The Boeing/Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency X-37B unmanned winged Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) is in advanced development, and is being aimed for a first launch from Cape Canaveral in early 2008 on board a Lockheed Martin Atlas V. The spacecraft, about one-fourth the size of a shuttle orbiter, will give the U.S. Air Force a reusable vehicle equipped with a payload bay from which to deploy small spacecraft and recover small payloads tested in space. The Air Force's Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) will acquire, test and demonstrate the OTV.
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD HAS ISSUED its final report on the crash of a Gulfstream business jet in November 2004 at Houston Hobby Airport. The airplane was scheduled to fly former President George H.W. Bush to Ecuador. The NTSB found that the pilots failed to adequately monitor and cross-check flight instruments during an ILS approach to the airport. A copy of the report is available at www.nbaa.org/safety.
Airbus has slashed its forecast for Chinese orders of aircraft in the A380 and 747-8 category, the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation has found, comparing this year's outlook with the previous one. Airbus is now forecasting 113 sales of such aircraft to China between now and 2025. "In March 2005, Airbus VP for Market Forecasts and Research Laurent Rouaud stated China could need some 200 very large aircraft by year 2023, while CEO of Airbus China Laurence Barron stated China would need 'at least' 200 aircraft in this category," the Sydney-based consultancy notes in a Nov.
Air India will become the 21st member of Star and the first in India to join such a global alliance. The entry is to occur after Air India and Indian Airlines merge in April.
Military planners are turning their attention to the preparation of bigger, theater-scale capabilities now that North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Union rapid response forces designed to deploy battalion- and brigade-sized units to overseas crisis spots are nearly fully operational.
THE FAA PLANS TO PUBLISH ITS FINAL RULE REGARDING AIR TOUR SAFETY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSN. AND OTHER GENERAL AVIATION ORGANIZATIONS HAVE OPPOSED THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, CLAIMING IT WOULD HAVE SERIOUS ECONOMIC AND OPERATIONAL IMPACT ON THE AIR TOUR AND FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION BUSINESS.
The airport in the caption accompanying "Risk Reduction" (AW&ST Nov. 16, p. 40) was incorrectly identified. The images show cockpit views of a night approach to Seattle Boeing Field Runway 31Left with and without Universal Avionics' Enhanced Vision System.
Gerry McRae (see photos) has been promoted to director of project management for the New York-based FlightSafety International from manager of the company's Toronto Learning Center. Ralph Hicks has been promoted to manager from assistant manager of the Learning Centers in Daleville and Dothan, Ala. He succeeds Britt Hoskins, who has retired.
The European Union could open itself to legal challenges from other states and airlines if it proceeds with plans to include aviation in its emissions-trading scheme. The International Air Transport Assn. estimated the proposed project could cost airlines $3 billion per year, with about $1.8 billion borne by European and the rest by foreign carriers. Airlines are opposed to the measure, as are non-European countries. The European Commission is to decide this month how to proceed on the emissions issue.
Prof. Joan Johnson-Freese of the Naval War College, Newport, R.I., has been named Aerospace Educator of the Year by Washington-based Women in Aerospace. Johnson-Freese was nominated by Daryle Lademan, an undergraduate student of hers at the University of Central Florida from 18 years ago. Lademan is an administrator for DFI International in Washington. Johnson-Freese is chair of the Naval War College's National Security Decision Making Dept.
The Russian Space Agency approved a new design of the multipurpose laboratory module for the Russian segment of ISS, to be developed by Energia Corp. The existing FGB-2 core, developed by Khrunichev, will be equipped with new control and life-support systems to save more space for scientific equipment. The module is to be launched and docked with ISS in 2009.
Three British Airways Boeing 767s were grounded last week--at Moscow Domodedovo Airport (see photo) and the other two at London Heathrow--after traces of radioactive substance polonium 210 were found in two of them. The findings appear to be linked to the mysterious death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who succumbed in a London hospital. An overdose of polonium 210 was found in his body.
European plans to introduce a light booster to complement the heavy-lift Ariane 5 ECA and medium-lift Soyuz are moving forward, following the first static test firing of the booster's P80 first-stage solid rocket motor.
The European Commission is investigating whether the German state of Saxony has provided illicit financial support to DHL and the Leipzig/Halle airport. Of specific focus is money for a new south runway that could have been granted beyond the terms of earlier state aid, which had been approved by the EC. Lawyers are concerned about market distortion in Europe's express parcel business, in part because the new runway is dedicated to DHL. The freight and mail carrier has committed to putting a hub at the airport.
Scott M. Brenner has joined the federal relations practice of O'Neill and Associates of Washington. He was chief of external affairs for the U.S. Homeland Security Dept.'s Science and Technology Directorate.
Capt. Mitchell L. Serber, Chairman, Airport and Ground Environment Group (Air Line Pilots Assn., Herndon, Va.)
Capt. (ret.) Roger T. Horrell's description of the proposed perimeter taxiway at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) as a "monument to the incompetence of the controllers" ignores the facts and perpetuates the capacity "blame game" that does nothing to make aviation safer (AW&ST Nov. 6, p. 10).
As the Registered Traveler program inches toward a limited rollout, General Electric is readying 20 combination shoe-finger-iris scanning machines for deployment by year-end at the first five cities. Airports in Cincinnati; Indianapolis; Orlando, Fla.; and San Jose, Calif., as well as the British Airways terminal at New York Kennedy International, have all signed up with Verified Identity Pass Inc., the first Registered Traveler service provider approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Paul Strothers has been named divisional chief executive for power systems for The Doncasters Group, Farmington, Conn. He was vice president-programs at Smiths Aerospace Systems.
India has received the 100th Boeing Business Jet delivered in the past decade. The aircraft was flown from Seattle as green, or unfinished, to Delaware to the PATS Aircraft completion center. India has ordered three of the 737-700 derivatives as replacements for three 737-200s. The standard BBJ can achieve a range of up to 6,000 naut. mi. and has an interior cabin of 807 sq. ft. About 35% of the BBJs have been for use by heads of state and typically seat 25-50 passengers.
Kristin Hilf (see photo) has become vice president-community relations for the Raytheon Co., Waltham, Mass. She was director of corporate communications for RSA Security.
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Tom Kriz has been appointed vice president-business development for Jetera One-to-One Media, Ridgefield, Conn. He was chief financial officer of Freelotto and had been senior vice president-finance and accounting at the American Tobacco Co.
Russian Satellite Communications Co. has contracted with Alcatel Alenia Space to supply the payloads for a pair of small gapfiller Express MD telecom spacecraft to be built by Khrunichev. The first of the units, Express MD1, will be launched with a bigger Express AM44 satellite, being built by NPOM with an Alcatel payload, in late 2007.
