Neil Vernon (see photos) has been appointed Hong Kong-based Asia-Pacfic vice president-sales and Ryan Ellis has been promoted to sales manager for continental Europe from U.K. account manager for Virgin Atlantic Cargo. Vernon was manager for the Middle East and Africa at BMI Cargo.
Obituary: Albert D. “Bud” Wheelon, who led the development of the first reconnaissance satellite for the CIA and helped lead Hughes Aircraft to dominance as a manufacturer of satellites, died in Montecito, Calif., reportedly of a form of cancer. He was 84. Wheelon also was a member of the presidential commission that investigated the loss of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986.
The second American to orbit the Earth, Mercury astronaut M. Scott Carpenter, died Oct. 10 in Denver of complications following a stroke. He was 88. A naval aviator during the Korean War who went on to become a test pilot at NAS Patuxent River, Md., Carpenter conducted some of the first scientific experiments in space and ate some of the first solid food consumed there.
Whatever you think of the outcome of South Korea's F-X Phase 3 fighter selection—now leaning toward the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter—you cannot deny that it is a mess. The government first created a new agency to manage its defense procurements, set clear selection criteria for 60 new fighters and told the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to git 'er done. DAPA picked the F-15SE, a decision that the government speedily set aside.
During a recent visit with a cousin in Greensboro, N.C., the subject of Honda Aircraft came up. He mentioned how important the planemaker was to the community as a source of jobs, tax revenue and pride. Their jets are apparently very popular, he said. To which I responded, “quite possibly.” A comment he found curious. “Well, they haven't actually delivered any yet,” I explained. “None?!” He was surprised, almost flabbergasted.
Meanwhile, at Timco Aviation Services, located next door to Honda, a group of 20 new graduates from Guilford Technical Community College just completed initial training at the heavy jet MRO outfit. Timco regularly hires from the nearby tech college. And with good reason. Pete Laszca, general manager for the MRO operations, cites the high demand for qualified aircraft techs. That situation is getting a lot of industry attention.
The savings in maintenance and airport charges of a papered-down A330-300 probably close that gap; but the new technology of the 737-9 and A321neo blows it wide open again.
It wasn't exactly a happy birthday. After 55 years of pushing humankind to places we have never been before—including literally out of the Solar System—NASA's staff got to celebrate the Oct. 1 anniversary of their agency's founding on furlough, sent home without pay while the nation's leaders postured for prime time. Even more upsetting was just how many of them there were, compared to their colleagues at other agencies.
With advanced avionics and mission systems, the 1970s-era delta-winged fighter called Kfir could rank in the same class as contemporary “fourth-generation” fighter jets, say officials from manufacturer Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The company can deliver up to 50 of the Mach 2+ Kfirs, configured to the newest Block 60 standard, using airframes retired from Israeli air force service in the 1990s, IAI officials report. These aircraft were mothballed in the southern Negev desert and are in good condition for refurbishment.
