Even before the German government has given the formal go-ahead to the Euro Hawk signals intelligence program, project officials have decided to jump start the effort to ensure the German air force's fielding timeline can be met.
MTU has delivered the first production Pratt & Whitney PW6000 engine, intended as an alternative powerplant for the Airbus A318 airliner. MTU has a 33% share in the PW6000 and is responsible for the high-pressure compressor, low-pressure turbine and final assembly. Launch customer LAN is expected to acquire up to 90 engines.
Boeing also says that 10 737-800s that it has listed in its unidentified category are being purchased by India's Air Sahara. Valued at more than $700 million, the aircraft will be equipped with blended winglets and deliveries are to begin in 2009. The carrier also took purchase rights for another four -800s. With the Air Sahara order, Boeing has recorded 418 737 sales this year. The company continues to carry on its unidentified list 53 sales of various aircraft, including 26 737s, 20 777s, five 787s, one 747 and one 767.
RAISBECK ENGINEERING WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPLY its dual aft body strakes and nacelle wing lockers for Beechcraft King Air 350 airplanes until 2009. The strakes and lockers have been standard equipment on the Model 350 since 2000 and 2004, respectively. Raisbeck officials say the strakes increase climb and cruise performance as well as directional stability that reduces restrictions on flight with an inoperative yaw damper.
The Royal Australian Air Force has declared the first F/A-18 Tactical Operational Flight Trainer (TOFT) operational with the F/A-18 Hornet Aircrew Training System at RAAF Base Williamtown in New South Wales. Built by L-3 Communications' Link Simulation and Training Div., the TOFT is designed to increase a pilot's combat skills and will "greatly expand the RAAF's ability to conduct advanced tactical training through the use of networked simulators," says Mike Wallace, vice president for Navy and Air Force programs at Link.
Bombardier's aerospace sales declined 4% from a year earlier to $1.9 billion in the quarter ended July 31, as higher business jet and turboprop deliveries failed to offset declining regional jet sales. RJs accounted for 9% of total revenues, down from 22% in 2005.
Expediting what it expected to be a competitive proceeding, the U.S. Transportation Dept. approved U.S.-China all-cargo frequency requests for March 2007 from FedEx, Northwest Airlines and Polar Air Cargo because the total fell within the 15 frequencies that were available. The three carriers each asked for four frequencies.
Shanghai Airlines will take delivery of the first GEnx-powered Boeing 787 in June 2008. The carrier opted for General Electric powerplants for its fleet of nine aircraft. Shanghai also is buying GE's OnPointSM Solutions long-term maintenance program.
Space Data Corp. has won a $49-million contract to provide a near-space (65,000-135,000-ft.) communications system for the Pentagon. Tests have shown the range of the radios used in Iraq and Afghanistan can be extended to more than 400 mi. from 10 mi. using a balloon-borne payload for communications relay. The GPS-equipped balloons will be parked at an altitude of 20 mi. where winds are very predictable.
USN Rear Adm. David J. Venlet has been nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assignment as commander of the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md. He has been program executive officer for tactical aircraft programs. Rear Adm. Steven L. Enewold has been named vice commander of Naval Air Systems Command. He has been director for the Joint Strike Fighter program in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. Rear Adm. (lower half) Richard B. Wren has been appointed commander of Carrier Strike Group Five, Yokosuka, Japan.
Scott Klavon, director of standards, professional development and aerospace businesses for the Warrendale, Pa.-based SAE International, has been elected a fellow of the London-based Royal Aeronautical Society.
Adam Aircraft plans to accelerate FAA certification of its A700 very light jet and increase production of the A500 piston-powered business airplane following a $93-million infusion of capital. The Englewood, Colo.-based company's latest round of funding is backed by a consortium of investors led by DCM, a venture capital firm. It includes new European partners, as well as Goldman Sachs and Hunt Growth Capital, which previously invested in the startup airframe manufacturer and helped underwrite both certification of the A500 and early development of the A700.
Wizz Air and Sky Europe are emerging as Central and Eastern Europe's fastest-growing low-fare carriers, but doubts remain whether both can survive independently in the longer term. Both airlines have been taking advantage of the European Union's eastward expansion that added 10 countries to the EU common aviation market. Growth rates are impressive in the largely uncharted territory, but profit appears a long way off, particularly for Sky Europe.
In the aftermath of the foiled London plot to blow up airliners, security continues to make headlines--but its huge cost is barely mentioned by authorities. Obviously, we all expect to travel in a secure environment. But, despite some European governments' narrow views, common sense suggests that passengers should not pay for tighter measures that began to be implemented after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against New York and Washington.
THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION HAS AUTHORIZED Business Jet Center at Dallas Love Field, as the first Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Gateway Station for general aviation flight operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). No flights from the DFW metroplex to DCA have occurred since 9/11, according to Stephanie Jordan, general manager of Business Jet Center.
Deployment of a Franco-Italian-led United Nations task force to Lebanon could profoundly modify perceptions of Europe in the international security arena, and Italy's stature within the European defense structure. However, failure could draw ridicule if the high-risk mission fails.
The reported acquisition of a minority stake in EADS by a state-controlled Russian bank is being met with perplexity, with none of the parties concerned--including the bank--ready to officially acknowledge the deal.
Indian Air Force Commodore (ret.) Parvez Khokhar has been named Boeing Integrated Defense Systems international business development director at the Boeing India office in New Delhi. He was project director for the National Flight Test Center.
ANG Brig. Gen. Riley Porter (see photo) is now commander of the Arkansas Air National Guard. He succeeds Brig. Gen. Galen Bryant, who is retiring. Porter was director of the Regional Air Management Control Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
The Air Force, which hates calling its big, new MQ-9 the Predator B, quietly names the turboprop-powered UAV the "Reaper." Since the unmanned aircraft has six weapon stations and has been assigned the Killer portion of the Hunter/Killer mission, it appears there is an unspoken meaning, "as in Grim Reaper," confirms a senior defense official. Budget planning for Fiscal 2008 leaves nearly all the UAV programs untouched, but without any large initiatives.
Charles Leader has become director of the U.S. Joint Planning and Development Office. Robert Pearce, who has been acting director, will be deputy director. Leader was a partner in McKinsey and Co. and co-head of its aerospace/defense practice.
You can now register ONLINE for Aviation Week Events. Go to www.aviationweek.com/conferences or call Lydia Janow at +1 (212) 904-3225/+1 (800) 240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada Only) Sept. 19-21--MRO Asia Conference & Exhibition, Xiamen, China. Oct. 24-26--MRO Europe Conference & Exhibition, Amsterdam. Nov. 13-15--Aerospace & Defense Programs, Phoenix. PARTNERSHIPS Sept. 24-27--Industry Outlooks and Growth Strategies 2006, San Antonio.
After winning two battles with Mother Nature and successfully completing negotiations with the Russians, NASA is poised this week for three tries to launch the shuttle Atlantis STS-115 mission to reinitiate space station assembly. But the International Space Station is also about to be the setting of perhaps a bit of diplomatic drama involving the current U.S./Iranian situation: The Russian Soyuz TMA-9 mission in mid September will fly to the ISS an Iranian-born woman space tourist who is a naturalized American citizen (see p. 16).
