Researchers from England's Cambridge University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who have taken a clean- sheet approach to designing a quiet aircraft, draw the conclusion that a virtually silent commercial airplane is achievable, although there are caveats.
FAA's chief operating officer, Russell Chew, is stepping down from the agency at the end of this month, and some U.S. industry leaders are worried about how quickly the agency can fill his slot. The job is widely considered to be vital, thankless and underpaid, and it took the FAA more than a year to hire Chew as its first occupant. Air Transport Assn. CEO Jim May urges the FAA to move as fast as possible to replace Chew, although he admits finding someone of Chew's background and capabilities will be difficult.
The day is coming when UAVs will have better access to civil airspace, but it might be so far off that civil operators who want to do more now could be thwarted for years.
Bids are due this week for a presidential fleet of helicopters to be operated by the Indian air force, part of a broader rotary procurement program to revamp the country's military helicopter inventory. The outcome of the VIP bid is anticipated in 2008. AgustaWestland, Eurocopter, and Sikorsky are offering the EH101, Cougar and S-92, respectively.
United Parcel Service's pending order for 27 767-300ER freighters underscores the strength of that medium-size jet's appeal in commercial service even as Boeing is starting assembly of its replacement.
Ten years after NASA acquired a former airline Boeing 747 SP for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (Sofia) mission, a four-day flight readiness review was conducted by L-3 Communications in Waco, Tex., last week. Originally expected to enter service in 2001, Sofia has been beset with technical programmatic and funding issues and was saved only recently by a U.S.-German agreement (AW&ST Feb. 5, p. 30).
There will be a mix of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets in the U.S. Navy until at least 2030, and likely far beyond. What hasn't been decided--or at least what is once again in flux--is how many of each there will be and if either will be bumped aside by the next fundamental change in military aviation--the appearance of the long-range, long-endurance, unmanned combat aircraft.
Darrel Keesling has been named chief operating officer for St. Louis-based LMI Aerospace Inc. He was vice president/general manager of metal structures of GKN Aerospace Inc., Lisle, Ill.
Andy Nativi (Genoa), Joris Janssen Lok (The Hague)
AgustaWestland and Boeing are strengthening ties, based on the CH-47, with the European manufacturer to lead sales efforts for the Chinook in two key markets. The first target is the potential sale of the CH-47F Chinook to the Italian army, while a future British heavy-lift requirement is also in the sights. The two companies signed an agreement that focuses first on an Italian army aviation requirement, but has provisions for expansion to the U.K. and beyond.
The National Aeronautic Assn. has given the 2006 Collier Trophy to Lockheed Martin and the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter team for the "greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics" in America. The citation particularly notes the aircraft's performance during the Northern Edge Exercise in Alaska. The team also included Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, BAE Systems and the U.S. Air Force.
CAE IS EXPANDING ITS BURGESS HILL TRAINING FACILITY in the U.K. with four additional bays for simulators and has plans for more expansion in the future. The existing facility houses six simulators and projects that up to 6,000 pilots will receive instruction this year. Burgess Hill is CAE's chief base for business aviation training and offers programs for the Dassault Aviation Falcon 900EX and 2000EX with EASy cockpit and avionics, as well as the new Falcon 7X. In addition, the facility offers training for the Airbus A320, A340-600 and Boeing 747-400.
Thanks for having the courage to state in your editorial "Profits Are Nice But the Airline Glass Is Only Half Full" (AW&ST Jan. 22, p. 58) what many in the trenches know: the obscene salaries and stock options some have awarded themselves at the expense of the employees who contributed so much to these carriers. Your statement--"The last thing an employee needs is executives getting bonuses for the wonderful jobs they've done squeezing the last drop out of the system"--is right on target.
HOUSTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS after two years of construction. Located west of Houston, the facility is designed specifically to serve and support general aviation. Ron Henrikson, owner, says plans call for the existing runway to be lengthened to 7,000 ft. to accommodate larger business jets. Henrikson Jet Center is the primary fixed base operator and offers fuel and rental car service. Additional information can be found at www.HoustonExecutiveAirport.com.
Airports Council International forecasts that more than 9 billion passengers per year will take to the skies by 2025, compared to 4.2 billion in 2005. The growth rate will continue at an average annual rate of 4%, with Asia leading at a 9% rate until 2009. India, at 10.4%, and China, at 8.1%, have the fastest growing passenger volumes.
Engineers from across NASA are working on a design for an Orion crew exploration vehicle pressure shell made entirely of composite materials, but it will never get off the ground. Instead, the effort led by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) is aimed at gaining in-house composites experience for the agency to tap when it begins building other spacecraft needed for its lunar-and-beyond exploration effort, starting with an all-composite lunar lander and perhaps habitats for the Moon's surface.
Telespazio has won three contracts to handle technical and operational services for French space agency CNES at Europe's Kourou, French Guiana, spaceport, which is managed by CNES. The contracts will run five years and be worth €103 million.
Mike Barclay has been named New Delhi-based Asia-Pacific vice president of the International Air Transport Assn., effective May 14. He will succceed Andrew Drysdale. Barclay has been CEO of SilkAir.
Industry insiders say EADS is attempting to convince France and Saudi Arabia to fold a range of pending helicopter buys into a single framework so the economies of scale could permit Saudi industry to have a major role in assembly, parts production and product support and give EADS's Eurocopter affiliate a local industrial beachhead. Purchases could total 150 units, including 10 NH90 frigate helicopters and 35 EC130s trainers, and are expected to be concluded this year. EC155s and EC225/725s are also part of the eclectic mix.
The National Air Company Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has contracted to buy two ATR 42-500s (below) and four ATR 72-500s in a deal valued at $100 million, according to the manufacturer. Azerbaijan's flag carrier, once a part of Aeroflot, offers domestic and international services out of Baku's Heydar Aliyev International Airport. AZAL, which is undergoing expansion and fleet renewal, plans to open new regional routes with the aircraft, which are scheduled for delivery in 2007-08.
Lockheed Martin's first Space-Based Infrared System satellite (GEO-1) finished testing, without its main payload, in the company's thermal altitude chamber in Sunnyvale, Calif., last month. The program has suffered schedule probleems and five cost overruns, but officials say Northrop Grumman's payload will be delivered in the middle of this year for integration. Progress with GEO-1 is considered a step to regain confidence from the Defense Dept. for additional satellite buys.
I enjoyed the articles on the F-22 Raptor's success in the Alaskan exercises (AW&ST Jan. 8, p. 46). I wish the aircraft and pilots all the best, but am concerned that senior officials are badly misjudging the main scenario in which the F-22 will be used. There will be many "show-the-flag" flights. There will be many "beat-down-the-door" confrontations, where we pick the time and place. The F-22 will overwhelmingly win these.
Indonesia's National Air Carriers Assn. says aircraft lessors are imposing tougher demands on Indonesian carriers since the Jan. 1 crash of an Adam Air 737, whose cause remains unknown. Lease rates are up by $1,300-1,500 a month, and lessors are demanding safety audits of the airlines before delivering aircraft and insisting on arranging for maintenance, instead of giving the work to Indonesian firms. The association calls for government action to improve safety.
A key test for the Airborne Laser (ABL) is expected to slip. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) officials aren't publicly acknowledging it yet, but it could show up in the Fiscal 2008 budget proposal to Congress. Following the latest of several program restructurings, the MDA was planning for a late-2008 demonstration of the ABL's ability to destroy a ballistic missile in the boost phase. Army Brig. Gen.
