CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO. HAS RECEIVED FAA full type certification for the Garmin G1000 integrated avionic system in the Model 182T Skylane. Certification of the turbocharged T182T is scheduled for later this summer, followed by the Model 206 Stationair and Turbo Stationair in August, according to Cessna. The G1000 system features two 10 X 4-in. XGA resolution displays that integrate communication, navigation, engine systems data, traffic and weather.
The number of senators, congressmen and staffers intent on maintaining only "peaceful uses of space" are dwindling. Increasingly, it appears Congress is recognizing how critical orbital assets have become--both to military operations and the U.S. economy--and that their protection is essential. Consequently, expect milspace officials to more openly discuss broad space control and "reversible counterspace" measures during hearings.
OFFICIALS OF THE NATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION ASSN. are advising their members about ramifications of the upcoming Democratic National Convention to be held in Boston from July 26-29. As part of expanded security measures for the event, the FAA is scheduled to issue a Temporary Flight Restriction that probably will close Boston's Logan International Airport to all general aviation traffic and restrict flight operations at satellite airports in the area.
Don Doty (see photos) has been promoted to general manager of Stevens Aviation's Donaldson Center facility in Greenville, S.C., from general manager of Stevens' Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport facility. Hiott Daves has been promoted to company director of military operations from director of maintenance. He has been succeeded by Mike Fitzgerald, who has been promoted from manager of engine services.
NASA's Project Prometheus, which is developing nuclear power sources for deep-space exploration vehicles, plans to examine whether it would be possible to use electricity from a space reactor to shield crews from natural radiation. "That's something that we're going to look at, to see if there's a way that we could use excess electricity to generate some kind of electromagnetic field," said astronaut Carl Walz, who experienced radiation-induced flashes of light inside his closed eyes while he was on the International Space Station in 2001-02.
The European Commission is expected to approve in the next few days the Italian government's plan to guarantee a "bridge" loan urgently needed by Alitalia. The emergency decision should enable the ailing flag carrier to buy time, avoid filing for protection from creditors and implement a recovery plan.
A story on an advanced concept to reduce fratricide misidentified a U.S. Army aircraft being used as a surrogate for a close air support aircraft in a test (AW&ST June 21, p. 34). The aircraft was a Beech C-12 twin turboprop.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. authorized Primaris Airlines to operate charter service with its single Boeing 757 aircraft while the carrier continues attempts to raise more than $60 million needed to launch its intended domestic and foreign scheduled service, which the department authorized last fall. The would-be startup projects 1,695 block hours in its first year of charter service, most of it on an ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance) basis.
Gilbert F. Viets has been appointed executive vice president/chief financial officer of the Indianapolis-based ATA Holdings Corp. He succeeds David M. Wing, who has left the company. Viets is a certified public accountant and former managing partner of the Indianapolis office of Arthur Andersen.
Gene Kraay has been appointed vice president-sales and marketing and Orville (Bud) Scott director of engineering for Thunder Aviation, Chesterfield, Mo. Kraay was president/ CEO of Pueblo Airmotive, Tucson, Ariz., while Scott was head of HTA Consultants.
USAF Col. (ret.) Raymond J. Hauck has been appointed senior vice president-military business for Timco Aviation Services Inc., Greensboro, N.C. He was president of Pemco Aeroplex Inc., Birmingham, Ala.
Rolls-Royce has launched a science education initiative in schools and colleges in the U.K. aimed at teachers of 3-19-year-old students. It is to be an annual award with a two-year rolling cycle. Complete information is at: www.rolls-royce.com/community/downloads/community04/education/support.h…
EADS will form a satellite venture with Moscow-based RNIIKP, a manufacturer of satellite payloads and ground equipment, as part of a broad cooperative undertaking with the Russian aerospace and defense industry. Under the agreement, concluded during a state visit to Russia by German Chancellor Gerhard Shroeder on July 8-9, RNIIKP will set up a joint venture with EADS/Astrium and Tesat-Spacecom, an EADS-owned component maker that has supplied Russian satellite programs.
A Flight Safety Foundation report on risks of obstructive sleep apnea called it a "debilitating and potentially life-threatening disorder"--but one that can be minimized with proper treatment. According to the FSF, "Breathing may stop 30 times an hour or more, nearly 250 times during a typical eight-hour sleep period, for as long as one minute, each time." The cessation of breathing decreases oxygen and increases carbon dioxide in the blood and brain. Treatments vary, depending on severity, and include surgery on the air passageway.
A federal law prohibiting NTSB findings from being admitted as evidence may be a target for reform--the result of a Los Angeles court ruling ordering Parker Hannifin to pay $43.6 million to families of three SilkAir crash victims.
Farnborough International 2004 will for the first time host an aerospace careers development center, along with a half-day seminar on aerospace employment issues. Assuring a supply of qualified personnel, suitably motivated and rewarded, is a key concern for the Aerospace and Innovation Growth Team.
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are experiencing a surge in rotorcraft flight test activity, with little sign the pace will subside anytime soon. The statistics are dramatic. Testing has increased 180% between 2001 and 2003, says USMC Lt. Col. Keith Danel, commander of test squadron HX-21. In 2000, the unit completed just over 1,000 flight test hr. This year the unit has already completed more than 1,325 test hr. and is on course to reach 3,100.
David A. Craig has been promoted to senior vice president-engineering and manufacturing from engineering manager for project engineering and component evaluation and Larry B. Toering to senior vice president-sales and marketing from director of aviation product sales at Lowrance Electronics Inc., Tulsa, Okla.
A new satellite system about to be deployed by Hispasat will bring K u-band coverage to Brazil and other Western Hemisphere markets for direct-to-home and broadband applications, and test an innovative onboard processing system for two-way high-speed satellite broadband service.
LOCKHEED MARTIN IS UPGRADING radars and data processing systems for command posts in Samarkand, Tashkent and Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan. The company also will provide its SkyLine automated air traffic management system at Khanabad. SkyLine offers flight and radar data processing and a flexible configuration that can work with tower, terminal control area or flow monitoring service.
TRANSPORT CANADA HAS CERTIFIED the Bombardier Aerospace Learjet 40 business jet. The FAA approved the airplane in July 2003. There are nine Learjet 40s in service with operators in the U.S. and Germany as well as with Bombardier's FlexJet fractional ownership program.
French defense-electronics manufacturer Sagem intends to leverage technology from its AASM air-launched precision-guided weapon to develop a family of air-, land- and sea-based systems.
Cologne/Bonn hopes to become continental Europe's largest base for low-fare airlines and the first airport to attract no-frills long-haul services. The airport is in negotiations with Chicago-based ATA and expects the airline to launch Cologne/Bonn-Chicago long-haul low-cost services in May 2005. Managing Director Michael Garvens says ATA plans to use Boeing 757s for the daily services. "The interest in low-fare long-haul services is huge," Garvens told Aviation Week & Space Technology at the operator's headquarters here.
