The Transportation Security Administration issued contracts to four private companies to provide passenger and baggage screening services at five airports under pilot programs mandated by the November 2001 legislation that created the TSA. The screeners will be hired and trained under the same criteria as federal screeners, who will staff the remaining 424 commercial airports.
To realize its vision of being able to equip Army units with relatively small unit air vehicles (SUAVs), the service's Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center plans to pursue engine development work to support the UAV activities. The research organization is primarily interested in two propulsion system classes--a 2.7-hp., two-stroke, two-cylinder diesel engine and a 7.8-hp., two-stroke, six-cylinder diesel. Both are supposed to have built-in starter generator systems.
Lockheed Martin Chairman/CEO Vance Coffman is one of three members of the National Reconnaissance Office's Pioneer Class of 2002. He was cited for leading development of a satellite attitude control capability needed to provide improvements in producing large quantities of geographically accurate, highly detailed maps from satellite-collected images. The other two honorees are: NRO chief scientist Lee Hammarstrom and USAF Col. (ret.) Robert Paulson.
Michel Bouffard has been named director of the Toulouse, France, facility of Astrium. He succeeds Claude Guionnet, who is retiring. Bouffard will remain director of science and Earth observation.
Soon after terrorists linked to Al Qaeda struck the popular resort island of Bali, where tourists seek tranquility, commercial airlines began to feel the backlash. Air Paradise International, which had hoped to begin bringing tourists from Perth and Brisbane to Bali later this month, said it will have to delay its launch (AW&ST Oct. 7, p. 17). Air Paradise isn't the only one having to rethink business plans. The terrorists chose their target well. Of Indonesia's five million visitors in 2001, 1.5 million went to Bali, including 200,000-300,000 Australians.
Major increases in U.S. military communications satellite bandwidth to support network-centric warfare and unmanned aerial vehicles will spawn a significant commercial digital broadband revolution that should help spark a turnaround in the civilian satcom sector by mid-2004, the head of Boeing Satellite Systems told the World Space Congress here last week.
In a bid to improve its stealth prowess, Boeing designed, built and flew for three years a highly classified demonstrator aircraft that yielded technology now benefiting the company's X-45 unmanned combat air vehicle and other aircraft. The Bird of Prey, which Boeing was slated to unveil on Oct. 18, is a single-seat, subsonic aircraft that was flown by company and U.S. Air Force test pilots. First flight of the Phantom Works-built aircraft occurred in the fall of 1996, and operations continued through 1999. It flew 38 missions.
Valerie K. Schurman, vice president/ assistant general counsel for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, has received the Corporate Counsel of the Year award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Corporate Counsel Assn.
Russian strategic weapons manufacturers and government research establishments are looking at the application of plasma fields to reduce the radar cross section (RCS) of high-altitude cruise missiles. Officials from two Russian missile design bureaus, along with a senior official from a state-owned aerospace research center, told Aviation Week & Space Technology that the use of plasma fields as a low-observable technology was being examined.
It looks like the TSA has stopped, looked at and listened to pleas from the general aviation sector and invited its representatives to pull up chairs at the rulemaking table (AW&ST Sept. 16, p. 78). Members of the General Aviation Coalition, a group of associations supporting GA interests, met last week with TSA chief James M. Loy to discuss what have been some of their thorniest security issues, including temporary flight restrictions and airport watch programs.
Boeing is using a speedy computational fluid dynamic (CFD) process to properly direct thrust reverser plumes early in the design process. Engineers want to keep plumes away from the flaps, slats and other structure, as well as prevent reingestion into the engine inlet and the kicking up of debris. They also want to keep the vertical tail in undisturbed flow to maintain directional stability. The CFD problem involves the geometric complexity of the entire airplane but does not require the refinement needed, say, for designing the wing.
Continental Airlines officials said rising security costs, higher taxes and lost revenue opportunities imposed by the government caused the carrier to post a net loss of $37 million for the third quarter instead of a modest profit. The combination of these and other expenses reduced Continental's operating income by about $65 million, according to Chairman/CEO Gordon Bethune.
ARINC IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN OFFERING its Arinc Direct communications services to business aviation operators in January. The product includes data link, safety and communications capabilities as well as information services. Operators will be able to buy the services directly from Arinc, bypassing third-party contractors. Plans call for establishment of an around- the-clock operations center to assist users. Training for operators will be available at the organization's headquarters in Annapolis, Md.
