Telecom satellite companies continue to buck the downward growth trend that has gripped most sectors of the aerospace industry. Last week, SES and Eutelsat, the No. 2 and 3 operators, both reported strong revenues and earnings, reflecting the strong showing of satellite manufacturers EADS Astrium and Thales Alenia Space the week before (AW&ST Aug. 3, pp. 32-33).
Scientists hope that data from the alpha particle X-ray spectrometer (APXS) on NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity will help them decide if this unusual dark stone is a meteorite. It certainly looks like one, based on its color, pitted texture and size. At 2 ft. across, the stone—nicknamed Block Island—is larger than most “cobbles” found on the planet’s surface. Opportunity spotted Block Island to its rear on July 18 as it was skirting a dune field on its year-long trek to Endeavour Crater.
The air force of Morocco is to receive $30 million in Lockheed Martin-built Sniper advanced targeting pods via a foreign military sales agreement with the Warner-Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia.
R. David Carlton (see photo) has been appointed vice president/associate corporate general counsel/counsel for the Northrop Grumman Corp. ’s Technical Services Sector. He has been the sector’s associate sector counsel.
Israeli officials in Tel Aviv say they have completed testing a specialized version of Israel Aerospace Industries’ long-endurance, medium-size Heron unmanned aerial vehicle.
With long-term production assured, the Eurofighter consortium faces another round of battles as it tries to convince its core stakeholder governments to embark on two major capability upgrades for the Typhoon.
Bombardier Aerospace has received a firm order from an undisclosed airline for five Q400 Next Generation turboprop aircraft plus five options. The five-aircraft order is valued at $159 million, and up to $332 million if options are exercised. Bombardier says that as of Apr. 30, it had delivered 245 of the 362 Q400/Q400 Next Gens on order. The fuel-efficient transports seat 70-80 passengers, have a cruise speed of 360 kt. and feature an active noise and vibration suppression system.
NASA’s Kepler Exoplanet hunting observatory’s instruments are working so well that they have given astronomers their first image of the glow of a hot gasbag planet larger than Jupiter as it circles the backside of a star. The star, HAT-P-7, and its companion planet, P-7B, are located about 1,000 light years from Earth. Their existence was known but the precision of Kepler’s observation has encouraged astronomers as they undertake a planned three-year mission to look for Earth-like planets—exoplanets—circling stars in the Cygnus-Lyra region of the Milky Way.
I disagree with David Birken’s argument that selling the F-22 to foreign countries would even the playing field. That would be true if the U.S. were to sell the F-22 to Russia or China. The only countries currently interested are Japan and Australia, and the likelihood of conflict with them is zero. The only concern would be technology leaks from these countries to others, but with an export version of the aircraft, this concern would be addressed even if these countries should see revolutions similar to that of Iran in 1979.
The right-hand scale for a graphic describing lift capabilities of various spacecraft capable of reaching the International Space Station was incorrectly labeled (AW&ST Aug. 3, p. 30). The measurement is kilograms.
Graham Warwick (Washington), Bettina H. Chavanne (Washington)
“Unmanned aircraft are unmanned only in name” is becoming the mantra of operators as they wrestle with the increasing demands on today’s unmanned systems. That could change with new U.S. acquisition rules designed to encourage competition and innovation in the manpower-intensive ground segment.
William Duncan (see photo) has been named director of international strategic business development for the Boulder, Colo.-based SimAuthor Inc. subsidiary of Qinetiq North America’s Systems Engineering Group . He was director of Teledyne Controls’ Flight Data Monitoring and Analysis Simulation and Services.
Latvian space scientists and astronomers will work more closely with the European Space Agency under a cooperation agreement signed last month. Among facilities expected to benefit from the new arrangement are the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center, the Bruker Baltic company, which makes semiconductor detectors, and the University of Latvia’s Institute of Physics. The Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry already is collaborating with Astrium on cryogenic insulation.
Simon Abel (see photo) has become director of sales for the Standard Power Solutions Div. of Crane Aerospace & Electronics, Redmond, Wash. He was head of the division’s international sales.
Aer Lingus, looking to preserve cash as it struggles financially, is deferring delivery of Airbus A330s and its initial batch of A350s following a fleet plan review. In an effort to control capacity, the carrier is also reducing its leased wide-body fleet. Predelivery payment requirements have been scaled back with the new plan for introducing widebodies. All-in-all, Aer Lingus will reduce its fleet of nine wide-body aircraft to eight by year-end and maintain that level through 2012.
Boeing says the eight 737-800 orders it recently attributed to an unidentified customer will go to EgyptAir and represent a decision by the carrier to convert two orders from wide-body 777s so it can continue to expand its regional flight services. EgyptAir is taking delivery of five 737-800s later this year and has another seven on order. It also operates five 777s and is scheduled to receive six 777-300ERs beginning next year.
Kelley Dobbs (see photo) has been promoted to vice president-human resources and labor relations from vice president-human resources, strategy and culture for Alaska Airlines . Honors and Elections
Forced to effectively abandon the wide-body commercial aircraft sector, Moscow is attempting to secure and build a position in the narrow-body market using two programs—the Superjet 100 regional jetliner and the MS-21 150-210-seat aircraft.
Goodrich has expanded its maintenance, repair and overhaul capability at Dubai. With the addition of engine control accessories to its overhaul portfolio, it will now provide services for Rolls-Royce Trent 500-, 700- and 800-powered aircraft such as the Airbus A330 and A340, and Boeing 777. The operation, set up in 2007, offers services for components and systems for commercial and military aerospace customers from Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Alexey Komarov (Moscow), Michael A. Taverna (Paris)
Though the Superjet 100 certification test program is still some way from completion, prime contractor Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. and PowerJet, the joint venture developing the aircraft’s powerplant, are already concentrating on ramping up production and bringing the new model into service.
Senators continue to question the pay and sleeping habits of regional pilots, with some citing a Washington Post report about boardinghouses that some pilots use to get rest when making cross-country commutes to work. But at a hearing last week, regional carrier executives said they do not believe pilot commuting patterns are a big problem or need monitoring. Fatigue from long commutes to hubs and its relationship to pilot performance were among many issues that emerged in the investigation of the Feb. 12 Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident near Buffalo, N.Y.
The country’s air force commander, Gen. Col. Alexander Zelin, says that in addition to buying the Sukhoi Su-35S, the service will also field the MiG-35S—as the new aircraft are now designated in Russia. This is the first official confirmation of interest in the MiG-35, an updated version of the MiG-29 with extended range, increased combat payload and a radar with active electronically scanned array. It’s a boost for the aircraft as Russia tries to win India’s 126-aircraft Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft program against stiff competition.
Another UAV, the Thunderstorm Fury (which looks like a miniature B-2) demonstrated an electronic attack capability during two flights at an undisclosed site in California on July 27. The design is a product of Chesapeake Technology International and AeroMech Engineering. CTI, which is headquartered near NAS Patuxent River, Md., is a veteran software and systems developer for airborne communications surveillance and attack, counterterrorism C4ISR, UAVs, EA-6B electronic attack aircraft simulators and Tactile Situational Awareness Systems for aircraft and helicopters.
The first G.222 airlifter for the Afghan Army Air Corps has completed its first flight after undergoing refurbishment by Alenia North America. The aircraft, a used Italian air force G.222, was flown at Alenia Aeronautica’s Naples plant. It will be transferred to the company’s Turin Caselle facility for installation of a new communication suite, before returning to Naples for final preparations before delivery. The U.S. Air Force in September awarded a $287-million contract for 18 G.222s for Afghanistan.
