Derek Lewitton has become vice president-sales for ITA Software Inc., Cambridge, Mass. He was director of distribution strategy and planning for United Airlines.
Japan's MTSat-1RC will be activated in early June, a month later than expected. The Japanese space agency JAXA says the satellite's health is good, but it has taken longer than expected to coordinate ground systems. Launched Feb. 26 by JAXA's H-IIA medium-lift rocket, the Space Systems/Loral MTSat-1RC is both a weather satellite and the first step toward a space-based air traffic control system. It will operate from 140 deg. E. Long. (AW&ST Mar. 7, p. 38).
Two prototypes of a wing that changes shape radically in flight will undergo structural and aerodynamic testing in July and August by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa). These "morphing" wings--the next step beyond traditional variable-geometry wings that change position mechanically--are in development by Lockheed Martin and Hypercomp/NextGen as part of Darpa's Morphing Aircraft Structures (MAS) program.
Robert Wall, Michael Mecham and Andy Nativi (Toulouse)
Airbus has again revised its plans for the A350, turning it from an A330-derivative to a new widebody in the face of rival Boeing's success with its 787. After first saying the existing A330/A340 family would suffice to compete with the 787, and last year amending that to projecting a mere derivative of the A330, the aircraft will now undergo a more dramatic transformation--a new development at a higher price. About "90% of the part numbers are going to be changed" over the current aircraft type, says Olivier Andries, A350 program manager.
Stephen E. Maloney has been appointed chairman/CEO of Aviation Management Systems Inc., Portsmouth, N.H. He has been president and will succeed William J. Quinn, Jr., who has resigned. Quinn will remain a member of the board of directors.
A human-rated launch vehicle based on a single space shuttle solid-fuel booster is "a very attractive proposition," says NASA's new administrator, Mike Griffin. Long pushed by booster-builder ATK Thiokol and others (AW&ST June 28, 2004, p. 26), the concept would need an upper stage to get the planned Crew Exploration Vehicle to orbit. But that could be an advantage, too, says Griffin, wondering aloud whether the same upper stage could be used on both the solid booster and a human-rated variant of the Atlas V or Delta IV.
Preparing for a slowdown in defense spending, General Electric (GE) Transportation Aircraft Engines' leadership plans to fight back. Its weapons will be a stable of flexible engine designs, company-run maintenance programs and transfers of airliner technology into military programs that have already been paid for with commercial investments.
TAP Air Portugal and Brazilian airline Varig are moving toward a formal hookup. The Portuguese airline has initiated talks with an investment firm to acquire up to 20%--the limit Brazil places on foreign investment--of Varig. With the initial legal steps taken, discussions have progressed to an operational level. The move would see TAP CEO Fernando Pinto once again have a hand in Varig, which he once led.
Two recent test failures of Lockheed Martin's Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile in the last month are raising new concerns about the program's future as an already skeptical Congress begins dissecting the Pentagon's budget plans to continue developing and purchasing the system.
EADS/Astrium has won a contract from Korea Aerospace and Research Institute (KARI) to build an advanced, multifunctional imaging and telecom satellite system, dubbed Coms. The system will operate from geostationary Earth-orbit positions at 116 or 138 deg. E. Long., where it will provide continuous coverage of surface and cloud cover for global users, and ocean data on the waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula. Space Systems/Loral and Orbital Sciences Corp. were said to be among the bidders.
The crash of FedEx Flight 647 could lead to wider establishment of Part 121 programs to detect and correct pilot performance deficiencies, and to enhanced emergency evacuation training for flight crews. These are among several recommendations issued by the NTSB last week at its final hearing on the Dec. 18, 2003, accident involving a FedEx MD-10-10F (N364FE). The safety board found flight crew actions as probable cause of the hard landing on Runway 36R at Memphis (Tenn.) International Airport that injured two of the seven people on board.
Gulfstream says its G450 long-range business jet has demonstrated a range of 3,550 naut. mi., 300 naut. mi. above forecast performance, at Mach 0.85 high-speed cruise. The feat, performed between Chicago and London, set a record--7 hr. and 19 min.--for the route, in no-wind conditions, with 3,500 lb. of fuel remaining. The first G450 entered service on May 7.
Taking a symbolic step--although a small one--toward eventual service entry with the Royal Air Force, the first BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 aircraft has been been painted in air force livery. The MRA4 has a tentative in-service date toward the end of 2009.
