The European Space Agency expects to sign off on a contract for the Gaia star-mapping mission on May 11. EADS Astrium was selected in February for the award, expected to amount to about 300 million euros. Work has already begun on the mission, which is to be launched in 2011. It is expected to cost 557 million euros in total. Agency officials say they will also begin studying offers for another new mission--BepiColombo--on May 17. A request for proposals for the 650-million-euro Mercury orbiter, to be undertaken with JAXA of Japan in 2013, went out on Feb. 15.
The lack of constructive discussions between states on how to handle aviation's impact on climate change could undermine, before it has even started, an International Civil Aviation Organization effort to tackle the issue. The stakes for the airline industry are high: Europe wants to include air transport in its emissions-trading scheme, which some argue could add several billion dollars to operating costs as airlines are forced to purchase credits to offset their carbon dioxide (CO 2) production.
SR Technics has reached a preliminary agreement to buy 60% of Israel Aircraft Industries' Empire Aero Center in Rome, N.Y. The move will give SR a long-sought foothold in the North American repair market.
Emirates Group's profit soared to $674 million last year, with a net profit margin of 11.8%. Emirates Airlines generated $6.3 billion in revenue, and load factor increased 1.3% to 75.9% despite the addition of 16 aircraft in the last year. The fleet is expected to reach 156 aircraft by 2010.
The British Defense Ministry is seeking a way to acquire a long-endurance UAV surveillance capability for its forces deployed in Afghanistan, and extend the availability of air support.
An independent forecast of the cost of developing a next-generation air transportation system (Ngats) by 2025, while keeping the current one running, predicts a budget shortfall of about a billion a year.
Airbus plans to begin flight testing fuel cell technology next year to assess how such devices would help reduce fuel burn. Boeing also is exploring fuel cell technology (see p. 44), and officials from both companies say there may be a rare opportunity for cooperation. Airbus will test the fuel cell technology on a company-owned A320, installing the device in the cargo hold. General Electric is partnered with Airbus on the experiment, says Philippe Jarry, Airbus senior vice president for product policy.
WINGSPEED CORP. IS OFFERING TWO LOW-COST XLLINK SYSTEMS for airplanes and helicopters that provide flight-tracking, two-way text messaging, voice calling and Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (Acars) data services. The Model L generates and sends messages containing GPS information to Wingspeed's ground-based services via the Iridium satellite network, where it is formatted and routed through a secure Internet connection to customer operations anywhere in the world, according to Wingspeed President Jim Becker.
Matt Hederstrom has become director of tactical systems at the Technology Advancement Group Inc., Dulles, Va. He was director of government affairs for the Advanced Navigation and Positioning Corp., Hood River, Ore.
Dan A. Colussy, chairman of Iridium Holdings and former CEO of Iridium Satellite, will serve as interim CEO of Iridium Satellite until a succcessor for the retiring Carmen Lloyd is appointed.
Dozens of aerospace-supplier executives blitzed lawmakers and congressional staffers on Capitol Hill last week to push the Aerospace Industry Assn.'s legislative agenda. Topping that list is relaxing a law that requires suppliers to certify U.S.-made metal content down to every screw and bolt they sell the government. Industry types say overzealous Pentagon enforcement of the requirement--even on parts that cost less than 1 cent--has delayed deliveries and hurts business (AW&ST Mar. 13, p. 24).
BOMBARDIER SKYJET IS MOVING ITS HEADQUARTERS TO the Dallas/Fort Worth area from Fairfax, Va., where it will be co-located with the company's Flexjet fractional ownership program. The move is scheduled to be completed in June and, says Managing Director Alexandre Monnier, is necessary to meet growing demand for services by Skyjet customers. The program offers members a choice of 25, 50 or 100 flight hours using the Skyjet Card. Skyjet is separate from Flexjet, which is Bombardier's fractional ownership program.
