets secured the new orders within the last six months from regions all around the globe including Southeast Asia and Europe. Most BBJ customers choose to remain anonymous, which often is typical in these types of private business transactions.
Seventy-three customers have ordered 95 BBJs and 13 BBJ 2s. About 40 percent of BBJ customers are private individuals, 37 percent are government heads of state, and the remaining customer segment is divided between corporate and charter operators.
Hill also announced that the program is considering the development of a convertible cargo airplane based on the commercial Next-Generation 737-700C (Convertible). The airplane allows operators to alternate between passenger and cargo layouts. The 737-700C already includes the BBJ-inspired configuration of the 737-700 fuselage and the strengthened landing gear and wings of the 737-800.
"The airplane would provide the ultimate in flexibility and multi-purpose mission capability. It would be an ideal airplane for government heads of state or entrepreneurs," Hill said.
The decision to explore a possible new BBJ family member is based on a firm order from a BBJ customer for a 737-700C. Hill said a decision to offer the business jet version could be made before the end of the year, and if launched, it would be called the BBJ C.
18 Apr 2006 - Allegations of 737 Production Quality Faults
Claims that Boeing is using faulty aircraft parts have raised questions about jet safety, write Florence Graves and Sara Kehaulani Goo
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Claims that Boeing is using faulty aircraft parts have raised questions about jet safety, write Florence Graves and Sara Kehaulani Goo Jeannine Prewitt knew there was a problem when the holes wouldn't line up.
On a Boeing assembly line in Kansas in 2000, Prewitt saw workers drilling extra holes in the long aluminum ribs that make up the skeleton of a jetliner's fuselage. That was the only way the workers could attach the pieces, because some of its pre-drilled holes didn't match those on the airframe.
Prewitt was a parts buyer, the third generation of her family to work at the sprawling Boeing factory on the outskirts of Wichita. She believed pieces going into one of the world's most advanced and popular airliners, the Boeing 737, should fit like a glove.
The assembly workers Prewitt observed were not the only ones who noted problems with parts from a key Boeing supplier, AHF Ducommun of Los Angeles. Other workers told her many pieces had to be shoved or hammered into place. And documents reviewed by The Washington Post show that quality managers reported numerous problems at Ducommun in memos recorded in Boeing's system for monitoring its suppliers.
Whether questionable parts ended up in hundreds of Boeing 737s is the subject of a bitter dispute between the aerospace company and Prewitt and two other whistle-blowers. The two sides also have enormously different views on what that could mean for the safety of the jets.
The whistle-blower lawsuit is in US District Court in Wichita. No matter how it is resolved, it has exposed gaps in the way government regulators investigated the alleged problems in aircraft manufacturing.
Boeing said the lawsuit is without merit and there is no safety issue. Even if faulty parts landed on the assembly line, the company said, none could have slipped through Boeing's controls and gotten into the jetliners. The whistle- blowers "are not intimately familiar with Boeing's quality management system," said Cindy Wall, a company spokeswoman. "Our planes are safe."
The three whistle-blowers contend that Boeing officials knew from their own audits about thousands of parts that did not meet specifications, allowed them to be installed and retaliated against people who raised questions. They say the parts, manufactured from 1994 to 2002, fit the Federal Aviation Administration's definition of "unapproved" because they lack documentation proving they are airworthy. Moreover, they say, forcing a part into place could shorten its lifespan.
After the whistle-blowers notified federal authorities in 2002, the FAA and the Pentagon looked into their charges. Each said its investigation cleared the airplane parts and found no reports of problems from military or civilian operators of Boeing jets. The Department of Transportation's inspector general also dismissed the charges.
The Post's review, however, found that the FAA did not assess many of the whistle-blowers' key allegations. FAA inspectors examined only a small number of parts in the plants and did not visit any airplanes to inspect the roughly 200 types of parts questioned by the whistle- blowers.
The Pentagon and Transportation Department, in turn, relied on the FAA's work, documents show.
One reason the FAA chose not to pursue the whistle-blowers' claims, officials said, was that its engineers believed the parts in question would not present a safety risk even if they failed in flight. There has not been a crash caused by such a failure, the agency said.
But on several occasions, the agency has expressed concern about similar parts, albeit on the previous generation of 737s. Last year, prompted by reports from some carriers of cracks, the FAA formally alerted US air carriers that fly 737s made before 1998 to inspect for possible fatigue cracks around such parts. Cracks in these areas, the FAA said, "could result in reduced structural integrity of the frames, possible loss of a cargo door, possible rapid decompression of the fuselage."
Prewitt's job at Wichita was to purchase parts for 737s and other jets from Ducommun and other suppliers. She said she saw that some pieces were coming in with inaccurate measurements beyond the margin of error. In the summer of 2000, she visited one assembly line where the aluminum ribs, known as chords, were being attached to the 737 fuselage.
As Prewitt watched, she said, one worker pulled a chord from the stack and saw its holes were in the wrong place. "I said: `So what do you do?' She grabbed a drill and drills a hole and connects it together," said Prewitt, now 45. "We're all appalled. I sat there watching her drill, drill, drill." She said the chord problem reinforced worries that others had raised for a year about other Ducommun parts. She had examined reports of problems with "bear straps," large pieces of reinforcing sheet metal bonded to the skin around an airliner's doorways. Prewitt said the pieces, which have four jutting corners something like a bearskin rug, were coming in short in one corner. That forced workers to drill holes for rivets closer to the edge of the piece than specified.
The whistle-blowers said they learned that some managers knew of the problem but encouraged workers to make the parts fit. For example, when Prewitt recommended tossing out 24 bear straps she considered unacceptable, a Boeing procurement manager objected. "Scrapping any bearstraps is stupid, since we've used over 300 with the same condition," the manager wrote to one of the whistle-blowers in a May 13, 1999, e-mail.
Boeing's corporate audit office convened a team to look into the parts problems in 2000. The 14 members included Prewitt and two others who later joined the whistle-blower lawsuit - Taylor Smith, 44, contract administrator for the new generation of 737 and other jets; and James Ailes, 53, a technical troubleshooter. Others were experts on quality assurance, tooling and manufacturing processes.
The team visited Ducommun's plant in California. In its report to Boeing, the team said it found that many of the more than 500 heavy-duty manufacturing tools used by Ducommun were incorrectly calibrated, misused or not built to Boeing's specifications. Contrary to Ducommun's factory records, the report said, the supplier still was making parts with hand tools such as routers, as it had done for the older 737 models, instead of the sophisticated computer-programmed tools Boeing engineers had specified.
Ducommun, also named in the lawsuit, declined to comment on the allegations beyond stating that the FAA and other agencies had already dismissed them.
The Boeing audit team issued its report in August 2000. It noted that Boeing was seeking financial compensation for irregularities at Ducommun's plant and was reconsidering its relationship with the supplier.
Ducommun said it never made a payment to Boeing as settlement, but according to documents reviewed by The Post, the firm agreed in January 2001 to a US$1.6 million (HK$12.48 million) settlement with Boeing for overbilling and manufacturing problems. Boeing declined to comment.
Prewitt received a cash-and-stock bonus worth nearly US$3,000 after what Boeing called her "outstanding contribution" to the audit. Soon, however, members of the team grew discouraged with what they saw as Boeing's reluctance to follow up on their findings. They said Boeing officials cleaned the report of details about possible airliner safety problems and violations of FAA procedures. When they raised the possibility of reporting their concerns to the FAA, they said, they were told to keep quiet or face possible legal action from Boeing.
Boeing said it did not sanitize the report and its policies prohibit threats or retaliation against employees who raise safety questions. Company spokeswoman Wall said the fact that the audit team was assembled shows Boeing's oversight of suppliers is effective. She said the team's mission was to look at "cost issues" regarding Ducommun's accounting and tools and she does not know how the whistle- blowers on the team drew the conclusion that the parts were flawed. She said assessing quality was outside their area of expertise.
In early 2002, Prewitt, Smith and Ailes sent thousands of documents supporting their case to the Justice Department. They alleged questionable parts had been installed not only on hundreds of 737s but also on some 747s, 757s, 767s and 777s and their military equivalents without the knowledge of the Air Force and Navy, the commercial airlines, or the FAA. Shortly after that, in March 2002, the three workers - and one other whistle-blower who later dropped out - filed their lawsuit.
In 2003, the whistle-blowers withdrew their suit after the Justice Department declined to join. They refiled it in March 2005. By then, Ailes was still employed but Prewitt and Smith had been laid off. All three allege they received demotions and lower job evaluations because of their actions.
The lawsuit cites only those jets sold to the military, because the False Claims Act applies to only federal contracts. However, the whistle-blowers said most of the parts in question also had been installed on commercial airliners. So at the request of the Justice Department, the FAA launched a probe in the spring of 2002. It was handled by the division that investigates parts suspected to be "unapproved" - ones that lack the paper trail showing they meet specifications.
