Ericsson Saab Avionics has received a $22-million order from Saab for avionics for the third production lot of JAS 39 Gripens. The order involves development of three cockpit panels and two computer units.
Virgin Atlantic Airways has been granted authority to operate two additional weekly flights between London and Shanghai by the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority. British Airways, which operates four flights a week to Beijing, also bid for the new Shanghai frequencies. Virgin, which currently operates a twice-weekly service to Shanghai, will add the new frequencies next summer.
Environmental groups and U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo (D-Minn.) are looking closely at the low-frequency noise that jet transports generate and its effect on nearby communities. Currently, there are no established FAA standards on low-frequency noise, or the rumble made when large, fully loaded and fueled jet transports start their takeoff roll or employ reverse thrust, according to Dennis McGrann. He's executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Organization to Insure a Sound-controlled Environment (Noise).
AlliedSignal and Honeywell completed their merger last Wednesday after receiving regulatory approval from the European Commission. The combined enterprise will operate under the Honeywell name and be based in Morristown, N.J., where AlliedSignal was headquartered. The EC demanded no divestitures beyond those called for in the companies' agreement with the U.S. Justice Dept. (AW&ST Oct. 11, p. 93). With the merger's closing, Lawrence A. Bossidy, chairman of the new Honeywell, said the integration process has been placed on an accelerated timetable.
After two years of negotiations, Australia and the U.S. have agreed to a cooperative experiment that involves flying the Global Hawk long-endurance unmanned reconnaissance aircraft on a 27-hr., nonstop mission in April 2001 from Edwards AFB, Calif., to a base near Adelaide in southeast Australia. There a combined team will work on integrating and testing payloads, software and ground stations tailored for regional operations (AW&ST Mar. 1, p. 35).
Japan's National Space Development Agency has ordered another Mitsubishi LE-7A first-stage prototype engine for the H-2A commercial launch vehicle. The NASDA/Mitsubishi development team already has five developmental engines but says it needs to spend $23.5 million to buy another for the H-2A development program in light of the premature shutdown of an earlier generation LE-7 engine in a Nov. 15 H-2 launch. Loss of the first stage ruined the launch and cost Japan its first Wide Area Augmentation System positioning satellite for air traffic control.
Transport Canada has certified Bell Helicopter Textron's Model 427 for VFR flight operations, and the company plans to begin initial deliveries in January. A Bell official said FAA approval is anticipated later this month. The company has orders for more than 80 of the light, twin-engine helicopters. The model fills a gap in its product line between the single-engine 407 and intermediate, twin-engine 430. The 427 is priced at $2.2 million in 1998 dollars.
Mike Gallagher has become city manager in San Diego for United Airlines. He was manager of the station operations center for United at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Gallagher succeeds Jill Sheffield, who has been promoted to managing director for Southern California.
Kerry Skeen, who has been president/CEO of Atlantic Coast Airlines, will become chairman on Jan. 1, while remaining CEO. C. Edward Acker will retire as chairman, but continue as a director. Thomas Moore, who has been executive vice president/chief operating officer will become president.
US Airways cleared a major labor relations hurdle last week when passenger service employees ratified their first contract with the carrier. Meanwhile, negotiations with flight attendants are set to resume Dec. 13, by order of the National Mediation Board (NMB). About three-fourths of the airline's 10,400 passenger service employees--all members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA)--approved the five-year agreement. It took immediate effect.
President Clinton last week signed into law a bill permitting U.S. direct-to-home satellite TV operators to carry local stations. DirecTV and EchoStar's Dish Network began offering local stations in select American cities and plan to expand the service to most major markets by the end of 2000.
BFGoodrich Aerospace has strengthened its position in the ejection-seat business, signing a letter of intent to purchase the outstanding stock of IBP Aerospace Group. Together with Moscow-based Zvezda, IBP has adapted the Russian K-36/3.5A ejection seat for U.S. production and installation in American-built aircraft. If the deal, which is subject to government approvals, is consummated, BFGoodrich expects it will be able to offer these ejection seats within three years for use on U.S.-built aircraft.
A Russian electronic ocean surveillance satellite, Cosmos 2,347, was commanded to self-destruct in orbit Nov. 22 by its Russian air force ground controllers as the spacecraft neared the end of its operational life. The explosion left more than 130 pieces of debris in a 230 X 410-km. (142 X 255-mi.) orbit inclined 65 deg. The spacecraft was launched in late 1997 on board a Cyclone booster. The deliberate explosion of Cosmos 2,347 marked only the second time during the last 12 years that the Russians have chosen to dispose of an ocean surveillance spacecraft in that manner.
Hughes Electronics--still smarting from the imbroglio over what may have leaked or been transferred to China when U.S. satellites were launched on Long March rockets (see p. 82)--has decided it needs some top-drawer help. The satellite builder has retained former Sen. Sam Nunn (D-Ga.) and former Under Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz to review its compliance with export controls and recommend to the company any improvements to help it toe the line.
The Franco-German Polypheme missile program will enter the final phase of development in the middle of next year when an 18-month test firing campaign gets underway. The largely company-funded test campaign will include 14 land and ship firings of the fiber-optic guided missile, which will have a range of more than 60 km. (37.5-mi.). No air firings are planned, but some demonstrations are envisaged, notably in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. The helicopter-mounted version was on display for the first time at the recent Dubai Air Show.
Wall Street is frequently accused of being concerned only with companies' short-term financial performance, as measured primarily by earnings per share and stock price. But that isn't altogether fair. While it is unlikely that publicly traded companies will ever be able to escape the pressure to deliver quarterly improvements--what investor, big or small, doesn't want to see the value of their stake rise?--market professionals do take strategic issues into account.
The largest aerospace and defense contractors in the U.S. are finding promise in a suite of Internet-based software tools that allow collaborative design teams to hurdle time and cut costs by working in cyberspace.
NASA EXPORTED RADIATION-HARDENED microcircuit optical coupler parts to Russia for use on the International Space Station in January 1997 without obtaining the export license required from the U.S. State Dept. for sensitive components on the U.S. Munitions List, according to the General Accounting Office (GAO). NASA's export controls were so weak that the agency did not know the rad-hard parts it exported in 1997 were on the Munitions List until 1998, when the U.S.
The U.S. Marine Corps is looking for ways to keep its rapidly aging transport helicopters flying even as most of the service's aviation funds are locked into a few, high-profile programs such as the MV-22 tiltrotor and major upgrades to the AH-1 Cobra and UH-1 Huey.
Michael McCann has been appointed president of the Alliant Ammunition Systems Co., New Brighton, Minn. He was director of medium caliber ammunition and tank ammunition programs for Alliant Techsystems' conventional munitions plant in Radford, Va.
The space shuttle program last week delayed the launch of Discovery on a mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope by three days until at least Dec. 9 to repair insulation on a wiring harness between the orbiter and external tank (see p. 46). Technicians also used all remaining contingency time for a Dec. 9 launch to replace a leaky quick-disconnect fitting on an auxiliary power unit. Any additional unplanned work would force another delay. The Hubble mission must be launched by mid-December or it will be slipped into January.
The Mexican government last week grounded all airplanes operated by Transportes Aereos Ejecutivos (Taesa) pending an inspection of each aircraft for airworthiness. Investigators are continuing their probe into the crash of a Taesa DC-9-31 on Nov. 9 that killed all 18 people on board. The DC-9's cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been analyzed by the U.S. NTSB in Washington and returned to Mexican accident investigators. A Taesa official said the airline plans to resume operations when the inspections are completed.
