These are perilous times for international space cooperation, and the capability of NASA to meet its objectives for the International Space Station (ISS) depends on other nations, including an energy-rich Russia. Yet the chill from the Russian-Georgian conflict has congressional leaders calling for a suspension on our reliance on Russia for manned space services and keeping the space shuttle flying for another five years. At the same time, the U.S. seeks greater transparency from the Chinese on their space program plans and objectives.
Embraer has selected Kollsman’s EVS II infrared enhanced-vision sensor and a Rockwell Collins’ digital head-up display as an option for the Lineage 1000 large-cabin business jet. EVS II also has been selected by Gulfstream as an option on the midsize G150 and new super-midsize G250, and is now available on all Gulfstreams. Kollsman, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, and Jetcraft Avionics plan to certificate the EVS for retrofit on other aircraft, beginning by year-end with the Bombardier Challenger 604.
Winglet Technology expects to certificate its elliptical winglets for the Citation X in June 2009, and is preparing to work with Cessna on winglets for another, unidentified, Citation. Flight tests on the Mach 0.92 Citation X have shown a 4-5% reduction in fuel consumption, 150 naut. mi. increase in range, 15-kt. higher speed above 41,000 ft., 40 min. faster time to 43,000 ft. and the ability to climb direct to 45,000 ft., at maximum weight. Hot-and-high takeoff performance is also improved, the company says.
The European Space Agency expects to select bidders for the final development phase of Europe’s Galileo satellite navigation system by mid-2009, in the hope that it can meet the European Union’s 2013 in-service deadline.
The U.K.’s 3 Commando Brigade last week took over from 16 Air Assault Brigade on deployed operations in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. During the six-month tour, 16 Air Assault Brigade played a central role in moving a hydroelectric turbine from Kandahar airport to the Kajaki dam.
I read the excerpts of Frank Morring, Jr.’s interview with NASA Administrator Michael Griffin (AW&ST Sept. 29, p. 68) with interest, particularly the question about advice to successors.
Rolls-Royce has signed a £96-million ($165.7-million) contract to provide power and propulsion equipment for the U.K.’s 65,000-ton aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, due to enter service in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Included are MT30 gas turbines, which will be tested and assembled in Bristol. The award was let by the carrier main alliance partner, Thales UK.
Infoterra has bought Imass Ltd., an integrated geospatial information service provider dedicated to civil defense, industrial engineering and public service. Newcastle, England-based Imass will provide value-added knowledge in emergency-response services, public safety and 3D modeling. It should reinforce Infoterra—an affiliate of EADS Astrium Services that specializes in radar imaging—in the U.K. market. Astrium Services recently acquired full control of Spot Image.
Managers at NASA must await checkout of a key piece of hardware for the Hubble Space Telescope before they can set the 2009 schedule for space station assembly missions and the first flight of a full-scale test version of the Ares I crew launch vehicle.
U.S. Navy crews will test new electronic warfare concepts during the operational evaluation (opeval) of the EA-18G Growler electronic attack fighter starting this week at China Lake, Calif.
Demand for high- and low-time pilots continues to remain strong. At least a dozen airlines and four international recruiting agencies are scheduled to participate in a day-long pilot career conference sponsored by FLTops.com Oct. 28 at the International Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel. FLTops.com is a career service for professional pilots. U.S. airlines on the agenda include Compass, Delta, American Eagle, Colgan Air, Mesaba and Pinnacle.
Virgin Atlantic CEO Steve Ridgway is accusing the U.S. government of retreating into protectionist aviation policies just when its leadership in liberalization is needed most. While other CEOs would be a little more circumspect, Ridgway’s broadside reflects the frustration of many European carriers at U.S. reluctance to remove foreign ownership restrictions from its airline industry.
The financial crisis that originated in the U.S. cascaded down on Europe last week, sending leaders there racing to shore up their nations’ banks. The deepening credit freeze is also forcing European aerospace and defense companies to take a hard look at how it could impact their operations. A top concern is how the paralyzed credit markets will affect the smaller suppliers, which feed the operations of large A&D manufacturers.
Weak traffic, partly due to civil unrest in Thailand, is forcing Thai Airways International to cut services to China, India, South Korea and Japan. The carrier says traffic from those countries has dropped 10% since the unrest began. The global slowdown is also a factor.
The British government has approved an increase in flight and passenger numbers at London’s third airport. Air traffic movements at Stansted will be increased to 264,000 from 241,000, while the passenger ceiling will rise to 35 million a year from 25 million.
The Defense Dept.’s newest regional command, covering Africa, is open for business, although Africa Command (Africom) currently consists of just a small headquarters operation of about 1,000 military and civilian personnel—in Stuttgart, Germany. The 17th Air Force, reactivated Oct. 1 and based at Ramstein AB, will serve as Africom’s air arm, although it will act chiefly in a coordinating capacity, drawing its aircraft and much of its personnel from a “global force pool.” Gen. William (Skip) Ward, Africom’s commander, says there are no plans to base any U.S.
Across the U.S. Defense Dept. and industry, great amounts of resources and energy are being devoted to the issues of aging platforms and diminishing supply resources—from M-915 line-haul trucks to F-15s and A-10s to the space shuttle. Little of substance is heard regarding the “humint” element of resource obsolescence. The engineering classes of the 1960s and ’70s, tempered by Cold War and space race, must be treated as the most non-replaceable of diminishing resources.
Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr.’s complaint about the “unbalanced” article on General Atomics is curious, since the article was drawn directly from the Government Accountability Office report (www.gao.gov) in which the GAO rejected the Lockheed Martin/General Atomics protest of the U.S. Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) award to Northrop Grumman (AW&ST Sept. 22, p. 10; Sept. 1, p. 24). Amy Butler did not present her own opinions, she just accurately related what the government said. Thus, Cassidy should address his complaints to the GAO.
Recently appointed British Defense Secretary John Hutton last week said the U.K. will end its commitment to the NATO/European Union Balkans operational reserve force at year-end.
Australian Transport Safety Bureau, French and Airbus officials are investigating an uncommanded pitch-down event in which a Qantas A330-300 en route from Singapore to Perth, Australia, climbed 200 ft. from its cruising altitude of 37,000 ft., dived 650 ft. in about 20 sec., returned to the cruising altitude and then dived again by 400 ft. in 16 sec. before once more returning to the cruise level. More than 40 of the 313 people on board were injured, 14 seriously.
Air France subsidiary Brit Air will acquire six more Bombardier CRJ1000 NextGen aircraft for medium-haul operations in a deal valued at $299 million based on list price. The agreement reflects conversion of six options, which were part of the Morlaix, France-based airline’s initial February 2007 order for eight of the aircraft type. Brit Air was the launch customer for the CRJ1000 and the CRJ700.
Usually an ebullient event, this year’s National Business Aviation Assn. convention and exhibition unfolded in Orlando, Fla., on Oct. 6-8 against the unsettling backdrop of global economic turmoil (see p. 24). Looking past the uncertainty, it was a strong event with almost 1,200 exhibitors, 139 aircraft on display and almost 34,000 attendees, only slightly down from 2007
