Fire experts at the National Institute of Standards and Technology of Gaithersburg, Md., are investigating and evaluating technologies that could be used to prevent false alarms in aircraft cargo areas. The research, requested by the FAA as part of a NASA-sponsored program to improve fire safety in aerospace vehicles, is aimed at alleviating diversions and delays caused by improperly reported cargo bay fires.
Duane Brummet has been promoted to chief operating officer/general manager from vice president/general counsel of Manufacturing Technology Inc., Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Steve Bence has been appointed vice president-Boeing programs for BFGoodrich Aerospace, Everett, Wash. Phil Rosnik has been promoted to vice president-sales and marketing from director of marketing for the Airframe Services Div. Bence was division vice president-business development.
Chris Cool has been named vice president-lean implementation and division integration and Gary L. Brown vice president and Integrated Product Team leader for C-17 and military programs for the Northrop Grumman Corp. Commercial Aircraft Div. in Dallas.
FLIGHT DATA ANALYSIS for the second qualification flight of the Ariane 5 heavy-lift booster, presented to the Launcher Qualification Board on Apr. 1, confirm that the roll torque phenomenon observed during flight 502 was generated by inner surface roughness due to the presence of spiral cooling pipes on the nozzle of the booster's Vulcain main engine. Data also confirmed that excessive roll torque caused the premature shutdown of the main stage engine, leading to a lower-than-planned orbit.
BOEING PLANS TO TAKE as much as a $450-million charge against first quarter earnings to reflect continued problems with its `next-generation' 737 program. The charge comes on top of $700 million already written off against the program, which has been plagued by parts shortages, out-of-sequence work and certification delays. The amounts are for production costs in excess of projected earnings for the first 400 transports, Boeing said.
Niranjan Krishnan of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is one of three winners of $1,000 awards in the first competition among research papers on the air logistics industry, sponsored by The International Air Cargo Assn.
Janice D. Olvera has been appointed director of the Avionics and Support Systems Dept. of the Southwest Research Institute Aerospace Electronics and Training Systems Div., San Antonio, Tex.
Edwin T. Mahood has returned toThe Official Helicopter Blue Book, Lincolnshire, Ill., as a senior analyst. He was a company founder and had been director of marketing for CALM Systems Inc.
NASA's Mars Pathfinder mission at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) faced significant challenges when formal development work began in 1993. There was relatively little funding compared with more traditional programs for space science probes--a total of $275 million for the lander, rover, launch vehicle, operations, tracking, data support and preliminary design work.
Francis Bernard is the inventor of CATIA. Dassault Systemes' CATIA 3D computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems, initially developed to advance Dassault Aviation's military fighter/business jet designs, has rapidly evolved into a global success story. In the early 1990s, CATIA workstations landed at Seattle in time to design the Boeing 777--the first ``digital'' commercial transport--and spread throughout the aerospace industry.
Scott L. Webster has been appointed CEO/chairman of the partner board, Robert F. Latham president/chief operating officer and William J. Meder vice chairman of Orbcomm, Dulles, Va. Alan L. Parker has been named president of Orbcomm Global Development. Webster was president of the Orbital Communications Corp. Parker was president/CEO and Latham executive vice president/COO of Orbcomm. Meder was president of Orbcomm Canada.
All Nippon Airways has introduced a new livery on domestic routes with delivery of its first two of seven Airbus A321s. They are powered by International Aero Engines V2500 powerplants. The aircraft feature 11 digitally-reproduced photos on each side of their fuselage. The photos are attached with adhesives and then varnished to withstand temperature extremes from -54C to 120C. The first of the new aircraft will be used on a Tokyo-Tottori route.
Aviation Week&Space Technology has been recognizing the achievements of aviation and aerospace individuals and teams for more than four decades with its Laurels and Laureate awards. On Feb. 9, the magazine announced its 1997 Laurels winners and Laureate nominees in seven categories: Commercial Air Transport, Government/Military, Aeronautics/Propulsion, Space, Electronics, Operations and Lifetime Achievement.
Mars Global Surveyor imaged the Cydonia region of Mars last week, addressing the notion proposed by several individuals that it contains a giant human-like face created by intelligent beings. The red-color photo was taken on Apr. 5 by the Mars Orbiter Camera, made by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) here. Despite some clouds over the planet, a usable image was produced from about 275 mi. away.
AIRBUS INDUSTRIE'S PROFITS dropped 60% to $147 million in 1997. The figure was included in Airbus partner Daimler Benz' annual report. Its subsidiary, Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus, is a 38% partner in the European manufacturing consortium. The report comes as Airbus increased sales over the previous year in a stiff fight with archrival Boeing for a majority share of the jet transport market. Airbus, which does not release financial results, would not comment on the report.
Patrick M. DeCambra has become vice president-business development of Aircraft Technical Publishers, Brisbane, Calif. He was director of technical publications for General Electric Aircraft Engines.
Year 2000 computer problems will not unduly hamper the FAA, Ray Long, the agency's program manager said. The agency has assessed its 430-mission-critical systems for possible problems and will complete reviews of the 354-nonmission-critical systems by Apr. 15. Long said 125 of the 209 critical systems in Air Traffic Services have already been certified as Y2K compliant, leaving only 84 in the National Airspace System that will require modification.
Bell Textron officials are going through the Model 609 civil tilt-rotor aircraft, now in development, system-by-system to determine the most economical and appropriate subcontractors. The analysis, which will be based on cost, schedule and technology, should be completed within six months. Effective Mar. 1, Boeing, a 49% risk-sharing partner with Bell on the program, left the commercial helicopter market. Boeing was to have manufactured the 609's empennage and fuselage and perform other tasks.
DHL WORLDWIDE EXPRESS IS IN FINAL NEGOTIATIONS to use a North Korean Mil Mi-17-8P heavy-lift helicopter for daily services from northern China into Pyongyang and other locations starting in July.
Airline competition critics in the Senate and House have succeeded in prodding the Transportation Dept. to address predatory pricing, but it is unlikely that Congress' short work schedule this year will permit the passage of bills to rectify key issues such as the lack of service to small communities. Five bills in Congress propose to increase airline competition by easing route restrictions, making airport slots available to smaller carriers and providing aircraft-purchase loans to airlines that would use the new equipment to serve small markets.
Aviation Week&Space Technology's Laureates Hall of Fame recognizes all of the Laureates winners selected by the editors of the magazine since 1988. Each year, the editors also select a group of past Laurels winners to be inducted as legends into the Hall of Fame. All of these legends were previously honored by the magazine with Laurels prior to 1988. The first Hall of Fame display, featuring the Laureate Trophy, Legends Plaque and a listing of the members inducted so far, is on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.
