The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an uncontained engine failure Jan. 25 on an America West Express Bombardier CL600-2B19 Challenger (N17337). The jet aircraft was climbing through 24,000 ft. en route from Denver to Phoenix with 54 people on board when at the left engine cowling, fan and other forward components separated from the aircraft. According to the NTSB, the crew declared an emergency and returned safely to Denver at 5:30 p.m. The fuselage, left engine pylon and tail section were slightly damaged.
China says it will launch a pair of satellites in June and October to support broadcast coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games. A polar-orbiting weather satellite, a Fengyun-3, will be launched in the autumn. The Fengyun-3 series replaces the Fengyun-1 series, one of which, Fengyun-1C, was expended in China's Asat test last month.
Hainan Airlines Group is buying a 22% stake in Shenzhen Finance Leasing Co. Ltd. to develop its aircraft leasing business. Both moves seem to be aimed at the domestic market. In December, Bank of China bought Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise, which is focused outside of China but is expected to help the bank develop a domestic aircraft leasing business.
John Newton has become vice president-used aircraft for the Cessna Aircraft Co., Wichita, Kan. He was senior vice president of Textron Financial Aviation Finance.
A new take on old Chinese proverbs: "When the winds of global public opinion are blowing against you, change the subject." This is what China People's Daily, the official Chinese government newspaper, has done. It totally ignored the destruction of the FY-1C polar-orbit weather satellite by a Chinese anti-satellite weapon Jan. 11, instead reporting that China is about to launch a brand-new satellite to replace older versions.
BAE Systems, which won a protracted campaign to supply the Indian air force with Hawk advanced jet trainers, is the likely contender to fulfill a similar requirement for the Indian navy, which needs around 24 carrier-capable aircraft to support pilot training for its incoming MiG-29K fleet. The navy expects to receive the Russian carrier Admiral Gorshkov, now called the Vikramaditya, in 2008 with 12 single-seat MiG-29Ks and four twin-seat MiG-29KUBs.
Charles J. Brinkman (see photos) has been named vice president/general manager of the Advanced Concepts and Technology Div., Chineta K. Davis vice president/general manager of electronic systems operations and Gloria A. Flach vice president/general manager of engineering and logistics, all for the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Baltimore-based Electronic Systems Sector. Brinkman was director of surveillance and remote sensing, while Davis was vice president- corporate business development.
Aerospace and defense (A&D) organizations find themselves vying for employees alongside an expanded playing field of technology-related firms, many of which are better equipped with the experience and infrastructure to compete successfully for talent. In order to deliver on the war for talent, A&D organizations need to focus on applying innovative and game-changing thinking to how they attract, deploy, develop and retain critical talent.
The legacy of an air traffic controller strike more than 25 years ago has returned to haunt the FAA with a new staffing predicament that could linger into the next decade. The FAA is faced with a wave of controller retirements from a workforce that was mostly hired in the same nine-year period, following President Ronald Reagan's decision to fire striking controllers en masse in 1981. About 70% of the current controller workforce of nearly 15,000 will become eligible to retire within the next eight years, the FAA estimates.
USN Rear Adm. (ret.) David Stone, a former director of the Transportation Security Administration, has been appointed to the board of directors of SkyPort International Inc. of Houston.
The first detailed air traffic management performance targets will drive about a year's worth of intense deliberations as a consortium of industry and government representatives works to spell out the future for Europe's ATM system.
French defense minister Michele Alliot-Marie will meet in March with Des Browne, her British counterpart, to hash out final details of a project to build a second French aircraft carrier based on the U.K.'s new CVF design. The Chirac administration wants to sign off on a contract for the carrier, or at least key elements of it, before the presidential election in May.
France and the U.S. have signed a space cooperation agreement to facilitate joint work in civil space endeavors. The two nations are planning to work together in Moon and Martian exploration as well.
Tom Vice, a Northrop Grumman vice president who inspired the development of the Weightless Flights of Discovery program, has accepted the California Space Authority's Buzz Aldrin Space Education and Workforce Award for the company. Northrop Grumman was recognized by the CSA for developing and providing teachers with a "hands free" educational tool designed to motivate American students to seek careers in scientific and technical fields.
GE Security's Secure Registered Traveler Kiosk went into service on the West Coast on Jan. 22 at Mineta San Jose International Airport. The self-serve kiosk allows registered travelers to identify themselves. It also examines passengers for explosives. Similar kiosks are at three other major U.S. airports.
Ric Anderson (see photo) has been named senior director of consulting for aircraft maintenance program studies and training for the EmpowerMX Consulting Services Group, Duluth, Minn.
U.S. Air Combat Command hasn't given up on the idea of fielding a powerful standoff jammer despite the budgetary and mission fights over two previous attempts to turn B-52s into electronic attack platforms. ACC's chief, Gen. Ronald Keys, points out that stealth aircraft such as the F-22 and B-2 aren't invisible and if they orbit in a battle zone long enough, they'll have trouble staying undetected, particularly by low-frequency surveillance radars.
Simon Ramo has been named to receive the Space Foundation's highest honor, the Gen. James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award. It recognizes individuals for lifetime contributions to the welfare or betterment of humankind through the exploration, development and use of space; or the use of space technology, information, themes or resources in academic, cultural, industrial or other pursuits to benefit humanity. Ramo was selected for his accomplishments in the beginning of the U.S.'s space programs.
The first unit in Germany's SARLupe radar reconnaissance satellite system has entered operation. The one-meter resolution spacecraft began sending images on Jan. 12 and by Jan. 18, all planned modes and resolutions had been verified. The second satellite is to be launched in July.
Congratulations to all cited in the "Annual Laureate Candidate Selections," for their continued efforts and dedication to improving civil and military aviation/aerospace (AW&ST Jan. 1, p. 57). We all reap the benefits of their labors. Notably absent is Honda Motors Co. for developing a remarkable vehicle that while only slightly smaller than a Cessna CJ1, has a 30% larger cabin, up to 40% greater range, on 14% less thrust. Its Honda engines boast a 5,000-hr. time between overhauls with no costly hot-section inspections.
If the International Federation of Air Line Pilots Assns. wants to impress me with its reverence for truth-finding in aircraft accident investigations, it can start by reversing its opposition to cockpit video recorders, which the National Transportation Safety Board has wanted for years (AW&ST Jan. 1, p. 6).
Assistant U.S. Defense Secretary Brian Green says he's confident negotiations with Poland and the Czech Republic to secure sites for the U.S. missile defense system will continue. The Czechs will provide locations for basing a radar while Poland will house up to 10 interceptors. The cost is about $3.5 billion, including $1 billion for construction. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Director Lt. Gen. Henry Obering says he hopes the system there is operational as early as 2011, to counter the threat of long-range missiles from Iran.
ExpressJet plans to launch point-to-point service in April and May under its own brand using 44 of the 69 Embraer regional jets it kept on lease from Continental Airlines when the mainline carrier rebid regional service. CEO Jim Ream says ExpressJet will operate at 24 cities with 59 market-pairs, offering 224 daily flights. Fifteen of the other RJs will be used for charters and 10 for a potential new mainline partner.
