A computerized flight, maintenance and ground operations human error investigation and analysis system is in service at two major U.S. airlines. The Aurora Mishap Management System helps a designated investigator conduct secure and constructive post-incident interviews, especially in often-ignored mid- and low-level error categories, according to Thomas O'Brien, president of Albuquerque, N.M.-based Aurora Safety and Information Systems.
Boeing is offering its huge Montana Aviation Research facility in Glasgow, Mont., for third-party aerospace testing and research. The former Strategic Air Command base offers uncrowded skies, a 13,000-ft. runway and 200-ft.-wide heated hangars, according to Cheryl Rohloff, marketing manager for Boeing Technology Services in Seattle. There's also 24-hr. security, fire protection, deicing, fuel and on-site lodging, food service and office space.
Airbus Industrie partners finally received what they have long been waiting for--the unanimous support of the governments of the four member nations to restructure the consortium into a single corporate entity.
Charles Lloyd (see photos) and Nick Schneider have been appointed vice presidents-international sales for the Far East and Latin America, respectively, of Raytheon Aircraft, Wichita, Kan. Lloyd was director of used aircraft sales, while Schneider has been a manager of international sales. Ian Atkinson has been named manager of Raytheon Corporate Jets Inc.'s Hawker Service Center, Chester, Wales. He was general manager of London Business Aviation.
The Polish air force is scheduled to upgrade 17 PZL Mielec I-22 Iryda advanced military trainers with a Sextant Avionique navigation-attack system. The French avionics company will supply an equipment package that includes head-up displays and laser-based inertial navigation systems with integrated Global Positioning System receiver. The first upgraded Iryda is scheduled to be delivered during the fourth quarter of 1997. The Polish twinjet was developed in the late 1980s and entered service in 1992.
THE BRITISH NATIONAL Space Centre has launched a campaign to ``kick start'' the nation's Earth observation industry ``into commercial life.'' U.K. Space Minister Ian Taylor wants to make private industry more aware of the commercial benefits that can be derived from satellite data. At the same time, Taylor said the space agency hopes to gain feedback from the marketplace to make sure the next set of U.K. space experiments is more attuned to industry needs.
The CV1J4 Clear View is an in-line pneumatic air filter. Constructed of high-temperature, high-impact material, it allows an aircraft mechanic or pilot to visually monitor filter contamination. The filter also will aid in identifying malfunctioning or inoperative components that could cause premature air pump wear and avoid unnecessary filter replacements. The filter is FAA approved for use on more than 35 single and twin-engine aircraft. Aerotech Components Inc., 955 S. Virginia St., Suite 116, Reno, Nev. 89502.
Variseals made with Turcon engineered-polymer compounds and corrosion-resistant spring energizers can be substituted for elastometric O-rings and U-cups. The Variseals can withstand temperature ranges of -320-575F and pressures of up to 10,000 psi. The Turcon materials are made of a Teflon resin base material that is mixed with graphite, carbon, glass fibers or polyimides, depending on the application. American Variseal, 510 Burbank St., Broomfield, Colo. 80038.
Mike Ford (see photos) has been appointed general manager of Hunting Aviation's Aircraft Engineering Div. at England's East Midlands Airport. He was operations manager. And, Ian Blunt has been named project manager for RAF Replacement Maritime Patrol Aircraft. He had been in the Engineering Services Div.
Regional aircraft manufacturers are hoping that solid traffic growth and a stable pricing environment in the U.S. will translate into substantial new orders this year.
Bruce Langsen (see photo) has been promoted to executive vice president from vice president-marketing and sales of Inventory Locator Service Inc., Memphis, Tenn.
The Model 25DLK-HP Ultrasonic Thickness Gage is a hand-held device that can make instant, accurate digital thickness measurements of up to 20 in. of composite and fiberglass aerospace components. The device can be used with a variety of contact, delay line and immersion transducers. Applications include measuring the thickness of wing panels, fuselage skin, ducts and fan blades. The device also can reveal variations in fiberglass or composite density. The 25DL-HP can measure thicknesses of 0.04-20 in. with a resolution of 0.001 in. The unit weighs 1.3 lb.
Northwest Airlines' new nonstop air service to China, which links Detroit to Beijing, has converted Metropolitan Airport from an ordinary growth airport into a leading U.S. gateway.
