Steve Hedges has been appointed director of media relations for the Frederick, Md.-based Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Hedges is an award-winning journalist with 20 years of experience covering national security, foreign, domestic and aviation issues.
Many anticipated that the Persian Gulf carriers would follow their initial investments in Europe's struggling airlines by picking up more shares. But a little more than a year after they entered the scene as stakeholders, the Middle East carriers are disappointed by the results to date.
While the number of accidents for global airlines increased slightly in 2011, the number of fatalities dropped by 41%, according to the annual safety report released by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on Nov. 19. “Overall fatalities resulting from air transport accidents also dropped by almost half from 2010 to 2011, down to 414 from 707 the previous year,” says ICAO.
I really enjoyed your “40 Under Forty” feature (AW&ST Oct. 15, pp. 32-45). From being in some form of management for as long as these young people have been alive, I have learned to “assign, encourage and get out of the way.”
During the 2006 conflict in southern Lebanon, about 25% of the Hezbollah-fired missiles struck populated areas in northern Israel. In the current conflict, while Israeli security is keeping a lid on where the Hamas and Jihadist missiles have landed, the very few deaths reported in Israel—in the single digits—indicate that the first five batteries of the short-range, Iron Dome missile defense system are surprisingly efficient.
Just 15.5 sec. after it was released from the Boeing B-52 mother ship over the Pacific, one of four control fins on the Boeing X-51A WaveRider hypersonic demonstrator unlocked. The unpowered fin swung fully trailing-edge down and stayed there as the booster accelerated the X-51A cruiser to its planned release at Mach 4.9.
As part of its long-term high-speed transport vision, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is studying the potential development of a hypersonic flight experiment (Hytex) aircraft to demonstrate Mach 5 cruise capability.
Chris Jaran has become managing director in China for Fort Worth-based Bell Helicopter. He has held roles ranging from senior engineer to chief of operations in the helicopter industry. Ryan Denton and Will Fulton have been appointed sales managers for North America. Denton has worked in the company's commercial business and supply chain segments, and Fulton has held positions in commercial business and engineering.
“Creative wackiness” (AW&ST Oct 15, p. 58) to enable a giant technological leap—in the multi-systems, joint-ops and corporate-centric world of modern aviation—takes a different approach than the reliance heretofore on a single invention, specific project or a competitively awarded grand contract.
Chris Yamada (see photo) has been named VP of Northrop Grumman Corp.'s West Falls Church, Va.-based Aerospace Products organization. He will retain leadership of several of the company's business units, including Astro Aerospace, Adaptive Optics and Microelectronic Products and Services.
India has made no secret of its hypersonic ambitions whether aimed at high-speed weapons, sub-orbital passenger transport or as a stepping stone to space. Now, key tests are set to begin for a technology demonstrator that could unlock some of these possibilities.
Keng Kum Yong has been appointed VP and technical specialist for Hong Kong-based Jetsolution. He has been a senior executive for Singapore Airlines, Metrojet, Jett8 and Talco Aviation.
Unlike previous lightweight and compact weapons that proved highly suitable for guerrilla warfare techniques, the Iranian-made Fajr rockets supplied to Hamas in Gaza are significantly more devastating than earlier Grads and Qassams. Both the Fajr-3 and Fajr-5 carry a 90-kg (200-lb.) high-explosive warhead with massive fragmentation sheets made of steel balls that create extensive collateral damage. Analyses of attacks from 2006 to this year indicate the rockets could be equipped with a delay fuse to increase building penetration.
Aidan Mooney has joined Manchester, England-based route consultant ASM as VP-consulting. He has been director of aviation development for the Manchester Airport Group.
Parker Aerospace, a major supplier of fuel system nozzles to the gas aero-engine industry, has opted for vertical integration with one of its biggest customers by forming a joint venture with GE Aviation. The partners plan to establish Advanced Atomization Technologies (AAT) in Clyde, N.Y., a town of 2,500 halfway between Syracuse and Rochester, to develop and manufacture all fuel nozzles used in General Electric and CFM commercial engines or their military equivalents. Terms were not disclosed.
Col. (ret.) Shaul Shahar (see photo) has been appointed general manager of Israel Aerospace Industries' Malat division, based at Ben Gurion International Airport. He succeeds Col. (ret.) Mordechai “Tommy” Silberring. Shahar was acting general manager of the Tamam division of IAI's Missiles Systems and Space Group.
Angela Gittens, director general of Montreal-based Airport Council International World, was selected to receive the Airport Consultants Council 2012 Aviation Award of Excellence. Gittens was honored for the breadth of her contributions to the aviation industry, her advocacy on behalf of aviation stakeholders and her leadership on local, federal and global levels.
Russian researchers, long in the forefront of plasma control experimentation, are combining forces with U.S. military and European industrial counterparts to further exploit plasma's potential effect in hypersonic flight. The concept involves generating plasma by using an electrical discharge to create a shape or force which can act as a virtual actuator, a flow modifier or as an aid to combustion.
The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (Speea) underscored its displeasure at the rate of progress in contract talks with Boeing Commercial Airplanes last week by seeking National Labor Relations Board intervention, even as the manufacturer made what it calls “significant improvements over our initial offer.”
Tony Parasida has been appointed senior VP-human resources and administration for Boeing. He will succeed Rick Stephens, who plans to retire in March. Parasida is president of Boeing Defense, Space & Security's Global Services & Support.