FAA officials said that rather than restrict themselves to the more than 200 types of parts questioned by the whistle- blowers, their engineers reviewed a list of all Ducommun parts made for Boeing. They said they found most of the parts were unique to military planes. None of the commercial parts on their own, the engineers decided, were "principal structural elements," or parts whose individual failure could lead to a catastrophe. FAA officials, however, now say that some parts are in areas considered principal structural elements.
In the end, the engineers narrowed their list to 11 of the "most critical" Ducommun commercial parts and the FAA focused its investigation on how they were being made at the time of its probe. The agency said it has no official documents explaining the decision to eliminate hundreds of parts from investigation. That did not follow procedures adopted when the agency created an office devoted to investigation of suspect parts in 1995. Those rules require that FAA inspectors review the manufacturing history, quantity and importance of each part that is reported as suspect and then document their findings.
In the summer of 2004, the FAA closed its two-year probe, saying Ducommun's current manufacturing processes were sound. "The most important thing is corrective action," said Peggy Gilligan, deputy associate administrator for aviation safety at FAA.
Last year, the FAA reopened the case. The agency had received new reports about the parts from two FAA- certified experts hired by the whistle- blowers' lawyers.
The lawyers had provided four experts with the court documents and Boeing quality control reports from 1999 and 2000. All four experts, who are certified by the FAA to make decisions about aircraft engineering or airworthiness on behalf of the agency, and one additional expert hired by The Post to review the same documents said they believed that practices at Ducommun and Boeing were seriously flawed.
The evidence that Boeing and Ducommun ignored quality controls is "beyond the scope of anything I've ever heard of - where an entire inspection system would be bypassed," said Sammy Hanson, the consultant hired by The Post. Hanson, who has worked in aircraft certification for 12 years, said that because the FAA acknowledges it did not look at parts installed on planes, "every one of these parts (in the lawsuit) is `unapproved.' "
Other aviation consultants said that even if FAA procedures were violated, metal parts used for reinforcement are not as critical as, say, the main landing gear.
"Sheet metal parts are necessarily pretty flexible so if they don't fit perfect as delivered, it's not a big deal to shove them into place, bend them a little bit, push on them and rivet them together," said Charles Eastlake, a professor of aerospace engineering and a former aircraft structural designer for the Air Force. "Quality control people turn purple when they see that, but it's the way it's always been."
Another argument holds that because planes are stripped down for major maintenance every five to seven years, any early cracks or corrosion would probably be spotted before the part could create a problem. In fact, FAA officials said their inspectors combed through records from airlines that performed such maintenance and found no reports of problems with bear straps, chords or frames. Spokesmen for Southwest, American and Continental airlines told The Post they had found no problems with the parts.
But some analysts suggest that when factory workers force together parts that are not built according to their design, it could eventually cause premature cracking.
When you "bend and twist" with undue force, you can introduce more stress on the parts and the structure they are attached to, said John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member and former airline mechanic. Goglia said that can be especially true of parts used to reinforce the cabin around doors, which may be more vulnerable to fatigue.
But, Goglia added, the safety impact of any suspect part is difficult to determine without an engineer's analysis of how it was made.
The FAA has yet to complete its second investigation. The agency said the same lead inspector has been assigned to the matter. "We're confident we came to the right conclusions in the first case," said Brown, the FAA spokeswoman.
THE WASHINGTON POST
2 Mar 2006 - Boeing team to develop post-737 jet
By Dominic Gates, Seattle Times aerospace reporter
Only a couple weeks after rolling out the 5,000th 737, Boeing formally named an initial planning team to lead development of a replacement for the Renton-built jet. On Boeing's internal Web site Tuesday, the company announced that Mike Cave, vice president for airplane programs, will direct the work.
"The Next-Generation 737 is a wonderful airplane with a strong future in the marketplace; the challenge of dramatically improving on its proven economy, performance and reliability is a daunting task and one that will take considerable innovation," Cave said in the Boeing news item. "The leaders we've named today understand the challenge and are the right team to assess both the market requirements and necessary technology developments." The decisions made by the new team, from timing to location of assembly, could have a huge impact here.
In December, commercial airplanes Chief Executive Alan Mulally, said a replacement for the single-aisle 737 would enter service between 2012 and 2015 and hinted it will be assembled in the Puget Sound area. It's unclear if that would be in Renton or in Everett.
The project team includes:
• Carolyn Brandsema, director of engineering for the 737/MMA program, who will head the study of the airplane and the production system used to build it. It's expected that the replacement jet will have a carbon fiber-based plastic fuselage like the 787, and will use the innovative, flexible manufacturing methods that will be introduced for the larger jet next year. Also like the 787, the new program will likely require orchestration of a global supply chain, with major overseas partners contributing large sections of the aircraft.
• Kent Fisher, a marketing vice president in the commercial-airplane division, will head business development. His job will be to ensure that whatever Boeing comes up with is what the airlines want.
• Don Moon, now on the 787 program-management team, will consider how best to manage the project.
• Rod Wheeler, director of finance estimating and planning in the commercial-airplanes division, will work out what it will all cost.
Major partners on the program are likely to have to contribute their own investment to reduce Boeing's development costs. Initiating a new airplane program has the potential to hurt sales of the current jet — airlines might become reluctant to buy if they think that a new, improved jet could be available soon. So even as it made the announcement internally, Boeing sought to play down the move. "Someday both the Next-Generation 737 and the (Airbus) A320 will need to be replaced, but so far we have not found a more compelling airplane for the single-aisle market," Cave said in his statement. "Until we do, we will continue to invest in the Next-Generation 737." Despite the description of the team as being formed for "initial studies" of a 737 replacement, early exploratory work has been going on within Boeing for several years.
At the Farnborough Air Show in July 2004 a top executive with a major systems supplier confided that his company was already discussing concepts with Boeing on what was then code-named the Y1 project. Boeing spokesman Craig Martin said the internal announcement doesn't mean the 737 replacement program will launch any earlier than publicly stated by Mulally last year. To deliver in 2012, Boeing would have to launch the program soon after airlines take their first 787s in 2008.
31 Jan 2006 - 737-700ER (Extended Range) Launched
SEATTLE, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Boeing Company today launched the 737-700ER (Extended Range), following an order conversion from ANA (All Nippon Airways) for two airplanes. The 737-700ER has the longest range capability of any 737 commercial family member, and is able to serve new nonstop, point-to-point routes profitably.
ANA exercised rights to substitute 737-700s with 737-700ERs. The two 737-700ERs are part of a larger order announced June 23, 2003, for 45 737-700s.
"The value of the Next-Generation 737 family continues to grow with the 737-700ER, and we are delighted to have ANA as the launch customer," said Alan Mulally, chief executive officer and president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "This new 737 derivative is a great example of how Boeing helps our customers succeed by responding to new emerging airline business requirements."
Boeing is scheduled to deliver the first airplane to ANA in early 2007.
"This special airplane will bring new possibilities for ANA in terms of the routes we fly," said ANA President and CEO Mineo Yamamoto. "It will allow us to explore destinations that could hitherto only be reached with larger aircraft, and further provide greater choice and convenience to our customers."
The 737-700ER is a Boeing Business Jet-inspired airplane, designed for long-range commercial applications. The airplane features the fuselage of the commercial 737-700 and the wings and landing gear of the larger 737-800. The high-performance derivative can fly up to 2,145 nautical miles farther than the current 737-700. With up to nine optional auxiliary fuel tanks and optional Blended Winglets, the 737-700ER is capable of flying up to 5,510 nautical miles.
Sharing the same industry-leading reliability and low operating and maintenance costs of other models in the 737 family, the 737-700ER allows carriers to compete in relatively new markets such as the long-range all-premium class market, or is particularly well suited for low-cost carriers seeking to operate on longer routes. The Next-Generation 737s are 10 years newer and fly higher, faster, farther, and more quietly than competing models. To date, 95 airlines have placed orders for more than 2,960 Next-Generation 737s. More than 1,130 737s are on order, worth about $69 billion at current list prices.
30 Jan 2006 - Boeing Offers Efficiency Enhancing Feature for Next-Generation 737
SEATTLE, Jan. 30, 2006 -- Boeing today announced a new carbon brake option that will reduce airframe weight and lower operating costs for Next-Generation 737 operators around the world.
The no-charge option will save up to 700 pounds in airplane weight and increase the wear life up to twice the number of landings. The reduction in weight and increased durability will lower maintenance and operating costs overall.
