At its 50th anniversary celebration this week in Las Vegas, the Air Force will demonstrate what squadron-level training must become if pilots are to achieve and maintain a level of combat proficiency in the future.
The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. will provide a $90-million guarantee to support the sale of a modern computer airline reservation system by three U.S. suppliers--IBM, AT&T and Sabre Decision Technologies (SDT)--to the International Technological Corp.-Sirena of Moscow. The equipment package, known as Sirena-3, will replace the present computer system serving the Russian airline Aeroflot. It will provide world-class information management and data networking to airlines serving Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union.
Digital maintenance documentation soon will be available on the 777 transport's portable maintenance access terminal (PMAT). The optional package will allow mechanics immediate, on-site access to the aircraft's maintenance manual, illustrated parts catalog and fault isolation manual, according to PMAT manufacturer Demo Systems, Moorpark, Calif. PMAT versions for the 747-400 and next-generation 737 family are planned.
South African Airways, which is expanding its international services, has incorporated the design of the national flag into new livery that is to be phased in over the next three years. Dubbed the Horizon Mark, the design replaces SAA's flying springbok emblem. SAA will make the changes gradually on its 47-aircraft fleet during regular maintenance to keep costs down.
TWELVE GROB G.115TA MILITARY TRAINERS built for the United Arab Emirates have undergone final acceptance tests at the Khalifa Bin Zayed Air College at Al Ain. The aircraft, for which all-composite manufacturing techniques are employed, are to be operated in basic and advanced training roles for pilot screening. UAE instructors have undergone pilot conversion training at Grob's Mattsies factory and the Schwabenflug Flying School in Augsberg, Germany. The UAE, launch customer for the twin-seat trainer, has an option to purchase another 12.
U.K. startup carrier easyJet is seeking to do in Britain what Southwest Airlines does in the U.S.--make money carrying large numbers of travelers paying low fares. The privately owned airline is the brainchild of 30-year-old Stelios Haji-Ioannou, chairman and majority shareholder. Other members of his family, from a Greek Cypriot shipping family, are the minority shareholders.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER technicians are inspecting the orbiter Atlantis to determine if the spacecraft has defects in its aft attach points for the external tank. Any defects found could delay Atlantis' launch May 15 on a critical resupply mission to the Mir space station. Inspection of the orbiters Columbia and Discovery showed deformation of bolt holes in the ``pyro can'' assemblies, and engineers want to see if Atlantis has the same problem. These pyro-can fixtures cover pyrotechnic devices critical for separation of the external tank after launch.
Regional and inexpensive home-based tornado warning systems are a possible spinoff of research performed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. As envisioned, the sensors would detect the unique seismic waves produced when tornadoes touch down. Networks of sophisticated regional sensors interlinked with Nexrad Doppler weather radar would be able to triangulate tornado position, direction and path, while filtering out extraneous vibrations, according to Frank Tatom, president of Engineering Analysis, also of Huntsville.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin has made an unconditional pledge of $260 million to enable contractors to resume long-delayed work on the international space station, as an impatient U.S. Congress signaled it won't wait for the money much longer.
The first Royal Air Force Tornado upgraded to the new GR4 mid-life update standard has completed its maiden flight at British Aerospace's Wharton facility.
ACTING ON INTELLIGENCE information provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Air Force tightened security last week at the Cheyenne Mountain (Colo.) Air Station, an underground facility that houses NORAD and U.S. Space Command operations centers. Public and family tours were suspended, 100% identification checks were instituted, and concrete barriers were added near the main entrance. By Apr. 17, officials were questioning the reliability of information indicating the base might be a target of terrorist action, but security measures remained in effect.
Boeing has begun assembly of its first 777-300 transport. The stretched derivative of the 777-200 is 33 ft. longer and will carry about 20% more passengers, from 368 to 550 depending on configuration, over a range that has been increased to 5,770 naut. mi. The 777-300 matches the capacity and range of early-model 747s, but burns 33% less fuel and has 40% lower maintenance costs, according to Boeing. Seven airlines have ordered 50 777-300s, with the first delivery--to Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways-- scheduled for May, 1998.
ValuJet Airlines executives expect higher costs and tougher competition to cause the carrier to lose money through at least the first half of this year. ``The third quarter will be our earliest opportunity to be profitable,'' the Atlanta-based carrier's chief financial officer, Stephen Nevin, told investors recently. ``We are working very hard to achieve that.''
Robert Q. Fugate, a physicist at the USAF Phillips Laboratory's Starfire Optical range, has received the USAF Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service. He developed and demonstrated the concept of laser adaptive optics as a means for compensating for atmospheric turbulence.
Hurt by a flood of cancellations in February because of a threatened strike by American Airlines' pilots, AMR Corp. last week reported first-quarter earnings of $152 million--down slightly from $157 million earned during the same period in 1996.
Saab Aircraft and Finland's Finavitec will become risk-sharing partners in Airbus Industrie's proposed 555-seat A3XX commercial transport. According to an agreement concluded earlier this month, Saab and Finavitec (formerly known as Valmet Aviation Industries) are to participate in the ongoing study phase for the very high-capacity transport. Recently, Swedish and Finnish engineers joined the Toulouse-based team, which is scheduled to freeze the A3XX's design during the fourth quarter of 1998.
Ken Sowa has been promoted to vice president-aircraft sales from director of air carrier administration for the Flight Services Group Inc., Stratford, Conn. Other recent promotions were: Eric Petersen to vice president-charter sales, Chris Burke to director of charter sales, Michael Moore to charter sales manager, Fred Bernard to director of aircraft management services, Tom Miller to director of operations, John Schneider to chief pilot and Tom Connelly to director of maintenance.
The Korean Aircraft Development Corp. plans to become a major risk-sharing partner in Aero International Regional's proposed AIR-70 twinjet. Although no final agreement has been concluded yet, the South Korean consortium's initiative is expected to strengthen the 70-seat AIR-70's credibility and pave the way for an early program launch. Aerospatiale, Alenia Aerospazio and British Aerospace are equal partners in AIR.
The U.S. is expanding the missions of a pair of spacecraft slated to travel to Mars in 2001, adding new experiments that could lay the groundwork for a human landing on the planet.
ROLLS-ROYCE HAS RECEIVED 180-min. ETOPS approval from the FAA for the Trent 892 engine powering the increased-growth-weight version of the Boeing 777-200. Approval, which came three weeks ahead of schedule, followed ground tests by Rolls-Royce involving 2,000 simulated service flights and three full 180-min. ETOPS diversion cycles, as well as flight tests at Boeing's Seattle facilities.
Daimler-Benz Aerospace (DASA) has signed a contract to expand and modernize the Archangel-Tolagy airport 200 km. (135 mi.) south of the Arctic Circle in Russia. DASA's Dornier airport systems unit will develop plans in cooperation with the Moscow State Project and Scientific Research Institute of Civil Aviation. Dornier will also act as general contractor for the turnkey project.
Mary S. Bryant has been named head of the Cessna Pilot Center and Learn to Fly Programs, based in Independence, Kan. She was president of Attitudes International.
