John Benek and Glenn Norfleet have been named Arnold Engineering Development Center Fellows. Benek was honored for contributions to the development of advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools with an emphasis on the application to the test and evaluation of aerospace systems. Benek's work with NASA and industry leaders to develop leading edge technologies in CFD has been credited with influencing the role of computer simulations and wind tunnels in the development of flight vehicles.
Continued weakness in aircraft orders that has been linked to the SARS crisis will prompt Boeing Commercial Airplanes to double the number of layoffs it plans for 2003. The announcement means that BCA's workforce will drop from 93,000 employees a week before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to 55,000-56,000 by the end of 2003. The entire Boeing Co. has 159,800 employees.
The Columbia accident has given the U.S. an opportunity to correct a flaw that has hobbled its space exploration enterprise from the beginning. Cobbled together from a disparate array of Cold War research labs, NASA has never really overcome the parochial pull of its field centers as it pushed national objectives. Too often, management decisions have been driven as much by chamber-of-commerce interests as by those of science, engineering and--sadly--safety.
U..S. military officials and nuclear weapons experts are voicing support for the development of new warheads they view as critical to maintaining the relevance of the nation's nuclear arsenal. The sentiment is resonating in Congress, with lawmakers clearing the way to renewed research into such weapons.
. . . AND JOB SEARCHING The TSA has launched a recruitment program for more than 1,300 part-time security screeners at 30 U.S. airports, including New York, Los Angeles and Washington. The move is part of TSA's "right-sizing" plan, which allows the agency flexibility in assigning screeners to airports at peak times, when they are most needed. The screeners are to ensure checkpoint lanes remain open and help to minimize waiting times. Job announcements are posted at www.tsa.com, or call recruitment services at 1-800-887-1895.
HYPERSONIC MILESTONE A government-university test team has demonstrated that an electron beam can add approximately 1 megawatt of energy to a supersonic airflow, a key milestone in developing a new type of extended-run, ground-based hypersonic test facility. The Mariah II/Radiatively Driven Hypersonic Wind Tunnel team used Sandia National Laboratories' "Hawk" accelerator facility to produce the electron beam, which added energy to a 2,600-psi., 700K, 3-kg./sec. supersonic flow of air.
I found it ironic to see in the July 7 issue two so divergent articles on air traffic management (ATM): the Washington Outlook item "Deja Vu" (p. 19) reporting on a Transportation Dept. inspector general's audit that showed continuing severe problems in major FAA acquisition programs; and World News Roundup (p.17), reporting on the Boeing team's plan "to bid on a fully integrated air traffic flow system designed to maximize use of capacity in the national airspace system."
The U.S. is sponsoring a summit meeting on Earth observation to jump-start work on an integrated and sustained global observing system capable of providing reliable real-time data for climate and disaster monitoring, water/resource management and other environmental concerns.
Conventional wisdom holds that lower-tier suppliers should be striving to move up the "value chain" wherever they can--that is, manufacturing products that represent ever higher levels of systems integration--if they want to succeed long-term. Bradley Morton, operations vice president of Eaton Aerospace, doesn't necessarily subscribe to this line of reasoning. "Our strength is in component design and development, and we offer systems integration only where we think it adds value for our customers," he said.
The near moribund market for commercial satellites and launch services in the last few years--exacerbated by excess industry capacity--has come home to punish Boeing Co. and Loral Space & Communications Ltd.
A. Michael Andrews, 2nd, has been appointed chief technology officer for L-3 Communications of New York. He was U.S. Army chief scientist/deputy assistant Army secretary for research and technology.
The former U.S. Customs Service has assembled what may be the world's broadest-ranging air traffic surveillance and intercept system in one room, and equipped it with databases that help officers gauge the intent of the pilot at the click of a mouse. Under Homeland Security Dept. reorganization, the system is now within the new Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This company has introduced two new ground power units. Model 3324 is rated at 3,200 peak starting amps and a continuous 54-amp DC output when connected to a 220-volt AC source. A multi-unit power supply offers redundant field reliability. Large battery capacity (90 ampere hr.) permits extended usage time when no AC power source is available. It weighs 215 lb. and is priced at $3,495. Start Pac Model 3328 is rated at 2,800 peak starting amps and a continuous 105 amps DC, and will give faster and cooler starts on all turbine engines, according to the company.
