Jean-Yves Le Gall, CEO of Arianespace; Jean-Jacques Dordain, director general of the European Space Agency; Francois Auque, chief executive of EADS Astrium; and Yannick d'Escatha, director general of French space agency CNES, for bringing Europe's Ariane 5 ECA heavy-lift launcher to maturity, after a disastrous inaugural launch failure in December 2002.
Sometimes a company's worst enemy lurks inside its own walls--and so it was for Airbus in 2006. Recent dramatic events demonstrated clearly that complacency can undermine an organization while political interference can seriously aggravate corporate difficulties. The European airframer's image and outlook remain clouded as a result of last year's many-sided crisis. At the same time, the airline industry can barely contain its deep astonishment while assessing the A380 debacle and the A350XWB's delayed launch.
It was an unusual request for a busy auto executive, but Ford CEO Alan R. Mulally (left) was only too happy to talk about airplanes and his career at Boeing for our Person of the Year portrait, with Editor-in-Chief Anthony L. Velocci, Jr. (right) and Northern California Bureau Chief Michael Mecham (center), who reports on the airplane maker. Mulally joked that as much as Boeing is scrutinized by the press in Seattle, it doesn't compare with the amount of coverage he has received now that Executive Chairman William Clay Ford, Jr., has asked him to rescue the automaker.
NASA's Ames Research Center and Google will work together on large-scale data management, massively distributed computing and better human-computer interfaces under a new Space Act Agreement. The first collaborative projects between the new partners will focus on making the best use of NASA information already available on the Internet, including plugging NASA data into the popular Google Earth feature.
Since its creation in late 2002 as the third-largest Cabinet agency, the U.S. Homeland Security Dept. has rushed to secure the nation's borders and transportation system, patrol its waterways and assist disaster recovery efforts. But that sense of urgency, combined with "poorly defined requirements and inadequate oversight," has led to "ineffective or inefficient results and increased costs," says the department's inspector general.
Raymond H. Siegfried, 3rd, has been appointed vice president-business and general aviation markets and strategic resources for Nordam Group, Tulsa, Okla.
The NASA Johnson Space Center team that developed the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS), enabling space shuttle self-inspection and repair access. Kim Ess, OBSS project manager, coordinated development, while Andre Sylvester, the subsystem manager, led identification of sensor and boom options. Jim Siekierski, systems engineer, then coordinated the critical analytical evaluation of sensor capabilities with Neptec Inc.
After more than a year of contractual negotiations, Spain has finalized its deal to buy 45 NH90 transport helicopters. First deliveries are planned for 2010 in the tactical transport configuration. Spain also received a NH90 final assembly line at Albacete, which is to be opened this quarter. The Eurocopter Espana facility also will serve as sole supplier for the NH90 front fuselage. The Spanish requirements for helicopters of the NH90 type could reach 100 rotorcraft.
The Iranian government gets plenty of well-deserved criticism for operating Internet sites that promote radical Islamic views and preach hatred of the West in general (and the U.S., Israel and Jews in particular). Tehran also censors Western web sites to control access by the 7 million Internet users in Iran. Reporters Without Borders contends that Iran is creating digital borders to prevent its citizens from getting information from abroad, listing it among "Internet enemies" along with China, Egypt, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Vietnam. However, the U.S.
Embraer plans to spend $2.6 billion during the next five years on product development. The increase should be noticeable this year, when spending would reach $500 million from around $280 million as Embraer launches two new business jets. Also, the aircraft maker and the Brazilian air force have signed an agreement for development of the Link-BR2 data network, which is aimed at satisfying the service's vission for network-centric operations.
Virgin America, Sir Richard Branson's proposed low-cost airline for U.S. domestic service, doesn't come close to qualifying as a U.S. citizen and won't receive certificate authority, the Transportation Dept. said in a tentative decision subject to appeal.
Early bidding in the upcoming congressional budget negotiations gives NASA exploration managers plenty of heartburn. Amid signs the incoming Democratic leadership intends to pass a full-year continuing resolution (CR) for Fiscal 2007 and move on to the Fiscal 2008 budget request early in the year, the space agency's legislative office warns that exploration accounts face deep hits.
The first dedicated commercial K a-band broadband spacecraft will commence operation early this year, underscoring the sudden maturing of this long-awaited new satcom application.
