The commentary “Storm Over Weather Sats” by Air Force Gen. (ret,) Howell M. Estes, 3rd, (AW&ST June 25, p. 50) resonates with me. It is obvious why his opinions are not endorsed or sponsored by anyone in government or industry. But many of us in the aerospace industry share his outlook. In the past decade, we have seen a number of major programs where schedules were missed by years (not days or months) with cost overruns in the billions. The Airbus A380, Boeing 787, Airbus Military A400M and Lockheed Martin F-35 come to mind.
Keith Flail has been tapped as director of Military Program Office Operations at Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth. He was senior manager of business development for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
Operators of the G650, Gulfstream Aerospace's new 488 KTAS, 7,000-nm-range flagship, will first start flying their aircraft this summer, based upon flight-test program progress and operators' scheduled completion of initial G650 training at FlightSafety International in late August. Virtually all FAA-required certification flight tests had been completed in June except for 300 hr. of function and reliability flight-testing that is now in progress. This paves the way for FAA type certification in July or August, followed by entry into service in September, operators say.
The solution to England's inflight refueling problems for the Joint Strike Fighter F-35B on its new carriers is simple: work with Boeing to create a tanker version of the V-22. Torrance, Calif.
Senior Editor Graham Warwick's “More Bad News for Boeing's Unmanned A160” posting on the Ares defense blog received a spectrum of responses, including: CarpetCrawler noting: The U.S. Marines were early users of helicopters, forming their first helo squadron during the Korean War. With K-Max, the Marines once again lead the U.S. Army in rotary-wing aviation. Eric Palmer quoting: Richard P. Feynman (1918-88): “Reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled.”
Pairog Kiatthunsamai (see photo) has been named CFO of the Bangkok-based Pacific Asia Travel Association. He was assistant VP-financial planning and analysis at Generali Insurance.
Picture a group of senior Boeing executives cutting the ribbon on a new 737 plant in France, surrounded by adoring local officials and lauded by the chamber of commerce. The flip side of that fanciful vision occurred July 2 in Mobile, Ala., when Airbus ceremoniously announced that it will invest more than $600 million to establish a U.S. final-assembly factory for A320s, starting in 2015. The new line, which will employ more than 1,000, will join A320 assembly plants in Hamburg, Toulouse and Tianjin.
Pedro Mercado (see photo) has become national sales manager for interior refurbishments at Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Ga. He was a service center supervisor for interior refurbishment at Gulfstream's Long Beach, Calif., facility.
Europe may still be playing catch-up with the U.S. when it comes to unmanned combat air vehicles, but in some respects European companies already have more riding on the long-term future of these endeavors than do their North American rivals.
USAF Maj. Gen. Margaret H. Woodward has been assigned as chief of safety at USAF Headquarters at the Pentagon, and commander of the Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M. She has been special assistant to the deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements at USAF Headquarters. Maj. Gen. Sharon K. Dunbar has been assigned as commander of Air Force District of Washington, Joint Base Andrews, Md. She has been director of force management policy/deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services at USAF Headquarters. She will be succeeded by Brig.
Mike Clarke (see photo) has been appointed director of technical services at Rizon Jet, Doha, Qatar. He was sales and marketing director for sub-Sahara Africa at BBA Aviation.
The Royal Air Force is undergoing a sweeping overhaul of its fleet, with a raft of aircraft being phased out and new ones, such as the Air Seeker signals intelligence aircraft, F-35 fighter and Airbus Military A400M transport, coming into service through 2020.
Chris Maupin has become director of Zurich-based Jet Aviation's Houston Hobby Airport fixed-base operation. He was a fuel market analyst at Universal Weather and Aviation.
All eyes are on Airbus as it prepares the A350 for first flight, but the aircraft maker is putting at least as much attention on ensuring it can handle the steep production ramp-up due shortly afterward.
David Fulghum (Washington), Robert Wall (Washington)
The future of large aircraft used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) is undergoing a major change, with many older, tested designs shuffling toward retirement. Replacing them are penetrating manned and unmanned combat aircraft—including F-22, F-35 and unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV) with enhanced, non-traditional ISR integrated with their attack capabilities. In addition, these designs will be linked with other stealth platforms on and under the sea and in space.
GKN Aerospace has sought for years to join forces with Volvo Aero. With the contract finally signed, GKN is emerging as a stronger supplier for engine manufacturers.
Don't tell Hawaiian Airlines that a sputtering global economy will slow demand for air travel. While other U.S. carriers are putting the brakes on expansion, Hawaiian is expanding capacity at double-digit rates and adding to its fleet of widebody jets—primarily with Airbus A330s, and A350s to follow starting in 2017. Hawaiian estimated capacity would grow 15.5-17.5% in the quarter that just ended, compared with a year earlier. The consistently profitable Honolulu-based carrier expects an average load factor of 84% for the quarter and has no plans to slow its growth.
Kevin Nolan (see photo) has been named European managing director for Wall Colmonoy, Pontardawe, Wales, succeeding Norman Allnatt, who has retired. Nolan was managing director of the Turbine Airfoils Division of the Doncasters Group.
Airbus's interest in setting up a U.S. final assembly line for the A320 may seem like the aerospace equivalent of painting the white roses red, but there are larger business issues at stake than just trying to fool U.S. buyers into thinking they are “buying American.”
A week before the Farnborough International Airshow, Boeing officials are not saying whether they will break a 28-year-old rule and fly a 787 during the week-long biennial exhibition. The 787 debuted at the last Farnborough outing in 2010 and was at the Paris air show last year, but at both events it was in a static display.
The Pacific Northwest Aviation Association, NorCal Business Aviation Association, Teterboro (N.J.) Users Group, Tampa Bay (Fla.) Aviation Association, Kansas City Business Aviation Association and Eastern Regional Helicopter Council are among local protectors and promoters of general and business aviation operators and airports throughout the U.S. And their number is growing steadily.
The new Orbital Sciences Corp. Antares liquid-fuel rocket will have a shot at launching other NASA payloads as well as the Cygnus cargo carrier it was built to launch. The U.S. space agency added the kerosene-fueled launcher to its Launch Services II contract with Orbital, which also flies solid-fuel launch vehicles. Antares is due for a first flight this year, pending certification of its new Virginia-owned launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island.
The most powerful version of Space Exploration Technologies' Merlin rocket engine has completed its first full-duration mission firing test. The Merlin 1D engine fired for 185 sec. and generated 147,000 lb. thrust during the firing, which included multiple restarts at target thrust and specific impulse. The engine is destined to make its first flight on a Falcon 9 in 2013
Maria Paz de Arana (see photos) has succeeded Gustavo Vaca as general manager-Spain for. She has worked for Sabre and Amadeus, as well as American Airlines. Attila Toth has joined the company's group management in Hungary and Erhan Sengenc is the new general manager in Turkey.
United Technologies Corp. and its subsidiaries Pratt & Whitney Canada and Hamilton Sundstrand agreed last week to pay more than $75 million to the U.S. government to settle criminal and administrative charges related to accusations that it sold China software enabling its authorities to develop and produce their first modern military attack helicopter, the Z-10. The U.S. State Department further is imposing a partial disbarment of PWC for new export licenses, although it can request them on a case-by-case basis.
