The U.K.’s military and commercial aerospace industry this year is expected to hit bottom in order intake, after showing a 10.4% decline in 2009. “Either the second or third quarter of 2010 is the trough,” believes Ian Godden, chairman of ADS, the AeroSpace, Defense and Security trade organization. He is optimistic the industry could start showing growth and head toward a boom, particularly in commercial aerospace, as long as a double-dip recession does not affect the global economy.
The VirtualHUD Wingman is a first for portable attitude display and electronic flight information systems (EFIS), according to the company. The Wingman connects to a handheld GPS via a standard RS-232 serial Interface cable and allows for planning flight details with a GPS and then having that information automatically transferred to the Wingman. The display features the standard symbology for an EFIS, but in a compact battery-powered form. With built-in sensors, the Wingman is able to “project” flight-path information via highway-in-the-sky path markers.
USAF Gen. (ret.) Arthur J. Lichte has been named to the board of directors of EADS North America , Arlington, Va. His last post was commander of Air Mobility Command.
Michael Barbalas has been named as president of China activities of the Goodrich Corp. , Charlotte, N.C. He was president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China and succeeds Ken Wood, who has retired.
“Heavy-Lift Boosters” (AW&ST June 28, p. 28) is timely and helps to commemorate, in its way, the historic day 41 years ago, July 20, 1969, when millions watched Astronaut Neil Armstrong take his first historic step on lunar soil. For one shining moment, it seemed that humanity took one giant leap into the future.
In another sign that Washington is edging toward ending its commissioning of new Boeing C-17s, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) hosts a hearing to question and criticize Capitol Hill’s habit of mandating unrequested airlifters for the Air Force. “While the C-17 is an exceptional aircraft,” Carper says, “in this economy we simply cannot afford to increase our C-17 fleet to unnecessarily high levels.” Carper, whose state is home to a major base for C-5s and C-17s, reiterated his call to modernize C-5s instead.
Regulatory and labor concessions are speeding several European network carriers’ momentum toward economic recovery, though labor and government taxation obstacles remain. A key move occurred July 14 when the European Commission granted Oneworld alliance partners British Airways, Iberia and American Airlines antitrust immunity that allows for closer coordination of operations. Although the decision is important for American, it is particularly critical for the European partners, whose pace of recovery has been slower.
Dany Kleiman (see photo) has been appointed group vice president-maintenance, repair and overhaul for the AAR Corp. , Wood Dale, Ill. He was vice president-operations and succeeds Donald Wetekam (see photo), who is now senior vice president-government and defense business development. Cheryle R. Jackson has become vice president-government affairs and corporate development. She was president/CEO of the Chicago Urban League.
Michael Hoffman has been named senior vice president-worldwide sales of Mxi Technologies of Ottawa. He was global vice president-sales operations of Nice Systems.
Technologies Harness Scanner (THS) offers a portable automated solution for onboard electrical maintenance. The HS2000 system is dedicated to in-situ electrical maintenance for fleet operators of aerospace, land and naval vehicles. According to the company, the system can highlight variances of degradation, greatly reduce human error and offers baseline, connector and crimp tools. Diagnostic in-situ maintenance and on-line ISE support are available, as are prognostic reads by aircraft type/specific aircraft.
The U.K.’s Brimstone anti-armor weapon is an ideal missile for dealing with massed tank formations—unfortunately the Cold War ended, and with it went the target set, before the weapon was even to enter service. In parallel, rules of engagement have become increasingly restrictive, driven by the need to minimize civilian casualties and collateral damage, a role for which the baseline MBDA Brimstone was ill-suited.
I find the Feedbox section of AW&ST to be full of enlightening, and sometimes exasperating, views from a host of readers when it comes to NASA. One reader recently castigated NASA as “the most misdirected and wastefully expensive federal project I have ever experienced.” He went on to say “ . . . we know little more about it [the Moon] than we did when [Neil Armstrong] returned.” That is absolutely breathtaking in the face of the Obama administration’s cancellation of the lunar return program.
Sporty’s laminated charts won’t rip, wrinkle or stain, according to the company. Their thick coating resists damage, but still allows for folding. All U.S. Sectional Charts are available in the tear-proof format. Tear-proof charts can also be used with grease pencils to mark courses or to make notes or be used as a wall hanging. All charts are current. Tear-proof U.S. Sectional Charts are available for $16.50. All Sporty’s charts may be purchased at sportys.com, or by calling +1 (800) SPORTYS or +1 (513) 735-9000.
Benjamin Murray has been appointed president of XOJET , San Carlos, Calif. He was executive vice president of NetJets Inc. and CEO of Executive Jet Management.
I was inspired by the account of the Hayabusa spacecraft mission (AW&ST June 28, p. 31). I was a member of the Mars Observer spacecraft team in the 1990s, and the account of Hayabusa’s trials and eventual success brought back fond memories. Before that, I worked on the Rosetta mission, at the time a comet sample-return attempt.
Jack Pelton, the charismatic CEO of Textron Inc.’s Cessna Aircraft Co., cannot be faulted for seeing signs of hope in the battered business jet industry. During a recent speech in Washington, he opined that companies have a chance to lure back a good number of the thousands of workers they have laid off—when the market improves. “It’s an attractive industry for a young person to be in,” Pelton says. “There are an awful lot of people waiting to get back onto the payroll at Cessna so they can have that high quality of life.”
Capt. Jeffery Kilmer has been named regional chief pilot for international operations and Capt. John Bryan Bailey chief pilot for Anchorage and Los Angeles at Fedex Express . Kilmer was a line captain and instructor, while Bailey was a company FAA designee and standards check airman.
Australia’s Regional Express Holdings (REX) is the top-performing regional carrier for the second consecutive year. Its liquidity and financial health scores were the highest in its category. Though REX’s total score dropped compared with last year, it still managed to edge out SkyWest Airlines for the top spot. REX recorded a profit of $17 million in fiscal 2009, down slightly from its 2008 profit. The carrier’s fleet includes 45 Saab 340s (right). In the regional category overall, the median score rose in this year’s study following two years of decline.
Andy Nativi (Genoa), Robert Wall (London), Douglas Barrie (London )
Singapore becomes the most likely launch export customer for the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainer now that contract negotiations with the United Arab Emirates are apparently becalmed. While no member of the M-346 team now bidding in Singapore is willing to comment, claims are emerging from South Korea about the preferred platform. The M-346 is being bid against the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI)/Lockheed Martin T-50.
The long-running saga of FAA reauthorization may finally be drawing to a close, but even at this late stage there are plenty of unresolved issues to worry the aviation industry.
Post-2000 the U.S. “legacy” airlines have incurred enormous financial losses, and four of the six have been through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filings—one of them (US Airways) twice. High passenger load factors notwithstanding, there is excess capacity in the U.S. carrier ranks; “excess” in the sense that fares and yields are not high enough for these carriers to generate consistent profits.
Dana Sacks has become vice president-human resources partners and talent acquisition for United Airlines parent UAL Corp. She was vice president-human resources for PepsiAmericas.
