GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY researchers have demonstrated electroluminescence from individual molecules, a phenomenon that could open the door to some new optoelectronic applications, such as nanometer-scale optical interconnects. The effect was first observed in silver clusters of 2-8 atoms in thin films of silver oxide, which emitted light when an electric field was applied, at room temperature. Copper clusters later showed the same effect. Responses to AC voltages at frequencies above 150 MHz.
The Philippines' Air Transportation Office is likely to confirm soon what caused the Nov. 11 crash of Laoag International Airlines' Fokker-27-600 into Manila Bay, killing 15 people (AW&ST Nov. 18, p. 51). Transcription of flight data was expected to be completed as early as this week.
David L. Joyce has been named vice president-commercial engines operation at General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE), Evendale, Ohio. He succeeds Charles Chadwell, who is retiring. Joyce was general manager for GEAE small commercial engine operations. He, in turn, has been succeeded by Charles Blankenship, who was general manager of customer technology programs in GE Engine Services
On reading about CNES/European Space Agency plans for Mars Sample Return missions, it seemed the planners were missing a simple and high-payoff option (AW&ST Oct. 28, p. 51). The U.S. and many other nations have invested astronomical sums in the International Space Station, currently the most expensive building site near Earth with three caretakers on board.
Air traffic controllers at Eurocontrol's Maastrict Upper Area Control Center in the Netherlands are using a new operator input display system (N-ODS) with improved operator interface and capabilities. Thales ATM developed the N-ODS, to equip 63 advanced controller workstations at the facility. In addition, N-ODS has modes for training, testing and development. A new software system provides recording and playback that reproduces the air traffic picture and controller actions using a keyboard and mouse.
Half a dozen years after its first flight attempt, the Ariane 5 is ready to take to the air in an enhanced configuration designed to considerably augment performance and decrease costs.
Swiss International Air Lines will cut 300 jobs, phase out five in-service aircraft and reschedule Embraer 170 deliveries. Such recent decisions may indicate that the carrier's primary goal to achieve profitability by the end of next year is being endangered by weak markets, disappointing yields, or, perhaps, an excessively optimistic business plan. In January-September, Swiss reported $354-million losses on $1.95 billion in revenues, including nonrecurring costs required by establishing a "new" airline.
The European Commission last week underscored its intent to tear up bilateral transatlantic air traffic deals, with major British long-haul operators arguing a European Union-led effort is now the only route to securing an equitable deal with Washington. On Nov. 20, the European Commission laid out its support for the European Court of Justice's Nov. 5 finding that open skies bilateral agreements are "illegal in several respects."
Bill Prescott, Wayne O'Hara and Doug Thompson have become airframe maintenance sales managers for West StarAviation, Grand Junction, Colo. Prescott will work with Raytheon Aircraft Hawkers and Dassault Falcon Jets, O'Hara with turboprop aircraft and Thompson with Cessna Citations.
United Pilots Master Executive Council last week overwhelmingly ratified changes in its labor agreement, which is expected to reap $2.2 billion in cash savings for United Airlines in a 5.5-year period. According to the Air Line Pilots Assn. (ALPA), 80% of eligible pilots voted 6,526 to 340 to ratify the agreement that is a crucial part of United's $5.8-billion labor saving program. The program will aid the carrier in qualifying for a federal loan guarantee from the Air Transportation Stabilization Board.
Dec. 3-5--Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul Asia Conference & Exhibition. Singapore. Mar. 10-11--European Transport Leaders Conference. Landmark Hotel, London. Mar. 12-13--Toulouse Symposium. Toulouse (France) Congress Center. Mar. 27-28--Defense Budget Conference. Holiday Inn, Rosslyn, Va. Apr. 15-17--MRO 2003 & MRO Latin America. Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale Fla. May 12-14--Aerospace Defense & Finance Conference. Grand Hyatt Hotel, New York.
Last week's dismissal of the Lockheed Martin and Air Force F/A-22 management and continued uncertainty over the size of its cost overrun signals how precarious the situation is for the stealth fighter program, one of several USAF projects facing uncertainty.
Japan's aerospace manufacturers estimate that sales will exceed $7.7 billion in fiscal 2002--4.2% less than the previous year, according to the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies. The tally includes more than $1 billion for new airframes, $4 billion for spare parts and equipment, and export orders in excess of $2 billion. New orders for the year were worth more than $7 billion--1.6% less than in fiscal 2001.
The RC-135 Rivet Joint, a collector of enemy electronic signals and communications for more than 30 years, is making the transition to the 21st century. It is becoming a key element in the Pentagon's efforts to fuse the available intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and feed it--in rivulets of useful information and not as a tsunami of raw data--to tactical commanders on the battlefield.
NASA is moving toward an international solution to the problem of how to keep crew on board the International Space Station after 2006, when Russia's current commitment to supply Soyuz lifeboats to the orbiting facility expires.
The 17-aircraft RC-135 Rivet Joint fleet is now a combat force assigned to the 8th Air Force whose commander can direct a range of lethal and non-lethal weapons that could strike anywhere in the world. For example, a bomber-launched cruise missile might take 18 hr., or an offensive algorithm launched by a computer could strike in as little as 8 sec.
British and German officials are negotiating a compromise deal to finally clear the launch of the European Meteor air-to-air missile program. This could see German participation reduced slightly, with the U.K. share increasing. The outline compromise has yet to be discussed with the other Meteor partners.
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Navy researchers say they hit a milestone with the X-31 Vector when a test pilot engaged the aircraft's extremely short takeoff and landing mode and performed the project's first ESTOL landing on a virtual runway 5,000 ft. in the air over NAS Patuxent River, Md. The thrust-vectoring X-31 is exploring ways to maintain control at high angles of attack and reduced speeds. Doing so would reduce the impact of carrier landings on both aircraft and a ship's arresting gear and allow aircraft to return to the ship with more fuel and weapons on board.
Aerospace Commission Chairman Robert Walker says he expects support from the Bush administration and Congress for the panel's recommendations (AW&ST Nov. 18, p. 28). He hopes to arrange a formal review of progress after 12-18 months. The commission will be long gone by then, but the Defense Dept. and NASA have indicated they might be able to come up with funds for a study by a suitable sponsor. Walker hopes the National Academy of Sciences can do it, but the fallback is for friends in Congress to bring in the General Accounting Office.
Boeing said it will cut another 5,000 jobs in 2003 on top of the 17,900 layoffs it has recorded at Boeing Commercial Airplanes this year. Those layoffs are part of a larger depletion of 29,000-30,000 jobs that will be lost by year-end at BCA and the Shares Services Group, among contract employees and through attrition. The round of job losses announced by BCA President and CEO Alan Mulally last week will reduce the division's employment level to 60,000 workers by the end of 2003. In January 2002, BCA had 82,900 workers.
Larry Burns, Gary Tchorzewski, Charles Woody and Jim Walizer have been promoted to U.S. customer service managers from field service representatives for Dassault Falcon Jet, Teterboro, N.J. Burns will serve the Northeast, Tchor- zewski the mid-Atlantic, Woody the Southwest and Walizer the Upper Midwest.
Air Force officials used to muse about the F/A-22 replacing the F-117. Maybe, but not anytime soon. Once, the first F-117 delivered two decades ago, was to be retired about now. The F117 was not designed to undergo programmed depot maintenance. But with no replacement in sight and a continued need for the stealthy aircraft, service officials have decided they have to keep the aircraft flying, at least until 2020. The service has 55 of the birds remaining.
