Steve Klassen has been named avionics and satellite manager for Duncan Aviation, Lincoln, Neb. He was manager of repair and overhaul for Honeywell in Wichita, Kan.
The European Commission has decided a modified travel portal joint venture between Deutsche Telekom unit T-Online and two German charter/tour operators, Preussag and C&N, a Lufthansa affiliate, would not require EC approval. The competition commissioner had threatened earlier to review the deal because of its potential to dominate the online segment of the travel industry. T-Online is the largest Internet provider in Europe, and Preussag and C&N the No. 1 and No. 3 travel operators.
The days when an assignment to military intelligence or a specialized technology job meant a dead-end career may be over. In fact, soon such backgrounds may catapult some officers into combat commander slots.
Africa seems destined, for years to come, to be the victim of significant turbulence driven by natural disasters, pandemic diseases, tribal hatred, unstable governments and economic exploitation. Compounding the problems and hampering relief attempts is the collapse of the infrastructure, in particular the colonial road and railroad system, due to neglect and lack of investment.
Laurie Tardif has become communications manager for Pratt&Whitney's Military Engines unit, East Hartford, Conn. She was vice president/partner in Paul T. Glover Consultants.
Ricardo Sanchez has been appointed chief commercial officer of Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste of Mexico City. He was sub-director of shopping centers, real estate and concessions for Grupo Sanborns and Sears Roebuck de Mexico.
Aviation Component Solutions has signed a three-year supply partnership agreement with Lufthansa Technik for such components as hydraulic pumps, pneumatic valves, hydraulic actuators and air cycle machines.
A career fair at the Paris air show? It hasn't been done before, but Airbus is marshalling its forces to convince engineers throughout the world to join the consolidated company. With 4,600 positions opening in the next year--including more than 1,500 in engineering--the company intends to sell its excellence as an employer along with its excellence as an aircraft company during the show.
Despite an agreement to reinforce Concorde's fuel tanks and the availability of ``no-blow out'' radial tires, French and British civil aviation authorities have not determined yet if the supersonic transport's airworthiness certificate can be reinstated.
Theofanis G. Gavrilis, president of Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, delivered the commencement address at the College of Aeronautics and received an honorary doctor of science degree. He was cited for his commitment to advancement of the space program, leadership in the design and production of satellite systems, and support and technical innovation in aviation.
Embracing Clausewitz's precept that no conquest can be carried out too quickly, the Bush team's notional military transformation plan hinges on a global joint response force whose essence is obliterative speed, agility, precision strike and logistical economy.
American Airlines Cargo plans to inaugurate drive-through service for small packages in the first quarter of 2002. The airline's Global Priority Shipping Center will be built at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and allow customers to drop off packages for shipment on the next available flight.
Bell Helicopter Textron has formed Bell Aerospace Services to provide technical, logistics and systems support for any military helicopter in service worldwide. The new subsidiary features a flexible manning structure to respond quickly to customer needs, according to the company. In related news, after 50 years of factory-direct sales, Bell has established Oregon-based Hillsboro Aviation and Helistream Inc. in California as authorized dealers to sell the 206B-3 JetRanger, 206L-4 LongRanger and 407 single-engine turbine helicopters.
The U.K. has moved aggressively to fill in shortfalls highlighted in the Kosovo conflict, although efforts in some areas continue to lag and procurement cutbacks may be looming. The U.K. is one of the few European NATO nations that has increased defense spending after years of decline. Last year, Defense Minister Geoff Hoon secured an extra 1.25 billion pounds ($1.75 billion) from the Treasury to spend on defense over the next three years.
The increasing reliance by makers of military hardware on the timing signal provided by GPS satellites is putting stress on competing technologies that could serve as backups in case the GPS-signal is jammed or unavailable for other reasons, experts warn. One notable area is the declining market for high-precision oscillators, said Scott Pace, of NASA headquarters. ``The industrial base winds up shifting'' because of the sole reliance on GPS, he added. Oscillators aren't the only affected businesses.
A memorandum of understanding between Pratt&Whitney and six manufacturing companies from the Netherlands to join in work for the Pratt-powered Joint Strike Fighter program was signed last week. Although many of the companies--Eldim B.V.; Fokker Elmo B.V.; Hamilton Sundstrand-Maastricht B.V.; Nederland Centrum voor Laser Research; Urenco Nederland B.V. and Stork N.V.--have individual agreements with Pratt for specific JSF119 work, the group has agreed to take a team approach. This assures that information can be shared and marketing can be coordinated.
The European Union's pledge to have a 60,000-man rapid reaction force ready for deployment by 2003 will be a huge airlift challenge for national air forces that are struggling to meet this daunting task through new procurement and better utilization of existing assets. Most European air forces have already been pushed to their limits during recent humanitarian and military operations. Rapidly deploying and sustaining the large task forces envisioned under the EU plan for upwards of two years will be an enormous undertaking.
A fresh set of tough conditions from the European Commission threatens to block a proposed takeover of Honeywell by General Electric that had already been approved by the U.S. Justice Dept. These demands would require GE not only to divest of Honeywell's regional jet engine unit and minor avionics businesses, as had been expected, but to sell a range of key Honeywell assets and spin off its own GE Capital Aviation Services (Gecas) aircraft financing and leasing unit--one of its most cherished operations.
Virgin Atlantic Chairman Richard Branson is looking at creating an all-business-class airline across the North Atlantic and is in talks with Bombardier about employing its Global Express. The new carrier, dubbed Jetset Airlines, would fly between London and North American cities Virgin Atlantic does not serve, such as Philadelphia and Seattle. But it could also augment Virgin Atlantic services to cities where business travel demand is high, such as New York. ``We have a solid business plan and feel it is a workable proposition,'' a Virgin official said.
Aerospace leaders are expressing more confidence in their information technology choices, as they brace for an era in which worldwide data networks are likely to be the business norm.
As a software engineer, Amanda VandePol is a much-needed commodity in today's economy. She ended up in aerospace as a result of a student internship at Smiths Industries, where she learned there's more to the aerospace technical challenge than merely making software work.
J. Stephen Joiner (see photos) has become vice president/general manager of Jet Aviation at Dallas Love Field and Thomas S. Rechsteiner head of production for Jet Aviation Basel in Switzerland. Joiner was general manager there for Signature Flight Support. Rechsteiner was head of project planning for SR Technics.
PCB Piezotronics Model 393B05 seismic accelerometer features a high output, 10 V/g sensitivity to capture low-level, low-frequency vibrations. The all-welded titanium housing provides durable construction in a lightweight 50-gram package. The unit is suited for seismic vibration monitoring and structural testing of space structures, as well as low-frequency low-amplitude modal analysis and vibration testing applications.
