UNITED STATES Editor-In-Chief: Anthony L. Velocci, Jr. [email protected] Managing Editor: James R. Asker [email protected] Assistant Managing Editor: Michael Stearns [email protected] Senior Editors: Craig Covault [email protected], David Hughes [email protected] Editor-at-Large: William Readdy NEW YORK 2 Penn Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10121 Phone: +1 (212) 904-2000, Fax: +1 (212) 904-6068 Senior News Editor: Nora Titterington
Adam Aircraft's backlog of 342 A700 orders is unevenly split among owner-operators (66 jets) and fleet sales (276), but deliveries are scheduled so cancellations will have minimal impact on production. "We blend the owner-operator orders with all the air-taxi orders over several years," says Joe Walker, Adam's president.
Stephen Dodd has been promoted to director of corporate finance and information technology from manager of corporate finance and IT division controller for Miami-based Astar Air Cargo.
Eight employees of Swiss air traffic management authority Skyguide have been indicted by a local prosecutor for alleged involvement in the 2002 midair collision of a Bashkirian Airlines Tu-154 and a DHL Boeing 757 cargo aircraft near Ueberlingen, Germany, in which 71 people died. The lone controller in the tower had instructed the Tu-154 pilot to descend in order to avoid a collision, although the collision avoidance equipment called for a pull-up.
Midwest Airlines in the coming months will make several significant fleet decisions that will guide the carrier through a planned network and schedule expansion. This marks a significant turnaround for the airline, which barely averted bankruptcy three years ago.
Japan Airlines (JAL) is facing an uphill battle to regain confidence of consumers and investors, as Asia's largest airline struggles to return to profitability this year.
John Junkins, a professor of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University, has been selected to receive the 2006 Aerospace Guidance Navigation and Control Award from the Reston, Va.-based American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He has been cited for contributions to aerospace guidance, navigation and control, and leadership in the aerospace community.
It's funny that George W. Hamlin, in his Viewpoint "Hold the Red Herrings" (AW&ST July 24, p. 82) that advocates open skies between the European Union and U.S., speaks at length about the advantages of a treaty to the Europeans but omits the consequences to the Americans.
The Adam Aircraft A700 composite-material twinjet is into its FAA-certification flight test program (see p. 41). The company's first A700 has been to 41,000 ft. and 340 KTAS, checking high-altitude operation of its Williams FJ-33 engines. Because A700 No. 1 is not in production configuration, it has been retired from testing. Climb, high-altitude performance and handling qualities evaluations will be completed after aircraft No. 3 starts flying in October.
USMC Col. (ret.) Roy R. Byrd has become vice president-Marine Corps relations for the New York-based EDO Corp. He was director of the USMC Security Cooperation Education and Training Center at Quantico, Va.
One need look no further than the recent financial results of SES Global SA to find evidence that the clouds are starting to lift in the satellite services business. Net profit for the first six months of 2006 was up 29% from a year earlier, to 216 million euros ($276 million) on a 17% gain in revenues. A glut in global satellite capacity is easing, and big acquisitions by SES and rival Intelsat Ltd. have brought a much-needed consolidation to the industry.
Indra is getting ready to put into operation air traffic management equipment for Morocco's Agadir airfield, giving it ADS-B capability. The country's airports authority awarded the contract in 2003. The control center at Casablanca also will be upgraded by year's end. Indra will be in charge of establishing ADS-B at Casablanca, expanding coverage from the coastal region to the entire country, according to the Spanish aerospace electronics manufacturer.
Slowly but surely, turboprop-maker ATR continues to build its order book. The latest agreement is with Precision Air Services of Tanzania. The $97-million deal includes three ATR 42-500s and three ATR 72-500s. The aircraft are expected to be delivered in the 2008-10 period. The carrier already operates four older ATR 42s and two ATR 72s. The new aircraft will replace some of the current fleet and be used for route expansion.
Terry Rolfe has become a principal in New York-based Integro's aviation practice and Edward Nicholls managing principal and aviation insurance/risk management practice leader. Rolfe was senior vice president/head of the general aviation practice at Marsh Inc., while Nicholls was executive vice president of the Aon Corp.
Taking a page from high-tempo U.S. operations since 2001, the Israel Air Force has introduced a new generation of higher-resolution sensors and network-centric operations to tightly integrate data from its fighters. A fleet of unmanned aircraft, including the newly operational longer-range Heron/Eagle I, is also on the scene. An even longer-endurance UAV, the Eitan from Israel Aircraft Industries' Malat division, made its first flight, but is not participating in the conflict.
Don McCreesh and Paul Jaggard have been appointed to Rand's board of directors. McCreesh is a corporate director/president of The Garnet Group and was senior vice president-human resources for Celestica. Jaggard is president of Vincero Capital Management.
To submit Aerospace Calendar Listings, Call +1 (212) 904-2421 Fax +1 (212) 904-6068 e-mail: [email protected] Aug. 29-31--SAE's General Aviation Technology Conference & Exhibition. Wichita (Kan.) Hyatt. Call +1 (724) 776-4841, fax +1 (724) 776-0790 or see www.aerospace.sae.org Aug. 29-31--AUVSI's Unmanned Systems North America 2006. Orlando, Fla. Call +1 (703) 845-9671 or see www.auvsi.org
Israeli defense and aerospace suppliers are weathering the fighting between the country's military and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, so far. But more upheavals in schedules could emerge once combat operations wind down and the country reassesses its defense priorities.
Finmeccanica is deciding whether to cut its stake in Italy's Avio engine and space company as part of the majority ownership transfer to private equity firm Cinven from the U.S. Carlyle Group.
There is a gap between cargo and passenger aircraft when it comes to security--an area where cargo pilots continue to fight for regulations mandating hardened cockpit doors, secondary barriers in the cockpit, crew training and improved cargo-handling procedures.
Isaac Yeffet, former director of global security at El Al Israel Airlines, has been named to the business advisory board of HiEnergy Technologies Inc. Irvine, Calif.
The mission of training pilots to fly the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter has been assigned to the U.S. Air Force's 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla. The unit will include all the U.S. services and an international cadre and will operate all three versions of the aircraft including conventional, short takeoff and aircraft carrier variants. The wing's F-15s will be redistributed by 2010, the same year that the first F-35s arrive.
Tough times, largely induced by high fuel prices, are hurting airline investment in Asia. Beijing-based Air China had to scale back its initial public offering by nearly 40% on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Investment analysts blamed the fall on broader market concerns within China. But airline analyst Peter Harbison, executive chairman of the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation, sees it as part of a broader "crisis of investor confidence" in Asia-Pacific airlines. The driving issue is the continued high price of fuel. Japan Airlines is facing similar investor revolt (see p.
The articles and editorial on technology transfer in your July 17 issue brought back memories of the early 1980s, when the Defense Dept. attempted to curtail publication of and access to American scientific research and technologies. The intent was to prevent exploitation by the Soviet Union.
South African Airways is to sell 49% of its stake in Air Tanzania, cutting a five-year strategic alliance. It reportedly wants to recover $20 million it had infused into Air Tanzania. The partnership ended in March when the SAA board resolved to strike Air Tanzania off its books.
