The timely execution of a go-around maneuver would have eliminated most preventable approach and landing accidents, according to a report by the Flight Safety Foundation of Alexandria, Va. According to FSF's approach and landing accident (ALA) reduction task force, the most common causes of ALA accidents were flight crews that continued to fly approaches past minimum descent altitudes or decision heights without adequate visual cues.
The MathWorks of Natick, Mass., has adapted a graphic design tool used by the power generation industry to the needs of aerospace engineers. The tool, Power System Blockset, was originally developed for Hydro-Quebec, which was a user of the MathWorks' Simulink data analysis tool. The tool is designed to enable engineers to create graphical models and simulations of electrical power systems and their control elements. The aerospace industry is the largest customer for MathWorks' Matlab computational engine for Simulink.
The transponder installed in a Cessna 172N that collided with a Cessna CitationJet Apr. 4 near Atlanta was found in the ``OFF'' position but was required to be operating in airspace where the accident occurred, according to the FAA and U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
BATTERY MANUFACTURERS ARE URGING the FAA to prohibit the recharging of laptop computers on aircraft. But the agency said recharging batteries in aircraft is safer than on the ground because of the safeguards required for the in-seat power supply systems. Laptop power connectors are being installed in first- and business-class seats at American and United airlines, and have been in use at Delta for more than a year with no reported safety problems.
Robert Gillespie has become president of Toronto-based Bombardier Aerospace Regional Aircraft. He was vice president-business development of Business JetSolutions of Dallas. Gillespie succeeds Pierre Lortie, who has been appointed president/chief operating officer of Bombardier International.
The Justice Dept.'s Criminal Div. has been presenting evidence to a federal grand jury here about Hughes Electronics and Loral Space&Communications allegedly providing illegal technical assistance to China that would be useful for the guidance of ballistic missiles. The companies, both of which have built satellites orbited by Long March launchers, had no comment. After some disastrous launch attempts, the Chinese uncharacteristically laid their cards on the table to their U.S. customers and asked for advice. The American engineers made some recommendations.
Market-driven solutions, and not new regulations, can best diffuse the carry-on luggage problems, according to Gordon Bethune, chairman of Continental Airlines. The Houston-based carrier is retrofitting its older Boeing 737s with overhead bins similar to the deeper, improved version found on its new 737-700s. The larger bins allow roll-on luggage to be stowed transversely, rather than fore-and-aft in bins. Legislation mandating a single carry-on bag would be difficult to enforce, Bethune said, and Continental vetoed the Air Transport Assn.'s plan to back the idea.
FORMOSA AIRLINES HAS BEEN allowed to begin operations with 10 of its 16 aircraft following the Mar. 18 crash of a Saab 340 6 mi. off Taiwan's northwest coast (AW&ST Mar. 30, p. 61). Strong tides and poor visibility have hampered underwater search efforts. Thus far only miscellaneous wreckage and some human remains have been found. Taiwanese authorities are not allowing the carrier to resume flights with its six remaining 340s.
Infraero, which has managed airports in Brazil since 1973, intends to start construction of a third passenger terminal at Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International Airport next year. Limited operations from the new terminal are expected to begin in 2001, with the completion of the $300-million terminal slated for 2003. The international airport handled nearly 14.3 million passengers in 1997.
Japan's Transport Ministry has signaled a fundamental shift away from a long-time national policy of building local airports in favor of a more conservative approach of concentrating on improving major hubs. Deputy Transport Minister Masahiko Kurono cited Japan's continued economic problems when he said the ministry is considering a ban on new airport construction, except for major hubs in Tokyo and Nagoya.
Mike Kennedy has been appointed vice president-Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle and Delta 4 programs for Boeing in Huntington Beach, Calif. He was vice president-Delta 3 program and has been succeeded by Dan Collins. Jay Witzling has been promoted to vice president from director of the Delta 2 and Titan programs.
