National Institute of Standards and Technology has combined fire modeling software with advanced sensors and annunciator panels to quickly pinpoint and isolate building fires and other hazardous events. The ``in-wall'' smart sensing technology includes the ability to predict the growth and spread of flames, smoke and noxious fumes based on building plans and contents. In addition to helping direct a quicker, measured firefighting and ``hazmat'' team response, the system could end the need to empty whole buildings and interrupt business for minor alarms.
Philip L. Wolfe has been named vice president/general manager of Downtown Airpark Inc. of Oklahoma City. He was aviation department manager in Los Angeles for the Unocal Corp.
Marty Winkler (see photos) has been promoted to deputy executive of the Defense Group from president of Cubic Defense Systems, for the Cubic Corp. of San Diego. Bruce D. Roberts has been promoted to succeed Winkler from vice president/director of the Miles 2000 program.
Teams of employees from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Northwest Airlines are tackling the details of greater integration of corporate operations while executives are searching for additional full partners to join their global alliance.
Charles Gunn has been named managing director/principal of the Launchspace Consulting Group, Falls Church, Va. He was director of the NASA Launch Vehicle Office.
With their proposed alliance still languishing under the scrutiny of U.S. and European Commission regulators, British Airways and American Airlines are doggedly settling in for the duration. Airline officials concede there is no chance that the alliance, first proposed in June 1996, will be up and running in time for the 1998 summer season as initially hoped. The two carriers had aimed to win regulatory approval before the IATA slot committee meeting later this month, which will set airport slot allocations for the summer season.
Fast-track trade legislation has been held over until 1998, a casualty of President Clinton's failure to command enough votes in his own Democratic Party to win passage in the House of Representatives. The President pledged to come up with a compromise next year on related labor and environmental issues that would satisfy House Democrats' fast-track demands. But Republican leaders on Capitol Hill were skeptical, warning that the partisan warfare of the 1998 mid-term elections would generally poison the atmosphere and thwart passage again.
American Airlines' Robert L. Crandall lashed out at competitors for lining up their own global alliances--and then opposing American's plan to ally itself with British Airways. ``All the carriers have their deals done--and don't want us to have one,'' he said at a National Press Club lunch. Crandall said the proposed partnership was an outgrowth of U.S.
ROLLS-ROYCE IS MOVING AHEAD with three new derivatives of its Trent engine family--the Trent 8104, 500 and 600--with the U.K. government providing investment of 200 million pounds ($340 million) during the next four years. The 56,000-lb.-thrust Trent 500 has already been selected by Airbus Industrie to power its new A340-500 and -600 aircraft. With commitments from three airlines, Airbus could give the go-ahead for the aircraft as early as this week at the Dubai air show.
Robert E. Huettner has been appointed general manager of North American operations for Cetia Inc., Cambridge, Mass. He was president/CEO of BICC Data Networks Inc.
Northwest Airlines is using a new computer software system for improved scheduling of pilot training. Developed by Denver-based CresSoft Inc., ``Pilot Staffer'' cuts the training assignment process to a few hours from 3-4 days (when done manually), the company said. It processes all requests for new flying positions, determines which pilots are available and eligible for training, and matches these with the airline's 3-5-month projected needs.
Strategic alliances and cross-border partnerships are accelerating airline industry globalization. But international linkups also conflict with an ``aging'' air transport framework that is not in tune with today's market forces. In addition, a number of European nations remain essentially protectionist and have not embraced free-trade principles.
The American Society of Travel Agents hit back at major airlines last week for their lock-step cut of travel agency commissions, charging that the carriers want to squeeze the ``only unbiased source of information'' consumers have on air fares more than they want to reduce their costs.
Having just completed a $187-million expansion program last year, surging traffic has Vancouver International Airport planning another $84-million upgrade. Boosted by the recent ``open-skies'' bilateral between the U.S. and Canada and expanding business to Asia, Vancouver experienced 17% traffic growth in 1996 and airport officials estimate a further increase of 6% this year, to almost 15 million passengers. The construction will expand the new international terminal, adding seven gates, and is scheduled to be completed in 2000.
Jet Airways of Mumbai, India, took delivery on the first Boeing 737 in a 10-aircraft order last week and announced that it holds options on another 10 next-generation aircraft. The first aircraft, a 136-seat, two-class 737-400, will allow the domestic airline to increase frequencies. The new aircraft (above) increases Jet Airways fleet size to 17 aircraft. Two more aircraft will be delivered in December.
Can an airline find happiness outside a mega-alliance? This is the question being asked--and answered in the affirmative, so far--by a number of key U.S. and international carriers hoping to grow and prosper while maintaining their independent status and identities.
Russell Haworth has been named managing director and Neil Geoghegan financial director for Baxter, Woodhouse and Taylor Ltd., Adlington, England. Haworth held the same position with Slingsby Aviation as did Geoghegan with Dunlop Beaufort. Dave Lancaster has been named technical director. He was an independent consultant.
A dramatic shakeout of airlines in Southeast Asia is forecast over the next two years with some airlines collapsing, others forming alliances to survive, many deferring orders for aircraft, and some airports being privatized. This forecast comes from a report compiled by the Center for Asia-Pacific Aviation in Sydney, from data supplied by major airlines in Asia. The center is a leading airport and airline forecasting company in Australia.
MESABA AIRLINES, operating as Northwest Airlink, has ordered 22 additional Saab 340 aircraft--19 new Saab 340BPlus and three used Saab 340As--which will bring its total 340 fleet to 72. Last month, Saab Aircraft said it might end production of its two regional turboprops--the 340 and Saab 2000--without new orders.
In a second phase of restructuring its transatlantic network, Delta Air Lines will add five new nonstop services next year while dropping direct flights to two destinations. Beginning Mar. 3, Delta will operate daily services from New York's JFK airport to Stockholm, Stuttgart and Warsaw. On May 16, it will begin daily flights between JFK and Barcelona and between Atlanta and Hamburg. Both the Barcelona and Warsaw services will be limited to the summer season. The airline will operate Boeing 767-300ER aircraft on all five routes.
The frustrating problems that many airlines have encountered with fully interactive, inflight entertainment systems can be traced to the failure of most vendors to follow rigorous program-management discipline. That's according to C. J. Kuo, a 30-year veteran of the Boeing Co., where he last worked as an engineering manager in cabin management systems. He now is president of AeroVision Avionics Inc., a privately held, Taiwanese company formed earlier this year. Its goal is to exploit potential opportunities in the global aerospace industry.
