The BioPuck HC is a small, disc-shaped tablet that slowly releases an oil-consuming bacteria. Each puck is capable, in most cases, of treating 1,000 gallons of oily water for a month. The puck is dropped into the collection pit and immediately begins to metabolize the hydrocarbons, converting them to the harmless by-products of carbon dioxide and water. It usually takes 1-2 months to visually see the difference. Landa Water Cleaning Systems, 4275 Pacific Rim Blvd., Camas, Wash., 98607.
Oliver Fritz and Keith Kruse have been promoted at Washington-based DFI International to senior associates in the firm's government practice. Both specialize in projects involving the U.S. Air Force.
The Netherlands and U.S. are negotiating for the possible upgrade of 10 Dutch P-3C maritime surveillance aircraft under a $200-million program. Improvements would include the addition of secure and satellite communications, missile warning system and countermeasures dispensers, cockpit enhancements and other gear.
A U.S. Bankruptcy Court is expected to rule on Feb. 24 on $275 million in financing for ICO Global Communications. ICO and a group of investors led by Eagle River Investments agreed to the deal--the second portion of a $500-million package intended to rescue ICO from Chapter 11--on Feb. 4.
U.S. Navy test officials have declared the F/A-18E/F operationally suitable and effective. The passing grade clears the way for the aircraft to transition to fleet use, with the first deployment scheduled for 2002. Boeing is set to receive a $9-billion production contract this spring.
Michael Besler has been named director-defense systems of Orthogon's Brussels liaison office. He was director-European business development of Gallium Inc.
There was talk at the last Singapore air show that Asia's economies could shake off an economic crisis within a couple of years. Those sentiments seemed awfully brave at the time.
Embraer will use AeroInfo Systems' Collaborative Reliability Management System (CRMS) to create maintenance programs for its future regional jets. Embraer's 15 international partners can participate online in devising the maintenance programs, based on standards from the Air Transport Assn.'s MSG-3 Rev. 2 handbook. ``The CRMS will allow our partners and Embraer to dramatically reduce the time and effort required to establish the maintenance programs for our aircraft,'' said Edson Carlos Mallaco, Embraer technical support senior manager.
This upgraded software offers the quick generation of an initial cost estimate at any stage of design in a few simple steps. Used as an analysis tool during part design, DFM Concurrent Costing 1.1 guides product engineers as they investigate alternative materials and processes for producing parts and helps them select the most cost-efficient design. It now allows engineers to import solid models in order to obtain 3D part geometry data for cost estimating. Solid models of parts created in all major CAD/CAM software systems can be opened and viewed.
Engine maker CFM International has signed a memorandum of understanding with Russian aircraft manufacturer Ilyushin to offer the CFM56-5 on the Il-76 transport. According to company officials, CFM plans to provide the entire propulsion package, including engine, nacelle and thrust reverser. Hardware will be based on systems used on the Airbus A340. The MOU specifies a formal program launch only after customers have been found for five of the CFM-powered aircraft. Ilyushin will handle program marketing.
Fort Worth plans to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court this week in a last-ditch legal maneuver designed to stop startup Legend Airlines from flying long-haul flights from Dallas' downtown Love Field airport. The appeal comes after the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld a 1998 decision by the Transportation Dept., which essentially sanctions long-distance flights from the airport for aircraft having 56 or fewer seats. Legend is using DC-9s with 56 seats and plans to start scheduled service Feb. 29 (AW&ST Feb. 7, p. 45).
The Douglas-Kalmar TBL-200 aircraft handling tractor is designed for pushback, intergate and higher speed longer distance maintenance towing operations. Cab layout, design concept and modes of operation are the same as the other models in the range, so an operator trained on one of these will be able to work with any other in the series. It is powered by a 93-kw. (125-bhp.) emissions-compliant Deutz water-cooled diesel engine, driving through a conventional ZF power shaft transmission and Kessler axle.