Canada's WestJet posted first-quarter earnings of C$12.9 million ($11.48 million), overcoming an 11.9% increase in fuel expense from first-quarter last year when the low-cost carrier took a $10-million loss. The results, boosted by a 31.6% increase in operating revenue over last year, topped all first quarters in WestJet's 10-year history. The carrier's yield increased 10.5% to 16.8 cents per revenue passenger mile, up 1.6 cents over the year-ago quarter. Expenses grew less than a penny per available seat mile to 12.5 cents.
Raytheon has received a contract from BAE Systems for up to $70 million to develop a hard-kill active protection system for the Army's Future Combat System vehicles. Using FCS sensors and common radar, the hard-kill system detects and strikes enemy threats with precision munitions in fractions of seconds. The use of integrated sensors and active weapons is to substitute for heavy armor.
NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured this Miro-esque view of the ringed planet from a distance of 1.8 million mi. on Mar. 10, using its narrow-angle camera and an infrared filter. Dione, the larger of the two moons visible, and Janus stalk the edge-on rings with the planet's horizon beyond. Dione measures 700 miles across, while tiny Janus--blurred by its motion during the imaging--is only 113 mi. in diameter. Resolution in the image is 11 mi. per pixel.
EADS has won a 10-year contract to provide screening and basic pilot training for French fixed-wing air force, army and navy pilots. Under the award, which could be worth up to 175 million euros ($210 million), EADS will supply 15,000-32,000 flying hours a year at the air force's flight school.
Frances Fiorino (Washington), James Ott (Cincinnati)
Labor contract decisions are steering the course of restructuring for Delta Air Lines and its regional arm, Comair. Delta says it can get back on the restructuring track, if its pilots vote "yea" on a tentative contract this month. While the mainline waits it out, Comair is picking up the pieces of its bankruptcy reorganization after a judge's decision supported the flight attendants' fight to preserve their contract.
Hispasat reported a 20% increase in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, to 69.9 million euros ($86.7 million), on revenues of 99.7 million euros (+18%), and a quadrupling of its net, to 9.8 million euros. The Spanish operator said it had filled 66% of transponders on its new Amazonas satellite.
Leaders of the House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee say the White House leaned on them to prevent a delay in the VH-71 presidential helicopter program. In marking up its part of the Fiscal 2007 Defense authorization bill, the panel recommended trimming $39 million from the program out of concern it is being "pushed too fast" and taking test and development risks that "could be outright dangerous," says Rep. Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, the subcommittee's senior Democrat.
Mumbai-based Kingfisher Airlines has signed a contract with Airbus for five A340-500HGWs, plus five options. The aircraft is slated for certification in 2007 with first flight scheduled in October. Kingfisher's aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500s and are scheduled for delivery in 2008. The carrier now operates eight A320s and four A319s on domestic routes. Last year, it ordered five A380s, five A330s and five A350s for use on long-range routes.
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An unpiloted Russian Progress docked automatically with the International Space Station Apr. 26, two days after launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Included in Progress 21's 2.5-ton cargo were 2,300 lb. of spare parts and other hardware; 661 lb. of water; 103 lb. of oxygen and air meant to supplement the oxygen generated on board; 1,918 lb. of propellant for the ISS's Russian thrusters, and three volleyball-sized microsatellites.
Your article on the relationship between NASA and Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) suggests that NASA officials tacitly endorse his methods of obtaining funds for NASA and other organizations in his district (AW&ST Apr. 17, p. 57). DeLay's methods represent the worst in the way politicians carry out the business of government. All agencies and contractors should fight for funding on their merits and not who they know, or how they make contributions.
Industry had hoped U.S. Air Force planners would refine requirements for the new KC-X tanker to expedite the program. Instead, a much-anticipated request for information has fueled the service's appetite for even more data without addressing some crucial needs. The result: confusion among contractors about what the Pentagon really wants, and speculation that politics played a role in shaping the acquisition document.
Ray Knutilla (see photo) has been named managing director for European operations for the Ladish Co. Inc., Cudahy, Wis. He was manager of strategic modernization at Cudahy Forging.