Fuselage joining for the first 767-300 general market freighter has been completed at Boeing's Everett facility. The aircraft, built on a 767-300 extended range airframe, can carry 60-ton revenue loads 3,200 naut. mi. Korea's Asiana Airlines launched the program in November, 1993, and will take delivery of the first of two aircraft in August.
Engineering the F-4 Phantom 2, Parts Into Systems by Glenn E. Bugos is a case study of the last tri-service fighter-bomber. It explains how the aircraft's systems, economies and missions were shaped by engineers, program managers, military strategists, pilots and others. Research included interviews with key players in the program. The work examines how McDonnell Aircraft worked through the problems of technical integration. Naval Institute Press, 118 Maryland Ave., Annapolis, Md. 21402.
The Indian market has far exceeded Lufthansa's expectations for it since the country began economic reforms five years ago. The German carrier has had double-digit growth and cannot add services fast enough to meet demand. The German flag carrier initiated an aggressive expansion policy of its services as soon as India began deregulating its economy in 1991 because it expected that German businessmen would rush in looking for investment opportunities.
The Mach-1A and Mach-1B are fast-framing digital cameras. The 1A captures an image of 512 X 256 pixels, while the 1B's image is 256 X 256 pixels. Both cameras can capture 62-1,000 frames per sec. without sacrificing spatial resolution. They use a custom-designed chip for on-chip electronic shuttering with exposure times as fast as 100 microsec. These units offer sensitivity into the near-infrared range of 1,000 nanometers, making it possible to use them in applications with laser illumination.
Two nodes Boeing is building for the international space station have failed to reach pressure test goals, threatening to disrupt the schedule of the first U.S. hardware slated to be orbited. Pressure tests of both nodes--units designed to connect the station's various larger modules--had to be halted before reaching the goal of 22-lb. per square in. (psi), 1.5 times their designed operating pressure of 15 psi.
U.S. aerospace manufacturers could face Russian competition in Japan, a major market. Japanese Defense Minister Usui Hideo and uniformed staff members of Japan's Defense Agency have held talks at Russia's Kubinka air base to discuss acquisition of such Russian equipment as the Sukhoi Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters. No immediate purchase plans were announced, but the Japanese seek additional information exchanges about Russian technology.
MentorPlus Software and the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency have signed a cooperative agreement to enhance and market the government's digital chart data for use in consumer software. The agreement opens the way for development of highly accurate aviation safety and navigation products, according to John Laurin, MentorPlus vice-president of marketing.
The Infinity 1 military stick grip is modeled after the grips used on the McDonnell Douglas F-4 fighter and other military aircraft, but is 8% smaller to make handling it without a glove easier. Its six switches can be wired for up to 13 functions. The stick is available in right and left-hand versions and includes 3 ft. of shielded cable with 15 conductors. The grip will fit sticks of 5/8 - 11/8-in. dia. and is made with four brass inserts, each capable of withstanding 385 lb. of tension. Infinity Aerospace, P.O. Box 12275, El Cajon, Calif. 92022.
Mitsubishi and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries are considering joining the Pratt&Whitney and General Electric collaboration aimed at building a new engine for Boeing's proposed 747-500X/600X (AW&ST May 13, p. 20). IHI holds an 8.5% share of the GE90 program and Mitsubishi 10% of the PW4000, two of the three options for Boeing's 777 transport.
M. John Hasan has been appointed senior vice president and William Shore a vice president, both in New York, and Ashley F. Paff assistant vice president in San Francisco, of D'Accord Financial Services Inc. Hasan was a vice president at the First Chicago Leasing Corp., while Shore was a vice president and head of structured finance at SPP Hambro. Paff was an investment officer at the International Finance Corp.
FiberSIM Composite Engineering Environment provides engineers with the tools to manage data generated in the design and manufacture of advanced composite parts. Using the computer-aided design user interface, FiberSIM CEE links three-dimensional CAD models to composite objects. By working with familiar objects such as plies, cores, rosettes and sequences, rather than pure CAD geometry, designers can quickly generate and update composite part designs. Composite Design Technologies Inc., 47 River St., Suite 210, Wellesley, Mass. 02181.
