The U.S. fills two of its most senior positions in the international aviation arena. The State Department promoted Kris Urs to succeed John Byerly as the deputy assistant secretary for transportation, the point man on bilaterals and other negotiations. Urs, a veteran of aviation negotiations, will take over on Nov. 1. Meanwhile, the Senate OK’d former Air Line Pilots Association chief Duane Woerth as U.S. representative to ICAO. Industry groups had urged that he be confirmedin time for the ICAO general assembly, which began Sept. 28. There had been no permanent U.S.
The Eurocopter EC635 is a military version of the EC135 multipurpose light twin-turbine helicopter, used in troop transport, search and rescue, and training. Two versions are marketed: the EC635P2+, powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206B2 engines rated at 667 shp. each for takeoff; and the EC635T2+, powered by Turbomeca Arrius 2B2 engines rated at 606 shp. each for takeoff. Through 2009, 33 EC635s were produced; another 43 are expected to be produced in 2010-19.
The next Soyuz capsule launched to the International Space Station will be able to carry about 70 kg. more payload, thanks to a digital flight computer that replaces the analog system used for the past 30 years. Cosmonaut Aleksander Kaleri will check out the new TsVM-101 computer in flight next month, when the Soyuz TMA-01M vehicle is launched to the ISS. Liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is scheduled for Oct. 8.
In 1991, two years after the U.S. withdrew from the Grumman/Chengdu Super 7 program, Chengdu began the FC-1 program. Pakistan, where the aircraft is known as the JF-17, and China signed an agreement in 1998 for joint development and production. The first prototype flew in 2003, and the first delivery occurred in 2007. The single-seat air superiority and ground attack aircraft is powered by a single Klimov RD-93 afterburning turbofan (18,300 lb. thrust), with a two-seat variant also planned.
The Schweizer 330 and S-333 are a series of 3-4-place, single-turbine-powered military training/utility helicopters developed out of the piston-powered S-300. The S-330 and the S-330SP were both powered by a 420-shp. Rolls-Royce Model 250-C20W turboshaft engine derated to 235 shp.; the S-333 is also powered by the 250-C20W. Through 2009, 32 S-330s and 60 S-333s were produced.
The Eurocopter BO105 is a 5-7-seat, twin-turboshaft-engine, single-main-rotor utility helicopter used for both military and commercial roles. BO105CB/CBS models were powered by two Rolls-Royce 250-C20B turboshaft engines rated at 420 shp. each for takeoff, while the BO105LS featured a pair of Rolls-Royce 250-C28C turboshafts rated at 500 shp. each for takeoff. Approximately 1,400 BO105s, including 680 military BO105s, were built through 2005. The newer and more advanced EC135/635 light twin has replaced the BO105 in Eurocopter’s product line.
Jacques Serre (see photos) has been named senior vice president-systems engineering, Martin Sion director of the space engines division and Pierre Syx vice president-economic and financial affairs/corporate secretary at Snecma , Courcouronnes, France. Serre was head of the operations division, Sion head of the equipment and accessories center of industrial excellence at Snecma’s production division and Syx vice president-administrative and financial affairs.
Brandi L. Festa has been promoted to director of finance and administration/principal accounting officer/secretary-treasurer from corporate controller of the Emrise Corp. , Eatontown, N.J. She succeeds CFO D. John Donovan, who has resigned.
Two days after Southwest Airlines unveiled its proposed $1.4-billion acquisition of AirTran Airways, TransDigm Group Inc., a mid-size supplier of aircraft components, announced a deal of almost similar size to buy McKechnie Aerospace Holdings. It was barely noticed in the mainstream media. Nor was much attention paid when Safran SA announced on Sept. 20 that it would pay $1.1 billion to acquire L-1 Identity Solutions, a biometrics company that was the brainchild of L-3 Communications Holdings co-founder Robert LaPenta.
William Garvey’s “Proceeding as Planned” (AW&ST Sept. 6, p. 45) commended Gulfstream for following dates and budgets on its G650 program, a practice not often heard of late. He listed programs that could follow neither a budget nor a schedule, including the 787, F-35, A400M and A380. However, there is one significant program that has been on time and within budget that should receive credit, the Boeing-Navy EA-18G Growler now joining fleet squadrons and replacing the EA-6B Prowler. It even beat some timelines.
With both incumbent network carriers and low-cost entities struggling in nearly every global aviation market—including India and the Middle East—I wonder if we will ever crack the code on sustainable, commercially viable airline operations (AW&ST Sept. 13, pp. 22, 24).
