Source: DTN News / Boeing Dt. June 3, 2010(NSI News Source Info) AMBERLEY, Queensland, - June 4, 2010: Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) today announced the graduation of the first RAAF C-17 Globemaster I
II pilots trained in Australia.
Since commencing Pilot Initial Qualification (PIQ) training on Feb. 1, Flight Lt. David Whyte and Pilot Officer Stephen Maunder have received more than 350 hours of programmed training from Boeing Defence Australia instructors at RAAF Base Amberley, including 120 simulated flight hours in the C-17 Globemaster III Aircrew Training System (ATS).
"Delivering Australia's first in-country C-17 pilot training program is a significant achievement for both Boeing and the RAAF," said Nigel Page, C-17 ATS site team lead for Boeing Defence Australia. "The graduation of Flight Lt. Whyte and Pilot Officer Maunder as qualified C-17 pilots demonstrates the success and value of the RAAF's new in-country pilot-training capability, assisted greatly by Boeing's training expertise and the Amberley-based C-17 ATS."
The Boeing-developed C-17 ATS consists of a Loadmaster Station, Learning Center, various support systems and a Weapons Systems Trainer (WST), which is a realistic, full-motion simulator used for pilot training.
"Training C-17 pilots at Amberley has saved the RAAF both money and time by removing substantial travel costs and the need for student pilots to spend longer periods of time training overseas," said Squadron Leader Brent Taylor, 36 Squadron Training Flight Commander. "We are pleased with the end result of the locally based training system, and congratulate Flight Lt. Whyte and Pilot Officer Maunder for passing with flying colors."
The students' training culminated in five flights at the controls of a real C-17 airlifter under the instruction of RAAF Qualified Flying Instructors, and acceptance by the RAAF's No. 36 Squadron.
"There is no doubt in my mind the Boeing-delivered PIQ training has equipped me with the tools and knowledge required for my career as a RAAF C-17 pilot," said Maunder. "I'm proud to have achieved my goal to become a C-17 pilot and look forward to supporting the C-17 strategic airlift capability for national and international operations."
The next two student pilots, Pilot Officers Luke Ridgway and Brett Hopewell, will graduate from the second PIQ training course this month. The third and fourth PIQ training courses will commence in July and August, respectively.
Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company and a business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is a leading Australian aerospace enterprise. With a world-class team of more than 1,500 employees at 14 locations throughout Australia and two international sites, Boeing Defence Australia supports some of the largest and most complex defense projects in Australia.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.
Contact:
Sarah Wills
II pilots trained in Australia.
Since commencing Pilot Initial Qualification (PIQ) training on Feb. 1, Flight Lt. David Whyte and Pilot Officer Stephen Maunder have received more than 350 hours of programmed training from Boeing Defence Australia instructors at RAAF Base Amberley, including 120 simulated flight hours in the C-17 Globemaster III Aircrew Training System (ATS).
"Delivering Australia's first in-country C-17 pilot training program is a significant achievement for both Boeing and the RAAF," said Nigel Page, C-17 ATS site team lead for Boeing Defence Australia. "The graduation of Flight Lt. Whyte and Pilot Officer Maunder as qualified C-17 pilots demonstrates the success and value of the RAAF's new in-country pilot-training capability, assisted greatly by Boeing's training expertise and the Amberley-based C-17 ATS."
The Boeing-developed C-17 ATS consists of a Loadmaster Station, Learning Center, various support systems and a Weapons Systems Trainer (WST), which is a realistic, full-motion simulator used for pilot training.
"Training C-17 pilots at Amberley has saved the RAAF both money and time by removing substantial travel costs and the need for student pilots to spend longer periods of time training overseas," said Squadron Leader Brent Taylor, 36 Squadron Training Flight Commander. "We are pleased with the end result of the locally based training system, and congratulate Flight Lt. Whyte and Pilot Officer Maunder for passing with flying colors."
The students' training culminated in five flights at the controls of a real C-17 airlifter under the instruction of RAAF Qualified Flying Instructors, and acceptance by the RAAF's No. 36 Squadron.
