Rolls-Royce said Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries will join the Trent 1000 program as a risk-sharing partner (see p. 48). KHI is to supply and assemble the intermediate pressure compressor module. It will have an 8.5% share of the program and may carry out some engine testing. KHI is the second Japanese supplier to join the Trent 1000 lineup. Last month, Rolls said Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will take a 7% share, providing the combustor and low-pressure turbine blades.
The development of two supersonic business jets that could fly as early as 2010 underscores the high level of optimism among business aviation operators, manufacturers and suppliers, and accelerated their hopes for better days ahead. More than 30,000 people at the National Business Aviation Assn. convention here surveyed a broad range of new airplanes, products and services aimed at fueling the rebound of an industry that has seen tough times during the past three years.
Washington is getting ready to resuscitate the sale of F-16s to Pakistan. A contract for the fighters hasn't been completed, but once Congress returns, the Defense Dept. will submit a proposal for a deal, says Rear Adm. Craig McDonald, the Pentagon's chief defense representative in Pakistan. At first the program would cover upgrading F-16s Islamabad bought and fielded years ago, but a sale of new aircraft is in the offing, too. An F-16 sale was canceled in 1990 when the U.S.
Organizers of International Helitrade, a new Geneva-based European helicopter show patterned after the Helicopter Assn. International exhibit in the U.S., say the event will be moved to a two-year rotation, starting in 2006, based on feedback from exhibitors at the inaugural edition on Oct. 5-7. Exhibitors noted that with a competing exhibit, Helitech, already in play every other year in the U.K., an annual Helitrade made little sense (AW&ST Oct. 11, p. 43).
Burt Rutan fancies himself a student of history and regularly cites accomplishments of the "little guy" in the face of giant, government-funded enterprises. His favorite whipping boy of late is NASA, but he turns his sharp tongue on any state-funded organization while rallying for the marvels of private enterprise.
William Donohue has been appointed Chicago hub director for Air Wisconsin Airlines at O'Hare International Airport. He was manager of United Express operations at O'Hare.
A new report from the Homeland Security Inspector General's (IG) Office finds that in a pilot project to test private contract screening at five airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) maintained such tight control it is difficult to say if private screening can make a difference. The goal of the pilot projects was to see if private contractor screening, under TSA supervision, could provide as good or better service as government employees and give airport operators an alternative to federal screeners. TSA Administrator David M.
Turkey is in talks with the U.S. for a huge arms package to upgrade 218 F-16s and purchase 225 Raytheon AIM-9X high-off-boresight dogfight missiles. The F-16 portion is estimated at up to $3.9 billion, with another $96 million for AIM-9X. On the missile front, Turkey is requesting F-16 weapons integration options for Israel's Python 5 and the European Iris-T. The F-16 upgrades would include 180 APG-68(V)9 radars, 200 Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems and an export variant of the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile Targeting System.
You can now register ONLINE for Aviation Week Events. Go to www.AviationNow.com/conferences or call Lydia Janow at +1 (212) 904-3225/+1 (800) 240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada Only) Feb. 16-17--World Aerospace Symposium/Toulouse. Pierre Baudis Toulouse Congress Center, Toulouse, France. Apr. 19-20--MRO Military Conference. Also, Apr. 20-21--MRO USA Conference & Exhibition. Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Dallas. May 24-25--Homeland Security Summit & Exposition. Washington.
David S. Currence has been named chief information officer of Aerospace Products International Inc., Memphis, Tenn. He was vice president-international technology and strategy for the UPS Supply Chain Solutions division of the United Parcel Service.
The Pentagon is continuing its quest to flood the battlefield with unmanned aircraft. This year, more than 400 unmanned aerial vehicles are in the field, mostly smaller ones, of 20 different types. Last year only 10 different types were fielded, says Dyke Weatherington, who watched UAV programs for the Pentagon. But this trend runs counter to what the Pentagon has been trying to do for years with manned fixed-wing and helicopter platforms--reduce aircraft types for lower logistics costs. UAVs are different, though, Weatherington argues.
