The hearing mechanism of flies is being used as a model for miniature acoustic sensors and sound localization techniques by researchers at the University of Maryland. The work is projected to benefit the U.S. Air Force in its development of an “artificial fly” UAV that would use both hearing and vision to navigate to inaccessible locations. In addition, the technology would be available for micro-aerial vehicles and UAVs to improve homing capabilities.
Daniel Godin has become general manager of Circor Aerodyne Controls , Ronkonkoma, N.Y. He was vice president-continuous improvement/general manager of operations at Sermatech International.
Passage of an FAA reauthorization bill and implementation of the NextGen air traffic management system are among the top priorities of aviation organizations meeting with President-elect Barack Obama’s transportation transition team. Another is airport infrastructure funding, of special interest to team members including former FAA Administrator Jane Garvey and Duane Woerth, former head of the Air Line Pilots Assn. Infrastructure projects are expected to be part of the stimulus package they are helping to craft.
Although program go-aheads at the European Space Agency’s triennial ministerial summit went smoothly, efforts to smoothe the agency’s workings met with mixed success. The ministers agreed to a move to change industry procurement procedures so they are more in line with those in the European Commission, ESA’s partner in an increasing number of programs. But a decision to streamline decision-making was set aside because some smaller members were opposed.
London is considering options in light of further delays to the Airbus Military A400M, and senior Airbus officials acknowledge there is a worry Britain could walk away from the program. The concern comes as European governments face a range of policy decisions in the coming months with far-reaching implications for the aerospace sector, and Airbus in particular. At issue are program considerations, like those linked to the A400M, and broader demands such as whether to boost export credit guarantees.
The first six-person crew on the International Space Station will have much better power and life-support accommodations following the space shuttle Endeavour’s just-concluded visit than was considered likely for most of the time the orbiter was docked. After a sometimes-difficult STS-126/ULF-2 logistics and repair flight, Endeavour left behind a working water reclamation system that will ease the logistics load when the crew doubles to six next May, and an electric-power generating system that may not need expensive and time-consuming repairs after all.
James V. Anderson has been promoted to principal engineer in support of the U.S. Air Force Space Superiority Wing within the El Segundo, Calif.-based Aerospace Corp. ’s Space Superiority Systems Directorate from systems director/chief engineer supporting the wing, which is a unit of the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles AFB. Jeffery L. Emdee has been promoted to principal director of Mission Planning and Payload Integration in the Launch Operations Div. from principal engineer/chief systems engineer for the Atlas V Program. Stuart V.
USAF Maj. Gen. C.D. Alston has been named assistant chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration at USAF Headquarters at the Pentagon. He has been director of nuclear operations, plans and requirements/deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements. Brig. Gen. James O. Poss has been appointed vice director of intelligence for the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. He has been director of intelligence at Air Combat Command Headquarters, Langley AFB, Va. He is swapping positions with Brig. Gen. Larry K. Grundhauser. Brig. Gen. Robert C.
To reduce risk during ramp-up, Sukhoi and Alenia Aeronautica are reining in production plans for the Superjet 100 regional jet. Since Boeing, Airbus and others struggled during the early production period, managers of the Sukhoi-led program are now targeting a 70-aircraft annual rate for 2013 instead of 2011. The approach comes at a cost: With Bombardier and Mitsubishi launching new RJ products, Sukhoi is opting to sacrifice part of its first-to-market window.
Airbus is close to an agreement with Avic’s Harbin Aircraft to set up a joint composite-components plant in China, in an early test of the European company’s policy of avoiding cooperation that promotes Chinese industry as a future competitor.
Under an FAA airworthiness directive issued Nov. 25, Boeing 757 operators will be required to inspect aircraft fuel tanks. Required actions include sealing fasteners on the front and rear spars inside the main fuel tank and ensuring that Teflon sleeving covers wire bundles in equipment cooling system bays. The aim of the directive is to prevent improperly sealed fasteners from becoming a source of ignition in the event of a fault current.
On a recent Southwest Airlines flight to Phoenix, I was surprised when Ed Wheeler, the president of Honeywell International Inc.’s Defense & Space unit, squeezed into a middle seat next to me, near the back of the all-coach cabin. As he munched on his free peanuts, Wheeler told me that he and his program managers are doing a lot of flying in coach these days, given the dismal state of the economy. That encounter came to mind a few days later as I watched members of Congress dress down the leaders of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co.
