Medical Satellite Broadcasting Corp. will use Loral CyberStar's satellite-based digital video broadcasting (DVB) services to deliver its new broadband information service. The service involves delivery of medical data from sources such as textbooks, publications, research papers and live or recorded video presentations directly to desktop computers. Medical Network News is to be introduced on a trial basis in the U.K., Spain, Portugal, Norway, Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Germany.
Milo W. Hyde has been named vice president of the Virginia-based Systems and Analysis Group, George P. Fox vice president of the Electronics Systems Group and Frank Otto vice president of the Integrated Systems and Structures Group, all of the Edo Corp. of New York. Hyde was group general manager, while Otto was general manager of the Marine and Aircraft Systems Div. Fox was director of operations for AIL Systems, Deer Park, N.Y.
President Clinton signed a $288.5-billion defense appropriations budget for next year, praising Congress for approving his full F-22 request, but criticizing lawmakers for slowing funding for the Joint Strike Fighter. The President also lauded Congress for granting his Fiscal 2001 national missile defense request and a 3.7% military pay raise, while expressing disappointment at lawmakers' decision to cut denuclearization funds for Russia and zero out money for building a Russian chemical weapons destruction facility at Shchuch'ye.
British Airways expects it will operate Concorde for another decade and is planning a service life extension in 2004 that would allow the aircraft to fly until 2011-12, despite the July 25 crash of an Air France Concorde. The supersonic aircraft fleet is already in the midst of a previous life-extension program that raised the original reference flight cycle limit, a measurement adjusted to take into account takeoff weights, from 6,700 to 8,500 cycles (AW&ST Feb. 12, 1996, p. 39). That essentially allows the aircraft to operate until 2006.
Facing up to the likelihood that Army deployments to the Balkans aren't going to end soon, the service is putting together a long-term plan to manage its deployments to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, Byrnes also says. The move represents a departure from only a few years ago. For example, the last Quadrennial Defense Review in 1997 presupposed that the Bosnia mission would end within six months.
An experimental camera orbiting on the Air Force Research Laboratory's new MightySat II.1 spacecraft started taking pictures early this month, giving military scientists a long-awaited first look at hyperspectral images from space. The system slices visible and near-infrared light into hundreds of channels, which provide a wealth of target information not available from a standard photograph.
Senior Air Force officials are seriously considering major modifications to Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle to make it more versatile. The concept calls for a Block 20 version of the high-altitude UAV with a larger wing and a new, more-powerful engine. That would allow Global Hawk to carry and provide power for more payloads.
Reflecting the brisk pace of new regional airline and business aircraft sales, production of gas turbine engines to power these aircraft is projected to remain strong at about 4,500 engines per year for the remainder of this decade.
Ties between Russia's arms industry and India may be getting closer. India, already a heavy user of Russian hardware, is considering leasing several of Russia's long-range bombers, the CIA reports. The aircraft would provide New Delhi with much greater range than its current inventory of weapons, which includes the Russian-built Su-30MKI. The bomber could serve a dual purpose for India, keeping neighboring Pakistan in check while expanding capabilities in relation to China. In the meantime, China is continuing to sell fighters and antiship missiles to Pakistan.
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE OFFICIALS SAID DELIVERIES of the company's business jet products are continuing at a record pace this year compared with 1999. Rob Gillespie, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft, said 116 jets were delivered in the first six months, whereas 84 were delivered during the same period last year. In addition, the long-range Global Express, of which 14 were in service as of mid-July, has received letters of approval from 23 member nations of the European Joint Aviation Authorities since 1999.
The FAA and the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) have agreed to study the work environment of flight attendants, leading to development of a process to ensure they receive adequate on-the-job protection. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, studies have found that the aviation industry has a higher employee injury rate than other private sector industries.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Aug. 9 midair collision of a Piper PA-44 Seminole and a PA-31 Navajo near Burlington, N.J., that killed 11 people. According to preliminary information, the Seminole, a light, twin-engine airplane used for multiengine training, departed Northeast Philadelphia Airport with a flight instructor and student pilot on board.
The nonpowered flight version of NASA's X-34 reusable launch vehicle (RLV) technology demonstrator may resume FAA certification flights with its L-1011 carrier aircraft following an incident July 29 during a series of tow tests (see photo). The vehicle has completed three captive-carry flights on the carrier aircraft and is scheduled for six more in order to complete certification requirements.
Southern Airlines Group Co., corporate parent of China Southern Airlines, has taken operational and managerial control of Zhongyuan Airlines. The smaller carrier, which operates from Zhengzhou Airport in Henan Province, will retain its name but become part of the overall Southern Airlines Group, according to officials of China Southern. Zhongyuan Airlines operates five Boeing 737s and two Y-7 turboprop transports and employs more than 560 people, including 80 pilots.
Richard L. Richards (see photo) has been appointed vice president/general counsel of Fine Air Services Inc. of Miami. He was a partner in the aviation law firm of Jarvis and Richards.
A further strengthening of Singapore Airlines' investment in Air New Zealand and Ansett Australia has cost 13 senior executives their jobs. The changes have hit hardest at Ansett, where only two of an original nine-member executive team have retained their positions.
Friedel Rodig of Lufthansa German Airlines has been named CEO and Bruce Harris of United Airlines deputy CEO/ chief administrative officer of the Vienna-based Star Alliance.
Kevin Smith, now managing director of GKN Aerospace, has been designated to become chairman of AgustaWestland, the joint venture that will combine the helicopter businesses of Finmeccanica and GKN. Amedeo Caporaletti, currently president/chief executive of Agusta, will be chief executive. Richard Case, now chief executive of Westland, will become managing director.
The X-33 composite liquid hydrogen tank failed on Nov. 3 because microcracking let liquid hydrogen into the core of the honeycomb walls, the adhesive bonding the skins to the core was only half strength, and cryopumping sucked air into the core and liquefied it, according to a NASA investigation made available on Aug. 10 (http://x33.msfc.nasa.gov/tankreport.pdf). When the tank warmed up after a test, the liquefied gases expanded and blew the flawed honeycomb apart (AW&ST Nov. 15, 1999, p. 28).
Rene I. Beauchamp has been named Washington-based vice president-government business development for the Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn. He was director of communications.
Maggie Schimpf has become president of the Seattle-based Aviation Communications Div. of AT&T Wireless Services. She was chief operating officer. Aaron Burnett, who was vice president-marketing, is now vice president-sales and marketing.
The French government's unilateral initiative to ground Air France's Concorde fleet has puzzled the aviation community. French concerns contrast sharply with the U.K.'s continued confidence in the technical integrity of the supersonic transport. The BEA accident investigation bureau's preliminary report, scheduled to be completed by the end of the month, will review facts and evidence gathered by investigators, but is unlikely to indicate causes for the July 25 accident.
The first unmanned Progress tanker/ transport to be launched to the International Space Station docked safely with the ISS last week, initiating years of planned Russian resupply operations. The Progress M1-3 spacecraft is carrying 5,354 lb. of dry cargo and liquid propellant, including critical hardware to outfit the ISS interior.