Cornell Dubilier Electronics introduced its new type DSF stacked metallized polyester film capacitor. DSF is fabricated using the stacked metallized film method resulting in a size reduction while providing comparable or greater pulse handling capabilities than the wound method. It is a radial dipped style, with standard voltage rating of 50 volts DC and 100 volts DC Available packaging is bulk, ammo box or reel taping. Cornell Dubilier, 1700 Rte. 23 North, Wayne, N.J. 07470.
Leanna K. Rierson has been named the FAA's national resource specialist for leading-edge aircraft computerization and certification issues. She was the software technical specialist and program manager for the FAA Aircraft Certification Service's Avionics Branch.
Reductions in deployment times and operational tempo as well as hefty bonuses are helping USAF win its pilot retention battle. Based on current trends, the service will face a shortfall of only 600 pilots in Fiscal 2001, compared with the 1,200 originally forecast, according to Air Force Secretary F. Whitten Peters. Additionally, the service will be ``out of trouble'' on the issue several years earlier than anticipated, he said.
Paul Madden, manager of the TRW Aeronautical Systems software engineering facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been appointed chairman of the Northern Ireland Aerospace Consortium.
While Boeing intends to try to win back market share from Airbus Industrie, the company's commercial airplane chief says his group must focus first on ``profitable growth.'' Alan Mulally told Aviation Week&Space Technology that such an approach is only one that will work in the long run for all concerned--customers, employees and Boeing's stockholders.
The Japanese Defense Agency has approved a 55-aircraft purchase in the fiscal year beginning Apr. 1, one fewer than the military services requested and four more than they bought in 1999. While agreeing to spend a mere 0.1% more in fiscal 2000 than currently, the 4.94-trillion-yen ($47-billion) defense budget did not keep pace with general increases of 3.8% in Japan's total national budget of 84.99 trillion yen. The JDA has not released the unit costs of aircraft procurement, but the total for all programs is about $2.4 billion.
GSI Lumonics has added the JK704R laser drilling system to its JK series. It can produce quality, high-aspect ratio holes in a variety of alloys. Patented twin-rod technology provides significant increases in peak and mean power while preserving beam focus quality. A peak power output of 30 kw. provides excellent material removal capability and can be used with pulse shaping to improve the geometrical quality of holes. GSI Lumonics Inc., 4420 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48108.
Irish carrier Ryanair will add eight routes to its network this summer and has ambitions to establish a hub in continental Europe in the next few years. Already the largest low-cost airline in Europe, Ryanair is adding flights from its London Stansted hub to Hamburg, Germany; Malmo, Sweden; Nimes and Perpignan, France; and Lamezia and Brescia, Italy. The airline, which recently posted a 20% increase in third-quarter pretax profits, estimates it will carry 7 million passengers in the coming year.
A U.S. national laboratory official has acknowledged that certain space-based research projects are sending a subtle but powerful message to nations considering clandestine nuclear testing: ``You can't hide.''
Michael Lowenson (see photo) has been appointed vice president-finance of the Avtech Corp. of Seattle. He was vice president/chief financial officer of Shannon Ltd., also in Seattle.
Pete Reynolds, Wichita, Kan.-based vice president-flight test for Bombardier Aerospace, has received the 1999 J.H. Doolittle Award from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. The award recognizes accomplishments in technical management in the fields of aerospace engineering and flight testing. Bombardier experimental test pilot Eric Fiore won the SETP's 1999 Tony LeVier Flight Test Safety Award, which honors an SETP member for contributions to flight safety.
The Assn. of European Airlines' final tally for 1999 showed it to be the worst ever for traffic delays, with records set in every month of the year. Overall, the AEA said 30.3% of flight departures from European airports were delayed by more than 15 min. in 1999 compared to 22.8% in 1998. Airport and air traffic control were cited for more than half the primary delays at 23 out of 27 reporting airports.
