The Defense Dept.'s involvement in curbing the flow of drugs from South America into the United States has declined drastically in recent years and has created a shortfall in monitoring drug traffic, a General Accounting Office assessment has concluded.
Boeing plans an informational briefing in Seattle late this month for suppliers interested in participating in the conversion and maintenance of 44 757 transports being modified to freighter configuration for DHL Worldwide Express. Boeing will provide the logistics pipeline and almost all maintenance on the fleet, which is to be based in Europe, as part of a 15-year contract with the small package carrier.
Insulbond 865 is a fast-setting 1:1 mix epoxy adhesive system, well suited for electronics and product assembly where automatic dispensing of a fast curing flame-retardant epoxy adhesive is necessary. It has a pot life of 5-10 min. with full cure in 24 hr. The epoxy system offers high strength and flexibility, enabling it to bond to a wide variety of substrates, including most plastic, metals, ceramics, paper, wood and rubber materials. Shear strength of the epoxy is 8,500 psi. It has a one-year shelf life at room temperature, 400 volt/mil.
Zontec's Synergy statistical process control software are available in two editions: Synergy Gold for standalone PCs and local area networks, and Synergy EQM (Enterprise-wide Quality Management ) which provides global monitoring, management reports, user tool sets and security access. Both systems run on Windows 3.x/95/98/NT and Windows 2000 operating systems.
Garmin's new GNC 420 combines GPS navigation and a moving map display with a 10-watt VHF radio and color display in a 6-lb. box, measuring about 6 X 2.6 X 11-in. deep. The GNC 420 has received TSO for nonprecision approaches. The color moving map display uses a Jeppesen database and has standard instrument departures and arrivals as well as approaches. It will be available in the first quarter of 2000. Garmin International, 1200 E. 151 St., Olathe, Kan. 66062.
In other budgetary action last week, the White House unveiled a nearly $2.4-billion spending cut for Fiscal 2000, complying with a congressional mandate enacted in last fall's appropriations bills. At that time, the Administration persuaded Congress to reduce the cut to 0.38% from 1%. Clinton was able to spare military pay and benefits, protect recruiting and readiness and keep current year funding intact for FAA air traffic control and all of the agency's safety functions.
The Amadeus computer reservation system has begun trading on the Frankfurt and Paris stock exchanges, following an initial public offering in Barcelona and Madrid in October. By last week, stock was trading at more than 13 euros on all four exchanges, compared with the IPO price of 5.75 euros.
Following up on the cyber-strategy the Administration announced in mid-1998, the White House will ask Congress next month to appropriate just over $2 billion in Fiscal 2001 for cyber security measures, 17% above this year's level. The biggest percentage increase within the $2 billion total would go to research and development, which would climb to $621 million next year, versus the current $461 million.
The HawkeyeR Flexible Borescope is 1 meter long, with a diameter of 8 mm. It offers two views: straight-ahead or sideways at a right angle and can view otherwise inaccessible interior parts of engines or machines. The mirror tip is the sideways adapter which threads on to keep it secure. A plastic-coated metal gooseneck sheath encloses the fiber-optic bundles used for imaging. The sheath has enough rigidity to take a ``set'' before inserting the scope into the cavity. Gradient Lens, 207 Tremont St., Rochester, N.Y. 14608.
The ``Fire&Steel'' CD screen saver features 22 breath-taking inflight photos of high-performance jets in action by noted photographer Randy Jolly. Photos include the A-10, AV-8B, B-1, F-14 Tomcat and F-15E StrikeEagles among others. Whether it's diving inverted in an F-16 or being a wingspan away from a B-1 ``Bone'' as it drops a stick of Mk-82s, this CD is dynamic. Second Nature Software, 1325 Officers' Row, Vancouver, Wash. 98661.
A Crossair Saab 340B twin-turboprop, en route from Zurich to Dresden, crashed on Dec. 10 shortly after takeoff. The crew of three and all seven passengers on board were killed.