"Carbon brakes offer the same stopping performance as steel brakes but with the added benefit of a significant weight savings, which ultimately increases fuel efficiency," said Mike Delaney, 737 chief project engineer. "Next-Generation 737s are already lighter than competing Airbus models. This structural efficiency is a fundamental reason why Next-Generation 737s fly farther, higher and with better fuel efficiency than the competition."
"This new feature demonstrates our continued commitment to offer technology that brings value to our customers and continues to make the 737 the most capable airplane in the world's single-aisle market," added Delaney.
The carbon brakes, which will be supplied by Goodrich and Messier-Bugatti, will be available for deliveries starting in early 2008, following a two-month flight test program. The option also will be available for retrofit on all Next-Generation 737s.
Known for their industry-leading reliability and low operating costs, the Next-Generation 737s are part of the best-selling 737 family. Overall, operators around the world have ordered more than 6,000 models. To date, 95 operators have placed orders for more than 2,960 Next-Generation 737s; the program has a backlog of 1,133 units with a value of about $69 billion at current list prices.
26 Jan 2006 - Boeing Introduces New 737 Signals Intelligence Aircraft
Variant of Navy's 737-MMA Boeing announced Wednesday plans for a new 737 signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft to be used for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and also advanced network centric communications. The new SIGINT aircraft concept is a variant of Boeing's 737-based P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft, which is currently being developed for the US Navy.
"We think this affordable variant not only provides the US Defense Department with options for current and future airborne ISR requirements, but also is adaptable to any International SIGINT mission sets," said Tony Parasida, Boeing vice president for Maritime Systems.
The Boeing 737 SIGINT variant will have increased mission capability, operational readiness and combat radius relative to legacy aircraft. The design also has built-in growth capacity so payload capacity can easily be increased or upgraded to accommodate future customer requirements.
"A key advantage of this new program is that the 737 SIGINT aircraft will leverage the P-8A's advanced mission system architecture, mature design, and contractor logistics support and training systems approach. For customers that means reduced operating and maintenance costs over the entire life cycle of the system."
Boeing's Maritime Systems Industry team, currently working on the P-8A program, will be involved with the 737 SIGINT variant as well. Additional partners likely will be added to the team to help address future customer requirements.
P-8A team members include Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Smiths Aerospace and CFM International. The P-8A -- a military derivative of the 737-800 aircraft -- is the Navy's replacement platform for the P-3C. Its primary mission is to provide what the company terms "persistent" anti-submarine warfare.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses.
13 Nov 2005 - Bellview CVR & FDR still not found.
LAGOS, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Investigators have been unable to find the flight data and voice recorders from the site of a plane crash in Nigeria that killed 117 people in October, the head of the investigating team said on Sunday.
Angus Ozoka said the failure to locate the "black boxes" meant it would take longer to determine what caused the Boeing 737, operated by Nigerian airline Bellview, to crash shortly after take-off from Lagos on Oct. 22, killing everyone on board.
"We were not able to recover the black boxes -- flight data recorder or cockpit voice recorder -- although we found some strips of the casing," Ozoka told a news conference at Lagos airport.
The wreckage recovered from the 4-metre (13-feet) deep crater near the village of Lissa, about 30 km (20 miles) from Lagos in Ogun state, has been taken to an air force base for further examination.
Ozoka said the investigation would continue in Nigeria and in the United States. A U.S. team has been helping the inquiry.
The aircraft took off from Lagos for the capital Abuja during an intense electrical storm and experts have said evidence so far points to a lightning strike as the possible cause for the crash, though there has been no official confirmation.
Bellview, popular with government officials and expatriates, had previously had a clean safety record. The 24-year-old Boeing had received a clean bill of health from inspectors in February, the airline has said.
17 Oct 2005 - Boeing 737 Trials In-Flight Phone Systems
Connexion by Boeing says that it has recently concluded a week of demonstration flights in Europe that showed travellers how mobile telephony in flight can be provided safely and conveniently for passengers in flight.
During flights aboard a Boeing 737-400 test and demonstration airplane, Connexion One, guests sampled not only the Connexion by Boeing high-speed, real-time Internet service, which now includes four channels of live TV, but also used roaming-enabled mobile phones to make and receive phone calls.
"Enabling people to make and receive phone calls during flight demonstrated the flexibility of a high-speed connectivity system like ours," said Chris Petersen, program manager for voice and cellular service at Connexion by Boeing. "We allowed our guests to make calls to the ground while we flew over international waters, and almost everyone's first call was to their boss. Both callers and call recipients were equally excited and impressed by the voice quality and the reliability of the connection."
The system supports both GSM and CDMA - so presumably, you could end up in the future, being able to make CDMA phone calls while travelling over Europe.
Photo: Boeing
01 Sep 2005 - Boeing Completes First Airborne Test of Wedgetail Aircraft’s Radar
Boeing successfully conducted the first in-flight test of the Northrop Grumman Multi-mode Electronically Scanned Array radar aboard a 737 airborne early warning and control aircraft for Australia’s Project Wedgetail.
“The mission was flawless,” said Jack DeLange, 737 AEW&C integration and test manager. “All of the first radar flight test objectives were achieved.”
The six-hour flight test over Washington state followed completion of three weeks of ground testing of the radar in Victorville, Calif. The ground testing verified the compatibility of the radar with other aircraft systems while operating and scanning through 360 degrees.
The initial flight test aboard Wedgetail aircraft No. 1 collected data used to calibrate the radar for the effects of both the aircraft and the ground environment.
Flight testing of the radar, integrated with the airborne mission system aboard Wedgetail aircraft No. 2, is scheduled to begin later this year. This follows several years of extensive stand-alone ground testing by Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems Division in Baltimore, Md.
The Multi-mode Electronically Scanned Array radar is designed to provide optimal performance in range, tracking, and accuracy. It is able to track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously and can help the mission crew direct the control of high-performance fighter aircraft while continuously scanning the operational area.
Photo: Brian Lockett Goleta Air & Space Museum
18 Jul 2005 - 737-900ER Launched
The Boeing Company today officially launched the 737-900ER (Extended Range) -- the newest member of the world's best-selling Next-Generation 737 family -- following the completion of a sales agreement for up to 60 of the airplanes from Lion Air.
The 737-900ER, formerly known as the 737-900X, will carry more passengers and fly farther, increasing the capability of the Next-Generation 737 airplane family.
Lion Air, Indonesia's first low-cost carrier, originally announced its intent to order up to 60 737s earlier this year. Today's firm order is for 30 of the new derivative airplane, with purchase rights for 30 additional models. The order is worth $3.9 billion at list prices.
The first 737-900ER is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2007.
"The Next-Generation 737 is the most efficient single-aisle airplane family today, and we are thrilled to have Lion Air as the launch customer to increase the 737 family's capability with the additional range and seating of the 737-900ER," said Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "In addition to the unprecedented economic advantages, the 737-900ER shares the same industry-leading reliability of the world's most successful airplane family."
The 737-900ER is the same size as today's 737-900, but, with the addition of a pair of exit doors and a flat rear pressure bulkhead, will carry 26 additional passengers, raising the maximum capacity from 189 to 215 in a single-class layout.
Aerodynamic and structural design changes, including strengthened wings, a two-position tailskid, enhancements to the leading and trailing edge flap systems, and optional Blended Winglets and auxiliary fuel tanks, will allow the 737-900ER to accommodate higher takeoff weights and increase its range to 3,200 nautical miles (5,900 km), making it comparable to the 737-800's range.
"We are delighted to be the launch customer for the 737-900ER," said President Director Rusdi Kirana of Lion Air. "We are confident that the outstanding economics and reliability of the aircraft will contribute to the expansion and modernization of our fleet."
Powered by the CFM International CFM56-7B turbofan engines, the new derivative will have substantial economic advantages over competing models including 9 percent lower operating costs per trip and 7 percent lower operating costs per seat than the A321, which is more than 10,000 pounds (4,536 kg) heavier than the 737-900ER.
The Next-Generation 737s are 10 years newer and fly higher, faster, farther and more quietly than competing models. To date, 86 airlines have placed orders for more than 2,700 Next-Generation 737s.
12 May 2005 - 737NG Certified for Cat I GLS approaches
The Boeing Company today delivered a 737 equipped with an advanced landing system that will guide the airplane to runways with unprecedented accuracy.
Unlike current technology, which relies solely on information from ground stations, the Global Positioning Landing System (GLS) integrates data from the global navigation satellite system, ground stations and a multi-mode receiver on the airplane to provide pinpoint accuracy of the airplane's position relative to the runway and surrounding terrain.
"Boeing is committed to a safe and effective global air transportation system. This precision approach and landing information will enhance safety by significantly improving takeoff and landing capability at airports around the world," said Captain Ray Craig, 737 Chief Pilot. "GLS increases the Next-Generation 737's lead as the most technologically advanced airplane in its class, and enhances the revenue-generating capability for airlines."
