This week, Aviation Week publishes two editions. Forty years after FedEx had the idea of flying a small fleet of Falcon 20s into Memphis, Tenn., to unload and redistribute packages, hub operators are facing challenges from high fuel prices and low-cost competitors. A special report on the future of hubs begins on page 36. The far right cover shows Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, the main base for Emirates' hub operations (Dubai Airports photo).
Chris O'Ferrell has become chief technical officer and Tempy Wright vice president-marketing and communications of Cyveillance, a subsidiary of Qinetq North America, Reston, Va. O'Ferrell was its vice president-security and response services, while Wright was head of marketing strategy for Dell SecureWorks. Robert Mullins (see photo) has been appointed executive vice president-corporate strategy and mergers & acquisitions of Cobham plc, based in Arlington, Va. He was senior vice president-corporate strategy for Alliant Techsystems.
Doug Shane has been appointed executive vice president/general manager of The Spaceship Company (TSC) of Virgin Galactic, Mojave, Calif. He was president of Scaled Composites, where he had also has been vice president-business development and director of flight operations.
After two decades rising through the executive ranks at communications services provider Amdocs Management, Dov Baharav had no defense experience when he was tapped in 2011 to serve as chairman of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). During his tenure at Amdocs, Baharav oversaw complex financial systems and high-tech development projects in the lead-up to the dot-com bust, when he was appointed CEO.
The U.S. Air Force is planning to conduct a critical design review (CDR) for the Boeing KC-46 aerial refueling tanker. Late last month, the company loaded its first 767-200ER wing spar bound for a KC-46 tanker onto a production jig. “We fully expect a positive CDR,” says Chris Chadwick, president of Boeing Military Aircraft. “We are still on cost and on schedule.” Boeing is estimated to be adding up to $400 million of its own money in order to deliver the first 18 KC-46s in 2017.
EU carbon dioxide allowance (EUA) prices under the EU Emissions Trading System edged higher overall in June, as the market waited for a key vote in the EU Parliament July 3.
Also at the recent AAAE conference, Jeanne Olivier, assistant aviation director for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, received the 2013 Chair's Award for her “stellar record of service at the chapter and national level.” Leadership Award winners are: Doug Hofsass, vice president operations-planning of the Aircraft Service International Group; and Ken Newstrom, executive director of the AAAE Great Lakes Chapter. Scott Brockman, executive vice president/COO of the Memphis-Shelby County (Tenn.) Airport Authority, won the 2013 Distinguished Service Award.
In response to reader Guy Wroble's criticism (AW&ST June 12, p. 12) of “Language Barriers” (AW&ST May 27, p. 26), I would agree with him that a unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) with advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (Amraams) could theoretically be a force multiplier. However, the need for an F-22 to use his systems to target the UCAV—rather than the UCAV operator having the communications and radar-scope skills to do it himself—would beg the question: “Should UCAVs be carrying missiles in the first place?”
The Chinese government likes to make neat plans. One of the neatest is the policy of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) that the country should have three major state airlines, based widely apart, and that each should turn its home airport into its single major hub.
Last week's delivery of an Airbus A380 to British Airways (BA) was a landmark event for the manufacturer. The aircraft finally is sporting the liveries of all of the big European airlines—BA, Air France and Lufthansa. But Airbus may have reason to worry.
Michael Mecham (San Francisco), Frank Morring, Jr. (Washington)
Spaceborne study of the Sun has produced spectacular images like these over the years, but still leaves much about our nearest star cloaked in mystery. Now an ultraviolet (UV) telescope with unusually high spectral bandwidth will try to solve one of the most puzzling—why temperatures vary so dramatically between the Sun's surface and the upper limits of its turbulent atmosphere.
Lee Lik Hsin (see photos) is exchanging jobs at Singapore Airlines Cargo with Tan Kai Ping. Lee has been named CEO, effective Aug. 1, and Tan will become senior vice president-corporate planning.
OHB System of Germany signed an €816 million ($1.06 billion) contract with the German defense procurement agency to develop the SARah satellite-based radar reconnaissance system. SARah aims to provide an enhanced follow-on to Germany's five-satellite SAR-Lupe constellation, which became fully operational in 2008. Built by OHB, SAR-Lupe, which uses one ground station, is slated to retire after November 2017. SARah will comprise just three satellites supported by two ground stations, entering full operational service by the end of 2019.
I am sometimes amazed by all the optimism of the dozens of Western aerospace executives shuttling in and out of the Comac (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) headquarters in Shanghai. Most have not made a dime yet on the business, but they continue to send dozens of engineers to China, invest millions to form joint ventures with Chinese aerospace companies, and diligently educate the Chinese on the basics of commercial aircraft-building, hoping one day that these costly efforts will turn into big money. Unfortunately, I do not share the same sentiment.
Eurocopter is awaiting the final endorsements from regulators on fixes to its EC225 helicopter which could allow a return to flight operations in the coming days. Around 50% of the worldwide fleet of EC225s has been halted from flying over hostile environments since October 2012, following two enforced landings into the North Sea by aircraft flown by U.K.-based operators Bond Offshore and CHC. The incidents were found to have been caused by a failure in the bevel gear vertical shaft—a critical component in the main gearbox that drives lubrication pumps.
Headlines out of Capitol Hill in recent weeks have screamed of major “plus-ups”—tens of billions of dollars in unrequested funding—toward U.S. border security. If enacted, the Senate's contentious immigration reform bill would provide a slew of new military-borne unmanned aircraft, helicopters, and surveillance and communications equipment, as well as an army of additional Border Patrol agents.
Christopher Weinberg (see photo) has been promoted to chief information officer from director of strategy and business development at New York-based FlightSafety International.
Dale G. Farr has become rotary sales manager for Max-Viz Enhanced Vision Systems for the Astronics Corp., East Aurora, N.Y. He was aviation safety manager and a tanker pilot for Erickson Air-Crane Inc.
