U.S. Army Gen. (Ret.) John M. Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been appointed to the board of directors of L-3 Communications of New York.
Singapore Airlines CEO Cheong Choong Kong said SIA has $1.2 billion in cash to make equity investments in other airlines. It is joining with Germany's Lufthansa to propose buying stakes in Thai Airways International and South African Airways. On its own, it already has agreed to take up to a 30% stake in Taiwan's China Airlines. The Thai and SAA investments await approval by their respective governments; the extent of SIA's investment in China Air has not been decided.
Eric L. Lasley has been named vice president-research and engineering of Marconi North America's GDE Systems Inc. of San Diego. He was director of engineering of the GDE's Tactical Systems.
GE Engine Services has received a $100-million contract to maintain and overhaul Pratt&Whitney JT9 engines for Boeing 747-100/200 freighters for Evergreen International Airlines.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS&SUPPORT INC. is producing flat panel displays for use in the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft that the Malvern, Pa.-based company believes will be the largest in any airborne application. The 9-passenger PC-12 turboprop aircraft will use three of the color displays, each 12.3 in. wide by 9.5 in. high--roughly double the size of those in a Boeing 777. One display gives the entire basic instrument ``T.'' Three would replace the electromechanical instrument panel and provide redundancy. The company cites reliability at more than 10,200 hr.
Contradictory views regarding European aerospace industry restructuring are delaying Airbus Industrie's single corporate entity. The stock company, which was to be formed in January, is now expected to take shape in late 1999. A plan to form a dual civil/military giant, dubbed European Aerospace and Defense Co. (EADC), has collided in the last few weeks with the proposed SCE. Top company executives are sharply critical of the two schedules' priorities, and they disagree about the need to link--or disconnect--the double consolidation plans.
Northwest Airlines' new contract with its pilots' union removes one obstacle blocking the carrier's proposed code-sharing partnership with Continental Airlines, but government and political hurdles remain and may even be getting higher. The marketing alliance and a companion agreement under which Northwest would acquire control of Continental currently are being reviewed by the Antitrust Div. of the Justice Dept. Though Justice has the lead, the Northwest/Continental alliance also is being scrutinized by the Transportation Dept.
Matt Hartnett (see photos) has been appointed vice president-used aircraft and Jess Munro vice president-contracts for Bombardier Aerospace Business Aircraft of Montreal. Mike Riegel has been appointed vice president-sales and marketing and George Ferito director of flight operations of the Bombardier Flexjet program, both based in Dallas.
A China Eastern MD-11 transport with 120 passengers and 17 crew made an emergency landing at Shanghai' s Hongqiao International Airport on Sept. 10 because of a jammed landing gear. The flight was outbound to Beijing. Instead of dumping fuel, the aircraft circled Shanghai for 3 hr. and landed on a bed of protective foam with its front gear retracted. Its nose skidded on the runway as emergency vehicles sprayed foam and water on the aircraft. Passengers evacuated from emergency chutes, and none suffered injuries.
Singapore Airlines' recently launched $300-million product and services upgrade includes a complete redesign of the first-class cabin in its 39-aircraft long-haul 747-400 fleet. There are 12 private ``mini-suites'' in the Connolly leather-, burr wood-appointed cabin interior, shown here. Each 23-in.-wide, 78-in.-pitch seat is fully adjustable, from upright to 177-deg. reclined bed position. Laptop power supply and a retractable video control/telephone unit are within arm's reach, and a suite cabinet holds a 14-in. video monitor and a sliding table.
The European Court of First Instance has upheld a 1993 European Commission decision to approve $259 million in state aid to Irish carrier Aer Lingus. Ryanair had challenged the measure, but the court found that Aer Lingus had adhered to conditions laid down by the EC. The Irish government has given its approval to Aer Lingus, targeted for partial privatization, to look for a strategic alliance with a U.S. carrier willing to acquire an equity stake in the airline.
Despite the U.K.'s decision to pull out of a planned three-way Trimilsatcom program involving France and Germany, cooperation on the next-generation European military communications satellite may not be dead. According to industry officials here, the French defense procurement office (DGA) is continuing to weigh various options. They include: -- Pursue the Trimilsatcom solution on a bilateral basis with Germany or other prospective partners.
