In a related development, ACI says a near-term boost in passenger traffic will create capacity problems at many hubs. ACI's annual survey projects passenger traffic will increase 4.1% over the next 15 years (to 7.4 billion travelers), while cargo traffic will grow 5.4%. Additionally, the study notes that over the next three years, "growth will be unprecedented," creating a capacity bottleneck. Long term, the airports' advocacy group also sees challenges, noting that by 2020 passenger demand is projected to exceed infrastructure capacity by 1 billion people.
I found it alarming that you had someone from JetBlue write the "con" argument for an issue such as the Age 60 Rule. Isn't JetBlue petitioning the FAA to fly transcontinental flights as turns? As someone who flies transcons, that is a minimum of 11 hr. in the cockpit. JetBlue is not interested in safety as much as the bottom line.
Your Viewpoint on the Age 60 Rule excerpted two of the contrasting positions that witnesses recently presented to the U.S. Senate aviation subcommittee (AW&ST Aug. 8, p. 66). I also testified in support of this important regulation, emphasizing that throughout the rule's 46-year history, no airline accident has been attributed to the effects of aging. In the absence of conclusive data that the current level of safety would be maintained, we should not alter this time-tested rule.
Despite fuel and security surcharges and competitive fares, worldwide passenger traffic showed "buoyant" 6% growth in July compared with the same month last year, according to the Airports Council International (ACI). The strongest segment, international passenger traffic, was up 7.2%, with ACI members handling 104.4 million travelers. In the 12-month period ending July, international traffic increased 8.2%, led by the Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East regions.
Boeing has been emphasizing broader applications of weight-saving materials in its 787 program since the initial design for the new midsize jet emerged nearly two years ago. Now it's investigating how shape-memory alloys, which make engine chevrons more efficient, and noise-absorbing nacelle lip liners might reduce the need to carry as much noise-absorbing insulation in the fuselage.
The U.S. government spends tens of billions of dollars to build and operate space systems. Unfortunately, during the last 15 years, in the pursuit of accommodating the needs of various stakeholders, we have developed strict requirements-based processes that are having unintended consequences. We need to transform today's organizational culture and acquisition processes. Here are some of the problems and ways to solve them:
The National Business Aviation Assn. is seeking a new site for its annual convention, which was to be held Nov. 15-17 in the New Orleans Morial Convention Center. NBAA officials opted to relocate when authorities ordered the complete evacuation of the devastated city. The organization expects to choose a new site "shortly."
Northrop Grumman is nearing completion of its first enhanced-capability RQ-4B Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, with delivery of a new 131-ft.-long graphite-composite wing and the first set of larger vertical tails. Flight testing begins in early 2006.
Frank Morring, Jr. and James R. Asker (Washington)
NASA hopes to open a competition this winter for a new cryogenic upper stage and related hardware that, when combined with a single space shuttle solid rocket booster (SRB) and the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) already in development, will form the basis for a new generation of vehicles that could transport humans to Mars in 25 years.
Art Lofton (see photo) has become vice president/chief information officer for the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Integrated Systems Sector, El Segundo, Calif. He was deputy program manager of long-range strike for ISS.
Robert F. Scott, the California Institute of Technology engineer who developed the soil-sampling scoops for the unmanned Surveyor lunar landers and the Viking Mars landers, died Aug. 16 of cancer at home in Altadena, Calif. He was 76. Scott joined the Caltech faculty in 1958. It was there in the 1960s that he developed the Surveyor scoops to help verify that lunar soil could bear the weight of the Apollo modules, astronauts and lunar rover cars that followed starting with Apollo 11 in 1969.
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Arnold Engineering Development Center is conducting altitude tests of a Pratt & Whitney F135 engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in the Tennessee facility's J-2 test cell. The cell can simulate altitudes of up to 80,000 ft. and speeds to Mach 3. The tests are part of a multiyear program at Arnold aimed at evaluating different versions of the F135 in various facilities there
The SkyTeam alliance's application for a precedent-setting expansion of immunity from U.S. antitrust laws is tiptoeing toward approval following measures by the airlines to defuse the Justice Dept.'s most pointed criticisms of it.
Airbus hopes to complete aerodynamic design adjustments on its A380 in the coming days, as the company tries to put the focus back on development after grappling for much of the past few months with problems that have delayed deliveries up to half a year.
I know the shuttle's external tank once had a white paint shell covering the orange foam. I believe the paint was removed for dollar/weight savings but am wondering if this outer layer contributed to the prevention of foam shedding. Perhaps an ultra-thin gel coat or paint layer could help keep foam from working loose.
The U.S. Air Force's top commander has confirmed the service's development of a technologically diverse arsenal of nonkinetic devices that, without relying on explosives or impact, can produce destructive weapons effects on virtually any enemy system that relies on electronics. High in this emerging array are new radars that can be used as weapons. They are fulfilling the U.S. Air Force's desire for offensive tools that can find enemy threats, accurately identify them and immediately strike.
The Pentagon's accelerating push to field nonkinetic weaponry will bring with it a concomitant demand for more unmanned aircraft. The reasons for that choice are the options provided by removing aircrews from the aircraft, both for their protection from the effects of the weapons they carry--which will rely on large electronic pulses--and protection from air defenses that must be penetrated for a successful mission. When using short-range, directed-energy devices, effective ranges can be as little as a kilometer.
Greece is slated to join the Helios 2 space imaging program before year-end, says Francois Fayard, director of communications and observations for the French military's procurement agency. Greece will buy a dedicated Helios 2 ground station, but could start receiving imagery through other means even before then. Meanwhile, Italy and France are finalizing a deal under which the two will swap imagery. Italy will provide radar imaging from its Cosmo Skymed program, while France will give Italy more Helios 2 imagery.
Louise L. Francesconi, who is a vice president of Raytheon Co. and president of its Missile Systems unit in Tucson, Ariz., has been named to receive the annual Lifetime Achievement Award from Washington-based Women in Aerospace. Other award recipients will be: Deborah Ann Gardecki Kropp, president/CEO of MRI Technologies of Houston, Outstanding Leadership Award; Mary P. Reagor, technical fellow for mathematical algorithms at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co.
Stan Deal has been appointed vice president-sales and marketing for Boeing Commercial Airplanes in Seattle. He was vice president-commercial aviation business for Connexion by Boeing and has been succeeded by Lianne Stein, who was head of Boeing's commercial aircraft operations in Washington.
One has to wonder what the late Rene Anselmo would think of the $6.4-billion deal by Intelsat Ltd. to acquire PanAmSat Holding Corp., the satellite communications company he founded in 1982.
The Airbus A380F freighter will likely use more aluminum-lithium than the passenger aircraft. The higher loads from the wing and landing gear are prompting the aircraft maker to replace some regular aluminum with the sturdier Al-Li alloy. The passenger A380-900 will likely be similar to the A380F.
