The second of four Boeing aerial refueling tankers for the Italian Air Force has been put into service. The event was marked by a public ceremony in Rome Tuesday.
The KC-767 tankers were delivered Dec. 29 and March 10.
The tankers were modified in Wichita and flown to the Italian air base at Pratica di Mare.They are built for aerial refueling and transport and will increase Italy’s military capability, Boeing officials said.
They can carry all passengers, all cargo or a combination of passengers and cargo.
Hawker Beechcraft gave a number of updates today at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, or EBACE, in Geneva, Switzerland.
It announced an upgrade package for existing Beechcraft King Air 200GT turboprop aircraft that increases the plane’s performance and resale value, the company said. It includes composite winglets, a ram air recovery system and composite propellers.
Hawker Beechcraft also officially opened the order book for a Hawker 400XPR upgrade and will begin accepting letters of intent for the program. Development on the avionics, Hawker winglets and Williams International engines is progressing, it said.
Development is also progressing on the Hawker 200 light jet. It’s on schedule for certification in the third quarter of 2012. The jet is demonstrating higher cruise speeds, lower fuel consumption and fewer carbon emissions, the company said. Four planes are in the test flight program. First deliveries are scheduled for fourth quarter 2012.
The company has appointed Billund, Denmark-based JoinJet as a new dealer representative to promote Hawker business jets in the region. The move comes as demand for private aviation and the economic strength of the Benelux and Scandinavia markets increase, the company said.
EBACE opened today and runs through Thursday.
Spirit AeroSystems has signed a contract amendment with Boeing concerning increased costs associated with the development and production of Boeing‘s long-delayed 787-8 Dreamliner.
The amendment completes the previously announced memo of agreement, Spirit said Tuesday.
Delays have meant increased costs and changes to the program.
“With this agreement we continue to reinforce our partnership with our largest customer as we work together for the long-term success of the 787 program,” Phil Anderson, Spirit senior vice president and chief financial officer said in a statement.
Spirit AeroSystems designs and builds the forward fuselage and engine pylons for the 787 program in Wichita and the wing leading edge components in its Tulsa plant.
