Honored with President's Achievement Awards were David W. Warren and Margot L. Wasz. Warren was cited for developing ``optical designs for the corporation's hyperspectral remote sensing family of systems'' and Wasz ``for the investigation and timely resolution of multiple battery issues critical to space launch programs.'' Receiving team awards were: Oscar Esquivel, Eric C. Johnson and James P. Nokes ``for developing a method for applying flash thermography to inspecting satellite solar panels''; and James D. Barrie, Bernard W. Chau, Steven L. Johns, Lance D.
Britain could procure at least 60 conventional variants of the U.S. Defense Dept.'s F-35 to meet future deep strike requirements as part of its proposed purchase of up to 150 of the type. While the Defense Ministry announced Sept. 30 it had selected the F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (Stovl) variant as the Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA) (Joint Strike Fighter--JSF--in the U.S.) for its new class of aircraft carrier, this requirement alone does not justify the purchase of 150 aircraft, admit ministry sources.
U.S. Space Command was ``transitioned'' last week into Strategic Command, creating what is being billed as a ``new'' StratCom capable of taking on a broader menu of missions. Shortly after the ``stand-up'' of StratCom on Oct. 1, Adm. James O. Ellis, Jr., was confirmed by the Senate as StratCom commander. Over the next few weeks and months, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is expected to give the merged command a number of previously unassigned missions.
The Bush administration's priorities for allocating science and technology funds in the Fiscal 2003 budget raise questions about supporting the physical sciences, combating terrorism and pursuing long-term U.S. global leadership in science, according to an analysis by the National Academies of Science and Engineering and their Institute of Medicine.
SkyTeam could become the world's biggest airline alliance if Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines join in the next few months. According to executives of SkyTeam member carriers, they would be a highly valuable addition. Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Leo Mullin stressed that the members' common goal is to ``aggressively strengthen the alliance.'' Creating SkyTeam two years ago was ``one of the great accomplishments'' he achieved since taking over Delta, he added. Delta and Air France are SkyTeam's founding members.
Fred P. Moosally has become president of Lockheed Martin's Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems (NESS). He will remain president of the segment's Surface Systems unit, Moorestown, N.J. As NESS president, Moosally succeeds Joseph D. Antinucci, who is retiring.
Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji's visit to Airbus and Alcatel Space signals that closer business links are being established between China and the European aerospace industry. Similarly, new European initiatives are expected to significantly strengthen the cooperation between the Europeans and the Commonwealth of Independent States. China and the CIS are considered by leading companies such as Airbus to be primary growth targets as well as strong partners in long-term joint ventures.
Primagraphics (www.primagraphics.net) has a new radar capture card for use in display consoles and radar video servers. The Osprey card supports a number of radar signal types and is made in the PCI mezzanine card format. It can digitize up to three analog video signals at a 50-MHz. rate with 10-bit internal precision, producing 8- or 4-bit samples for the console and providing up to 16,384 samples per radar return. The card includes a PowerPC processor for high-level control of functions and implementing custom processing algorithms.
Leo F. Mullin, chairman and CEO of Delta Air Lines, was back on Capitol Hill last week, making the case for federal financial relief for U.S. carriers. Excerpts from his testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee follow. Much has been done to make the whole aviation system more secure--to the benefit of many. But one year later, a review of the financial impact of government policy-based, post-Sept. 11 changes in aviation security shows that U.S.
The state of Virginia and city of Newport News have withdrawn all financial support for the Aviation World's Fair 2003 that is scheduled to be held Apr. 7-27, 2003, at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport, according to the Associated Press. State officials cited a lack of sponsors, exhibitors and military participation as reasons for backing out of the project being organized by Kallman Worldwide Inc.
Smiths Group plans to purchase Rheinmetall Group's Heimann Systems GmbH. X-ray security systems business for approximately $146 million. Products manufactured by Heimann Systems are used primarily for inspecting luggage and freight for explosives.
The first meeting of the decade-old Aviation Security Advisory Committee held under auspices of the TSA has some members wondering whether the agency really wants their advice. In a 3.5-hr. meeting, the 30-member panel mostly received presentations on TSA goals and the status of its programs. But the TSA gave the panel no tasks, and the only formal action was to set the date for its next public meeting, in January. Acting TSA chief James M. Loy says the agency does want the committee's counsel.