The U.S. and France have reached an agreement on a new bilateral air services accord to replace the outdated pact renounced by France in 1992. The new treaty, expected to be signed in the next few weeks, meets industry demands for increased passenger and cargo capacity between the two countries but falls short of the U.S. government's desire for a full open skies treaty.
Competition guidelines issued last week by the U.S. Transportation Dept. propose a standard of behavior for a major airline when it responds to competition from a new-entrant carrier. The guidelines set forth three conditions that will trigger an investigation of airline practices. They are: -- When a major airline adds capacity and sells seats at low fares in such numbers that the ``ensuing self-diversion of revenue results in lower local revenue than would a reasonable alternative response.''
LOCKHEED MARTIN LAST WEEK WON THE U.S. AIR FORCE competition to develop and build at least 2,400 stealthy Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM). The missile Lockheed Martin designed from the ground-up is more effective and costs less than the competing Boeing design, USAF said.
Northrop Grumman has refined its gull-winged Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle design to bid a smaller B-2-like aircraft for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's UCAV program. The stealthy aircraft is designed to carry all its weapons internally. It would be able to drop near-precision bombs like the Joint Direct Attack Munition and the small bomb system the U.S. Air Force is developing, Greg Zwernemann, Northrop Grumman's UCAV program manager, said.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has accepted a Raytheon air traffic control system for the Delhi Flight Information Region. As a result, India will be able to commission a management system at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport that includes en route and terminal area radars, digital display systems, ground-to-air communications and navaids.
The Canadian aerospace industry is looking for additional partnerships with European companies in a far-reaching effort to ensure healthy export sales. Canada's primary goal is to participate in Airbus Industrie's proposed 480-656-seat A3XX long-range transport. The European consortium is currently considering agreements with risk-sharing partners and suppliers in preparation for launch of the $8-billion program.
Richard Shuyler has been promoted to executive vice president-strategic planning from senior vice president/chief financial officer of Atlas Air Inc., Golden, Colo. Stephen C. Nevin has become vice president/CFO. He was senior vice president-finance/CFO of AirTran Holdings.
The danger of midair collision is high in Africa. Over much of the continent, air traffic control is notoriously creaky. An airline survey conducted by the Air Line Pilots Assn. of South Africa reported 77 near-midair collisions over the continent in 1996. This month, when the details of last year's USAF C-141 midair with a Luftwaffe Tu-154 became clear, the Pentagon decided to accelerate the installation of traffic-alert and collision avoidance systems (TCAS) on military transports (AW&ST Apr. 6, p. 21).
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE OFFICIALS said last week they expect to receive Canadian certification of the Global Express business jet in June, followed by FAA and European Joint Aviation Authorities approval shortly thereafter. The four flight test airplanes have accumulated 1,711 hr. during 621 flights.
AIRBUS INDUSTRIE'S 253-SEAT A330-200 long-range transport, equipped with General Electric CF6-80E1 engines, obtained European Joint Aviation Authorities, FAA and Transport Canada certification after completing a 380-flight hours test program. First delivery will be late this month to Canada 3000, a Toronto-based charter operator. Additional -200 versions powered by Pratt&Whitney PW4000s and Rolls-Royce Trent 700s are scheduled to be certified later this year.
In April 1985, when Jean Pierson took the reins at Airbus Industrie, the European consortium had obtained orders for no more than 420 commercial transports over 15 years. Today, Airbus has sold more than 2,700 aircraft and delivered 1,700 to 143 operators. And it has a healthy 1,000-aircraft-plus backlog valued at $72 billion.
Astronaut John W. Young, lunar explorer and space test pilot for projects Gemini, Apollo and shuttle, and a retired U.S. Navy captain, has been at the forefront of space flight for 35 years. His six space missions include two Gemini flights, two Apollo lunar missions and two shuttle commands, including STS-1, the first flight of the hypersonic winged space transport.
The FAA and Pratt&Whitney are investigating the miscalibration of an ultrasonic cleaning machine that induced potential fatigue cracks in nearly 8,200 turbine blades used in four different types of the company's engines.
