This engine/auxiliary power unit fire shut-off module can be used on commercial and business aircraft. It consists of two Mil-Spec-qualified, explosion and splash-proof rotary switches packaged in rugged 356-T6 aluminum investment cast frames. The switch requires 12 lb. of force to pull or push the 0.5-in.-dia. stainless steel shaft/handle assembly and actuate the 12-pole rotary switch. In order to actuate the two-pole rotary switch, 20 in.-lb. of force is required.
Morris Freeman has become regional director of international marketing for Annapolis, Md.-based Arinc Inc. in Bangkok. He was coordinator of air traffic services and search-and-rescue issues for the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The breakthrough decision by Matra Defense and British Aerospace to merge their missile businesses in a new $1.5-billion company will help clear the damaging logjam that has blocked consolidation of European aerospace. The formation of Matra BAe Dynamics also signals the potential for quickly moving Europe and the U.K. closer together in future weapons collaborations, notably at the expense of the U.S.
The Ultrasonic Anemommeter is a two-axis unit that measures horizontal wind speed and direction. The low-power device has no moving parts and requires no routine maintenance or calibration. Heated and immersible units are available for use in marine environments, desert sand and arctic temperatures. The unit works by measuring the speed of sounding the air. Transducers are located inside the sealed sensor head. The unit measures 4 in. in diameter and weighs less than 1 lb. Climatronics Corp., 140 Wilbur Place, Bohemia, N.Y. 11716.
JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER program officials seem to be poised to select a version of the General Electric F120 as the alternate main powerplant for the JSF. The apparent selection of the F120 over derivatives of the company's F110 powerplant was prompted by the JSF airframers who believe the F120 will better meet the requirements of their proposed aircraft. Versions of the Pratt&Whitney F119 are the current baseline main engine for all the JSF candidates.
THE U.S. AIR FORCE IS INSTALLING Danish satellite communications systems on 324 Air Mobility Command aircraft to track and communicate digitally with its aircraft around the world. Thrane&Thrane manufactures the system, which will transmit the aircraft's GPS position to Air Mobility Command control center at Scott AFB, Ill., via the Inmarsat-C satellite system. The TT-3024 Aero-C system also has two-way message capability for e-mail, telex or fax. The system being installed on the command's C-5, C-141 and KC-10 aircraft weighs less than 15 lb.
Robert Hougee has been appointed vice president-cargo operations of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. He succeeds Jan Meurer, who has become senior vice president- passenger sales and services for North America and Mexico.
James Pawelczyk, assistant professor of applied physiology at Pennsylvania State University, has been selected to train as a payload specialist on board the Neurolab space shuttle mission, scheduled to be launched on Mar. 5, 1998.
Debra Yates has been appointed Central U.S. marketing director for American International Freight, based in Chicago. She was branch manager for Pilot Air Freight.
NORTHROP GRUMMAN REACHED agreement with DASA last week to jointly produce Joint-STARS if the system is selected by NATO to meet its airborne ground surveillance requirement. DASA would be the lead European contractor on the team formed to bid on the contract. NATO issued a request for information from contractors in March. Responses are due in June.
Ray A. Crockett (see photo) has been named director of communications for Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems, Marietta, Ga. He was manager of public affairs for the ITT Aerospace/Communications Div., Ft. Wayne, Ind.
Steady, fast and profitable growth of ValuJet has propelled the Atlanta-based low-fare carrier to the top rank of the U.S.' latest wave of new entrant airlines. Inside of 30 months, ValuJet's route structure has spread from three to 31 cities. Its fleet has grown from three DC-9-30s, formerly operated by Delta Air Lines, to 51 aircraft, all DC-9s except for four recently delivered MD-80s.
John Van Egmond, senior member of the ITT Gilfillan technical staff, has received the Navy League of the U.S.' Albert A. Michelson Award. It is given to a civilian scientist or technical innovator whose achievements have brought a substantial improvement to the strength of the country's maritime forces or the enhancement of its industrial technology base.
