The British Defense Ministry is now deploying the Hermes 450 unmanned aerial vehicle for combat operations, three years in advance of the overall Watchkeeper surveillance system. The Elbit Hermes 450 unmanned aerial vehicle, fitted with an electro-optical sensor payload, is being hurried into operation early to support British ground forces deployed in theater. The intent is believed to be to deploy the UAV in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The work is being carried out under the aegis of a £55-million ($110-million) urgent operational requirement (UOR).
Michael A. Taverna, Andy Nativi and Robert A. Wall (Le Bourget)
A pair of orders for the NH90 transport/frigate helicopter and continued strong commercial demand are propelling Eurocopter and AgustaWestland toward another record year. Germany decided to buy 42 more NH90s in a tactical configuration, while Belgium signed for eight machines to be split between the army and air force, plus two options. Belgium will order its units through the NATO Helicopter Organization--the sixth nation to do so. NH90 orders now total 453 aircraft.
Cameron Gowans, Gregory Babcock, Michael Payne and Timon Huber have all been named regional sales managers for Embraer executive jets in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and the U.S.
Airbus is considering teaming with a major partner to help it replace its best-selling single-aisle aircraft, although a decision on launching the new program is still years away. The European aircraft maker is far from making firm design choices, but Airbus's executive vice president for programs, Tom Williams, says the company will aim to cover the entire spectrum the A320 family already covers from around 100-210 seats.
Kelley Dobbs has been named vice president-human resources for strategy and culture and Jeff Butler has been appointed vice president-customer service for airports for Alaska Airlines. Dobbs has been staff vice president-human resources. Butler was staff vice president-station operations. Joe Sprague has become staff vice president-inflight services after leaving the Public and Government Affairs Div.
Germany is pondering a production order for the Meteor rocket-ramjet air-to-air missile, as industry partners and lead customer, the U.K., look to address structural issues on program management. Recent test shots of the missile have gone well, following a checkered start, but management and integration issues have acted as a drag on overall progress. These are areas that prime contractor MBDA and the U.K. Defense Ministry are moving to tackle.
Thales hopes to leverage big investments in surface surveillance radars and a networked air defense system based on a longer range version of the Crotale missile system to reinforce its position in the international air defense market.
Former Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates has become CEO of Global ePoint Inc., City of Industry, Calif. He has been acting president/chairman of the Global AirWorks division. Gates succeeds Toresa Lou, who has resigned.
John Hinshaw has been appointed chief information officer/vice president-information technology for Chicago-based Boeing. He was CIO of Verizon Wireless, and succeeds Scott Griffin, who will be retiring.
Caris A. (Skip) Hatfield, Orion Project Manager (NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Tex.)
In the article "CEV Risk Management Lacking" (AW&ST June 18, p. 68), it is implied that the National Engineering and Safety Center peer reviews conducted last year questioned the "success and safety of the CEV program." Neither report men- tions safety or mission success as a concern.
To submit Aerospace Calendar Listings, Call +1 (212) 904-2421 Fax +1 (212) 904-6068 e-mail: [email protected] July 8-11--American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' 43rd AIAA/ASME/ SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit. Cincinnati Duke Energy Convention Center. Call +1 (703) 264-7500, fax +1 (703) 264-7551 or see www.aiaa.org July 9-12--Fatigue Concepts' Short Course: "Fatigue, Fracture Mechanics and Damage Tolerance." Marriott Hotel, Chula Vista, Calif. See www.fatcon.com
Bob LeBlanc has joined the board of advisers of Jetera, Danbury, Conn. He is the retired CEO of Handy & Harman and is a director of Church & Dwight Co.
These Hubble Space Telescope images of Vesta and Ceres show two of the most massive asteroids in the asteroid belt, a region between Mars and Jupiter. The images are helping astronomers plan for the Dawn spacecraft’s tour of these large objects.
The two winners of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) contest to demonstrate variable-cycle engine technology under its Adaptive Versatile Engine Technologies (Advent) program are to be selected by the end of July, say the contenders who submitted bids by June 1.
Michael A. Taverna (Paris), Douglas Barrie (London)
A revamped European treaty could kick-start negotiations for a concession to operate the Galileo satellite navigation system. Continuing U.K. resistance to any move to fund the entire system with public money, combined with parliamentary insistence that the European Union provide all the extra money, however, raises new concerns about how the system is to be procured.
With its Eclipse 500s beginning to roll out, DayJet, the Delray Beach, Fla., on-demand very-light-jet (VLJ) operator, is hiring and training the people who will fly and service the aircraft and those who will support DayJet’s customers. There are currently 140 employees, but the number is growing daily. At the same time, the company’s market and the scope of its operations are coming into focus. With a current roster of about 700 individual customers, or “members,” from 140 Florida companies, DayJet is set to pursue the market for business travel in Florida.
Civil Air Patrol Col. Mary S. Feik has won the 2006 Frank G. Brewer Trophy from the Alexandria, Va.-based National Aeronautic Assn. The trophy honors contributions of enduring value to aerospace education in the U.S. Feik had a long career of teaching aircraft maintenance and mechanics at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. She later became the first woman engineer in research and development in the Air Technical Service Command Div. and the first woman to earn the Charles Taylor Master Mechanics Award. Feik flew more than 6,000 hr.
The STS-117 mission was to conclude June 22-23 with an Atlantis landing at either the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., or Edwards AFB, Calif., after thundershowers forced postponement of the first two Kennedy landing attempts June 21. The shuttle's Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) firing toward a first landing attempt was waived off 60 min. prior to ignition for a 1:55 p.m. EDT touchdown when clouds and rain moved in as forecast.
A National Reconnaissance Office imaging satellite program thought to be called Misty was recently canceled after drawing major criticism from key lawmakers. Vice Adm. (ret.) Nicheel McConnell, the new director of national intelligence, canceled the Lockheed Martin program after protracted technology problems and cost issues, according to an industry consultant. The cancellation was first reported by the Associated Press.
For the first time, Boeing says it will conduct wake vortex studies on one of its big airplanes: the 747-8 Intercon-tinental. Vice President Randy Tinseth says three factors influenced the decision: the 747-8's wing is bigger than the 747-400 from which it is derived, it is a heavier aircraft, and its approach speed will be faster, although its landing speed will be comparable with current aircraft.
After months of pursuing an opportunity to make its case to Midwest Airlines' board of directors, AirTran Airways will finally get the chance to lobby for merging the two carriers on July 16, with Midwest's newly constituted board.
India's global IT services company HCL Technologies has signed a $15-million contract with Italy's Alenia Aeronautica to provide engineering services to support the C-27J Spartan production line. The Canadian Forces will use the twin-engine fixed-wing search-and-rescue aircraft to replace its older CC-130 Hercules and CC-115 Buffalos.