Pressure from the U.S. apparently has prompted China Airlines to consider buying 10 747-400s valued at $2 billion for long-haul services as a tradeoff to an earlier decision to acquire 12 Airbus A330-300s worth a similar amount for regional operations. It was not long after the carrier indicated its choice of the A330 over the competing Boeing 777 that Taiwan President Chen Shui-Bian learned how such a decision might affect future U.S.-Taiwan relations. The pressure, reportedly from Congress, was especially high in a weak market for aircraft sales.
The Army's Land Information Warfare Activity (LIWA) supports Army troops worldwide in acquiring, protecting and exploiting information for combat. It was aided by six different contractors, but this activity has been condensed into a single contract with a consolidated team led by Northrop Grumman's Information Technology group in Northern Virginia. The recently awarded contract is worth more than $300 million over a five-year period.
Its recovery bolstered by conditional approval of a $148.5-million federal loan guarantee, American Trans Air (ATA) last week revamped its fares, fees and travel awards program and set a maximum one-way domestic ticket price of $299. The promotions are part of the carrier's observance of the 30th anniversary of its founding by pilot George Mikelsons, who is chairman and two months ago resumed operating control of the Indianapolis-based scheduled and charter operator (AW&ST Aug. 12, p. 36). An anniversary sale, effective through Oct.
NASA Langley Research Center is teaming with the National Institute of Aerospace Associates to form the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) to conduct advanced research aimed at inspiring future generations of scientists and engineers.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. has demonstrated the capability to transmit maintenance faults to ground-based facilities using commercial Iridium satellite communications. Faults were artificially introduced into an F-16 during flight. These were isolated by the aircraft's reporting system and transmitted to maintenance personnel through the Iridium network, which is not limited by VHF/UHF line-of-sight restrictions common to radios. In addition, the experimental system can report the status of fuel, weapons and defensive countermeasures equipment.
The ``new'' Japan Airlines, which is in the process of enveloping domestic carrier Japan Air System, is changing its fleet strategy to match its new corporate identity. JAL said it will replace the three 563-seat 747-100SR (short-range) aircraft it operates on high-density, short-duration flights in city-pairs such as Tokyo-Sapporo with 777-300s. Boeing developed the -100SRs in a single-class layout specifically for the Japanese routes, which are among the world's most competitive shuttles.
Software developers in need of proven and documented numerical routines can check the latest version of the Numerical Algorithms Group's C Library, which contains more than 850 functions written in the C language. The Mark 7 update of the library has nearly 400 new functions and is comparable to NAG's Mark 20 Fortran Library (www.nag.com). New features include mesh generators and partial differential equation solvers for finite element analysis, tools for Monte Carlo simulations, and more curve and surface-fitting routines.
Last week's markup of a Fiscal 2003 Transportation Dept. appropriations bill for House floor action confirms that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is in for a rocky, uncertain autumn. Once Fiscal 2003 dawned Oct. 1 with no approved appropriations, the federal government began operating under a congressional continuing resolution that permits business as usual but bars major initiatives. Rival House and Senate transportation appropriations bills were ready but not scheduled for floor votes.
A precipitous spike in aircraft accidents during the past year has prompted U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command to provide pilots additional training and has triggered interest in upgrades to the organization's fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. AFSOC has seen its accident rates skyrocket to above 13.3 Class A accidents per 100,000 flight hours, with the fleet of MH-53 helicopters particularly hard hit.
China Eastern Airlines (CEA) recently selected avionics and in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems produced by Rockwell Collins for 20 Airbus A320 aircraft. In addition, CEA and Rockwell Collins formed a joint venture in which the aviation electronics company will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for commercial air transport avionics and IFE equipment throughout China. That includes systems made by Rockwell Collins, as well as by other original equipment manufacturers.
The war of words between the Pentagon and Boeing over resolving the long-canceled A-12 Navy attack airplane heats up again. So far the Defense Dept. has not made good on its threat to withhold contract payments to Boeing and General Dynamics to recoup the money it believes it is owed, but the threat itself is drawing a strong response from Boeing. The Pentagon wants the companies to pay up, even though the contractors are appealing the latest court ruling.
Richard Michaels has become vice president-sales for Flight Options of Cleveland. He was Midwest U.S. sales manager for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Ga.
