The French air force is responding to operational needs of special forces fighting Islamist rebels in Mali, speeding integration of a new laser-guided air-to-ground missile on the Rafale fighter and declaring initial operating capability for its use against moving targets.
With air threats to ground forces expanding beyond traditional manned aircraft and ballistic missiles, the U.S Army must decide how to counter lower-cost unmanned aircraft and cruise missiles, as well as rocket, artillery and mortar (RAM) threats at an affordable price.
This week, Aviation Week publishes two editions. On the far left cover, a Dassault Falcon 7X business jet and Rafale fighter fly near the Bay of Biscay in southern France (photo by Katsuhiko Tokunaga). Like some others in our annual Top-Performing Companies analysis (page 48), Dassault, the leader in its class, balances defense and commercial business to achieve exemplary results. Elsewhere in both editions are a special report on African aviation (page 39) and articles on Indian helicopters (page 31), 787 glitches (page 35) and aero aluminum technology (page 37).
Eliza Southard (see photo) has become product support director for Cincinnati-based Nexcelle, the joint venture of GE's Middle River Aircraft Systems and Aircelle. She has been business partnerships leader for the GP7000/GEnx engine programs and business leader for GE Engine Services' component repair.
While fixed base operations (FBOs) are key elements in business aviation's infrastructure, their existence is largely unknown to the public. Except in San Jose, Calif. Silicon Valley's Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) is owned and operated by the city. Business aircraft alighting there use Atlantic Aviation, which succeeded the San Jose Jet Center when its parent, Australia's Macquarie Group, acquired it in 2007.
The first Canadian command of the International Space Station ends safely with this May 14 parachute landing of Soyuz TMA-07M in southern Kazakhstan. Onboard were Canada's Chris Hadfield, the first of his countrymen to command an ISS mission increment; U.S. astronaut Tom Marshburn, and cosmonaut Roman Romanenko. Throughout Hadfield's nearly five months in orbit, the retired 53-year-old Canadian air force colonel exhibited his musical talents and skills as a photographer and with social media to share his experiences.
Gary Klein has been appointed president of Dynamic Materials Corp.'s AMK Welding, South Windsor, Conn. He was general manager for the Americas at DYNAenergetics and succeeds Nelson Rouette, who is no longer with the business. Klein was vice president of operations for Tegrant Corp., and had been vice president of Ametek's Aerospace Sensors and Fluid Management Systems.
Beechcraft CEO Bill Boisture made it poignantly clear in a recent Viewpoint (AW&ST April 29, p. 54) that the AT-6 is a superior choice but was denied. The AT-6 has a smaller frame, wing and tail, meaning it is a smaller target. It weighs less yet carries more fuel thus is a more efficient platform. It has more firepower, bullets and other types of weapons, plus more usable weapon stations. Boisture points out 12 other facts making the AT-6 a superior choice.
Joseph T. Houghton has been named vice president of training and flight operations support and head of the Airbus Training Center in Miami for Airbus Americas. He was vice president of flight operations at Spirit Airlines, a founding officer and chief pilot at Virgin America, and an assistant chief pilot at US Airways.
Ben Murray has become president of the aircraft management and charter division of Houston-based Landmark Aviation. He has been president of XOJet, president/chief operating officer of NetJets and president/CEO of Executive Jet Management. Honors And Elections
EasyJet has flown a ton of volcanic ash from Iceland to the U.K. to prepare for final tests to gain commercial certification of the Avoid (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector) ash-detection technology by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The low-cost carrier is partnering with Airbus and Nicarnica Aviation, a spin-off company of the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, to test the Avoid system at high altitude and prepare for the industrialization of the technology.
NASA's third New Frontiers-class mission, the asteroid-sample-return probe known by the acronym Osiris-Rex (Origins-Spectral Interpretation Resources Identification Security Regolith Explorer) cleared a crucial decision point for development May 15, and will move toward launch to the asteroid Bennu in September 2016. Osiris-Rex would then return samples of the asteroid to Earth in 2023.
I receive a paper copy of the magazine every week, but almost always read my electronic copy first. An electronic-only subscription would allow you to skip the cost of printing and mailing a paper copy, and save me the work of throwing out an unread magazine. It could be a win/win situation for publisher and subscriber. I love the content and the form of the electronic version. Peterborough, Ontario
Michael Scheeringa, president/CEO of BBA Aviation's Flight Support has been elected chairman of the Alexandria, Va.-based National Air Transportation Association (NATA) board of directors. Elected vice chairman was Gary Dempsey, president of Flight Service-The Americas of Jet Aviation Holdings. New members elected to the board are: Clara Bennett, manager of the Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Executive Airport; Andy Priester, president/CEO of Priester Aviation; and Gregory J. Schmidt, president/CEO of Pentastar Aviation. In addition, NATA has named James P.
For the first time in a long time, general aviation planemakers have good news to report, as one of their standouts had been staggering not all that long ago. According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), 458 aircraft were delivered during the first three months of the year, representing total billings of $4.6 billion. Compared to the same quarter in 2012, those represent increases of nearly 10% and 32%, respectively.
Raytheon's SM-3 IB ballistic missile killer achieved its third successful intercept during a May 16 trial in the Pacific, clearing the way for a full-rate production decision by year-end. The interceptor, which incorporates a new two-color infrared seeker and throttleable divert-and-attitude-control system lacking on the SM-3 IA, destroyed the separating warhead of a short-range ballistic missile target.
Air China remains in negotiations with Airbus for an order for 100 aircraft, despite the carrier's board having approved the deal, says a manufacturing industry official. Announcing the board's decision, Air China has also told the Shanghai Stock Exchange that it will dispose of six A340s. Affiliate Shenzhen Airlines is part of the discussions for buying the aircraft, which will be mainly A320s, the company secretary says.
With a record flight of two days on fuel-cell power under its belt, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is looking at how to transition its Ion Tiger unmanned aircraft from an experimental vehicle to a tactical system. The 35-lb. Ion Tiger has completed a 48-hr., 1-min. flight with an electric fuel-cell propulsion system using liquid hydrogen stored in a cryogenic tank.
Northrop Grumman has made unsolicited fixed-price proposals to reduce the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft's operating cost and improve the range and resolution of its electro-optical/infrared imaging sensor, in a bid to reverse the U.S. Air Force's plan to retire its multi-sensor RQ-4B Block 30s in favor of keeping aging Lockheed U-2s in service.
Even though I'm an engineer, I am interested in the gamut of subjects you cover, including manufacturing, management, economics, politics and general aviation, with the possible exception of the CEO interviews. Your your recent dual editorials—“The High Cost of Washington Inertia” and “Fuel Is Essential” were particularly spot on. Perkasie, Pa.
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