Donald R. Abel (see photo) has become vice president/general manager of Comant Industries, Santa Fe Springs, Calif. He was general manager of Esterline Technologies.
Jon L. Beatty has been named vice president-marketing and programs for the Chandler Evans Control Systems Div. of Coltec Industries, Charlotte, N.C. He succeeds Paul T. Glover, who has retired. Beatty was general manager of AlliedSignal's Electronics and Avionics Systems.
ESA/NASA engineers have successfully recovered attitude control of the Soho solar observation spacecraft, allowing it to turn its face fully to the Sun for the first time since it failed on June 25. The recovery operation will permit mission scientists to gradually check the status of Soho's 12 on-board instruments, some of which may have been damaged by exposure to extreme cold or heat during the long shutdown.
General Electric has added two international overhaul partners. GE Varig Engine Services will be located at Varig's Galeao International Airport engine service facility in Rio de Janeiro for maintenance of CFM56-3, CF6-50 and CF6- 80C2 engines for Varig and third-party customers. GE owns 95% of the venture, Varig the rest. The venture follows Varig's order for GE-powered Boeing 737/767/ 777s. GE also has added Xiamen, China, to its list of four GE On-Wing Support Co. maintenance and repair facilities.
``HIGHWAY IN THE SKY'' DISPLAYS showing an aircraft's flight path over a computer-generated terrain picture would increase safety and efficiency of operations, according to a recent briefing to the U.S. government/industry Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) by Phil Brooks, chairman of the Allied Pilots Assn.'s graphic navigation committee.
Aerospatiale made a $202.6-million profit during the first half of this year, up from $101.3 million in 1997, on $4.1 billion in revenues. In January-June, the company booked orders worth $5.38 billion, including $3.76 billion for its share in European civil transports. Aerospatiale has a 37.9% stake in Airbus Industrie and owns 50% of Avions de Transport Regional.
W. Vinten Ltd. of the U.K. has been selected to supply the reconnaissance pod for export versions of the Saab-British Aerospace Gripen. The company's Vicon 70 Series 72c pod can be equipped with a variety of electro-optical and infrared sensors. Imagery can be recorded on videotape or projected directly into the cockpit.
British Aerospace's commercial aircraft business is back in the black for the first time in several years following the restructuring of its regional aircraft activities. The company's financial results for the first half of 1998 showed a profit of 8 million pounds ($13 million) in the commercial aerospace sector. Defense operating profits were up 4%, to 303 million pounds ($506 million).
Qantas Airways is planning to retrofit its existing 18 Boeing 747-400s with Rolls-Royce's RB211-524GH/T engine upgrade and add three new 747s to its fleet. The upgrade involves use of the Trent 700 high-pressure system that powers the Airbus A330. In addition, Cathay Pacific Airways pioneered polar services from New York to Hong Kong using the -GH/T upgrade. It is being installed in the South African Airways fleet and has been ordered by British Airways and CargoLux.
U.S. airline safety experts expect the loss of Swissair Flight 111 will raise new concerns about pilots surviving fire and smoke in the cockpit environment, the use of Kapton in electrical wiring and the effectiveness of two-pilot crews in emergency situations.
The U.S. helicopter accident rate in 1997 dropped to 7.84 per 100,000 flight hours, the lowest in the past seven years. The 166 rotorcraft accidents logged last year were the lowest of any year in the 1991-97 period except for 1995, when there were 162, according to a Flight Safety Foundation analysis, which used FAA data. Air taxi operators--generally nonscheduled Part 135 flights in aircraft with 30 or fewer passenger seats--achieved an accident rate of 4.14 per 100,000 flight hours, the lowest since 1993.
Royal Air Force Wing Cdr. Dave Best has become commanding officer of the Defense Evaluation and Research Agency's Empire Test Pilot School at Boscombe Down, England. Best succeeds Wing Cdr. Laurie Hilditch, who has joined the Euro- fighter Project team at the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency in Munich, Germany.
