The NTSB has released additional details about the Apr. 12 runway overrun involving a Pinnacle Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200 at Traverse City, Mich. During the landing rollout on 6,500-ft. Runway 28 at Cherry Capital Airport at 12:43 a.m. (EDT), Flight 4712 exited the runway surface onto a snow-covered field and came to rest 100 ft. beyond the pavement. Weather data show visibility was 0.5 mi. in snow; vertical visibility was 200 ft. The pilots had been communicating directly with the airport's snow removal officials about runway conditions.
AirTran Airways and its takeover target, Midwest Airlines, turned in first-quarter profits this year, both reversing year-earlier losses, but winter storm miseries kept JetBlue Airways a money-loser.
Iran showcased its Raad anti-ship cruise missile, a heavily modified Silkworm, during a recent military parade in Tehran. The missile uses a turbojet engine, with one of two bifurcated air inlets clearly visible. The missile has a stated range of 350 km. (189 naut. mi.). The shore-defense version was tested during military exercises in February. The armament likely uses solid propellant boosters for launch, and then transitions to the turbojet.
Helmut Himmelreich has been appointed senior executive vice president of Zurich-based SR Technics Group's Aircraft Services, effective July 1. He was head of the Technical Div. of Swiss International Air Lines and succeeds Alex Kugler, who will join the staff of CEO Hans Lerch. Erwin Bamert has been named executive vice president of the group's Components Services Div. He was head of the components business of SR Technics in Switzerland and succeeds Mike Humphreys. Thomas Bosch has become senior vice president-human resources.
Mesaba Airlines emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization Apr. 24 and was acquired by Northwest Airlines under a stock purchase and reorganization agreement signed in January. Under the pact, Northwest was to honor a $145-million unsecured claim by Mesaba creditors and receive 100% of the new Mesaba stock. Mesaba's fleet of Saab SF340s and 50-seat Bombardier regional jets will be bolstered in coming months by delivery of the first of 36 76-seat CRJ-900s.
James A. Brown has been named chairman of Gales Industries Inc., Bay Shore, N.Y. He has been a member of the board of directors and chairman/ CEO of the Ashlin Development Corp. Brown succceeds Michael A. Gales, the company's founder and executive chairman, who has resigned.
Mel French has become vice president-business development for the Radar Systems Div. of the Telephonics Corp., Farmingdale, N.Y. He was director of marketing and business development for Kaman Helicopters.
The U.S. Army's troubled $5.3-billion Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) program won't be getting additional funding under the Fiscal 2007 supplemental defense appropriations bill hammered out by Congressional appropriators. House and Senate negotiators did not explain why they snubbed the ARH program, other than noting in documents that they were deleting Defense Dept. procurement requests that should go through the normal budget process. The House passed the compromise spending bill last week by a vote of 218-208. The Senate passed the measure 51-46 the next day.
One Mustang per week is being delivered from Cessna Aircraft Co.'s facility here, but officials expect to boost that to two per week by year's end as production accelerates to keep pace with strong demand. Alan R. Orr, director of Mustang operations at the facility, says there are now more than 300 workers assigned to build the Mustang. To achieve the higher production rates forecast for this year and next, he plans to have 400 on the payroll by December and 550 on the factory floor in 2009.
NASA has decided to bring astronaut Sunita Williams home from the International Space Station on the upcoming STS-117 mission, now scheduled for June, instead of the STS-118 mission after that. Williams left Earth on Dec. 9, 2006, with an original plan to return after about six months in orbit. However, the delay in launching the space shuttle Atlantis led to the decision to bump-up her return.
Boeing reports the Global Positioning System's payload has completed Space Segment III system design review with the U.S. Air Force. The upgraded system allows USAF to upgrade fielded satellites quickly and more cheaply.
The MDA plans to spend $10 million next year to kick off studies of a Space-Based Interceptor Testbed, but the agency's chief insists that doesn't mean the U.S. is starting an interceptor program. MDA has budgeted about $300 million over the next six years to study technologies and concepts for possible future space-based missile defenses, says MDA Director Obering.
Qantas has agreed to buy 30% of Vietnamese carrier Pacific Airlines, which will support the expansion of the Australian airline's budget operation, Jetstar, presumably as a franchisee. Pacific currently serves mainly domestic routes.
Aurora Flight Sciences captured a $47-million contract from USAF to develop a demonstrator for its Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft program. Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth facility won a $49-million contract for the same project. The Air Force Research Laboratory effort involves two phases: design and then actual manufacture of the design. First flight will follow.
U.S. Missile Defense Agency controllers are preparing a pair of rocket-plume characterization tests later this year now that an Orbital Sciences Minotaur I solid-fuel rocket has orbited the Near-Field Infrared Experiment (Nfire). The Apr. 24 Minotaur I launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (Mars) on Wallops Island, Va., placed the 494-kg. (1,086-lb.) spacecraft in its target orbit of 250 X 450 km. (155 X 279 mi.) inclined 48.2 deg. to the Equator. The satellite separated after a 9-min. ride. Ultimately the spacecraft will be placed in a 495-km.
Mercury Computer Systems Inc. of Chelmsford, Mass., has developed a synthetic vision system and a Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag that can display high-definition graphics. The ruggedized systems also have built-in, attitude reference systems including GPS Wide Area Augmentation System capability.
Last summer's London bomb plot pushed aviation back to the top of potential Al Qaeda targets, says the head of the FBI's Counterterrorism Division. Asst. FBI Director Joseph Billy, Jr., says Al Qaeda's attack plans continue to focus on aviation, although the FBI and other U.S. intelligence officials are also concerned about mass transit, large public gatherings and special events. "These are continuing to be the areas that we have to be cognizant of," Billy tells a public safety/counterterrorism conference in Quebec.
U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Harold D. Starling, 2nd, has been nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as commander of the Naval Network Warfare Command, Norfolk, Va. He has been commander of the Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, also in Norfolk.
Finmeccanica intends to raise €1 billion, a 10% increase over its current capital base, to clear the way for expansion of the business, including mergers and acquisitions. Shareholders are expected to back the board's plan when they meet late next month. The board will be able to raise the money--whether through a new share issue or bonds--and determine how the cash will be used. They expect it to be spent by June 2009.
Former Australian astronaut Paul Scully-Power has been named chairman of San Francisco-based SensorConnect Inc. He also is chairman of Prime Solutions Pacific and was chief technology officer of the Tenix Group of Australia.
David A. Fulghum (Washington, Tokyo and Honolulu), Douglas Barrie (London)
China will increasingly develop soft- and hard-kill capabilities for space and cyberspace to offset the weaknesses of its military forces, say U.S. planners. Military space is of growing importance to China as it deploys its own satellite navigation system and develops guided weapons capable of using this system. Beijing is also looking at the ability to deny potential opponents assured access to their space systems in a conflict.
Lockheed Martin will get another $385 million from its development contract for NASA's Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), reflecting a two-year delay in the company's original targeted delivery date for the vehicle to synchronize it with its Ares I launcher and other Constellation program hardware. The modification brings the value of the development portion of the contract to $4.3 billion from $3.9 billion, and extends it through 2013.
The International Air Transport Assn., in an effort to improve on the safest aviation year on record, is seeking a 25% reduction in the world accident rate in 2008. IATA's 2006 Safety Report deemed last year the safest ever for global aviation--one accident per 1.5 million flights of Western-built jet aircraft, or a hull loss rate of 0.65 per 1 million departures. The new goal: to drive it down to 0.49 per 1 million departures.
Launch customer Lion Air of Indonesia is set to take delivery this month of the first Boeing 737-900ER following the aircraft's completion of FAA type certification.
