India’s equivalent of the U.S. FAA, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, has initiated a safety oversight system to address issues raised by an audit from the FAA on behalf of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The move comes in advance of a review set for September by the U.S. agency. The audit cited weaknesses in India’s Flight Inspection Directorate, legislation, accident and incident investigations, air navigation systems, airport quality, surveillance, training and risk assessment policy.
Defense departments worldwide will spend about $11.05 billion on 25 different multimission communications development, acquisition and maintenance programs over the next decade, according to a U.S. consultancy. Forecast International (FI) says they will purchase 634,690 individual units from among 18 different multimission communications products in the decade. The U.S. Joint Tactical Radio System program, the Bowman Tactical Radio program and the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System will “significantly impact” the market, says FI.
Thank you ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the presentation on our new airliner. Some of you will be surprised at the improvement it offers in so many areas, compared with current in-service types, while others may believe it is about time such improvements were available to your industry. Although our plans are complete, the overall task is huge and there must be some doubt about when we will achieve all of our objectives. As our development and testing programs proceed, we shall steadily reduce this doubt toward zero.
The outside panel examining NASA’s human-spaceflight plans for President Barack Obama foresees a much bigger gap in the U.S. ability to send its astronauts into space after the space shuttle fleet retires than the space agency targets with its current plan, and has gone back to basics in its searching for alternatives.
Ethiopian Airlines has placed an order for 12 Airbus A350-900s for its long-term modernization needs, starting in 2017. The deal was made in parallel with the airline’s commitment for 777s (see p. 14).
The U.S. Navy is set to confirm a new contract with Boeing for three additional P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, which will be used for the operational test and evaluation phase of the program. The aircraft represent the first incremental addition to the baseline contract, which covered five airframes, three flying and two ground test, for the development phase. The P-8A is scheduled to achieve initial operating capability in late 2013 and full fleet deployment in late 2018.
Cambodia has a new national airline, replacing one that was forced into bankruptcy in 2001. Vietnam Airlines will hold 49% of Cambodia Angkor Air. The Cambodian government will own the rest. Cambodia Angkor Air is operating two ATR 72 turboprops and is due to receive an Airbus A321 next month.
Korean Air has plenty of aircraft on order to support its ambitious growth plans—but filling them will be a challenge. The airline knows that simply bringing more passengers to Seoul will not be enough. Instead, it is aiming to transform its hub into one of the top connecting points for transpacific traffic flows.
House and Senate aviation leaders may disagree over elements of the FAA reauthorization bill, but on one issue at least they are finding compromise. House aviation subcommittee chairman Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) is signaling he will support a Senate initiative to set aggressive deadlines for FAA to introduce satellite-based navigation procedures—known as RNAV/RNP—at airports nationwide by 2018. Costello says that while the House version of the reauthorization bill does not contain similar deadlines, he believes the Senate’s approach “has merit.”
Washington insiders are confirming the existence of a tail-less, stealthy-looking, turbojet-powered UAV that was spotted being rolled into a General Atomics hangar in Kandahar, Afghanistan, nearly two years ago. U.S. experts with insights into UAV programs acknowledge the existence of the stealthy UAV, but not much else. “It was there in the fall of 2007,” says one specialist.
Rolls-Royce has seen slower order intake in the first six months and also has been affected by Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 delays, but still was able to secure £7.9 billion in new orders and bring the order book to a record £57.5 billion. Rolls also notes that while the 787 delays have hampered sales of the Trent 1000, they have spurred interest in the Airbus A330 on which Rolls offers the Trent 700. The company took almost 100 orders for that engine type in the first six months.
The article “Shuttle Officials Investigate Post-Launch Foam Release” (AW&ST July 20, p. 14) minimizes the foam loss because it “came so late in the ascent that there wasn’t enough atmosphere to slam it into the delicate RCC [reinforced carbon-carbon] panel.”
EADS has begun the flight test program for a new iteration of the Barracuda unmanned aircraft, to follow the vehicle that first flew in April 2006 and crashed about five months later.