The fatal crash of ValuJet Flight 592 is subjecting U.S. air transport to intense scrutiny. New federal policy, legislative initiatives, fresh regulation and stiffer safety measures are all but foregone conclusions. Much of the world aviation community will follow developments with a watchful eye for how U.S. actions affect their air transport industries.
Candace A. Clark has been promoted to senior vice president from vice president and J. Kenneth Nasshan to vice president-public relations from assistant vice president of the Kaman Corp., Bloomfield, Conn. Marvin L. Grier has been appointed president of Kaman Instrumentation Inc. of Colorado Springs. He was general manager.
HOUSE LAWMAKERS approved a $266.7-billion defense authorization bill last week which represents a spending cut of 1.4% even though Republicans boosted funding by $12.4 billion over the Administration's request. About $8 billion of the add-on is for procurement, which still leaves modernization some $13 billion short of the $60-billion yearly minimum set by Pentagon planners.
THE U.S. BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE Organization intends to award a sole-source contract to Anacapa Associates Inc. to study ballistic missile wake effects. The effort is to characterize the wake effects associated with theater missile defense (TMD) type targets to determine radar scattering from these effects, and then to model radar wavelengths of interest, target reentry velocities and altitude, and target material type.
Ernie Schaeffer (see photo), founder/chairman/chief executive officer of Schaeffer Magnetics Inc., Chatsworth, Calif., has been named Engineer of the Year by the Engineers' Council of the San Fernando Valley, Calif. He was cited for his contributions to a number of U.S. manned and unmanned space programs. Other Schaeffer employees honored were: Ruben Nalbandian and Jim Hammond, who won Outstanding Engineer Merit Awards; and John Ryan, Robert Scher and Dan Owens, who received the Engineering Project Achievement Award.
Implementation of new federal regulations taking effect next spring and uncertainty over others are among the key issues facing the U.S. regional airline industry this year.
SIGNAL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES is producing commercial versions of a high-speed, six-bit analog-to-digital converter developed for an undisclosed military radar program. The full-parallel flash ADC has sample rates of 1 gigasample/sec. and operates over a 1.4-GHz. bandwidth. A low input-capacitance of 8 picofarads eliminates the need for external track-and-hold amplifiers, according to the company. A primary advantage over previous flash converters is 256 built-in preamplifiers that act as buffers to stabilize input capacitance as input voltage and frequency vary.
To slash mounting losses, Air Inter Europe, Air France group's domestic-regional subsidiary, is scheduled to cut jobs, eliminate unprofitable routes and begin shuttle-type operations on major city pairs. Air Inter Europe is expected to post $260-million losses for the 1996-97 fiscal year, a degradation jeopardizing Air France group's recovery (AW&ST May 6, p. 35). The airline, Europe's biggest domestic carrier, is increasingly suffering from high production costs, labor unrest and severe competition on France's newly deregulated domestic route system.
Gary Titzer (see photo) has been named vice president-network of ICO Global Communications of London. He was general manager of network and loop engineering construction for Pacific Bell of California.
EARTHWATCH INC. has completed a private equity placement of $70 million in stock to help fund its plans to orbit its ``QuickBird'' 1-meter resolution commercial imaging satellite in 1998. The Longmont, Colo.-based venture said it had previously raised the money needed for its EarlyBird 3-meter imaging satellite, which is scheduled for launch later this year.
Israel is on the verge this week of becoming a major new force in international telecommunications with the launch and initial checkout of Amos 1, the country's first geosynchronous-orbit communications satellite. The 2,191-lb. (996-kg.) spacecraft built by Israel Aircraft Industries was launched May 15 on an Ariane 44L from Kourou, French Guiana. The same Ariane with four liquid strap-on boosters also carried the Hughes/Indonesian Palapa C2 spacecraft.
Technical Directions Inc. is attempting to gain a market niche for small low-cost turbine engines that are designed to power expendable unmanned aerial vehicles. The Ortonville, Mich., company is completing the development of the TDI-J7 turbojet engine, a 100-lb.-thrust powerplant. The development engine, the product of seven years' work, incorporates low-cost automotive manufacturing methods to achieve its goal of low cost and expendability.
