User fees, that is. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta asked hundreds of civil aviation professionals attending last week's FAA forecast conference to hold off criticizing the much-anticipated FAA plan for financing the air traffic control system in the future. Mineta didn't mention user fees, but FAA Administrator Marion Blakey has all but acknowledged that such fees will be the centerpiece of the plan.
The German government has cleared the integration of Germany's LFK into European multinational MBDA, paving the way for the two missile makers to merge. The European Commission had approved the merger, which will create a company with annual sales of 3.4 billion euros and 11,000 employees.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter should join a family of spacecraft at the planet at the end of this week to aid in the search for water with yet sharper observations, work with the Mars rovers, provide relay services for future landers, and find new landing sites.
The Joints Chiefs of Staff vice chairman, Adm. Edmund Giambastiani, insists that China not build aircraft carriers (AW&ST Feb. 6, p. 23). How would the U.S. react if a top Chinese officer demanded that America not build carriers and only have forces to provide for its genuine security needs? Is it little wonder the U.S. finds it difficult to win friends, or don't you care anymore?
Holloman AFB, N.M., has been selected as a preferred alternative location for stationing USAF's new F-22A stealth fighters. It was picked for its good flying weather, proximity to ranges, facilities for stealth aircraft and community support, say USAF officials. The first operational F-22 unit is stationed at Langley AFB, Va.
Arne Haak (see photos) has been promoted to vice president of finance/ treasurer from director of corporate finance and Kirk Thornburg to vice president-maintenance and engineering from director of engineering for AirTran Airways.
Inquiry boards being formed by the Russian government and International Launch Services will attempt to determine what caused a Proton M rocket failure that lifted a telecommunications satellite owned by the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) into improper orbit.
Kazakhstan's Kazcosmos company is proposing to use a Soviet-era anti-satellite (ASAT) system as the basis for a satellite launcher. Dubbed Ishim, the system would use the MiG-31D variant of the Foxhound developed for the ASAT system, and also apparently the missile originally intended for satellite interception. Two MiG-31D prototypes were built for the program, which progressed as far as a test-launch of an inert missile.
The Eurofighter Typhoon consortium hopes to ink a long-delayed series of contracts later this year that should spell out future upgrades, satisfy U.K. demands for more capability early, and set the course for integration of the Meteor air-to-air missile.
Douglas L. Maine has been named to the board of directors of Minneapolis-based Alliant Techsystems. He is retired general manager of the IBM Consumer Products Industry Div.
James L. Cameron (see photos) has become corporate vice president/president of the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Washington-based Technical Services Sector. He was vice president/general manager of the Rolling Meadows, Ill.-based Defensive Systems Div. of the company's Electronic Systems Sector. Cameron has been succeeded by Robert L. Del Boca, who was vice president-infrared countermeasures and laser systems.
Engineers at Iridium Satellite LLC have hired the services of a Silicon Valley simulation firm to help them deal with the problems of controlling and upgrading the company's 77 low Earth orbit communications satellites, all of them slightly different.
Delta Air Lines' January operating report filed with U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York shows the carrier had a net loss of $300 million (including $87 million in restructuring items) for the month, compared to a net loss of $314 million in the same month last year. In addition, the airline said it ended the month with $2.1 billion of unrestricted cash, had cut mainline capacity by 7.8% and hedged about 26% of its planned February fuel requirements at an average $1.75/gal.
David C. Wajsgras has been appointed chief financial officer of the Raytheon Co., Waltham, Mass., effective Mar. 13. He was CFO of the Lear Corp., Southfield, Mich. Wajsgras succeeds acting CFO Biggs C. Porter. At Lear, Vice Chairman James H. Vandenberg will be interim CFO.
The Spanish air force is expected next month to begin operational deployment of the first of five upgraded P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft. The first of the P-3Bs to be modified to the P-3M standard is now undergoing final operational testing at Moron AB.
Delta Air Lines has gained U.S. Transportation Dept. approval to inaugurate flights between its hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta and Johannesburg, South Africa, via Dakar, Senegal. Beginning Dec. 4, the airline will operate the route with Boeing 777s configured to seat 50 in business class and 218 in economy.
India and the U.S. signed a civilian nuclear cooperation pact during President George W. Bush's state visit last week. A major breakthrough in political terms between the two countries, the pact is subject to congressional approval. Although the agreement is not directly connected to defense cooperation, sales of military equipment and joint exercises were discussed during Bush's visit.
Eileen Denne has become vice president-communications and marketing, Jessica Steinhilber senior manager of environmental affairs and Elle Han manager of economic affairs, all for Washington-based Airports Council International-North America.
"Big. White or beige color. Very loud. I've never seen an airplane like it." Those are typical descriptions from people who reported seeing an unusual aircraft, yet who characterize themselves as "not that familiar with airplanes."
NASA science managers are reevaluating the mix of space science programs in their Fiscal 2007 budget request, promising changes, if warranted, in the face of warnings from top scientists that the present plan threatens U.S. global scientific dominance.
For 16 years, Aviation Week & Space Technology has investigated myriad sightings of a two-stage-to-orbit system that could place a small military spaceplane in orbit. Considerable evidence supports the existence of such a highly classified system, and top Pentagon officials have hinted that it's "out there," but iron-clad confirmation that meets AW&ST standards has remained elusive.
In a report on U.S. trade, the European Union puts research and development subsidies that Boeing received from the U.S. government at 13.9% of the company's turnover in 2004, and argues there has been a steady increase in the support level. The EU's annual report also expresses concern about what it sees as $2 billion in annual assistance provided to engine makers General Electric and Pratt & Whitney. The report is silent on subsidies given by the EU and its members to European aircraft and engine manufacturers.
The modified external tank for the next shuttle mission is starting a processing flow with no schedule margin, while engineers here assess issues that could affect NASA's May launch target for Discovery, such as those with engine cutoff (ECO) sensors. The external tank (ET) arrived at Kennedy Mar. 1, a week earlier than envisioned. This followed a Herculean effort to complete the tank by the Michoud, La., Lockheed Martin/NASA workforce, most of whom continue to suffer personal hardship from Hurricane Katrina.
The FAA's annual 12-year forecast depicts as narrow a path to success for itself, with fully as many pitfalls on either side, as for the airlines whose fortunes usually are the center of attention. For profit-starved major U.S. airlines, the Fiscal 2006-17 forecast suggests the current boom in yields is actually a boomlet, destined to last only a year or so before the steady post-deregulation decline resumes. Allowing for inflation, the FAA believes yields will drop an average of 0.8% per year through the forecast period.
