A group of European and Russian organizations will investigate the use of liquid methane/liquid oxygen propulsion in reusable rocket engines. The project, dubbed Volga, will bring together Snecma Moteurs, Astrium GmbH., Volvo Aero, Techspace Aero, NPO Energomash, Chemical Automatics Design Bureau and the Keldysh Research Center. Backers hope to interest French space agency CNES and the German Aerospace Center DLR in the initiative, which is proposed for the European Space Agency's Future Launcher Preparatory Program, intended to be launched in midyear.
Operations in the Southern Philippines claimed another Central Intelligence Agency intelligence-gathering aircraft late last month when an unmanned Gnat 750 crashed in a bay west of Zamboanga City just after takeoff for an early morning mission. However, Philippine and U.S. Navy divers recovered the aircraft almost intact. The CIA also lost the first aircraft in Afghanistan when one of the agency's larger Predator UAVs crashed last year. UAVs and Navy P-3s are supporting the search for Abu Sayyaf Muslim militants in the area.
Preliminary analysis by Honeywell of 71 runway incursions worldwide between 1990-2002 indicates that 70% involved deviations by the cockpit crew from standard operating procedures and 46% involved failure by ATC to provide separation, according to Ratan Khatwa, manager of flight safety human factors at Honeywell. He said 34% occurred in darkness or twilight, which implies a risk twice as high than daylight, and 23% were in visibility less than a runway visual range of 1,200 ft.
The Ecoplate metallic conformal coating process is an automated system that applies a pure metal coating over plastic or metal electronic housings to provide lower-cost EMI shielding. In the patent-pending process, a metal film is atomized and sprayed onto enclosure parts. Shielding performance of the Ecoplate 5030 tin/zinc alloy exceeds 75 dB. from 100 MHz. to 10 GHz. The low-temperature process is free of solvents and corrosives, making it suitable for plastic injection-molded parts. Chomerics, Div. of Parker Hannifin, 77 Dragon Court, Woburn, Mass. 01888.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has ordered 300 explosives-detection systems--consisting of CTX 2500 and CTX 5500DS models--plus 100 component sets from InVision Technologies Inc. The order is valued at more than $148 million.
Hong Kong International Airport said it will add a HK$13 ($1.69) airport security surcharge on all departing passengers beginning May 1 in response to the added costs the airport has experienced since Sept. 11.
This portable wheel weighing scale for aircraft and other vehicles features cast aluminum construction. It has a 1-in. LCD display, and is battery operated with an AC adapter/charger. It operates 20 hr. on a charge. Available in 10,000-lb. and 20,000-lb. capacity models, the scales display weight in pounds or kilograms. Accurate to 1% of the aircraft's weight, the scale provides digital filtering to compensate for vibrations, and has a standard printer port. Designed to handle 150% overload, the scales are also available in double-width models that are about 28 in. wide.
The outbreak of a major conflict half way around the world and turmoil in several key development programs is hardly the environment anyone would have chosen to start a major overhaul of the Pentagon's space management; but that's the situation senior leaders face as they start to shake up the national security space community to address concerns expressed last year by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
Boeing has completed most of the engineering work required on a longer range version of the 737-700 that could serve a variety of niche markets, including operation over transatlantic routes. There was strong customer interest in the planned derivative, according to Boeing officials, but the attention waned after the September terrorist attacks as airlines focused on getting through the disruption in operations caused by the tragedy.
Sirocco Aerospace has begun introducing the first Russian Tu-204-120 transports to Western Europe, and offered to take a pioneering stake in Tupolev and Aviastar, which build the aircraft with Sirocco.
British engine maker Rolls-Royce is eliminating the thrust-vectoring hooded nozzle used to direct the thrust of the F-35's lift fan in favor of a lighter, rectangular nozzle that will be structurally integrated into the airframe of the short takeoff/vertical landing version of the Joint Strike Fighter. Dubbed the variable area vane box nozzle, the new, thrust-vectoring component will weigh about 150 lb. less than the hooded nozzle used in the X-35's earlier concept demonstration (CD) phase (AW&ST Sept. 24, 2001, p. 52).
