Further procurement of Japan's Mitsubishi F-2 close air support fighter is in doubt. In a reexamination of major defense acquisitions, Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba issued a harsh initial assessment of the fighter, which is Japan's largest program. He hasn't acted yet, but has said the F-2's cost/benefit ratio needs to be studied. Orders have been placed for only 75 of the 130 aircraft the Japanese Defense Agency (JDA) contemplated in 1995 when production began.
Explosives detection technology for aviation security is now deployed widely in the U.S., and the major players in this sector are working to provide improved processing speed and more integrated systems at lower cost.
Mars Express, the first European Space Agency spacecraft to reach the red planet, has amassed a stunning gallery of images and other data from Mars orbit since controllers started switching on its instruments in January. The High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) and its mapping spectrometer are well on the way to meeting ESA's goal of producing high-resolution images and mineral maps of the whole planet. Another instrument has confirmed the presence of methane in the atmosphere, raising the possibility it was produced by volcanic activity or even life. The 1,120-kg.
Consultants at Unisys R2A express some long-term concerns for the impact of pay raises on Southwest Airlines' cost structure. The recently approved contract with Southwest flight attendants calls for a 31% pay increase over the six-year life of the contract, with no productivity improvement, the Unisys August "Scorecard" observes. Together with rising fuel prices, the recent pay increase helped boost the cost per available seat mile beyond 8 cents for the first time since 1994. Payroll costs have increased steadily as a percent of total costs since the mid-1990s.
US Airways said it will ask the Internal Revenue Service for permission to spread out from 18 months to as much as five years the $67.5 million it is required to contribute for the 2004 plan year to the defined-benefit pension plans for its Assn. of Flight Attendants and International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers units. With this approval, the company would count $28.6 million it has already contributed to the plans this year toward the last 2003 plan year payment, which is due Sept. 15. The carrier is trying to conserve cash for the winter (AW&ST Aug.
North America has another maintenance, repair and overhaul center trying to capitalize on the growing trend toward outsourced maintenance, a trend that traditional airlines are embracing following the success of low-cost carriers in that area. Less infrastructure investment and liability often translate to reduced expenses, and airlines are preoccupied with lowering costs in the current economic climate.
Space Systems/Loral is in talks with Boeing to acquire its Kent, Wash., high- bay and thermal-vacuum facility. SS/L has rented Boeing's facility for years to supplement vacuum tests normally carried out on its 1.13-million-sq.-ft. campus in Palo Alto, Calif.
MBDA's Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile system (Asraam) officially entered service with the Royal Australian Air Force's Air Combat Group Base at Williamtown at a roll-out ceremony Aug. 20. The Asraam, a high off-boresight dogfight weapon with imaging infrared seeker, is already in service with U.K. Royal Air Force's Tornado F3 and Eurofighter Typhoon, and is scheduled to be fitted to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for the RAF and Royal Navy. MBDA is jointly owned by BAE Systems, EADS and Finmeccanica.
David Pearman has been appointed general manager of the General Dynamics Aviation Services facility in Las Vegas. He was senior operations manager at the Westfield, Mass., facility.
The U.S. Army hopes to demonstrate this week the ability to use a laser to shoot down mortar shells, a weapon type that has proven devastating to deployed U.S. forces, says Maj. Gen. John Urias, the program executive officer overseeing the service's directed-energy efforts. But Urias acknowledges the hardware still is in its early development stage. In fact, the next-generation mobile tactical high-energy laser effort recently suffered a setback when Israel, the development partner, had to cut funding.
Vision Fire & Security has released Vesda LaserFocus, a cost-effective very early warning smoke detection system designed to protect small critical areas. The air-sampling smoke detector offers ultrasonic flow sensing, a circular display, preengineered piping options and ease of installation and maintenance, according to the company. It is underwriters laboratory (UL) listed for UL268 open area protection and UL 268A for duct detection.
Castle Industries provides support for fabrication of precision assemblies, machined metal components and formed sheet metal parts. The company's range now includes production of custom vacuum-formed panels for military and government aircraft interiors. The process begins by producing a precision-forming tool, manufactured using a multi-axis CNC routing machine, the company says. The wooden tool is then used to vacuum-form panels and stiffeners that are trimmed and laminated to form a strong interior panel.
Instruments on the Cassini spacecraft have found two tiny moons orbiting Saturn, bringing the total number of moons counted around the ringed planet to 33. More discoveries are likely, as the planned Cassini imaging sequence includes closer looks at gaps in the rings where additional moons are expected to lurk. The two newest finds--designated S/2004 S1 and S2--measure 2- and 2.5-mi. across, respectively. Until Cassini, the smallest confirmed Saturnian moon measured about 12-mi. across.
Space Systems/Loral is in the final stages of emerging from federal bankruptcy proceedings with what it feels are two key assets--technical strength and financial stability--at a time when it sees new opportunity in government contracting and an upturn in the commercial market.
In the wake of a fierce salary disagreement with British Airways, the Transport and General Workers' Union late last week voted a 24-hr. walkout of baggage handlers and additional ground staff scheduled for Aug. 27.
What does NASA do when it wants a few good ideas on how to encourage more private-sector participation in its exploration programs? It offers study contracts. Responding to the President's Commission on Implementation of U.S. Space Exploration Policy, the space agency is soliciting "comments and ideas from all sources regarding possible effective and efficient steps" it can take to gain access to private-sector technology. The commission, headed by former Air Force Secretary E.C.
Hurricane Charley damaged and destroyed record numbers of aircraft and hangars when it slammed into the west coast of Florida, then raced across the state on Aug. 13.
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Kadri Muhiddin (see photo, p. 10) has become executive president-strategic projects in Europe, Middle East and Asia for Zurich-based Jet Aviation. He was director of international affairs.
Todd Jorns has become associate director of legislative affairs for Regional Aviation Partners of Phoenix. He was Phoenix-area legislative liaison for U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Air Canada's creditors last week cast an overwhelming vote of approval for the airline's restructuring plan, according to the carrier. The plan, required for the carrier's planned exit from creditor protection on Sept. 30, now awaits court approval. A sanction hearing is scheduled this week.
During the last three years, the U.S. has made progress in winning the war on terrorism. However, after spending billions on a new federalized airline passenger screening system, I remain concerned that our nation's airports and airways are still vulnerable.
Airbus is evaluating options after a German court banned a proposed runway extension at Hamburg-Finkenwerder Airport. The runway length is considered insufficient for flight testing of the increased-gross-weight A380-800F. First delivery is scheduled for 2008.
The NTSB will continue to zero in on maintenance training and air cargo safety, NTSB Chairman Ellen Engleman-Conners vowed at the 2004 Air Safety Forum in Washington last week. "I have seen too many final reports dealing with major contributing factors such as poor maintenance work practices, and inadequate training, supervision or oversight. The airlines are under a great deal of pressure to reduce costs . . . but I cannot accept that an airline should reduce investment in maintenance training or operations in order to make that profit" (see pp. 74-77).
