The second Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lot of H-1 helicopter upgrades for the U.S. Marine Corps was approved last week under a modified award of $104 million to Bell Helicopter Textron. The first LRIP lot of six aircraft are in production and work on a second lot of four UH-1Ys and AH-1Zs began last week at the company's facilities in Fort Worth and Amarillo, Tex. The helos are slated for delivery in 2007, and by 2014 the Marines would have 100 UH-1Ys and 180 AH-1Zs. The H-1 flight-test program has accumulated more than 2,755 hr.
PREMIER AIRCRAFT OF EAST ALTON, ILL., AND HONEYWELL have completed integration tests of a nacelle and new engine nozzle for the Dassault Falcon 50 business jet. Designated as the Falcon 50-4 upgrade program, modifications would include installation of the nozzle on the jet's three TFE-731-4 engines that are projected to give the airplane increased performance under high-hot takeoff conditions, more payload, a higher rate of climb and more thrust for faster cruise speeds, compared with the original Falcon 50.
One of Japan's original discount carriers, Skymark Airlines, will downsize from six Boeing 767s to 14 737-800s over the next five years as it branches out to more regional services. Skymark, which leases all its aircraft, will receive its first six -800s by 2007. It expects to cut operational costs in half by shifting to the single-aisle 737s.
Operators of certain Boeing aircraft may face a bill that totals $399 million to replace insulation blankets the FAA says could propagate fires. Prompted by reports of ground and inflight fires, the FAA on Apr. 4 issued a proposed airworthiness directive that calls for removal or modification of blankets covered with all variants of a polyethylene teraphthalate (PET) coating called Orcon Orcofilm AN-26 from all pressurized parts of aircraft.
The Dutch aerospace industry and Airbus have inked a multi-year partnering arrangement on research and technology development. It covers several technologies with the aim of finding applications for them on the A380 and A350.
Saab CEO Ake Svensson is warning shareholders that the downturn in Sweden's defense budget will take a toll on the company and could have more far-reaching implications. "The current lack of decisiveness in defense orders is creating major problems for us and our ability to maintain competencies and key employees. I also believe it will create problems for Sweden. The defense industry is an important technology engine in Swedish society. And if the engine sputters, so will society," he said last week at the company's annual general meeting.
THE GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE G350 BUSINESS JET has been validated by the European Aviation Safety Agency. The FAA certified the twin-engine jet in November 2004. Gulfstream officials expect the first airplane to enter service in the third quarter. The G350 can fly 3,800 naut. mi. nonstop and carry up to 16 passengers. Gulfstream's arch rival, Bombardier Aerospace, has sold two Global 5000 business jets to customers in Central and South America.
Boeing reports delivering 70 commercial aircraft in the first quarter, down from 76 in 2004. The decline is mainly attributable to decreasing deliveries for 747s and 757s. Only three 747s were delivered during the first quarter this year compared to five last year; only one 757 was delivered this year, compared to four last year. The last of the 757s is to be delivered by the end of April. As usual, Boeing's 737 line led the delivery list with 54 aircraft (55 last year). The 777 had eight deliveries in both years. Boeing reports taking 63 orders during the first quarter.
Human spaceflight is set to move another step beyond the Columbia disaster this week, when the crew trained to receive the space shuttle Discovery on its return-to-flight mission lifts off for the International Space Station in a three-seat Russian Soyuz.
Eleven years after it was founded with great fanfare by Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Co., commercial satellite imagery company Space Imaging has retained Banc of America Securities to help it find a buyer. The move comes after the Denver-based company was beaten out by competitors OrbImage and DigitalGlobe for two Pentagon contracts worth a total of $1 billion.
Airbus has struck a deal with the Mexmil Co. of Santa Ana, Calif., to distribute spare parts. It is the first agreement of its type for Airbus and aims at reducing the spares supply chain for its products.