PTC, a major maker of design and business software, expects its revenue for the first quarter of 2002 will be 5-10% below the $208-million consensus figure estimated by financial analysts. At best the company expects to break even for the quarter, and that's using ``pro forma'' accounting methodology, which was popular in the pre-Enron days and tends to paint a rosy picture. ``Worldwide manufacturing spending remains weak, and we continue to see customers delay or reduce software spending,'' said C. Richard Harrison, president and chief executive officer.
The Pentagon is expanding its surveillance of the Philippines by deploying the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft to augment other Defense Dept. and CIA intelligence aircraft already in the region. Global Hawk operations will be carried out from RAAF Edinburgh, Australia. The surveillance aircraft operated out of the air base near Adelaide last year during a six-week training deployment. The Pentagon will keep one Global Hawk stationed in the United Arab Emirates to support Afghan operations and any other intelligence demands in the U.S. Central Command region.
Douglas Smith (see photo) has been promoted to Eastern U.S. vice president-sales from sales director for Montreal-based Bombardier Aerospace Business Aircraft.
Russia has moved to restrict incoming flights from three Western European airlines in a move that has been widely interpreted as retaliation for new European noise rules. The government last week informed KLM, SAS and Finnair that it was curtailing flights to St. Petersburg and Moscow from four European cities, effective immediately, until further notice. The cuts will reduce service at KLM to three weekly flights from seven; SAS, to nine from 12; and Finnair, to seven from nine.
The Bush Administration must start looking now for a new administrator for the FAA. In today's environment this is too important a position to wait until Jane Garvey steps down from her five-year post this August to locate a good nominee. By the time you do political fitness scrutiny, background checks, factor in summer recess and the usual Congressional scrubbing, the next 3-4 months will not be enough time to get a new FAA chief installed, unless the process starts immediately.
John MacPhee has become vice president of finance/chief financial officer of the Avidyne Corp., Lincoln, Mass. He held the same positions at e-Dialog, Lexington, Mass.
Bob McIntye has been named managing director of London-based Raytheon Systems Ltd. He succeeds Peter McKee, who has retired. McIntyre has been director of operations.
If transformational changes now sweeping the U.S. National Security Space community are likened to an earthquake, Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) would be at the epicenter. The command is now unique among USAF units, with cradle-to-grave responsibility for developing, acquiring and operating critical space systems.
William R. Wilson has been named senior vice president for the Woburn, Mass.-based New England operations of Herley Industries Inc. He was vice president-technical operations and special projects for Litton Laser Systems.
Jack M. Arehart has become senior vice president-business development for the Aviation Sales Co., Greensboro, N.C. He was vice president-program development for the Nordam Group.
Janice Shelby has been promoted to vice president-programs from director of contracts and procurement for the Turbomeca Engine Corp. and Microturbo Inc., Grand Prairie, Tex.
Vistagy Inc.'s FiberSIM software for the design and production of composite parts continues to expand its market presence among aerospace users. Sikorsky has bought V3.4 to support its Process Tools 2000 initiative to expedite and automate design processes. The new licenses double Sikorsky's capacity to 400 users. The helicopter maker will conduct trade studies to evaluate conversion from metal parts to composite materials on the upgraded Black Hawk UH-60M (see illustration of helicopter shroud).
Boeing is considering reducing or even dumping its shareholding in Czech aircraft maker Aero Vodochody, following sharp criticism of its role in the company. The Czech media has charged the U.S. firm's local affiliate, Boeing Ceska, with poor management at Aero Vodochody, in which it has a 30% stake. Boeing has also been accused of providing lackluster support for Aero Vodochody's flagship L-159 trainer/strike aircraft and blocking attempts by BAE Systems/Saab, selected last year for a Czech fighter requirement, to buy into the company.
Anthony Smyth has been named director general of the Canada Aviation Museum in Ottawa.He was deputy secretary for policy, program and protocol to the country's governor general.
