The Pentagon has approved the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) for full-scale production in a streamlined review that followed a successful test by the Navy last summer.
Kenneth H. Colburn has been appointed vice president-project and international finance for Raytheon Co., Lexington, Mass. He was with CS First Boston Corp.
The Trimble 2000 Approach and 2101 Approach are two GPS navigation systems that support en route, terminal and nonprecision approach IFR operations. The 2000 is a panel-mount system for business and general aviation, while the 2101 is a DZUS-mount unit suitable for commuter, corporate and commercial aviation. Both systems include a Jeppesen NavData card and built-in standard instrument departure and standard instrument arrival route capabilities. The data allow pilots to fly defined GPS and overlaid nonprecision approaches.
The Dyna-Thred 2 Self-Locking Fastener is an all-metal fastener capable of working at temperatures up to 1,200F. This makes it suitable for applications such as jet engines to prevent assemblies from becoming loose under vibratory stress. The fasteners provide 360-deg. locking action for even load distribution. The locking action maintains torque requirements after more than 15 reuses. Long-Lok Fasteners Corp., 10630 Chester Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45215.
THE RISK OF CONTRACTING TUBERCULOSIS during a commercial airline flight is ``low,'' despite reports to the contrary. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, risk of in-flight infection probably is the same as during a long bus or train trip. According to the Air Transport Assn., air quality in newer transports with recirculating air systems exceeds that recommended for hospital isolation rooms occupied by TB patients.
Francis J. Harvey (see photo) has become president of Westinghouse Electronic Systems in Baltimore. He succeeds Richard A. Linder, who will be chairman until he retires this summer. Harvey was president of the Westinghouse Government and Environment Services Co.
This year's Paris air show is expected to attract exhibitors in numbers close to 1993's level and reflect the first signs of an upturn in the world aerospace industry. Nearly 1,500 companies, industrial groupings and trade associations from 35 countries are scheduled to exhibit at the June 11-18 event. In 1993, space was booked by 1,569 exhibitors from 38 countries, an 11% decrease from the record 1991 show. Hospitality chalet reservations decreased to 383, down from 402 in 1993 and 458 in 1991.
Snap-Master Frequency Analysis Version 3.0 allows users to specify an FFT window width whose prime factorial includes an even combination of 2, 3, 5 and/or 7 up to 16,384 data points. That allows users to choose among more than 300 FFT window width options, eliminating the common ``power of 2'' restriction for selecting data lengths. The program also features 10 new window shapes for a total of 23. An equation builder allows convenient creation and editing of the FFT equation table. HEM Data Corp., 17336 12 Mile Road, Southfield, Mich. 48076-2123.
This ABB Flexible Automation IRB 2000 robot has been installed in the plasma spray station of Wall Colmonoy's turbine engine overhaul facility, San Antonio, Tex. The six-axis robot is linked with an 80-kw. high-energy plasma unit. Together the company expects them to significantly enhance plasma spray capabilities for complex components. Wall Colmonoy overhauls hot section turbine components of Pratt&Whitney PT6, PW100, JT15D and PW901 series, Allison 250 and Garrett TPE731 and TFE731 series engines. Wall Colmonoy Corp., 3061 Stephenson Highway, Madison Heights, Mich.
The rapid retirement of U.S. Army helicopters is throwing parts of the civil market into turmoil (AW&ST Mar. 6, p. 57). Manufacturers understandably feel threatened by a potential flood of surplus parts and helicopters, but they must make forthright arguments instead of creating smokescreens. Many civil helicopters are offshoots of military models developed by the Army. Basic parts and elements often are identical--built on the same line, inspected by the same people and stamped with the same numbers.
Airbus Industrie has grown into the second largest commercial transport manufacturer in the world. The European consortium over the years has acquired a 30% market share and delivered nearly 1,250 aircraft. Backlog currently is 600-plus aircraft. The consortium's annual sales are believed to be $9-10 billion per year. But no precise numbers are available, because Airbus Industrie is a grouping of European companies that does not make its accounts public and publishes no annual report.
JAPAN AND FRANCE WILL INCREASE weekly services between Paris and Tokyo by an additional 747-class flight this summer for a total of 19 under a new agreement. Tokyo-Papeete (Tahiti) services will be doubled to two a week.
A cash-strapped Pentagon will rely heavily on robust, commercially developed space systems and associated ground-based networks to conduct cost-effective ``information warfare'' over the next decade. ``Weapons'' will include private-sector communication satellite constellations that instantly link individuals, on-demand high-resolution imaging spacecraft and rapidly evolving gigabit/sec.-class networks.