The final body join for Boeing's extended range version of the 777-300 came together earlier this month in Everett, Wash., as the manufacturer introduced a moving-line assembly to its largest twinjet (AW&ST June 17, p. 44). The forward section, manufactured by Boeing at Wichita, Kan., was the first in the tool, and was followed by two other sections, both manufactured in Japan by a consortium that includes Mitsubishi, Kawasaki, Fuji, ShinMaywa and Nippi. Boeing has 46 firm orders for the 777-300ER, which is designed to compete with Airbus' A340-600.
USAF Brig. Gen. (ret.) Randall K. Bigum (see photo) has become vice president of the Orlando, Fla.-based strike weapons business of the Lockheed Martin Corp. He succeeds Larry Lawson, who is now vice president-business development for the company's systems integration businesses. Bigum was director of strategic initiatives.
The Arianespace board plans to phase out production of the basic version of the Ariane 5 and go with a single improved version to be introduced next month. The measure, which will follow phase-out of the medium-lift Ariane 4 early in 2003, is part of a strategy designed to return Arianespace to profitability (AW&ST June 17, p. 20). Planners had initially envisioned keeping the basic Ariane 5, equipped with a storable propellant upper stage, in the catalogue to accommodate single launches.
Expect Air Canada's mainline pilots to lobby for the installation of double doors to secure the cockpit. A post-Sept. 11 mandate called for reinforcement of flight deck doors on the country's transport aircraft by April. A recent poll of Air Canada Pilots Assn.'s 3,330 members, which set out to determine the impact of security measures, showed the majority of pilots are thumbs-down on installation of double locks or bolts as effective antiterrorist devices.
GARMIN INTERNATIONAL IS INTRODUCING A 16-WATT version of its GNC 420, GNS 430 and GNS 530 Global Positioning Systems for business aviation. The latest configuration allows pilots to transmit and receive at higher altitudes and farther distances. In addition, Garmin has obtained a Supplemental Type Certificate from the FAA to begin installation of the dual 530 GPS units and dual GTX 327 transponders on older Cessna Citation-series business jets.
Honeywell International plans to reduce the size of its workforce by 5,000 people, while Textron Inc. expects to cut its payroll by 2,000 in coming months. Both multi-industry companies are seeking greater operating efficiencies in the face of a sluggish industrial environment. c
Germany's aerospace industry anticipates lower revenues and a difficult business environment in 2002, as a result of the current industry downturn. Rainer Hertrich, EADS co-CEO and chairman of the of BDLI industry association, said in Berlin that the sector has lost around 3,000 jobs in the past 12 months, mainly due to bankruptcies of Fairchild Dornier and Cargolifter. BDLI members now employ around 68,000. Almost 50% of companies expect lower revenues in 2002; 30% plan to cut jobs.
LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAYS HOLD THE KEY TO DEVELOPMENT of low-cost head-up displays (HUD) that can be installed in small- and mid-size cabin business jets, according to Thales Avionics and CMC Electronics. An LCD-based HUD using a digital media projector could replace expensive, heavy cathode ray tube-type systems and require less power to operate. CMC subsidiary Flight Visions is developing lightweight plastic lenses that are thinner and contribute to more compact optical systems, according to the company.
Southwest Airlines reported a net income of $74.9 million for the quarter, but senior officials warn that stronger profits will elude the low-cost carrier until at least 2004. Vice Chairman/CEO James F.
Pilots just need to drag a mouse along their planned route on a map, and PC-based MxVision Aviation Sentry will retrieve the appropriate weather, including radar images, satellite photos and forecast maps. The service can also monitor real time for lightning strikes and sound an alarm if they occur in a designated area. The service is available at www.meteorlogix.com. . . . The Beagle 2 Mars lander, part of the European Space Agency's Mars Express mission set for launch in May, is a joint project of several U.K.
In an historic move, Taiwanese authorities have lifted a 52-year ban on direct investments in mainland China by approving the application of Taipei-based China Airlines to acquire 25% of Shanghai-based China Cargo Airlines for $47 million. CCA is majority controlled by China Eastern Airlines. Taiwan's Eva Air could be next: it has secured a heavy maintenance contract from Shanghai Airlines for its 767-300 fleet.
Rene Flindt has become vice president-business development for Logistechs Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz. He was Vancouver, British Columbia-based manager of rotable logistics and allotments for Air Canada.
