I was not surprised that Airbus has determined that it does not have to repeat the failed A380 wing test, or redesign the wing to pass the test (AW&ST May 1, p. 38). This is the latest in a long history of curious European design decisions, including development of the paper-thin skin covering the Concorde fuel tank and the A300 vertical stabilizer.
EADS Astrium and Alcatel Alenia Space are under contract for a new satellite to replace Badr-1 (Arabsat 4A), which was lost in an ILS Proton launch incident in March. The new satellite, Badr-6, will enter service in 2008 at Arabsat's 26 deg. E. Long. prime video hotspot. As with Badr-1 and 4 (Arabsat 4B), to be orbited in the third quarter, Astrium will handle in-orbit delivery and supply the spacecraft bus, based on the Eurostar 2000+ model, while Alcatel will provide the telecommunications payload. Basically identical to Badr-1, the 3.4-metric-ton, 6-kw.
James D. Wilcox has been named to the board of directors of the Mooney Aerospace Group Ltd., Kerrville, Tex. He is founder and principal of Pivotal Strategies Inc.
Vought Aircraft Industries opened its new production facility in North Charleston, S.C., on June 8. The 342,000-sq.-ft. building will manufacture composite fuselage sections for the Boeing 787, using an autoclave 30 ft. in diameter and 75 ft. in length. Global Aeronautica, a joint venture between Vought and Alenia North America, will operate the assembly and integration building nearby when it is completed later this month.
Lockheed Martin is proposing a demonstration of a Washington-to-Boston system to guard against a surprise ballistic or cruise missile attack, although the intelligence community appears unconcerned about such an attack's likelihood. The Missile Defense Agency last month sent a classified report to Congress outlining whether a system against an "asymmetric" missile attack is needed and how to deploy it using sea- and ground-based resources. An MDA spokesman declined to provide details of the report.
He labeled Wall Street analysts who disagreed with him "morons" and sent them scathing faxes. He ignored lawyers who implored him not to discuss sensitive issues in public. And he built one of the aerospace industry's largest and most successful companies almost from scratch in less than a decade, rewarding investors with an 850% stock price appreciation along the way.
The British government is on the brink of a Joint Strike Fighter decision that has far-reaching ramifications for defense industrial strategy in general, and BAE Systems in particular. At the heart of the issue is a potential Final Assembly and Check-Out line for the Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in the U.K. Though BAE management has lobbied hard to secure this, its efforts may be thwarted. BAE is a partner in the JSF program, as is Northrop Grumman.
Reader Jim Ryan should be proud of his service with Grumman in development of the F-14 (AW&ST May 22, p. 8). The Tomcat is a true aviation masterpiece, possibly America's last. By comparison, today's fighters have the aura of shrink-wrapped, mass-produced appliances. Perhaps one could be maintained in flying condition under the auspices of an organization such as the Collings Foundation, which has done a magnificent job of keeping an F-4 Phantom in U.S. skies. It is a shame that U.S. armed services do not maintain heritage flights as do the U.K.
Hong Kong's youngest airline, Hong Kong Express Airways, is opening its first services to Taiwan in a code-sharing agreement with Mandarin Airlines. The daily flights will use a 76-seat Embraer 170 that was delivered two weeks ago.
Serious questions surround Airbus's plan to revise its twin-widebody strategy. Concerns range from the program's timing, to whether it is targeting the right market segment, to the aircraft maker's ability to actually assemble the airplane. Airbus is not expected to formally unveil its new design for a few more weeks. The emerging aircraft family would replace plans for the A350, with hope of this time generating broad market interest. Getting it right is critical for Airbus, after botching the A350, which drew extensive criticism from key customers.
Govindarajan (Raj) Sankar has been named chief financial officer of Global Aircraft Solutions Inc., Tucson, Ariz. He succeeds Ian Herman, who will continue as chairman/CEO. Sankar was vice president-finance of DHL Airways.
The Pentagon's acquisition czar has approved continued work on two Northrop Grumman programs that overran cost estimates by billions of dollars. Ken Krieg last week approved major restructurings to the National Polar- orbiting Operational Satellite System (Npoess) and the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle programs.
Linda Wood (see photo) has been appointed vice president-human resources for the Electronics Group of Crane Aerospace & Electronics, Redmond, Wash. She was director of compensation and benefits for the parent Crane Co.
