The crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261 on Jan. 31, 2000, marked the first inflight failure of a jackscrew assembly. The National Transportation Safety Board's Dec. 13-16 preliminary hearings, which convened to gather more evidence for its investigation, focused primarily on the assembly's operation and scrutinized design/certification, maintenance and oversight factors that may have led to its failure. Among the technical and other evidence cited:
A vexing problem for aircraft technicians is equipment that tests okay on the ground after pilots have reported a malfunction. The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is yet again trying to address the ``retest OK'' issue, this time with a contract to Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Sector to develop better diagnostic software that works with existing tools. The software is also supposed to predict failures, so maintenance can be performed when actual conditions predict there will be a problem, instead of at fixed intervals.
In a ``little league/big league'' partnership, Orbital Sciences Corp. is teaming with Northrop Grumman on a two-stage-to-orbit concept to compete against giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin for the next-generation space shuttle contract.
If you were a provider of space launch services in 1996 and had a crystal ball that allowed you to peek into the future, you would probably feel very good about the market, particularly if you noticed that the number of payloads launched (or attempted to be launched) into Earth orbit would grow by 59% in 1997. You still might be happy to see that in 1998 the number of payloads launched or attempted was destined to grow by another 9%.
American Airlines' plan to acquire financially beleaguered Trans World Airlines Inc. (TWA) could immediately spark other mergers between the largest U.S. major carriers, even beyond the already-proposed $4.3-billion takeover of US Airways by United Airlines, now before the U.S. Justice Dept.'s Antitrust Div.
The USM 23 EX ``instrinsically'' safe portable ultrasonic flaw detector is designed for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. It is certified in accordance to Cenelec EN50014 and ENN50020 for mining and chemical venues. An assortment of compatible straight beam, angle beam and dual-element probes, certified for testing in potentially explosive areas, are available. A fast (60 Hz. update) LCD display is easily seen in direct sunlight and a backlight can be used for poor lighting conditions. Six C-size Varta alkaline batteries provide safe power for up to 4 hr. of use.
Hardware coming together on the Air Force's anti-ballistic missile Airborne Laser has led program managers to realize that their development plans weren't adequate to address technical problems, which is forcing them into some unorthodox financial management to keep the program on schedule.
The DHS 250 series of Heat Spy offers an expanded measurement range, now including surface temperature up to 900C (1,652F) while still maintaining 1% of reading accuracy over a spectral range of 8-14um. The design provides a rugged, easy-to-use instrument. Laser sighting is included on all series models to improve target location and overall accuracy. The line has three models, all of which feature a dual back-lit LCD for current, hold, maximum, minimum, average and differential temperature readings. Also an adjustable emissivity settable audible high alarm is featured.
Rolls-Royce has signed a $50-million long-term support package with South African Airways for maintenance of the carrier's RB211-524H engines, which are being upgraded to the improved H-T standard.
There are signs that the trainer market, long considered dormant, may again come to life. Fleets are aging, and despite several trends mitigating against market growth, requirements are still in place. Several important trainer competitions have been announced, most notably in Turkey.
Logicon has expanded itself 39% by purchasing Federal Data Corp. FDC will help Logicon gain inroads to the FAA and other agencies. FDC's 1999 sales were $584 million from 1,400 employees, while Logicon brought in $1.5 billion. Value of the transaction was $302 million. . . . The MathWorks has updated its Simulink graphical modeling and programming environment for embedded control systems. Simulink 4 has new tools to measure and optimize code performance, and graphically diagnose errors. Existing Fortran, C and Ada software can be integrated in the model.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have become one of the most dynamic areas of development in aerospace in the past few years, spurred on by their use in recent peacekeeping operations. This last year has seen further clarification in the tactical programs of the U.S. armed forces. Europe has started to take a more serious look at endurance UAVs as a versatile gap-filler between tactical UAVs and reconnaissance satellites. Interest in the most futuristic of all UAV applications, the Uninhabited Combat Aerial Vehicle or UCAV, has continued to spread as well.
