Straws in the wind suggest that revenue will be a challenge to U.S. airlines' continued profitability in the normally strong second quarter. Continental Airlines, which unlike other carriers estimates unit revenue each month, thinks its consolidated revenue per available seat mile (RASM) in May sank 0.5-1.5% below that of May 2006. The consolidated load factor was up 0.5 percentage points to 81.5%, so the culprit is yields, a measure of how high fares are.
CAE has launched the first advanced simulation-based program for Boeing 737 Next-Generation maintenance type training. Pending European Aviation Safety Agency approval, the course will be available in Amsterdam this month. The training methodology is focused on improving operational effectiveness.
U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) has been appointed ranking Republican on the House space and aeronautics subcommittee, which oversees NASA as well as aviation research and development activities at the FAA, and commercial space regulatory and promotion activities at the FAA and Commerce Dept.
David J. Miller has rejoined NGRAIN of Vancouver as president/chief operating officer. He was vice president-marketing and corporate business development before taking a similar position with Engenuity Technologies Inc.
Michael Croitoru (see photo) has been named director of business development for Cessna programs for New York-based FlightSafety International. He was manager of FSI's Wichita (Kan.) Learning Center. Croitoru will be succeeded by Richard High, who has been promoted from assistant manager.
Robert E. Berry, systems fellow and former chairman of Space Systems/Loral, won a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the satellite communications industry at the ISCe 2007 satellite conference in San Diego. He was cited for being "instrumental in building today's communications satellite industry and his early recognition of the importance of commercial satellites was fundamental to the industry's direction."
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Northrop Grumman says it has already begun building the first KC-30 tanker for the U.S. Air Force with its partner, EADS North America, and delivery of the first A330 aircraft is slated for late November if the team wins its duel against Boeing. "We will deliver an airplane to the U.S. Air Force within one month of today's stated contract award," says Paul Meyer, Northrop Grumman vice president for mobility systems. EADS has already begun to build the major subassemblies for the first aircraft, designated D-1, Meyer says.
Raytheon is studying a "Supersonic Tomahawk" concept it believes could offer the U.S. Navy a quick path to fielding a comparatively high-speed conventional strike weapon. After 18 months of company-funded concept development, Raytheon has submitted preliminary study work to the U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR). "We decided to look at what we could do from a Raytheon viewpoint. . . .Could you design a supersonic Tomahawk to fit . . . in the current tube," says Harry Schulte, vice president of strike weapons at Raytheon Missile Systems.
The European Space Agency is bolstering the payload of its ExoMars mission, backing off the provision of a dedicated support orbiter and hoping it can quickly secure the required additional funding to keep to the 2013 launch target. An ExoMars program board meeting June 11 gave the go-ahead for the so-called "Enhanced Baseline" concept. This did not, however, include a Mars orbiter to act as a dedicated transmission relay. Delegates disagreed about pursuing an orbiter.
Albert A. Pisani (see photos) has been appointed vice president-security and infrastructure solutions and Richard J. Boak vice president/controller for the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s McLean, Va.-based Information Technology Sector. Pisani was vice president of the Intelligence Group's information superiority operating unit. Boak was director of business management/chief financial officer for the Civilian Agencies group.
When it comes to revolutionary change, the Poles and Czechs often take different approaches. So it should come as no surprise that this remains the case as the countries transition their aerospace industries from the Cold War legacy to become part of the rapidly globalizing aerospace supply chain.
Marshall Aerospace is offering a common core digital avionics architecture that it developed for the cockpit upgrade of four Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) C-130H Hercules and nine U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF) Tristar aircraft. For the time being, the potential customers are all operators of pre-C-130J Hercules models, including Austria, France, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S., company officials say.
Although the typical operating altitude of the Defense Dept.'s hand-launched Raven unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is roughly 300 ft., if the mission demands it, soldiers and Marines flying the system in Iraq sometimes choose to cruise a little lower--or in some cases, a lot lower.
Tejpreet Singh Chopra has been named president/CEO for General Electric in India, succeeding Scott R. Bayman. Chopra was president/CEO of GE Commercial Finance-India.
Stan Younger has been promoted to vice president-service facilities of the Cessna Aircraft Co., Wichita, Kan., from director of Citation service facilities.
Ahmed M. Metwalli has become president/chief operating officer of Aerospace Products International Inc., Memphis, Tenn. He was vice president- business development and distribution for Kellstrom Industries.
L-3 Communications and Alenia North America face a tough schedule to integrate U.S.-unique equipment on the C-27J and handover the first aircraft within 12 months now that they've been awarded the U.S. Army and Air Force's combined Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) contract. The C-27J team, which includes Boeing, bested the Raytheon/EADS C-295 offering for the more-than-$12-billion program. The losing bidder is mulling whether to protest.
Raytheon has demonstrated the first power flight of its Miniature Air Launched Decoy. The MALD was launched from an F-16 operating in the Eglin AFB, Fla., test ranges. The aircraft is designed to simulate the flight and electronic signature of various other types of aircraft. One of its variants is also expected to conduct jamming and electronic attack of air defense emitters. The MALD used its onboard navigation and guidance system as well.
Runway overruns and flight fatigue are becoming growing threats to business aviation--and industry leaders are striving through enhanced training to reduce, if not wipe out, these safety risks. "More than half of all business aviation accidents and incidents that have occurred in recent years are related to runway overruns," notes National Business Aviation Assn. Senior Vice President of Operations Steven J. Brown.
The surge in service to China continues apace with a new batch of flights between the country and southeast Asia. Singapore Airlines says it will add three weekly flights to Shanghai this week and another four beginning July 1. That will give the Singaporean carrier five daily flights to China's biggest city. Also, Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia Bhd. and its Thai franchisee will link the wealthy southern Chinese city of Shenzhen with Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok from July 15. AirAsia already serves Macau and Xiamen.
The waters around Florida are a potential hot spot for terrorists, smugglers and refugees. The U.S. Coast Guard has its hands full preparing to detect and interdict them. In doing so, the service should recall the surveillance of Florida waters by Navy blimps in World War II.
Harry Schmink has been named president of the Gears and Transmissions Div. of Chicago-based Northstar Aerospace Inc. He has been general manager of the Chicago manufacturing plant. Ian Taylor has been appointed vice president-programs. He was general manager of Northstar Aerospace (Canada) Inc. Tom Purvin has become vice president-sales and marketing for North America and David Fisher director of business development for North America.
C. David Cush, who is senior vice president-global sales for American Airlines, has been named to the board of directors of Vought Aircraft Industries Inc. of Dallas.
