The Global War on Terrorism--GWOT, in Pentagonspeak for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and homeland security--is overspending its $65-billion appropriation for the current fiscal year by $12.3 billion, or nearly 19%, the Government Accountability Office estimates. All the services' operations and maintenance accounts are overrunning, the Army's by $10.2 billion, and a key measure to deal with this will be cutting back and deferring other activity into Fiscal 2005, which begins Oct. 1.
Bombardier's Global 5000 business jet arrives at the Farnborough air show after a nonstop flight from San Francisco at a cruise speed of Mach 0.85. A shorter and modified version of the Global Express, the Global 5000 is scheduled to receive certification in September and enter into service by year-end. Air show coverage begins on p. 26. Mike Vines photo.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration and United Airlines on July 22 launched the Registered Traveler Pilot Program at Los Angeles International Airport. On July 7, the TSA with Northwest Airlines introduced the program at Minneapolis. Under the program, registered travelers proceed to a designated security checkpoint lane, where they present a smart card with biometric (fingerprint and iris scan) information to confirm identity. The program requires registered passengers and their carry-on bags to undergo primary screening.
The general aviation community is applauding the FAA's "Sport Pilot, Light Sport Aircraft" rule, aimed at making recreational flying safer, affordable and just plain fun. Issued July 20, the rule closes the current gap in ultralight regulations and sets safety standards for the manufacture, certification, pilot training, operation and maintenance of light-sport category aircraft. It becomes effective Sept. 1. The agency expects about 15,000 people are now eligible to earn certificates for operation of more than 15,000 uncertificated ultralight-like aircraft.
Bombardier Aerospace plans to enter the larger-size regional aircraft market with two new entries of 110 and 135 seats, placing it in contention against Embraer on its planned smaller aircraft and against established commercial aircraft manufacturers at the other end.
U.S. Air Force Space Command is identifying approximately 10,000 USAF officer, enlisted and civilian personnel who will form a professional "space cadre"--tomorrow's milspace experts and leaders.
A U.S. District Court judge in Seattle has given preliminary approval to $40.6-72.5 million in the Beck v. Boeing sex discrimination class-action suit that involved about 29,000 female employees. The final award depends on how many employees file valid claims. Not covered in the suit are executives, represented by the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in America, and those represented by the International Assn. of Machinists. c
Airbus will create a joint venture, in association with SITA and Tenzing, to offer inflight high-speed Internet access and mobile phone services to rival Connexion by Boeing.
MAURICIO BOTELHO, Embraer's president and CEO, says that although he often has been disappointed, he now believes the Brazilian government's selection of a new fighter is only days away. If the Dassault Mirage is picked, many technical capabilities will be transferred to Embraer, including systems integration skills that it cannot afford to buy on its own. Botelho predicts Brazil will buy no more than 36 aircraft, but there is a potential for selling another 200 aircraft elsewhere in Latin America.
THE PRESIDENT of Pratt & Whitney's Military Engines Div., Thomas E. Farmer, says the company has solved the engine coating erosion problem with the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter. A cooling air distribution problem that was allowing excessive heat to build up in the engine is being corrected. A cooling line was enlarged to allow more airflow. The engine is to be back in test in a couple of weeks. The program is still "on schedule," Farmer says.
Bell Helicopter Textron has flown a Bell 407 technology demonstrator equipped with an experimental tailfan as part of its Modular Affordable Product Line (MAPL) development program. The fan has a 40-in. diameter and replaces the conventional, 65-in. tail rotor assembly.
Michael Mecham (Farnborough), Pierre Sparaco (Farnborough)
Twelve years ago, the U.S. and European Union reached a compromise on a long-running and frequently nasty battle over how much government aid may be applied to new commercial airplane programs. But all they succeeded in doing was to put a lid on a simmering pot. At least back then there was no doubt who dominated world aircraft production. Today, it's a different story. Airbus controls more than 50% of the market and the Boeing brass says it's time to clear the air with a new, enforceable agreement.
