The Air Line Pilots Assn. is scheduled to appear before an administrative law judge Mar. 10 at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Region 9 office in Cincinnati on a unique charge that the union was guilty of unfair labor practices. The charges stem from the union's enforcement of a contract scope clause with DHL Worldwide (AW&ST Dec. 22, 2003, p. 15).
The RTM 322-02/8 turbine engine powering AgustaWestland Royal Air Force Mk. 3S is produced under a joint agreement between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca (AW&ST Jan. 26, p. 40).
China Southern Airlines board members have formally approved purchase of 15 Airbus A320-200s and six A319-100s. Details, including whether current A320s will be traded in, are being negotiated. The board also has approved buying six Embraer ERJ145LRs for deliveries beginning in June and continuing through January 2005. It is the first order for aircraft from Embraer's joint venture with China's Harbin and Hafei manufacturing facilities.
The European Space Agency has concluded negotiations with Greece and Luxembourg, paving the way for these countries--the last two of the 15 European Union nations still outside ESA--to join the organization. In an interview in La Libre Belgique, Jean-Pol Poncelet, the agency's director for strategy and external affairs, said the move would reinforce plans to broaden ESA's role in security and defense, in cooperation with the EU (AW&ST Jan. 26, p. 25). Both countries are among the main proponents of a more potent EU defense strategy.
This year marks the 88th anniversary of Aviation Week & Space Technology, for which 12 editors-in-chief have had the privilege of building on the legacy of visionary founder Lester D. Gardner and the achievements of his successors. On Feb. 1, I became the 13th individual so honored--following in the footsteps of David M. North, a pilot's pilot who will be long remembered for his love of aviation and passion for flying.
NASA's X-43A hypersonic testbed and its Orbital Sciences Corp. Pegasus booster rocket passed a 2-hr. captive-carry test beneath the wing of NASA's B-52 launch aircraft, clearing the way for a hypersonic flight as early as Feb. 21. The B-52 took off and landed at Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards AFB, and flew over the ocean in the Pacific Missile Test Range. The X-43A will use the Pegasus to reach Mach 7 in restricted airspace off the coast of California and then test supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) technology for future space launch applications.
Eurocontrol is developing a blueprint it hopes will lead to standardized and interoperable air-traffic management systems throughout Europe, recognized as a key step toward establishment of an effective Single European Sky.
David Best (see photo) has been named London Luton Airport-based managing director for Europe for Signature Flight Support, Orlando, Fla., and a member of the board of directors of Signature's joint venture in Hong Kong. He was commercial director of Execair and business development manager for the Menzies Aviation Group U.K. Timothy McCole has been appointed general manager of Signature's Baltimore/Washington International Airport facility. He was assistant general manager at Signature's Boston facility.
Security appears to have displaced safety as the top priority for the nation's airspace, adding another wrinkle to the complications of modernizing the ATC system. Whereas the "religion" for the national airspace system has always been safety, the emphasis is now on security, which is where the money is going. It's about national priorities, said Duane Woerth, president of the Air Line Pilots Assn. International. If ATC improvements had one-tenth the funding of security, money would not be a problem, he said.
AAR has signed an agreement with Goodrich Cargo Systems to supply five cargo mechanical systems for Goodrich Powered Cargo Loading Systems on Lufthansa MD-11s.
Raytheon has been awarded a $54.7-million contract modification to provide 596 AIM-9M-2 Sidewinder missiles to Egypt and Taiwan under the U.S.' Foreign Military Sales program. Also, Raytheon will manufacture and deliver Paveway II Laser-Guided Bomb components in five separate contracts from the U.S. Air Force totaling $7.9 million. The components will be used by several countries including Egypt, Oman, South Korea, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates.
After several powered flight tests, the last using a small 30-lb.-thrust turbojet, the Low-Cost Autonomous Attack System (Locaas) program has shifted into the $12.29-million follow-on stage through the end of 2005. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Munitions Directorate at Eglin AFB, Fla., awarded the contract to Dallas-based Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control, which is continuing with the TDI-J45G powerplant designed by Technical Directions Inc. of Ortonville, Mich. The 4.5-in.-dia.
In regard to Peter Parsons' letter "A380 Weight Savings Raises Bar" (AW&ST Nov. 17, 2003, p. 6), I did not know the A380 is using a 5,000-psi. hydraulic system. Funny it was left out of your Oct. 27, 2003, story (p. 48). Maybe you left it out because you know the A380 may never fly because of it. Hasn't the MV-22 been plagued with problems due to its 5,000-psi. system?
The Swiss federal prosecutor's office has opened a criminal investigation into the crash of a Crossair Avro RJ near Zurich, casting serious doubts on previous safety standards at the regional carrier.
WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP 18 Space Systems/Loral, Japan- ese settle MTSAT dispute 19 Final plans near for Virgin's U.S. low-cost carrier 19 February marks first-flight anniversaries of F-16, 747 WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS 22 Budget fights shaping be- tween military and civilians 24 More scrutiny lies ahead for tanker and EELV deals 26 FAA gives up near-term ATC upgrades to war, deficit 27 Aviation security may fare well in homeland funding
Avian influenza poses another health concern for the airline industry, but the virus may not have the impact of SARS due to how it is transmitted. The avian influenza is a contagious, viral disease of animals that usually infects bird species, particularly domestic poultry. But unlike severe acute respiratory syndrome--which is spread from human to human through close contact--"bird flu" is transmitted to humans through contact with live, infected poultry.
The Mars Exploration Rover Spirit appears to have recovered from its memory breakdown last week and planned to celebrate by brushing dust off a rock for better measurements of its surface--the first such cleaning on Mars.
Poland's PIT defense electronics company and Lockheed Martin recently agreed to cooperate on missile defense-related radar projects. The arrangement also covers command-and-control technology for missile defense, and could expand into other areas.
Chronic delays at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, affecting 40% of its flights and causing intolerable levels of customer backlash, provoked American and United airlines into turning to the FAA for solutions at the world's busiest airport.
The Bush administration is seeking a 10% increase in Homeland Security Dept. funding in Fiscal 2005, but aviation security is one area where even more funding will be added if Congress agrees. David Heyman, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies here, said homeland security fared well as one of the few things other than defense to receive increases in the president's Fiscal 2005 budget request.
President Bush's $16.2-billion NASA budget request for Fiscal 2005 draws funds from the terminated Space Launch Initiative (SLI) and other programs to pay for a push to Mars via the Moon, but leaves open some big questions with potentially expensive answers.
