Airbus developed a new braking system that should win certification at the beginning of 2009.

Airbus developed a new braking system that should win certification at the beginning of 2009. The A380 superjumbo tested the new braking system patented by Airbus at the Nice airport, south-east of France, yesterday. The Brake-to-Vacate system is designed to reduce the time spent by aircraft on landing runways, thanks to shorter deceleration phases. Etienne Tarnowski, A380 test pilot, said “one of the major problems in aeronautics today lies in runway congestion”. The energy used for stopping the aircraft will also be reduced thanks to this new system, proposed in option on the A380. AFP (03/06), Aujourd’hui en France, Metro Airbus and Italian airline AirOne signed an “important strategic agreement” yesterday, announced officials at the carrier. Under this agreement, Airbus should supply long-range aircraft to the expanding Italian airline, which declined to give further details. AirOne already has a long-term agreement with Airbus for the shorter range A320 aircraft, points out AFX. AFX (03/06)