Fibertek, Northrop Grumman and OFS Laboratories are expected to develop high-power fiber lasers under a U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program. Fiber lasers are up to two times more efficient than conventional solid-state versions, delivering more power per weight and volume, but have been limited to several hundred watts of power compared to the kilowatts needed for weapons applications. The Revolution in Fiber Lasers program aims to scale up single-frequency fiber amplifiers to 1 kw. in the 15-month first phase and to 3 kw.
In “Seeking Alien Life” (AW&ST Sept. 29, p. 66), Craig Covault writes: “This endeavor stretched the capabilities of TRW (now Northrop Grumman), which developed the Viking life-detection system, and the Langley Research Center/Lockheed Martin team, which built the two landers and orbiters.” The Jet Propulsion Laboratory built those orbiters.
Louisville, Ky.-based air-taxi startup YourJet has ordered six Diamond D-Jet single-engine jets, and plans to start operations later this year with a twin-diesel Diamond DA42. Toronto-based startup SwiftJet has ordered five D-jets, plus 10 options, to be delivered beginning in 2010 for a regional on-demand charter service. Diamond, meanwhile, has selected Air Transport Professionals, which has 20 D-Jets on order, to provide factory-authorized pilot training on the personal jet.
Aero Vodochody has concluded an agreement with Saab to build pylons for the Gripen fighter. Production, set to begin this autumn, follows a recent accord by the two companies to identify potential work packages that can be tranferred to the Czech manufacturer and to cooperate in marketing its L-159 light strike fighter/training aircraft.
Technology, since the post-World War II era, has steadily reduced the U.S. fatal accident rate to almost zero—0.01 per one million flight hours—where it has remained for the past two years. Where to go from zero? The challenge now is to find ways of sustaining that record as new and complex innovations—and their hidden risks—emerge in the Next-Gen air traffic management era.
Despite decades of work on the problem, runway incursions remain one of the biggest safety vulnerabilities in the U.S. aviation system. The FAA is introducing new technology with the potential to dramatically reduce the incursion risk, and aviation stakeholders agree it must be deployed as quickly as possible at major airports.
Capt. Kenneth Gile (see photo) has been appointed chief operating officer of flyDubai . He was president/COO of the former Skybus Airlines and had been chief pilot/director of flight operations for Southwest Airlines.
Europe is poised to update its aerospace research agenda, putting more emphasis on environmental considerations. But the level of pressure on the industry to improve its “green” performance will be dictated by political developments in the European Parliament and in multinational talks in the coming weeks and months.
The long-awaited re-engining of the U.S. Air Force’s E-8C Joint Stars will take another step forward with the completion next week of flight tests of Pratt & Whitney’s JT8D-219 engines on a Boeing 707 at Mojave, Calif.
Bombardier is restarting design of the all-composite structure for its Learjet 85 business jet following the insolvency of airframe partner Grob Aerospace, and will change the materials and manufacturing processes to be used. Launched in May, the Learjet 85 was publicly introduced at NBAA with the unveiling of a full-scale cabin mockup. Otherwise the only new aircraft launched at a subdued show were the super mid-size Gulfstream G250 and the Hawker 450XP light jet from Hawker Beechcraft.
Business aircraft manufacturers are scouring their order backlogs for signs of weakness as the global economic turmoil makes it harder for customers to buy new aircraft and finance those already on order. An eerie calm pervaded the National Business Aviation Assn. (NBAA) convention here last week as economic shock waves from the U.S. credit crisis spread worldwide. On the surface business went on as usual, but orders were scarce and everyone followed Wall Street’s roller-coaster ride on their BlackBerrys.
Delta Air Lines will offer business-class passengers on U.S.-London Heathrow flights with flat-beds reclining 180 deg., starting next summer. Each business-class section on the Boeing 767-400ERs Delta plans to operate on the route will be equipped with 40 seats that open to 77-in.-long beds. They will be configured in a one-two-one arrangement allowing each passenger direct aisle access.
