Ricky Chun-ming Leung (see photo) has been named director of business development for Bombardier's Hong Kong-based Flexjet Asia-Pacific charter network. He was its manager of operations.
To submit Aerospace Calendar Listings, Call +1 (212) 904-2421 Fax +1 (212) 904-6068 e-mail: [email protected] Mar. 22-23--12th Annual Conference on Quality in Space & Defense. Radisson-at-the- Port Hotel & Conference Center, Cape Canaveral. Call +1 (254) 776-3550, fax +1 (254) 776-3767 or see www.asdnet.org/csqdi Mar. 22-25--National Defense Industrial Assn.'s Fourth Annual Interoperability & Systems Integration Conference. Hyatt Regency Denver. Call +1 (703) 247-2570 or see www.ndia.org
The European Union began imposing additional customs duties on a broad range of U.S. products Mar. 1 in response to U.S. failure to repeal tax laws that have twice been found by the World Trade Organization to be illegal export subsidies. The EU countermeasures started with an additional 5% customs duty that will increase by 1% each month, up to 17% on Mar. 1, 2005. They will be dropped immediately if and when the U.S. Congress repeals the Extra Territorial Income tax relief program, which was substituted in 2000 for the Foreign Sales Corporation tax regime.
By embedding antennas in the load-bearing sections of composite wings for U.S. Air Force aircraft, Northrop Grumman expects to field low-frequency receiving and transmitting devices with enough sensitivity to simultaneously detect moving ground targets through dense foliage and track air-to-air missiles.
The U.S. government plans to increase export controls on cruise missiles and unmanned aircraft largely stemming from growing concerns within the military about having to face those systems on the battlefield. A slew of initiatives are being prepared among various executive branch organizations involved in the technology-control process. The new restrictions are expected to frustrate some in industry who feel U.S. export regulations already create a competitive disadvantage.
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe has authorized a 2008 fly-off between two competing concepts for the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) that would take humans to the Moon and on to Mars. NASA exploration systems chief Craig Steidle says he's terminated the two Orbital Space Plane contracts he inherited and given the contractors 90 days to report on the lessons they have learned.
This autumn, the U.S. Army will demonstrate a radar tag system that promises to greatly reduce battlefield fratricide incidents involving aircraft-delivered weapons.
Germany's Defense Ministry has awarded the Northrop Grumman Corp. a contract to supply 21 AN/AAR-54(V) warning systems along with spares to protect C-160 Transall transport aircraft.
Pemco Aviation Group will use Kellstrom Defense Aerospace for provisioning, sourcing and supplying parts and services in support of Pemco's C-130 maintenance contracts for the U.S. Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy and others.
Pierre Sparaco (Toulouse), Michael A. Taverna (Paris)
Suppliers in Europe are hoping that recent Boeing decisions to use European know-how for several key systems on the proposed 7E7 Dreamliner, including the landing gear, signal a policy of true global sourcing for the U.S. manufacturer, similar to that adopted by Airbus.
WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP 18 Radar tag designed to reduce battlefield fratricide 19 Changes in Russia could af- fect aerospace, defense WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS 22 Comanche fund-juggling gambit could unravel 24 Pentagon trying to avert clos- ing of NASA wind tunnels 25 U.S. concerns grow about having to face exports in war 26 Hubble servicing mission may win reprieve 29 Microcracks could delay shuttle another nine months
Honeywell forecasts that 2,350 new civil helicopters will be delivered worldwide in 2004-08 as light single and intermediate twin-engine aircraft offering new technology prompt growing demand. Two-thirds of the new aircraft are expected to enter corporate, law enforcement and emergency medical services operations. Honeywell expects sales to rise 8% this year and 6.8 % for the five-year period through 2008 compared with 1999-2003.
Nick Tzannetakis has become chief technical officer and Peter van Vooren sales and marketing manager for Noesis Solujtgions, Leuven, Belgium. Tzannetakis was product manager for Optimus software for LMS International, while van Vooren was international sales manager for Cosmos.
USN Rear Adm. Thomas E. Zelibor, Jr., has been named director of global operations for the U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb. He has been deputy for command, control, communications and computers integration and policy/deputy communications and information officer in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol and Coast Guard helicopters are all now in one government agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where each has a role in spotting terrorists, apprehending them and countering attacks.
The Pentagon's Inspector General has found that the U.S. Air Force Satellite Control Network has incurred almost $60 million in cost overruns and two years in schedule delays. The IG further found that at the time of contract award, Honeywell falsely stated it had an earned value management system in place. The IG told the Air Force to seek financial remedies from Honeywell.
Sikorsky has made a key change to its S-92 helicopter to improve its competitive position in the race to supply the next presidential helo, the V-XX. The company has added 58 in. to the aft cabin, in a move to largely offset the size advantage of its competitor, the US-101. The modification comes basically without weight or cost penalty, says Jeff Pino, senior vice president for business development. Eliminating the ramp and replacing it with a rear door generated the weight offset for the additional structure.
WestJet will install Honeywell/Thales MCS 4000 satellite communications systems for crew and passengers on five new Boeing 737s and retrofit them on 91 of its 737s. The work will proceed through 2007. The MCS 7000 system has been selected by Pakistan International Airlines for its 777-200ER/LR and -300ER aircraft.
Finland's Patria Industries and Sweden-based GSE Partners will jointly establish turboshaft engine repair and overhaul facilities. The joint venture will support RTM322 engines, which power Finland's NH-90 transport/frigate helicopters.
The Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer made a successful first flight on Mar. 5, and constructor Scaled Composites is now working to activate the cabin pressurization system for the second flight. The 1.5-hr. flight operated from Scaled's Mojave, Calif., airport facility and was flown by Jon Karkow, the company's GlobalFlyer project engineer as well as test pilot.
European helicopter operators are moving to reorganize and reinforce their trade association so it can have greater impact on law- and rule-making, and promote rotorcraft industry interests more effectively.
Exostar has generated a community of 12,000 suppliers and buyers for its SourcePass electronic marketplace during the past four years. But it's discovered that some users, especially on the supplier side, feel a bit lost in terms of how to be consistent winners in the world of electronic auctioning. So Exostar has turned to London-based e-Three to provide training and support for its users. E-Three's first seminar in London late last year drew interest from 20 U.K.
