Two airlines in Africa, Kenya Airways and TAAG Linhas Aereas de Angola, have signed on for the Boeing Maintenance Performance Toolbox—a compilation of six tools in one suite of software products that can be tailored to specific needs. Kenya Airways intends to equip its Next-Generation 737, 767 and 777 fleets—the 737s and 777s will use three modules (library, authoring and systems); the 767s will use the library module only. TAAG intends to employ the maintenance tool on its NextGen 737 and 777 fleets, utilizing four modules—library, authoring, systems and structures.
A U.S. Air Force A-10 conducted the first flight of an aircraft fueled solely with a 50:50 blend of bio-derived and conventional jet fuel on March 25, from Eglin AFB, Fla. Previous test flights, by airlines, have used a 50% biofuel blend only in one engine. The hydro-treated renewable jet (HRJ) fuel burned on the almost 90-min. flight was derived from camelina plant oil. The U.S. Navy plans to flight-test a 50% blend of algae-based HRJ fuel in its F/A-18 Green Hornet from NAS Patuxent River, Md., on April 22.
Hawker Beechcraft is continuing it strong push in the Asia-Pacific region for the Hawker 4000 business jet by appointing Hawker Pacific Singapore as its first authorized service center for Southeast Asia. The Wichita, Kan.-based manufacturer has delivered its first Hawker 4000 in China and initiated a sales campaign in India. The Singapore facility holds 15 regulatory approval ratings, including those from the FAA, European Aviation Safety Agency, Civil Aviation Authority of China and Director General of Civil Aviation in India.
A commercial Proton orbited the heaviest satellite ever to fly on the Russian launch vehicle March 21, placing the 6.3-metric-ton EchoStar XIV Ku-band satellite in its geosynchronous transfer orbit for the DISH Network direct-to-home operation. The launch vehicle’s Breeze M upper stage released the spacecraft after a 9-hr., 10‑min. mission. Liftoff from Pad 39 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan came at 2:27 p.m. EDT. The spacecraft will be positioned at 119 deg. W., where it will deliver Ku-band service over the U.S.
Graham Lake has been appointed director general of the Netherlands-based Civil Air Navigation Services Organization . He succeeds Alexander ter Kuile, who has resigned. Lake was chairman of Micronav and managing partner of U.K.-based Aviation Management Solutions and Services.
Honeywell Aerospace now has more than 3,000 engineers employed in India, China and the Czech Republic. The rapidly expanding team is helping supplement the Phoenix-based unit’s team of U.S. engineers, while bolstering Honeywell Aerospace’s strategy of bringing product support “close to the customer” in fast-growing global markets, says product management chief Carl Esposito.
It is a rare occurrence these days when the quarterly earnings call of a major aerospace and defense (A&D) contractor does not include a mention of “cyber.” Lockheed Martin created a cyber-defense business unit; Raytheon has spent nearly $250 million since 2007 on acquisitions to bolster its cyber-capable arsenal; L-3 Communications’ business development strategy calls for growing its share of that market; and last summer, Boeing staged an event near the Pentagon to showcase its expertise in the burgeoning field.
The government of recession-hit Romania has approved a defense ministry plan to buy 24 ex-USAF F-16s, citing the lack of financial resources to buy new aircraft. The U.S. had offered 24 new Block 50/52 F-16C/Ds or refurbished and upgraded Block 25 F-16C/Ds with F100-220 IPE engines and APG-68(V)1 radars, with the latter deal valued at $1.3 billion. If approved by parliament, the aircraft will be delivered beginning in 2013 to replace the air force’s MiG-21 Lancers.
The U.S. Defense Department has appointed new Defense Science Board members and DSB senior fellows. Board members include Edward A. Adler, former director of the Tactical Technology Office of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa); Wanda M. Austin, CEO of The Aerospace Corp.; Jack Bell, former deputy undersecretary of Defense for logistics and material readiness; David S.C. Chu, former undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness; Stephen E. Cross of the Georgia Institute of Technology; John W. Deutch, former deputy Defense secretary; John W.
Industry players have until early May to respond to a U.S. Navy request for information (RFI) for a carrier-based, stealthy, unmanned, strike and surveillance system capable of integrating with manned aircraft as part of a carrier air wing by 2018.
