Southwest Airlines Cargo announced that it will introduce a new tracking service that will allow customers to better monitor their shipments. With Cargo Companion, wireless tracking devices will monitor the location, shock, light, temperature, pressure and humidity of cargo in transit. Email alerts will inform customers when a shipment crosses a checkpoint, when it arrives at its destination, what delays it faces and any temperature issues.
Mark Smith (see photos) has been promoted to group president from senior VP of Aerostaff Services, Line Maintenance and Engineering Solutions at STS Aviation Group, Jensen Beach, Fla. He succeeds Philip Anson, Jr., who was elevated to CEO of the Aviation Group. Former CEO Bob Greene is now executive chairman, and Tom Covella was promoted to group president of Component Solutions from executive VP and general manager.
Bolstered by increased sales of Cessna Citation business jets and Bell commercial helicopters, Textron reported second-quarter revenues of $3 billion, up 10.7% over the same period in 2011. Operating profit from manufacturing businesses was up $59 million to $288 million.
US Airways CEO Doug Parker, speaking at the National Press Club in Washington to tout the benefits of a merger with American Airlines, focused on the combined airlines' strengths, particularly on the U.S. East Coast. Parker says the merged airline would continue to serve mainly European destinations from its Charlotte, N.C., Philadelphia and New York-JFK hubs and Latin America from Miami. But the new carrier essentially would cede Asia to United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, relying instead on Oneworld partner Japan Airlines for Asia service.
Colleen Hartman has been appointed deputy director for science, operations and program performance at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. She has been the assistant associate administrator in the Science Mission directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington.
Terry A. Ruhl has been appointed president of Denver-based CH2M Hill's Transportation Business Group. He has been senior VP and director of consulting and international operations for the group's aviation, highway and bridge, ports and maritime, and transit and rail consulting practices.
PATS Aircraft Systems has delivered the fourth of 10 Boeing 737-900ER aircraft with PATS' Auxiliary Fuel System to Turkish Airlines. With a two-tank aft configuration, the modifications adds 962 gal. of fuel capability, extending the potential range of the aircraft to more than 3,200 nm and allowing Turkish to expand its routes into Africa. PATS will deliver the remaining six aircraft during the next nine months.
GE Aviation has upgraded its repair warranty programs for CF6-80C, CF6-80E and CFM International CFM56 engine parts. Under the extended programs, warranty hours for CF-6 engine parts tripled to 6,000 from 2,000 hr. and doubled to 4,000 from 2,000 hr. for CFM56s.
The U.S. Navy intends to substantially increase the percentage of simulation training for its personnel, especially in aviation. For the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Navy plans to increase simulated training to 32% of overall instruction by 2020 compared to the current 18%, according to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). For the Boeing EA-18G Growler, the Navy plans to increase that percentage to 34% from the current 20% in the coming eight years, the GAO says.
Air Tahiti Nui has selected SR Technics of the Mubadala Aerospace MRO network to complete three cabin modifications on Airbus A340-300s along with C-checks. The technical aircraft services company will replace the current three-class cabin configuration with two business and economy classes, and install an inflight entertainment system. All work will be completed at SR Technics' Centers for Excellence in Zurich and Dublin, with planned completion dates beginning in May 2013.
Mark Davis has become senior VP-maintenance, repair and overhaul sales at Timco Aviation Services, Greensboro, N.C. He has held leadership roles at United Airlines in vendor-provider relationship management.
An article in the July 16 issue (page 34) incorrectly stated the Franco-German cost estimate for a next-generation European launcher, which is $5-8 billion. In addition, the article should have indicated that the U.K. investment in a national space technology program is funded at £10 million ($15.5 million).
In its Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan issued last year, the department set very ambitious targets for itself and its suppliers. One of them is to make sure that 95% of its “off-the-shelf” procurement is conducted sustainably; another is to design and acquire weapon systems and platforms that are both more sustainable and have a reduced total cost of ownership (TCO), for example, through lower fuel use. The stakes are huge. In 2010, the Pentagon issued more than 3.6 million contracts amounting to $366 billion in resource obligations
Tania Hanna has been named VP-government relations of Harris Corp. of Washington and Melbourne, Fla., succeeding Peter Challan, who has become VP-industry specific programs for the company's Mission Critical Networks. Hanna was VP-policy and legislative affairs.
The delegation of U.S. politicians at the Farnborough International Airshow was so large they could scarcely fit on the same stage. “Don't push me over the edge, Cornyn,” Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) quipped to fellow Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) at an event marking the start of the week-long gathering.
Following a hostile, acrimonious procurement effort, the Indian navy now appears set to decide on a winner in its delayed multirole helicopter (MRH) competition. Commercial bids by the two contenders, NHIndustries and Sikorsky, are expected to be opened in the next two weeks by the Indian defense ministry, with a roughly $1 billion contract to follow for 16 of either the NH90 or the S-70B Seahawk.
Lufthansa Technik AERO Alzey celebrated servicing its 1,000th General Electric CF34-series engine on July 16. The company, which specializes in the maintenance of regional and business aircraft engines, serviced its first CF34 in 1991.
