William Colburn has become vice president for the California research and development facilities that are developing new propellants and small thrusters for MicroAerospace Solutions Inc., Melbourne, Fla.
USAF Gen. Robert H. Foglesong has been nominated as commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe; commander of Allied Air Forces Northern Europe, NATO; and Air Force component commander of U.S. European Command, Ramstein AB, Germany. Foglesong is vice chief of staff and would succeed Gen. Gregory S. Martin, who has been nominated as commander of Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Foglesong would be succeeded by Lt. Gen. T. Michael Moseley, who is commander of the Ninth Air Force of Air Combat Command and the U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw AFB, S.C.
USN Vice Adm. Michael G. Mullen has been nominated for promotion to admiral and to become vice chief of naval operations. He is deputy chief of naval operations for resources, requirements and assessments.
A Russian board of inquiry has cleared the Soyuz TMA-3 spacecraft to fly to the International Space Station on Oct. 30, despite an unplanned ballistic reentry of TMA-1 last month (AW&ST June 2, p. 33). The board concluded that no modifications would be necessary except for the addition of a mobile satphone to prevent the communications snafu that delayed recovery after the TMA-1 landing. A satphone will also be delivered by Progress freighter to TMA-2, currently docked at the ISS.
. . . ON ALL FRONTS Consolidation fever seems to have hit Russia hard. The Moscow Times reported that the country's hundreds of aviation companies will be consolidated into a half-dozen holding companies by 2004 in an attempt to compete with U.S. and European rivals. According to the article, Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov said there are only three aviation powerhouses in the world (Boeing, Lockheed Martin and EADS) pressing their consolidated advantages--and, at this point, Russia has 316 entities that could benefit from more cohesiveness.
The lesson in the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA's) experience in hiring 55,000 airport screeners last year is a no-brainer: Haste makes waste.
Julianne Smith has become deputy director and fellow of the International Security Program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. She was a program officer at the German Marshall Fund.
The Unmanned Space Experiment Recovery System (Users) capsule, which contained space-made superconductors, was recovered May 30 off the Bonin (Ogasuwara) Islands southeast of Japan, despite a typhoon. The storm delayed the reentry four days. The $300-million Users spacecraft, with its ejectable reentry capsule, was developed by 12 Japanese manufacturers led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries. It was launched into a 310mi. orbit by an HIIA last September. The two-part spacecraft included a 1,980-lb.
Clark Handy has become executive vice president-human resources for Teleflex Inc., Plymouth Meeting, Pa. He was vice president-human resources for the Global Research and Development Group at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
Fatal Impact Columbia accident investigators late last week were preparing for the first critical foam firing tests against orbiter reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) leading edge panels, after an identical test against fiberglass panels from the orbiter Enterprise caused significant wing damage. Investigators expect similar or worse damage when foam is fired against RCC panel 9 and adjoining panels from the orbiter Discovery with a flight history similar to Columbia's.
Britain has kicked off a potential $600-million upgrade program for its fleet of Merlin naval helicopters. Under the banner of the Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus, Lockheed Martin will prime an initial two-year $30-million study contract, with Merlin-manufacturer AgustaWestland as its strategic partner.
Who's Roger? New language standards for pilots and air traffic controllers, approved by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization, are expected to launch a small industry for linguistics specialists, especially those who teach English, the primary parlance of international aviation.
BA Sheds Deutsche BA German no-frills carrier Deutsche BA (DBA) is facing tough restructuring measures--and unclear chances of survival--after owner British Airways agreed to sell the company to German investor Hans Rudolf Woehrl.
Five Tracons In One Air traffic flow is expected to improve in the Baltimore-Washington and Richmond, Va., areas over the next year as the FAA implements a major redesign of airspace that used to be controlled by five terminal approach control (Tracon) units now consolidated into one new facility.
Fee Finessing Pressure from the International Air Transport Assn. is paying off with at least some national authorities that had been reluctant to provide cash-strapped airlines with relief from airport landing fees until SARS-concerned passengers begin traveling again. Last week, Seoul's Incheon International Airport agreed to reduce landing and parking charges, following on the heels of Hong Kong International Airport, which provided limited relief in an earlier move.
Former Netherlands Prime Minister Wim Kok and Cees van Lede have been appointed to the supervisory board of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. They have succeeded Arie Maas and Max Albrecht, who have resigned. Kok also sits on the to the supervisory boards of the ING Group, Shell and TPG. Van Lede was chairman of Akzo Nobel.
TIGHT SCHEDULE Given the way the legislative year is playing out, there probably won't be enough time to draft a NASA authorization bill in the current session of Congress. That means the House and Senate Appropriations Committees get first shot at shaping space policy in the wake of the Columbia accident. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board is trying to finish in time for members to read its report during the August congressional recess.
The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed a decision to procure CN235-300M maritime patrol twin turboprops under the multiyear Integrated Deepwater System. The CN235 is produced by EADS' Spanish arm, the former Madrid-based CASA. The USCG aircraft will be powered by 1,870-shp. General Electric CT7-9C3s.
MIG UPGRADE India is upgrading 72 of its aging MiG21bis fighters with FK-04 Kopyo radars developed under a $300-million contract by a conglomerate of Russian organizations, including Sokol Aircraft Manufacturing and Phazotron-NIIR Co. The radars are to be delivered in 2004 and are designed to manage a spectrum of weapons, including cannons, unguided rockets and infrared- and TV-guided bombs. The FK-04 has a 57-km. (35-mi.) detection and 40km. lock-on range that allows pilots to track eight targets and launch two air-to-air missiles simultaneously.
USAF Maj. (ret.) Richard J. Quinnette (Moore, Okla.)
I am surprised to hear talk of "hanging" a Litening-2 pod on a B-1. I flew a few of the B-1 flight tests at Edwards AFB, Calif., carrying external stores in the late 1980s. There was a big tradeoff with fuel flows, especially at low levels.
LONG ON EXPERIENCE Shelley A. Longmuir will succeed John W. Olcott as president of the National Business Aviation Assn. (NBAA) on June 24. Olcott is retiring after 11 years of service. The NBAA selected Longmuir because of her expertise and experience on Capitol Hill. Longmuir has been overseeing United Airlines' staff of 50 working on regulatory and governmental affairs worldwide. She has held positions in the Transportation, Justice and Housing and Urban Development Depts. She will have her hands full at NBAA with issues like airport security.
IATA has accepted member airline Aeroflot's invitation and will hold its 60th World Airport Summit in Moscow June 6-8, 2004. At last week's IATA meeting in Washington, Aeroflot CEO Valeri Okulov said the location will help "to set new horizons for our development and integration in the global industry."
Aerospace and airline stocks still have a lot of ground to make up to get back to where they were a year ago, as plotted on Aviation Week's stock market indexes, but both are in the midst of impressive rallies. As of last Wednesday, the AW Aerospace 25 and AW Airline 25 had advanced 3.8% week over week, with airlines handily outpacing aerospace companies year-to-date.
The European Union has agreed to send a 1,400-man peacekeeping force to Congo. The three-month French-led mission, authorized by the U.N. on May 30, will be the second headed by the EU, and the first to be performed outside Europe. However, unlike a current EU-led operation in Macedonia, no NATO logistics or planning assets will be used. At a NATO foreign ministers' summit last week, the organization OK'd the assumption of peacekeeping duties in Afghanistan, and the provision of logistics support for a Polish-led mission in Iraq.
