Arianespace affiliate Starsem says negotiations to launch Italy's CosmoSkyMed dual-use surveillance satellite system, the first of which is to be launched in April or May, hinge on talks between Italian and Russian officials. Starsem is closed to military missions, and Rome must convince Moscow of the civil nature of much of CosmoSkyMed's intended scope.
Richard Goglia has been named vice president-treasury and corporate development and Michael J. Wood vice president/chief accounting officer of the Raytheon Co., Waltham, Mass.
The NASA, U.S. Air Force and contractor team that conducted the flight test program for the X-43A hypersonic research aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards AFB, Calif., has been named winner of the Society of Flight Test Engineers' James S. McDonnell Team Award. The award honors team achievement in the field of flight test engineering.
The University of North Dakota (UND) Flying Team decisively swept the Region V National Intercollegiate Flying Assn.'s "Safecon" [Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference] competition, held Oct. 12-14 at Grand Forks, N.D., racking up 278 points. Runner-up St. Cloud State University followed with 106 points, University of Dubuque was third with 89 and Minnesota State University-Mankato took fourth with 52. The UND Flying Team will represent Region V in a national competition May 7-12, 2007, at Ohio State University.
Look for the Air Force to redraft its request for proposals (RFP) for an airborne refueler because of the concerns of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). McCain, who will become chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee if the Republicans maintain Senate majority in November, has questioned the Air Force's inclusion in the original draft RFP of questions regarding impacts of a dispute before the World Trade Organization (WTO) about subsidies for large commercial airplane programs.
British Airways says environmental performance is front-and-center to its wide-body competition--an effort that could eventually total more than 100 aircraft--but any deal will be as much about lowering its per-seat fuel costs as about going "green." British Airways last week kicked off what will be one of the most closely watched competitions between Airbus and Boeing, with an estimated value of more than $10 billion for the first batch of 34 aircraft.
French space pioneer Michel Bignier died in his sleep on Oct. 12. He was 80. After graduating from the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique and Enac civil aviation school, Bignier in 1953 joined the French defense ministry's flight test center. He soon focused on missiles and participated in early programs that led to development of French nuclear ballistic launchers. In the early 1960s, Bignier joined the newly formed CNES French space agency and became director general in 1972.
Aviation regulators are examining whether to alter long-established procedures for aircraft noise certification with the goal of fostering the introduction of technologies to quiet operations. The move is part of a broader effort to reduce the environmental impact of aviation, compelled largely in Europe.
Michael A. Taverna and Frank Morring, Jr. (Valencia, Spain)
Robotic missions to Mars promise to provide a space-exploration second front as humans prepare to return to the Moon in the decade ahead. While NASA concentrates on building the human-rated Ares launch vehicles along with the Orion crew carriers and upper stages and landers needed to put four human explorers at a time anywhere on the Moon, the focus in Europe will be on a sophisticated rover that can drill as much as 6 ft. beneath the Martian surface to look for evidence of water and life.
Bill Baumgarten, Bob Buley and John Khoury have been named directors of customer operations for--respectively, North America and Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, and Latin America--for Naverus Inc., Kent Wash. Baumgarten was vice president-commercial aviation sales for Flight Deck Resources. Buley was senior account manager for airports and airlines services with the Lockheed Martin Corp., while Khoury was sales director for airlines in the Central U.S., Latin America and Caribbean for Honeywell Aerospace.
MARKET FOCUS Earnings down at General Dynamics; stock price may have peaked 11 NEWS BREAKS Japanese coast guard taps AW139 for all-weather SAR duties 18 AW&ST names Beijing-based Asia-Pacific editor 19 Successful Metop launch puts to rest Soyuz reliability concerns 19 British Defense Ministry, BAE ink contract for 28 Hawk 128 trainers 20 EADS's space division continues strong performance 22 Obituary for French space pioneer Michel Bignier 22
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary C. Kelly described the airline's third-quarter results as "solid," considering the dramatic rise in fuel costs and last summer's terror threat in London. The airline reported a $48-million net income in the quarter, compared with $210 million in the same period last year. Southwest had a $200-million cash gain from fuel hedging in the quarter, but the price of jet fuel per gallon increased 60% compared to last year. Revenues were impacted by the terror threat. Southwest estimates a more than $40- million reduction for August and September.