The Pentagon and Iraqi government are discussing the purchase of 18 F-16IQs, with a value of up to $4.2 billion. The package would comprise four Advanced Airborne Reconnaissance Systems; Sniper or Litening targeting pods; ALQ-187 and ALR-93 electronic warfare equipment; basic air-to-air missiles, including AIM-9 Sidewinders and AIM-7M Sparrows, but not AIM-120 Amraams. The air-to-ground configuration would include up to 50 AGM-65 Maverick missiles and laser-guided bombs.
Gathering intelligence beyond its borders has always been a prime need for Israeli intelligence and military operations. Now the quiet, electric-powered, 70-kt. Panther unmanned aerial system (UAS) has been developed and flown by Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Malat division to expand that clandestine capability. Panther, from the classified projects section of IAI, was designed to conduct low-noise surveillance operations at up to 60 km. (37 ft.) by a ground team of two while in flight, on the ground or in a hover.
Aerojet has completed ground tests of an advanced combined-cycle engine inlet and is looking for an opportunity to flight-test the design, which enables a smooth transition between low-speed turbojet and high-speed scramjet operation. The inlet is designed to allow a vehicle to accelerate seamlessly from a runway takeoff to hypersonic cruise. The latest series of low-speed tests at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio followed earlier high-speed tests of the Advanced Combined-Cycle Integrated Inlet (ACCII) at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia.
The Jaguar is a single-seat light strike/reconnaissance aircraft; twin-seat trainer versions have also been built. Through 1985, the Jaguar was produced by Societe Europeenne de Production de l’Avion ECAT (Sepecat), a consortium consisting of BAE Systems and Dassault, while Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) also built the aircraft under license. First flight for a prototype occurred in 1968 and deliveries began in 1972. Power for the Jaguar comes from a pair of Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour turbofan engines; the exact Adour version varies by aircraft model.
Two groups developing XML-encoding standards for the airline industry will spend the coming weeks trying to work out details for a final agreement that ensures they will not end up at odds, after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) this month designed to assure the industry’s suppliers and third-party distributors that they are committed to cooperating.
Newly declassified details of the analysis behind the U.S. Air Force’s decision to opt for a next-generation Reusable Booster System (RBS) reveal a long-term preference for a rocket-based, combined-cycle upper-stage orbiter over the nearer-term expendable solution.
“Northwest Spoke” about Portland, (Ore.) International Airport being able to retain its International service (AW&ST Sept. 6, p. 43) omitted one salient point: The Delta-Northwest merger allowed the Portland-Tokyo Narita service to be downsized to Boeing 767s, thereby lessening losses during the period of time when the economy was struggling. Northwest Airlines had the original route authority, but had nothing smaller than an Airbus A330 for the route. Delta had plenty of 767-300ERs but no route authority.
Boeing has taken a 100% paperless approach to training and operations for the 787, a digitization so pervasive that in their preparations to begin flying and servicing the new long-range jet, pilots and mechanics will download class instruction as a PDF file—and annotate it electronically in the margins. “PTQ” is the new slogan at Boeing Training & Flight Services, the former Alteon. It stands for “put together quick,” explains Vice President Sherry Carbary.
While aviation pursues its own green agenda, it stands as an obstacle to an icon of environmentalism—the wind farm. Projects to generate gigawatts of renewable power are stalled in the U.S. and elsewhere due to wind turbine interference with aviation radars. Technology is mitigating the problem, but the energy industry wants more research into solutions ranging from better radar modeling to stealthy turbine blades.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter have placed more meat on the bones of nascent efforts to redirect $101 billion in Defense Department spending. Defense program managers now have to set an “affordability target,” which can be changed only with approval of Carter or his successors, and must also pursue “real competition” among contractors under 23 acquisition directives outlined Sept. 14. In particular, services and support contracts will be targeted. Spending on these long ago surpassed awards for weapons.
I’ve read recently that Boeing is suggesting that the C-17 could have a narrower fuselage and more composites to increase fuel efficiency. But wouldn’t it be simpler and cheaper to just add a drop tank under each wing between the two engines to increase the range, like the C-130 has had for decades? Also, if the C-17 was stretched significantly, couldn’t these replace most of the oldest C-5A Galaxys, since they both have similar fuselage diameters?
For the third time this year, Boeing says it will increase 737 production rates. Beginning in the second quarter of 2013, it will produce 38 aircraft per month. In May Boeing said it would raise the rate to 34 from 31.5, starting in early 2012. Then it changed its mind in June to push the 2012 rate to 35. Boeing has added 20 new unidentified customer orders, including those for 15 737s and five 777s. But it also reduced 737 orders by one and 777 orders by two while revealing Continental Airlines as the buyer of seven 737s.
