Navy and Sikorsky pilots based at the manufacturer's Stratford, Conn., headquarters flew early relief missions into lower Manhattan in the hours following the attack on the Twin Towers of New York's World Trade Center.
Mark VanLoh has been named president/CEO of the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Metropolitan Airport Authority. He has been commissioner of airports for Hopkins International and Burke Lakefront airports, both in Cleveland.
The economic pain inflicted on the U.S. aerospace industry by terrorists who attacked Washington and New York may not become as acute as it will for the airlines, but it will be greater than anything the sector has experienced in many years (see p. 14). The Aerospace Industries Assn. (AIA) expects total sales to drop by up to $5.6 billion in 2002, and by as much as $6.7 billion in 2003. Increased military and space-related sales may offset some commercial losses, depending on how the Bush Administration responds to the crisis, but it's too soon to tell by how much.
PAM Group is developing a turbine-powered version of its experimental flying platform and is collaborating with Nina, Wis.-based SWB Turbines to get the vehicle into the air by year's end.
President Bush has proffered a Cabinet-level ``Office of Homeland Security,'' nominating fellow Republican and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge to head the organization. Speaking to world leaders during a 30-min. joint session of Congress, Bush said, ``Either you're with us, or you're with the terrorists.'' Bush spent much of last week trying to assemble an international coalition to combat terrorism. At the same time, the Administration spent energies trying to defuse any domestic backlash against Muslims.
Japan's Transport Ministry was warned last week of a possible terrorist attack on the U.S. Yokota air base in western Tokyo. The Civil Aviation Bureau said an FAA officer reported that four Arab terrorists are hiding in the city's Chofu and Yokota districts and may try to charter a general aviation aircraft to plunge it into the base. The embassy later denied that it was the source of the warning, however. The ministry issued an alert to the country's airports and GA aircraft owners, but reported nothing suspicious.
Aerospace companies worldwide responded quickly to relief efforts established in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. The money will go toward assisting victims of the attacks, as well as to the firefighters and police of New York and Washington. GE has pledged $10 million; Boeing, more than $5 million; EADS, $2 million; Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, $1 million each. These are just some of a myriad of companies donating money, time, equipment and blood.
GE Capital Aviation Services is using custom software from Intelliseek of Cincinnati (www.intelliseek.com) to automatically monitor a number of public and private online information sources to look for commercial, regional and cargo aircraft that are for sale or lease. The system filters and sorts the data by predefined parameters to notify Gecas employees of potential deals. Gecas has added its own patent-pending technology that automatically generates offer letters.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. has completed initial flight tests of an F-16C equipped with nonfunctional conformal fuel tanks (CFT) for advanced versions of the fighter. The tests, conducted at Eglin AFB, Fla., involved 24 flights totaling 65 hr. checking flutter, loads and stability-and-control issues. The CFTs provide 440 gal. of additional fuel. Further flight testing of the airplane fitted with functional CFTs is scheduled for late October.
After years of fare wars and board intrigue, Ansett Australia has been grounded by too much debt, too much competition and fear of what might happen if the airline does get another chance.
Flight deck and cabin crewmembers took the first steps toward remedial action last week, detailing recommendations for improved security in flight and on the ground. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta formed two Rapid Response Teams on Sept. 16--one focusing on aircraft and the other on airports--which were asked to review security within the National Airspace System and recommend ways to enhance it.
Indian programmers are developing surveillance software for a fleet of three Russian AWACS aircraft that are to be built for the Indian air force, according to Aerospace Daily. The A-50 aircraft are Ilyushin Il-76 TD transports and will be prepared by Beriev for 2005 delivery. The air force tested an aircraft with Russian radar and communications systems and rejected it because it did not meet requirements, particularly in surveillance software. Israel Aircraft Industries will be providing the communications system.
Charles Lloyd, chief financial officer of SpaceDev Inc., Poway, Calif., also will be chief operating officer, following the resignation of Stanley W. Dubyn as president/COO.
U.S. Air Force officials have awarded Lockheed Martin an $868-million contract for low-rate production of the F-22 Raptor. It will allow completion of 10 lot-1 stealth fighters along with purchase of associated equipment and program support. The service also awarded a $226-million contract to Pratt&Whitney for 20 lot-1 F119-PW-100 engines and support. At the same time, the Defense Dept.
Henry Azzam, Frank Mountcastle and Hazem Malhas have been named to the board of directors of Amman, Jordan-based Aramex International Ltd. Azzam is CEO of Jordinvest. Mountcastle is managing director/head of the Logistics and Transportation Services Investment Banking Group at BB&T Capital Markets, and Malhas is CEO of Aregon.
Fenton Appleby (see photo) has been promoted to vice president-sales and market development for the Aero Propulsion business unit of Wood Group Power, East Granby, Conn., from vice president-sales and marketing for the PT6 and 501/T56 engine overhaul unit.
Gary J. Ferguson has been appointed director of national sales for Amerijet International, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was an international development executive for Federal Express.
A gruesome synchronicity played out on Sept. 11 as teams of hijackers used four U.S. passenger aircraft as fuel-laden missiles to destroy the World Trade Center buildings and portions of the Pentagon here. Two Boeing 767s slammed into the twin towers in New York--one at 8:45 a.m. EDT, the other at 9:03 a.m. Then the devastation moved south to Washington.
Chomerics, a division of Parker Hannifin, introduced its Spring-Line stainless steel card cage gaskets for EMI, shielding the expansion slot area of PC and server chassis. Standard card cage gaskets are available for PCI/EISA slot configurations from one to 10 slots. They fit most existing chassis without modification. Integral contact fingers minimize snagging during installation and removal of cards. Tin-plated stainless steel gaskets are available for galvanic conformity with certain cabinet metals. The gaskets are provided in standard and customer configurations.
Northrop Grumman Corp. has won a $73-million contract from the U.S. Marine Corps to supply Litening II pods for its AV-8B Harrier aircraft. The award also includes the supply of logistical support, spares and training.
Steven A. Thompson will become head of the Government Policy and Procurement Div. of the National Defense Industrial Assn. upon the retirement on Sept. 30 of Peter C. Scrivner, who has been senior vice president-government policy. Thompson has been professional staff member for the House Armed Services Committee.
Carboloy, a part of Seco Tools AB, has introduced the new T250D drilling grade for high temperature alloys and severe stainless steels. Specially configured for use in the aerospace industry, T250D is designed for drilling difficult-to-machine alloys such as Inconel 718, 17-4PH stainless steel and 52 HRC hardened steel. With a high aluminum content, T250D features a newly developed coating that combines the high temperature stability and oxidation resistance of (Ti,Al)N. The new grade is expected to enhance the performance of Seco-Carboloy Perfomax drills.
European operators are extending fractional ownership and quasi-fractional ownership plans down to the single-engine turboprop level as the business aviation community continues to tailor joint ownership concepts to meet European requirements.
New Zealand's Ministry of Defense has accepted delivery of two SH-2G(NZ) Super Seasprite helicopters from Kaman Aerospace International Corp. The two aircraft represented initial delivery of an order for five helicopters for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
