NASA expects almost $800 million over post-sequestration 2013 funding levels under the 2014 omnibus, allowing the agency to maintain its ongoing space and aeronautics activities without an apparent need for major changes. One question remains: whether $696 million for the Commercial Crew Program is enough for flights to the International Space Station (ISS) beginning in 2017 as planned. NASA managers have said they need the full 2014 request, $821 million, to stay on schedule.
As South Korea strives to build an industry that can independently make complete aircraft, it is achieving the most progress in helicopters. And it is the South Korean army, not the air force, that is offering the most support.
Mark Keilholz (see photos) has been promoted to vice president-information technology from senior director and Annika Wicklund to director of design from design manager at Greenpoint Technologies, Kirkland, Wash.
Five NASA researchers have been named to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers as nominated by the agency's Science Mission Directorate, Office of the Chief Engineer and Office of the Chief Technologist. The researchers and the subjects of their award-winning projects are: Joshua S. Alwood of NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., research into the temporal changes in skeletal tissue density, cancellous orientation and vasculature during recovery from musculoskeletal disuse; Douglas C.
Daniel Setz has become senior vice president-cargo operations at Zurich-based Swissport. He was country managing director/senior vice president for Brazil for the Panalpina Group.
The Rand study showing the rapid escalation of costs in joint procurement programs falls firmly into the “Will they ever learn?” category (AW&ST Dec. 30, 2013/Jan. 6, 2014, p. 18). In 1963, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara defended the notorious TFX (F-111) program by asserting that “commonality” would save $1 billion over a decade. Instead, he laid an egg with the F-111B—wasting $400 billion, not counting the costs thereby imposed on the U.S. Air Force version.
A LAN Airlines 787 flies over the West Coast of the U.S. on its delivery flight from Boeing to the carrier's Santiago, Chile, base. LAN Airlines photo. The Latam Group, which combines LAN and TAM, and Avianca, which merged with the Taca Group, embody South America's trend toward consolidation and are the subject of a special report. Elsewhere in this issue are reports on Darpa's plan to transform national security space programs (page 24) and South Korea's bid to develop an indigenous fighter (page 29).
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are unloading the “Orb-1” Cygnus resupply capsule following its Jan. 12 rendezvous and berthing. Launched on an Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares rocket from Wallops Island, Va., on Jan. 9. The resupply craft is the first in an eight-flight, $1.9 billion Commercial Resupply Services deal with NASA. The unpiloted commercial freighter carries 2,780 lb. of day-to-day provisions, science and experiment hardware, computer equipment and spacewalk tools.
Bill Sweetman's “Right the First Time” (AW&ST Dec. 23, 2013, p. 14) on what is needed for an effective Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike system and how the U.S. Marine Corps' close air support (CAS) mission could more logically be addressed by a mix of F-35Bs and A-10s was, as usual, well thought out and on target (as well as being witty). Bravo to him and to Aviation Week for airing this viewpoint. I hope the decision makers are reading him as well.
If Embraer really wants to outsell the C-130 Hercules with its new KC-390 cargo aircraft, as discussed in “Cargo Shift” (AW&ST Dec. 30, 2013/Jan. 6, 2014, p. 62), it should have chosen two of the turboprop engines that power Airbus's new A400M instead of opting for turbofans. Those turboprops with their inherent 30% better fuel efficiency would have more than enough thrust with 11,000 shp each, and supply more than double the power of any other Western turboprop.
In this era of ostensible federal austerity, flat budget lines or those that are congressionally increased are the new “up.” In that sense, most federal aerospace, civil aviation and defense programs were seeing blue skies for now as the fiscal 2014 omnibus appropriations bill moved through the Capitol last week.
Gene Milchak has been appointed to head strategic planning for Qwaltec Inc., Tempe, Ariz. He was vice president of Satellite Ground Systems and Operations for General Dynamics C4 Systems.
With fewer Rafale combat jets on order and no firm export contracts in hand, France is facing difficult choices. The French defense ministry announced contracts on Jan. 10 for €1 billion ($1.4 billion) in planned upgrades to the Dassault Aviation combat jet. Yet budget pressures have forced drastic reductions in the total number of Rafale aircraft and next-generation weapon systems the ministry plans to buy over the next six years, prompting new spending for renovation of Mirage 2000D fighters and further extending the service life of aging Mirage 2000-5s.
Robert J. Perna (see photo) has been appointed senior vice president/general counsel/secretary of Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He will succeed Gary Chadick, who has resigned. Perna has been vice president/general counsel/secretary of AM Castle & Co. Jeff Standerski has been named senior vice president of the Information Management Services segment. He was vice president/general manager of its Business and Regional Systems and held the same positions in the Air Transport Systems unit.
An unprecedented competition announced by the Indian government to energize local private industry in aerospace manufacturing stands on a razor's edge, with the country's defense ministry contemplating opening participation to India's monopolistic state-owned defense companies as well.
Bill Swanson (left), Raytheon's CEO and chairman, is scheduled to hand over the chief executive's office to current Chief Operating Officer Tom Kennedy on March 31. Swanson will remain chairman at least while the Waltham, Mass.-based defense prime contractor transitions to Kennedy's leadership.
Feb. 4-6—MRO Middle East. Dubai. Feb. 10—Air Transport World's 40th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards. Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel. March 4-5—Defense Technology and Affordability Requirements Conference. Washington. March 6—Aviation Week's Laureate Awards. Washington. April 8-10—MRO Americas. Phoenix. Oct. 7—MRO Europe. Madrid. You can now register ONLINEfor Aviation Week Events. Go to www.aviationweek.com/events or call +1 (212) 904-4682.
Congress in its omnibus appropriations bill is looking to provide the U.S. Coast Guard with $10.2 billion for fiscal 2014, $464 million above the Obama administration's request for the year ending Sept. 30. The move ensures “the Guard has the ships, planes and helicopters it needs to save lives, interdict drugs and protect the environment,” according to aides for Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.).
