Alaska Airlines is enhancing maintenance procedures for its MD-80s' horizontal-stablizer-trim jackscrew assemblies. They include use of digital cameras to document proper jackscrew lubrication and use of new end-play test equipment. The decision was prompted following the airline's inspection of its 26 MD-80s. Alaska ordered the check after maintenance workers reported finding insufficiently lubricated jackscrews on two aircraft (AW&ST Oct. 10, p. 34). The airline found one jackscrew assembly without sufficient lubrication.
Airbus CEO Gustav Humbert expects to open an engineering center in India in the next 12-18 months with operations similar to those the aircraft maker has in Russia, China and the U.S. Some of the work in India could focus on the A350, he indicated.
Departments 6 Correspondence 8-9 Who's Where 10 Market Focus 13 Industry Outlook 15 Airline Outlook 17 In Orbit 18-20 News Breaks 23 Washington Outlook 48 Inside Business Aviation 49 A European Perspective 63 Classified 64 Contact Us 65 Aerospace Calendar
World News Roundup 18 JAXA flight-tests prototype of supersonic transport 19 Ariane 5 launches first Syracuse 3 military communications satellite World News & Analysis 24 Airbus wants to use A350 to advance elements of supply chain strategy 26 Technology enhancements on agenda for Rolls-Royce Trent 1700 26 French seek to retain public backing for commercial aircraft systems 28 Airline woes may hinder Bombardier plan to launch C-Series
Chile's LAN Airlines has contracted to buy 25 Airbus A320-series aircraft, with 15 options. The deal includes A318s powered for the first time by Pratt & Whitney's PW6000 engine, which is expected to receive its certification before year-end.
More evidence of global warming comes from combined satellite data collected over the Arctic from a variety of orbiting platforms. The composite data show a dramatic decline in the sea ice surrounding the North Pole since 1979, which researchers attribute to a steady warming trend over the period. Loss of Europe's Cyrosat to a launch failure Oct. 8 will hamper scientists' ability to study the phenomenon in detail (see story p. 30). But the data from U.S.
The Bell Helicopter Textron/Boeing team, the most aggressive and vocal competitor for the U.S. Air Force's Combat-Search-and-Rescue mission, is showing signs it may back out of the competition to replace aging HH-60Gs, primarily because of the high cost.
Phillippe Willekens has been named executive director of the Paris-based International Aeronautics Federation. He was manager of the European Space Agency's Hands-on Education Projects for Students and was chairman of the IAF's Space and Education Committee.
Menashe Sagiv has become acting chief financial officer for Israel Aircraft Industries. He has been deputy corporate vice president-finance. Sagiv succeeds Abraham Knobel, who has resigned.
The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (Jassm ER) will begin captive-carriage flight testing this month following wind tunnel tests with its new Williams International F107-WR-105 engines. Meanwhile, Senate appropriators have come to the program's rescue after a series of testing problems prompted House lawmakers to recommend termination.
Japan Airlines will be Boeing's first licensed customer for its Maintenance Performance Toolbox, an MRO troubleshooting software offered as an option for customers of MyBoeingFleet.com (AW&ST July 4, p. 58).
The Bush administration is hammering out the details of a U.S. response if an outbreak of an avian influenza pandemic occurs. While the Homeland Security Dept. "will be the overarching agency in charge," says Brian Doyle, a department spokesman, the Health and Human Services Dept. "will take the lead on anything health related." Specific roles for other entities such as the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection are still being worked on, Doyle says.
Recent U.S. and Russian efforts to sway India's defense market are prompting France, India's third largest arms trading partner, to offer technology transfers and joint ventures to assure its place in the race. Thales International India, formed two years ago to service Thales defense equipment in India, is ready to launch a software company that it will spinoff as a follow-on project, says Thales country head Francois Dupont.
Precision Castparts Corp. has reached an agreement to acquire Shur-Lok, a small aerospace fastener company, for $110 million in cash. The deal is expected to close before year's end.
The world's airline industry, having weathered the severe economic blows of SARS, is poised for more possible germ warfare--this time with a new enemy, avian influenza virus.
NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSN. OFFICIALS SAY they are optimistic about attendance at this year's annual meeting and convention, Nov. 9-11 in Orlando, Fla. NBAA President Ed Bolen says, compared to last year, the number of reserved exhibitor booths is up 5%, the number of exhibitors is about the same and there are about 1,000 more pre-registered attendees. The convention was originally set to occur in New Orleans, but Hurricane Katrina forced a change in venue.
Two longtime space fliers who made up the 11th expedition to the International Space Station and a newly fledged space tourist are heading to their terrestrial homes this week after a safe landing on the steppes of Kazakhstan. Russia's Sergei Krikalev, John Phillips of NASA and U.S. businessman Gregory Olsen touched down about 53 mi. northeast of Arkalyk at 9:09 p.m. EDT Oct. 10, which was sunrise at the landing site. All were in apparent good health. Krikalev, the Expedition 11 commander, set a new total lifetime record of 803 days, 9 hr., 39 min.
When Tourism Australia tallied international visitors between July 2004 and June 2005, the numbers were up a healthy 6.9%. But low fares driven by competition from discounters, high fuel bills and an appreciating Australian dollar mean the government tourism agency's report isn't as comforting as it might appear. Qantas, Australia's big network carrier, is feeling pressure from all sides: on the domestic front, from low-cost airlines and internationally, from high-profile carriers looking to the Australian market as a source of new passengers.
In Washington Outlook (AW&ST Oct. 3, p. 23), we're told "[NASA management] will try to make sure the civilian agency takes military needs into account as it shapes an aeronautics program to meet the new national aeronautics policy Congress is likely to order this fall." That's what caused the "scope creep" that morphed the shuttle from its original concept--flying astronauts into space and back--into a behemoth that hauls things the size of Greyhound buses.
In another Wright honor, John Merriken Carter has received the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot award for his 65 years as a pilot, in appreciation of his service, expertise and professionalism. The award was presented at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Assn.'s Air Safety Foundation Seminar at the Oakland (Calif.) Aerospace Museum. A naval officer in World War II, Carter has been flying a 1953 Cessna 180 since it was new and was president/CEO of Carco Electronics.
To submit Aerospace Calendar Listings, Call +1 (212) 904-2421 Fax +1 (212) 904-6068 e-mail: [email protected] Oct. 24-26--SAFE Assn. Symposium (Safety, Survival & Flight Equipment). Grand America Hotel, Salt Lake City. Call +1 (541) 895-3012 or see www.safeassociation.com Oct. 24-26--Las Vegas World Aviation Forum. Green Valley Ranch Resort. Call +1 (703) 522-0900, fax +1 (703) 522-0958 or see www.lasvegasaviationforum.com
International Civil Aviation Organization has fixed Dec. 22 for the first-ever trial of the Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) over India, the Bay of Bengal and South Asia. During the trial, all westbound flights crossing defined points in the specified flight information regions will be required to participate in the ATFM operational trial. The ATFM arrangement means all civil flights will be able to use airspace of countries in the region, which will not only help domestic airlines reduce ground delays during rush hours, but also cut flight times and fuel waste.
Christian Duhain has been named head of Amsterdam-based EADS International, the corporate marketing organization of EADS. He succeeds Jean-Paul Gut, who is now chief operating officer for marketing, international and strategy. Duhain was senior vice president-South Asia and Pacific for EADS International.
Net income for Aeroports de Paris grew 83.1% to 89.6 million euros ($107.5 million) in the first half of 2005. Year-on-year revenue grew to 932.2 million euros, a 5.4% increase.
