Whether or not the Chinese and South Koreans search ships leaving North Korea for weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), the U.S. has other ways to prevent shipment. So says Mario Mancuso, the deputy assistant secretary of Defense for special operations and combating terrorism. He says that special operations forces have the capability to derail shipments intended to proliferate WMDs. Moreover, the U.S. also has far broader capabilities. "We're doing things across the spectrum," Mancuso says.
At Vokel air base in the Netherlands, the flying weather was excellent on Sept. 21. A Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16BM was making touch-and-go landings. Two local photographers where snapping away, including Peter de Vos, at the end of the runway, and Rene Wilthof. Wilthof says he was about to head home when the F-16 made a low pass over one of the parallel runways and he heard a loud bang as a "big flame" shot out the engine exhaust. The pilot pulled straight up to gain altitude in order to bail out, Wilthof says. Several more explosions followed with more flames.
EADS and SITA have agreed to cooperate on developing airport information systems aimed at speeding aircraft turnaround times. The two groups will work on melding mobile radio and information technology: EADS will focus on the radio element, where its Secure Networks unit has expertise, while SITA will concentrate on the IT aspects.
The Sinergia investment fund has bought a 40% stake in Air Italy. The remaining 60% is held by three foreign companies. The value of the investment has not been disclosed. Air Italy launched operations in May 2005, flying mainly charter routes from Milan, Rome and Verona. It projects €70 million in revenue in 2006 and expects to carry 500,000 passengers. The cash infusion is aimed at funding an ambitious expansion plan that includes development of a low-fare business, and investors hope to boost revenue to €300 million within the next three years.
Demand for business flying shows no sign of slowing down as orders for new jets dominate the National Business Aviation Assn. show. Consumer interest on jets from entry-level models such as the Eclipse 500 to large-cabin, long-range airplanes such as the Gulfstream G550 and Dassault Falcon 7X ran high. Major airframe manufacturers are awash with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of orders for jets, turboprops and helicopters. And business deals within the service and support sector was equally vibrant.
Raymond Goyco has been appointed vice president-sales and marketing for Ship it AOG, Addison, Tex. He was director of marketing for Corporate Service Supply and Manufacturing Inc.
Eurocopter has sold its first EC135 and EC145 light twins in Poland. Due for delivery early next year, the aircraft were ordered through Hellinvest, the company's Warsaw-based representative. Seven EC120B and EC130B4 helicopters are operating in the country.
India's Civil Aviation Ministry is threatening to impose a moratorium on new airplane licenses as one way to dampen the country's voracious appetite for new airlines and aircraft.
Qantas intends to move its information technology systems for support and maintenance operations to India-based Satyam Computer Services and Tata Consulting Services as of November. The decision means the loss of 340 positions.
Louise Hatfield (see photo) has become U.K.-based sales manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for OAG Cargo. She was a sales executive with DHL.
James D. Shields (see photos) has been appointed president/CEO of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc., Cambridge, Mass. He succeeds Vincent Vitto, who has retired. Shields was vice president-programs and will be succeeded by Darryl Sargent, who was director of the Space Systems Programs Office. John Stillwell has been promoted to vice president-strategic systems from principal director of the Strategic Systems Program Office.
Northrop Grumman has won a $2.7-million contract to develop new software for the ICAP III electronic attack package now being fielded on EA-6B Prowler aircraft. The Block 3 software upgrade is to tie the system to the larger warfighting networks and allow the aircraft to participate in electronic warfare battle management. The U.S. Navy intends to provide a single electronic combat operational picture that can then be prioritized for time-critical targets, assess threats, prepare responses and communicate those actions to anyone in the network.
No matter which party wins control of the House and Senate next month, there will be new leaders running several committees and subcommittees. Thanks to the term-limits rule imposed by Republicans, veteran leaders like Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner (R-Va.) will have to step aside. Also leaving leadership posts at their six-year maximum mark: Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as that panel's aviation subcommittee chief and Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.).
The paperwork is in hand for NATO to deliberate proceeding with the €3.3-billion ($4.1-billion) Alliance Ground Surveillance system program. After adjusting the project's scope during the summer to reduce development costs, the transatlantic industry team, AGS Industries, has submitted its proposal, with an eye toward a contract in the coming months for the design and development phase. The program is now focused on developing a radar and integrating it on an Airbus A321, after the unmanned aircraft adjunct was turned into an almost-off-the-shelf U.S.
Japan's Mitsui & Co. and Israel Aircraft Industries are expected to join a 50/50 joint venture in January for Boeing 767-300 conversions, according to the Nikkei business news service. IAI's Bedak unit is a major aircraft modification and conversion center but does not hold licenses from the Seattle manufacturer for such work. The announcement came as Boeing chose Italy's Alenia Aeronavali as its partner for the -300 Converted Freighter Program (AW&ST Oct. 16, p. 52).
BAE Systems' divorce from Airbus is now final, leaving EADS holding 100% of the aircraft maker. The nearly year-long drama of BAE Systems unloading its 20% stake to EADS ended Oct. 14. BAE Systems received €2.75 billion in cash from EADS for its shares. The amount was set by an independent financial institution after EADS and BAE Systems couldn't come to terms. BAE instigated the sales process in April.
Italy's Enav is set to complete the acquisition of the Vitrociset ATC radar support and maintenance business. The first installment of €21 million has been paid. The ATC support business generates about €80 million in revenue. Its main client is Enav, with annual contracts worth around €70 million.
Tired of waiting for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to set standards, 14 House of Representatives members are calling for an investigation of security vulnerabilities at foreign repair stations working on U.S.-registered aircraft. The lawmakers want the Government Accountability Office to look into the potential risks of terrorist sabotage at overseas locations. U.S. carriers have outsourced 50% of repair and maintenance of their aircraft, according to the Transportation Dept.'s inspector general.
Jim Blasingame (see photo) has been promoted to senior director of sales from director of sales for Honeywell programs for Dallas Airmotive. Steve Barlage has been named the company's Rolls-Royce engine manager for the Northeast U.S. He was vice president-regional sales and East Coast general manager for The Air Group. Daniel McLandsborough has become Pratt & Whitney Canada regional engine manager for the North Central U.S. He has been manager of maintenance coordination for Jet Linx Aviation.
Alteon Training and Asiana Airlines are broadening their agreement as the airline expands its Boeing 777 fleet. The wholly owned Boeing subsidiary is to install a 777-200/-300 full-flight simulator at the airline's Seoul training center. The equipment should be ready by April 2007. Alteon also plans to move an Asiana-owned 737-500 full-flight simulator from Seoul to Alteon's new center in Singapore.
The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has performed what it describes as the world's first hands-off, autonomous air refueling engagement. It was a Navy-focused test using a probe-and-drogue refueling system. The tanker was linked to a NASA F/A-18 configured to operate as an unmanned testbed. On the tanker was the Autonomous Airborne Refueling Demonstration system that uses GPS-based relative navigation, an optical tracker to ensure the refueling drogue hits the center of a 32-in. basket.
The delays in Airbus A380 deliveries are forcing airlines to continue operating higher fuel-burn aircraft and carry the cost of unused infrastructure. Some are even still scrambling to fill capacity demands. The freighter conversion business is also falling victim to the A380 postponement. Companies that have taken slots at cargo conversion facilities now are struggling to find the airplanes to be modified since a number of 747-400 passenger aircraft are being forced into prolonged service life, industry officials say.
From Bouncing Bombs to Concorde: The Authorized Biography of Aviation Pioneer Sir George Edwards by Robert Gardner Sutton, 2006, 334 pp., $34.95, ISBN 0-7509-4389-0
