Has developed an improved version of its Buk M1 medium-range air defense missile system that is intended to offer improved protection against tactical cruise and Lance or Harm class antiradiation missiles, as well as low-flying helicopters and UAVs. Equipped with improved Novator 9M317 missiles, instead of the 9M38M1s presently mounted, the Buk M1.2 features a range of 40 km., compared to 32 km. currently, and a maximum ceiling of 25 km. The Finnish armed forces recently received the last of three Buk M1 systems acquired last year.
Jane F. Garvey says she plans to use her position as the agency's first chief with a five-year tenure to push the FAA forward. Speaking at the 50th annual convention of the National Business Aviation Assn. in Dallas last week, Garvey said ``I'm here and I want to see it through,'' referring to her four chief goals of improving safety and airport security, accelerating ATC modernization and securing stable funding for the agency.
Airbus Industrie's production rate is nearly doubling as planned, without parts or labor shortage, according to European industry officials. Next year, Airbus Industrie plans to deliver ``220-plus aircraft,'' up from 185 in 1997 and 126 in 1996. The production rate is expected to further increase, but no final plan has been determined yet for 1999 and beyond. Airbus' backlog today is about 775 aircraft.
As Reno Air celebrated its fifth anniversary this summer, Robert W. Reding, president and CEO, was hoping the airline will begin to lose the ``new entrant'' label. ``We've carried more than 16 million passengers,'' he said. The full-service but low-fare airline, which started with a single McDonnell Douglas MD-80 in July 1992, currently operates 208 flights a day to 24 cities with a fleet of three MD-90 and 27 MD-80 series jets. Last year, it carried 5.2 million passengers.
A major realignment in Germany's leisure travel industry may have a big impact not only on the German marketplace--the largest in Europe, along with that of the U.K.--but also in neighboring countries.
THE PENTAGON'S Defense Science Board is studying a controversial proposal by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to design and orbit a global constellation of small satellites that could track mobile targets with radar and relay images to battlefield commanders within seconds. Darpa's ``Starlite'' proposal has generated friction because it steps on the turf of the National Reconnaissance Office, which has traditionally been responsible for developing U.S. imaging satellites (AW&ST June 9, p. 29).
Solid evidence of heavy cuts in ``black'' budgets may come in this form: The U.S. Air Force is willing to support the Army's proposed anti-satellite laser experiment. The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization wanted to use a laser to zap its own Low-power Atmospheric Compensation Experiment (LACE) satellite three years ago. But senior Pentagon civilians turned down the proposal at the insistence of the Air Force, because it conflicted with the service's own secret projects. Now, declining budgets have hit the USAF so hard it is willing to join forces with the Army.
``Keep an open mind'' is National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall's exhortation to aviation regulators and airline operators about the board's pronouncements. Speaking to the Aero Club here, Hall said he doesn't claim the NTSB is infallible in its safety recommendations.
French military programs will be delayed again in the wake of the government's decision to further reduce defense spending. In 1998, the French Defense Ministry's budget will decrease 3.3% to FF238.2 billion ($39.7 billion). Military procurement spending will cut 8.7% to FF81 billion ($13.5 billion). In an additional effort to lower public deficits to 3% of gross domestic product and comply with the 1993 Maastricht Treaty, France's overall budget in 1998 will increase no more than 1.36%.
Which it displayed at Moscow Air '97. The 4-watt jammer will interfere with civil and military frequencies out to a range of 200 km., (108 mi.), according to the company's director, who said the unit is fully functional. The jammer, powered by batteries or 230 volts d.c., weighs 8-12 kg. (18-26 lb.) without batteries, but the next generation will have size and mass cut by about 50%. The company claims several potential customers in the Middle East.
Defense specialists in the U.S. and Europe are beginning to have grave concerns about the long-term effects of defense mergers, which have created a new strata of mega-contractors.
Boeing will modify two 747-200 passenger transports into freighter configuration for Taiwan's China Airlines. Deliveries from Boeing's Wichita, Kan., factory are scheduled for November 1998 and June 1999. The modifications include adding a side cargo door and smoke detection system and installing a stronger floor incorporating a powered cargo handling system. The aircraft also will be certified for increased operating weights. Each 747 will be capable of carrying 120 tons of cargo up to 4,000 mi.
