The Deep Impact pair of spacecraft should hit and observe the comet 9P/Tempel 1 at 1:52 a.m. EDT on July 4, following last-minute checks by scientists and engineers whether the final approach should be changed to handle unexpected large outbursts by the comet seen over the last several weeks.
Advances in microchip technology, the real force behind the stunningly graphic simulations of Star Wars and other video games, soon will be developed to power embedded computers for missile radar and sonar systems among a host of civilian and military applications.
Airbus suppliers this week expect to hear in detail how the aircraft maker is restructuring the A380 production schedule to deal with development problems that are delaying deliveries 2-6 months. The production ramp-up rate is expected to remain the same, albeit on a delayed schedule.
Picor, a subsidiary of Vicor Corp., has three additions to the QPI family of active EMI filters. QPI-3, QPI-5 and QPI-6 support 24- and 48-volt DC/DC converter applications with higher current ratings and lower costs, according to the company. Providing attenuation from 150 kHz. to 30 MHz., the products deliver more than 40 dB. of common-mode and more than 70 dB. of differential-mode noise attenuation at 500 KHz. All products are pin and footprint compatible with previous versions in compact 1 X 1 X 0.2-in.
With a new software tool developed by Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems, UPS pilots will be able to monitor aircraft spacing during approaches. Pilots will use SafeRoute's "merging and spacing" feature to maintain a consistent interval and fly approaches mostly at idle power. ACSS is a joint venture of L-3 Communications and Thales.
Now that shareholders have ended their prolonged territorial spat at European defense giant EADS and aircraft maker Airbus, the newly installed leaders must establish their vision for the respective companies. Noel Forgeard and Thomas Enders are EADS' new Co-CEOs and Gustav Humbert is running Airbus. To get the team named, shareholders rewove EADS' intricate organizational web to satisfy French and German national interests.
IRIDIUM SATELLITE SAYS ISRAEL'S FLAG CARRIER EL AL is installing its satellite communication systems on seven Boeing 747-200s. The equipment will be used to transmit cockpit voice and data to and from the aircraft.
Janos Technology, a global supplier of precision infrared optical components, lenses, assemblies and custom-designed solutions for commercial OEMs, aerospace/ military and astronomy/R&D markets has relocated to New Hampshire. The new 40,000-sq.-ft. facility (with a capacity to expand an additional 17,000 sq. ft.) was designed using lean and flexible manufacturing principles. Lens systems will be assembled in a Class 1000 clean room with hoods capable of sustaining Class 100, local conditions.
The Missile Defense Agency is reorganizing in response to findings of an independent review team chartered to root out the cause of a string of test failures. The reshuffle is focused on shoring up quality control and cultural issues, not specific programs, industry and government sources say. Senate Appropriations Committee member Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) says he felt "complete and utter dismay" at finding out one recent test failure was due to dismal quality control of a single part that was poorly labeled at the test site and used improperly.
There is growing unease in the U.K. that core elements of the government's two-year-old commercial aviation development strategy face major delays. So far, the government has not come clean on the issue, but industry executives believe it will have to when it unveils a planned "progress" report on the so-called 2003 Aviation White Paper.
On a single day in June, all of the elements of airborne terrorist attack came into play at Boston's Logan airport in order to test the mettle of more than 50 law enforcement and emergency response organizations (see p. 48). Aviation Week & Space Technology was the only news organization allowed in critical areas of the Operation Atlas exercise such as the Emergency Operations Center. These photos are a montage of many by Aviation Week Conference Editorial Director Ed Hazelwood, who reports from Boston.
The Israel Air Force has taken delivery of the first of three Gulfstream G550 signals intelligence aircraft during an arrival ceremony attended by the country's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz and Maj. Gen. Elyezer Shkedy, who replaced Halutz as IAF commander. The aircraft is fitted with Elta's Airborne Integrated Signals Intelligence System (Aisis).
News last week of the nomination of Ron Sega, the Pentagon's director of defense research and engineering, to be Air Force undersecretary draws some surprise. The undersecretary oversees all Pentagon space acquisition programs and also has been director of the National Reconnaissance Office, which develops and operates spy satellites. Now, the two jobs may be split. The surprise at Sega's nomination is twofold. First, the administration hasn't yet nominated someone to be Air Force secretary, Sega's future boss.
Southwest Airlines will make the Fort Myers area its sixth destination in Florida and 61st overall, launching service at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in October. The carrier said it will announce fares and schedules this month.
The FAA has extended its limit on flight operations and allocation system for slot exemptions at New York LaGuardia Airport from Oct. 31, 2005, through Dec. 31, 2006, the day before High-Density-Rule limits at the airport expire and a new, long-term congestion management system is to be in place. One change: In response to a Northwest Airlines petition, airlines that don't currently offer service to small communities will be allowed to participate in the FAA's allocation of exemptions when airlines return such exemptions to the pool or lose them through disuse.
Privately owned Italian airline Meridiana, now controlled by the Aga Khan, may be a target for a management buyout. The move would be spearheaded by a group of ex-Meridiana managers, including the former CEO, Giovanni Sebastiani, financed by private equity funds. AirOne is also named as a potential buyer, although the airline denies it. In the past, Alitalia also was considered as a potential buyer.
Capt. Denny Breslin, National Communications Chairman (Allied Pilots Assn., San Diego, Calif.)
Allied Pilots Assn. takes strong exception to Jack A. Milavic's ("Enough Is Enough") characterization of airline pilots seeking the safest way to defend the cockpit against hostile attack (AW&ST June 20, p. 6).
Drilling down through all the talk about frequent-flier benefits and marketing pizzazz surrounding the US Airways-America West merger leaves two key questions: Will the combined carrier be able to cut expenses to the level of low-cost carriers (LCCs) and will it achieve a revenue advantage?
David M. DiCarlo (see photos), who has been vice president-engineering of the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Space Technology Sector, Redondo Beach, Calif., is now vice president-programs. He succeeds Edward J. Nowacki, who is retiring. Clayton K.S. Kau, who was vice president/program manager for Advanced Extremely High Frequency, will succeed DiCarlo. And succeeding Kau will be John F. Daegele, who was vice president/director of systems engineering.
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
A collaboration has been formed between thin-film optical-coating specialist Advanced Technology Coatings and electro-optics manufacturer Oxley Development Co. to develop and supply laser protection coatings. The partnership builds on an existing relationship in which optical filters are manufactured for use in night-vision products. The focus is on specialist equipment needs such as for instrumentation required to offer protection from laser energy.
Ukraine-based Donbassaero Airlines has taken delivery of an Airbus A320 single-aisle aircraft. The CFM56-5-powered aircraft will be based at Donetsky Airport and operated on international routes, according to Airbus. The aircraft is being converted from a single- to a two-class layout.
Things aren't always as they appear with Boeing's new chairman, president and CEO, W. James McNerney, Jr. The former head of 3M Co. initially said he didn't want the job, but he remained the top candidate throughout the nearly four-month search process.
Boeing has developed a suite of software tools to unify airline maintenance activities from start to finish, much as text, data and graphics suites are integrated for "front office" business operations.
PanAmSat Corp. and JSAT Corp. have agreed to make a $140-million investment in a 50-50 joint venture to launch the Horizons-2 satellite in 2007. A satellite provider has not been selected, but the U.S.-Japanese team previously turned to Boeing Satellite Systems for Galaxy XIII/Horizons-1, which they launched in October 2003 to serve the U.S. market. The new spacecraft also will blanket the U.S. from 74 deg. W. Long., where it will replace PanAmSat's SBS-6. Horizons-2's focus will be on high-definition TV and Internet protocol services.