USAF Maj. Gen. (select) Robertus C.N. Remkes has become director of plans and policy at Headquarters United States European Command, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany. He was commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service and director of recruiting for Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Tex. Remkes will be succeeded by Brig. Gen. (s) Suzanne M. Vautrinot, who has been deputy director for strategic security/deputy chief of staff for air, space and information operations, plans and requirements at the Pentagon. Vautrinot, in turn, will be succeeded by Brig. Gen.
Your editorial on Airbus and the A350 (AW&ST May 15, p. 86) hit the nail on the head with this disastrous plan by Airbus to keep up with Boeing. Over the years, Airbus has gained market share on its line of aircraft by merely underpricing Boeing. But now airlines are seeing that Boeing is willing to negotiate more aggressively and is building products that are exceeding customers' expectations (777-300ER). The same will be true as the 787 hits the skies.
The death of L-3 Communications Corp. co-founder, chairman and CEO Frank C. Lanza on June 6 reignited speculation about the company's future without him. Five days before his sudden passing at age 74, Lanza addressed many of those rumors head-on in what would become his final interview. In a wide-ranging talk with Aviation Week & Space Technology Business Editor Joseph C. Anselmo, Lanza discussed his recovery from surgery in April for acid reflux scarring of the esophagus, but gave no indication he was planning to step down anytime soon.
Earl Sheck (see photos) has been named vice president-military intelligence programs for the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Information Technology Sector, McLean, Va. He was director for analysis for the Defense Intelligence Agency and had been assistant director of naval intelligence. Steve Perkins has become vice president-Washington Operations, Kent Schneider vice president-business development and David Zolet sector vice president/president of the IT Sector's Defense group. Schneider succeeds Perkins, and Zolet succeeds Schneider.
For years, U.S. efforts to develop potent defenses against cruise missiles have survived only in the shadow of the massive project to develop a layered, national system against ballistic missiles. Tens of billions of dollars have been funneled to the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, while spending on cruise missile defenses--traditionally viewed as a regional problem--has been squeezed.
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor releases an untargeted Amraam missile during a test at the China Lake, Calif., range. Raytheon is developing new versions of Amraam to counter cruise missiles, and the Raptor is undergoing its first cruise missile defense trials outside the continental U.S. during a military exercise in Alaska this month (see p. 48). Pilots will be learning from their F-15 counterparts based in Alaska, who perform cruise missile defense using advanced radars and Amraams. This Lockheed Martin photo from Dec.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. plans to begin construction this summer of a 100,000-sq.-ft. Rapid Prototyping and Military Derivatives Completion Center at its Schweizer Aircraft subsidiary in Elmira, N.Y. The facility, known as Hawk Works@Schweizer Aircraft, is tentatively scheduled to begin operations by the first quarter of 2007 and be the chief completion center for all Black Hawk and Naval Hawk-derivative helicopters for international military customers. Helicopters will be built at Sikorsky's facilities in Stratford, Conn., and transported to Elmira for completion.
U.S. House and Senate negotiators have reached agreement on the Fiscal 2006 emergency supplemental appropriations bill for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and hurricane recovery. The $94.5-billion bill includes $15 billion for military procurement and $710.7 million for research, development, test and evaluation. It also includes $708 million to deploy National Guard personnel as part of the border security initiative.
GE Aviation is teaming with the Mississippi Development Authority on an "incubator program" at the State University College of Engineering to develop a fabrication plant for composite materials for jet engines. The pilot phase is to last through next year, followed by the opening of a production facility by 2008 at an unnamed site. GE is increasingly turning to composites to cut weight and improve durability in its civil and military programs. The Mississippi facility is to do military work.
I also was able to meet Scott Crossfield many years ago (AW&ST May 29, p. 6). As an elementary school kid, my mother enrolled me in a Science of Flight program put together by Gust Siamis near LAX. Gust ran us through the flight and space basics as well as history, with a lot of little home projects along the way. Yet he made sure we had the opportunity to get a hands-on feel for all he tried to teach us, by arranging a number of field trips.
Los Alamos National Laboratory is being operated under a new management structure. Los Alamos National Security (LANS) LLC, a team comprising Bechtel National, the University of California (UC), BWX Technologies and Washington Group International, won the management and operations contract in December. The lab had been managed by UC under regularly renewed government contracts since 1943, but security and safety problems in recent years prompted an open-bidding process last year. The new contract runs through Sept. 30, 2013, and may be renewed for up to 20 years.
Michael L. Sweeney has been promoted to chairman/CEO from president/chief operating officer of United States Aviation Underwriters Inc., Stamford, Conn. He has been succeeded by David McKay. Sweeney follows Harold J. Clark, who has retired.