The FAA certified the GLS system following an extensive three-year testing program, during which the system proved to be a reliable and flawless navigation system suitable for automatic landings and low visibility takeoffs. JAA certification is expected soon.
Initially, GLS is certified to support Category I operations, which allow airplanes to operate in low visibility conditions. In the future, as GLS ground stations become available worldwide, the system will be able to support Category III operations, which allow airplanes to operate in very low or near zero visibility conditions.
The 737-800 is the first and only large commercial airplane certified and equipped with this sophisticated technology.
GLS was one of nine new leading-edge technologies successfully tested and demonstrated on the 737 Technology Demonstrator airplane during 2002. Of the nine emerging technology features, six have now been certified and delivered on the 737.
19 Apr 2005 - Global ePoint Aviation Division Receives FAA STC for its 737 Cockpit Door Surveillance System.
CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2005--Global ePoint, Inc. (Nasdaq: GEPT), an innovative developer and manufacturer of homeland security solutions for aviation and law enforcement as well as financial, retail and industrial applications, today announced the AirWorks Division has received a new FAA Supplemental Type Certificate for its Cockpit Door Surveillance System (CDSS), which now spans the entire family of Boeing 737 aircraft (737-200 through 737-900) with two configurations.
Aviation Speed News states there are some 4,597 Boeing family 737's flying in the world - spanning the 737-200 through 737-900 - which represents 48 percent of total Boeing aircraft flying today. It also noted 1,571 of these 737's are operating within U.S. airlines
The original AirWorks Cockpit Door Surveillance System previously offered on 737-300 and 737-500's consisted of two 6.4-inch touch-sensitive monitors, a system controller and one camera mounted directly outside the cockpit door - with two more cameras located in the forward galley (and up to 16 cameras throughout the aircraft overall). Cockpit monitors were located to the side and just forward of the pilots seated positions. This standard system configuration is currently installed and flying on over 100 Boeing 737 aircraft.
AirWorks has designed and introduced a new optional "single-monitor" 5-inch touch-sensitive system that installs in the overhead panel directly between the two pilots. The new condensed configuration allows either pilot to utilize the same monitor or to control the camera from either pilot position - and utilizes the same System Controller and cameras as in previously delivered 737 systems..
"Our continual investment in the CDSS Cockpit Door Surveillance System and its flexibility, and now, in these multiple applications as well, provides AirWorks the ability to meet any requirement for any model aircraft built by the Boeing or Airbus companies," said Ricky Frick, President of Global ePoint's Aviation Division. "It allows us to immediately move forward with a customer without the barrier of new designs for installation or certification requirements."
"We have made this commitment to ensure that any mandate or requirement - by any regulatory agency anywhere in the world - can immediately be satisfied with our product and certification."
About Global ePoint's Aviation Division
The Company's Aviation division contains Global AirWorks, whose primary communications and security products include the Cockpit Door Surveillance System (CDSS), a digital electronic "flight bag" of all flight and on-board manuals and records for pilots and a Laptop Computer Power System for passengers and flight crews. AirWorks customers include airline major OEMs, such as AT&T Aviation, BAE Systems, In-flight Phone, L3 Communications, and Rockwell Collins; all major U.S. airlines; and all major international carriers, including ATA, Air China, Bombardier, Finnair, Varig, KLM, Lufthansa, and Cathay Pacific. AirWorks holds more than 40 supplemental type certificates (STC) certifying AirWorks as a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved manufacturer and installer for a range of interior equipment and systems for a variety of commercial aircraft flying worldwide.
19 Apr 2005 - Boeing Talks of 737 Replacement
Buoyed by the early success of its 787, and with Airbus finally on the defensive, The Boeing Co. is talking with some of its key suppliers about what's likely to be its next new jet - a 737 replacement based on the technology of its coming super-efficient twin-aisle jetliner.
The aim of the preliminary talks, according to industry sources, is to better gauge how soon a new single-aisle jet could, or should, be brought to market. If possible, Boeing would like to move forward the development of a 737 replacement, the sources said.
Although such a plane would not be available until at least early in the next decade, industry analysts say Boeing has an opportunity to keep Airbus off balance and on the run by leveraging the technology on the 787 Dreamliner -- the industry's first commercial jetliner with a composite wing and fuselage.
"Boeing needs to strike while the iron is hot," said Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst with the Teal Group, an industry consulting firm.
The development of an all-new jet rather than a derivative gives Boeing the upper hand over Airbus in using that 787 technology later for a 737 replacement.
Boeing has not said when it envisions a new single-aisle jet, but knowledgeable industry observers have put an entry-into-service date around 2013.
Speculation that Boeing might move forward development of a 737 replacement has been fuelled partly by recent public comments from engine makers looking to develop a next-generation engine that would be needed for a 737 replacement.
That Boeing is talking with suppliers, principally those likely to provide the technology for a 737 replacement, suggests Boeing's product development people are further along this road than previously believed.
Byron Callan, a Merrill Lynch analyst who closely follows Boeing, said he was recently told by one Boeing supplier that the company has completed an internal new study of a 737 replacement.
Boeing won't comment, other than to say it is focused on winning many more orders for its hot-selling 737, and that the only new plane that has its attention is the 787, which will enter service in 2008.
"The 737 is doing very well in the marketplace," Scott Carson, head of Boeing jetliner sales business, said when asked if there is pressure to move up development of a replacement plane. "There are a lot of legs left with the 737 family of aircraft and the market response this year certainly demonstrates that."
Boeing has won several key 737 orders so far this year, with more likely. Formerly known as the 7E7, the 787 represents a significant and unprecedented leap for Boeing. Smaller business and military jets have made extensive use of composites, but what Boeing is doing with the 787 has not been attempted before with a plane this big. The twin-engine 787, which is a little bigger than the 767 that it replaces, will carry about 225 passengers in a three-class configuration. In addition to the widespread use of composites, the 787 will be much more of an electric airplane than current jets, which use air bled from the engines to power some onboard systems. And the 787 will have new engines that are more fuel efficient and quiet than anything today.
A 737 replacement would take these advances, and advantages, even further.
As important as the technology is to the 787's success, so too is a new Boeing production system. Large composite fuselage sections, already stuffed by suppliers with the wiring and systems, will arrive at Boeing's Everett plant on modified 747 freighters for final assembly with the composite wings. These sections will be snapped together in as little as three days.
A 737 replacement would use this same production method, but likely refine it even further.
The eventual end of the 737 program also means the likely close of Boeing's operations in Renton, with airplane production consolidated at the company's Everett plant, where the 787 will be assembled.
Boeing's current 737 backlog of nearly 800 planes, with more orders to come, is enough to keep production going in Renton until well after 2010.
But before Boeing can move on with the development of its next jet, it must get the 787 into service with airlines and find out if the plane performs as advertised.
"What we want to do is get some experience with the new airplane both in terms of its performance and manufacturing technologies and learn from that," said Carson, Boeing's sales chief.
"After we have learned the right lessons, then we can worry about a replacement airplane (for the 737)."
And the engine makers will have to come up with a new engine for a single-aisle jet that would offer the kind of performance improvements that the 787 will enjoy over today's planes.
"To build a 737 replacement without a next-generation engine would be a dreadful mistake for us to make," Carson said.
Boeing has said the 787 will be about 20 percent more fuel efficient than current jets that size.
While Boeing is focused now on the development of the 787, Airbus has its own all-new plane, the 555-passenger A380 superjumbo that will enter service in mid-2006 and supplant Boeing's 747 as the world's biggest commercial jetliner.
With the development effort for the A380 program winding down as production begins, Airbus has only recently turned its attention to the A350 and the challenge from the 787.
But in offering customers an A330 derivative rather than an all-new jet, Airbus is taking the less-expensive approach, much as Boeing has done in the past in response to Airbus threats.
It was not that long ago that some in the industry were calling Boeing "Derivatives 'R' Us."
If Airbus were to change strategy and develop an all-new jet to match the 787, it would give Boeing a huge advantage.
"If Airbus has to start again with a clean sheet of paper and an all-new A350 rather than a derivative, that gives Boeing at least a couple extra years to have the 787 alone in that market and it gives Boeing a strong advantage in leveraging that technology for its next plane to replace the 737," Aboulafia said.
"What you are seeing," he added, "is possibly the biggest reversal of fortunes in aviation history, with Boeing taking back lost market share from Airbus. ... This represents one of the biggest opportunities that any U.S. manufacturing company has ever enjoyed."
04 Apr 2005 - First Kitty Hawk Boeing 737-300SF Aircraft Arrives at DFW; Kitty Hawk is the North American Launch Customer for 737-300SF Freighter Aircraft
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 2005--Kitty Hawk, Inc. (AMEX:KHK) subsidiary, Kitty Hawk Aircargo, Inc., has taken delivery of its first new Boeing 737-300SF aircraft. The new freighter arrived Saturday, April 2, 2005 at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), where Kitty Hawk is headquartered.
