As defense manufacturers become accustomed to the prospect of lower Pentagon budgets, there is growing concern over the health of the supply chain, particularly the lower tiers and specifically small companies that may be the sole source of critical parts or a unique technology.
Mark Dankberg, chairman/CEO of ViaSat Inc., Carlsbad, Calif., received the Innovator Award from the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation in Washington recently. The foundation promotes the use of space and telecommunications technology for the benefit of humankind.
Edwin Roks has been named vice president/chief technology officer of Teledyne Technologies Inc., Thousand Oaks, Calif., effective Jan. 2. He will succeed Robert W. Steenberge, who plans to retire at year-end. Roks has been executive vice president/general manager of the company's professional and scientific imaging division.
General aviation groups are objecting to a proposed FAA policy that would require pilots and controllers with a high body mass index (BMI), an indicator of obesity, to be screened for a sleep disorder. GA groups say it would set a “dangerous precedent” and is not justified by safety research. In a recent FAA Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin, Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Fred Tilton says the policy would require aviation medical examiners to calculate the BMI for airman and air traffic control specialist applicants.
Although I like to think of Aviation Week and Space Technology as fundamentally reality-based, two Nov. 4 articles give me pause—“Beyond Blackbird” and “Take Your Partners” (page 22), about a Long-Range Strike Bomber. In “North Cape,” a 1969 novel by Joe Poyer, an advanced hypersonic spy craft powered by a turbo-ram-rocket engine is described in convincing detail. In capabilities and uses, it was similar to the proposed Lockheed SR-72—and just about as likely to fly.
The FAA early next year will convene a new government and industry committee to cut known risk areas in commercial aviation by advocating for voluntary changes in pilot, flight attendant and dispatcher training. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced establishment of the new Air Carrier Training Steering Group at a meeting of airline safety officials in Washington on Nov. 21.
A new White House space transportation policy stresses public-private partnerships and “responsive” military space capabilities and allows the commercial launch of foreign rockets from U.S. soil “on a case-by-case basis.” The U.S. space transportation sector is undergoing a period of change as new actors and capabilities emerge and nontraditional public-private partnerships are established, the eight-page document notes.
As a retired U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot, I found “Offshore Alert” (AW&ST Oct. 28, p. 38) interesting, mostly for what it did not report, namely, the experience level of the pilots and their hours of instrument time logged—total, and in the last three months. It is inexcusable for a crew to get into the flight conditions as reported. Two pilots were in the cockpit. Where was their scan? CHC Scotia should review its pilot training before encouraging greater use of automation systems.
Jean Chamberlin, vice president-program management for St. Louis-based Boeing Defense, Space and Security, has received the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Aerospace for her “outstanding career and lifelong commitment to furthering the advancement of women's opportunities in aerospace.” Chamberlin has held leadership roles on several aerospace programs, including the B-2, C-17, CH-47 Chinook, V-22 Osprey and KC-46.
Scott Perkins has become chief engineer of Gibraltar-based WheelTug plc. He was head of Messier-Dowty (USA), where he led the technical development of the Boeing 787 landing gear.
For investors like Chen who want to try their hand at airplane-making, two more possibilities recently surfaced. First, Aerostar Aircraft Corp. is working to make good on the late designer Ted Smith's vision, by developing a turbofan-powered version of his Aerostar. A pressurized model, with PW615s below each wing, has been flying since July 25, when it lifted off the runway at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Airport, Aerostar's home field.
A technology demonstrator for Piaggio's Hammerhead unmanned aerial vehicle has made its first short hop into the air, in Italy. The flight is the first major step in the development of a wholly European-developed medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned air vehicle (UAV), which is now on a path to potentially enter service with the Italian air force in 2015.
Following high-profile cyberpilfering of U.S. weapons and defense data, the Pentagon last week published a new rule that requires defense contractors to buttress cybersecurity in their unclassified networks. The move had been foreshadowed by Pentagon acquisition czar Frank Kendall over the summer when he told senators that the “stolen” know-how was a “major problem” because it makes it easier for potential adversaries to catch up to U.S. technology capability.
Marenco Swisshelicopter is to unveil the first prototype of its SKYe SH09 single-engine light helicopter this week. Marenco plans to fly the aircraft in the coming months and achieve EASA certification in around 2016. It will be the first indigenous Swiss helicopter. Marenco has already booked more than 50 orders for the aircraft, half from the U.S.
Brad Tilden (see photo) has become chairman of Alaska Air Group and its subsidiary carriers, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. He continues as president/CEO. Tilden succeeds Bill Ayer, who plans to retire Dec. 31. Helvi Sandvik (see photo) has been named to the board of directors. She is president of the NANA Development Corp. and is a former deputy commissioner of the Alaska Transportation Department.
The Netherlands plans to buy four MQ-9 Reaper MALE UAVs and an unknown number of ground stations for use in deployed operations and to support civil authorities in disaster relief and counter-narcotics operations. .
This week, Aviation Week publishes two editions. On the covers of both, Shenzhou 10 commander Nie Haisheng, back from his second spaceflight on June 26, is greeted in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Reuters/China Daily photo. His spacecraft is similar to Russia's Soyuz, but China is intent on developing new space technology itself (page 50). Also in both editions are articles on the Dubai Airshow (page 28), the high cost of fighters (page 41), French defense programs (page 45) and U.S. airline consolidation (page 35), with a related editorial (page 66).
