There's a new twist in the escalating battle between Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and the Pentagon over access to documents concerning the Boeing KC-767 tanker deal. Marvin R. Sambur, the Air Force acquisition chief, says he personally would be willing to have McCain see his correspondence concerning the KC-767, on grounds it would vindicate him. But Sambur hastily added that the decision isn't his, and said there are other issues at stake--intimating that the Pentagon is the hold-up.
Congressional scrutiny of F/A-22 and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter problems is growing, adding urgency to Pentagon efforts to overcome hurdles on the two huge fighter projects. Senior Air Force and Navy representatives tell lawmakers they are tackling the problems and the military and contractors have identified solutions. However, several Senators appear skeptical.
Malaysian low-fare carrier AirAsia has appointed Credit Suisse First Boston and Sajura Merchant Bankers to manage the airline's planned initial public offering on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange in the fourth quarter.
The FAA is considerably more optimistic about U.S. airlines' prospects this year than it was in 2003, but considerably less certain about how growth will play out. Presenting the agency's 2004-15 aviation forecast Mar. 25, John Rogers, policy and plans director, predicted annual growth of 4.6% in capacity, 4.8% in traffic and 4.3% in passenger volume, up from year-ago estimates of 3.6%, 4.1% and 3.9%, respectively.
While proving the basic Falcon-line design and hardware, the Falcon I also is meant to illustrate the Defense Dept. objective of new low-cost rapid turnaround launch capability, by lofting the 250-lb. U.S. Navy TacSat-1 spacecraft for a list price of $5.9 million. This compares with the $20-25-million launch cost for a similar payload on a Pegasus air launched booster (AW&ST Aug. 25, 2003, p. 56). In reality, SpaceX Chairman and CEO Elon Musk is charging the Defense Dept. only $3-4 million for the first flight, given its higher risk.
Japan stiffened its laws against unruly passengers on Jan. 1, and Japan Airlines is the first carrier to seek a prosecution. The accused male, while traveling from Tokyo to Zurich, became unruly after being told not to smoke in the lavatory or use his cell phone in flight. On Mar. 19, he was charged with an inflight safety violation.
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Two of the Pentagon's main developers and buyers of weapons, the U.S. Air Force and Navy, are mulling a closer alliance to pursue such endeavors and reduce costs in the long-run.
Tiger Airways, the discount carrier started by Singapore Airlines (SIA) and the Singapore government and private investors, will lease four Airbus A320s when it begins operations in the second half of this year.
How could SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, with a current staff of only about 50, possibly take on the already proven hardware and talent at Orbital Sciences for small payloads and Boeing for larger missions? Mike Griffin, the new head of the Space Dept. at the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University and a recognized technology innovator, makes several points:
Despite the long-lasting airline industry slump, European economic concerns exacerbated by the resurgence of terrorism, and globalization of the aerospace supply chain, aviation-driven southwestern France remains optimistic about its future.
The Pentagon's decision to consolidate its unmanned combat air vehicle programs under the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is raising some questions in Congress. Late last year the Pentagon folded the separate Air Force and Navy UCAV programs into a combined Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems project, but Rep.
Thales Raytheon Systems has landed an award to supply a turnkey surveillance radar, communications and detection/control system to Indonesia. The venture, jointly owned by Thales and Raytheon, also announced the entry into operation of Switzerland's Florako air defense system, which was ordered in 1998 (see story, p. 35).
Michael A. Dornheim (Los Angeles), Neelam Matthews (New Delhi), Pierre Sparaco (Paris)
The China Airlines Flight 611 accident may illustrate how an airplane can pass a heavy maintenance inspection yet be structurally unsound. The rear fuselage of the 23-year-old Boeing 747-200 came apart at the top of climb on May 25, 2002. Investigators believe the structural failure originated at cracks underneath a tail-strike repair doubler located on the upswept part of the pressurized fuselage. The accident occurred within the inspection interval for that area of structure.
James R. O'Neill (see photo) has been appointed corporate vice president of the Northrop Grumman Corp. of Los Angeles and president of its Information Technology sector, effective May 1. He will succeed Herb Anderson, who will become corporate vice president-special projects for the CEO until retiring on Nov. 1. O'Neill has been president of the IT sector's TASC business unit.
There's a new twist in the escalating battle between Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and the Pentagon over access to documents concerning the Boeing KC-767 tanker deal. Marvin R. Sambur, the Air Force acquisition chief, says he personally would be willing to have McCain see his correspondence concerning the KC-767, on grounds it would vindicate him. But Sambur hastily added that the decision isn't his, and said there are other issues at stake--intimating that the Pentagon is the hold-up.
Encouraged by signs of indusry recovery, Virgin Atlantic Airways Richard Branson launched an extensive growth plan for the airline that includes adding new routes, services, aircraft and staff. The business travel sector in particular shows signs of renewal, he said, with the airline seeing a 10% increase in premium cabin services year over year. Within a year, Virgin plans to add new routes, including those from London to Sydney, Havana and Nassau.
Swiss International Air Lines' cash flow is becoming stronger and an agreement with a consortium of banks is at the ready to help ease the carrier's financial problems, according to company executives. In the aftermath of its chief executive's resignation, Swiss' management is confident its restructured business plan is already producing promising results.
Australia has awarded Boeing a $20-million contract to provide Harpoon Block II missile upgrade kits. The retrofitting will be done at Australia's Orchard Hill facility and involve Block I missiles used on surface ships, submarines and aircraft.
George Tenet, the director of central intelligence, trying to refute a claim by former White House counterterrorism adviser Richard Clarke, says the CIA didn't object to arming the Predator UAV. But the story isn't that simple, according to testimony before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks. "At this level we wanted to go ahead with arming the Predator," Tenet told the panel.
Air Canada is taking many small steps and a few stumbles while walking the restructuring tightrope. The carrier's pension plan is posing one of the biggest obstacles that could hinder restructuring efforts. Air Canada's equity plan sponsor, Trinity Time Investments, on Mar. 17 announced it was reconsidering its entire C$650-million ($488-million) equity investment in Air Canada as a result of "union intransigence" in refusing to discuss pension structure.
Supporters of commercial human spaceflight are optimistic this Congress will enact a law that would help nurture the infant industry. Strategists expect Senate action this spring on a House-passed bill (HR 3752) that clarifies which part of the FAA would regulate suborbital flights carrying passengers, how launch permits would be issued and makes clear that passengers are participating in experimental flight. Space entrepreneurs believe the legislation would provide enough regulation to encourage investment, but not enough to choke their companies.
A month after narrowly winning a recertification election, the engineers' union at Boeing's Wichita, Kan., plant strongly rejected a three-year contract offer because members said it contains medical benefit traps that favor non-union workers. Boeing's contract with the Wichita Technical and Professional Unit (WTPU) of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) ran out on Feb. 19. Members are working under their existing contract.
The Saras, India's first domestically produced aircraft with a push-prop turbojet engine, has entered ground tests at the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment in Bangalore. The aircraft uses twin Pratt & Whitney PT6A-66 engines driving five-bladed propellers. First flight is expected in April. The aircraft is being designed as a replacement for the Dornier 228 license-produced by Hindustan Aeronautics. Its likely first customer will be the Indian air force. Commercial production is anticipated by early 2006.
