The full U.S. Senate is expected to take up an amendment to the Fiscal 2007 NASA appropriation that would "pay back" the agency $1 billion in funds drawn from other programs to return the space shuttle fleet to service. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (Md.), ranking Democrat on the appropriations subcommittee that funds the space agency, and Sen.
NASA and its international partners can start the difficult job of finishing the International Space Station as early as next month, thanks to the gritty efforts of spacewalkers Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers. The spacesuited pair grunted and strained to repair a critical piece of station-assembly gear, wrestling with sluggish bolts and tight workspaces to clear the ISS mobile crane for a 16-flight sequence that the partnership hopes will double the size of the station and its full-time crew over the next four years.
It almost seems cyclical that every so often someone complains about the costs of humans in space versus machines. It is undoubtedly true that robots are much cheaper than humans, but some perspective needs to be recognized.
Chris Glaeser has become vice president-safety and Paul McElroy director of internal communications for Alaska Airlines. Glaeser was director of flight safety, quality assurance and industry affairs for Northwest Airlines. McElroy was an editor at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Daniel Ball has been named interiors manager of Elliott Aviation, Moline, Ill. He was head of interiors installations in Challenger 300 and Global Express aircraft for the Bombardier Aerospace facility in Tucson, Ariz.
The intense robotic self-inspections conducted on Discovery as part of shuttle flight test objectives exceed those done on last year's shuttle return-to-flight mission, but their penalty on crew time combined with other essential tasks will remain a challenge for future flights. A nationwide NASA/contractor imagery and analysis team of about 100-150 engineers was involved in time-critical inspection work early in the flight and at the mission's end.
Air New Zealand is looking to aircraft size to help it fight high fuel costs. Beginning in October, ANZ will introducing Boeing 777-200ERs as replacements for 747-400s on flights from Auckland to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to London. It is discontinuing twice-weekly seasonal flights from Los Angeles to Christchurch and suspending operations from Auckland to Singapore. The larger 747-400s will return to the Auckland-Los Angeles-London route during the December-January high tourist season.
Jane Allen has been named senior vice president-human resources for United Airlines. She was senior vice president-onboard service and has been succeeded by Sean Donohue, who has been vice president-customer experience. Monique Hines has become vice president-information services and Srisu Subrahmanyam vice president-continuous improvement. Hines was managing director/chief of development, while Subrahmanyam was a managing director in the Information Services Div.
AIRSERVICES AUSTRALIA HAS CANCELED a request for proposals asking avionics suppliers to develop less expensive Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast equipment for general aviation aircraft.
Most companies do not have a fundamental problem with the export control regime, but rather, are worried about how the system is implemented. As part of Aviation Week & Space Technology's review of export control and technology sharing, Booz Allen Hamilton conducted a first-of-its-kind survey of major U.S. and foreign companies to examine how they view the current process, identify where the problems may lie and how they think the system could be fixed.
Safran reports a 10.8% rise in adjusted pro-forma sales for the first half, to 5.5 billion euros ($7 billion). Aerospace growth was in line with forecasts (see p. 70). However, because of higher costs from problems with unspecified defense contracts, and continued poor performance of the communications division--which will not return to profitability this year, as anticipated--the company predicts a "slight decrease" in its consolidated operating margin for the full year.
Sharon Weinberger (Washington), Amy Butler (Washington)
With industry concerns growing that the arms export control system is hurting business and hampering cooperation with foreign partners, advocates of reform are coalescing around plans for a renewed push to change. The question now is, how far can they go?
Michael Mecham (San Francisco), Douglas Barrie (London)
High fuel prices will accelerate replacement of older aircraft and flight saturation in Europe will push operators away from regional jets and into larger single-aisle transports over the next 20 years.
Rockwell Collins is to provide its Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) for the HH-47 Combat Search and Rescue helicopter that Boeing is proposing to the U.S. Air Force. CAAS uses common, reusable processing elements for each hardware component and employs a commercial-standard, open systems architecture.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. has launched a competition among the seven passenger and cargo airlines serving China for additional frequencies that will be available Mar. 29, 2007. Under a July 2004 U.S.-China protocol that expanded opportunities for carriers of both countries, a new-carrier designation won't be available until 2008, so only incumbents--American, Continental, Northwest (combination and all-cargo), United, FedEx, UPS and Polar Air Cargo--may make proposals for 2007.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael (Buzz) Moseley has his eyes on the Middle East. Industry sources say Moseley was offered the top job at U.S. European Command, replacing Marine Corps Gen. James Jones. Moseley declined and, instead, proposed to replace Army Gen. John Abizaid at U.S. Central Command, which includes Iraq and Afghanistan. Moseley commanded air forces during the air war in Iraq and his re-entry into the theater could give political cover to the Bush administration, which is hard-pressed to begin withdrawing ground forces.
BAE Systems chief Mike Turner says any resolution of the Boeing-Airbus trade dispute needs to take factor in Japanese subsidies of Boeing's new 787. The jetliner's wings are being built by Japanese companies, and Turner, whose company holds a 20% stake in Airbus, charges that Tokyo has provided hefty assistance. "We all know that one-third of the 787 has been paid for by Japan," he said in an interview (see p. 49). "Where would that come in a settlement?
Chris Rowe (see photo) has been named managing director for Irvin Aerospace's facility in Llangeinor Bridgend, U.K. He was managing director for AMS Ltd. Radar Systems.
In a major milestone toward development of commercial manned space flight capability, including private investment in lunar base facilities, a Bigelow Aerospace subscale Genesis 1 inflatable module is undergoing tests in space following launch July 12 by a Ukrainian booster. The company, headed by millionaire hotel entrepreneur Robert T. Bigelow, hopes within the next few years to begin flying 45 X 22-ft. 20-25-ton manned inflatable Nautilus modules (AW&ST Sept. 27, 2004, p. 54).
The world today is tightly interconnected, dependent on global flows of materials, goods and services to function and prosper. This makes it vital to eliminate violent disruptions and threats to peace. The international community must maintain serious scrutiny of trade in the tools of war and the implements of mass destruction.
I applaud Pierre Sparaco for his second attempt, in "Missed Opportunity" (AW&ST July 3, p. 42), to coerce civil aviation into revising current regulations so they are more efficient with respect to aircraft accident investigation procedures.
Wisconsin's Supreme Court has upheld a state property tax exemption for airlines that operate hubs or have established corporate headquarters there. But the legal battle may not be over. The 5-2 decision reverses a lower court ruling in 2003 that invalidated the exemption. Northwest Airlines, based in Eagan, Minn., and a major operator in Wisconsin, had brought suit against the exemption, arguing the law is unconstitutional for its exclusivity. The carrier is considering an appeal to a federal court.
Brad Harmsen (see photo) has been promoted to president from senior executive vice president of the BRPH Companies Inc., Melbourne, Fla. Lawrence Shaw will continue as chairman/CEO.