Restoring confidence within the space shuttle workforce so it can effectively turn the program around will be a major challenge, said William Parsons, the new shuttle program director.
Investigators probing the June 10 crash of a USAF F-16C near Luke AFB, Ariz., have determined that a faulty fourth stage low-pressure turbine blade in a Pratt & Whitney F100 engine was responsible. Officials from the Connecticut-based engine-maker said an initial investigation into the incident, in which the pilot safely ejected from his stricken aircraft during a routine training mission, indicates that a manufacturing anomaly was responsible for a number of faulty blades. The suspect components were supplied by an outside vendor.
Mark Liberman, who was a vice president-North America of United Airlines, has become president of LA INC. The Convention and Visitors Bureau. He succeeds the late George D. Kirkland.
Michael Bennett (see photos) has been appointed assistant general manager of the Washington Dulles International Airport facility of Signature Flight Support. He was operations manager and has been succeeded by Jonathan Hill, who has been promoted from supervisor. Jeff Zimmerman has been named operations manager at Signature's Dallas facility. He was auditor of flight support operations for Bombardier Flexjet. Joyce Ryan has become an area human resources manager in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
It is amazing that executives from the imperiled "major" carriers at the International Air Transport Assn. annual meeting singled out government as the source of all of their problems (AW&ST June 9, p. 22).
This company has obtained receipt of "certified for flight into known ice" Supplemental Type Certificate for 1984-and-later Beech/Raytheon Bonanza A36 aircraft. With strong demand for a known-ice TKS system for most Bonanzas, the company has concentrated on the late model A36. It plans to expand its facility in Salina to service the expected demand. The company also plans to expand the Supplemental Type Certificate to cover 1978-and-later F33s, A36TCs and B36TCs. Aerospace Systems & Technologies, 3213 Arnold Ave., Salina, Kan. 67401.
PORTABLE FIREFIGHTER A new roll-on/roll-off Airborne Fire Fighting System (AFFS) that converts Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130E/H transports to air tankers will be on fire-base flightlines later this year. The U.S. Forest Service recently exercised an option to buy seven production units after Aero Union Corp. completed an AFFS prototype development program. Replacing the 30-year-old Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, AFFS carries 1,000 gal. more fire retardant or a water/foam mixture, and can apply 8 gal. per 100 sq. ft.
Rather than trying to develop a high-speed, exo-atmospheric, global-strike vehicle all at once, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has decided to pursue an incremental strategy that would include building demonstrator launchers and re-entry warheads.
WEST WING Next year, Airbus U.K.'s newly completed production facilities at Broughton, North Wales, will deliver the first set of A380 wings to the company's Toulouse, France, final assembly line. Dubbed West Factory, the 1,310-ft.-long facility--a 350-million-pound ($525-million) investment inaugurated on July 4 by Prime Minister Tony Blair--is the largest factory built in the U.K. in the last several years, according to Airbus executives. It is designed to accommodate the A380's impressive wingspan.
John Guan has been appointed senior development chemist for Precix Inc., New Bedford, Mass. He was technical manager of the Eaton Corp., Newbern, Tenn.
Vincent J. Thomas has been appointed value-based six sigma champion and director of operations support for ITT Industries Defense, McLean, Va. He was vice president/director of operations of ITT Night Vision.
The "Flash-Fire" micro-light for aircraft owners and pilots is a super-compact design for cockpit illumination, aircraft maintenance and emergency signaling. Included is an adapter that converts the direct beam light into an area light or wide-view strobe for emergency situations. Designed and engineered in Germany, the mini-flashlight employs light-emitting diodes for its illumination, so replacement bulbs are unnecessary. It operates for up to 100 hr. without a battery change.
