Boeing snagged a $469.8-million contract modification for extended Block II remanufacturing of the AH-64 Apache Longbow advanced attack helicopter. It also won a $29-million add-on contract from the U.S. Air Force to design and install Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures on three C-40B aircraft. Meanwhile, Boeing's new P-8A multi-mission maritime aircraft has officially been named the Poseidon. Initial fielding of a P-8A is scheduled for 2013.
Cathay Pacific carried 16.7 million passengers last year, 8.4% more than in 2005, with the cabin load factor rising 1.2 percentage points to 79.9%. Its freight business rose to 1.2 million metric tons from 1.1 million.
Dennis Crabtree has become vice president-safety and security for Frontier Airlines. He was director of aviation services for FEI Behavioral Health. Crabtree succeeds Tom Nunn, who is now president of Frontier subsidiary Lynx Aviation.
A deal for Stork to expand its U.S. operations by acquiring a controlling interest in Limco Airepair and Piedmont Aviation Component Services has fallen through. Negotiations broke down between seller TAT Technologies and Stork, and the deal is off. Cooperation between Fokker Services and Piedmont as well as Limco remains unaffected. Meanwhile, Stork is continuing its fight with dissident shareholders Centaurus and Paulson.
Air Force Aerocomp Comp Air 7Sl (6) Bell Helicopter Textron 206 (5) Bell Helicopter Textron UH-1H (4) Jordan Aerospace Sama Ch2000 (6) Lockheed C-130E (3) Mil Mi-171 (4) Mil Mi-17-1V (4) Seabird Aviation Australia SB7L (2)
An ambitious program to launch a National Flight Academy (NFA) in concert with an expansion of the National Museum of Naval Aviation is on track to break ground late this year. The new academy will employ the lure of aviation to kindle an interest in mathematics, science and technology among students in grades 7-12.
Malaysian budget airline AirAsia has agreed in principle to buy a 20% stake in Fly Asian Express, a turboprop operator that plans to act as its long-haul affiliate. It belongs to the same investors that set up AirAsia and said this month it would offer wide-body services to China and Britain under the licensed brand AirAsia X.
