Fifty to 60 mph. Santa Ana winds prevented early deployment of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to suppress fires sweeping across hillsides and canyons north of Los Angeles to the Mexican border last week. But as conditions improved, aircraft played a major role trying to prevent property damage and loss of life. For most of the week, it was a losing battle. By late last week, more than 1,600 structures were lost as fires burned across 700 sq. mi. Hundreds of thousands of people were reported evacuated, and damage estimates topped $1 billion.
The A330 twin-engine, wide-body commercial passenger transport was developed by Airbus to replace aircraft such as the A300, DC-10-10 and L-1011. An A330 prototype first flew in November 1992. Deliveries began in December 1993. Customers have a choice of turbofan engines in the 68,000-72,000-lb.-thrust class: the GE CF6-80E1, Pratt & Whitney PW4000 or Rolls-Royce Trent 700. Two A330 models are available. The A330-300 seats 335 passengers in two classes or 295 in three classes. The A330-200 seats 293 in two classes or 253 in three.
This pressurized, single-turboprop corporate/utility transport aircraft first flew in May 1991, and received Swiss and U.S. certification in 1994. It has seating for nine passengers in its standard layout. The engine is the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B turboprop flat-rated to 1,200 shp. for takeoff. Assembly of green aircraft, as well as the manufacture of certain components, is performed by OGMA of Portugal. A total of 674 were built through 2006. In October 2006, Pilatus announced the Next Generation PC-12, an enhanced version powered by the PT6A-67P engine.
Six Russian and Eastern European carriers—Albanian Airlines, Azerbaijan, Dalavia, Georgian, Tatarstan and Vladivostok Avia—will offer ticket sales using SITA’s Consumer Online Reservations Service. Ilya Gutlin, SITA’s regional vice president for Eastern and Central Europe, says online ticket sales now account for about 35% of all sales worldwide, but less than 10% of bookings in Russia and other regions where e-commerce is evolving. Since 2000, Internet use in Russia has grown by 600%, according to Internet World Stats.
A code of behavior for “responsible” spacefaring nations would limit threatening activities in space without the difficult diplomatic task of reaching agreement on a space arms control treaty. Organized by the Henry L. Stimson Center in Washington and drafted by nongovernmental organizations in Canada, France, Japan, Russia and the U.S., the code declares nations’ rights to explore space peacefully; conduct operations—including “military support functions”—without interference; carry out self-defense as defined by the U.N.
Air France plans to cut down operations to 70% of normal through the early days of the week because of a walkout by flight attendants seeking higher salaries. As we went to press, 40% of cabin crew were on strike.
USAF Lt. Col. (ret.) John T. Small, Jr. (Kansas City, Mo.)
As for Guy Norris’s article “New Angles” (AW&ST Oct. 8, p. 34), the oblique flying wing (OFW) is a fascinating and unique aviation challenge. I smiled when I read that “the vehicle is coupled in all three axes . . . that’s the Achilles heel of this configuration.” Does anyone remember NASA Dryden’s AD-1? I was fortunate enough to be a “guest” pilot in the program and concur with the difficulty of mastering a level, 30-deg. banked turn in that very interesting precursor to the OFW. My hat is off to the engineers developing the flight control software!
USAF Col. (ret.) Michael R. Gallagher (Hillsboro, Ore.)
Your article on the Southwest Chicago Midway overrun reminded me of how focused we’ve become on details while losing situational awareness of the big picture.
The White House’s nomination of Robert Sturgell to be the next FAA administrator looks like a long shot for confirmation by the Senate, due more to politics than anything Sturgell has done wrong. In fact, Sturgell—former deputy to Marion Blakey and now acting administrator—is generally well regarded by the aviation industry and on Capitol Hill. But the FAA administrator’s position has a five-year term, and the Senate would rather see the next president make his or her own choice, considering that there is a good chance that president will be a Democrat.
Although safety concerns may be front and center as the air transport industry looks to improve matters in Africa’s skies, problems with the continent’s jet fuel supply are also gaining increasing attention. Western and African airlines bemoan an almost continent-wide variety of fuel issues, ranging from inflated pricing to bribery to a simple lack of adequate supplies.
Construction of Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport, scheduled to open next March, embodies the sense of expansion that an increasingly deregulated international aviation industry embraces. The liberalized aviation agreement between the U.S. and European Union, negotiated early this year, also takes effect in March, opening Heathrow and other new opportunities for alliances and airlines from both sides of the Atlantic (see p. 48). Image from the BAA Aviation Photo Library.
