NASA managers are laying plans to continue the New Horizons mission to Pluto should Congress fund the project when it returns from its August recess (see p. 66). Space science managers at agency headquarters have concluded that the $120 million in the Senate version of NASA's spending bill for Fiscal 2003 would be enough to keep New Horizons working toward a January 2006 launch, and want to be ready if the House goes along.
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer reported second quarter net revenues of $623 million, an increase of 12% compared to the same quarter last year. The increase is a result of the sale of spare parts and maintenance services associated with the acquisition of a maintenance facility in Nashville, Tenn. Embraer's reported pretax earnings of $134.1 million with a return margin on net sales of 22.7%, compared with $197.3 million and 24% in same quarter last year.
The International Space Station Expedition 5 crew, about halfway through what is planned to be five months in orbit, is staying slightly ahead of its timeline for science work. As of early August, the crew had devoted 98 hr. to U.S. experiments and 24 hr. to Russian science. The 122 hr. total is about 5 hr. more than was originally budgeted through that point in the flight. The three-member crew is averaging 17 hr. per week on science, most of it devoted to the 24 U.S. investigations underway.
European aerospace/defense leaders expect their industry to weather the current economic downturn without noticeable damage. Although their expectations contrast markedly with their U.S. counterparts', recent forecasts indicate that the European civil and military sectors are poised for growth. For example, the Europeans expect Airbus to achieve and sustain parity with Boeing in the commercial transport market, while major military programs such as the Eurofighter, Tiger, NH-90 and proposed A400M airlifter should generate growing revenues and new export opportunities.
Boeing's declaration that it will shut down aircraft and parts plants in Seattle and Wichita in the event of a strike by 25,000 members of the International Assn. of Machinists & Aerospace Workers set a rancorous tone to the start of negotiations last week. ``Nobody has plans for a strike, but we must plan for unsuccessful talks,'' chief negotiator Jerry Calhoun said of the Seattle Times story. ``We're coming to negotiate a contract and not a strike,'' responded IAM&AW negotiator Dick Schneider.
Reduced vertical separation minimums (RVSM), implemented earlier this year in European airspace to create additional flight levels, is helping to boost the overall efficiency of air traffic management. However, RVSM has not yet been able to alleviate the bottlenecks that hamper operations in Europe's fragmented airspace and cause flight delays. The long-overdue airspace restructuring is tentatively scheduled to materialize no earlier than 2004 when the Single European Sky is to be implemented by the European Union's 15 member states and additional participants.
In January, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld set four top missile defense priorities. To accomplish the challenges, he called for an integrated multiservice system to be developed by the newly titled Missile Defense Agency. The priorities he outlined include: -- Defend the U.S., deployed forces, allies and friends. -- Employ a Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) that layers defenses to intercept missiles in all flight phases (boost, midcourse and terminal) and all ranges of threats.
Gunilla Berg has been named chief financial officer of the SAS Group, effective Sept. 16. She held the same position at Coop Sweden. Berg will succeed Gunnar Reitan, who has been appointed deputy CEO for subsidiary and affiliated airlines and hotels. Joergen Lindegaard, who has been president/CEO, also will be chief operating officer for SAS Scandinavian Airlines. John S. Dueholm will be executive vice president-airline support and airline-related businesses, and Bernhard Rikardsen executive vice president-corporate administration and support.
Britain's QinetiQ has started commercially operating its ion propulsion chamber, with the first customer, French engine manufacturer Snecma, using the facility to test Hall Effect Thrusters. The chamber will also be used to test QinetiQ's own Gridded Ion Engine design, as well as for propulsion tests in support of ESA's Bepi Columbo Mercury mission.
THE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY Administration (TSA) has released its ``Twelve-Five Standard Security program'' that details requirements for a final rule affecting security operations for aircraft weighing 12,500 lb. or more. Operators have until Aug. 19 to comment on the proposal, which will not become effective until Sept. 19. Because the program contains sensitive security information, it is available only to FAR Part 121 and Part 135 operators who have a need to know.
