Randy Fank has become manager of FBO operations for the Illinois-based J.A. Air Center . He was director of the DuPage Flight Center at DuPage Airport, West Chicago, Ill.
The British Defense Ministry is finally going ahead with a considerably delayed—but sorely needed—overhaul of its air transport tasking computer infrastructure. The Royal Air Force’s Air Movements Operation requirement is due to enter full service in September 2009, replacing the Air Movements Information System. The system, dubbed “Swift2Move,” is being developed for the ministry by a Thales-led team.
Though French Airbus labor representatives may not be enthralled with the idea that the aircraft maker’s sites in Meaulte and Saint-Nazaire Ville are being sold off, the labor council at prospective buyer Latecoere is. The labor groups gave their support to the deal—known as Zephyr—late last month; terms are not yet completed.
What will the Russians do with their F-117, now that the U.S. Air Force has retired all its first-generation stealth fighters? The last two USAF F-117s are shown (see p. 51) after their final refueling as they move into recallable retirement at the off-limits Tonopah Air Base, located on the northern reaches of the Nevada National Test Ranges and just over the mountains from Groom Lake (Nev.) AB, more famously known as Area 51.
General Electric has received FAA FAR 33 certification for the baseline GEnx-1B for the 787, although the engine maker expects to recertify the powerplant next year before the aircraft enters service (AW&ST Mar. 10, p. 35). GE says it can count on seeking an amendment to the baseline type certificate because of the 787’s program delays. It will use the extra time to take advantage of improvements now being tested on the GEnx-2B that will power the 747-8.
Qantas is increasing services to Western Australian mining towns enjoying the global minerals boom led by the surging Chinese economy. Among the flights will be five weekly services from Perth to Port Hedland, an important center for the iron ore industry.
Boeing says its global supply chain business model for building the 787 remains sound, but employees aren’t so sure after the company had to step in to rescue a troubled partnership that pre-assembles major fuselage sections.
Lockheed Martin captured a $596-million foreign military sales contract to provide India with six C-130Js plus spares and support and country-unique capabilities.
The U.K. Defense Ministry has appointed Prof. Mark Welland as its chief scientific adviser. Welland succeeds Prof. Roy Anderson, who is returning to Imperial College.
Lockheed Martin’s first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) secure satellite communications spacecraft for the Pentagon awaits further testing at the company’s Sunnyvale, Calif., facility in advance of a January launch. The Pentagon expects to buy four AEHF spacecraft to replace the Milstar fleet now in orbit (see p. 52). Lockheed Martin photo.
Tony Charaf has been promoted to president from head of technical operations of Delta TechOps . John Laughter has been promoted to senior vice president from vice president-maintenance operations and Neil Stronach to senior vice president from vice president-operational control and reliability. Gil West has been named senior vice president-airport customer service. He was president/CEO of Laidlaw Transit Services.
Airbus North America Customer Service has named Goodrich to perform repairs on proprietary parts and structural components at its Alabama Service Center overhaul and repair facility in Foley. The agreement covers all aircraft flown in the Americas, says the center’s general manager, Stuart Kay. Goodrich expects its work to concentrate on flight control surfaces, pneumatic ducting and access doors, such as landing gear apertures.
I agree with Robin Stanier that the dangers of CO2 are understated and that commercial aviation must collaborate to provide solutions, but it is disingenuous to say increased fuel taxes do nothing to cut emissions, implying that carbon trading does (AW&ST Mar. 10, p. 8). Higher fuel taxes immediately cause airlines to demand more fuel-efficient equipment and can provide funds for research, while the carbon-trading scheme with cheap available credits does neither.
All-business-class airline Silverjet failed to meet its target of making a profit in March, adding further concerns about the viability of the sector after rival Maxjet folded. But Silverjet management notes it did achieve its highest gross profit and smallest operating loss.
When it comes to runways, there’s no such thing as being too safe, and the FAA’s latest efforts to lower the risk of incursions include a $5-million incentive program and a top-to-bottom review of 22 U.S. airports. Now in its formative stages, the new program is “a public-private partnership at its best,” says FAA acting Administrator Robert Sturgell.
The business aircraft depicted in a diagram in last week’s edition was misidentified (AW&ST Mar. 31, p. 27). This diagram correctly shows the fly-by-wire flight control system Gulfstream is planning for its new ultra-long-range business jet, the G650.
NASA engineers are in the early stages of designing a mechanical countermeasure to the thrust oscillation problem identified last year in the first stage of the Ares I crew launch vehicle, a modified space shuttle solid-fuel booster. The fix, which involves mounting the stage’s 14,000-lb. recovery-parachute package on springs to dampen vibrations generated as its solid propellant burns out, should knock them down to a level that can be handled with shock absorbers or other devices on the seats of the Orion crew exploration vehicle on top.
China will set up its challenger to Airbus and Boeing this month under the name China Commercial Aircraft Co. Ltd., with the company facing an initial task of making up a half-year delay on the ARJ21 regional jet. Its long-term goal is to develop a 150-plus-seat airliner by about 2020 at a project cost of 50 billion-60 billion yuan ($7.1 billion-8.6 billion).
Japan will consider the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, along with other three non-stealthy types, as its next-generation fighter to replace McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms, suggesting a softening of its hard-line requirement for F-22s. Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force has sent a team of 10 officers to Lockheed Martin’s facility at Fort Worth on a fact-finding mission about the F-35. The team, headed by Maj. Gen. Tadashi Miyagawa, who is responsible for selection of the next-generation fighter, also toured the U.S. and Europe a year ago.
We overheard on the Hill two women in the Russell Senate Office Building discussing the spate of airline groundings and the FAA’s recent efforts to scrutinize paperwork and inspection compliance. Says one: “There’s been some criticism of the inspectors not moving fast enough. Well, they can’t get there because planes are grounded and flights are canceled.”
Aerospace consultant Yvonne C. Brill is one of three honorary fellows for 2008 of the Reston, Va.-based American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) . The others are: Henry McDonald of the University of Tennessee SimCenter and Abe M. Zarem, strategic adviser to Knowledge and Information Technology Industries.
Sweden-based Saab Bofors Dynamics and its program partner Diehl BGT Defense of Germany have conducted the first land-attack live firing demonstration of their RBS 15 Mk 3 surface-to-surface missile. The RBS 15 Mk 3 is the latest derivative of the RBS 15 family of antiship missiles, featuring a new GPS-based precision attack functionality against targets ashore, such as bunkers, missile sites or command posts.
Virgin Atlantic Airways is courting Lufthansa to allow a merger with its affiliate BMI that would turn it into a much more significant competitor for British Airways.
While one airline’s door closes, another opens. V Australia, the Virgin Blue Group’s new long-haul subsidiary, plans to launch transpacific flights on Dec. 15, with daily Sydney-Los Angeles service. Additional international destinations will be announced in the coming weeks. The launch will mark the first time an airline has challenged dominant Qantas on transpacific routes. Mobile-phone text messaging and e-mail will be available on V Australia’s Boeing 777-300ER fleet. The Sydney-based carrier will partner with Northwest Airlines to provide connections to U.S.