Frank Morring, Jr. (Washington), Michael Bruno (Washington)
The Obama administration’s effort to kill NASA’s Constellation Program has much of the agency’s workforce, except its attorneys, worried about their jobs.
In 2018, the U.S. Navy hopes to take a major step toward fielding a cyber-attack system on a tactically survivable, fighter-size aircraft. Although researchers are cautious about discussing their cyberwarfare and electronic attack projects, one company states that it is “developing a weapon system that can deliver cyber-effects through free space into an aperture.”
April 8-9—European Space Policy Institute Conference: “Current Legal Issues for Satellite Earth Observation.” Palais Fanto, Vienna. See www.espi.or.at April 8-10—Aerodrome India 2010: Fourth International Exhibition and Forum on Airport Infrastructure, Operations, Security and Connectivity. Mumbai Exhibition Center. Call +91 (80) 2554-7169, fax +91 (80) 2554-2258 or see www.aerodromeindia.com
A pair of upgraded Athena launch vehicles for small satellites should be ready for service in 2012 under a new teaming arrangement between Lockheed Martin and Alliant Techsystems (ATK).
The Concorde trial, which began on Feb. 2—nearly 10 years after the supersonic transport crashed near Paris—is progressing slowly and should end in late May. On Day 1, the courtroom was packed, but public interest waned quickly. Lots of patience is required to listen to endless discussions of technical issues in preparation for upcoming debates.
Luigi Pasquali, CEO of Thales Alenia Space’s Italian arm, says the U.S. decision to agree to prolong the life of the International Space Station at least through 2020 may open up more opportunities for international partners than initially thought. In early discussions, European space officials alluded to the prospect of two additional Automated Transfer Vehicle sales and a possible project to man-rate the Ariane 5 launch vehicle or activate manned space infrastructure provisions being designed into the new Soyuz launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana (AW&ST Feb.
William L. Jones (see photo), who is senior staff scientist/sub project manager for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency program in the Microelectronics Product Center within the Space and Defense Products Div. of the Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp.’s Aerospace Systems Sector, has won the National Society of Black Engineers ’ Lifetime Achievement in Aerospace Award for “technical excellence, leadership and contributions to the engineering field.”
NASA’s workhorse space shuttle orbiter Discovery is set to deliver a load of science racks and other gear to the International Space Station (ISS) for long-term operations, as assembly gives way to research on the orbiting laboratory.
Harold W. McGraw, Jr., who began his career as a book company sales representative in the firm founded by his grandfather, James H. McGraw, and went on to lead McGraw-Hill’s rapid growth as a diversified global company through the dawn of the Digital Age, died at home in Darien, Conn., on March 24. He was 92.
In response to Prof. (Emeritus) Eugene E. Covert’s letter “Goal of Zero Accidents is Unrealistic” (AW&ST Feb. 15, p. 8), of course this goal is unrealistic, that is why you set goals high. Perfection is unattainable, but in my safety career in academia, industry and the government—in research, laboratory, pilot plant and full-scale chemical plant environments—it is just this attitude that a management committed to safety has to overcome.
Accelergy expects to deliver 100% synthetic jet fuel to USAF for evaluation, beginning late this year. The Houston company has agreed with Montana-based camelina provider Great Plains Oil & Exploration to blend the plant oil with liquefied coal to produce the fuel. Accelergy says a pilot “coal-and-biomass-to-liquid” plant is under construction at the University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center and will begin producing biojet fuel in the third quarter.
ViaSat plans to issue 5.5 million shares of common stock to help fund rollout of its 125-Gbps. high-speed Internet satellite. ViaSat-1 is to be orbited in early 2011 to provide additional capacity for broadband operator WildBlue Communications, which was acquired by ViaSat in December, and scope for future growth (AW&ST March 15, p. 51). About 2.5 million shares are to be sold by ViaSat
Two of the British Royal Air Force’s Hawk Red Arrows display team aircraft were involved in a collision March 23, resulting in the destruction of one of the jet trainers. One pilot was forced to eject immediately after the impact, while the other aircraft was landed safety. Neither of the pilots sustained serious injuries. The incident occurred during training using the Kastelli Greek AFB on Crete.
Known as an engineer’s engineer and a leader committed to continuous investment in the future of his corporation’s workforce, Ronald D. Sugar was honored as the first recipient of the Aviation Week Laureate for Workforce Commitment. Sugar is chairman emeritus of the Northrop Grumman Corp.
