NASA's vision of an Orbital Space Plane that can serve first as a down-only lifeboat for the International Space Station and later be upgraded into a two-way crew transport isn't the best way to go, according to a European Space Agency study.
David Rushton has been appointed managing director of Evans & Sutherland Computer U.K. Ltd. and general manager of the Salt Lake City-based company's Simulation Div. He succeeds Richard Flitton, who has resigned. Rushton was the division's commercial director.
Despite aggressive efforts on the part of regional jet manufacturers, as well as Boeing for its 717, Airbus says it's poised for strong A318 sales when the economic upturn materializes. "In the long term, we expect to sell 300-400 A318s. It enables us to play a significant role in the 100-seater market segment, although it will definitely remain Airbus' smallest commercial transport," Chief Executive Noel Forgeard said.
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. David W. Barno has been nominated for promotion to lieutenant general and assignment as commander of military operations in Afghanistan under the U.S. Central Command. He is commanding general of the Army Training Center and Ft. Jackson, S.C. Barno will be succeeded by Brig. Gen. Abraham J. Turner, who has been assistant chief of staff of the Combined Forces Land Component Command, Camp Doha, Kuwait.
The Royal Air Force has resolved to cannabilize at least 100 Rolls-Royce Pegasus engines used to power Harrier ground-attack aircraft, as it strives to drive down ownership costs. The decision to ax those engines now in storage, along with a substantial excess spares inventory, is part of a move to contain costs associated with what the Defense Ministry terms a "legacy" engine.
C. Donald Bateman, chief engineer of flight systems for Honeywell, and Louis B. Gratzer, spyroid designer for Aviation Partners and former Boeing chief of aerodynamics, have received Pathfinder Awards from the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Bateman was cited for his leadership in developing the ground proximity warning system and Gratzer for his work on blended winglets. Pathfinder Awards recognize individuals from the Northwest U.S. who have contributed to the development of aviation and aerospace.
Walter Bylciw has been named president of the Pratt & Whitney Space and Russian Programs Unit, which is based in West Palm Beach, Fla., and San Jose, Calif. He succeeds Larry Knauer, who has resigned. Bylciw was executive vice president-military engine programs.
Two attempts to launch the Flight 16 spacecraft for the USAF Defense Meteorological Satellite Program were scrubbed last week. The Oct. 15 attempt at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., was canceled when an air conditioning duct fell off the Titan II launcher's payload fairing, and the Oct. 16 attempt was scrubbed owing to power spikes in the Titan II's inertial measurement unit. A third launch attempt was to be made no earlier than Oct. 18.
MORE CAPACITY SriLankan Airlines has added two Airbus A340-300s to its fleet in time for the start of the carrier's winter schedule on Oct. 28. The airline is increasing capacity to Kuala Lumpur, London, Frankfurt, Zurich and Male in the Maldives. Additional A330/A340s are planned to help increase service into Europe and Asia next spring.
ROTOR ROOTER Bell Helicopter Textron CEO Mike Redenbaugh said the company plans to aggressively pursue improvements in customer service operations as well as upgrading the existing product line. He said Bell's R&D budget will be "increased by millions of dollars" next year over the amount already committed in 2003. In addition, Bell will seek subcontractor work on military unmanned aerial vehicles and expand use of its composite manufacturing capability at the Fort Worth facility. Plans call for manufacture of the AH-1Z and UH-1Y helicopters for the U.S.
In the debate on arming pilots, the cabin crew seems to have fallen through the cracks. The issue is not whether it be real or stun guns, pepper spray or tranquilizer shots. It is isolating the cockpit as a flight and communications environment. On a large transport, even several hijackers would be outnumbered at least a few to one. As for the issue of sex, there are probably as many male flight attendants as female police officers or air marshals. Last but not the least, hijackers would never know which attendants are trained, if any.
The European Commission has approved significantly revised passenger rights covering denied boarding, flight cancellations and long delays (AW&ST July 14, p. 47). "This is a big step ahead in our effort to put the citizens at the heart of European Union policies," EC Vice President and Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio said.
The financial performance of aerospace/defense companies for the most recent quarter, once again, will mirror the industry's persistent feast-or-famine business climate.
