Richard F. Schmaley (see photo) has been named vice president-human resources and administration for the Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Electronic Systems Sector in Baltimore. He was director of operations for the ESS human resources organization.
INFRARED SOUNDER Alcatel Space has handed over the first of three infrared atmospheric sounding interferometer (IASI) instrument packages for Europe's next-generation Metop polar weather satellite system. IASI was developed under a contract worth more than 200 million euros ($216 million) from the French national space agency CNES, which managed the development on behalf of Eumetsat. It features a number of advanced space technologies, including a gas cell stabilized laser, a supercooled preamp circuit and silicon carbide cube corner mirrors.
John D. Carter has been named to the board of directors of Flir Systems Inc., Portland, Ore. He is a principal in consulting firm Goldschmidt Imeson Carter of Portland.
Former astronaut and U.S. Sen. John H. Glenn, Jr., has been named the winner of the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy by the Arlington, Va.-based National Aeronautic Assn. The award is presented annually to "a living individual for significant public service of enduring value, as a civilian, to aviation in the U.S."
In an attempt to manage its ballistic missile targets and countermeasures projects more efficiently, the Pentagon is about to appoint one company to direct those efforts in a deal potentially worth several billion dollars.
First flight of the Chinese FC-1 light fighter was made Aug. 25. The program, which is being funded partly by Pakistan, is being led by CAC1 and has targeted development of a successor to the long-running J-7 series of fighter aircraft. The development schedule has slipped repeatedly over the past few years as a result of technical issues and requirements changes. The Pakistani air force is thought to be interested in acquiring up to 150 of the type. Domestic Chinese interest in the FC-1 is considered moderate.
Daniel L. Smith has been promoted to president from vice president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Tewksbury, Mass. He succeeds Charles E. Franklin, who has received a corporate-wide assignment.
The Aug. 22 explosion of Brazil's 50- ton VLS booster on its Alcantara launch pad, killing at least 21 persons, is one of the worst accidents in the history of space flight and effectively halts Brazil's efforts to become a space launch power. Brazilian technicians were performing routine processing tasks in the launch service tower around and under the rocket when the solid-propellant vehicle exploded for reasons still unknown. Those activities, however, included the potentially hazardous installation of ordnance.
The TSA has hit another low mark. It recently graduated the first group of federal flight deck officers with much fanfare. But on closer examination, it is obvious that TSA has no intention of implementing the program as Congress envisioned. The program was designed to provide a meaningful level of deterrent against terrorist acts on commercial aircraft. The current program provides a facade designed only to placate Congress while minimizing pilot participation and protecting the TSA empire.
Boeing has won the U.S. Air Force's Small-Diameter Bomb (SDB) competition, one of the largest munition programs for the foreseeable future. Boeing, which already builds the GPS-guided Joint Direct Attack Munition, beat Lockheed Martin to develop the 250-lb.-class GPS-guided bomb during a three-year, $188-million system development and demonstration phase slated to begin later this year. A huge production run of more than 24,000 bombs is planned for USAF alone, and other services have expressed interest.
Three low-cost airlines agreed to civil penalties totaling $750,000 to settle U.S. Transportation Dept. charges that they violated disabled-passenger laws and regulations by failing to provide stowage space for standard-size folding wheelchairs inside aircraft cabins. Southwest Airlines ($500,000), America West Airlines ($150,000) and JetBlue Airways ($100,000) agreed to provide the required space in the future, and each will receive a credit for 90% of its penalty for improving service to disabled passengers beyond federal requirements.
Tom Appleton has become president/CEO and Jim Holcombe executive vice president/chief operating officer of Piaggio North America, Greenville, S.C. Appleton was president of Bombardier's Amphibious Aircraft Div. He succeeds Steve Hanvey, who has resigned. Holcombe was executive vice president-sales and marketing.
