When major manufacturers invest in a technology demonstrator, they are not on a fishing expedition, hoping a far-out idea will prove to be a winner. They are looking for near-term benefits from preparing technology for a smooth transition to product development.
Michael Rossell has been appointed director of International Civil Aviation Organization relations at Montreal-based Airports Council International. As the U.K.'s permanent representative at ICAO, he was first VP of the council from 2011-12.
I realize that dramatic cover art is part of the “new look” by which Aviation Week & Space Technology seeks to boost readership. But remember—aviation professionals read your magazine.
In the case of the Air France Flight 447 crash on June 1, 2009, it seems that at the end of the day—after all the discussions concerning the competence of the crew, the instrumentation presentation in the cockpit and the design of the sidesticks—one thing is certain: If either a Boeing 767 or 777 had gone through this same weather and had the same pitot malfunction, both aircraft types would have arrived at their destinations safely.
Absurdities reign in the capital as pundits and politicians face an almost certain triggering of the Budget Control Act's sequestration cuts come January. First is the notion from the White House that the commander in chief would stand by while automatic budget cuts “devastate” his military—in the words of President Barack Obama's own Defense Department chiefs.
ST Aerospace's Scandinavian facility, ST Aerospace Solutions, and its joint venture company, Madrid Aerospace Services, are partnering to provide landing gear maintenance service for the Airbus A320 family, A330s and A340, along with Boeing 737NGs, MD-80s and MD-90s. Under the alliance agreement, the two companies will market their landing gear maintenance and engineering services together, drawing on customer bases of their respective parent companies, ST Aerospace and Iberia Maintenance.
LH Aviation's LH-10 Ellipse (AW&ST June 25, p. 10) borrows heavily from two largely forgotten forebears: Jim Bede's BD-5 for the design, and Al Mooney's M-18 Mite for the concept. I wish the company more success than its predecessors. Denver, Colo.
From the Farnborough air show, Managing Editor Joseph C. Anselmo blogs about domestic use of unmanned aircraft. It will likely be years before pilotless planes are in widespread commercial use, according to two top executives at UAV manufacturer General Atomics. ghemago asks: Has anyone done the math for the economic advantage? Blackwell, Brian says:
Joseph Rivera (see photo) has been tapped to become director of international operations at Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah, Ga. He was general manager of Bombardier Aerospace's Tucson, Ariz., service center. HONORS AND ELECTIONS
Collaboration between Sweden and Switzerland on the new JAS 39E/F version of the Saab Gripen multirole fighter is expected to firm up in August with the signature of a framework agreement between the Swiss defense procurement agency and Sweden's defense export organization. A ministerial-level letter of intent was signed in Switzerland on June 29. On the same day, Saab hosted a meeting to start the process of placing offset work in Switzerland, in advance of a formal development contract expected in 2014.
Boeing's 787 took to the skies at the Farnborough air show last week, marking the first time in 28 years one of the company's commercial transport aircraft had participated in an air show flight demonstration. The 787 was painted in the livery of Qatar Airways, which is expected to take delivery of the widebody jet next month. Boeing also scored a major order during the show from United Continental Holdings for 737 MAX jets—but rival Airbus, jet engine makers and helicopter manufacturers were hardly quiet. Reports from Aviation Week's on-site team begin on page 24.
Skywest's conditional order (see chart) for 100 Mitsubishi Regional Jets (MRJ) was an important boost in difficult times for Mitsubishi Aircraft. The company announced a one-year program delay in April, pushing entry into service of the initial MRJ90 version back to summer 2015. Also at Farnborough, Richard Leach, president of launch customer Trans States Holdings—another U.S. regional—reaffirmed his commitment to the MRJ, despite the delay.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. James O. Poss, assistant deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, last week was awarded the 2012 John Curtis Sword Award at a dinner in London hosted by ADS Group, the U.K.'s principal trade organization representing the British A&D industry. The award is presented bi-annually to the person who best demonstrates transatlantic leadership in service to Anglo/U.S. relations in A&D. Poss was selected for the award for signing the memorandum of understanding allowing the U.K.
CFM and Pratt & Whitney are ratcheting up the war of words in the intensifying battle over powering the Airbus A320NEO. CFM says its Leap-1A will require 40 fewer fuel-tank refills per year than Pratt's PW1100G geared turbofan. Together with predicted savings from fewer maintenance visits, CFM says the Leap could be $3-4 million cheaper per aircraft over 15 years. But the claims are refuted by Pratt. “Effectively they're defying the laws of physics and the laws of economics,” says President David Hess.
Shinichiro Ito, president and CEO of the ANA Group, has been selected to receive the Executive Leadership Award, sponsored by Airline Business, Sutton, England. He is credited with “aggressively leading ANA Group to assume the leadership role . . . in the Japanese airline industry.”
