Rockwell Collins won a $477-million contract to provide engineering services and upgrades to the command and control, communications and avionics systems for the CH-47, MH-47, MH-6 and MH/UH-60 helicopters.
The U.S. Air Force's YAL-1A Airborne Laser Program has completed initial flight testing of its Lockheed Martin beam control fire control system at Edwards AFB. The low-power passive capabilities were demonstrated as part of a 20-flight program. The goal was to validate target tracking capability and the system's ability to align the high-energy laser's full optical path during flight. Boeing officials said the trials also involved testing of the battle management command and control system.
U.S. airports estimate they will need $71.5 billion for capital improvements from 2005 through 2009 but believe they may fall $3-4 billion short per year.
BAE Systems plans to fly an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle/Uninhabited Combat Air Vehicle (UAV/UCAV) control technologies demonstrator in 2009. The flight trials may use a vehicle similar in design to the Eclipse model (shown). BAE is working on a number of UCAV and UAV technology programs, some of which are with the U.K. Defense Ministry and remain classified. This program, dubbed Flaviir, is being carried by BAE with a number of academic institutions as part of an overall UAV/UCAV research effort.
Steve Hampton, associate dean for research in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla., has been appointed to the management council of the FAA-created Next Generation Air Transportation System Institute. He will represent federal advisory committees, universities and nonprofit research organizations.
The German government has eliminated its direct holdings in the postal firm Deutsche Post, parent company of DHL Worldwide Express. The government will, however, remain a major indirect shareholder in Deutsche Post through the state-owned bank KfW that currently retains a 44.7% stake in the company. DHL has a strategic agreement with U.S. operator AStar, which is seeking to reduce the dominance of FedEx and UPS in the American market.
In a cultural and economic change of heart, Japan Airlines says it is dropping or reducing frequencies on underperforming transpacific routes from secondary airports, even though these include some of its best-known destinations.
Andy Rish has been appointed maintenance planner for Empire Airlines, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He succeeds Tom Hamilton, who is now general manager of Empire Aerospace. Rish was inventory and outstation facility supervisor. Chad Mobeck has been promoted to avionics manager from avionics coordinator for Empire Aerospace.
The Engine Alliance's GP7200 program for the Airbus A380 is two-thirds of the way through its certification effort and on schedule to complete icing/water ingestion, redline and 1,000-hr. cycle endurance tests next month to stay on track for FAA certification in October.
I've just read the wonderful news in Who's Where about Capt. Nicole Malachowski's appointment to the Thunderbirds (AW&ST July 18, p. 8). As a dyed-in-the wool airplane fanatic who is proud to be the husband of a pilot, lawyer and all-American athlete, as well as the father of a daughter who is growing into an athlete and scholar herself, I am absolutely thrilled to see the 'Birds finally reach this milestone. I believe the squadron and its fans will applaud this step forward.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) has again sided with the European Union in its dispute with the U.S. over the Foreign Sales Corporation and successor tax benefit regimes Washington has drawn up. In the latest ruling, the WTO upheld a challenge by the EU of 2004 congressional legislation that phases out the tax benefit. The tax relief was challenged previously and ruled a violation of the trade agreement. Washington has yet to decide whether to appeal the ruling or comply. If there is no action, the WTO could authorize the EU to impose sanctions against U.S.
Peg Billson has been named chief operating officer of Eclipse Aviation, Albuquerque, N.M. She has been vice president/general manager of Honeywell International Inc.'s Aircraft Frame Systems business and was vice president/general manager of Honeywell Aircraft Landing Systems.
Designations come and go, but Russia is still a long way from fielding a fifth-generation fighter, despite claims that a prototype will be flown in 2007. Following in the vortex of the Mikoyan Izdeliye (Article) 1.42 cancellation, Sukhoi's T-50 design emerged to meet the successor requirement for a future multirole fighter, the PAK FA. The Sukhoi proposal was selected in preference to the Mikoyan offering in April 2002.
Patty Wagstaff has been named the winner of this year's Katharine Wright Award by the Arlington, Va.-based National Aeronautic Assn. The award is named in honor of Orville and Wilbur Wright's sister Katharine and is given each year to a woman who has contributed to the advancement of the art, sport and science of aviation and spaceflight over an extended period. Wagstaff is known for her aerobatics achievements. From 1985-96, she was a six-time member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team. Wagstaff was the first woman to become a U.S.
USAF chose Northrop Grumman to equip its RC-135 family of signals intelligence-gathering aircraft with 30 high-accuracy LN-120G stellar navigation systems. Once the new system locates a star, it refines the aircraft's inertial navigation, in particular the heading, to within 20 arc sec., considered the highest accuracy in the world. This will let the aircraft's sigint system more accurately detect and pinpoint hostile targets and transmit that target data to E-8 Joint Stars surveillance aircraft and strike aircraft.
U.S. Air Force plans are in a whirl of confusion as conflicting needs force alteration of what had once been seen as an orderly shift of aircraft, bases and missions designed to cut defense spending. Two Air Force issues--a mobility study to determine airlift needs and the service's contribution to the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR)--are bogged down by uncertainties caused by changes in base-closing plans.
Continental Airlines is reducing the weight of free checked baggage on international flights to 50 lb. from 70 lb., chiefly because of concerns about the effects of weight on the cost of fuel. The new limit applies to each of two bags allowed per passenger (see p. 44). Beginning Sept. 7, passengers will be charged a $25 fee for any bag weighing between 50-70 lb., according to Continental. The new policy matches weight limits and fees that apply in domestic service.
USAF Brig. Gen. Erwin F. Lessel, 3rd, has been promoted to director from deputy director of plans and programs at Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Brig. Gen. (select) Andrew E. Busch has been named commander for maintenance of the 402nd Maintenance Wing, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins AFB, Ga. He was deputy director for logistics at AFMC Headquarters. Brig. Gen. (select) Arthur B. Cameron, 3rd, has been appointed commander of the 309th Maintenance Wing, Ogden Air Logistics Center of AFMC, Hill AFB, Utah.
One if by land; two if by sea. That's the formula chosen by PanAmSat in multi-launch contracts it has signed to use both land- and sea-based launchers in 2006 and 2007. The Sea Launch Co. will use a version of the Zenit rocket it flies from a floating pad to orbit the PAS-11 communications satellite for PanAmSat from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan next year. The deal, including options for future Baikonur launches, marks the first contract for Sea Launch's commercial Land Launch venture.
With a request for proposal for India's multirole fighter due in two months, Boeing is trying to overcome Indian skepticism about U.S. export policy on spare parts as the company pursues a contract for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
Fresh from reporting a second-quarter profit, Continental Airlines estimates mainline and consolidated unit revenue per available seat mile (RASM) increased 4.5-5.5% year-over-year during July. The company's estimates are reliable; for June, the approximation was 6-7%, and the actual result was 6.6%. The July estimate is up, despite load factors that were down in mainline, domestic and international operations. Because RASM is the product of yield times load factor, yields must have increased substantially throughout the system last month.
NASA/Lockheed Martin space shuttle external tank materials and manufacturing process teams are being remobilized to again attack falling debris problems that will delay further launches. This time they will have much more precise hypersonic test data to work with, unfortunately obtained during a potentially dangerous moment for Discovery and the STS-114 crew during launch on what was supposed to be the shuttle's sustained return-to-flight mission.
U.S. Army officials have ruled that a CH-47D helicopter crew became spatially disoriented during a severe dust storm with 45-mph. winds and over-controlled the aircraft, causing it to crash Apr. 6 near Ghazni, Afghanistan, killing all 18 on board.
