The Teal Group is forecasting more than 6,400 jets worth $78.3 billion will be sold in the next 10 years as advanced aircraft and the need for flexible travel continue to fuel demand.
There's been some hand-wringing in space circles recently, what with the very visible financial belly flop of the Iridium satellite mobile phone system and what some see as a looming glut of launch vehicles. Look at the big picture, though, and it's hard to see what all the fretting is about. The Washington-based Satellite Industry Assn. (SIA) forecasts 20% revenue growth to $83 billion in the satellite industry worldwide this year. After dipping a bit last year, employment in the industry should jump in 2000 to 253,000 from 199,000.
FRENCH ENGINE MANUFACTURER SNECMA is acquiring the Labinal Group, the parent company of Turbomeca, a major producer of helicopter engines. Turbomeca supplies a wide range of turboshaft engines for Eurocopter, as well as Sikorsky Aircraft's S-76C+. Snecma, in partnership with General Electric, produces the CFM-56 series of turbofan engines for airline and military jet transports.
The National Transportation Safety Board on June 13 outlined further steps to stem the unabated increase of runway incursions--a risk high on the ``Most Wanted'' list of FAA safety priorities.
Boeing plans to continue reducing its worldwide workforce, which stands at about 189,000 employees, to as low as 180,000 by year-end. It also is seeking a buyer for its St. Louis parts fabrication business and may consolidate other manufacturing operations, according to Chief Financial Officer Michael Sears. The move is part of a Boeing strategy to focus on design, integration, final assembly and services such as maintenance (AW&ST Apr. 10, p. 13). The plant occupies about 1.7 million sq. ft. and operates at 40% of capacity.
For at least the third time in the Joint Strike Fighter's history, there is interest in restructuring the program by adding additional time for maturation of the advanced short takeoff and vertical landing (ASTOVL) technology.
Boeing has held a low-key test of the online auction concept it expects to introduce this year as part of a global business-to-business (B2B) marketplace exchange in partnership with Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and BAE Systems.
Air India is seeking to lease six Airbus A310s and two Boeing 747-300s, and has short-listed tenders from five companies including Airbus and leasing/finance firms. The only carrier involved is Singapore Airlines, which has the required aircraft for sale or lease. The evaluation is due to be completed by early July. Last month, the Indian cabinet approved a decision to sell a 40% stake in the state-run airline to an investor. A foreign buyer is allowed to hold 26% of the carrier when teamed with an Indian firm that takes 14%.
Russian Ministry of Defense and space agency managers were late last week moving to resolve Proton launch scheduling issues at the Baikonur Cosmodrome that carry the potential for further delay of the planned July 12 launch of the critical Zvezda Service Module for the International Space Station.
TRW has begun full-scale production of radiation-hardened RH32S computer chips for Astrolink satellite digital payloads. The company has completed the development program for the RH32S, which is central in controlling the satellites' advanced digital processors for Astrolink's global broadband telecommunications system. Astrolink is scheduled to begin providing interactive broadband access internationally in 2003. The first five chips are installed in development stations where they are being used to build applications software.
Thomson-CSF has signed an agreement with the U.K. Ministry of Defense ensuring the protection of British national security interests arising from the French company's acquisition of Racal Electronics. The U.K. Office of Fair Trading has been asked to review the security agreement. Thomson-CSF said this would not delay completion of the merger,, which is scheduled in the next few weeks. European Commission approval for the deal was expected late last week.
Crossair's flight operations need to be restructured and strengthened to keep pace with the carrier's impressive traffic growth, according to independent flight safety experts. The SAirGroup affiliate, which carried nearly 6 million passengers last year, has evolved quickly into a major regional airline operating more than 80 aircraft. This rapid expansion placed considerable strain on the company's staff, particularly the flight operations department, according to an in-depth review completed earlier this month.
John R. Casani, retired chief engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., has received an honorary doctorate in astronautical engineering from the University of Rome La Sapienza for his work as project manager for NASA's Voyager, Galileo and Cassini space missions.
The U.S. Navy has a history of involving itself in unmanned aerial vehicle programs, demanding extensive changes to meet sea-going requirements and then dropping out, leaving former partners with hybrid aircraft that no longer match anyone's requirements.
F-22 testing and cost control efforts are producing decidedly mixed results. Officials of the General Accounting Office tell the House Government Reform Committee's national security panel that testing of the stealth fighter is 21% behind schedule in completed test hours, 16% behind in completed test points. The first flight with the F-22's Block 3 software is not expected as early as the Air Force had hoped. The service tried to pull up that flight several months to October in order to get Pentagon approval in December to start F-22 production.
Keith Hall, director of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), has received the Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy from the National Space Club. Hall was cited for playing ``a pivotal role in the evolution and maturity of national security space applications.'' The club also gave its Dr. Joseph Charyk Award to USAF Col. John Cunningham for ideas that led to systems that have benefitted a wide range of NRO customers.
The Italian government will take delivery soon of its second Airbus Industrie Corporate Jet. Its first ACJ was delivered in March. Italy's ACJs, which are powered by CFM International CFM56-5B7 turbofans, have a 40-seat cabin configuration provided by Aero Interiors. The European corporate twinjet can operate nonstop long-haul routes such as Rome-Washington and Rome-Ottawa, officials pointed out. The aircraft's catalog price is $36 million in ``green'' configuration.
Garuda Indonesia Airlines has admitted to its unsatisfactory passenger service in a full-page advertisement in the Jakarta Post. The ad shows an overflowing complaint box with the words, ``We are not surprised to have received so many complaints.'' Garuda says it has a bad reputation for lateness and bumping passengers.
Michael W. Lennon (see photo) has been promoted to vice president-electro-optical and infrared targeting programs from director of radio frequency electronic warfare programs for the Northrop Grumman Corp. Electronic Sensors and Systems Sector, Rolling Meadows, Ill.
Talks between U.S. and U.K. transport officials in London last week allowed both sides to ``clarify'' their positions in ongoing negotiations for a new aviation pact, British officials said. The two days of talks covered a wide range of issues, including ideas for phasing in liberalization measures. But observers said a deal will be hard to craft until the commercial landscape is settled, especially with merger talks between British Airways and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. The two sides will resume negotiations in Washington on July 5.
Ongoing efforts aimed at forging an independent European defense capability have gained momentum with a German government decision to participate in the multinational A400M airlifter and a Franco-German military reconnaissance satellite system.
And so it may come to pass that United Airlines and US Airways shall join together and beget United S. Airways, which may beget North American Orient Airlines and KLM Royal British Airways. What next? Trans Continental Delta World Airways? Mid-America South Trans-Alaska Blue Atlantic Aloha Pro-Com Express? How about El Itaberia Franthunsa Cannippon Qathayflot? The names may be fanciful, but the potential consolidation in domestic and international air service they signify is very real.
Hughes Space&Communications is using a new onboard liquid apogee engine design built by Kaiser Marquardt in Van Nuys, Calif. (see photo). The engine, about 30 in. long, has an iridium-lined rhenium combustion chamber (dark section near top) to provide the capability of operating at temperatures about 700F higher than conventional apogee engines. The 100-lb.-thrust system, with a specific impulse of about 322 sec., was initially used on a Hughes 601HP Galaxy XR built for PanAmSat and launched last January.