Inmarsat's board of directors has recommended that shareholders accept an offer from Apax Partners and Permira Advisers to buy 25% of its stock from Deutsche Telekom, Telenor and Xantic, despite a nearly equivalent counter-bid from Apollo Management and Soros Private Equity, eliminated in a downselection a month ago (AW&ST Sept. 22, p. 19). The offer valued Inmarsat at $1.53 billion.
ROCKWELL COLLINS HAS SELECTED XM SATELLITE RADIO INC. and its introductory real-time, aviation graphical weather service, designated XM WX Satellite Weather, for the Pro Line 21 integrated avionic systems. It provides pilots with weather information anywhere in the contiguous U.S. and above coastal waters.
Michael A. Taverna (Paris), Douglas Barrie (London)
Struggling to craft a compromise on the thorny issue of collective defense, European Union member states have chopped a contentious proposal that courted bitter division. The move to drop the controversial plan for a separate defense planning cell was made as leaders from 25 present and future EU states met this month to begin final discussions on the proposed European constitution.
The new U.S./Russian Expedition 8 crew for the International Space Station is to begin handover operations this week for the start of six months in orbit following their scheduled Oct. 20 docking to the ISS in the Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft. Mission commander astronaut Michael Foale, Soyuz commander cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri and ESA/ Spanish astronaut Pedro Duque were scheduled for liftoff from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 1:37 a.m. EDT Oct. 18.
David N. Caddey, who is president/general manager of the Space Missions Group of MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates, Richmond, British Columbia, has been elected chairman of the Montreal-based Aerospace Industries Assn. of Canada. He succeeds Gilles Ouimet, chairman of Pratt & Whitney Canada, who will remain on the executive committee. Pierre Beaudoin, president of Bombardier Aerospace, will be vice chairman.
NO CONFLICT Continental Airlines has said "no" to a demand by the International Teamsters Union for the resignation of David Bonderman, a member of the airline's board of directors and president of the Texas Pacific Group. The union claims there is a conflict of interest because Texas Pacific, which once had a controlling interest in Continental, now controls competitor America West. Continental CEO Gordon Bethune said attorneys engaged by the board of directors determined that "Texas Pacific Group's representation on Continental's board does not violate the law."
MORE OPTIONS The General Accounting Office finds savings of $2.7-4.2 billion in a Senate plan to convert the U.S. Air Force-proposed lease of 100 Boeing KC-767 tankers into a lease of 25 and purchase of 75. The Congressional Research Service earlier estimated similar savings. The Pentagon concedes the savings, but contends it doesn't have the up-front money needed for a split deal. The GAO believes there may yet be further options of interest to Congress.
To submit Aerospace Calendar Listings, Call +1 (212) 904-2421 Fax +1 (212) 904-6068 e-mail: [email protected] Oct. 26-28--International Aviation Women's Assn.'s 100 Years of Flight Conference. Hotel Dom Pedro Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. Call +1 (212) 774-7415 or see www.iawa.org
PENALTY PAID Use of the wrong wiring diagram for separation of the DASH experimental vehicle has prompted a $2.95-million penalty payment by NEC-Toshiba Corp. to the former Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences, which is now part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The high-speed reentry demonstrator was launched by an H-IIA on Feb. 4, 2002, from the Tanegashima launch center as a piggyback payload with two other spacecraft, both of which succeeded. But DASH failed to separate from the upper stage, and the reentry experiment was lost.
The fortunes of Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout helicopter UAV are on the rise again with the U.S. Army's decision to pick it as a reconnaissance aircraft for the integrated, broad-based future combat system. The rotorcraft is also attractive because of its multirole potential. Army officials envision it carrying weapons, lifting supplies to isolated troops and extracting soldiers in imminent danger.
Airlines have put major aircraft orders on hold as they begin to recuperate from the ravages of the economic downturn, including absorbing excess capacity, according to Snecma Chairman/CEO Jean-Paul Bechat. In the longer term, however, the market remains promising. The French propulsion group, which is to be privatized in the next few months, is weathering the crisis but foresees no immediate return to growth, Bechat added.
TURBOCHARGED MRO SOFTWARE Pratt & Whitney Canada has turned to Avexus Inc. to develop and market a software suite for managing gas turbine overhaul operations. Pratt developed the tool for in-house applications but decided it needed someone with more software marketing and distribution expertise if it was to push the tool worldwide. Avexus specializes in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) life cycle software.