France's Bureau Veritas and Air Eurosafe Germany are creating a new European organization to promote international safety standards. The new entity, Air Eurosafe, will provide technical support and training to countries ``unable to achieve a satisfactory standard of aviation regulation.'' It will also support ICAO and European Civil Aviation Conference safety assessment programs. Air Eurosafe will be based at the Joint Aviation Authorities headquarters in Hoofddorp, Netherlands.
THE ANTONOV DESIGN BUREAU has started flight tests in Ukraine of the An-140 turboprop and already has garnered a contract for production in Iran. A fuel pump malfunction caused the initial flight test to be aborted, but the first prototype of the 50-passenger regional aircraft completed a 1.5-hr. test on Sept. 17. A replacement for the aging An-24, the An-140 is equipped with TV3-117VMA-SB2 turboprop engines.
The USAF Air Education and Training Command will temporarily shift about two dozen T-38 Talon and T-1A Jayhawk instructor pilots and instructor pilot trainees from Randolph AFB, Tex., to other pilot training bases. The move accommodates planned training of the base's aircraft maintenance operation, which completed the transition to a civil service workforce in July 1996.
Raytheon is currently ahead of schedule in meeting STARS milestones and expects to be on time for deliveries, but concedes that meeting the rest of the software deadlines will be a challenge. The company will face one critical event on Nov. 15, when the software development is supposed to be complete. Michael M. Hoeffler, Raytheon's manager of transportation systems, said ``There is some risk the company will be between zero and three months late.''
Bob Kunkel, director of the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics, has been elected chairman of the National Assn. of State Aviation Officials for 1997-98. Other officers elected were: vice chairman, William E. Gehman, deputy director of the Michigan Bureau of Aeronautics; secretary, William L. Blake, director of the Illinois Div. of Aeronautics; and treasurer, Data Batey, director of staff for the Oklahoma Aeronatics Commission. The association recently presented its 1997 State Aviation Distinguished Service Award to Roger L.
A new process developed by Applied Sciences Inc. of Cedarville, Ohio, has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of certain polymeric and carbon fiber matrix composite materials. The advance could mean wider use of composites in aerospace and consumer applications, with cost for conventional carbon fiber dropping as low as $3/lb. compared with an average of about $20/lb. now.
A survey of economic indicators by Airports Council International (ACI) showed that 82% of its members had operating surpluses in 1996 or were at least at the break-even point. The combined operating surplus was $2.5 billion. Geneva-based ACI represents 475 operators that run 1,200 airports in 152 countries and territories. But only a handful--85 representing 246 airports--responded to the survey. Of those, 15 reported operating losses. ACI reported combined data for 222 airports showing gross revenues of $11.4 billion and expenses of $8.9 billion.
A consortium of Indian banks is considering a proposal to refinance East-West Airlines Mumbai, one of India's privately owned carriers that has gone bankrupt in the last year. ``We could be flying as early as December if our proposal is accepted'' by the banks, a senior airline official said. The consortium, led by Indian Bank, is not commenting, but industry analysts are optimistic. They point out that East-West had its operator's license renewed by the federal Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Boeing plans to recall and transfer to its Wichita factory at least 100 laid-off Douglas Aircraft assembly mechanics as manufacturing bottlenecks threaten its breakneck production buildup.
Part of a transition to the next-generation Space-Based Infrared System missile warning network began recently with groundbreaking for a new ground control station at the Buckley Air National Guard Base near Denver.
China is forming its own Star Alliance, but the group's goals aren't as globally lofty as the more famous one started by Lufthansa, United, Thai International, Air Canada and SAS. The New Star Aviation Alliance, which is scheduled to begin operations Jan. 1, includes China's regional carriers in Shenzhen, Sichuan, Shandong, Wuham and Zhongyuan, according to the official China Daily. At first, the alliance will be used to ``strengthen cooperation'' and ``improve competitiveness'' among its members.
