Nav Canada is extending the deadline for comment on its revised service charges to Feb. 10, 2006. The proposal would make adjustments to the fees paid by operators of different aircraft weight classes to the private air navigation service provider. The revisions apply to fees for operating in terminal areas, and not to en route charges. A Nav Canada official says the new fees would have little impact on "mid-size" aircraft such as the Boeing 737-700 and Airbus A319. The proposed changes would decrease the terminal fee for larger aircraft by C$1 ($0.86) per passenger.
NASA's biggest suppliers are building up business units to compete for a piece of the back-to-the-Moon mission, which even the U.S. government estimates will cost at least $104 billion over the next 15 years. With that kind of money at least potentially on the table, companies are establishing exploration units to bid on the space hardware--new and derived from space shuttle components--that NASA will use to send humans beyond low Earth orbit.
Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England, after eight months with two Pentagon posts, has quit his other job as Navy secretary. England will be succeeded by Donald Winter, who will be sworn in Jan. 3. President Bush cemented England's authority with an executive order naming him the successor to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld if the latter dies or resigns. A second executive order scrambles the line of succession by moving Office of the Secretary of Defense officials up and service secretaries down.
Michael H. Cox, Vice President, Communications, Bell Helicopter Textron (Fort Worth, Tex.)
I must take exception to the story headlined "Bell and AgustaWestland Part Ways on AB139" (AW&ST Nov. 28, 2005, p. 20). The story discusses "Bell's refusal to establish a local assembly line" among other items. The statement is wrong. Further, Bell was never contacted for comment.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has released a Request for Information to help develop a business model for implementing a nationwide Registered Traveler (RT) program, which allows pre-screened frequent fliers to bypass some airport screening hassles.
The Eurofighter Typhoon partner nations have signed a 300-million-euro ($354-million) contract with engine consortium Eurojet to provide in-service support for the aircraft's EJ200 engine. The initial contract period runs until 2009, but could be extended. Eurojet shareholders are Italy's Avio, ITP from Spain, Germany's MTU Aero Engines and Rolls-Royce from the U.K.
UNITED STATES Editor-In-Chief: Anthony L. Velocci, Jr. [email protected] Managing Editor: James R. Asker [email protected] Assistant Managing Editor: Michael Stearns [email protected] Senior Editors: Craig Covault [email protected], David Hughes [email protected] NEW YORK 2 Penn Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10121 Phone: +1 (212) 904-2000, Fax: +1 (212) 904-6068 Senior News Editor: Nora Titterington
Space Exploration Technologies halted the Dec. 19 launch attempt of its Falcon 1 rocket after an accidental vacuum inside the first-stage fuel tank began to damage the structure. SpaceX expects its first launch will occur no sooner than early February (AW&ST Dec. 5, 2005, p. 20). The countdown was going well on the Omelek Island pad in the Kwajalein Atoll when it went into a hold at T-15 min. owing to winds exceeding the 24-kt. limit. About 16 min.
In a terrorist attack that chilled much of India's high-tech establishment, terrorists killed a mathematics professor and injured four scientists Dec. 28 at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. It was the first such attack in the city, the heart of the country's information technology industry and home to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and Bharat Electronics Ltd. It also is headquarters for the Defense Research Development Organization and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
Walter J. Boyne, author of 40 books and former director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum (NASM), has won the 2005 Lauren D. Lyman Award from the Washington-based Aerospace Industries Assn. for excellence in aviation journalism. Boyne was honored for an aviation writing career that spans more than 30 years after he retired as a U.S. Air Force officer with 5,000 hr. of flying time. His books include The Wild Blue, The Smithsonian Book of Flight, The Leading Edge, Power Behind the Wheel and Airpower, an International Encyclopedia.
Thanks to a healthy infusion of capital, Italy's air transport sector could finally see its much-needed turnaround accomplished this year. But even as Italy's struggling flag carrier Alitalia is indicating it may have the funds to pull out of its financial nose-dive, labor continues to present challenges. Unions in the coming weeks are planning to maintain their policy of staging successive strikes to fight a management plan to streamline operations, cut costs and reduce its staff by another 1,200.