"There is no doubt in my mind the Boeing-delivered PIQ training has equipped me with the tools and knowledge required for my career as a RAAF C-17 pilot," said Maunder. "I'm proud to have achieved my goal to become a C-17 pilot and look forward to supporting the C-17 strategic airlift capability for national and international operations."
The next two student pilots, Pilot Officers Luke Ridgway and Brett Hopewell, will graduate from the second PIQ training course this month. The third and fourth PIQ training courses will commence in July and August, respectively.
Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company and a business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, is a leading Australian aerospace enterprise. With a world-class team of more than 1,500 employees at 14 locations throughout Australia and two international sites, Boeing Defence Australia supports some of the largest and most complex defense projects in Australia.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.
Contact:
Sarah WillsBoeing Defence Australia
+1 (61) 7 3306 3132
sarah.e.wills@boeing.com
Alison Sheridan
Boeing Training Systems & Services
+1 314-232-8187
China, one of Myanmar’s few international allies, has expressed concern over the junta’s efforts to force several ethnic minority groups in the north—eastern part of the country to lay down their arms and join government—led militias prior to polls this year.
Several groups such as the Wa, Shan and Karen have refused to disarm, raising fears of fighting in the Shan State, which borders China’s southern province of Yunnan.
Last year, Myanmar troops attacked the Kokang, a minority group that is ethnically Chinese, who had refused to surrender their arms to the government. The attack forced thousands of Kokang to flee into China.
While in Naypyitaw, Mr. Wen is also scheduled to meet his Myanmar counterpart Thein Sein and sign agreements boosting economic ties.
“He will sign the bilateral agreements on economy and trade in Naypyitaw when he meets the Myanmar leaders,” a Chinese diplomat in Yangon said.
According to official figures, trade volume between Myanmar and China was 2.9 billion dollars in 2009. Chinese investment had reached 1.8 billion dollars by January, accounting for 11.5 per cent of direct foreign investment in the country. 
The Mexican Navy already operates two C295s since 2009. In April this year, it also took delivery of two CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). Following crew training completion at the Airbus Military Training Centre in Seville, these two CN235 MPA will be ferried to Mexico in the coming weeks. Mexico also operates seven C212 equipped with the FITS (Fully Integrated Tactical System) mission system, five of which being also used as maritime patrollers. Including this latest delivery, Mexico now has a fleet of twelve Airbus Military’s Light and Medium Family aircraft. To date, Airbus Military has sold 82 C295 aircraft to 13 different operators.
The cost of the F-35 program, for instance, is now expected to reach $382 billion over the life of the program. The expected cost of each aircraft rose from $50 million in fiscal year 2002 dollars to $92.4 million. But senior defense officials said they expected to undercut those estimates.
One senior defense official said the Pentagon was already doing detailed reviews of major weapons programs, given efforts to rein in cost overruns on many major weapons programs.
The Pentagon sent the certifications to Congress and then released details to reporters, but senior officials briefed on background and asked not to be named.
The official questioned how much value the time-consuming and costly Nunn-McCurdy reviews truly added to the Pentagon's oversight, noting that some cost increases reflected quantity changes and not management problems.
Officials were assessing the hours involved in the reviews, and trying to devise a more efficient process so senior acquisition officials could spend more time actually managing programs, the official said.
Part of the problem is that Nunn-McCurdy cost breaches actually occur long after program managers identified problems, said the official, who declined to speak on the record. "It's not the best mechanism for us."
The Pentagon in April said the F-35 and five other programs had exceeded certain cost thresholds, prompting reviews that could, but were not expected to, lead to termination.
"We are certifying these six programs," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters on Wednesday after the department completed the reviews.
To allow continued funding, the Pentagon must certify that each program has no viable alternative; that new cost estimates are reasonable; that the program is vital to national security; that it rates a higher priority than other programs; and that it has an adequate management structure.
Defense officials told lawmakers in April that a restructuring of the F-35, or Joint Strike Fighter, would result in a sharp increase in unit costs, driving the overall program of the program to $328 billion. But new estimates indicate the cost will be even higher at $382 billion.
Other programs certified for continued work were:
-- the DDG-1000 destroyer built by General Dynamics Corp (
