The aerospace industry is in the throes of one of the longest and most severe downturns in its history. It's easy to blame a floundering economy and the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, for a sizable share of our troubles. But, like most complex problems, this one doesn't have a single cause or simple solution. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that many of our industry's wounds are self-inflicted.
The International Air Transport Assn. has entered Britain's airport expansion melee, with IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani arguing that London's Heathrow Airport should remain at the heart of any increased capacity. Bisignani spelled out IATA's views in a letter to British Transport Minister Alistair Darling. IATA identified three priorities: a third runway at Heathrow to be operational by 2012, a second runway at Stansted by 2014, and, depending on demand, either another runway at Stansted, or a second runway at Gatwick.
And, Peter Tor- vik, a consultant and former administrator at the Air Force Institute of Technology, will receive the J. Leland Atwood Award for his career as an aerospace educator.
The way in which U.S. major network airlines have been run through the years--starting with boards of directors who have failed to hold top management accountable for their actions --is the root cause of the financial crisis the carriers are facing. While that's where the buck stops, one would hope unions would recognize the disconnect that has developed between labor costs and productivity. To their credit, unions at the most troubled carriers are doing their part to help avert financial disaster.
With more than 700 airports accommodating approximately 20,000 commercial flights on any given day, the U.S. must find ways to secure a homeland that has more that 4,000 mi. of coastline, 7,500 mi. of land borders and 300 seaports. The country must also refine methods to inspect--or otherwise assure us of the contents of--the 2 million rail cars, 11 million trucks, and 6 million shipping containers that cross points of entry into the U.S. each year.
Transportation Security Administration officials aren't saying anything about what might be done to foil man-portable missile attacks on passenger jets, but the FAA and Pentagon have conducted extensive studies and found that remedies would be expensive and imperfect. President Bush is so concerned that man-portable missiles might be used against airliners that he is being briefed on the threat regularly.
Jan. 7-9--American Assn. of Airport Executives' Aviation Issues Conference. Hapuna Beach Prince Resort. Kamuala, Hawaii. Call +1 (703) 824-0504, fax +1 (703) 820-1395 or see www.aaae.com. Feb. 3-4--American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' Defense Excellence 2003 Conference. Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, Washington. Call +1 (703) 264-7500 or see www.aiaa.org/events/defense2003.
John M. McLucas, a former Air Force secretary and FAA administrator, died Dec. 1 in Alexandria, Va. He was 82. McLucas was a Navy radar operator in World War II. In 1950, he earned a doctorate in physics from Pennsylvania State University. McLucas joined the Defense Dept. in 1962 as deputy secretary for research and engineering and two years later, became assistant NATO secretary-general for scientific affairs. In 1966, McLucas was appointed president of the Mitre Corp. He became Air Force undersecretary in 1969 and secretary in 1973.
NASA headquarters lays down the law on those pesky foreign reporters who sometimes ask questions about programs like the space station that affect their own national space efforts. Henceforth, non-U.S. news media reps wanting to visit HQ will have to make a formal request for permission to do so at least four working days in advance. Before they can get inside NASA's rented space in Southwest D.C., they will have to reveal why they are visiting and provide passport, visa and employment information. By comparison, U.S.
Richard Ning has become Beijing-based sales manager for China and Andrew Rushton London-based sales manager for Northern Europe, Africa and Russia/CIS for Seattle-based FlightSafety Boeing Training International. Ning was an aircraft sales and marketing manager for the Boeing Co. in China, while Rushton was sales manager director of technical services for the airline total support business unit of BAE Systems Aviation Services in the U.K. Paul S. Isaacs has been named manager of the Manchester (England) Training Center.
Finnair Chief Executive Keijo Suila has been appointed chairman of the Oneworld Governing Board, effective Jan. 1. He will succeed David Turnbull, deputy chairman/chief executive of Cathay Pacific Airways.
Regarding your editorial on steps to reform U.S. airlines (AW&ST Nov. 18, p. 82), I agree that the challenge for network carriers is greater than ever, but disagree with some of your proposed remedies.
Look for Israeli and American officials to put their heads together on initiatives in international treaties and arrangements for the protection of civil aviation. Noting that hijacking started on an El Al flight in the 1960s, then became a worldwide phenomenon, Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wonders aloud whether the same will happen with missile attacks (see p. 26).
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The British Defense Ministry may as early as this week unveil a discussion document on ballistic missile defense. While the U.K. has yet to formally commit to the Pentagon's missile defense effort, the document may well be an attempt to pave the way for a decision in favor of participation.
Corrections: North Korea, Iran, Syria, Israel, Pakistan and India did not sign the International Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, as was incorrectly stated in World News Round-up (AW&ST Dec. 2, p. 21). A report on Boeing's Electronic Flight Bag (AW&ST Dec. 2, p. 64) incorrectly stated on which aircraft the "paperless cockpit" tool will first appear. It is to be certified for service by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines on a 777-200ER in October 2003.
Hard-pressed U.S. manufacturers are bracing for another lean year in the geostationary communications satellite marketplace, but they all are positioning themselves for a rebound most of them believe will start in 2004.
Pratt & Whitney plans to retrofit 2,294 PW4000s now in service with a new high-pressure compressor case that should boost performance retention and eliminate the high-power, take-off surge problems that have troubled 94-in.-dia. fan versions of the engine.
Zeev Nahamoni has become vice president of marketing and business development at Israel Aircraft Industries International, Arlington, Va. He was a corporate vice president/general manager in the IAI Electronic Group.
The answer to your Nov. 18 editorial is: Let the free market work. You acknowledge that airlines "have done a poor job of managing their business" and we should "allow further consolidation," but you want Washington to form a "blue-ribbon commission" to solve the problems. When was the last time Washington solved anything?