Continental Airlines is pushing expansion in Asia. It has applied to the U.S. Transportation Dept. to fly non-stop from Newark to Shanghai as of March 2007, using a 283-seat Boeing 777. Separately, Continental says it will use 777s to fly a nonstop polar route from Newark to New Delhi this fall. As of May 11, Delta Air Lines will be the first U.S. carrier to serve two Indian cities, Mumbai and Chennai. Northwest Airlines also serves Mumbai. Neither its flight nor Delta's is nonstop.
Discoveries are being made as the Cassini spacecraft orbits Saturn, both about the planet itself as well as the moons and rings that circle it. The Imaging Science Subsystem is one of the main instruments on the Jet Propulsion Laboratory craft, and its cameras are providing pictures that are both pretty and scientifically rich.
On the heels of the U.S. Transportation Dept. announcement that granted the four U.S. cargo carriers additional rights to fly to China in 2006, Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta visited UPS Apr. 2 to tout the benefits of opening international markets to American companies. "Opening skies is the best way to open new opportunity right here at home," Mineta said. "I will continue to fight for open skies," referring to his planned visit to India in mid-April to sign an air services agreement.
Industry, health and government leaders in the U.S. are determined to win at germ warfare and are marshalling forces to prevent outbreaks of infectious disease. "With the potential of dramatic economic losses, caused either by viruses--or terrorists with viruses--a proactive posture rather than reactive posture is an absolute necessity," cautioned John L. Mica (R-Fla.), chairman of the House aviation subcommittee, at an Apr. 6 hearing on the topic.
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) wants the NTSB investigation of the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 reopened. His concerns stem from the Mar. 6 incident in which the rudder of an Air Transat A310 separated in flight and the FAA's and and its European counterpart DGAC's subsequent mandate for detailed rudder inspections (AW&ST Mar. 28, p. 41). The Nov. 12, 2001, crash of Flight 587 killed 265 people when the entire vertical assembly separated during the A300-600's climbout from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport.
With a Sept. 30 deadline for tax-free leasing of aircraft fast approaching, Indian carriers are facing tough choices because they can't find enough aircraft to meet expansion plans. Airline officials estimate the industry needs to lease 35-40 aircraft this year, but few are available at expected prices. Widebodies are most in demand. Startups in particular are concerned that the timing of their expansion plans will be thrown irremediably off.
Spain's National Aerospace Technology Institute (INTA) has agreed to participate in France's Pleiades dual-use submetric optical imaging system, to be launched in 2008-09 by French space agency CNES. INTA will supply a dedicated ground segment for Spain, which is taking a 3% stake in Pleiades.
Robert F. Weinberg has been appointed to the board of directors of the New York-based Sequa Corp. He is president of real estate management and development firm Robert Martin Co.
Robert Gallamore and Michael Gorman have joined Boston-based Charles River Associates as senior consultants to its Transportation Practice. Gallamore has been director of The Transportation Center and professor of managerial economics and decision science at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Gorman is president of MFG Consulting and an assistant professor at the University of Dayton (Ohio).
Michael A. Taverna (Paris and Salon de Provence), Robert Wall (Paris)
Europe is getting serious about research and development spending in a bid to close the gap with its global economic rivals. The latest move is an aggressive R&D proposal put forward by the European Commission. Coupled with other technology projects emerging in recent months--and new industry-government initiatives aimed at making such efforts more efficient--Europe could be on the verge of providing itself with a much stronger technology base.
Meanwhile, Spain is again sending signals that it covets an enhanced role in Airbus. Officials at state holding company Sepi, which owns Spain's current 5.4% stake, declined to say how much it is seeking, but noted that "it would tend toward 10%."
McCain says he may seek a congressional subpoena of Lockheed Martin officials to get detailed information about rising costs of the C-130J cargo airplane. McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services air-land subcommittee, says he asked the company's CEO, Robert Stevens, for more detailed pricing information "and he said he would get back to me." But Stevens "hasn't bothered to further communicate," McCain says after a subcommittee hearing.