While Seoul’s Incheon International has a large role in Korean Air’s plans, the airport is relying on Korean—as well as mainline rival Asiana and new low-cost carriers—to achieve its own aggressive growth targets.
Cybersecurity—already a $17-billion industry in the U.S.—is likely to grow at 7-11% per year for the foreseeable future, according to a Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative led by White House cyberadviser Melissa Hathaway.
Deborah A.P. Hersman was sworn in as the 12th NTSB chair on July 28. She joined the safety board on June 21, 2004, and has been a member on-scene at 16 major transportation accidents. Hersman succeeds Mark V. Rosenker, who resigned on July 22.
Having seen billions in defense procurement dollars directed to U.S. manufacturers, Canada’s aerospace industry has welcomed a gesture that could give local companies a bigger stake in Ottawa’s next major aircraft acquisition.
The U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) has completed the Propulsion Replacement Program (PRP) tests for the Minuteman III rocket motor. The PRP’s purpose is to qualify new designs and motor upgrades in support of the Minuteman II fleet of ICBMs. Testing began in 2001 using the Center’s J-6 facility, built in 1994 specifically for vetting large rocket motors at simulated altitudes up to 100,000 ft. above sea level, says James Brooks, J-6 facility program manager. The Air Force has been replacing old motors from missiles in silos with new ones.
Germany’s EMT has secured a further contract from the German defense ministry for Luna unmanned aircraft. Existing systems are supporting German forces in Afghanistan. The latest deal provides for EMT to supply four systems, including 40 air vehicles, eight ground control stations, launchers and landing systems. The system will be integrated in mine-protected vehicles. Deliveries should conclude next summer.
Israel’s Aeronautics has begun flight testing the Dominator II medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft, which is based on the Diamond DA42 all-composite, twin-engine light aircraft. Aeronautics says the Dominator II is the first UAV based on a manned aircraft with full civil certification, and paves the way for unmanned aircraft to enter the civilian market. Powered by twin turbodiesel engines, the 13.5-meter (44.3-ft.) span, 2,000-kg. (4,400-lb.) gross-weight UAV has a maximum payload of 400 kg., a 75-190-kt. speed range, 30,000-ft.
Scientists plan to use the new Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC 3) on the Hubble Space Telescope at least two more times to image the ugly bruise left near Jupiter’s south pole by what probably was a passing comet July 19 (AW&ST July 27, p. 15). Installed by the crew of the space shuttle Atlantis during the STS-125 Hubble servicing mission in May, the WFC 3 is nearing the end of its commissioning period and is becoming available for scientific observation.
The European Space Agency and Eumetsat have inked a framework agreement that will enable the two agencies to work together on the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security initiative as they currently do in Europe’s weather satellite program.
I read with some amusement the commentary by George W. Hamlin on the health of the U.S. airline industry (AW&ST July 13, p. 50). He mentions the market share mindset from the days of economic regulation, which is still held by some executives. The unfounded promises of deregulation are just not coming to fruition; except perhaps in the case of Southwest Airlines. Although more people are flying than in the days of regulation, what has been the cost? We have an unstable, low-wage industry that cannot turn a profit except in the best of times.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Air Guard is to establish its first dedicated search-and-rescue helicopter unit, following the signing of a $348-million contract with AgustaWestland for four AW139 medium twins and five years of support. A consortium involving the manufacturer, Bristow Caribbean, FB Heliservices and Helidex will be established to manage the program.
A Korean Air Boeing 747-400 flies a final approach to Runway 24R at Los Angeles International Airport, which is the airline’s major U.S. gateway. The carrier is aiming to capture a greater share of transpacific connecting traffic, such as within the U.S.-China market (see p. 42). Despite the industry downturn, Korean remains committed to a large aircraft order book, including 10 Airbus A380s. Along with Boeing 777-300ERs, the A380s will begin replacing the carrier’s 747-400s. Joseph Pries photo.
