The European Space Agency will provide data from Japan's new Advanced Land Observing satellite (ALOS) to users in Europe and Africa under an agreement approved by the ESA Council in December and awaiting signature. Data from the spacecraft will be made available to commercial distributors and the scientific community, as well as Europe's Global Monitoring for Environment and Security Network.
Thank you for publishing Capt. Geraldo Knippling's article "Three-Engines-Out Ditching." The whole flight was one equipment failure/problem/disaster after another, but Knippling still managed to get all but one of his crew home. What an airman. And what an excellent example to those of us much lower on the "pyramid."
A surplus Russian spacesuit recycled as an amateur radio satellite sent weak signals to schoolchildren and enthusiasts worldwide after the ISS crew deployed it Feb. 3 by pitching it over the side. Although NASA initially reported that "Suitsat" died after about two orbits, amateur radio operators later reported it continued to transmit a weak signal into the following week. Problems with the transmitting equipment conspired with an unexpectedly high spin rate to make the 145.990-MHz. signal "weak, cold and really hard to copy," says an operator who heard it.
Airbus has completed envelope expansion of its A380 and is now increasing attention on other elements of the project, including proving the aircraft's in-service utility and birthing the next member of the family, the A380-800F. As part of the test campaign, Airbus has taken an A380 to Medellin, Colombia, for high-altitude trials. The A380, when it enters service, will feature new cockpit elements and be the result of new software design tools (see pp. 56-63). Airbus photo.
French armaments agency DGA has issued a request for proposals for light helicopter training services as part of greater reliance on private financing initiatives. Bidders will be asked to finance a fleet of helicopters to dispense training for army, navy, air force and gendarme pilots for 20 years. The training requirement is estimated at 22,000 flight hr. a year. A winner for the award, who will replace 55 aging Gazelles, is to be named in 2007.
Major European network carriers are expected to move to center stage in the battle between Airbus and Boeing over wide-body fleet replacements, with major decisions looming in the coming months. Asia and the Middle East have been in the forefront in recent months as major carriers such as Emirates, Qantas and Cathay Pacific made their long-haul purchasing decisions. Singapore Airlines' fleet decision is seen as imminent.
Elmer Doty (see photo) has become president/CEO of Dallas-based Vought Aircraft Industries Inc. He succeeds Tom Risley, who will be retiring. Doty was vice president/general manager of BAE Systems' Ground Systems Div.
Qantas is considering purchase of a 20% stake in AdamAir, an Indonesian startup carrier that recently signed a purchase and lease agreement with Boeing for 10 737-800s. AdamAir flies 18 domestic routes, and to Singapore and Thai resort town Penang.
You can now register ONLINE for Aviation Week Events. Go to www.AviationNow.com/conferences or call Lydia Janow at +1 (212) 904-3225/+1 (800) 240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada Only) Apr. 5-6--U.S. Defense Dept. Budgets and Programs Conference, Arlington, Va. Apr. 25-26--MRO Military Conference, Phoenix. Apr. 25-27--MRO USA Conference & Exhibition 2006, Phoenix. May 16-17--MRO Military Europe, in conjunction with ILA air show, Berlin. Sept. 19-21--MRO Asia Conference & Exhibition, Xiamen, China.
After several disappointing years, the commercial space sector is picking up, with satellite operators seeing capital availability for new projects and launch providers looking at order books that are essentially full through 2007. Nobody is predicting boom times around the corner, but the mood at the Satellite 2006 conference and exhibition held here last week was decidedly optimistic compared with a year or two ago. Among the recent developments:
Singapore Airlines has told travel agents in Australia that commissions will be reduced to 5% from 7% to help compensate for higher fuel costs. The airline says the "move is in line with the global industry trend" that has seen commissions decline in a majority of major international markets. In addition to Singapore Airlines, Australia's Qantas Airways plans to reduce commissions on international fares to 5% effective Apr. 1.
