The $440-billion U.S. Defense Dept. Fiscal 2006 appropriations bill passed by the Senate recently allots $16.4 million to develop technologies to protect military and commercial aircraft from man-portable air defense systems (Manpads). That was $3 million more than the Pentagon requested to develop a ground-based, networked electro-optical sensor grid combined with directed-energy technology to thwart missile attacks. But it came with a catch: The Senate wants an assessment of commercial off-the-shelf, ground-based systems that can shield an airport from Manpads.
Airbus has firmed up plans for the A380's first "world tour." In November, the aircraft will visit Frankfurt for airport compatibility tests, then head off to Singapore, where it will participate in airport tests and trials with launch customer Singapore Airlines, before heading on to Kuala Lumpur, three cities in Australia, and Dubai.
British Army Lynx (foreground), Royal Navy Sea King and Royal Air Force Merlin (airborne) helicopters are being flown intensively in operations in southern Iraq (see p. 52). The British helicopter force is located mainly at Basra Air Station, on the outskirts of the city, where it is used in a variety of roles in support of ground operations in the region. Douglas Barrie/AW&ST photo.
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORP. HAS ADDED A SECOND AIRPLANE to the G150 flight test program. The first airplane, flown in May, has accumulated more than 250 hours. The G150, developed and built in cooperation with Israel Aircraft Industries, is Gulfstream's entry-level business jet that features a new, wide cabin. Plans call for certification of the G150 in the first quarter of 2006.
Finmeccanica's buying spree is manifesting itself clearly on the company's balance sheet, with debt rising in the last six months to 1.9 billion euros from 371 million euros. But so far the financial exposure isn't raising many eyebrows. The Italian defense and aerospace company's debt-to-equity ratio is at 43%, better than many suppliers in the sector. And the company's debt rating is improving. Overall, Finmeccanica's first-half results were surprisingly high, given that defense operations usually perform better in the second half of the year.
USAF Lt. Gen. Duncan J. McNabb has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate for promotion to general and appointment as commander of Air Mobility Command. He has been director of logistics for the Joint Staff.
The Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle has been intercepting communications for months using a rudimentary intelligence payload operating on the development aircraft over Iraq. The payload is tailored to signals on frequencies used by insurgents and doesn't approach the high-speed frequency-hopping capability planned for the production aircraft. Meanwhile, the Army, Air Force and Navy, each with its own program, are trying to figure out a way to save money by combining future signals intelligence requirements into a single platform.
Lufthansa Technik and MTU Aero Engines have established the goal of growing their combined Malaysian Airfoil Services venture (AASB) into a $20-million-per-year turnover operation; revenue is now $5 million. The growth should be generated by offering a wider array of repair and maintenance services at the Kuala Lumpur site. Furthermore, a new facility is being built to quadruple the production capacity.
Thomas Enders, CEO of EADS and president of the German aerospace industries association BDLI has been elected president of the Brussels-based Aerospace and Defense (ASD) Industries Assn. of Europe. He succeeds Finmeccanica Chairman/CEO Pier Fran- cesco Guarguaglini. Charles Edelstenne, chairman/CEO of Dassault Aviation, has been nominated as ASD president-elect.
Kent L. Statler has become senior vice president/ general manager of Collins Aviation Services for Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He succeeds Harry Gregory, who plans to retire. Statler has been senior vice president-operations.
Thomas Welch (see photo) has been named general manager of Derco Repair Services of Milwaukee. He was vice president/general manager of Pride International.
As a past member of the Space Access Society, I am responding to the commentary by society Executive Director Henry Vanderbilt, "NASA Exploration Needs Reform," and his notion that today's commercially available boosters can be used in place of a heavy-lift booster, which NASA seeks to develop as part of its return to the Moon (AW&ST Sept. 26, p. 28). As the numbers will show, Vanderbilt is incorrect.
Boeing says the Spaceway F1 direct-to-home high-definition television satellite it launched Apr. 26 for DirecTV has completed its in-orbit check and been turned over to the customer. Sister spacecraft Spaceway F2 is due for an Ariane launch from Kourou, French Guiana, late this year.
Washington's two airports are scheduled to be equipped by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with explosives detection trace portals by Thanksgiving. The portals provide greatly improved protection against the possibility of a suicide bomber boarding a plane, by finding minute traces of explosives in air samples as passengers selected for additional screening walk through a portal. New York's John F.
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT CO. HAS CERTIFIED A HEAVY-WEIGHT version of the King Air 350 in the FAA's Commuter Category. The twin-engine turboprop business aircraft is approved for a maximum takeoff weight of 16,500 lb.--1,500 lb. more than the standard 350. Changes include a stronger main landing gear. John Braunels, vice president of contracts and special mission aircraft, says the next step for the King Air 350 series is completion of development and certification for fuel tanks located in the nacelles of the 350ER for extended range capability.
Mickey McCabe (see photo) has been appointed vice president-research/executive director of the Research Institute at the University of Dayton, Ohio. He was head of composites technology for GE Aircraft Engines.
Anthony S. Abbott (see photo), a principal engineer in The Aerospace Corp.'s Navigation Div., has received the El Segundo, Calif., company's highest honor, the Trustees' Distinguished Achievement Award, for "sustained contributions to terrestrial navigation for military applications and to GPS/Inertial Ultra-Tight Coupling." Ultra-Tight Coupling is reported to improve jam resistance for GPS by up to 43%.
USAF Col. (ret.) Tom Harrison has been appointed vice president/program manager for the UH-145 rotary-wing aircraft for EADS North America, Arlington, Va. He has been manager of both the Tactical Operations Center and Tactical Airspace Integration System programs for the Motorola Integrated Systems Div., Huntsville, Ala.
Striking the right level of technology sophistication to hold down costs will factor highly in the upcoming competition to replace NASA's space shuttle fleet. The agency has already described in some detail the "Apollo-on-steroids" approach it wants to take.
Italy's Eurofly has signed a letter of intent with Airbus to acquire three A350-800s starting in 2013, making it the 10th customer for the new aircraft. In the near-term, the Italian carrier will lease two more A330-200s to boost its long-haul fleet.
International Aero Engines will manage its fleet data for the V2500-A1/A5/D-5 engine series using Mxi Maintenix software from Mxi Technologies of Ottawa.
One million kilograms of freight and 2,000 passengers a week may be insignificant for a commercial airport, but it marks a substantial effort for the Royal Air Force's, or RAF's, transport fleet.
