John Wood has been appointed Asia-Pacific director of British Airways. He now heads BA's Canadian operations. Wood succeeds Val Gooding, who has resigned.
The Clinton Administration has produced a broad new National Space Policy. The White House is billing it as the first post-Cold War assessment of U.S. military, commercial and civil space activities and goals. The 15-page document was once scheduled to be finished in November, 1995. For NASA, the policy renews the commitment to completing the international space station and putting a robotic rover on Mars surface by 2000.
Firoz Vergee has become sales manager for South Asia and the Far East for Radarsat International, Richmond, British Columbia. He was education program coordinator.
Robert Hunter, U.S. ambassador to NATO, says the first invitations for former Soviet-bloc nations to join NATO will come next summer, with full membership to be in effect by April, 1999. However, some nations won't make it in the first round. Even so, Hunter said, they can maintain a ``close, personal, deep, permanent relationship with NATO.'' Moreover, there will be more rounds and there are no limits to how many new countries can eventually be accepted, he said.
The eight international instruments on board Japan's Advanced Earth Observation Satellite have begun returning their first images and data for land, ocean and atmospheric studies as the 7,800-lb. spacecraft continues its checkout period. Adeos-1 was launched Aug. 17 into a 500-mi. polar orbit by an H-2 booster for the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) and is to be fully operational Nov. 13 (AW&ST Aug. 26, p. 68).
AFTER A TUSSLE AMONG the lower ranks, top military leaders have agreed that the Air Force will have operational control of unmanned aerial vehicles in combat. The issue came up prior to the just-completed Joint Precision Strike Demonstration. The Army wanted to control the Predator UAVs, once they are over the battlefield, from a forward control element (FCE). The Air Force objected, saying that UAVs should be like U-2s, RC-135 Rivet Joints or Joint-STARS. Combat leaders would tell reconnaissance units what they want and when.
The Reason Foundation, a Los Angeles public policy institute, has researched airport privatization worldwide and concluded that protectionist U.S. airport policy has become an anachronism. The foundation, which advised the operator of the Albany, N.Y., airport during its attempt to privatize, presented an analysis to Congress recently that is excerpted here.
MOVING FROM A MILITARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM toward one that is civil and privatized, the Russian Federation has established two government entities, the Federal Aviation Authority and the Main Center for Planning and Regulation of Air Traffic Flow, to be responsible for all air traffic control activities. The two organizations supercede the Commission of Air Traffic Control (Rosaeronavigatsiya) and the General Directorate on ATM Modernization of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation.
The U.S. government has issued its first commercial spaceport license. Space Systems International received approval last week to operate the California Spaceport on 106 acres leased from the Air Force at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The license, issued by the FAA, permits launches for spacecraft up to 6,000 lb., the capability of the largest Lockheed Martin Launch Vehicle. Frank Weaver, chief of the FAA's space transportation office, says he expects to receive additional license applications in the not-too-distant future.
Carl A. Marchetto (see photos) has been named director of Image Acquisition Systems and vice president-Commercial and Government Systems and L. Charles Meeks, Jr., vice president/marketing and program development director of Commercial and Government Systems, for the Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y. Marchetto was A2100/GE commercial satellite director for Lockheed Martin Astro Space, Princeton, N.J. Meeks was vice president-business development of Lockheed Martin Government Electronic Systems, Moorestown, N.J.
The chairman of British Midland, unveiling a new range of product improvements, said the U.K. airline plans to acquire larger aircraft in its next phase of purchases to take advantage of its slots at London Heathrow. Sir Michael Bishop said the airline recently received the last delivery of its latest fleet acquisition package, which totaled 225 million pounds ($349 million). That has brought the average age of British Midland's fleet to just under four years, ``the youngest jet fleet in Europe,'' he said.
THE BRITISH ROYAL NAVY successfully carried out the first in-service firing of an Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) from the latest version of the Sea Harrier, the FA2, which is equipped with the Blue Vixen radar. The test firing was conducted at the U.S. Navy's range at Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico.
ALASKA AIRLINES HAS ORDERED 12 Boeing 737-400s with an option for 12 more. The firm order, based on manufacturer's list price, is valued about $540 million. Deliveries will be spread over a three-year period, beginning in June, 1997. The new -400s will be configured to seat 140 passengers in two classes. They are to replace 12 older MD-80s on a one-for-one basis. Under provisions of the agreement, Alaska may substitute some or all of its optioned aircraft for Boeing's updated, yet-to-fly 737-600, -700 or -800 versions.
