Davert Leong has been appointed electrical engineer in production, while David Casey is the new lead embedded-software engineer and Doyle Sisson project manager at International Communications Group, Newport News, Va. Debbie Glass has been added as a technical writer. Leong has been a lab technician for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and Casey comes from a career with Rockwell Collins. Sisson was final assembly manager for the Boeing Business Jet and has been program manager at Raytheon, AIS and Laird Technologies.
The A318 is a twin-engine, 107-132-passenger narrowbody jetliner. First flight occurred in January 2002. In May 2003, the A318 (with CFM56 engines) was certificated by the European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA); this was followed by FAA certification in June and deliveries began in July. The A318 is powered by two 21,600-23,800-lb.-thrust turbofan engines, either the CFM56-5B or the Pratt & Whitney PW6000. Primary competition includes the Embraer 190 and 195 and Bombardier CSeries.
While most of Washington is growing more and more pessimistic about the potential for Congress to avoid a nearly $1 trillion across-the-board federal cut, discussions about a possible deal are beginning to take shape. Then again, a $4 trillion deal on deficit reduction is still a long way off, and how that would play out is highly dependent on the results of the November election.
India successfully conducted a development test of its nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface Agni-IV missile on Sept. 19 from a military base in the eastern state of Odisha. The missile will be introduced into service next year after one more planned trial, a defense ministry official says. After climbing to an altitude of more than 800 km (500 mi.), it reportedly reentered the atmosphere and reached the pre-defined target in the Indian Ocean in about 20 min.
The An-124 is a four-engine, intercontinental-range, heavy-lift cargo transport, while the An-225 is a six-engine, heavy-lift jet designed to carry the Soviet shuttle orbiter Buran. Initial flight of a production An-124 prototype took place in 1982, and commercial operation began in 1986. The An-124 is powered by four Ivchenko-Progress D-18T turbofan engines, while the An-225 is powered by six. Fifty-five An-124s and one An-225 have been produced.
Tangible proof is finally emerging that the FAA is back on course with one of its most crucial—and most troubled—air traffic control programs. While government watchdogs caution that plenty could still go wrong with the En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) effort, its accomplishments are at last beginning to outweigh the red flags.
Russian Helicopters has secured the first civil order for its Kamov Ka-226T light helicopter powered by Turbomeca Arrius 2G1 turboshafts. Gazpromavia airline, a subsidiary of Russia's gas monopolist Gazprom, ordered 18 of the helicopters on Sept. 6. The manufacturer should deliver the first six in 2013, and the others in 2014. The helicopters will be used to patrol Gazprom's distribution system, and provide corporate transportation in Arctic regions.
As CEO of EADS, Louis Gallois was repeatedly rebuffed by his board when he sought to acquire U.S. defense companies. Less than four months after Gallois' retirement, a single deal could finally make EADS a top supplier to the Pentagon—and in the process create the largest aerospace and defense (A&D) company ever.
Brent Appleby has been appointed deputy to the VP-engineering for science and technology at Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Mass. He returns to Draper after two years at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in Washington.
George Novak has been tapped to become assistant VP-civil aviation of the Aerospace Industries Association, Arlington, Va. He was director of safety, border and security with InterVistas Consulting.
Mars Curiosity rover's three left wheels frame the lower slopes of Mount Sharp in this two-frame mosaic collected Sept. 9 by the Mars Hand Lens Imager (Mahli) during tests of the robotic arm.
Companies competing to develop a commercial crew vehicle (CCV) for International Space Station astronauts must also bid on a two-phase human-rating process that NASA will conduct in parallel with vehicle development over the next four to five years. Under a NASA request for proposals issued Sept. 12, companies can get as much as $10 million each beginning next February to supply data for human spaceflight certification for the following 15 months.
This week, Aviation Week & Space Technology publishes two editions. On the cover at the far left, a high-speed camera mounted in the weapons bay of an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter captures a 1,000-lb. Joint Direct-Attack Munition just after release, during the aircraft's first safe-separation trial Aug. 8 near NAS Patuxent River, Md. The squares and circles on the JDAM are photogrammetric markers. Cameras tracked the JDAM as it separated from the bay. Engineers compare the images to predictive models (see page 56).
Not since the 1960s when it developed the JT9D, the world's first commercial high-bypass turbofan, has Pratt & Whitney been under the industry microscope as it is with the PW1000G geared-turbofan family. While the JT9D became a success after a troubled start, it was the JT8D that gave Pratt its 30-year-plus reign as the industry's leading jet-engine supplier. It is this success the company now hopes to emulate with the similarly rated PW1000G, now in the midst of its most critical certification tests yet.
A Who's Where item in the Sept. 3/10 issue (page 11) incorrectly identified the new position held by Antonio L. Elias, former executive vice president and general manager of the advanced programs group at Orbital Sciences Corp. Elias has been promoted to chief technical officer for the company's three operating groups (launch systems, satellites and space systems, and advanced programs) as well as the company's technical operations staff.
European aerospace giant EADS is tackling a number of problems in its military businesses as it proceeds with talks to merge with British behemoth BAE Systems in an effort to increase its global footprint in the defense market.
Robert Kirsch (see photo) has been selected as director of operations for Kelly Aviation Center of San Antonio. He was general manager of operations at Pratt & Whitney.
Bob Seidel has been named CEO of JFI Jets of New York, succeeding Bill Cripe, who will take a leave of absence. Seidel was general manager and senior VP of Jet Aviation's U.S. aircraft management and charter division.
Carole Hedden reports on Aviation Week's survey of young A&D sector professionals and university students and notes that respondents say: “The secret to attracting and keeping young workers is [to offer us a] challenge” (AW&ST Aug. 20, p. 43). The new hires' preferences include high-profile projects that tap their innate interest in things that “fly, communicate and secure the nation.” And they want work that varies week-to-week, day-to-day and even hour-to-hour.
With more than 2,300 current model 737s still due to be delivered before the first reengined MAX variant makes its debut in 2017, Boeing is taking steps to improve the aircraft's competitiveness by studying a new set of upgrades which could also help bridge the transition between the two.
Orbital Sciences Corp. hopes to conduct the first hot-fire test of its Antares launch vehicle in mid-October following the rollout of the rocket to the new launch pad at Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Va., later this month. The facility is being developed by Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority and includes a horizontal integration site that now houses the test booster for the upcoming 29-sec.-long static test firing, as well as the first Antares to be used for a NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services demonstration flight.
Oct. 9—MRO IT Europe. Amsterdam. Oct. 9—Aircraft Composite Repair Management. Amsterdam. Oct. 9-11—MRO Europe. Amsterdam. Oct. 30-31—Engine MRO Europe. Paris Nov. 6-7—A&D Programs. Phoenix. Nov. 13—Engine MRO Asia. Singapore. Nov. 14-15—MRO Asia. Singapore. Jan. 22-23—MRO Middle East. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. You can now register ONLINEfor Aviation Week Events. Go to www.aviationweek.com/events or call +1 (212) 904-4682.
Sept. 24-25—Malta International Airshow 2012. Malta International Airport. See www.maltaairshow.com Sept. 24-28—55th Annual Airlines for America's Nondestructive Testing Forum. Seattle Airport Marriott. Sept. 26-29—Society of Experimental Test Pilots' 56th Annual Symposium and Banquet. The Grand Californian Hotel, Anaheim. See www.setp.org/annual-symposium-banquet/56th-symposium-a-banquet-informat… Sept. 27-28—Aerospace Summit Global Supply Chain. Palais Des Congress, Montreal. See www.aeromontreal.ca/summit2012\