Arnie Christianson, operations manager for Cable News Network Satellites and Transmissions, is one of three winners of 2007 Promise Awards from the Society of Satellite Professionals International . The others are: Derek Edinger, structural analysis manager for Space Systems/Loral; and Hayley McGuire, director of business development for space and intelligence systems for Boeing Satellite Systems International.
Sabena Flight Academy in Brussels and GMR Group, the operator of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, India, have signed a memorandum of agreement to set up a joint venture limited company to establish an aviation training academy at the airport by January 2009. The academy will offer training for pilots, cabin crew, engine engineers, technicians, aviation consultants, gate agents and ramp service specialists.
China may lower its taxes on buying or leasing aircraft from foreigners. At present, an aircraft weighing more than 25 metric tons has a tax of 5.04%. The rate is 22.85% on smaller aircraft and 7-10% of rent for leased aircraft.
Airlines and airports are girding for a new bout of turbulence in the international marketplace. The mega-airports emerging in the Middle East suggest strong regional growth and augur new route development. The low-cost carrier phenomenon continues around the globe, causing major shifts in the structural balance between network operators, LCCs and regional air carriers, particularly in North America and Europe.
It doesn’t get much better than this. A dozen aerospace/defense companies reported third-quarter earnings last week and nearly all beat Wall Street’s expectations, thanks to the dual benefits of a strong commercial aircraft upcycle and hefty U.S. war expenditures in Iraq and Afghanistan (see p. 33). But some industry leaders are cautioning investors to lower their expectations for 2008.
WestJet founder Tim Morgan and three others formerly associated with the Calgary-based low-cost carrier are forming NewAir. Morgan says the “charter and tour operator” has a business plan and seed capital. The owners plan to serve customers in “off-the-beaten-track” locations who want to travel to popular destinations. Morgan, already a charter-operation owner, says NewAir would not compete directly with other airlines. He and his associates are looking at a transport with a range of at least 3,000-4,000 naut. mi. but haven’t decided yet.
The 737 series is a family of twin-engine narrow-body commercial transports. Seating capacity varies depending on model. Typical two-class configurations include 126 passengers for the 737-700, 162 for the 737-800 and 177 for the 737-900. All three models, which are the current production versions, are powered by two CFM International CFM56-7B turbofans. The first 737 flew in April 1967. In December of that year, the 737 received FAA certification and deliveries began. The earlier -100, -200, -300, -400, -500 and -600 variants are no longer in production.
The new 787 Dreamliner series is a family of twin-engine, wide-body airliners., in three versions. The 787-8 will carry 210-250 passengers and have a range of 7,650-8,200 naut. mi. The 787-3, a version of the 787-8 optimized for shorter flights, will carry 290-330 passengers and have a range of 2,500-3,050 naut. mi. The 787-9, a longer version of the 787-8, will carry 250-290 passengers and have a range of 8,000-8,500 naut. mi. A fourth possible version, the 787-10, would be a stretched version of the 787-9.
Singapore has exercised options to buy eight Boeing F-15Gs from a 2005 contract and, in addition, has ordered four more fighters. The aircraft is an export derivative of the U.S. Air Force’s F-15E Strike Eagle. They are to be powered by General Electric F110 engines.
James Cody (see photos) has been appointed director of the University of Tennessee College of Business Administration ’s Aerospace/Defense Clearinghouse of Tennessee and Andrew White director of the aerospace MBA program. Cody is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who was a fighter pilot, strategic planner, and management and program developer, White is a retired USAF lieutenant colonel, who was a faculty member at Air University, public affairs director for Air Force Special Operations Command and squadron commander.
Embraer has booked its first Middle East order for Embraer 175s. Royal Jordanian has agreed to purchase two of the aircraft, converting orders for two 195s to the smaller type. The aircraft are to be used on domestic and regional routes, with first delivery of the 72-seat aircraft planned for May. Royal Jordanian is flying four Embraer regional jets, three under a lease deal with GE Commercial Aviation Services.
Nov. 4-6—SpeedNews 12th Annual Regional & Business Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference. Hyatt Grand Champions, Palm Springs, Calif. See www.speednews.com/Conference/regionalconference.html Nov. 5-8—California Space Authority’s Conference and Spotbeam Awards Dinner. Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles International Airport Hotel. Call +1 (805) 349-2633 or see www.californiaspaceauthority.org
Failure to address shortfalls in refueling/transport capacity could sharply curtail France’s ability to perform out-of-theater peacekeeping and crisis management missions, the French air force says. “Acquiring a multirole tanker and transport (MRTT) capability is our number one need,” Air Force Lt. Gen. Patrick de Rousiers said last week, noting it threatens to negate ongoing modernization of air defense and strike forces.