Jack Swift has been named Asia/Pacific managing director of the BFGoodrich Aerospace Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Group. He was general manager of BFG Component Overhaul and Repair/ Test Systems. Other recent appointments were: Curtis Reusser, MRO managing director in Europe; John Martin, general manager of Component Services; and John Hobbs, senior director of sales and marketing for Component Services. Reusser was general manager of Component Overhaul and Repair. Martin was general manager and Hobbs sales director of Landing Gear Services.
AEROSPATIALE MADE a $54.6-million net profit during the first half of the year, in sharp contrast with $21-million losses for the first half of 1995 and heavy losses accumulated during the last few years. The company's recovery plan is producing strong results, at an accelerated pace, company officials noted (AW&ST Sept. 16, p. 87). During the 6-month period, Aerospatiale booked orders valued at $4.66 billion, up from $4.08 billion. However, sales slightly decreased to $4.62 billion, down from $4.92 billion.
Christine Davis (see photos) has been promoted to senior vice president from vice president of the Texas Instruments Systems Group of Dallas. Other recent promotions were: Steven D. Roemerman to vice president/group strategy manager from manager of interdiction weapon systems; and John M. Wright to manager of the Advanced Programs Div. from director of advanced land combat systems.
FlightSafety International and Petroleum Helicopters Inc. have teamed to establish a helicopter pilot and technician training center at Lafayette (La.) Regional Airport. FlightSafety is moving its Ft. Worth-based helicopter flight training program to Lafayette and will use PHI facilities there. Operations are scheduled to begin on Nov. 1. In a related development, UND Aerospace will perform all factory authorized pilot and technician training for McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems at Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa, Ariz.
Two photographs were mistakenly used in last week's issue due to procedural errors at the magazine. The photo on p. 32 should have been of a Lockheed Martin Atlas 2A launching the new GE-1 spacecraft. This is the first flight of a Lockheed Martin A2100 design satellite. Instead, a photo of an Ariane 42P launching the EchoStar 2 was used incorrectly. And the wrong photo was used on p. 63. The photo should have been a closeup of a Bell 430 helicopter engine rather than of a Sukhoi Su-37 powerplant.
Jeffrey Harris has been named to the board of directors of Analytical Graphics, King of Prussia, Pa. He is former director of the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office and now president of Space Imaging Inc., Thornton, Colo.
Noel Forgeard has been named chief executive officer of Matra BAe Dynamics, a Lagardere group-British Aerospace joint company. Other recent appointments were: Roger Hawksworth, deputy chief executive officer; and Jean-Paul Gut, vice president-marketing. John Weston is chairman and Richard Lapthorne and Philippe Camus are members of the management board.
The airport at Moses Lake, Wash., is undergoing an upgrade to attract new business, particularly Pacific Rim air cargo flights. The former Larson AFB has established a foreign trade zone and U.S. Customs office, and purchased fire trucks and a scissors lift suitable for servicing 747-size cargo aircraft. A $3.2-million air traffic control tower is being built, and a new 30,000-sq.-ft. passenger terminal is scheduled to be opened in October, 1997, according to Executive Manager David Bailey. The 4,800-acre airport has a 13,500-ft.-long main runway.
Strasbourg's Chamber of Commerce last week asked DHL to ``suspend'' a plan to establish an additional hub at the eastern French city's Entzheim airport. Although the expansion plan has not been rejected formally, it now has slim chance of materializing. Local residents and environmentalists are opposing increased night operations that would result from another hub for the U.S. courier company. Strasbourg's decision to dissuade DHL may pave the way for a night curfew at Entzheim.
Early next year, Aerojet will start modifying 12 Russian NK-33 rocket engines for use as the first and second stages of a new Kistler Aerospace Corp. launch vehicle. The first 12 of 70 NK-33s were delivered to Sacramento, Calif., in late August on board an Antonov An-124 aircraft. Aerojet acquired the engines and associated intellectual property data under a licensing agreement with N.D. Kuznetsov Joint Stock Company Scientific-Technical Complex. Aerojet will be able to build the entire engine in the U.S., if necessary.
Specialized airborne Lidar (laser radar) sensors mounted on a small business aircraft are effectively being used in an environmental research role. The technique, known as Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL), could be miniaturized and adapted to unmanned aerial vehicles for environmental and military purposes, according to Edward E. Uthe, principal scientist for SRI International's Geoscience and Engineering Center, in Menlo Park, Calif. The latter mission includes rapid detection and characterization of chemical warfare releases, Uthe said.
At least 60 Federal Express DC-10 aircraft will be upgraded with new two-crew cockpits under an agreement with Douglas Aircraft Co. for a two-phase modification program which would extend through 2002. Total program costs for FedEx for the aircraft under firm order, designated MD-10s, could be in excess of $600 million. If all options are exercised, the number of aircraft could increase to 120 for a program which would run through 2010, according to Douglas officials.
