Aircraft Supplier & MRO News - Europe.

New York, Geneva (AirGuideBusiness - Aircraft Supplier & MRO News Europe) May 29, 2011

BAE Systems BAE Systems on Thursday agreed to sell its commercial aircraft lease portfolio and asset management business to investment affiliates of certain funds managed by Fortress Investment Group. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter and is valued at $187 million in cash, subject to certain post-completion adjustments. It includes 151 owned aircraft (107 BAe 146/Avro RJs, 21 ATPs, 20 J41s and three J32s), but not the support and engineering activities of BAE Systems Regional Aircraft. May 27, 2011

BAE Systems BAE Systems is confident of winning the US Air Force's T-X advanced jet trainer competition, with company officials predicting that the service's decision will be based on price, rather than performance. "We are going to win T-X, based on the requirements they have and the budget," said Ian Reason, BAE's business development director for training solutions and services. US-based BAE Systems Inc will lead the company's pursuit of the T-X requirement, offering a development of the Hawk 128, which is now in service with the UK Royal Air Force as the Hawk T2. With the design likely to face competition from the Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 and a T-100 development of Alenia Aermacchi's M-346, Reason said the contest would come down to more than handling performance. May 26, 2011

BAE Systems BAE Systems said that its Spares Co-op scheme, under which its airline customers earn loyalty rebates if they spend more than an agreed sum on aircraft spares during the year, has taken off with nearly [pounds sterling]400,000 ($660,000) of rebates issued to seven operators. The largest amount ([pounds sterling]186,000) went to Brussels Airlines, which exceeded its target spend on spares for its 26-strong Avro RJ jetliner fleet during 2010. The scheme was launched by BAE Systems in 2008 and focuses on the continuing spares business. During 2010, 10 of the highest spending customers for spares elected to join the program. May 23, 2011

EasyJet, Airbus EasyJet, have marked becoming the worldOs youngest and quickest airline to reach a fleet of 200 Airbus aircraft, at a ceremony in Toulouse. Carolyn McCall, easyJet CEO, Jean-Paul Ebanga, CFM International President and CEO, and Tom Enders, Airbus President and CEO were present at the event. To celebrate the 200th Airbus, easyJet and Airbus unveiled an A320 in a unique all orange colour scheme. Its maiden flight with passengers from Toulouse for Paris and then onto London was appropriately given flight number EZY200. May 26, 2011

General Electric, Rolls Royce White House wants to drop JSF second engine program. The White House has threatened to veto the defense authorization bill if it contains language extending the second engine project for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Pratt & Whitney is developing the primary engine for the fighter, and General Electric and Rolls Royce have been working on an alternative engine. Both President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have said that the second engine is not necessary. Congressional leaders, however, have kept the project alive. May 26, 2011

Goodrich Goodrich Corp. announced it completed the acquisition of Microtecnica, a process it began in early April. It acquired the business from Stirling Square Capital Partners for total cash consideration of approximately U331 million ($462 million). Helicopter and regional jet flight control actuation systems maker Microtecnica employs 700 people in Italy and the UK. May 24, 2011

Lufthansa Systems Lufthansa Systems inked a contract with Emirates to supply its Lido/AMDB data for the airport moving map application in the carrier's Airbus A380 cockpits. The agreement also covers implementation of its Lido/AMM solution to equip the carrierOs remaining fleet with an airport moving map application. May 26, 2011

OnAir, Airbus, SITA Airbus/SITA joint venture OnAir and German firm TriaGnoSys have launched what they claim is "the most lightweight" in-flight connectivity system for business jets. The system enables passengers to use their mobile devices and laptops for voice calls, text messages, emailing and Internet browsing, say the two firms. May 26, 2011

Rolls-Royce Blue Angels F/A-18, C-130 flights spread aviation bug "in a huge way". With four Rolls-Royce Allison turboprop engines generating more than 18,000 shaft horsepower, the Blue Angels' "Fat Albert" C-130 wrestles to stay planted on the runway until Capt. Ben Blanton and his crew release the brakes -- beginning a roller coaster of a ride. The Blue Angels support recruiting efforts for the Navy and Marines, but they also instill the dream and wonder of flight in millions of spectators every year. May 27, 2011

Teledyne Controls, Pegasus Airlines Teledyne Controls has begun to integrate its Wireless Groundlink End-to-End Network Solutions System onboard all Pegasus Airlines aircraft. Pegasus said that with this system, data will be downloaded in 15 minutes, enabling flight information to be shared with company headquarters after every flight. May 26, 2011

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