David J. Bronczek, who has been executive vice president/chief operating officer of the FDX Corp., Memphis, Tenn., has been named to succeed Theodore L. Weiss as president/CEO upon his retirement.
The third trajectory correction maneuver (TCM) for NASA's Mars Polar Lander spacecraft has been postponed until Oct. 30 to give program officials additional time to scrub operational processes and procedures thoroughly. The TCM had been scheduled for Oct. 20, about one month after the Mars Climate Orbiter (MCO) was lost as it entered orbit around the planet (AW&ST Sept. 27, p. 24).
The entry of Singapore Airlines into the Star Alliance, and a pending move by British Midland to do the same, coupled with a potent counterbid to keep Star member Air Canada out of the clutches of rival Oneworld, could take competition among airline alliances to new levels and begin raising regulatory questions.
After flying halfway around the world, and waiting at McMurdo Station three days for the temperature at the South Pole to lift to -53C (-63F), an Air National Guard crew successfully landed and evacuated Dr. Jerri Nielsen. She wintered-over at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, and had been treating herself for breast cancer using medical supplies air dropped on July 10. This was the earliest flight to the pole, by 21/2 weeks, according to the pilots from the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing who flew the mission.
Shenzhen Huangtian International Airport has become China's fourth largest, handling almost 30 million passengers since it opened in 1991. Located in a special economic zone adjacent to Hong Kong, the airport handles 15,000 passengers and almost 200 flights a day. FedEx plans to begin a five-times-weekly U.S.-Shenzhen cargo route next month using MD-11s and DC-10s.
Airports Council International reports 78% of the world's major airports are Y2K-ready. The Geneva-based organization, which represents more than 1,200 large airports in 150 countries, is confident that more than 90% of its members will have updated their computers and computer-based airport systems to eliminate or work around potential problems caused when the two-digit year indicator in older software rolls from 99 to 00 on Jan. 1.
The air transportation system is showing ominous signs of a crisis--one that could have been averted if governments had responded to their own clear warnings of infrastructure inadequacies.
The on-again, off-again consolidation agreement for South Korea's aerospace industry was officially signed in early October--but the new company still does not have a business plan. At the South Korean government's urging, Daewoo Heavy Industries, Samsung Aerospace and Hyundai Space and Aircraft will merge to become Korean Aerospace Industries. KAI has signed memoranda of understanding with potential foreign investors including Lockheed Martin, Aerospatiale Matra, British Aerospace, GEC and DaimlerChrysler.
Judy Armondroff, marketing director of ICC/GRSoftware, and Christopher Zei, director of marketing and strategic development for Raytheon CSI, have been apppointed to the board of directors of the Pittsburgh-based Manufacturing Execution Systems Assn.
Thomas J. Lahey (see photo) has been appointed CEO of GKN Westland Aerospace Inc., Wallingford, Conn. He was president for the Pacific Rim of the Hexcel Corp., Pleasanton, Calif.
Muse Technologies has developed prototype software to visualize complex air traffic patterns to aid research efforts. The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center encouraged the development performed by Muse working with Hewlett-Packard, which provides the Visualize workstation that runs the software.
Team ABL has completed a four-month-long test program of a flight-weight laser module for USAF's Airborne Laser aircraft. The team, made up of Boeing, TRW and Lockheed Martin, said the laser module ``exceeded by a significant margin'' laser and beam quality requirements. The tests indicate ABL laser technology and system design is solid and on-track to make air-to-air tests scheduled for 2003, according to team members.
Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways has ordered two Boeing 747-400 freighters for delivery in September 2000 and August 2001. Cathay now operates 35 Boeing widebodies.
USAF has selected the Rockwell Collins Multi-Mode Receiver navigation and landing system to equip nine RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, to provide capability upgrades for Global Access Navigation Safety/Global Air Traffic Management.
Tariq M. Jesrai has become president/ general manager of Hartwell Aerospace, Placentia, Calif. He succeeds John W. Chambers, who is retiring but will continue as a staff consultant. Jesrai was vice president/general manager of the Tedeco Div. of Aeroquip-Vickers.
Jacques Vachon has become president of Executive Airlines, San Juan, Puerto Rico, a unit of American Eagle. He succeeds George Hazy, who will become managing director of the Los Angeles gateway for American Airlines. Vachon has been vice president of American Eagle's Miami hub.
The Allied Pilots Assn.'s board this week will discuss the creation of an employee stock ownership plan designed to take control of American Airlines' parent company, AMR Corp. Pilots at three of the airline's largest hubs--Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami and Los Angeles--earlier approved resolutions to study the plan.
George E. Mueller, CEO of the Kistler Aerospace Corp. of Los Angeles, has received the 1999 Theodore Von Karman Award from the International Academy of Astronautics at its annual meeting in Amsterdam. Mueller, a former head of man- ned space flight for NASA, was cited for his work to advance engineering science in the promotion of space exploration, leadership in human space flight and contributions to the creation and initiation of the space shuttle.
Malaysia Airports Holdings launched the sale of 49% of its shares last week in what will be the local stock market's biggest offering in three years. Twenty percent of the shares will be offered to foreigners, the remaining to be sold locally. No details were available of the price of the shares or timing of the offers. Apart from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia Airports operates four other international airports, 15 domestic airports and 17 regional short field strips.
Klaus Hummel has become executive chairman of ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Ltd. He was deputy chairman and succeeds Olof Lundberg, who resigned.
Robert Brayton has been named vice president-flight operations of US Airways Express carrier Allegheny Airlines Inc., Harrisburg, Pa. He held the same position at Continental Express and Virgin Express.
James E. Schuster has been appointed senior vice president/deputy general manager of the Raytheon Systems Co.'s Aircraft Integration Systems unit, Waco, Tex. He was executive vice president of Magnetek Inc. in Nashville.