Kitty Hawk is the North American launch customer for the 737-300SF conversion by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), Bedek Aviation Group. IAI is one of the premier passenger-to-cargo aircraft conversion and aircraft maintenance companies in the world. Kitty Hawk has also entered into a long-term strategic partnership with IAI for maintenance and support of the aircraft engines, components and landing gear.
Kitty Hawk has a contract to lease seven Boeing 737-300SF aircraft from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). The aircraft will be delivered throughout 2005. The 737-300SF is the freighter version of one of the best-selling and most popular commercial passenger aircraft of all time. The two pilot, twin-engine aircraft are powered by CFM-56 jet engines.
"Bedek Aviation Group is delighted to have worked with Kitty Hawk for the first B737-300SF conversion in North America. The technologies designed into this conversion are state-of-the-art and offer major competitive advantages," said David Arzi, Bedek's general manager and corporate vice president.
"We are also honored that Kitty Hawk recognized the quality of our work by entering into a 10-year contract with us for maintenance and support of the aircraft. These services will be provided by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Aviation Services International LLC (ASI), which specializes in totally integrated maintenance packages," said Arzi. "In the future, it is envisioned that the program will also cover airframe maintenance at Empire Air Center located in Rome, New York, another subsidiary of IAI's Bedek Aviation Group."
For the present time, Kitty Hawk will continue to operate approximately 20 Boeing 727-200F aircraft, though some of those aircraft are planned for retirement in the future.
"The arrival of this first 737-300SF is a significant step that will enhance Kitty Hawk's fleet and further prepare our company for the future," said Robert W. Zoller, Kitty Hawk's president and CEO. "The Boeing 737-300SF is a tremendous addition - it is a very fuel efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly aircraft, capable of achieving proposed federal Stage 4 noise regulations."
The 737-300SF possesses a modern digital technology flightdeck and expected lower operating and maintenance costs. The new aircraft will allow Kitty Hawk Aircargo to conserve fuel, possibly open additional new markets, and begin to transition the company toward a more up-to-date, scalable aircraft platform.
In addition, Kitty Hawk will install FAA-approved FuelMizer modification kits from AvAero on each of its new 737-300SF aircraft. Kitty Hawk will be the all-cargo launch customer for the FuelMizer modification. Kitty Hawk expects to realize as much as an additional four percent fuel savings from the FuelMizer system.
12 Mar 2005 - Wedgetail Update
Daniel Cotterill, AUSTRALIA'S new fleet of six Airborne early warning and control aircraft will be a fantastic capability so far as regional air superiority is concerned, but there is a significant technology transfer bonus as well. Four of the six aircraft, known as Wedgetails, are to be converted from airliners to military radar aircraft in Australia via a process that will break new ground for local industry.
The aircraft used for conversion is a Boeing Business Jet - a 737-700 with increased gross weight fitted with wings and undercarriage from the 800 series.
The new aircraft will be flown to Brisbane, where they will be stripped down to begin the modification program.
"Stripping" includes removing the tail and engines while the entire inside of the aircraft is gutted, including the cockpit and all its flight instruments. Then, to facilitate fitting of the radar antennae, Section 46 is removed.
"Section 46" sounds fairly innocuous, perhaps the sort of minor part one might rip off the aircraft before morning tea on a good day, but its removal and the refitting of the new radar antennae support section is a serious task requiring extremely precise engineering.
Section 46 extends from the over-wing exits to the rear doors from the floor up, and to remove it all the rivets are drilled out and the various seals cracked prior to it being lifted out of place. Great care must be taken not to stress components when the pressurisation seals are breached and the aircraft must be held securely in place on a jig. It must not move or twist, even slightly - not even by a millimetre. Any movement will mean that the new section will not fit into place.
Over 500 man-years of work will be expended in converting the four Wedgetail aircraft in Australia.
Few parts of the aircraft escape modification in some shape or form. New wingtips and nose and tail cones house a range of antennae and sensors for electronic surveillance measures. The new tail cone and ventral fins are built locally by Hawker de Haviland, and the tail cone in particular is a very complex composite construction. Conversion of an ordinary 737 into a Wedgetail is not easy, but undertaking that task locally will provide Australia with much more than just a challenging work package. The transfer of skills and advanced aerospace technology necessary for the task will see local industry well positioned for other opportunities.
The 737 is a paperless aircraft, and to allow the Wedgetail conversion to take place in Australia terabytes of digital plans will be transferred here along with the necessary modelling and simulation software for complex aircraft modification.
The size and complexity of the Wedgetail program has more in common with an initial manufacturing activity than a modification and upgrade program. It is four to five times larger on a time spent per airframe basis than anything previously undertaken in Australia.
Boeing Australia will end up with a tremendous working knowledge of 737 aircraft and how to modify them. This capability will be very important for through-life support, and if any further modifications to the Wedgetails are required to cater for future communications or other systems.
The first Wedgetail to be modified locally will be handed over in November this year and the conversion program will run in Australia for three and a half years
10 Mar 2005 - Retirements lead Boeing to shuffle executives
Carolyn Corvi, who has been running Boeing's 737 and 757 programs in Renton, was named vice president and general manager of airplane production.
Mark Jenkins will replace Corvi in Renton as vice president and general manager of the 737 program. He most recently led supply management and procurement. He has worked in finance and commercial aviation services for Boeing and has more than 30 years with the company.
02 Mar 2005 - 737 to be replaced "in the next decade".
Boeing plans to overhaul its 737 family of single-aisle aircraft in the next 10 years, applying the advanced technologies of its 787 aircraft, a senior Boeing executive said Tuesday.
"One of our options we look at is to take all the learning and all the technologies involved in the 787 ... and apply all those to the single-aisle categories," Randy Baseler, vice president of Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group, said at a news conference.
The new 787 Dreamliner long-haul aircraft, aimed at achieving high fuel effeciency, is Boeing's latest project. It is expected to enter service in 2008. Baseler said the technology developed for the 787 would more than likely be applied next "in the single-aisle area", for an overhauled version of the 737 short-haul aircraft.
Asked about a possible launch date for the new-look 737, he replied: "The market dictates timing. Probably it's somewhere in the next decade," he said, adding that the aircraft would probably have a different name.
Referring to the planned update of the 737, a short-to-medium-range aircraft, Baseler said: "We have not defined what that airplane will actually look like," adding that studies were under way.
"Right now, all that we are saying is we don't have a firm date yet, because part of that is the market dynamic - when will the customer really want it, when will Airbus do something," he said, referring to Boeing's arch-rival Airbus of Europe.
"I suspect that what it will be is not a continuation of the 737 family," he added.
The latest version of the 737, a model popular with low-cost airlines and in direct competition with the Airbus 320, dates from 1993.
Boeing estimates it will sell 14,715 units of the 737 aircraft in the next 20 years.
26 Jan 2005 - First 737 rolled out without eyebrow windows
Boeing this week rolled out its first 737 without eyebrow windows, the four small windows above the front windshield. In the past the eyebrow windows helped provide better crew visibility, but today's advanced navigation systems have made those windows obsolete. The design change reduces airplane weight by 20 pounds and eliminates approximately 300 hours of periodic inspections per airplane. Retrofit kits to cover eyebrow windows will be available mid-2006 for the in-service 737 fleet.
The first eyebrowless aircraft was 737-700, N201LV, L/N 1650, first flown on 3 Feb 2005 and was delivered to Southwest 16 Feb 2005.
04 Jan 2005 - 737-200F collapses on runway at Banda Aceh after hitting Cows.
A 737-200F operated by TRI-MG has blocked the runway at Banda Aceh airport this morning after hitting cows on the runway. The military says the engine and landing gear are badly damaged and without heavy lifting equipment, the airport remains closed to fixed-wing aircraft.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force has been called in to use their Chinooks to "float" the aircraft off the runway using airbags.
28 Dec 2004 - Future of 737 Looks Strong
In June, Boeing won a stunning victory over Lockheed Martin and gave Renton a new lease on life. The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a contract to develop an anti-submarine ocean prowler based on the 737 airframe.
On other military programs, commercial jets are typically modified at defense-oriented plants outside Washington state. But the Navy's 737s will be modified on a new, dedicated assembly line in Renton. Boeing will produce seven test aircraft under the initial development contract, worth $3.9 billion. If that's successful, the program is potentially worth more than $40 billion in sales to U.S. and overseas military.
The upshot: The Boeing plant at the southern edge of Lake Washington, previously scheduled to wind down perhaps as early as 2012, will be pumping out 737s for perhaps another 25 years. In addition to securing the 737 production jobs, already the Navy program has added almost 450 high-tech engineering jobs in Renton.
