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.
Andrew J. Policano has been appointed to the board of directors of Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He is dean of the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine.
EADS Space has completed acoustic testing of the ATV space tug intended to serve as a resupply vehicle for the International Space Station. The one-week campaign, performed at the European Space Agency's engineering center in Noordwijk, Netherlands, included three 30-sec. acoustic blasts designed to verify the vessel's ability to withstand the dynamics of an Ariane 5 launch. The 20-metric-ton vehicle was the largest ever to be tested in the ESA acoustic chamber. The next stage of testing--thermal vacuum trials--is to follow next month (AW&ST Apr. 17, p. 19).
New rumblings from Madrid that Spain should have a larger role in Airbus could complicate efforts by newly named EADS and Airbus managers to resolve the crisis facing the European airframer (see p. 37). When Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapaterro was elected prime minister two years ago, the new government indicated Spain would like to double its share to 10%, by increasing the government's existing stake, bringing in more Spanish private equity or both. Although nothing came of the move, the Spanish seem to think the time is ripe for another try.
6-8 Correspondence 10-11 Who's Where 14 Industry Outlook 15 Airline Outlook 17 In Orbit 18-21 News Breaks 23 Washington Outlook 74-75 Classified 76 Contact Us 77 Aerospace Calendar
Barry Johnson has been named vice president-quality assurance and supplier management and James Judd vice president-production, integration and test for Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va.
The space shuttle program is back. All appropriate cautions and caveats apply because every element of a manned spaceflight still has great risk and complexity. But the key management and technical issues that caused the Columbia accident and bedeviled the initial STS-114 return to flight are now well in hand, given the shuttle's performance on STS-121.
Northwest Airlines and the AFA-CWA, the new bargaining agent for the airline's 9,200 flight attendants, have a lot to talk about when they meet this week to discuss a contract. A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge ruled that Northwest could impose a new contract if the airline and the previous union, the Professional Flight Attendants Assn., failed to negotiate a new contract by July 17. But on July 6, Northwest flight attendants voted 4,349-2,688 to join the Assn.
Market Focus 13 Defense spending forecasts dampen aerospace stock growth News Breaks 18 Javelin two-seat 'executive jet' to sport new wing 19 Joint Strike Fighter becomes the F-35 Lightning II 19 Italians, Dutch aim to coordinate F-35 production and maintenance goals 20 Report urges France to devise new arrangement for military exports 20 U.K. Defense Ministry, Raytheon ne- gotiating shift in Astor support deal
