Alcatel and Loral are joining two planned satellite networks with the aims of being first to reach the high-speed multimedia telecommunications market and having the lowest cost.
Lockheed Martin is buying up to 101 Energomash RD-180 rocket engines for use on its next-generation commercial and military space launch vehicles. The intended $1-billion purchase becomes the U.S. aerospace giant's third major undertaking with Russian space industry partners and represents an attempt to fortify its position in the launch services sector--a stake it now says is on a par with longtime commercial leader Arianespace.
Security infrastructures and procedures at U.S. nuclear research facilities were upgraded significantly in the early 1980s, coinciding with the rise of global terrorism. Elevation of the U.S. Energy Dept. to Cabinet-level status also was a contributing factor because the national laboratories became more integrated with technical intelligence issues. ``Some of our projects got `blacker,''' a lab official said.
James P. Linse, director of public affairs for the United Technologies Corp. in Washington, has been named chairman of the Aerospace Industries Assn. Communications Council for 1997-98. Cheryl C. Morosco, manager of communication services for the Parker Hannifin Corp., will be vice chair.
Photograph: Federal Express, with more MD-11s than any other cargo or passenger carrier, operates the aircraft on long-haul international routes with an average 93% load factor. While McDonnell Douglas' efforts to sell the MD-11 commercial transport during the past decade have fallen short of expectations, the trijet has proven to be relatively popular with air cargo operators because of its payload volume and direct operating costs.
PARIS AIR SHOW '97 Asian Carriers Lead Boeing 777 Orders AIRLINE* -200 -200IGW -300 TOTAL United Airlines 16 20 36 All Nippon 17 11 28 Thai Airways 8 6 14 British Airways 5 13 18 Lauda Air 4 4
Photograph: Delta Air Lines has 382 aircraft, including 129 Boeing 727s, that will require the installation of fire detection and suppression systems under the FAA's proposed rulemaking. DAVE MAXWELL Fire detection and suppression systems would be installed in the sealed cargo compartments of commercial aircraft by the year 2001 under a proposed rule issued last week by the FAA. The FAA estimates about 3,000 passenger aircraft, primarily narrow-bodies, and another 300 all-cargo aircraft would be affected by the proposal.
Effectively and efficiently merging two aerospace giants' various lab, wind tunnel and test facilities will be one of the many challenges faced by Boeing officials if the proposed merger with McDonnell Douglas is consummated as planned this summer. Although U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations limit premerger contact and coordination, Boeing officials have counted more that 400 large and small labs and test sites between the two companies, according to Michael T. Boyce, vice president of market development for Boeing's Defense&Space Group.
Tom Johnson, development lead for Analytical Graphics Inc., King of Prussia, Pa., has received the 1997 Young Engineer Achievement Award from the Greater Philadelphia Section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was cited for technical design and leadership in the development of the Comm Module, a commercial off-the-shelf software tool for assessing the strength and quality of communications links between satellites and air, land and sea systems.
The InterAct rotary actuator uses pulse width modulation drive circuitry and an internal optical encoder for position sensing. The device can achieve speeds of 100 MHz. with an open-loop bandwidth of 66 Hz. at -3 dB. A response time of 8 millisec. to 20 deg. rotation from rest is typical for low-mass loads. The system is designed for a life of 100 million cycles. Lucas Control Systems, 801 Scholz Drive, P.O. Box 427, Vandalia, Ohio 45377-0427.
The Coverage Module allows users of Satellite Tool Kit software to perform both qualitative and quantitative analysis of satellite coverage in four dimensions. A user can specify the coverage area and resolution, apply existing access constraints from STK and licensed modules, define coverage quality in terms of area and time and generate customized statistics. The module provides color-coded animations to reflect variations in coverage caused by interactions between assets, asset failures and other events. Analytical Graphics, 660 American Ave., King of Prussia, Pa.
Illustration: Futuristic designs for unmanned combat aircraft continue to emerge as aerospace planners look for less dangerous ways to conduct air defense suppression and deep strike missions. The gull-wing shape allows for lateral stability in a tailless design. Pulling on technology developed for advanced classified programs, the B-2 bomber and unmanned aerial vehicles, Northrop Grumman has entered the still-undeclared competition for unmanned combat aircraft.