The first of three space shuttle main engines that will carry Discovery back to orbit next year completed a 520-sec. test at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The July 16 test apparently went off without a hitch, based on preliminary analysis, clearing the way for the engine to be shipped to Kennedy Space Center for installation in Discovery. The STS-114 mission remains on track for the daylight launch window that opens Mar. 6, 2005.
The National Transportation Safety Board has, for the most part, completed its investigation of the Nov. 12, 2001, crash of American Airlines Flight 587 at Queens, N.Y. The Airbus A300-600 crashed shortly after takeoff from JFK airport, killing 265 people. The safety board is now focused on resolving only minor technical issues related to the probe, and last week said it had earlier this month sent a draft accident report to the BEA, the NTSB's counterpart in France. The final hearing on Flight 587 will be held in Washington, "probably in the fall," according to the NTSB.
The Pentagon needs to pay some attention to managing the industrial base for helmet-mounted displays, tools that enable autonomous systems to cooperate--so-called swarming--and laser inter-satellite links, a new Pentagon study concludes. In the second of a series of industrial-base assessments, this one examining command and control issues, the Pentagon finds that for the helmet displays--used in airplanes and land systems--U.S. leadership may be insufficient compared with foreign suppliers. The Pentagon's industrial-policy shop is similarly worried that the U.S.
EADS will build a space-based imaging system for Thailand in a further sign that its troubled space business is finally turning the corner. Last week EADS' satellite division, Astrium, concluded a contract with the Thai space agency GISTDA to supply and launch a small 750-kg. (1,653-lb.) remote-sensing satellite. Thai sources put the price of the system, called Theos (Thai Earth-Observation System), at approximately 130 million euros ($160 million).
David M. North (Dekalb Peachtree Airport, Chamblee, Ga.)
A nonprofit group is stepping up efforts to introduce tomorrow's potential aerospace employees to the array of opportunities offered through the world of aviation. Expanding its aircraft inventory and an increasing presence at air shows nationwide are top priorities.
Transatlantic cooperation in Mars exploration has already moved beyond Europe's Mars Express orbiter. Nexans, a French manufacturer, says it provided 90% of the wiring and cabling on NASA's Spirit and Opportunity Mars Exploration Rovers. The hardware was supplied by Nexans' Elm City, N.C., plant, which also equipped the shuttle fleet using a design devised in cooperation with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Despite the flood of second-quarter red ink, the U.S.' six legacy airlines are going for broke, pushing harder for increased passenger traffic. The race for volume will heap more energy into the competition against the rising discount carriers and assure passengers of low ticket prices at least through the winter. Brace yourself for domestic load factors climbing deeper into the 80% range, the consequence of lowered fares.
EADS RUSSIAN CEO Vadim Vlasov will become a board member of the Irkut Corp. if EADS decides to take a share in the company. The Russian government is considering the proposal, which could involve up to 10% of Irkut shares. Separately, EADS set up a joint venture with Irkut to develop, market and support a Rolls-Royce BR715-powered version of the Beriev 200 amphibious aircraft in Western markets. The aircraft is to be certified in 2006 and enter service the following year.
NASA and its partners on the International Space Station must start trying to figure out how to handle access to the orbiting laboratory, now that they have decided what it will look like when it's finished. Last week, heads of the partner agencies settled on a final ISS configuration that would accommodate the international modules awaiting launch at Kennedy Space Center and modify the U.S. laboratory with a regenerative life support system still in development to sustain a full-time crew of six.
Three cheers for Mark Maslowski. Finally, amid the hype and hoopla over the SpaceShipOne flight, someone notices that the Emperor Rutan has no clothes, and that the X-Prize is a joke.
IMPLEMENTATION OF the U.K. government's 2002 Export Control Act in May caused EADS to cancel the signature of at least three memoranda of understanding at Farnborough 2004. The legislation was intended to address the "intangible transfer of technology." The new rules were in part driven by the government's wish to receive a waiver from Washington regarding its International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Industry executives, however, suggest the legislation is overly clumsy.
Emergency medical supplies could be delivered into high-threat areas where vulnerable helicopters may not survive, by using a missile-like projectile dropped from an unmanned aircraft.