On the commercial side, even though U.S. jet sales remain badly depressed — with several carriers including Delta, United and US Airways in serious financial trouble — the worldwide market has finally recovered. For the first time in four years, Boeing's orders are up over the previous year. Internal documents show Boeing plans to increase the monthly 737 production rate from 17 to 21, the 777 rate from three to four and the 747 rate from one to 1-½. By 2006, as many as 28 of the 737s could be rolling out per month. Boeing declined to comment on the internal numbers.
12 Nov 2004 - RAAF Wedgetail AEW&C project sets records.
By Steve Creedy, the Australian.
ONE of Australia's most complex aircraft modification programs is on track to move to Queensland's Amberley RAAF base late next year after a promising run with the first two planes.
The RAAF's Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is making a name for itself as one of the rare military projects to run on time, or ahead, of schedule.
The world's first Boeing 737-based AEW&C aircraft has broken records at the US aerospace giant for flight testing since it took to the air in May with about double the per day sortie rate of similar programs.
A second plane is undergoing an extensive refit at a hangar at Boeing Field in Seattle with installation of mission equipment due to start this week and testing to get under way next month.
"The plane has performed extremely well during all that time," says Boeing 737 AEW&C programs vice-president Patrick Gill. "And even better than that, we haven't had any nasty surprises with the aerodynamic characteristics that we predicted out of both the wind tunnel and the computational fluid dynamics."
The good news from Seattle means modification of the final four aircraft at Amberley in Queensland, expected to create 150 to 170 jobs, is expected to begin on time in December next year.
The federal Government in June this year made what is generally regarded by defence experts as the sensible decision to buy two more options for about $180 million. That decision paved the way for the extensive 20-month modification program being undertaken on the first two planes in the US to be done in Australia.
The modifications essentially gut a 737-700 commercial airframe, replacing and reinforcing an entire section so it can support the aircraft's distinctive multi-role electronically scanned array (MESA) radar, designed to track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously to help the crew direct fighter aircraft.
The modifications involve rewiring the entire plane, adding defensive measures, shoring it up against electromagnetic radiation, installing more than 60 new antennae and adding extra fuel tanks that give the aircraft a range of 3500 nautical miles.
As the launch customer for 737-based AEW&C aircraft, Australians are already playing a key role in shaping the project's future.
Defence Materiel Organisation deputy chief executive Norm Gray has a team of more than 40 Australians in Seattle working closely with Boeing.
Australia has already asked for modifications which include a fuel jettison system which have been taken up by the program's other buyer, Turkey. The system allows fuel to be dumped in the case of an aborted take-off, avoiding the problems of a heavy landing, and has been deemed an enhancement that would also benefit potential future customers such as South Korea, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Spain.
"It's actually a change that will benefit the Commonwealth in terms of some increased Australian industry involvement over the life of the program," says Boeing's Mr Gill, referring to contract terms that allow Australia to benefit from changes it specifies and are subsequently marketed to other customers.
Air Vice Marshal Gray sees Wedgetail as bringing a huge amount of capability, not just to air defence but to support ground forces and the maritime fleet. "Of course it was a risky program when we went into it and that drove a number of the decisions we made early," he says.
Among those criteria was the need for a prime contractor with experience with airborne warning and control aircraft with whom Australian defence experts could partner.
According to Air Vice Marshall Gray, the decision to work closely with Boeing as a partner has seen differences between the parties resolved more quickly and meant Australian personnel gain valuable experience before the aircraft go into service.
12 Oct 2004 - Boeing Electronic Flight Bag Available for Retrofit on BBJ
Boeing is making its industry-leading Class 3 Electronic Flight Bag available for retrofit on Boeing Business Jets, giving BBJ operators the chance to make unsurpassed gains in safety, security and efficiency.
The Boeing EFB contains the documentation and forms that pilots carry – Jeppesen charts, manuals for fault reporting and operations, minimum equipment lists and logbooks – in digital format, and puts them at the crew's fingertips. It is the only fully integrated, FAA-certified EFB available on the market today.
EFB includes an on-board performance tool that allows the pilot to instantly calculate the ideal speed and engine setting for an aircraft, in any weather, on any runway – or any runway section – with any payload.
In addition, the EFB includes the award-winning Jeppesen Airport Moving Map application, which combines high-fidelity, geo-referenced airport taxi charts and precise navigational signals to show flight crews exactly where they are on the surface of an airport. It also gives flight crews a viewer for cabin surveillance systems, helping meet new and anticipated regulatory requirements.
Boeing is offering an avionics-installed "Class 3" version of the EFB comprising Jeppesen software and data, and electronics and display hardware from Astronautics Corp. of America . Boeing Commercial Aviation Services will design the installation on BBJ and handle all certification issues.
Boeing received U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification for its Class 3 EFB in October 2003, when the first commercial unit was delivered to KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on the carrier's first 777.
Installation of an EFB will give BBJ operators a first step into the future of the e-enabled air transport system. Boeing is offering content, applications, and services that connect all the data generated by an entire flight operation – in the air, on the ground and in the hangar – meaningful to all users: pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, operations departments and airport users – and other potential customers.
14 Sep 2004 - Algeria air crash due to human, technical error
ALGIERS, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Human and technical error caused an Air Algerie Boeing 737 to crash in the Sahara desert last year killing 102 people, an official inquiry into Algeria's worst air disaster showed on Tuesday.
The state-owned plane had been heading for Algiers on the Mediterranean coast when it crashed near Tamanrasset, 1,920 km (1,200 miles) from the capital in the far south of the country last March. Some French nationals were among the dead.
"There are three key reasons behind the crash - losing the engine during takeoff, failure of the wheels to fold in, and the pilot being unaware of engine problems (before takeoff)," Hasane Afane, head of the government commission, told a news conference.
He gave no explanation as to why the left engine fell off, nor why the wheels did not fold back into the Boeing body, but Afane said the pilot failed to check the engines prior to departure.
The commission called for more training for Algerian pilots, particularly on emergency situations. It said French and U.S. experts were also involved in the investigation.
Initially, the commission believed the crash was due to an engine glitch.
13 Sep 2004 - Boeing Hikes 737 Prices
Boeing Co. has raised catalogue prices on its aircraft by 7% to reflect inflation. The list prices, last updated in 2002, are a guide for industry analysts, the media, and the public to use as estimates for order values. Airlines usually don't pay list prices. The new price for Chicago-based Boeing's 737, its most popular plane, is $44-$74 million; depending on maximum range and number of seats, up from $41-$68.5 million in 2002. "The increase was just producer price inflation, and it's consistent with what others in the industry have done," says spokesman Todd Blecher. The new prices have been posted on the company's Web site.
18 Jul 2004 - SilkAir 737 PCU Servo Valve Found
THERE'S nothing left of the SilkAir Boeing 737 that went down in Indonesia in 1997, except for one little piece.
All 600kg of the salvaged parts, save the servo valve, were destroyed by Indonesian Customs last August. They had been sitting in a warehouse since 1998.
And it was by a stroke of luck that aeronautical engineering expert Frederic Wilken found the valve, a component in the Boeing 737's power control unit that controls the rudder's movements.
Defects found in the cylindrical shaft - 2cm in diameter and about 30cm long - helped the Los Angeles law firm Lipscomb, Engstrom and Lack convince a Californian jury that the valve maker Parker Hannifin was responsible for the crash.
The law firm engaged Mr Wilken to find the valve because 'no one would tell us where it went after it was inspected in May 1998,' said lawyer Walter Lack.
The four-month search that began last November was the 'most frustrating' he's taken on, said Mr Wilken, 57, who has investigated more than 700 aircraft accidents in the last 30 years.
Before he touched down in Jakarta, he was confident he knew where it was.
From calls he had made, he learnt that the wreckage was in a warehouse for goods that did not get through Customs.
The warehouse was searched, but the crates weren't there.
Mr Wilken was six weeks into the search when he learnt that they had all been destroyed months earlier.
'That was one of my low points,' he told The Sunday Times from Jakarta, where he is investigating two more plane crashes.
His only hope rested in the Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) investigators who handled the probe back in 1998.
Two weeks went by before he received a phone call that saved the day.
'An NTSC investigator who was helping me was yelling and laughing. He said another investigator who was involved in the probe seven years back had actually locked the servo valve in a safe in the NTSC office.
'He felt it was too important to leave it with the rest of the plane's remains!'
Mr Wilken then met twice with the NTSC to persuade its officials to let him take the valve to the US where experts could run tests on it.
They agreed only a day before he was due to leave for home. He scrambled to get air tickets for the two Indonesian officials appointed to carry the valve to the US.
But hours before the plane was to leave for Singapore en route to Boston, one of the two said he couldn't go, because a meeting had come up suddenly.