This dual-emitter LED produces red light at 660 nanometers and infrared light at 880 nm. using a single, three-leaded package. The emitters may operate independently or simultaneously, and may be driven at different intensities and duty cycles. The dual-emitter technology is relevant to a number of applications. The dual LED can be used in instruments that perform short-distance, noncontact measurements or with automated equipment that performs color matching or transparency tests. The visible light can be seen in sunlight.
Overhaul and maintenance companies face another tough year as an excess of repair capacity and stiff competition on pricing depress their financial performance and force further consolidation. The industry turmoil will be aggravated by growing competition from new outfits in regions with low labor costs, such as China and Latin America. The 4.5-year-old international aviation recession undercut the business plans of companies in the U.S. and Europe that repair and overhaul airframes, powerplants and their components.
Elberta Industries is offering a 3,000-gal.-capacity deicing/anti-icing vehicle that features an enclosed operator's cab and extendible nozzle that allows more efficient coverage of aircraft. Elberta is making some design changes in the Expeditor in response to feedback from an evaluation by United Airlines at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The company will add a sight glass for measuring fluid level at the filling operator's station and modify its hose reel design in response to comments from United.
The T-4000 HGA high-gain antenna system has received commissioning approval from Inmarsat. The antenna is designed to support clear, multi-channel voice and data functions, including fax and secure transmissions of both voice and data signals. For testing, the system was installed on a U.S. Air Force C-135 at the 412th Flight Test Sqdn. Tecom Industries, Inc., 9324 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Chatsworth, Calif. 91311.
THE GE90-POWERED BOEING 777 WILL PAY A VISIT TO LONDON, home base of launch customer British Airways, in late April to show it off to employees. The airline expects to take delivery of its first 777 on Friday, Sept. 29, and to put the aircraft into service the following week. The aircraft will not be used immediately for transatlantic flights as extended-range, twin-engine operations (ETOPS) approval is not expected initially. The first aircraft in the flight test program is flying about 10 hr. a day.
J-Coat is an all-acrylate, 250 mil coating for graded-index multimode optical fiber. The coating provides low-temperature and microbend-resistant performance. The coating ensures that attenuation will increase by less than 0.05 dB. when SpecTran graded-index multimode fiber is subjected to test temperature cycles of -55-85C (-67-185F). J-Coat is UV curable and is suitable for both loose tube and tight buffer cable designs. SpecTran Corp., 50 Hall Road, Sturbridge, Mass. 01566.
New U.S. military aircraft programs continue to be stretched out in order to save money during the near-term, to boost readiness. The Pentagon plans to halt this trend in Fiscal 1997 and increase procurement funding through the end of the century, when a number of major aircraft programs--including the F-22, V-22 and F/A-18E/F--are expected to begin entering production. Growth Trends: U.S. Military Aircraft 1985-97
IF GIVEN $1.5-1.8 BILLION a year extra for the next four years, House lawmakers asked senior military officials how they would spend the money. Air Force Gen. Mike Loh said he would restore $200 million to the F-22 to avoid program delays, buy 30-40 F-15Es and 100 F-16s, fully fund B-1 and B-2 bomber upgrades, increase reliability of the E-3 AWACS electronics suite and build more E-8 Joint-STARS ground surveillance aircraft. Marine Corps Lt. Gen.
John Sarto has been named vice president of sales and marketing for the OmniTRACS Div. of Qualcomm, Inc., San Diego, Calif. He was vice president-sales, marketing and customer services for Overnite Transportation Co.
Swissair, negotiating to buy a large stake in Sabena Belgian World Airlines, has set in motion a substantial reorganization of its operations by giving more responsibility to Crossair, its profitable regional subsidiary.
By 2000, the commercial business will be well on its way to becoming the dominant part of the space sector. Before the first decade of the 21st century is out, commercial space sales will eclipse both military and civil space agency purchases.
A Russian ``Photon'' Vostok-class spacecraft carrying dozens of European experiments was heavily damaged Mar. 3 when a military helicopter carrying the vehicle after recovery was forced to drop the several-ton satellite. The 13,640-lb. Photon 10 was launched from Plesetsk Cosmodrome Feb. 16 for a two-week commercial microgravity mission that ended Mar. 3 with its reentry and parachute landing 135 km. (83 mi.) southeast of Orenberg near Russia's border with Kazakhstan.