Photograph: With Editor-in-Chief David M. North in the rear seat and USAF Capt. Scott Brenton in the front seat, a 77th Fighter Sqdn. F-16 taxis to the active runway at Shaw AFB, S.C. The combination of the Lockheed Martin F-16 and Texas Instruments' HARM missile and HARM Targeting System pod provides an effective suppression of enemy air defenses. With the retirement of the McDonnell Douglas F-4G from the ``Wild Weasel'' role last year, the USAF initially has given the air defense suppression role to some F-16 squadrons. Whether the U.S.
The Transportation Dept. has authorized El Al Israel Airlines to continue up to eight flights each month between Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) and Tel Aviv. The agreement was forged after Israeli transportation officials agreed to allow New York-based Tower Air to inaugurate flights to Tel Aviv beginning this summer.
ICAMP's Virtual Inspection Process (VIP) software for independent dimensional inspection and analysis has been enhanced to work with all coordinate measuring machines (CMMs). Design and manufacturing engineers can build virtual gauges with the program to check feature and part profiles, ensuring that tolerance boundaries are met and that a part will mate in assembly. The VIP software also can turn a CMM into a data collector, eliminating the need for hard profile gauges. ICAMP Inc., P.O. Box 9500, Bolton, Conn. 06043.
The CD-ROM Flight Library Series uses the Folio search engine to find content from more than 500 publications as well as online graphics. A user can simultaneously search multiple publications for individual words or phrases or find newly revised passages and compare them with the old ones. Available content includes the Federal Aviation Regulations/Airman's Information Manual, FAR for Flight Crew and FAR for Aviation Maintenance Technican, Practical Test Standards and FAA reprints and handbooks.
The EDI1D5 is a 10.4-in. commercial-off-the-shelf active matrix liquid crystal display that is ruggedized and sunlight readable. Its thin film transistor drivers make the new display suitable for harsh applications. The unit offers 640 X 480 VGA resolution and RGB digital interface with 60-deg. horizontal portrait viewing. The glass offers a 200:1 contrast and 30 millisec. response time. The display will operate over a range of -20-70C. Electronic Designs Inc., 1 Research Drive, Westborough, Mass. 01581.
Photograph: The regional airline Comair operates the 100th production model of the Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet. Comair has 50 CRJs in its fleet. A 50-passenger turbofan jet transport flying a regular schedule to cities less than 100 mi. away? Certainly Bombardier, the manufacturer of the Canadair Regional Jet, had longer hauls in mind when a 1,500-mi. range was designed into the aircraft. Few, if anyone, expected the Canadair twinjets to be replacing turboprop aircraft on short runs.
Jean Faure, chairman/chief executive officer of SNPE, has been promoted to the rank of officer in the French Legion d'honneur. The following have been appointed chevaliers: Daniel Dupuy, director of the defense and security division of Sagem; Jean-Louis Michel, CEO of the Dassault Electronique Group; and Bernard Rocquemont, chairman/CEO of Thomson-CSF Radars and Countermeasures.
Diasoft is a ``do-it-yourself'' diaphragm design software package for end users. It guides the user step-by-step through the process of designing molded elastomeric diaphragm seals. The program calculates burst, stroke and height requirements, pressure and metric conversions, considers hardware design requirements and includes a comprehensive fluid resistance chart for elastomer selection. The software also allows users to perform pretesting without the expense of special tooling. DiaCom Corp., 5 Howe Drive, Amherst, N.H. 03031.
The Apollo GX55 is a panel-mounted GPS navigator with a high-definition moving map display. It is readable from any cockpit position in all lighting conditions. The moving map can display airports, VORs, NDBs, intersections and special use airspace. In addition to the standard Apollo interface, the GX55 has five "smart" keys located just below the display that can be customized by a user to declutter maps, program flight plans, retrieve messages or perform other functions. II Morrow Inc., P.O. Box 13459, Salem, Ore. 97309.
The French electorate's rejection of the right-wing government of Alain Juppe has paralyzed plans for the long-waited consolidation of the French defense and aerospace industries. It also will have far-reaching implications for the entire European aerospace scene. The left wing's return to power and the Socialist-led government's program are raising doubts about France's ability to retain a strong role in the free-trade global economy.
Photograph: Operations centers collocate experts with the latest in computer and communication links and artificial intelligence-based expert systems to cope with flight schedule changes. Operations control centers run by the major U.S. airlines are boosting their efficiency and will lead the way to more collaborative decision-making with the FAA.
