DON FUQUA INTENDS to leave the Aerospace Industries Assn. next year. The former Florida congressman became AIA president in 1987 and led the association through the industry's post-Cold War downsizing and restructuring. He plans to return to Florida, the AIA said.
Results of an initial analysis of flight data from the second Ariane 5 qualification flight on Oct. 30 have confirmed that the premature shutdown of the booster's Vulcain main-stage cryogenic engine was caused by higher than expected roll torque. The incident caused the Maqsat-H dummy communications satellite to be released into a lower than planned geostationary transfer orbit (AW&ST Nov. 10, p. 42).
SBS Technologies of Carlsbad, Calif., has come up with data acquisition software that will run on standard PCs using Windows NT open architecture, while providing the high performance of traditional proprietary systems using costly workstations, the company claims. The first version of DataXpress software is intended for pulse-code modulated telemetry, satellite monitoring and avionics testing.
A Malaysian government investment firm is expected to buy up to 50% of British Aerospace's Avro regional jet program under terms of a cooperative agreement signed during the final trade day of Malaysia's LIMA '97 air show. Signed in the presence of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the agreement anticipates that the Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the investment arm of Malaysia's ministry of finance, will take the equity stake in Avro by next March.
Peter Goelz has become managing director of the NTSB. He was head of the agency's Office of Government, Public and Family Affairs. Jamie Finch has been promoted to director of that office from deputy director. Goelz succeeds Ken Jordan, who is now at the Defense Dept. as executive director of the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Eric S. Anderson has been appointed chairman of Aviall Inc. of Dallas. He has been president/CEO. Anderson succeeds Robert G. Lambert, who will continue as a director.
WINGSPAN OF BETHESDA, MD., plans to start a 24-hr. television service focused on aerospace. Wingspan President and CEO Philip Osborn said the service will start in April with immediate coverage in the U.S. and Europe. Wingspan Air&Space Channel will carry news, documentaries, entertainment and educational programs. Loral's Orion Network Systems will distribute the program via satellite starting in the U.S. and Europe and then adding India, China, Australia, Japan and Southeast Asia in November.
Adam Pilarski has been appointed senior vice president and Thanh Tam Dinh an aviation analyst at Avitas Inc., Reston, Va. Pilarski was chief economist/director of strategic planning for the Douglas Aircraft Co., Long Beach, Calif.
Michael Forster has been named CEO of Mercury Scheduling Systems Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia. He was president/CEO of Sierra Expressway Airlines, Oakland, Calif.
At a time when some are proclaiming the demise of the turboprop, Bombardier Aerospace is preparing for the first flight of its latest regional aircraft--a 70-seat turboprop.
Jaime Milstein, a senior scientist in the Engineering and Technology Group of the Aerospace Corp. of Los Angeles, has received the company's President's Award for advances achieved in satellite imagery expected to be used by NASA to produce the first digital world map next year.
Wayne A. Grant, 3rd, (see photo) has been appointed C-21A program manager for SimuFlite Training International, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. He was the program coordinator.
Sirocco Aerospace has released new orders for its Tu-204-120 medium-range transports, along with a planned product support venture and follow-on derivatives that are slated to be added to its model portfolio. The Tu-204-120 is intended to compete with the Boeing 757 and Airbus A321.
John C. Ritter (see photos) has been named senior vice president/chief financial officer and B. Dennis Albrechtsen vice president-manufacturing/general manager of Whitehall Casting, for the Howmet Corp., Greenwich, Conn. Michael Sander has become director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Technology and Applications Program Directorate, Pasadena, Calif. He was deputy director of the Space and Earth Science Directorate.
In a joint political initiative, France, Germany and the U.K. are seeking to set into motion the European aerospace/defense industry's long-overdue consolidation, asking industry to come up with a detailed plan in the next four months. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, French President Jacques Chirac, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and British Prime Minister Tony Blair last week formally agreed on ``the urgent need to restructure Europe's aerospace and defense electronics industries.''
James K. Kolkowski has been named director of corporate sales for the CTS Corp., Elkhart, Ind. He was vice president-sales and marketing of CTS Resistor Network. Alan Toh has been appointed plant manager of CTS Singapore Pte. Ltd. He was general manager of Conion Electronics Pte. Ltd.
Researchers have developed electronic techniques that stop smearing of images taken during high-speed, low-level reconnaissance flights and can color moving targets in black-and-white, still photographs. The new technology uses electronic processes embedded in computer chips to overcome the limitations of conventional wet-film and the early generations of electro-optical aerial cameras. This technique may help reinvigorate the future for both manned and unmanned tactical airborne reconnaissance.
This week Boeing is holding a second conference with more than 30 major suppliers in an effort to find ways to build its transports faster, better and cheaper. The push is part of a Boeing Commercial Airplane Group-wide program to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Concepts being explored include scrapping the bid process for parts and components procured outside the company, and instead, establishing long-term relationships with preferred suppliers. Parts and component makers, in turn, would win long-term contracts to provide complete systems.
Walter J. Addems, one of the last Early Birds, instrument flight pioneer and airline official, died on Nov. 21 in Palo Alto, Calif. He was 98. As a teenager, Addems built an aircraft, taught himself how to fly it and lifted off in July 1916, qualifying him as a member of the Early Birds, or aviators who had soloed before Dec. 17, 1916. The date was chosen to separate pioneers from those aviators preparing for World War 1, which the U.S. entered in April 1917. Addems was a barnstormer, then flew the mail by day and night.
CRAIG MCCAW HAS TAKEN OVER as CEO of Teledesic in order to take ``a more active role'' in the company. He will remain the chairman as well. Former CEO David Twyver will serve on a newly formed executive committee with McCaw.
Des Moines, Iowa-based AccessAir plans an early 1998 service launch using three 117-seat Boeing 737-200s. Backers for the carrier already have raised $18 million in startup monies, including funding from major regional employers such as Caterpillar Inc. The companies seek improved and more economical air service. Planned routes include daily service from Des Moines, Peoria and the Quad-Cities area to Los Angeles and New York, according to Roger Ferguson, chairman and CEO of AccessAir and a former Eastern Airlines vice president.
The FAA is having no trouble filling the 100 slots on its new Certification, Standardization and Evaluation Team, which is to focus initially on new-entrant carriers. For the first 17 positions hired, there were 400 applicants, including some of the agency's most senior inspectors, said Daniel C. Beaudette, CSET manager.
Japan is working on a new bullet train that will be so fast it will rival airline service between Tokyo and Osaka. Japan's Institute of Integrated Railway Technology has successfully tested the ``linear motor train'' at 503 kph. (312 mph.) and has a goal of reaching 550 kph. (341 mph.) by the end of the year. France's TGV holds the world record of 515.3 kph. The Institute and the Tokai Passenger Railway Corp. hope to begin commercial service by the early 2000s.
In the wake of recent congressional action allowing long-distance flights from Dallas' Love Field, American Airlines is attempting to obtain six gates to compete with other carriers, including startup Legend Airlines (AW&ST Sept. 15, p. 34). American Chairman Robert L. Crandall said if long-distance service begins at the airport, American will be a competitor and is considering operating Fokker 100s equipped with only 56-passenger seats--the maximum allowed under the Wright Amendment.
Barring a sharply increased threat to the security of the U.S., defense procurement is apt to fall well short of what U.S. military contractors are hoping for in the next 5-10 years. Still, ample market opportunities will abound for companies that are flexible, are willing to listen to their customers and whose strong suit is systems integration, especially in electronics. These are two key points in the Electronic Industries Assn.'s most recent 10-year budget forecast.