Air traffic controllers want to work traffic on concrete runways and assign transponder codes--not strut on fashion runways and adhere to dress codes. But dress code they must, under work rules imposed by FAA on the National Air Traffic Controllers Assn. Effective Sept. 4, controllers at all U.S. facilities were told to wear business casual to work. No jeans, no sandals, no sneakers. How many airport travelers are really concerned about the fashion in towers and darkened control centers?
Tom Green has been named president of the Turbomachinery Products Div. of the Goodrich Corp., Chandler, Ariz. He has been vice president-operations for the Aircraft Wheels and Brakes Div.
Members of the U.S. military's electronic attack community worry about a new U.S. Air Force B-52 jammer program. Originally, the Air Force and Navy had split up development of the jamming capability by bands. USAF was interested in identifying and jamming the lower band threats to protect stealth aircraft from low-frequency radars, for example. The Navy worked higher bands, which include advanced air defenses, sophisticated communications and the complex modulations designed to evade detection and jamming.
Your concluding paragraph in "Victoria's Secret" (AW&ST Oct. 2, p. 24) puts the exclamation point on planetary missions to date. The view of Mars's Victoria crater is nothing short of breathless. To think we are actually "there" and can see such interesting detail. One can only hope Opportunity is able to investigate the interior . . . what a "final resting place."
The European Space Agency awarded Qinetiq's Optronics Center a €310,000 ($387,500) contract to expand on the two demonstrator systems to assess the potential of the technology for space missions. Scientists will develop the patented hollow waveguide optical integration technology for use in optical space instrumentation, with the aim of improving performance and reliability of the space sensors at a reduced cost. Optical integration technology could be used in a range of sensors for Earth observation, planetary exploration, atmospheric sensing and optical communications.
Ross Reynolds, who is vice president-air mobility programs for the Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., has won the Hap Arnold Award for Excellence in Aeronautical Program Management from the Reston, Va.-based American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was recognized for "leadership in instituting new and robust processes and management disciplines that have brought long-term stability to the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules airlifter program."
Honeywell Aerospace's synthetic vision system (SVS) for business jets is designed to help pilots with a 3D picture to compensate for their "real-world" view, which is often obscured by darkness or low visibility. During a flight in the company's Cessna Citation V, this Aviation Week & Space Technology pilot had an eye-opening view of the terrain ahead while using SVS. It was like flying "virtual VFR" even though the 3D views are meant to enhance situational awareness, rather than serving as primary navigation guidance.
Boeing is slimming down its unmanned rotorcraft development due to a dwindling customer base while Northrop Grumman, its chief competitor in that market, continues to test its Fire Scout unmanned rotorcraft for U.S. Army and Navy use. After more than a year of development on the A/MH-6 Unmanned Little Bird concept, Boeing says it is putting the project on the shelf. The Little Bird has demonstrated a configuration that can be used unmanned for more lethal missions and manned in a traditional role supporting special operations troops.
Patricia Arnold has been promoted to senior vice president from vice president-education and workforce development for the Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation. USAF Col. (ret.) Marty Hauser has been appointed vice president-Washington operations, research and analysis. He was assistant director of public affairs in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.
Eutelsat engineers are attempting to sort out two problems that have hampered operations on two different spacecraft, in one case permanently. Hot Bird 3 suffered an anomaly Oct. 3 at the end of its eclipse period that caused "substantial damage" to a solar array and cut its overall power. Eutelsat and EADS Astrium, which built the spacecraft, are trying to figure out what happened, and the operator is going ahead with plans to shift the spacecraft to 10 from 13 deg. E. Long. (AW&ST Oct. 9, p. 22).
Following an initial order for 3-in.-dia. Pipe Weld Purge Systems for use in the Falkland Islands, the U.K. Defense Ministry (Battlefield Support) ordered similar equipment for use in Afghanistan. The current requirement is for the purging of 75-mm.-dia. pipework welds, such as found in aircraft and used for air ducting, fuel delivery and other services. Argweld Inflatable Pipe Purging systems have a range of 58-84-mm. dia. to prevent oxidation of the inside of the weld, eliminating one of the causes for porosity and weld fracture.
