Virgin Galactic says a series of final confirmation hot-fire tests of SpaceShipTwo's RM2 hybrid rocket is underway at Mojave, Calif., in preparation for the start of powered test flights of its sub-orbital passenger vehicle. The first of the rapid-fire rocket tests took place on Feb. 28, with a second on March 8. Virgin says SS2 is expected to undertake “a minimum of two more glide flights in order to complete all remaining preparation for its first powered flight.”
Patty Wagstaff (see photo), champion aerobatic pilot, has been named the recipient of the Outstanding Aviator Award, presented by The Wings Club, New York. Given in partnership with the International Aviation Women's Association, the award recognizes airmen and airwomen whose actions have made major contributions to aviation and/or security, and who serve as leadership models. Wagstaff in 1991 became the first woman to win the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships, which she won three more times for three consecutive years.
George Karamitis has been honored by the FAA with its Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. The award is given for flying without an accident, incident or citation for 50 years.
U.S. low-cost carrier Allegiant Air—building on a niche strategy that consistently produces double-digit operating margins—is eyeing a long-term growth plan that includes more Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft, the possible addition of A321s and more Boeing 757s, The Las Vegas-based carrier also expects to launch 30-40 new routes within the next 18 months and begin international service in 2014. Its leadership even mentions transatlantic service as a possibility for the longer term.
Unwieldy U.S. military procurement continues to hamper the use of hosted payloads as a time- and cost-saving way to put sensors and relays into orbit, even with a hosted UHF link serving troops and sailors in Afghanistan and the rest of the Indian Ocean region. That hosted payload on the Intelsat 22 bird belongs to the Australian Defense Force (ADF) and has worked well since its launch a year ago on a Proton. The ADF paid $167 million for the 18 UHF channels and had them up and running less than three years after it signed the contract.
April 8-11—29th National Space Symposium-Space Foundation. The Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs. See www.nationalspacesymposium.org/ April 9-10—SpeedNews Aerospace Manufacturing Conference. Charleston Place. Charleston, S.C. See www.speednews.com/ConferenceInfo.aspx?conferenceID=141 April 17-18—SMI's Second Annual ISR Conference. Copthorne Tara Hotel, London. See www.isrconference.com or contact James Hitchen +44 (207) 827-6054.
Aviation Week & Space Technology has won two Jesse H. Neal National Business Journalism Awards. Recognizing editorial excellence, they are the business-to-business media equivalent of the Pulitzer Prizes. Awarded by American Business Media, the two Neals underline Aviation Week's commitment to industry-leading technology coverage, thought-provoking journalism and digital media.
The Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (Canso) is coming of age as one of the senior aviation alphabet groups, as forays into new ventures help raise its profile and provide the resources needed to expand its role.
India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case as it investigates corruption in a VIP helicopter deal. The CBI says it is investigating 13 people it suspects are involved in bribery surrounding the purchase of 12 AgustaWestland AW101 VIP helicopter for the Indian Air Force in 2010. India has suspended all payments and threatened to cancel the purchase altogether if the charges of bribery to middlemen both in India and abroad are proven.
I found your editorial “Pettiness, Paralysis and Power” (AW&ST Feb. 25, p. 58), disingenuous. Rather than call a spade a spade, you blamed both parties for the dysfunction of Congress. The real culprits are those who will not negotiate a solution that provides for revenue as well as cuts. Interestingly enough, those culprits are the party that brought us more than 80% of the national debt that existed when President Obama took office.
Eurocopter has delivered its greatest hints yet about the thinking behind its future product lineup. The EADS-owned helicopter manufacturer walked away with 69 orders at Heli-Expo here this month and also launched a new version of its EC135 light twin, but the company is keeping the industry waiting to see what results from its X4 program to replace the AS365 Dauphin.
Last year, the airline industry broke all previous records in relation to flight safety. Flying has never been safer, statistics show, so it would only be natural for all parties involved to congratulate themselves. But no one should rest on their laurels. As Tony Tyler, the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) director general, says: “Every accident is one too many and each fatality is a human tragedy.” We should all be proud of the fact that we are looking at the best safety performance since commercial flying was invented in 1914.
Tim Gibson, assistant director of cybersystems, has been promoted to Laboratory Technical Staff, the top engineering designation at Cambridge, Mass.-based Draper Laboratory. He is Draper's principal investigator on Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency High Assurance Cyber Mobile Systems program and technical lead for Draper's internally funded Cyber Physical Systems project.
The emergence and strong sales of Frank Robinson's R66 Turbine is causing helicopter manufacturers to think again about the light single-turbine market. For years, Robinson Helicopter Co.'s piston R22 and R44 were considered to be in a league of their own, but the development and certification of the R66—of which nearly 200 were delivered in 2012—has raised eyebrows, as it begins to impinge on markets that were previously strongholds of models produced by Bell Helicopters, MD Helicopters, Enstrom Helicopter Corp. and to some extent Eurocopter.
The main goal of the past few years for Air New Zealand and Qantas has been turning around the losses in their international operations. Now, there are clear signs that their revival plans are succeeding. This is particularly true for Air New Zealand, whose long-haul unit has achieved its first half-year profit in five years. While Qantas is not quite that far along, it is undeniably heading in the right direction, with its international operation shrinking its loss dramatically in its latest earnings report.
The deficit-reduction measure that went into effect March 1 cuts 7.9% from discretionary defense spending and 5.3% from non-defense discretionary spending. Surely, Washington's latest manufactured crisis will not do any serious damage, will it? Well, consider this:
USAF Maj. Gen. Norman J. Brozenick, Jr., has been assigned to vice commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. He has been commander, Special Operations Command-Pacific, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. Maj. Gen. James J. Jones has been assigned to assistant deputy chief of staff, operations, plans and requirements, USAF headquarters, Pentagon. He has been director, operations and deputy chief of staff, operations, plans and requirements, USAF headquarters. Maj. Gen. James K.
Denmark will re-open its competition for a fighter to replace its F-16s, the country's government formally told the Joint Strike Fighter program office last week. Denmark is a Tier 3 JSF partner and was originally expected to order 48 F-35As. The decision was taken after Eurofighter asked to rejoin the competition, the Danish defense ministry says, adding it also expects Boeing to pitch the F/A-18E/F and Saab the JAS 39E Gripen. The JSF remains a candidate. Denmark expects to select a new fighter in mid-2015.
Calum Laming has been appointed general manager-customer experience for Auckland, New Zealand-based Air New Zealand. He has held senior customer experience and marketing roles at Virgin Atlantic Airways and Procter & Gamble.
AW&ST: What challenges have been presented by your fleet growth? Hockin: In a short space of time, Virgin Australia has gone from operating just Boeing 737s to also operating Embraer 190s, Airbus A330s and 777-300ERs. The challenge has been around having a far more varied fleet rather than just a larger fleet. What are your heavy maintenance arrangements in Australia?
Shinichiro Ito (see photos) has been appointed president and CEO of Tokyo-based ANA Holdings and chairman of All Nippon Airways Co. He was president and CEO of ANA Group, where he will be succeeded by Osamu Shinobe, currently senior executive VP. ANA Chairman Yoji Ohashi will become chairman of ANA Holdings.