Singapore, in preparation for growth under an open skies agreement with neighboring Malaysia, is shoring up commercial operations at Changi International Airport by bringing it under control of the same government holding company that controls Singapore Airlines. Temasek Holdings will take over control of Changi from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore next July, effectively separating the operating business from the government’s aviation regulatory function. CAAS’ duties include licensing airlines, aircraft and pilots and overseeing air traffic services.
Technology being developed to make unmanned aircraft more reliable could increase the safety of general aviation. Flight-control systems that would allow UAVs to survive damage could provide an emergency “get home” capability for light aircraft. Ultimately, advanced flight controls could allow airliners to be operated safely by a single pilot.
Everybody agrees runway incursions remain a major problem at U.S. airports, but whether it is getting worse remains open to debate. For example, the FAA argues that the total is going down, while the Government Accountability Office says the rate per operation has increased.
The U.S. Army is proposing to carve up its aviation programs and pass over some of its largest legacy ground vehicles as it devotes nearly $45 billion in plus-ups to its controversial Future Combat Systems in coming years.
Dassault has launched development of a Phase II upgrade for the EASy integrated flightdeck on its Falcon business jets. The update will include Honeywell’s synthetic vision system on both pilots’ primary displays. New options will include ADS-B Out, controller-pilot data link communications, GPS precision approach, runway awareness software and paperless charts. EASy Phase II will be certificated on the Falcon 900DX/EX in late 2009, and the Falcon 2000DC/LX and Falcon 7X in mid-2010.
Alenia Aermacchi has flown upgraded MB-339CD for the first time. Fourteen of the aircraft are being modified by the company for the Italian air force. The aircraft were in the first batch delivered to the air force in 1997, and are being brought up to the same standard as the second batch received by the air force. The bulk of the upgrade involves the cockpit and avionics. Additions include a moving map and embedded simulation systems. The €41.2-million contract ($56-million) was awarded in 2007. Delivery of all of the upgraded aircraft is to be completed next year.
Honeywell is developing the stabilized approach monitor (SAM), a software upgrade to its Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System and Runway Awareness and Advisory System designed to avoid runway overruns caused by unstabilized approaches. The software will provide aural reminders on gear and flap settings, as well as speed and height alerts during the approach, and advise the pilot to execute a missed approach or go-around if the approach is not stabilized in time to land safely. SAM is expected to be certificated by mid-2009.
The global economic slowdown looks likely to accelerate the steady shift in the aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul industry to developing Asian countries. More immediately, the region’s MRO shops are also better placed to cope with the slowdown than are North American and European operators, although they will not be able to completely avoid foreign price competition from hard-pressed Western MRO providers if and when the market sags.
Louisville, Ky.-based air-taxi startup YourJet has ordered six Diamond D-Jet single-engine jets, and plans to start operations later this year with a twin-diesel Diamond DA42. Toronto-based startup SwiftJet has ordered five D-jets, plus 10 options, to be delivered beginning in 2010 for a regional on-demand charter service. Diamond, meanwhile, has selected Air Transport Professionals, which has 20 D-Jets on order, to provide factory-authorized pilot training on the personal jet.
U.S. Army Gen. (ret.) Richard A. Cody, whose last post was vice chief of staff, has been appointed Washington-based corporate vice president for L-3 Communications .
The commander of U.S. forces in South Korea, Army Gen. Walter Sharp, said Oct. 8 that despite rumors of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s health, and reported missile tests and difficulty in talks over nuclear capabilities, the allied military stance against the hermit country remains the same. “We’ve not seen anything out of the normal,” Sharp said. “We continue to be concerned about the development, the proliferation and testing of missile systems in North Korea.” Meanwhile, Sharp expects to maintain the same U.S.
London’s new, $25-million-plus, Astor advanced airborne radar system—capable of detecting a walking man from 45,000 ft. or identifying an SUV full of Taliban leaders—is being readied for its first combat assignment somewhere in the Middle East or Southwest Asia.
