Even though the Pentagon plans to greatly expand its stable of unmanned aircraft and despite their daily use in Iraq, U.S. military officials say the types of payloads that would be most useful in fighting the counterinsurgency campaign there are still lacking.
Even though the U.S. Army hasn't fully accounted for Patriot's performance during the Iraq war, service officials are trying to move quickly to fix operating problems with the air and missile defense system.
Space Adventures Ltd., which brokered the first two space tourist flights on Russian Soyuz capsules, says it has a deal with the Russian Aviation and Space Agency to sell four more seats by 2007 at $20 million each, and has found "candidates" to fill two of them. Potential space tourists must also meet Russian fitness and training standards, and win the approval of the partners on the International Space Station to fly on "taxi flights" that replace the Soyuz lifeboat at ISS.
I agree with Edmund S. Greenslet that American's "walk-away" MD-80 leases defined a turning point in aircraft manufacturer-airline deal dynamics, although those occurred in 1982, while the photo is of a Fokker 100 (AW&ST Dec. 1, p. 78). Yes, average airframe discounts are rising, though manufacturers are practicing a watered-down version of what their network airline customers preach: revenue management, and deep discounts from nearly irrelevant full-fare prices, with more than 90% of customers purchasing at discounts of more than 70%.
Dan Komnenovich has been promoted to president/chief operating officer from executive vice president/COO and James T. Quinn to senior vice president from vice president-sales and marketing of Dallas-based Aviall Services Inc.
To further First Officer Dean C. Roberts' comments (AW&ST Nov. 17, p. 6), after the initial implementation of the Transportation Security Administration requirements I had to almost laugh at a few of the items implemented: *The addition of glorified "chicken wire" to the cockpit door, while completely leaving the latch area unobstructed.
A lunar Lewis and Clark expedition is being advocated by William Stone, a director for development of robotics at the National Institute for Science and Technology, and supported by some congressional advocates who favor a reinvigorated space program. He contends that with a $10-billion investment, by 2010 the administration could put explorers on the Moon for two years to start developing an economy there. A study he prepared suggests that it would be cheaper to launch large low-Earth orbit vehicles and later, once in space, fill them with "cheap lunar fuel."
3M Aerospace's "Paint Preparation System" is a closed paint setup that eliminates the need for separate mixing cups and filters. Designed for aircraft parts, it reduces solvent usage up to 70%, according to the manufacturer. In this 1-cup mixing and spraying system, paint is mixed in a liner, which is connected to a direct filter and mounted to a spray gun and adapter. As paint is dispensed, the liner collapses, allowing operators to use the spray gun at any angle.
Spurred by its success as a discounter in the Australian domestic market, Australia's Virgin Blue is eyeing Southeast Asia. An offshoot of Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Blue has rattled Qantas' comfortable position as Australia's dominant carrier, forcing it to respond with its own low-cost subsidiary, Jetstar. With operating rights already secure for trans-Tasman Sea flights to New Zealand and beyond into the Pacific, Virgin Blue says services from Perth, Darwin and Cairns could be started in 2005 to Singapore, Malaysia and Bali in Indonesia.
Hokkaido International Airlines (Air Do), has reported a six-month profit of $7.2 million for the beginning of its fiscal year, its first since starting as a discount challenger in 1996 to Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA). Air Do flies three Boeing 767-300s. Japan has five low-fare carriers but only Sapporo-based Air Do has broken into the black. It did so on sales of $76.2 million, a jump of 37% over last year's levels. It expects to close fiscal 2003 (on Mar. 31) with revenues of $160 million--a 54% improvement over 2002--and profits of $8.5 million.
USAF Gen. (ret.) Bernard Schriever has been named to receive the Gen. James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award from the Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation. Hill was longtime chairman of the foundation. The award recognizes contributions to the betterment of humankind through the exploration, development and use of space, or the use of space technology, information, themes or resources in academic, cultural, industrial or other pursuits of broad benefit to humanity.
Bulgaria has agreed to purchase six Pilatus PC-9M turboprop trainers and a PC-12 utility aircraft, to be delivered by early 2004. The deal, which includes options for six additional PC-9Ms, will be worth approximately $40 million for the Swiss-based manufacturer.
