One of the most valuable aspects of annual industry events, such as ATC Global or the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization’s (Canso) own CEO conference, is that they provide ideal opportunities to reflect upon industry developments of the past 12 months and assess the progress that has been made in that time.
The return in force of Boeing to the weakening communications satellite market has rival manufacturers scrambling for the right response. Boeing’s return, after a long absence related to poor program execution, lack of a suitable mid-range product and over-reliance on the military market, is all the more significant because it straddles all three of the industry’s major segments—fixed satellite service (FSS), mobile satellite service (MSS) and broadband.
Modernization may be the battle cry in air traffic management these days, but a program being tested by airlines and ATM organizations shows there are still plenty of ways to improve efficiency without investing in new technology.
Pakistan is in negotiations with the U.S. to get more Lockheed Martin F-16s beyond those it has on order, while at the same time it is developing its defense manufacturing capability to reduce its reliance on the U.S. Pakistan air force Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman disclosed this, though no firm numbers were given. Qamar spoke to Aviation Week in Melbourne, Australia, where he was attending an air chiefs’ conference.
Brian Sheridan has joined the intelligence and security sector of BAE Systems as vice president and deputy manager of strategic initiatives. Honors & Elections
Leithen Francis (Singapore), Michael A. Taverna (Paris)
Buoyed by sustained economic growth, Asian governments are investing more in small satellite systems to gain autonomous access to remote-sensing data over their region and to develop indigenous engineering capabilities.
A shutdown of the federal government would not immediately affect national and domestic security efforts, but government contractors—including a historically large force supporting the Pentagon—could be irreparably impacted, trade groups are warning.
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. is planning a major upgrade to its Disaster Monitoring Constellation that will provide submetric resolution and day/night all-weather operation without overly impacting affordability for the company’s core emerging-market users.
Reader Capt. Clyde Romero, Jr., lauds Alfred Kahn for being responsible for getting him, along with thousands of other workers, their jobs in the airline industry (AW&ST Feb. 7, p. 8). But Romero neglects to mention that those jobs came at the expense of thousands of other airline employees losing their employment. Romero should enjoy his position while he can, because as the business of aviation unfolds, threats to his career and/or retirement may be lurking.
Thales will redeploy space-related activities to Thales Alenia Space to enable the Franco-Italian space contractor to establish a significant presence in Germany. Chairman/CEO Luc Vigneron says the company will transfer undisclosed equipment activities to Thales so it can build up an industrial base in Germany that will allow it to bid more effectively for German and European institutional awards.
Aircraft equipage—or lack of it—is the focus of attention as the FAA rolls out the infrastructure and initial capabilities across the U.S. that underpin its NextGen airspace modernization effort. Aircraft operators will not equip for NextGen until there are economic benefits, but there will not be benefits until they equip, the argument goes. Both sides agree that the faster airspace users equip, the quicker the benefits will come (see pp. 60-74).
Europe hopes to validate this year the first technologies of its massive “Sesar” air traffic management modernization project. But the fate of the endeavor hinges as much on imminent funding decisions as on the outcome of those ATM trials.
I agree with reader Bill Valentino (AW&ST Feb. 14, p. 8) that “the highest priority of Marine Air is to support the infantry.” As a former Marine Boeing CH-46 pilot who served in Vietnam, I believe that any aircraft that doesn’t directly serve the “grunts on the ground” is unnecessary. However, eliminating a Lockheed Martin F-35 engine choice is not the way. The Marine Corps should eliminate its purchase of the F-35 altogether and update the A-10 to provide close air support; it can’t be that hard to put a tailhook on it.
Michael A. Taverna (Paris), Amy Butler (Washington), Frank Morring, Jr. (Washington)
Commercial satellite communications operators complain that a broad overhaul in satcom procurement initiated a year ago, under the new U.S. National Space Policy to help overcome a glaring shortfall in bandwidth, is not working as intended because of contracting inefficiencies.
I, like many others, did not pay any attention to Southwest Airlines when it started, though I was operating out of the DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) area before it was called the DFW area. Now, the airline is approaching its 40th operational anniversary on June 18. The management style of this remarkably profitable entity is studied by many top-ranking business schools. So, why does your analyst in “Stocking Up” (AW&ST Jan. 17, p. 14) only study the airlines that the government started in the 1920-30 era?
Moshe Tal has become CEO of Aitech Rugged Group , Chatsworth, Calif., succeeding Roger Rowe, who has retired. Tal was vice president of AudioCodes USA.
Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast is in service in the U.S., and aircraft operators and avionics manufacturers know what to build and install. The question now is when they will equip, and that depends on what benefits they will see, and how soon.
Local government enthusiasm for economic development will help propel Chinese general aviation development over the coming decade, perhaps accelerating the opening up of low-altitude airspace that is creating the industry’s opportunity.
March 14-17—White Eagle Aerospace Short Courses “Aerodynamics for Engineers.” And, March 21-24—“Fundamentals of Earth Reentry.” Both events at AERO Institute, Palmdale, Calif. Call +1 (520) 219-0526 or see www.whiteeagleaerospace.com March 21-24—National Business Aircraft Association’s 38th Annual International Operators Conference. Sheraton San Diego Hotel. See www.nbaa.org/events/ioc/2011
Swedish air traffic control provider LFV is laying the groundwork for its first operational use of a remote ATC tower, giving controllers the ability to monitor takeoffs and landings at airports hundreds of miles away. The LFV project will help prove technology that will allow ATC organizations to centralize tower services and make them more cost-effective for smaller airports. Saab, the manufacturer of the remote tower system, says it is gaining considerable interest in the product from many different countries.
Gunnar Rosenfeld (see photo) has joined Sandel Avionics , Vista, Calif., as sales representative for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Rosenfeld, who will be based in Cortaillod, Switzerland, was director of DAC International’s European division.
Anousheh Ansari, co-founder and chief executive of Prodea Systems, Plano, Texas, and a participant in the Russian space program, has been chosen to receive the 2011 Horatio Alger Award from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans , for professional success after humble beginnings. Following a childhood in revolutionary Iran, Ansari co-founded Telecom Technologies and became the first female private space explorer and the first astronaut of Iranian descent.