The LM 100 laser micrometer system measures outside diameters and dimensions of shafts, rubber rolls and many more cylindrical parts. It can be used as a stand-alone measuring device or fully integrated into an automated manufacturing line. It has a repeatability of 0.2 microns at a linearity of better than 1 micron over the entire measuring range--from 0.02-4 in., which can be extended to 20 in. It's a single-focused beam system, and the graphic user interface, Windows 95/98 7-in.touch screen, eliminates keyboarding.
A National Research Council panel has urged NASA to get on with its plan to set up a nongovernmental organization to oversee research on the International Space Station. Last week, the panel called for NASA to hold a competition to set up an outfit similar to the Science Telescope Institute in Baltimore, which manages research time on Hubble. The panel, headed by Cornelius J. Pings, president emeritus of the Assn. of American Universities, urged NASA to move quickly so the new organization can be up and running by the time station assembly is finished.
Germany's civil aviation authorities have approved a noise-reduction exhaust gas system developed for Cessna 172Rs by Heggeman Aerospace and Engineering. It reduces the engine's noise level to 71 dB., or 7.4 dB. below the Chapter X's limit stipulated by the Increased Noise Prevention program that will be applied to aircraft produced beyond Jan. 1. The exhaust system is produced in high-grade steel. Additional versions are being developed for such general aviation aircraft as the Piper PA-28. Heggemann GmbH., Zeppelinring 2-6, 33142 Bueren, Germany.
U.S. negotiators reached agreement on Jan. 7 with officials of the Slovak Republic on an open skies air services accord that will enable airlines of both countries to immediately serve any destinations between the nations.
Two companies have given large outsourcing contracts to Computer Sciences Corp. of El Segundo, Calif. United Technologies has extended its 10-year outsourcing agreements with CSC to include Pratt&Whitney Canada and Hamilton Sundstrand. The new contracts are expected to generate $350 million in revenue from Pratt Canada and $157 million from Hamilton Sundstrand, and add to a $1.2-billion contract that CSC signed with Pratt&Whitney and other UTC units last year.
The Sound of Silence Headset Series by Sennheiser is targeted at pilots of loud propeller and turboprop aircraft. The series consists of two full-sized headset models: HMEC300 and HME100. Both come in several variants to accommodate use in genav, commuter airlines and helicopter service. Noisegard electronics are powered by the onboard power supply (headset ships with an installation socket) or by a separate battery pack fitted with an on/off switch. Various adapter cables are available for connection to a cigarette lighter.
United Airlines is withdrawing from its Hong Kong-Bangkok service to increase flights to Singapore. The last flight to Bangkok will be Feb. 15, with added services to Singapore starting the next day.
A congressional decision not to fund production of the Defense Dept.'s next-generation short-range air-to-air missile has effectively delayed fielding by a year.
Southwest Airlines will begin revenue operations at Albany International Airport in May, bringing to 56 the number of cities in 29 states served by the Dallas-based, low-fare carrier. Southwest will occupy two gates at the Albany facilities, which were extensively upgraded in an effort to secure the airline's service. An official said fares and flight schedules will be available later this month.
Parametric Technology Corp. has won what presumably will be an important placement with Boeing Space and Communications. PTC is best known for its Pro Engineer design software but has been emphasizing its new Windchill product lately as the market for CAD/CAM products has cooled and business-to-business collaboration over the Internet has taken off. Windchill allows designers to collaborate over the Internet and is in the portfolio of Airbus' partners, among others.
The Boeing Co. appeared to be on track last week to purchase Hughes Electronics Corp.'s $2.3-billion satellite-manufacturing business for about $4 billion, according to industry securities analysts. If their expectations are fulfilled, Boeing would immediately become the world's largest producer of commercial satellites--while still retaining the distinction of also being the largest builder of commercial and military transport and fighter aircraft worldwide.
Long-time aviation journalist and author John W. R. Taylor died last month at the age of 77. Taylor will be most remembered for his 30-year-long editorship of Jane's All The World's Aircraft, from 1959 to 1989.
United Defense has been awarded a $23.7-million contract by the U.S. Army's Tank-automotive and Armaments Command to provide 18 M993 Multiple Launch Rocket System carriers for Greece and four M993 MLRS carriers for Denmark.
