After nearly four years of cooperative research and development among NASA, light aircraft manufacturers and academia, the Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (AGATE) program is yielding technologies aimed at revitalizing the U.S. general aviation industry.
DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THE PENTAGON and FAA to agree on a new signal format for the next-generation GPS satellites has delayed a mid-August scheduled decision by the Interagency GPS Executive Board (IGEB) until at least late September (AW&ST June 29, p. 61). The Pentagon favors providing a second civil GPS signal at the existing L2 frequency centered at 1,227.6 MHz., while the FAA prefers a slightly lower frequency band. But the FAA preferred band is presently used by the USAF's Joint Tactical Information Delivery System and a similar NATO data link.
Two Mitsubishi F-1 close air support fighters apparently collided during a training exercise in the seas off Misawa air base in northeast Japan. Part of a three-aircraft formation, the two disappeared from radar screens as the third pilot observed two fireballs. The pilots are presumed dead.
The GNS 530 multifunction display offers the same technology and capabilities as the GNS 430 but with a 5-in. diagonal color display. The 430, which was announced in April, has a 4-in. diagonal display (AW&ST May 18, p. 78). Both offer Wide Area Augmentation System-ready IFR GPS receiver capability, a communications panel, VOR, localizer and glideslope data integrated into a moving map display. They have expandable architecture that will permit upgrades later. Jeppesen database information can be updated with front-loading data cards. Garmin, 1200 E.
Three B-2A stealth bombers, accompanied by three B-52Hs from Barksdale AFB, La., have been hastily deployed to Guam for what the Pentagon is calling 30 days of ``training operations.'' Unusual for a training mission is how quickly it was put together. Top Air Force officials knew about it for less than a week. Also, the B-2s were ordered--by the Joint Chiefs of Staff no less--to arrive in Guam no later than Sept. 6. Furthermore, the Air Force had to scrap a previously planned major B-2 exercise.
J. Tyler Morris has become Fort Worth-based vice president/regional manager and George Schlotthauer West Palm Beach, Fla.-based senior vice president-aircraft management of Flight Services Group.
Boeing next year plans to win FAA approval to conduct aircraft certification-related ice testing in its Seattle icing research wind tunnel. The facility would allow manufacturers of business jets and general aviation aircraft to save significant time and expense compared to natural inflight ice testing. The Boeing Research Aerodynamic Icing Tunnel is equipped with a spray-bar system that can generate a variety of water droplet sizes upstream of the test section, according to Boeing associate technical fellow Gene Cain.
One of the Pentagon's most guarded intelligence collection methods--measurements and signature intelligence (Masint, in the spooks' argot)--is being scrutinized to eliminate duplication. Masint involves collecting and analyzing radar, infrared, chemical, seismic, acoustic or other emissions and the sampling of gases, liquids and solid materials. The Defense Intelligence Agency's Central Masint Office seeks an architecture to create a ``system of systems'' for Masint.
After six tries in 20 days, Japan's National Space Development Agency was able to complete its second set of geosynchronous rendezvous and automatic docking experiments on Aug. 27 with its ETS-7 chaser and target satellites. Intermittent failure of one of seven pairs of attitude control jets on the target spacecraft, a continuing problem, caused the repeated failed dockings. The successful capture was begun with the chaser 2,000 meters (6,560 ft.) from the target. The distance was reduced in steps down to 2 meters when closure was at 1 centimeter/sec.
Joseph F. Marcus (see photo) has been named vice president-production operations of Lockheed Martin Michoud Space Systems of New Orleans. He was director of space launch systems engineering for Lockheed Martin Astronautics in Denver.
Richard Whiston, executive vice president/general counsel of Pratt&Whitney, East Hartford, Conn., will also be president for space and Russian operations.
Richard D. Jones has become membership director for the Miami-based International Air Cargo Assn. He was publications director for the Battelle Memorial Institute Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation.
Mary Byerly has been promoted to assistant manager from product marketing manager of the Greater Philadelphia/ Wilmington Learning Center of FlightSafety International. Amparo Calatayud has been promoted to assistant manager from groundschool and simulator instructor at FSI's San Antonio, Tex., International Learning Center.
Plymouth Tube Co. is making near-net extruded shapes of Invar-36, a specialized nickel alloy, for use as tooling components in the production of advanced composite aerospace structures, such as those made of epoxy resin with embedded carbon fibers. The alloy's durability and low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) makes it well suited for applications where warping can take place between disparate materials and their molds during curing. Plymouth Tube Co., 29W150 Warrenville Road, Warrenville, Ill. 60555.
James R. Jensen has become senior vice president-maintenance and engineering of Trans World Airlines. He was vice president-product support for the Douglas Products Div. of Boeing, Long Beach, Calif.
A variety of aviation-oriented greeting cards is available for personal and business use. A customer can create a unique card with a custom logo or imprinted message. Designs also are available with an adhesive-coated front panel so customers can affix a photograph. The Christmas card catalog is available now. CardMakers, P.O. Box 236, Lyme, N.H. 03768.
Mark L. Mele (see photos) has been named vice president-strategic planning and Richard N. Jowett vice president-investor relations and public affairs of Alliant Techsystems of Minneapolis. Mele was director of business planning and Jowett director of investor relations.
Greg Helleckson has been named director of flight operations and John Ryan director of maintenance for Reno Air. Helleckson was director of training, and John Ryan was a regional line maintenance manager for United Airlines.