'By this time, I'd given up. I left the next day and told the investigator that if he gets there, call me,' he recalled.
Three days and many cancelled and delayed flights later, the Indonesian investigator finally arrived in the US, carrying the valve in a sealed cardboard box.
The next day, experts concluded that it did indeed have 'chip-outs' and numerous burrs that could have interfered with the smooth operation of the valve.
Mr Wilken's job was done. He then took a two-week vacation in the Caribbean.
Till today, he hasn't laid eyes on the servo valve.
'Not once! I just hoped it was there and that it was the right piece.
'Thank goodness it was!'
13 Jul 2004 - Anti AG missile system tested on IAI ELTA 737-200
Flight Guard, the airborne system designed to protect civilian aircraft from surface-to-air missiles, was successfully tested Monday and Tuesday over Palmachim Air Force base, Israel Aircraft Industries said Tuesday.
Its developers at IAI, Elta, and TAAS-Israel Industries are now hoping US officials will license the platform, allowing not only Israel's airliners to carry the system, but enabling Elta and its partners to market it worldwide.
Using an IAI Boeing 737-200 as the test aircraft, air force personnel launched a "virtual" SA-7 Strela (shoulder-fired) missile at the plane, which was immediately tracked and destroyed by the Flight Guard system.
"The test was a huge success and we were more than pleased with the results," Elta Systems president Israel Livnat told The Jerusalem Post. "We now await Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) licensing, and from there the FAA is expected to approve and license the system," added Livnat.
Designed originally as a protective system for combat planes, helicopters, transports, and VIP aircraft, Elta adapted the successful military version that has been installed in over 150 aircraft and been on the market for 10 years – even before a near-disaster took place over African skies.
On November 28, 2002, al-Qaida-related terrorists fired two SA-7 Strela anti-aircraft missiles at an Arkia Israeli Airlines jet as it took off from Mombasa, Kenya, narrowly missing the Boeing 757, which carried 261 Israeli passengers.
Immediately following the attack, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the Defense Ministry to assist the state-owned aeronautics concern in completing all phases of the system's testing, and its successful installation in all Israeli airliners.
Under Flight Guard's current platform, the system's radar detects approaching heat-seeking missiles, automatically deploying tiny, powerful flares in all directions from the plane's rear or sides that divert the missiles away from the plane.
However in order to garner the precious FAA license, Flight Guard's developers had to abandon the use of lit flares, opting for invisible ones designed by TAAS.
"We understood the psychological affect on passengers seeing brightly lit flares from their windows fired in all direction from the fuselage, so using TAAS's technology the flares will be invisible," Livnat noted.
Officials in Washington had presented concerns over the possibility of lit flares landing in populated areas or airport surroundings, endangering the lives of people on the ground.
"We do not expect to encounter any problems in the FAA certification process," he said. The certification will allow Israeli carriers to fly in and out of US airports using the Flight Guard system. Industry analysts expect the first El Al plane to be fitted with the system by year's end.
8 Jul 2004 - Hydraulic firm loses $44 million in verdict
Parker Hannifin, the world's largest maker of hydraulic equipment, was told by a Los Angeles jury to pay $43.6 million to the families of three people killed in a 1997 crash of a SilkAir plane in Indonesia. The Los Angeles Superior Court jury determined that defects in a rudder-control system caused the Boeing 737 to plunge from 35,000 feet, killing all 104 people aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that there were no mechanical defects and the pilot intentionally caused the crash.
"We are incredulous," said Lorrie Paul Crum, a spokeswoman for Cleveland-based Parker Hannifin, who said the company will appeal. The jury assigned the entire responsibility for the crash to Parker Hannifin, rejecting the option of apportioning any fault to Silk Air or Boeing, which manufactured the 10-month-old 737.
15 Jun 2004 - 737 MMA Wins 109 aircraft US Navy Order
The Boeing Co. beat Lockheed Martin Corp. for a multi-billion dollar contract to replace the Navy's aging fleet of P-3C Orion submarine-hunters. Boeing will build up to 109 multi-mission maritime aircraft for the Navy, a contract potentially worth $15 billion over the 10-year production run, the company said.
The company won an initial $3.9 billion Monday to design the planes. The Navy chose Boeing's 737s to replace the existing four-engine turboprop planes made by Lockheed. For its bid, Lockheed had proposed a next-generation P-3.
The new aircraft will have enhanced surveillance and attack capabilities, expanding its role beyond anti-submarine warfare, said John Young, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, in a statement.
The Navy's existing fleet of 223 P-3s is more than 30 years old and is operating in Iraq and Afghanistan. Boeing's new field office in Norfolk served as a liaison between the military and corporate headquarters during the bidding process.
Now, the local office will serve as Boeing's link to the commander of Patrol and Reconnaissance Force Atlantic, based in Norfolk, which will oversee the fleet of aircraft.
The company will produce seven test planes before the Navy places its order. Led by Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems unit, the winning team also includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Smiths Aerospace.
08 Jun 2004 - NASA Tests Aviation Turbulence Detection System
A NASA developed technology that can automatically alert pilots of potentially dangerous turbulence will make its first evaluation flights on a commercial airliner.
The idea behind NASA's Turbulence Prediction and Warning System (TPAWS) airborne radar is to give flight crews enough advance warning, so they can avoid turbulence or advise flight attendants and passengers to sit down and buckle up to avoid injury.
Researchers at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC), Hampton, Va., developed TPAWS to detect turbulence associated with thunderstorms as part of the NASA Aviation Safety and Security Program. NASA teamed with Delta Air Lines, Atlanta; AeroTech Research, Hampton, Va.; and Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the in-service evaluation of a production-prototype airborne radar unit with turbulence hazard prediction capabilities.
Delta will install the TPAWS/Rockwell Collins radar unit on a Boeing 737-800 this summer. Delta flight crews will use and evaluate the technology during regularly scheduled flights in the U.S. and South America. The prototype is expected to fly for six to nine months.
Researchers from NASA, the companies involved and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will evaluate interim and final results of the turbulence prediction radar system. If the evaluation is successful, the technology may be adopted for new and existing aircraft.
"The TPAWS technology is an enhanced turbulence detection radar system that detects atmospheric turbulence by measuring the motions of the moisture in the air," said NASA's TPAWS project manager Jim Watson. "It is a software signal processing upgrade to existing predictive Doppler wind shear systems that are already on airplanes," he added.
"Delta Air Lines is always interested in evaluating new technologies that offer the potential for improved ride quality and safety for our customers and flight crews," said Ira Pearl, Delta flight operations technical support director.
Researchers have already tested TPAWS on a NASA Boeing 757 research aircraft. The TPAWS equipped plane searched for turbulence activity around thunderstorms for eight weeks. The aircraft flew within a safe distance of storms, so researchers could experience the turbulence and compare the radar prediction to how the plane responded to the encounters. After one severe patch of turbulence, a NASA research pilot said his confidence in the enhanced radar had "gone up dramatically," since the plane's weather radar did not show anything, while the same time the TPAWS display showed rough skies ahead.
Atmospheric turbulence encounters are the leading cause of injuries to passengers and flight crews in non-fatal airline accidents. FAA statistics show an average of 58 airline passengers are annually injured in U.S. turbulence incidents. Ninety eight percent of those injuries happen, because people don't have their seat belts fastened. Turbulence encounters are hazardous; they cost airlines money and time, in the form of re-routing flights, late arrivals, additional inspections and maintenance for aircraft.
The NASA Aviation Safety and Security Program is a partnership with the FAA, aircraft manufacturers, airlines and the Department of Homeland Security to reduce the fatal aircraft accident rate, protect air travelers and the public from security threats. Researchers at four NASA centers are working to develop advanced, affordable technologies to make flying safer and more secure. NASA's LaRC; Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.; Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.; and Glenn Research Center, Cleveland are working on the program.
21 May 2004 - Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft makes its first flight
A new era in Australian airborne surveillance was launched today with the first flight of the Royal Australian Air Force's new "Wedgetail" Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft.
Defence Minister Robert Hill said the first flight conducted at Boeing Field in Seattle in the United States was a significant milestone in the $3.4 billion AEW&C project.
During the flight, tests were made on the Wedgetail's systems and structures. The pilots were in constant contact with test engineers monitoring the flight. After touchdown, the aircraft was greeted by Air Vice Marshal Norm Gray, head of the AEW&C program.
"The Wedgetail program is a hugely complicated undertaking, incorporating leading edge software technologies," Senator Hill said.
"To have it progressing ahead of time and on budget and with all of our capability requirements met so far is a dream come true.
"My congratulations to the Defence Materiel Organisation project team led by Air Vice Marshal Norm Gray, and to Boeing, BAE Systems and all the subcontractors who have achieved a great deal in such a short time."
