Henny Essenberg, former executive vice president-networks at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, has become managing director for the new passenger joint venture between KLM and Alitalia. He will be based in Rome. Paul Gregorowitsch has been appointed vice president-sales. Mario Pascucci, former executive vice president-cargo at Alitalia, has become managing director for the cargo joint venture between the two airlines. Pascucci will be based at Amsterdam Schiphol airport.
The failure of a Proton booster on Oct. 27 has thrown a monkey wrench into an ambitious plan to renew and expand Russia's overtaxed and aging satellite communications network.
Ontic Engineering&Manufacturing Inc. continues to add to its portfolio of license-manufacture aerospace components. The North Hollywood, Calif.-based company now builds, supports and pays royalties on more than 3,000 parts. It recently reached agreement with Eaton Corp. to license-build certain components for the Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante commuter, Challenger business jet, L-1011 transport and F-117 stealth fighter.
South Africa's Kentron, a division of the Denel Group, is seeking partners to develop its Torgos long-range, precision strike weapon. Torgos is an outgrowth of the firm's Multi-Purpose Stand-Off Weapon (MUPSOW), a munitions dispensing system designed for use against ``soft'' targets such as airfields and air defense radar sites. MUPSOW is currently funded by Kentron as an advanced technology demonstrator program. MUPSOW has undergone a number of flight tests, but the South African air force has not yet committed to an acquisition.
The United Nations' global environmental protocol, tentatively scheduled to take effect in 2002, could have a major impact on the airline industry's health and long-term growth prospects.
Prospects for two long-stalled former Eastern Bloc regional airliner projects are moving ahead on the strength of customer or partnership interest in the Middle East and Africa.
Red Flag 00-01, the first air combat exercise of Fiscal 2000 at Nellis AFB, Nev., included two units of German pilots flying the F-4F Phantom II and MiG-29 Fulcrum A, making it the first time that aircraft flown by U.S. foes were involved.
A New Jersey grand jury has indicted John C. Davis, Jr., of Fredericksburg, Va., the passenger accused of attacking a Continental Airlines gate attendant last summer, on charges of second-degree aggravated assault. Angelo Sottile of Kearny, N.J., suffered a broken neck in the altercation with Davis on July 22 at Gate 115 in Terminal C at Newark International Airport. He is recovering from injuries and has lost 60% mobility in his neck, a Continental spokesman said.
Col. John P. Stapp (USAF, Ret.), an aerospace medicine pioneer who studied the human limits of deceleration, windblast and tumbling, died on Nov. 13 in Alamogordo, N.M. He was 89. A military aerospace physician, Stapp volunteered for 29 rocket-powered sled deceleration and windblast experiments at Edwards AFB, Calif., in the 1950s. For one test, he was accelerated to 632 mph. in 5 sec., then sustained 40g when the sled stopped in 1.4 sec.
As U.S. officials prepare to host an international conference on open skies agreements, European airline executives are urging governments on both sides to work toward establishing a common market for transatlantic air services. Air France Chairman Jean-Cyril Spinetta sounded that call here earlier this month at the International Aviation Club. Following the U.S. lead, he said, Europe has liberalized its collective domestic air markets. Global alliances, rare just a few years ago, are growing rapidly, he added.
This month's failure of a liquid hydrogen tank for the X-33 illustrates the fine line being walked in NASA's faster-better-cheaper projects between daring risk and foolhardiness. We think there were already lessons learned before the failure. And given that NASA and Lockheed Martin have already spent $1 billion on X-33, where should they go from here?
American Blimp Corp.'s fourth production airship has passed the 10,000-hr. flight time mark. The 5-seat A-60+ model was placed into service in November 1992. All told, the 17 5-seat and 10-seat ABC airships in service worldwide have accumulated almost 100,000 hr., according to the Hillsboro, Ore., manufacturer.
Mexican accident investigators have transferred flight data and cockpit voice recorders recovered from the wreckage of a Transportes Aereos Ejecutivos DC-9 that crashed Nov. 9 to the U.S. NTSB for analysis (AW&ST Nov. 15, p. 38). A safety board official said, however, that as of late last week it remained uncertain when the recorders would be subjected to a detailed analysis. The board also has assigned one investigator from its regional office in Los Angeles to assist Mexican authorities.
Work has begun on a controversial $2.85-billion airport in Kobe, Japan. The single runway airport is being built on an artificial island in Osaka Bay and is scheduled to open to domestic traffic in 2005 (AW&ST Mar. 10, 1997, p. 51). Although close by Osaka's two major airports, including the new Kansai International, local Kobe politicians seem hopeful the new facility will eventually attract overseas flights.
Lockheed Martin has completed one of the most extensive launch pad modifications in the history of Cape Canaveral to convert Complex 36B here for Atlas III flights. A major challenge for the Atlas team was modifying Pad B while also keeping it open for Atlas-Centaur missions, said Adrian A. Laffitte, director of Atlas programs for Lockheed Martin. The adjoining Complex 36A Atlas-Centaur pad is being retained in its Atlas IIAS configuration.
Raytheon has received a $30-million contract from the U.S. Army's Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command to develop the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer-Aviation Reconfigurable Manned Simulator program.
Hamburg-based Lufthansa Technik VIP Center was chosen to customize the cabin interior of an Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner acquired by the Italian government. The aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in January.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) finally conducted a successful Y2K simulation flight test last week after missing a government deadline to be ready by the end of September. The airline tested its year 2000 computer readiness on an Airbus 320. All systems functioned normally, an airline official said. PAL started working on its Y2K compliance program in 1996 and spent $22 million on the project.
NASA technicians were assessing whether they would have to delay the Dec. 6 launch of space shuttle Discovery after detecting minor damage in the insulation of wiring between the shuttle and its external fuel tank. Discovery's crew is to service the Hubble Space Telescope and replace failed gyroscopes that have crippled science operations. Technicians were assessing the shuttle wiring damage to determine whether a delay was needed. If Discovery cannot be launched by mid-December, the mission is likely to be delayed into January.
European carrier Gandalf received delivery of its first Fairchild 328JET last week. The carrier has a firm order for four 328JETs with options for five more and currently operates three Fairchild 328 turboprops. Gandalf is to operate the regional jet three times daily between Milan Bergamo and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Richard Aarons, editor-at-large for Business&Commercial Aviation magazine, which is an Aviation Week publication, has received the 1999 Flight Safety Foundation Cecil A. Brownlow Publication Award. It recognizes contributions to aviation safety or aviation safety awareness through journalism. Aarons was cited for his ``Cause&Circumstance'' column, which ``demonstrates excellence in communicating practical lessons from aircraft accident/incident investigations.''