Jim Tabor (see photos) has been promoted to vice president from general manager of operations and Tad Hutcheson to vice president-marketing and sales from director of marketing at AirTran Airways.
Boeing has received an $11.2-million contract from the New Zealand Ministry of Defense to upgrade communications on the two 757s the country operates as multimission military aircraft.
Russia's Rokot launch vehicle is cleared to fly again, following an accident investigation commission ruling that its Oct. 8, 2005, failure was caused by human error and didn't represent an inherent design flaw. The mishap doomed Europe's CryoSat ice measurement mission. Several corrective measures must be implemented before Rokot flies again, but that return to flight is expected in the second quarter of 2006 with South Korea's Kompsat-2.
Virgin America's certification bid is getting tangled quickly. The Transportation Dept. has deferred the 21-day deadline for answers to the would-be carrier's application--which would have expired Dec. 29--until 14 days after the department rules on a Continental Airlines motion to require additional information. As a prelude to a spirited contest, Continental's motion drew support from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, the Air Line Pilots Assn., the Allied Pilots Assn. and the AFL-CIO's Transportation Trades Dept.
The British Defense Ministry is launching a burst illumination laser imaging technology demonstrator program with Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems. The program, known as the Ground-Based Active Imaging Technology, is intended to develop an extended range target identification system. The 24-month demonstrator program is worth 1.5 million pounds ($2.6 million).
James Palmer (see photos) has become vice president-customer support and commercial services and Gerald Charland vice president-strategy and business development for Montreal-based CMC Electronics Inc. Palmer was director of commercial services. Charland was vice president-strategy and business development for Thales Avionics North America.
Painful cuts are preferable if they avert even the chance that a labor contract can be canceled in bankruptcy. Pilots at Delta Air Lines demonstrated that point last week in a close balloting on a temporary 15% pay cut. Their Chapter 11 colleagues at Delta Connection carrier Comair face the same dilemma this month: Take a cut or else.
The U.S. Naval Inventory Control Point in Philadelphia has awarded Breeze-Eastern, a division of TransTechnology Corp., a $9.6-million contract for repair and overhaul of rescue hoists, cargo hooks and other items used on H-3 and H-53 helicopters. Work will be performed at the company's Union, N.J., facility and is expected to be completed by December 2008.
After spending the second half of 2005 dithering over whether to follow through on its commitment to become involved in the multinational Neuron unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator, the Swedish government last month finally resolved to take the plunge. Political problems in Stockholm caused a lengthy review process, holding up a formal contract award and fraying nerves at Saab, the main Swedish industrial entity to benefit from the project. But now, the government says it will put up the needed $76 million.
The FAA demonstrated the first "public" Required Navigation Performance approach it has certified in the U.S. at Reagan Washington National Airport recently, a capability planned for 100 other airports in the U.S.
The French parliament has put into a law a measure championed by French President Jacques Chirac to boost airline ticket taxes on flights departing France. The tax can run up to 40 euros ($48), depending on the flight and ticket type. The money is supposed to be used to aid the developing world starting in mid-2006. The measure was staunchly opposed by industry officials, and Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary quipped that Chirac should instead tax French cheese makers.
Investigators are probing metal fatigue in the inflight breakup of a Chalk's Ocean Airways Grumman twin-engine amphibian that killed all 20 on board on Dec. 19. Amateur videotape shows the right wing coming off inboard of the engine shortly after the 1947-vintage Grumman G-73T Turbo Mallard took off from Miami, bound for the Bahamas. "The examination of the wing root has found indications of a fatigue crack on the wing spar," says Mark Rosenker, acting chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.
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.
The latest Russian Progress cargo vehicle gave the two-man crew on the International Space Station a fresh load of supplies just in time for the Christmas holiday, arriving at the orbiting facility on Dec. 23 after launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome two days earlier. Progress 20P carried almost 3,100 lb. of dry cargo, as well as 1,940 lb. of propellant, 183 lb. of oxygen and air, and 463 lb. of water. The load included gifts for Expedition 12 Commander Bill McArthur and Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev.