Eurocopter has delivered the first helicopter produced at its Albacete plant in Spain. The EC135 light twin was handed over to the Spanish defense ministry on Nov. 26 for use by the army’s disaster response unit. One of two assembly lines for the EC135—the other is at Eurocopter Germany in Donauworth—Eurocopter Spain plans to deliver more than 12 EC135s in 2009. The Albacete plant also manufactures rear fuselages for the Tiger and forward fuselages for the NH90.
Ondas Media CEO Dave Krueger says a financing package with strategic investors should be in place by year-end to allow the Spanish startup to fund construction and launch of its planned digital audio radio service (DARS) system and to build out an accompanying terrestrial network. Ondas recently concluded an agreement with BMW Group to install radio receivers in its European vehicles, starting in 2012, after earlier nailing down pacts to install receivers on Nissan and Infiniti automobiles.
The British government’s pre-budget report spells the end of a plan to replace Air Passenger Duty (APD) with a per-plane tax. Instead, Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling announced last week that APD is to be increased, much to the consternation of many in the commercial airline sector. Andy Harrison, EasyJet’s chief executive, said: “I am dismayed that the chancellor has failed to carry through his commitment to reform a bad tax.
Chinese airports will benefit from a government spending spree aimed at boosting the economy. Capital Airports Holding Co., a state firm that is one of the country’s main airport operators, says the government will pay it 1 billion yuan ($146 million) by year-end to fund airport upgrades. The company’s parent, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, will receive 4 billion yuan of money that the government is spending to promote economic demand.
The Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (Canso), composed of air navigation service providers (ANSPs) from around the world, has created two new air traffic management safety standards for its members: for safety management systems (SMS) and for safety metrics. “For the first time our members, who control 80% of world air traffic movements, will be able to measure their performance in the crucial areas of runway incursions and loss of separation.
Australian Aerospace, MTU Turbomeca Rolls-Royce (MTR) and Turbomeca Australasia have completed a through-life support agreement for the Australian Army’s fleet of Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters. MTR will provide technical, logistics and supply support for the fleet’s MTR390-2C turboshaft engines, while repairs will be handled in-country by Turbomeca Austalasia.
Douglas Barrie (London), David A. Fulghum (Washington)
Russia’s Phazotron is using stealth modifications for both conventional and phased array radar designs to try to reduce the overall radar cross section (RCS) of fighter aircraft. Cladding areas of the antenna structure and mechanical array in radar-absorbent material (RAM) is one technique being employed. An image of a version of Phazotron’s Zhuk radar appeared in a company publication.
Qantas will cut capacity by 4% for the first half of next year, while lowering its profit outlook. Qantas is feeling weak demand mostly on international services, says outgoing Chief Executive Geoff Dixon. The carrier has dropped a plan to lease two A330-200s. Flight schedule changes will be the equivalent of grounding 10 aircraft.
Canada has commissioned MacDonald, Dettwiler & Associates to begin preliminary design of a radar satellite constellation to ensure continuity of C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging capability and maintain Canada’s sovereignty over its far-flung northern reaches. MDA previously undertook a $7-million concept study for the constellation under a $200-million funding envelope established in 2005. The network will be based on small 1,300-kg. (2,860-lb.) satellites that would be barely half the mass of the existing Radarsat 2, orbited in December 2007.
A commercial service that will use GPS to keep track of skiers at Colorado’s Steamboat and Copper Mountain resorts is the first tenant in a new aerospace business incubator. The 8th Continent Aerospace Business Incubator is using funds from the State of Colorado, the Colorado School of Mines and other sources to help startup companies find what they need to begin turning a profit.
The U.S. Air Force is asking industry to explore options for quick delivery of a space-based missile warning system, a move that is likely connected to reports that the service’s newest ballistic missile warning satellite is failing in orbit. A broad sources-sought notice was issued Nov. 24, and a more specific and classified request for information is expected Dec. 1. This flurry of activity is probably a response to concerns of a space-based missile warning gap, according to industry officials.
EADS has adopted the Dassault Systemes/IBM Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system for its Phenix program, which is intended to harmonize design, production and support software in its aerospace and defense activities. PLM, which was chosen by Boeing to help manage its 787 program, includes Catia computer-aided 3D design, Delma virtual production and Enovia VPM collaborative software tools. The lack of uniform production and design software was identified as a cause of wiring errors that led to a two-year delay in the Airbus A380 program.
The U.K. Defense Ministry has submitted a £3.7-billion ($5.7-billion) request to the Treasury to cover costs of operations in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans for fiscal 2008-09. The funding will be provided in addition to the basic defense budget and will be considerably higher than in the previous year.