The Pentagon is about to begin a feasibility study to assess whether ground-based ballistic missile interceptors for the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense program and Patriot PAC-3 can be fired from F-15s or F-16s. The interceptors would be used to shoot down enemy missiles during their ascent phase, when they are still climbing after motor burnout. The low-key study is estimated to cost less than $3 million and would examine what integration hurdles exist. The findings are to be presented to the Missile Defense Agency director next year.
U.S. national security and global power status may hinge on radically reshaping the country's approach to military, civil and private-sector space programs.
An ongoing British base review could recommend the closure of RAF Kinloss in Scotland by 2012, with the air force's Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft being moved to RAF Waddington.
Irene Yachbes (see photo) has become an application engineer in the Technology Development Group of Honeybee Robotics of New York. She was a spacecraft integration and testing staff member at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md.
Photographer Brian R. Wolff flew for two weeks with the U.S. Air Force's 3rd Wing that operates from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Working for Raytheon, he filmed the unit's pioneering operations with the joint helmet-mounted cueing system, AIM-9X and AESA radar (see p. 58). Extensive forest fires filled many of the valleys with smoke, which gave a dream-like quality to many of the photos.
U.S. military officials are confronting shortcomings in their precision strike capabilities, which could trigger wide-ranging changes in areas from targeting weapons to assessing their effectiveness to the stockpiling of key components. The activities are emerging from observations made during recent military conflicts and reviews of development programs.
EADS/Eurocopter says it is seeking partners to win a share of Japan's lucrative defense helicopter market, and is willing to make generous technology transfer concessions to drive a deal. Speaking at Japan Aerospace 2004 in Yokohama on Oct. 6, Chairman/CEO Fabrice Bregier remarked that Eurocopter's military sales in Japan are nil, whereas they account for 50% of corporate revenues worldwide. The partnership deal would permit a joint bid for a $2.5-billion 60-unit search-and-rescue requirement expected to be competed in 3-4 years.
An obituary for Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper incorrectly stated he was the first person to fly in space twice (AW&ST Oct. 11, p. 40). He was the first to fly twice on orbital missions. Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, who flew on a suborbital Mercury mission and commanded the first Gemini two-man orbital flight, was the first person to reach space two times.
Japan Airlines has taken delivery of a new Boeing 747-400 freighter and a second is scheduled for delivery later this month. The freighters will join JAL's fleet of 77 747s, more than any other airline. The new all-cargo aircraft carries up to 120 tons of cargo, 25 tons more than the 747-200 freighters in JAL's fleet, and operates with approximately 15% less fuel burn. The manufacturer has sold 12 747-400s this year.
Southwest Airlines, while reporting $191 million in third-quarter operating income and a net of $119 million--the latter a double-digit percentage gain over the same quarter of 2003--is waiting as long as it can to nail down its plans for 2005 in order to deal with what CEO Gary Kelly terms "unbelievable change in the airline industry."
A new U.S./Russian crew is taking over operation of the International Space Station this week as the Expedition 9 crew on board for six months prepares to return to Earth after turning in a solid performance on both maintenance and science.
After a government review, state-owned Indian Airlines will stick with an earlier decision to pay $2.2 billion for 43 Airbus aircraft--a mix of A319/A320/A321s as part of a five-year fleet renewal. Boeing was competing with its 737-700/800/900s. Meanwhile, IA has shortlisted a total of nine Boeing 767-300ERs and Airbus A330-200ERs for dry lease to meet capacity demands in other parts of Asia. Tenders for the aircraft will be called in November.
U.S. Air Force planners are convinced it's time to revive the once-famous William Tell weapons competition. Their reasons include the threat of cruise missiles and foreign air forces' improving capabilities, as well as the fielding of new sensors and advanced command-and-control schemes.
The U.S. has quietly endorsed an 11th term for Assad Kotaite of Lebanon as president of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Montreal-based United Nations affiliate that establishes world standards for aviation. Yet the U.S. is not alone among other nations in asking Kotaite, who will be 80 years old next month, about his succession plan. An inkling of his intentions came out at the recent triennial assembly in Montreal.
