Congress is taking President Bush's threat to veto the NASA spending bill seriously, but in the arcane world of appropriations politics the outcome is nowhere in sight. The White House threat letter cites the House Appropriations Committee's $1.1-billion whack from the agency's Fiscal 2005 budget request, which would leave little money for the deep-space exploration plan Bush announced in January. But vetoing the bill also would strike at benefits for veterans, along with housing, environmental protection and other programs funded in the same measure.
U.S. aerospace companies are continuing to ride the gravy train of Pentagon spending to boost not only sales but operating margins (see p. 24). And there's little sign of a near-term derailment. The confidence is reflected in Northrop Grumman Corp. raising its 2004 sales and earnings-per-share guidance and the addition of $1.5 billion to Raytheon Co.'s bookings guidance. Lockheed Martin Corp. expects sales to be at the top end of its estimate.
Pat McKenna has been promoted to vice president/general manager from director of the Long Beach, Calif.-based Boeing 717 program, effective Aug. 9. He will succeed Jim Phillips, who will be retiring.
You reported that the U.S. Government Accountability Office's comments on improved communications gave a "backhanded indictment of network-centric warfare" (AW&ST July 5, p. 14). During the Vietnam War, a call by then President Lyndon B. Johnson to a Marine Corps lieutenant colonel on the road in an operation in South Vietnam foretold of the "centralized style of command and control which can create tension between command staffs and operators in the field" that was mentioned in the GAO report.
In the article "Record Endurance," there is a statement: "Age, for example, is a major factor; pilots older than 50 need more time than their younger colleagues to regain full skills after a nap" (AW&ST July 5, p. 40). The assumption underlying this statement is pure age prejudice. There is no scientific or statistical evidence to support it. Self-discipline and professionalism are the determining factors. A professional, highly disciplined aviator will have no problem answering the call to duty.
Cal Swanson (see photo) has been named senior principal systems engineer for the Single Iteration division of St. Louis-based Watlow Electric Manufacturing Co. He was engineering manager for ST Microelectronics. David Wilhelm has become England-based international human resources director. He was European human resources manager.
Europe has considerable experience with unmanned aerial vehicle operations. Unfortunately, this has been almost exclusively with battlefield systems of both limited range and endurance. A raft of requirements for medium- and high-altitude long-endurance platforms, however, raises a number of uncertainties, both technical and regulatory, as to exactly how such UAVs will be operated. Now, several European countries are trying to develop approaches to address these issues.
The perils of Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and its aftermath remain on vivid display as United Airlines amends its debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing for a still longer haul and US Airways continues a series of stopgap deals with its creditors.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. has awarded seven weekly U.S.-China frequencies apiece--enough for a daily round trip--to Northwest Airlines and United Airlines, the two carriers currently authorized to serve China. The department rejected American Airlines' proposal that the 14 frequencies be combined with seven more available next year, and then the 21 be allocated between Northwest, United and a third airline to be chosen for 2005. Awarding the route authority now would make Northwest and United more dominant in the market, American argued.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. is implementing Sweden-based IFS Applications across its organization in 17 sites with more than 3,000 users. The first phase, which is to be completed in the next year, will cover engineering, maintenance, repair, overhaul, manufacturing, materials, financial, supply chain and corporate performance management. The integrated system is intended to yield optimized project management, improved manufacturing planning, reductions in inventory and improved turnaround times of aircraft, HAL says.
Faced with being reduced to fielding only four squadrons of JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, down from the currently planned eight, the Swedish air force is aiming to maximize the capability of what remains, including beefing up its overall air-defense capability. Maj.-Gen. Jan Andersson, the Swedish air force commander, is anticipating the "downsizing of front-line squadrons" as a result of the country's ongoing defense review. He says that for "Gripen, the probable figure will be four squadrons."
The British Defense Ministry is aiming to have a critical strategy in place for accessing technology on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter by year-end, against the backdrop of a continuing debate over its final choice of model. The outcome has potential ramifications not only for the Lockheed Martin JSF, but also for other U.S.-U.K. projects, as attempts to simplify defense industrial collaboration are becoming bogged down.
