James Hoblyn (see photo) has been named London-based managing director of Bombardier Aerospace's Flexjet Europe Ltd. He was vice president-marketing and programs for Bombardier Aero- space Business Aircraft.
Malaysia has called off plans to build a $3-billion regional international airport to serve the upper Malaysian peninsula. Initially designated for a site near Penang, the project was later moved to Kuala Muda. Work was to start in 2003 and be completed in 2009. It was to replace the existing Penang airport, which is used heavily by tourists.
While pilot hiring slowed in July, it is expected to proceed at a brisk pace for the remainder of the year, according to Air Inc. The Atlanta-based airline career consultant says 1,178 new pilots were hired in July--329 by the majors, 346 by national carriers, 153 by jet operators, 101 by fractionals and 180 by nonjet operators and 69 by other types of operators. Pilots on furlough for the month totaled 818, compared with 551 in June. Air Inc. predicts a 16,500-pilot hiring requirement this year, which while strong, is not expected to match last year's levels.
Ian C. Aitken has been appointed president for corporate aircraft and John W. Gill vice president-human resources of Rolls-Royce North America Inc., Chantilly, Va. Aitken will remain executive vice president-airlines for the Americas. Gill was vice president-people and organization services for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.
THE FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION (FSF) HAS LAUNCHED an international study to identify fatigue and other factors that can affect flight crew performance during ultra-long-range (URL) flights. A workshop group is assembling data that could lead to recommendations that ensure URL missions are flown at a level of safety at least equal to or higher than that of the airlines. Issues include trip scheduling and personal strategies for sleeping, eating and exercising. Two business jets--the Gulfstream V and Bombardier Global Express--are capable of flying more than 6,000 naut. mi.
Russia's Saturn/Lyulka engine design bureau and Central Institute of Aviation Motors concluded an agreement to participate in the development of Snecma Moteurs' all-new SM146 turbofan. The proposed SM146 would power the 55-85-seat regional twinjet jointly proposed by Boeing, Ilyushin and Sukhoi.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. completed the prototype Gulfstream V-SP on Aug. 14 at its Savannah, Ga., facilities in preparation for first flight late this year. The GV-SP is a specially equipped version of the Gulfstream V long-range business jet that will have improved takeoff performance because of upgraded, increased-thrust Rolls-Royce BR710 engines. The airframe also has undergone drag reduction work to increase cruise speed.
Orbital Sciences Corp. will develop a concept for the Boeing Co.'s alternative boost vehicle used for the U.S. missile defense system in a seven-month contract valued at $11 million. Contract follow-on would include completion of concept development flight test and production of 50 ground-based launch vehicles.
Initial cancer research is getting underway on board the International Space Station this week as the new U.S./Russian Expedition 3 crew begins at least four months aloft on the 132-ton outpost. Studies on the growth of ovarian cancer cells will be started by about Aug. 24 in the new Cellular Biotech Support System hardware being operated by Expedition 3 commander Frank Culbertson and cosmonauts Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin.
Northrop Grumman's Logicon division has been tapped by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory to develop the Network Early Warning Systems (NEWS) capable of providing advanced warning of Internet-based attacks on Defense Dept.'s computers. ``This program represents the means to advance the current protect-detect-respond network defense strategy to a survivable strategy by anticipating attacks, assessing intrusions, and adapting defenses to counter the attack,'' said program manager Paul Zavidniak.
Jerry A. Krill has become head of the Power Projection Systems Dept. of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md. He was head of air defense programs in the Air Defense Systems Dept.
Edward Nicol has been appointed CEO of Tenzing Communications Inc. of Seattle. He was CEO of Cathay Pacific Airways' catering companies in Asia and North America.
House aviation subcommittee chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) is annoyed about further delays in deploying the FAA's Airport Movement Area Safety System (Amass) program, and he let Administrator Jane Garvey know about it last week.
Aviall Inc.'s Services unit has been awarded 10-year $100-million worldwide aftermarket distribution rights by Honeywell for hydromechanical control products used on the Rolls-Royce T56-series engine. Aviall Services will handle supply-chain management including aftermarket part sales, marketing, order administration and additional management responsibilities.
The FAA last week conducted a mini-lottery to allocate 21 unused slot exemptions that became available at New York LaGuardia airport since the agency's initial ``slottery'' plan--a stopgap measure to ease LGA's capacity woes --went into effect Jan. 31.
SOFTWARE FOR THE SUCCESSFUL USE of controller-pilot data link communication (CPDLC) over the Aeronautical Telecommunications Network by American Airlines, with Maastricht Upper Air Control Center, was provided by Airtel ATN (AW&ST Aug. 6, p. 59). The company is an independent Irish software developer and supplier of data communications solutions for the aviation industry. Airtel ATN provided the key ATN data communications solutions for the Rockwell Collins avionics and for ARINC's ground network.
Passengers sweating out flight delays on the San Francisco-Los Angeles or New York-Washington shuttles might be forgiven quizzical stares if they were told the Gulf of Mexico was the nation's hot spot of flight activity. But the FAA's Gulf of Mexico Working Group presents a convincing nomination of the region for that title. The Gulf has more than 600 helicopters, mainly serving its oil drilling rigs, plus a lot more.
Dennis H. Jones has been promoted to president from chief operating officer/vice chairman of Commerce One, Pleasanton, Calif. He succeeds Robert M. Kimmitt, who is joining AOL Time Warner but will remain a director.
Embraer, which is enjoying a period of increased profitability, is beginning to note the effects of the global economic downturn in its civil aircraft sector. Since the Paris air show in June, some airlines decided to delay converting options to firm orders, according to the Brazilian manufacturer's CEO Mauricio Botelho. He stressed that no firm orders have been canceled, but said the company has revised its production schedule downward.
NASA engineers dropped a prototype aircraft designed to operate in the thin atmosphere of Mars from a helium balloon at 103,000 ft. in an Aug. 9 test of its aerodynamic performance. Researchers said it appeared that the unpowered prototype met its test objectives. A powered airplane is under study as a way to tele-explore large areas of the red planet.
NASA HAS SELECTED EMBRY-RIDDLE Aeronautical University as the winner of the National General Aviation Design Competition sponsored by the agency, FAA and U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. The university's team was chosen for its cooperative work with SMA of France to install its SR305 turbocharged four-cylinder, 230-hp. diesel engine into a Cessna 182 Skylane. The SR305, which burns JetA1 fuel, already is certified in Europe. The modification is scheduled to receive FAA approval late this year.