Peter Bolech has become CEO of Malta International Airport, which is managed by the Vienna International Airport Group. He was an executive at the Vienna airport.
Raytheon Aircraft Co. has completed live-fire weapons tests of its T-6A trainer at Eglin AFB, Fla. Rockets and machine guns were tested, according to the company. About 50 hr. were expended in the wind tunnel at the University of Washington to determine under-wing stores and separation characteristics, and data were used to refine computation fluid dynamics analyses, said David Riemer, vice president, Trainer Systems Div. He said the T-6A ``proved to be a very stable firing platform'' during the experiments.
Three of the nine U.S. major airlines, representing half of the passenger revenues, took defensive survival actions last week that strongly indicate the industry is transforming under new kinds of economic and social pressures in the aftermath of Sept. 11.
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL IS INSTALLING another 45 of its FlightViz debriefing systems in learning centers, bringing the total number of the computer-based devices operating in the field to 95. FlightViz software provides the simulator instructor with access to any part of a training session to display a real-time, animated presentation of the flight instruments, exterior view of the aircraft and horizontal flight-path mapping.
Alain Calemard has been named vice president-technical audit of France-based Turbomeca. He was vice president-engineering and has been succeeded by Jacques Brochet.
Austria's parliament has to schedule an extra debate on the recently announced purchase of 24 Eurofighters. More than 10% of all persons entitled to vote signed a petition against the buy. According to Austrian law, parliament is now forced to deal with the issue again. The Eurofighter purchase is expected to be a major campaign topic ahead of the upcoming national elections. While the ruling coalition is firmly committed to pushing the purchase through, Social Democrats and Greens sympathize with the counter-initiative.
The Ukrainian team investigating the Sukhoi Su-27UB crash on July 27 during an air show at Lviv air force base is focusing on pilot error (AW&ST Aug. 5, p. 32). Chief Investigator Eugeny Marchuk said ``the nature and reasons of the crash are known: The pilots violated the flight's objectives, going beyond prescribed flight zone limits.''
A new $30-million Astrotech commercial space facility is coming on line here to process large satellite payloads for Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) missions starting with the Lockheed Martin Atlas V next week and the Boeing Delta IV in October. The first Atlas V is set for liftoff at 6:05 p.m. EDT on Aug. 21, carrying the Alcatel/Eutelsat Hot Bird 6 payload completing final integration at Astrotech (see cover).
Dire predictions by Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta notwithstanding, it turns out that the FAA believes it won't have to furlough its Air Traffic Services (ATS) personnel at the end of the summer travel season after all. Mineta warned Congress July 11 that the agency would have to furlough each of its 36,000 ATS employees for 5-8 days by Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year, if it didn't get the $100 million it sought in the Fiscal 2002 emergency supplemental appropriations bill. Congress coughed up $75 million (AW&ST July 29, p.
Michel Wachenheim has become director general of the DGAC French civil aviation authority. He succeeds Pierre Graff, who has become head of the French transport minister's cabinet.
Kevin D. Bell has been promoted to principal director of the Systems Engineering and Integration Directorate in the Missile Defense Div. from director of the Laser Applications Dept. in the Space Technology Directorate of The Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, Calif. David S. Eccles has been promoted to principal director of the division's Battle Management Command and Control Directorate from senior project engineer in the Program Executive Office for Space Support Office. In the Military Satellite Communications (Milsatcom) Div., Charles L.
The Pentagon is to decide in the coming weeks what helicopter it would buy if the V-22 tiltrotor fails its test program or is simply deemed too expensive to buy, acquisition chief E.C. (Pete) Aldridge says. Candidates include Sikorsky's S-92 and CH-53X or the Lockheed Martin/AgustaWestland EH-101. If the V-22 is abandoned, Aldridge doesn't want to waste much time trying to find a replacement.
L-3 Communications and Triumph Group Inc. last week announced acquisitions that are expected to bolster core businesses within the two companies. L-3 purchased ComCept Inc., which specializes in network-centric warfare capabilities--including the development of requirements, modeling, simulation, communications and systems development and integration for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The Air Force Office of Special Projects--also known as Big Safari--is among ComCept's major customers.