Gregory S. Fatovic has become vice president/general counsel/secretary and John Cunneen director of engineering of Safire Aircraft, Opa-Locka, Fla. Fatovic was vice president-programs/senior executive leader of Pratt& Whitney Space Propulsion in San Jose, Calif., and West Palm Beach, Fla. Cunneen was director of the Integrated Data and Information Management System at Tinker AFB, Okla., for EDS/PLM Solutions in Earth City, Mo.
With less than a year to go before the Pentagon's national missile defense system is to become operational, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is projecting significant growth in the number of countries armed with ballistic missiles.
The E-10 multisensor command-and-control aircraft, a prized U.S. Air Force project designed to locate stealthy cruise missiles and replace key surveillance aircraft, is under attack by senior Pentagon civilian budgeteers.
Joseph E. Lauderdale has been named president/chief operating officer of Summa Technology Inc., Huntsville, Ala. He was president/CEO of Certified Fabricators Inc. Lauderdale succeeds E.C. (Pony) Lee, who remains chairman/CEO.
USAF Gen. (ret.) Lester L. Lyles has been appointed a member of the board of directors of General Dynamics, Falls Church, Va. He was commander of the Air Force Material Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Bryan T. Moss has become executive vice president and group executive of GD's aerospace business group. He was president of subsidiary Gulfstream Aerospace.
Tyco Electronics' Kilovac CAP200 series contactor is designed for commercial aerospace applications, and the company says the unit is the smallest, lightest, lowest-cost sealed contactor in the industry with its contact rating. The CAP200 series has 1 Form A (SPST-NO) contacts rated to switch and continuously carry 600 amps from 12-900VDC at 85C. For monitoring purposes, a 1 Form A auxiliary contact set, rated 2 amps at 30VDC or 3 amps at 125VAC, is an option.
Jack J. Pelton has been named President/CEO of Cessna Aircraft Co., succeeding Charlie Johnson, who retired after 20 years with the manufacturer. Pelton joined Cessna in November 2000 as senior vice president of product engineering. He will report directly to Steve Loranger, chief operating officer of Cessna's parent company, Textron Inc. Pelton worked at Fairchild Dornier on the 728JET and served in various executive positions at McDonnell Douglas for about 20 years.
India has completed testing its indigenous Cryogenic Engine for the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), running the LOX/hydrogen engine for 1,000 sec. as it works to replace the Russian propulsion system now used as the GSLV upper stage. The Dec. 5 long-duration endurance test was conducted at the Indian Space Research Organization's Liquid Propulsion Systems Center at Mahendragiri, in Tamil Nadu. It marked the conclusion of qualification testing for the engine, which had been fired earlier for a cumulative duration of 6,000 sec.
British Airways and Spain's Iberia Airlines finally have the go-ahead to form a strategic alliance, with the possibility that another such partnership may not be far behind. The European Commission (EC) approved the move last week, provided BA and Iberia make slots available on key routes for a competitor. Whether the approval represents a precedent may be determined by the commission's pending deliberations on a deal between Air France and Alitalia, and on the former's proposed linkup with KLM.
Mar. 8-9--European Transport Leaders Conference. Merrill Lynch Headquarters, London. Mar. 10-14--Toulouse Symposium. Toulouse (France) Congress Center. Mar. 25-26--Defense Budget Conference. Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel, Arlington, Va. Apr. 20-22--MRO USA/MRO Latin America/MRO Military. Cobb Galleria Centre, Atlanta. May 17-19--Aerospace & Defense Finance Conference. CS First Boston Headquarters, New York. June 2-4--Homeland Security Summit & Exposition. Washington Convention Center.
Persistently high fuel costs, rising low-cost competition and continued weak pricing do not bode well for U.S. legacy hub-and-spoke airlines. The operating environment is looking especially threatening for US Airways and its workforce.
EADS is to set up a subsidiary under Russian commercial law to be headed by Vadim Vlasov, former vice president of Siemens Russia. The subsidiary will run alongside EADS' existing operation in Moscow.
