Planetary scientists hope the seven instruments NASA has competitively selected for its planned Mars 2020 rover will find evidence that life has existed on the red planet and maybe that it still does.
Boeing will assemble the 787-10, the third and longest 787 derivative, exclusively at its Charleston, South Carolina, facility, making it the first of any Boeing commercial model to be completed away from the U.S. West Coast. The decision was widely expected, since the 110-ft. midbody section of the 787-10 will be 10 ft.
The commercial aircraft industry has largely stayed on the sidelines of the political tension between Russia and the West, but that may be changing. The latest round of sanctions imposed after the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 includes the suspension of Ex-Im Bank deals with Russia—a decision that could hurt Boeing’s commercial aircraft sales there.
With about 3,000 built, and around 400 still in operation around the world, the L-39 Albatros jet trainer was a major success for Czech manufacturer Aero Vodochody.
“Out There” and related articles ( AW&ST June 23, pp. 38-46) show how NASA and its partners are developing hardware to support an eventual human presence on Mars. But how can the public be inspired to fund a program when the results are so far in the future they won’t be seen by many of today’s taxpayers?
Boeing has completed the main wing spar of the 279th and final C-17, marking the start of assembly for the last military airlifter to be made at its Long Beach, California, facility. The aircraft, which will be completed with the shutdown of the line in 2015, is one of 10 still unsold. Boeing says it is confident of placing all 10 by the end of the year with unspecified customers in the Middle East and possibly elsewhere. Other potential takers include India, which received its sixth C-17 on July 28. The Indian air force has 10 C-17s on firm order.
Tunisia wants to purchase a fleet of heavily armed Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, as the country modernizes its armed forces. The deal with the North African country could be worth $700 million, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which notified the U.S. Congress of the possible program July 23. Tunisia has requested 12 UH-60Ms along with a large quantity of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, 2.75-in. Hydra unguided rockets and the integration work that could turn some of those unguided weapons into guided ones.
Italian prosecutors have ended their investigations into alleged corruption surrounding the sale of 12 AW101 VIP helicopters to the Indian air force in 2010. AgustaWestland has agreed with the tribunal in Busto Arsizio to pay what the company describes as a “negligible fine” to settle the case, but insists the fine is not an admission of any wrongdoing. Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland’s parent company, is keen to put the 18-month-old scandal behind it so it can continue with reorganization of the group, led by CEO Mauro Moretti.
Airbus Helicopters handed over the first example of its new EC145 T2 light twin-engine helicopter to German air ambulance operator DRF Luftrettung in Donauworth on July 31. The T2 features new engines, new avionics and a new Fenestron shrouded tailrotor, replacing the traditional two-blade anti-torque system on the EC145. Production of the standard EC145 will continue into next year, and Airbus will still produce kits for its plant in Mississippi so it can build the UH-72 Lakota for the U.S. Army.
I take exception to the commentary “A Fine Mess” by Madhu Unnikrishnan ( AW&ST July 21, p. 19). It is a naked endorsement supporting Norwegian Air International’s (NAI) attempt to serve the U.S. An opposing opinion should receive equal weight.
John Croft’s “False Promises” ( AW&ST July 21, p. 38), which covers preventing autopilot false glideslope prompts, made me think of the crash of a Gulfstream G-2 into the side of a mountain in Hot Springs, Virginia, on Sept. 26, 1976. I was an air traffic controller at Trenton Mercer Airport in New Jersey, where the aircraft, owned by Johnson & Johnson, departed.
Regarding “Malaysian 777 Shootdown—Another Big Blow” ( AW&ST July 21, p. 12), even though it is well known that surface-to-air missiles emit a white exhaust plume during launch and climb, I have read of no reports of such a plume being witnessed. Is it possible the Russians have developed a stealth combustion propulsion fuel?