Barely days after revealing plans for light- and very-light-jet models, Embraer is already eyeing the next step in its bizjet plan. Last month, Chairman/CEO Mauricio Botelho said he intended to make Embraer a major force in the business aviation industry within 10 years, building on its success in the regional airline market. He appointed Luis Carlos Affonso, manager of the company's 170/190 regional jet line, to lead the effort.
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, Fifth Floor, New York, N.Y. 10121 Phone: +1 (212) 904-2000, Fax: +1 (212) 904-6068 Senior News Editor: Nora Titterington
The Defense Dept. is shifting from a close-in, reactive posture to a proactive, layered approach that requires new technology, the Pentagon's top homeland defense official says. Most pressing is the need for a capability to detect weapons of mass destruction en route to the U.S. Officials hope to collect intelligence on these dangerous materials abroad in order to intercept them before they get to U.S. soil. Paul McHale, Defense Dept. assistant secretary for homeland defense, likens this cat-and-mouse game to tactics developed by the U.S.
David A. Fulghum, John M. Doyle, and Amy Butler (Washington)
The U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy Reserves components are taking an inordinate number of cuts in the Defense Dept.'s proposal of bases to be closed and realigned, although analysts are split over whether they are painful enough to start driving citizen airmen away from service. Meanwhile, lawmakers are vowing to defend what they say are key installations that should not be closed.
The nonprofit Travel Industry Assn. of America has doubts that the U.S. and a majority of 27 visa-waiver passport (VWP) countries considering biometric identity systems can meet an Oct. 26 deadline for the necessary scanning technology to be in place. If they don't, the U.S. stands to lose a lot of tourism dollars, says the TIA.
JAXA says its Astro-F infrared telescope mission will be launched early next year on an M-5 booster from the Uchinoura space center at Kagoshima. The planetary observatory was due for launch in early 2004, but instrument problems caused a delay. JAXA expects the $185-million Astro-F to be the most capable IR instrument in orbit.
Titan Corp.'s stock climbed 15% on May 18-19 on reports that the San Diego-based defense information technology company was in talks to be acquired by L-3 Communications Corp. of New York. Representatives from both companies declined to comment, but Titan abruptly canceled a scheduled presentation to investors. A well-placed industry observer confirmed discussions have been underway. Last year, Lockheed Martin Corp. scuttled a $2.4-billion deal to purchase the company after Titan became embroiled in an overseas bribery scandal.
Italian engine maker Avio remains in the red, but company officials see a rosier future. Avio CEO Saverio Strati says both revenue and operating profit are improving on the strength of the commercial aviation sector. In 2004, the weak dollar decreased Avio earnings by 60 million euros ($75.6 million), but company officials are upbeat because the dollar's slide appears to have stopped. Strati also points out that Avio may acquire a small-medium-size European company in order to improve its competitive position.
British Airways pre-tax profit rose to 415 million pounds ($759 million) for the fiscal year ending Mar. 31, on a turnover of just over 7.8 billion pounds. Pre-tax profit for the previous twelve months was 230 million pounds. Continuing downward pressure on costs has helped partially to offset rising fuel prices. The airline slightly exceeded its 2003-2005 planned savings target of 450 million pounds, according to Chief Executive Rod Eddington. Management anticipates its fuel bill for the coming fiscal year to increase about 400 million pounds.
U.S. strike aircraft prowling the skies of Iraq are arriving far better equipped to find ground targets than they were a year ago. The Navy F/A-18E/Fs launching from ships and the Air Force F-16Cs in Iraq and F-15Es flying from nearby countries are now all equipped with new-generation sensor pods such as the Sniper XR and Litening AT that aircrews say have significantly improved their combat identification capability.
U.S. aviation units in Iraq have just rotated, but one constant in operations there is the introduction of the latest generation of targeting pods that have increased sensor resolution by as much as five times. These improvements are crucial in the new role for strike aircraft of non-traditional surveillance and intelligence-gathering. Here, a pair of Block 30 F-16s with the Air Force Air National Guard Test Center show off their Lockheed Martin Sniper XR pods that are now operating in Iraq and Afghanistan on F-16s and F-15Es. Andy Wolfe photo.
Being captain of a Boeing 747 does not make you immortal and you shouldn't fly the Atlantic with a failed engine. I don't know how to implement it, but what these guys need is a good fright occasionally. At 500 mph. your personal kinetic energy is enough to kill you more than 1,000 times over.