The last of NASA's Great Observatories, the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), is undergoing checkout 15,000 mi. from Earth this week following launch of the $1.2-billion mission here on board a Boeing Delta II Heavy booster Aug. 25.
The Columbia accident board found that a lack of effective leadership and clear-cut communications coupled with inaction on the part of designated safety oversight personnel resulted in eight specific "missed opportunites" during the flight to find or characterize suspected wing damage.
What Chuck Allen from Sikorsky didn't mention during his advertisement for the RH-66 was that the Commanche can still be shot down when you hover over a couple of angry dudes with AK-47s or a rocket-propelled grenade (AW&ST July 7, p.6). All the integrated bells and whistles cannot protect it from this sad fate. So regardless of the 30 years, billions of dollars and reduced signatures we have put into this machine, it is just another helicopter.
WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP 18 First flight for Chinese FC-1 fighter aircraft 19 Scaled makes first 'feather' conversion of SpaceShipOne 19 Japan to be first export re- cipient of Standard 3, PAC-3 COLUMBIA ACCIDENT REPORT 22 NASA recouping after Co- lumbia board's criticism 26 Investigation board makes many recommendations 27 Panel cites flawed NASA safety oversight culture 31 Crew cabin separated from main body of the orbiter
The Theater High-Altitude Area Defense program has kept a low-profile in recent years, but managers are preparing to once again undertake a series of high-profile tests to prove the system can intercept an attacking ballistic missile. In the coming months, Thaad engineers will perform major system ground tests in the run-up to the start of flight testing next year. Intercept attempts would resume in 2005.
NBAA SOUTH The National Business Aviation Assn.'s 56th Annual Meeting & Convention set for Oct. 7-9 in Orlando, Fla., is anticipating 30,000 attendees. At least 135 aircraft will be on static display at Orlando Executive Airport, and 4,361 exhibit booths are booked, up 11% to 1,002, compared with 900 last year.
Following a three-day search hampered by poor weather and mountainous terrain, a team of about 250 rescuers last week located the crash site of a Russian Mi-8 helicopter that disappeared Aug.20 near the Kamchatka Peninsula on the Pacific coast.
POSITIVE OUTLOOK In its first post-SARS analysis, the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation consultancy forecasts the Asia-Pacific tourism and aviation industries--which made a rapid recovery from the SARS crisis--is set for a strong performance in the final quarter. The SARS outbreak in March eliminated a full quarter's traffic from several airlines, with "every airline affected, every market slowed," according to the report.
Northrop Grumman's RQ-8 Firescout unmanned helicopter aircraft has topped the competition to be the Army's future brigade-level UAV. The program is part of the Boeing-led Future Combat Systems, the Army umbrella modernization program. The contract is expected to total about $120 million and include seven aircraft during the system development and demonstration phase.
The U.S. has returned $350 million to Pakistan that it had paid 15 years ago to buy 40 ex-USAF F-16 fighters after the deal was stymied by Paki-stan's nuclear weapons program. Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali says his country is now seeking used F-16s from Belgium, although the purchase will still require U.S. permission. That proposal is facing opposition from the Flemish Greens party because of tensions in South Asia. Meanwhile, India has criticized a U.S.
Dear Colleague, The upcoming 100th anniversary of flight, Dec. 17, 2003, comes at a time when the aviation and aerospace industry is facing unprecedented challenges. Focusing on the positive aspects of this heritage is of great value--both now and for the future. Nothing is assured unless we commit to perpetuating aviation's extraordinary achievements, from the sands of Kitty Hawk to the edges of space.
ITALIAN LIGHT The Italian Space Agency (ASI) is studying the configuration for a new microsatellite bus to be developed for scientific and technical demonstration missions. With a launch weight of 100-120 kg. (220-265 lb.), half devoted to the payload, the new bus is to be both flexible and compatible with Europe's planned Vega launcher. The aim is also to keep the cost down to make the new satellite competitive with other small spacecraft already developed by the French Space Agency CNES and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. in the U.K.