USAF wants to field its Hunter/Killer unmanned aircraft by the end of 2007, potential bidders were told. General Atomics and Northrop Grumman are set for an intense competition to snag the program (see p. 50). Total production could reach 60 vehicles. Munitions would include laser and GPS-guided bombs. The target requirements include 35,000-50,000-ft. operating altitude with 16-30+ hr. of endurance while carrying at least 3,000 lb. (including four 500-lb. bombs).
Eurocopter's EC225 utility and search-and-rescue helicopter on July 29 obtained JAR 29-compliant IFR certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Also on the same day, EASA certified Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca's 2,429-shp. RTM 322-01/9 turboshaft engine, a civil version of the NH-90 transport-frigate helicopter's powerplant.
Carol DiBattiste, who has been chief of staff for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, is scheduled to become acting deputy administrator. She will succeed Stephen McHale, who has resigned.
To submit Aerospace Calendar Listings, Call +1 (212) 904-2421 Fax +1 (212) 904-6068 e-mail: [email protected] Aug. 16-19--Seventh Annual Space and Missile Defense Conference: "Missile Defense: Deployment and Beyond." Von Braun Center, Huntsville, Ala. Call +1 (256) 533-6986 or see www.smdconf.org Aug. 18-19--Air Line Pilots Assn.'s Annual Air Safety Forum. Hyatt Regency, Washington. Call +1 (703) 689-4309 or see www.alpa.org
USAF has delayed launch of the first two Advanced EHF satellites in hope of avoiding larger development problems down the road. The move is only the latest in a series of setbacks for military space programs, however. The total cost of the delay is still being assessed, but service officials expect it to be less than $149 million. The four-month slip moves the first Advanced EHF launch to April 2007, the second to April 2008. The change is meant to reduce risk from concurrent development of key components.
W. Nelson Whitlow has been named a vice president of Sonalysts Inc., Waterford, Conn. He was director of aviation services and had been director of flight dispatch for Trans World Airlines.
The International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 9 crew is preparing for a planned Aug. 3 EVA to install laser reflectors that will be needed for European Space Agency Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATVs) to dock with the ISS. Mission commander Gennady Padalka and flight engineer Mike Fincke will install the laser devices on the aft end of the Russian Service Module so the unmanned ATVs can begin carrying heavy cargo to the ISS by late next year to supplement Russian Progress vehicles and shuttle cargo, once the manned orbiters return to flight.
Bernd Kessler (see photo) has been appointed executive vice president of Munich-based MTU Aero Engines. He was vice president/general manager of Honeywell's Aerospace Aviation Aftermarket Services in Phoenix. Kessler succeeds Paul Grall, who is scheduled to retire at year-end.
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), in a July 26 visit to Kennedy Space Center, offered only the most general of clues to his plans for the space program should he be elected President. Instead, he was photographed wearing mandatory clean-room garb inside the cockpit of Discovery, scheduled to be the first shuttle returned to flight. Kerry used most of the visit to discuss health care for the elderly during an invitation-only gathering at a conference center outside the NASA facility. He appeared with a former astronaut and past presidential candidate, retired Sen.
Spain is studying a high-resolution surveillance satellite system that would further expand Europe's growing network of military surveillance satellites. Although details are still sketchy, the system, called Tarsis, is expected to comprise a pair of small satellites similar in size to the German SARLupe and Italian CosmoSkyMed radar imaging constellations and France's Pleiades optical spacecraft. It could be supplied with optical and/or radar payloads. Spain is a partner in France's very-high-resolution Helios optical surveillance satellite network.
Recovering from the slump last year, the Assn. of Asia Pacific Airlines' 17 member airlines carried 10.3 million passengers in June, up 84% from June 2003. High fuel prices and mounting budget carriers' competition, however, continue to squeeze margins. AAPA Director General Richard Stirland says the load factor growth is impressive--2.3% points higher than 2002 despite an 11% rise in seat capacity.
Jeffrey R. Beck has been appointed chief financial officer of STG Inc., Reston, Va. He was president/CEO of Getronics Government Solutions and had been CFO of Raytheon subsidiary Standard Missile Co.
Gregory H. Bradford, a self-employed international defense consultant and former chief operating officer of Washington-based EADS North America, has been named a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor. He was cited for his contributions "to the development and enrichment of French-American industrial and commercial cooperation."
