Scaled Composites flew this unique Burt Rutan-designed aircraft for the first time on Aug. 1 from Mojave Airport in the Southern California desert. Its designation and mission are not known, and Scaled officials declined to discuss any aspect of the vehicle or its test program. A vibration problem--apparently in the roll-control spoiler system--limited the first sortie to a few minutes, according to observers. Doug Shane, a Scaled test pilot, called liftoff speed at about 75 kt., then accelerated to approximately 90 kt. during the climb.
Air Canada last week earned the distinction of becoming the only international carrier based in North America to produce a net profit for the three months ended June 30. The airline posted operating income of about US$39 million, versus a $45-million loss in the 2001 quarter, on basically flat sales of about $1.6 billion. But net income fell by almost a third, to about $18.6 million, or about 14 cents per fully diluted share. Operating expenses declined 6% from the second quarter of 2001 on a 1% reduction in available-seat-mile capacity.
Paul F. Nelepovitz has been promoted to deputy director of the U.S. Customs Service Air and Marine Interdiction Coordination Center, Riverside, Calif., from air operations program officer for the Air and Marine Interdiction Div. in Washington.
DAVID A. FULGHUM ( FARNBOROUGH AND WARTON, ENGLAND)
The U.S. Navy is actively considering giving up the airborne signals intelligence mission and retiring its aging EP-3E fleet, a move that has heartened BAE Systems in its bid to sell the service a new-production version of the MRA4 Nimrod patrol aircraft. Both senior aerospace industry and U.S. military officials said the Navy is contemplating passing the sigint mission exclusively to the U.S. Air Force's new Multisensor Command and Control Aircraft. The move mirrors the Air Force's decision to turn tactical jamming over to the Navy's EA-6B Prowler force.
Russian air-launched weapons manufacturer Bazalt has begun to develop a family of low-cost precision-guided munitions in the wake of its air force's combat experience in Chechnya, and from watching the U.S. shift to precision-guided air-launched ordnance in its recent combat operations. Work is underway on the development of a glide-bomb wing-kit and terminal-guidance seekers intended to provide the Russian air force with a low-cost short-range standoff attack weapon based around its existing iron bomb inventory. The system is called the FAB-500MPK.
Lufthansa German Airlines' supervisory board is expected to ratify a decision to order 10 A330-300 long-range twinjets. First delivery is expected in 2004. The German carrier has yet to select an engine type for the 295-seat aircraft that can be powered by the 64,000-72,000-lb.-thrust General Electric CF6-80E1, Pratt & Whitney PW4000 or Rolls-Royce Trent 700 turbofans. After taking delivery of its A330s later in the decade, Lufthansa would become the biggest A330/A340-series operator with 54 aircraft.
The Pentagon should double its science and technology spending, but also improve processes and consider extreme measures such as streamlining research facilities and closing some of its laboratories, the Defense Science Board urges in a new report. The Pentagon advisory group contends that at least $1.8 billion needs to be added to the estimated $1.7 billion the military spends on S&T. The extra money is required to implement new efforts the DSB lays out.
A National Academy of Sciences panel reports there's no good technical reason not to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Members found the U.S. stockpile is secure and can be maintained as long as the Dept. of Energy keeps focus (and funding) on the mission. The scientists concede it would be possible to conceal an underground nuclear test, as long as its yield is less than 1-2 kilotons, but they note surveillance systems are improving and a CTBT violator would risk getting caught.
Pratt & Whitney has received a $154- million order from All Nippon Airways for PW4090 engines for five Boeing 777-300 aircraft. Two of the aircraft will be delivered in 2004 and three in 2006. Also, Air Jamaica has awarded Pratt & Whitney a 10-year, $80-million contract to provide full-scale engine overhaul for CFM56-5 engines on the airline's 17 Airbus A320/A321 aircraft.
The Experimental Aircraft Assn.'s AirVenture 2002 sport aircraft exhibition and convention that ended early last week showcased new aircraft and aviation products amidst a growing interest in personal flying as an alternative mode of transportation. A key topic at AirVenture was progress of the Sport Pilot and Light Sport Aircraft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The new rule would create a new category of light aircraft aimed at reducing the cost of flying.
Arc Second of Dulles, Va., has developed a coordinate measurement system that functions much like GPS, but works indoors, and can locate objects in three dimensions to within tenths of a millimeter, according to the company. Analogous to the radio-frequency signals from GPS satellites, Constellation 3Di transmits infrared planes from lasers that rotate inside bowling ball-size transmitters. Unlike GPS, it is an angle measurement system, with two planes emitted from each transmitter. Typically three transmitters need to be within a receiver's view.