Senator Hill said that the Government's high confidence in the Wedgetail project was demonstrated last week with the announcement that we would purchase an additional two aircraft, equipping Australia with a fleet of six.
Senator Hill said the aircraft would enhance Australia's combat capability through leading-edge air and maritime surveillance.
"The Wedgetail is based on Boeing's next generation 737 aircraft, which is being modified to accommodate an advanced phased-array radar and various other sophisticated mission systems ," Senator Hill said.
"The aircraft will have far more flexibility and capability than other similar platforms in service today." The RAAF's re-formed No 2 Squadron based at Williamtown near Newcastle will fly the AEW&C Wedgetail when it becomes operational. Delivery of the first two aircraft is scheduled for 2006.
14 May 2004 - Boeing Makes History with 1,500th Next-Generation 737 Delivery
Boeing made history today with its Next-Generation 737 family reaching 1,500 airplanes delivered sooner than any other commercial airplane model.
The milestone delivery -- a 737-800 to Indianapolis-based ATA Airlines, Inc. -- occurred six years after Southwest Airlines received the first Next-Generation 737. The Next-Generation 737 family bested by four years the previous record holder, Boeing's family of Classic 737-300s, -400s and -500s.
"This is a testament to the Next-Generation 737's efficiency and reliability; the confidence and trust the world's airlines have in it; and the efforts of our employees who design, build and support the 737 every day," said Carolyn Corvi, Boeing 737/757 programs vice president and general manager.
Vice President, Marketing, Randy Baseler, added, "We know better than any other airplane company what airlines and passengers want. That's why the 737 is history's best-selling passenger airplane and why the 7E7 will set a whole new standard for passenger comfort and airplane efficiency."
The Boeing 727 and Airbus A320 models are the only others to have delivered at least 1,500 airplanes. The A320 family, the 737 competitor, reached that mark in 13 years while the 727 did so in 16 years.
Reliability, low operating and maintenance costs, and advanced technologies such as Head-Up and Vertical Situation displays not available on competing models, are hallmarks of the Next-Generation 737 family.
Overall, Boeing has received orders for more than 5,390 737s. That's more than Airbus has for all its models. At any given time, more than 1,200 737s are flying, and a 737 takes off or lands somewhere in the world every 5.3 seconds.
The Next-Generation 737 family includes the 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 airplanes. The 737-100 through 737-500 airplanes are no longer produced.
5 May 2004 - Defects In Aging Passenger Jets Exposed
SEATTLE -- KIRO Team 7 Investigators discover cracks, corrosion and weakened metal hidden inside a growing number of Boeing passenger jets.
The problems lie along structural seams called lap joints. A fuselage is designed with overlapping sheets of metal riveted together. We uncovered at least 28 different warnings regarding flaws or defects. In 2002, a China Airlines jet plummeted into the water, killing 225 passengers. Fourteen years earlier, an Aloha Airlines 737 opened up like a sardine can, killing one person and injuring eight more.
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne discovers a big new problem for Boeing, centered on "lap-joint metal fatigue". The problem is called "scoring". During assembly, workers lay a bead of sealant along this lap joint. It makes the jet more aerodynamic. A year or two flying you around and many jets have to get repainted. Powerful chemical strippers melt the sealant, so some maintenance crews have been putting on caulk then, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, have been cutting away the excess with a box cutter. That can ruin the integrity of the metal along the entire aircraft lap joint. The FAA recently grounded three passenger jets due to "scribe marks" and has identified 32 more Boeing planes with damaging box cutter-type cuts along the lap joint. "When we found this, we jumped on it right away," said FAA spokesperson Mike Fergus. Fergus says they have no idea yet how many more jets are affected by scoring. "With the contraction and expansion of thousands of flight hours, the scratch has the potential, not a guarantee, the potential of turning into a crack. That in turn may have safety factor. That's our issue. If it's safety, we're interested," Fergus said.
Scoring of some lap joints is just the latest chapter in Boeing's long battle with the design and maintenance of its riveted seams. "With that type of structure, whatever is occurring between the two sheets is not readily visible," said Earl Brown, a certified jet engine and airframe mechanic. Brown says the FAA has been warning airlines to inspect -- and re-inspect often -- the lap joints of thousands of still-operating older model Boeing jets. "If we can catch a problem when it's still just a crack and fix it, then we don't have to worry about something coming apart, breaking. The potential for breaking is there if a crack develops. It's pretty much inherent in the design of the airplane and the materials used," Brown said. The scoring issue has been kept quiet until now, but other huge maintenance nightmares include hundreds of previously "patched" or repaired planes.
An Airworthiness Directive says new inspections are necessary to find "premature cracking of certain lap joints, which could result in rapid decompression." Spotting fatigue in the lap joints on the outside of an aircraft, through the paint, is nearly impossible. So here's what the airlines have to do: They have to bring the jet into a hanger and gut the interior. That can cost more than $1 million.
The super-high cost of that "D-check" inspection is hardly an incentive for airlines to look really hard for trouble spots. For example, KIRO Team 7 Investigators uncovered an Aviation Safety Report filed by a mechanic last year. He reported his company ignored a potentially deadly safety problem saying, "A B737-200 had water leaking on passengers and inspectors found all fuselage lap joints leaking excessively." Despite that, the mechanic says the supervisor "told me to get off the ACFT and not to check any laps. This ACFT had to go."
Independent aviation robotics engineer Henry Seemann doesn't look at a Boeing 737 like the rest of us. We view them as a whole. He sees them in tiny parts, up close, one rivet at a time. And what he sees should make all of us a little nervous: cascading metal cracks, loose shear clips, corroded lap joints and tiny cuts in the metal. Halsne: "Are there times when you walk up to a plane and think, 'I don't know about this one?'" Seemann: "Yes, I've had my moments of certain airplanes when I've looked at them and actually booked a different flight." Seemann invented a machine, currently used by Boeing itself, that automatically inspects lap joints. The robot could save the industry billions in early maintenance because it takes just a few days to computer map and analyze lap joint flaws. Current methods take a month.
Despite the potential cost savings some airlines are telling Henry don't get that thing near our passenger jets. "There's a requirement that if you know something is wrong with your airplane, you're supposed to fix it. It's a moral thing," Seemann said. "Some are afraid of that -- that their fleet is kind of old and we're going to inspect their planes and we're going to put a big red "x" on them." The Federal Aviation Administration confirms this robot design is in the final stages of approval. It could revolutionize the way we spot catastrophic metal failures - before a serious accident.
Boeing refused our repeated requests for an on-camera interview about "scoring" and other lap joint issues, but did provide us with some background on how it's working hard to fix the problems. We called Boeing again this week for a statement. While they still won't comment on past metal fatigue issues, they did say design improvements on their new line of 7E7's should take care of future problems.
5 May 2004 - Boeing denies report of 737 replacement due in nine years
By Dominic Gates
Seattle Times aerospace reporter
A respected trade publication says Boeing has targeted 2013 for launch of a new commercial jet that would replace the narrowbody 737 and likely end production at the company's Renton plant. Aviation-industry magazine Flight International reports in its latest issue that a Boeing preliminary study to replace the 737 — dubbed the Y-1 program — is gaining momentum and that the new candidate airplane could enter service nine years from now.
If so, that would be the likely schedule for the end of aircraft production in Renton, where the 737 is assembled.
A 737 replacement jet would likely be close in design, structure and production to the all-composite 7E7 and would be assembled in Everett.
While Boeing concedes long-term studies exist, it denies any firm plan to replace the 737.
"We're always studying a variety of product strategies," said Boeing spokeswoman Sandy Angers, "There aren't any plans. We're always doing studies."
Boeing has in the past studied the eventual replacement of its entire jet family with a new product line that would have common cockpits, systems and manufacturing processes. Some insiders see the 7E7 as the first of what would eventually be three different size categories, with a 737 replacement next up.
But Angers said the market is too dynamic to predict when the time will be right to end production of what is currentlyBoeing's best-selling jet.
Boeing will deliver its 1,500th next-generation 737 next week, a milestone achieved in a record time of just six years since the revamped 737 was launched.
The schedule for launching a 737 replacement mentioned in the trade magazine does resonate with what is known of Boeing's plans in Renton.
City leaders have long been aware that once the 737 line closes, the great gray box on the south end of Lake Washington will be surplused, and Boeing will be gone.
A 2003 internal strategic-planning document obtained by The Seattle Times revealed Boeing's intention to sell its commercial operations in Wichita, Kan., and showed that the planned "future state" of Boeing's Renton facility is to sell it all — though the document mentions no time frame.
The city, in conjunction with Boeing, already has developed a detailed plan to replace the 280-acre Boeing plant with a lakeside project of mixed office, retail and residential | 
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