World Airways is reviving its cargo operation idled during a nine-day pilots' strike that ended Feb. 5 with a tentative agreement between the company and the Teamsters Union (AW&ST Feb. 6, p. 21). Union negotiator Gary Goodpaster says the three-year contract provides increased job protection and settles back pay and benefit issues. Goodpaster, one of World's 430 pilots, says the pact's job scope clause became an issue when World established World Air Holdings last year and acquired North American Airlines.
Aloha Airlines has equipped 21 of its Boeing 737s with units of AeroMechanical Services' Automated Flight Information Reporting System (Afirs) that records data from onboard sources. Lee Steele, senior vice president of operations, says Afirs provides a more accurate picture of the carrier's flight operations. Aloha is using the data collection for 737-700 engine monitoring to meet the FAA's criteria for extended-range operations.
Boeing will deliver a 777-200LR to Pakistan International Airways on Feb. 24, followed by a second airplane at year- end. Air India will accept the next three aircraft, which will seat 301 passengers and have the world's longest range at 9,420 naut. mi. Boeing has sold 195 777-300ERs, 23 -200LRs and 23 freighters. These sales include 23 to Air India (eight -200 LRs and 15 -300ERs), and 18 to Air Canada (potentially six -200LRs and 10 -300ERs plus freighters).
6 Correspondence 8 Who's Where 13 Industry Outlook 15 Airline Outlook 17 In Orbit 18-21 News Breaks 23 Washington Outlook 54 A European Perspective 65 Inside Avionics 66-67 Classified 68 Contact Us 69 Aerospace Calendar
Japan Airlines reports bullish third-quarter demand on transpacific and Taiwan routes, a flat market to Europe and a sluggish one in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Individual demand on domestic routes was slow, but group demand was strong. Overall, the carrier continues to struggle with high fuel costs and an increase in personnel costs relative to last year. The carrier recorded a third-quarter net loss of 11 billion yen ($92 million) and a net loss for the first nine months of 23 billion yen.
The Russian Space Agency Roscosmos has given contractors an extra month to submit revised proposals for a new human-rated space transportation system to serve the International Space Station (ISS) and future space exploration programs. Roscosmos says earlier proposals that were intended to meet new competitive procurement rules did not fully fulfill requirements. Vehicles proposed were Energia's Clipper vehicle; a Khrunichev winged vehicle carried by the new Angara booster, and an air-launched system conceived by Molniya. The winner was initially due to be picked by Feb.
Airbus customers and suppliers can now use realistic 3D digital mockups of the A380 over the Internet to help define the configuration of the aircraft to be built.
Icelandair has chosen Rolls-Royce as its engine supplier for the Boeing 787. The deal includes orders for two airplanes with an option for another five. The airline is the sixth 787 customer to choose the Trent 1000 over competitor General Electric and its GEnx. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2010. If all options are exercised, the Icelandair deal would net Rolls-Royce about $650 million.
US Helicopter will operate Sikorsky S-76s on 8-min. shuttle flights between New York's Wall Street heliport and American Airlines' new terminal at Kennedy International Airport beginning Mar. 13. Premium passengers will be able to check in at the heliport, obtain boarding passes and baggage tags, and pass through security. Arrivals at JFK will take the shuttle to Manhattan outside of American's new Admirals Club facility. Introductory fare is $139 one way, plus taxes and fees.
George B. Hull (see photo), who is principal engineer for the Northrop Grumman Information Technology Sector's TASC unit, McLean, Va., has been named to the U.S. Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, which counsels the Air Force secretary and chief of staff. He has been chief engineer for strategic communications and chief engineer for multinational information sharing for the Defense Information Systems Agency.
Talk about shifting defense. Organizers for Asian Aerospace in Singapore, opening Feb. 21, will present military delegation leaders with Treo 650 handphones so they can "change their schedules on the move." A proprietary software program will provide these delegates and major exhibitors real-time access to daily programs, including the ability to request shifts in meeting times. Show President Ed Ng says it's all about time management.
USN Adm. (ret.) Walter F. Doran (see photo) has been appointed Navy service executive for Raytheon, based in Arlington, Va. He was commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet and had been assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