Boeing Chief Financial Officer Michael Sears, a member of the office of the chairman, has reaffirmed the company's plan to decide at the end of the year whether to proceed with development of Mach 0.98 Sonic Cruiser project. At the Farnborough air show, he said the company is continuing to wrestle with the issue of the value of speed. ``We're having a problem with the business case,'' he said. He has stated in the past that Boeing will not proceed if the company doesn't believe the project would earn a sufficient return on its investment.
General Atomics has signed six contracts with U.S. Army and Air Force customers for purchase of six Lynx radars, newly designated the AN/APY-8 by the U.S. military. The 115-lb. Lynx offers day and night all-weather reconnaissance, surveillance and target tracking for military, civil and commercial customers, and is based on technology developed by Sandia National Laboratories.
The space shuttle program has tentatively selected a simple welding technique to seal 11 cracks in the hydrogen fuel liners of the four shuttle orbiters. The decision is subject to additional review, but the work should begin this week. Each crack is expected to take about two shifts of work at Kennedy Space Center to repair. The root cause of the cracks has not been identified, but there is mounting evidence that they may have formed when the liner material was originally stamped out. If work proceeds as planned, Atlantis would return to flight as early as Sept.
EDO Reconnaissance & Surveillance Systems has acquired Condor Systems Inc., a San Jose, Calif.-based mini-conglomerate specializing in airborne, ship and submarine electronic support measures and sigint systems (AW&ST Sept. 11, 1995, p. 49). Purchase price was $61.9 million in cash, plus assuming $28 million in Condor debt. Four years ago, Condor was negotiating with Litton Industries to buy its Advanced Technology Div., a leading producer of radar warning systems, but negotiations broke down (AW&ST Oct. 26, 1998, p. 19).
The FAA has lifted a July 16 temporary ban on the issuance of U.S. pilot certificates to certain foreign-licensed pilots. New procedures under FAR Part 61.75 now require a non-U.S. pilot to undergo a background check before the agency issues a U.S. certificate based on a license issued by another country.
Despite the uncertainties surrounding the Sonic Cruiser, it continues to play a key role in Boeing's quest for enabling technologies. Moreover, the proposed Mach 0.98 aircraft is now part of the company's forward-looking identity and remains a passionate topic. ``We are after a program with broad attractiveness and a long life.
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Technologies Corp. were the first among the biggest airlines and aerospace companies to certify that their financial reporting is accurate. In a June 27 order issued as corporate accounting scandals mounted, the Securities and Exchange Commission demanded the certifications, signed under oath, from top officials of the 947 U.S. companies with more than $1.2 billion in revenues during their most recent fiscal years.
US Airways put 44 of its aircraft up for sale or lease, but whether it's testing the market, its lessors or its employees is a matter of perspective. The aircraft--33 of its 34 757-200s, four of its 11 767-200ERs, four of 85 737-300s and three of 54 737-400s--are among the oldest in US Airway's active fleet and might not actually be disposed of, a company official said.
British financial watchdog, the National Audit Office, has highlighted low helicopter availability as one of the lessons of the Defense Ministry's Saif Saree II exercise in Oman in 2001. Five different types of helicopter--Chinook, Puma, Lynx, Gazelle and Sea King--were deployed, totalling 44 airframes. The Puma had the highest availability at 88%, while the Lynx had the lowest at 36%, according to the audit office. The report cited rotor life expectancy in the case of the Lynx as a contributory factor.
William Schachte has been appointed Washington-based Eastern U.S. director of sales for BMI British Midland Airways. He was senior analyst for brand management, product development and integration for US Airways.
Bob Blouin, senior vice president-operations of the Washington-based National Business Aviation Assn., has been elected chairman of the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics.
Lydia Kennard and James Rohr have been named to the board of trustrees of Santa Monica, Calif.-based Rand. Kennard is executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, while Rohr is a director of Allegheny Technologies Corp. and chairman/president/CEO of the PNC Financial Services Group, both of Pittsburgh.
An agreement with Russian industrial partners could be German manufacturer Fairchild Dornier's last and final hope to rescue the 728/928 regional jet program and avoid demise. In the last few days, the Bavarian state economics minister, Otto Wiesheu, initiated talks with a Russian-German strategy commission, which seeks to promote and develop industrial relationships between Russian and German companies. Wiesheu's objective is to complete the development and flight tests of the 70-seat 728 under Russian leadership.
Merrill K. King has won the Energy Systems Award of the Reston, Va.-based American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was recognized for his contributions to the fields of propulsion, combustion and energy systems improvements.
