Aircraft News - North America.

For more aircraft news, data, fleets and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Aug 21, 2006

US Joint Planning and Development Office, the multiagency body charged with developing the Next Generation Air Transportation System, will be headed by Charles Leader, formerly of Hughes Aircraft, the Dept. of Transportation announced. Aug 16, 2006

Boeing Boeing has rolled the first 747-400LCF Large Cargo Freighter out of the hangar at Taipei's Chiang Kai-Shek International Airport. The enormous airplane is the first of three specially modified jets that will be used to transport major assemblies for the all-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The 747-400LCFcan hold three times the volume handled by the existing 747-400 freighter, thanks to a cargo deck that bulges up behind the cockpit. Ground testing is under way to prepare the LCF for its first flight. After initial flight testing in Taipei, the LCF will fly to Seattle to complete the flight test program. First flight and the ferry flight to Seattle are expected to occur by the end of August. The modifications have been performed by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. (EGAT), a joint venture of EVA Air and General Electric and a part of Taiwan's Evergreen Group. The second airplane continues to be modified and will be completed this fall. The third airplane will begin modification next year. The first two LCFs enter service in 2007 to support the final assembly of the first Dreamliners. The 747-400LCF looks like nothing on earth, a sort pregnant Jumbo and is much larger than the Airbus Beluga. What the new aircraft needs is an even better quality name. Any submissions from readers will be passed on to Boeing. http://www.boeing.com Aug 17, 2006

Boeing to take first steps in shutting down C-17 line, report says. Boeing will start notifying suppliers that it plans to shut down its C-17 cargo-plane program as early as Friday, according to media reports quoting unnamed sources. Boeing has enough orders to continue building the plane through 2008, but some of the parts must be ordered months ahead of time. It has been unable to secure new orders for the plane from the Department of Defense. Aug 17, 2006

CTT Systems

CTT Systems signed a worldwide sales agency agreement with Satair A/S for the sales of CTT's Zonal Drying Systems Aug 17, 2006

Grumman

Prowler's roles expand, Navy says. Upgraded Navy EA-6B Prowlers are expanding their mission to include reconnaissance and command-and-control. The Prowlers were originally designed as search and destroy weapons against enemy air defenses. "We can now support troops on the ground by better providing radio-frequency domination," Capt. Kenneth Smolana, EA-6B program manager, said. Aug 14, 2006

Gulfstream Aerospace

Gulfstream Aerospace seems to have got its timing right with the entry-into-service ceremony last week of the newest addition to its fleet - the midsize G150 business jet. With a choice of three cabin configurations, the aircraft accommodates six to nine passengers. At a long-range cruise speed of Mach 0.75, the G150 can fly four passengers nonstop up to 2,950 nautical miles - longer than any other aircraft in its class. It easily connects cities such as New York to Los Angeles, London to Moscow, or Rio de Janeiro to Santiago. However it cannot presently get in and out of London City Airport. The G150 is designed and built in collaboration with Israel Aircraft Industries, the completed airframes flown to Gulfstream's Dallas facility for the final phase of manufacturing. http://www.gulfstream.com Aug 19, 2006

Lockheed

Lockheed considers unmanned version of JSF. Lockheed Martin hopes to build an unmanned version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a move that would make the plane the first full-scale fighter to fly without a pilot. The company says the plane could be manned for some missions and operated remotely for others. The company has not proposed the idea to the Air Force. Air Force officials could not be reached for comment. Aug 17, 2006