Aerospace companies in Europe are touting the operational experience of the Eurofighter, Gripen and Rafale since the 49th International Paris Air Show in 2011, seeking to secure exports in emerging markets that could sustain production despite declining government spending, and a potential end to manufacturing lines this decade.
Hooray for private jets (AW&ST June 3, p. 20). Although I will probably never be able to own one, I fully support an industry that creates Gulfstream 5s and Falcon 900Xs. Many things come to mind when describing wretched excess, but aircraft is not one of them. Toronto, Ontario
The business aviation industry is approaching the fifth year of its recession—the failure of Lehman Brothers on Sept. 15, 2008, is cited by many as its unhappy birthday. That half-decade of woe has been marked by massive layoffs, collapsed aircraft values, slowed or halted production lines, political caterwauling and corporate bankruptcies. And yet the stalwarts of its community not only hold out hope for the segment's revival and growth, but are betting heavily on it.
Nick Leontidis (see photo) has become group president for civil simulation products, training and services of Montreal-based CAE. He succeeds Jeff Roberts, who is leaving the company. Leontidis was executive vice president-strategy and business development.
China Eastern Airlines and Qantas Airways are selling a one-third stake in Jetstar Hong Kong to a local company to reinforce their application for an air operator's certificate for the proposed budget carrier. Conglomerate Shun Tak Holdings says it will pay $66 million for the share in Jetstar Hong Kong. The investment means that the airline will have partial Hong Kong ownership, although it will still fall short of the usual global industry requirement that local investors hold 51%.
Although it creates a monopoly for certain advanced propulsion systems, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said June 10 it will not challenge GenCorp's acquisition of Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne for about $550 million. Approval was given “primarily because the Department of Defense wishes to see the transaction go forward for national security reasons,” the FTC said.
Pete Buresh has become Cape Town-based vice president-international aircraft sales for Africa for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. He was sales director for Africa.
Canada's acquisitions of search-and-rescue (SAR) aircraft and naval helicopters have been dogged by delays, but the country's defense minister appears confident that progress is impending.
The U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) has authorized a $343.3 million direct loan to Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) to finance the purchase of two Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) communications satellites, plus launch services. SS/L is building AsiaSat 6, a C-band satellite, and AsiaSat 8, a mixed Ku/Ka-band satellite, under a contract announced in November 2011. The launches, to be carried out by SpaceX, are planned for the first half of 2014. To date in fiscal 2013, the Ex-Im Bank has authorized $891 million in support of U.S.
As a reader of Aviation Week since the mid 1960s, I find the quality of writing and your adaptable format are a real pluses. Stay the course. Pauma Valley, Calif.
U.S. Army Gen. (ret.) Ann E. Dunwoody (see photo) has been named to the board of directors of New York-based L-3 Communications. She was head of the Army Materiel Command and had been a strategic planner for the Army chief of staff and executive officer to the director of the Defense Logistics Agency.
With flight-testing of the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered Airbus A350-900 getting underway, and rig tests of a scaled compressor for General Electric's GE9X about to begin for Boeing's upcoming 777X, the scene is set for an epic new chapter in the ongoing battle of the big fans.
Satvendar “Sam” Singh has been appointed Singapore-based chief commercial officer for AJW Aviation. He has worked for Mubadala Aerospace MRO Network/SR Technics Switzerland, Singapore Airlines Engineering Co. and Execujet Aviation Group.
While the Paris static line will be dominated by major U.S. and European companies and their big-ticket programs, indoor exhibits and a good deal of discussion will revolve around the increasing globalization of the industry. While the big four—Europe and the U.S., and Brazil and Canada on the regional side—continue to fend off competition in the commercial world, the defense market may be more fluid.
In the latest in a string of high-profile defense-industry corruption cases, a European official is charged with trying to pay bribes to prevent his company, Rheinmetall Air Defense (RAD), from landing on India's blacklist, where it was placed after a previous alleged instance of corruption.
I would like to add to the comments from readers in the last few issues as to how Aviation Week can improve. Concentrate more on the aerospace industry's motivating achievements and less on end-user financial squabbling. As an ex-patriot Englishman who came to the U.S. in the mid-sixties—a “can-do” attitude era—the culture contained a vibrant aerospace industry and we followed its many achievements (and sometimes failures) via the weekly in-depth updates in Aviation Week.
Thomas A. Surran has been appointed president of the Commercial Systems Div. of Flir Systems, Portland, Ore. He was CFO and succeeds Andrew C. Teich, who is now president/CEO. Jeffrey D. Frank has been named vice president-global product strategy.
Boeing is optimistic that a new wave of international sales will fill out production of the C-17 at its Long Beach, Calif., facility for the balance of 2014 and beyond. Boeing discussed sales prospects at the delivery of the first of 10 C-17s to the Indian air force on June 11. The aircraft, the 254th C-17 to be delivered, will be followed by four more for India by year-end and a further five in 2014, the first full year of production without any deliveries to USAF.
Spirit AeroSystems is not the only major supplier spun off from a major aircraft manufacturer to be in trouble. EADS subsidiary Premium Aerotec is replacing most of its executive board as the company struggles with inefficiencies in the ramp-up of key programs, particularly the Airbus A350.
Four major commercial aircraft are scheduled to make first flights in 2013. From top to bottom are the Airbus A350; Bombardier CSeries CS100; Boeing 787-9, the new stretched variant of the 787; and Mitsubishi Regional Jet. This year's Paris air show will be a tale of two industries, as rising demand for commercial aircraft contrasts sharply with slumping defense budgets in Europe and the U.S. Elsewhere in this issue, we examine new CEO Larry Lawson's plans for aerostructures supplier Spirit AeroSystems (page 38).