Two spaceborne solar observatories have started returning data to Earth, raising hopes of new discoveries on the closest star in the months ahead. One of NASA's twin Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatories (Stereo) spacecraft has already returned images of a coronal mass ejection (CME), the powerful eruptions scientists hope to observe in 3D beginning in April as the spacecraft get far enough apart in heliocentric orbit.
Kevin Laughlin (see photo) has been named vice president-sales for North America for Intense Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland. He was vice president-sales and marketing at Nuvonyx Inc.
NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) this year has taken a big step to expanding the alliance's responsibility in Afghanistan and aid in rebuilding the war-torn country. British Army Gen. David J. Richards has overseen the growth of ISAF's role, including expansions in July and October that have put NATO in charge of some of the most dangerous parts of the country. ISAF has confronted a growing insurgency, while continuing to provide relief to the local population, even in the face of insufficient troop provisions by NATO members.
Clive J. Beddoe, chairman/CEO of Calgary-based WestJet, was a guiding light in the carrier's creation 10 years ago and continues to lead its expansion across Canada. He is a private pilot who was looking for something new and different in an airline, especially one suited for Canada's West. Beddoe threw out the book of rules for running an airline. WestJet invests in high technology when it's beneficial. Passengers are "guests" and employees are owners.
CANADIAN FORCES TRIALS OF 3D SIMULATION-BASED TRAINING show the potential to reduce maintenance training as much as 60%, according to CAE of Montreal and NGRAIN Corp. of Seattle and Vancouver. The Canadian Forces are using 3D simulations from these companies to accelerate aircraft maintenance training and ease demand on hardware training devices. The new system is also capable of providing distance learning. Maintenance trainees are reaching mandated performance levels much faster with the new system than with traditional methods, says Lt. Col.
Jean Lydon-Rodgers, president of the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team, and Thomas Hartmann, team senior vice president, led the group that has designed and developed the F136 engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. This collaboration has worked outstandingly. GE brings its expertise in the hot section and extensive military background, while Rolls-Royce places its unique hollow titanium fan blisk into military application and also brings Stovl (short takeoff/vertical landing) technology to this versatile engine.
In the 30 years Rep. Ike Skelton has been in Congress, the U.S. has engaged in 12 military expeditions--from Grenada and Panama to Somalia and Afghanistan--but the Missouri Democrat says the war in Iraq has him worried about U.S. counterinsurgency capabilities. Counterinsurgency "over a period of years has become lost in the shuffle," the incoming chairman of the House Armed Services Committee says, adding that when Democrats assume control of Congress this month, they will take "a hard look" at both conventional warfare and counterinsurgency.
Contrary to a story in the Dec. 18/25, 2006, issue (p. 31), Boeing officials say the company has suffered no production delays in 777s this year. Boeing expects to meet its projected target of 395 deliveries in 2006.
Capt. Dennis J. Dolan, President (Chertsey, England)
Pierre Sparaco's column "Unwarranted Criminalization" (AW&ST Nov. 13, 2006, p. 43) is "spot on," and the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Assns. fully supports the conclusions. IFALPA has been concerned for some time about the growing tendency to pursue criminal actions against pilots and other aviation professionals who are involved in avation accidents. If those who are involved in accidents fear criminal prosecution, they will be reluctant to be candid and acknowledge deficiencies and failures that contributed to the accident sequence.
Airbus's re-launch of the A350 with models ranging from 270-350 seats is another strategic blunder that will further erode Airbus's position in the wide-body market. While Airbus was concentrating on the white-elephant A380, Boeing's upgrade of the 777 made the A340 obsolete, and the 787 has done the same to the A330. Meanwhile, the updated 747 has trounced the A380 in sales for the past two years. The A380's double-deck design without nose-loading probably never will be accepted by cargo carriers as a 747 replacement.
Add Washington Dulles International to the list of airports from which general aviation operators are allowed to fly directly into Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) barred general aviation flights in and out of Reagan National after 9/11, but lobbying by industry and area lawmakers convinced the TSA in July 2005 to allow some GA flights to return, under certain restrictions. Flight crews, passengers and aircraft must all be screened before flights from the approved gateway airports are allowed to fly into DCA.
Now a car man at Ford, Alan R. Mulally nonetheless is Aviation Week & Space Technology's 2006 Person of the Year because of the critical leadership role he played for two decades at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Mulally's emphasis on analyzing world trends to establish a vision of the market--and then matching that vision with lean manufacturing, continuous product improvement, supplier partnerships and mastery of Internet tools--has reshaped commercial aviation. Our profile begins on p. 50. Tom Wojnowski photo.
