While the carriers maintain that the proposed merger between Continental and United Airlines is one of equals, the recently announced senior management team shows a notable reliance on Houston-based Continental’s leadership team. Under the integration plan issued last week, Continental chief Jeffery Smisek adds the title of president to the CEO role he had already been assigned, while the coveted CFO position goes to his colleague Zane Rowe rather than United’s Kathryn Mikells.
The hand-wringing by so many of your readers regarding President Barack Obama’s redirection our space exploration program seems to ignore two basic long-term historical lessons (AW&ST July 26, pp. 10-11).
The strong rebound in international passenger and cargo demand is continuing, as the airline industry further distances itself from the 2009 downturn and the ash-related cancellations earlier this year.
The growing integration of the Russian aerospace sector into the global industry, with a heightened emphasis on the civil end, is starting to pay dividends, as evidenced by events here.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes is expanding the GoldCare by-the-hour maintenance program it developed for the 787 to other aircraft as it prepares to apply the program with the European carrier TUI. Discussions with various airlines are underway to apply the model to the 737NG.
U.S. aerospace and defense advocates are using the recent Washington visit of British leaders, as well as the Farnborough air show, to push the Senate toward ratifying the aging defense export trade treaties that then-President George W. Bush signed in 2007 with the U.K. and Australia. British officials are advertising their disappointment that the U.S. has waited so long, and U.S. Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) representatives are sounding the alarm. “As made clear by U.K.
London recorded a £3-billion ($4.56-billion) increase in defense export sales for 2009, with orders for the year worth £7.2 billion. Sales were strong in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Figures from the U.K. Trade and Investment’s Defense and Security Organization put Britain’s numbers second, behind Washington’s. The government is trying to use export sales as a “shock absorber” to offset the impact on industry of impending domestic expenditure reductions.
Frank Morring, Jr. (Washington), Kristin Majcher (Washington)
The long logjam over U.S. space policy is breaking up, as the impasse between the White House and Congress evolves into serious negotiations over details of a compromise approach that would accelerate a heavy-lift launch vehicle and preserve the Orion crew exploration vehicle.
Boeing will fly two demonstrators to accelerate the development of technology to improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise. A Boeing 737NG (see image) will be flown in 2012 and a twin-aisle aircraft in 2013 under its ecoDemonstrators program. Flight-testing will be supported by $25 million in cost-matching funds received from the FAA under its Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (Cleen) research program. Technologies to be flight-tested include ceramic matrix composite acoustic engine nozzles, advanced inlets and adaptive wing trailing-edge flaps.
The recent article “Stellar Nurseries” (AW&ST July 12, p. 44) states: “Currently accepted stellar theory says it should not be possible to form stars larger than eight solar masses.” This is actually a gross understatement of the problems inherent in the currently accepted theory, which cannot explain how any stars are formed. We are told that the force of gravity causes gas clouds to accumulate mass and eventually ignite to form stars.
Like reader Tom Davis, I have often wondered about the actual utility of the latest techniques/developments in active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and other electronics in current combats (AW&ST July 5, p. 8). I am reminded of this talefrom the days of classic warfare, when great warriors dueled each other in civilized arenas to determine the win/loss of battles. Once upon a time, there was a master swordsman, who had a brilliant disciple. Seeing the limit to his future under his guru, the disciple joins a rival kingdom.
The stakes could not be higher as the commercial aerospace industry struggles to define the new rules of the road that will govern industrial and trade relations in the post-Airbus-Boeing-duopoly.
Astrium has unveiled a carbon-fiber airborne terminal that it says will sharply improve performance compared to standard aluminum antennas that currently dominate the market. The company says the highly stabilized 16-kg. (35-lb.) terminal, dubbed AirPatrol, has demonstrated data rates of up to 20 Mbps. in X-band in bench trials, using the unit’s standard 60-cm. (24-in.) dish, and up to three times the capacity of a conventional antenna, but has yet to undergo flight trials.
Turkish Aerospace Industries rolled out the first prototype Anka (Phoenix) medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aircraft in Ankara on July 16. The Anka is a Predator A-class UAV. First flight is planned for October. The Thielert diesel-powered vehicle has a 56-ft. wingspan, 3,500-lb. gross weight, 30,000-ft. ceiling and 24-hr. endurance with a 440-lb payload.
In reference to reader Tom Megna’s letter, “Capsule Calvacade” (AW&ST July 5, p. 8), please note that spaceplanes appear attractive for science fiction, but are inefficient in terms of energy. We need to adhere to some basic principles of physics, in particular: All existing propulsion systems are linked to the “simple” law F=ma—Newton’s second law of motion. What goes into orbit are the payload mass and accessories, the latter must be minimized to reduce the total amount of propellant used.
The planned visit this week to India of British Prime Minister David Cameron likely will coincide with the announcement of a contract for a further 57 BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft. The state visit will see Cameron meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The U.K.’s recently elected Conservative-Liberal Democratic coalition government has already identified India as a nation with which it wants to build a strategic relationship.
China has deferred building a second airport for Beijing, opening opportunities for those at nearby cities to help serve the capital. A policy under development and not yet announced will determine the configuration of airports that will serve the booming city, whose population has already passed 17 million as it heads toward a future as one of the biggest points on the world’s air transportation map.
The Japanese defense ministry is considering ordering a further batch of about 20 F-2 strike fighters from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to sustain the country’s combat aircraft production base. The aircraft would replace F-4 Phantoms in the air-to-air role and would be ordered in addition to the 94 that, according to a 2006 plan, were supposed to complete the F-2 program.
Aviation Week & Space Technology writers Joseph C. Anselmo and William Garvey are among those who were honored in London last week with Aerospace Journalist of the Year Awards. A magazine cover package on Oct. 17, 2009, exploring the economic plight of the business aviation sector and focusing on Wichita, Kan., was judged to be the best business aircraft submission.
Details of a workshare agreement between U.S.-based Alliant Techsystems and MBDA in Italy for the AGM-88E Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Ground Missile (Aargm) modification kit are nearing a close. Italy and the U.S. are jointly building the new guidance kit to reduce the fratricide and collateral damage of High-Speed Anti-Radiation missiles in the fleet. In the U.S., initial operational test and evaluation is underway, and initial operational capability is expected next year on the F/A-18C/D.
I read William Garvey’s very timely commentary on unleaded avgas versus the clock (AW&ST July 5, p. 39) with interest. I am distressed that engine specialists Continental and Lycoming cannot agree on an alternative 94UL (automobile gas) fuel versus 100UL. Maybe the best alternative is Jet A1 . . . in a diesel!
Many senior defense industry leaders say the Pentagon’s acquisition reform is “noble,” but few appear convinced that real change to a burdensome—and some say broken—procurement process is on the horizon.
Italy will field Textron AAI Shadow 200 unmanned aircraft under a €51-million ($68-million) contract. Italy is the second European export customer for the Shadow 200 after Sweden, which plans to field its first systems next year. Italy is buying four systems with four air vehicles each.
Douglas Barrie (Farnborough), Amy Butler (Farnborough), Robert Wall (Farnborough)
Savings at home and sales abroad are emerging as key drivers in the fighter aircraft market as manufacturers vie for export programs fundamental to their future welfare. Some of the efforts are aimed at tempting prospective F-35 buyers to defect. Building on its F-15 Silent Eagle template, Boeing is now offering a similar upgrade model for its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Chris A. Spann (see photo) has been named director of aviation at Barge Waggoner Sumner and Cannon Inc. , Nashville, Tenn. He was associate vice president/national aviation manager at PBS&J, also in Nashville.