The IQ200 On-line particle counter continuously monitors fluid cleanliness levels on a real-time basis for increased system reliability. Users can avoid the expense and delays of handling with lab tests and portable counters, while obtaining fluid analysis results within seconds. Alarms can be set based on fluid cleanliness requirements by ISO/NAS standards or particle size. Count intervals can be programmed from 5 sec. every minute or longer as specified.
ROBERT V. DAHL, PROJECT DIRECTOR, AIR CARGO MANAGEMENT GROUP
There are now more than 1,600 jet freighters in operation worldwide. The fleet size has doubled in the past 10 years to meet an ever growing demand for global air cargo services. Even so, passenger jets outnumber freighters by more than a seven-to-one ratio. That fact is not too surprising, considering that for each dollar of revenue taken in by the world's airlines, 85 cents comes from passenger operations, to just 15 cents from freight.
Five years after rollout, India's single-engine indigenous Light Combat Aircraft completed an 18-min. maiden flight Jan. 4 from Bangalore airport. Piloted by Wing Cdr. Rajiv Kothiyal, the first flight of LCA Technology Demonstrator 1 ``was flawless, and no problems were reported,'' said Yogesh Kumar of India's Aeronautical Development Agency. Two Mirage 2000 fighters served as chase planes for the flight, which originally was scheduled for mid-1996 and then mid-1997 (AW&ST Dec. 2, 1996, p. 52).
Dennis Henderson has been named to the board of directors of TransOrbital Inc. of San Diego. He was an executive with Boeing's Advanced Systems and Technology Div. and Strategic Planning Group.
``The future is not what it used to be.'' It's an old saying, quite popular back in the 20th century, but it certainly applies today to manned spaceflight.
A 45-country group in Africa and the Indian Ocean plans to create an advanced meteorological network in collaboration with Eumetsat that is expected to improve weather forecasting, disaster monitoring, climate and environmental study and related services across the continent. Funded by the European Commission's Fund for Economic Development, and coordinated by Kenya's department of meteorology, the 11-million-euro ($10.3-million) project will upgrade 120 existing weather stations so they can interface with Eumetsat's second-generation satellite system, MSG.
Mesa Air posted a fourth-quarter net profit of $16.9 million, compared with a net loss of $23.7 million in the year earlier period. Part of the profit includes $1.6 million due to a change in accounting procedures. Mesa CEO Jonathan Ornstein credited the ongoing restructuring program as a key reason for the airline's positive financial performance.
Rolls-Royce has secured a work package worth $900 million to maintain V2500 engines for British Airways' fleet of Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. Rolls-Royce was awarded the 20-year contract by the International Aero Engines (IAE) consortium, which produces the V2500. Rolls-Royce is a major shareholder in IAE.
Mark Monticelli has been named vice president/controller and USAF Brig. Gen. (ret.) Regner C. Rider vice president-C3ISR programs for Veridian, Arlington, Va. Monticelli was a consultant to Verdian from KPMG, while Rider was USAF deputy director for reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence, electronic warfare and information warfare capabilities.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Group said it delivered 489 commercial aircraft in 2000--only one aircraft short of the estimate it made earlier in the year. The manufacturer last week estimated about 530 jet aircraft will be delivered this year and the same amount in 2002.
EADS has embarked on a restructuring plan to boost profitability at its defense and other non-Airbus operations. The company's Defense and Civil Systems Div. will combine German- and French-based businesses into cross-border entities to improve efficiencies. The division already has shed 1,500 employees in the wake of shrinking defense budgets in home markets, and another 550 jobs in Germany and 950 in France are set to be axed if the market situation does not improve. EADS aims to grow its international business through acquisitions and joint ventures.
The International Space Station Alpha, with its new 240-ft. solar arrays silhouetted against the blackness of space, is sailed by its U.S.-Russian Expedition 1 crew into a Pacific horizon 200 naut. mi. above the Earth.
