In the letter “Regulation Strangulation” (AW&ST Jan. 16, p. 8), is reader Roy Steele trying to rewrite air transportation historical events? I recall that the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 was intended to bring economic stabilization to the industry. It worked, and interstate air carriers received an immense amount of route protection via “certificates of public convenience and necessity rules,” and thereby flourished.
“The Rise and Fall of Global Hawk Block 30,” Senior Editor Amy Butler's concise history of the Northrop Grumman unmanned air system, elicited the following exchange: FMafia writing: “If we had to do it all over again, we would do it differently” appears to be the motto of most U.S. Air Force programs. But they never seem to learn from it. X-Planes responding:
A young outfit based in Dublin, but with a distinctive New York accent, drew attention at the recent Helicopter Association International convention when its boss signed for 16 Eurocopter EC225s, worth nearly a half-billion dollars, one day and then for three Sikorsky S-92s worth an estimated $70 million the next. He never flinched. After all, he is well-practiced.
Sikorsky is eyeing potential new helicopters to plug the gap in its lineup between the 12-passenger twin and 19-passenger S-92, some 180 of which have now been built. The emerging focus is the 7-8-ton, 16-seat offshore oil support market also identified by AgustaWestland, Bell Helicopter and Eurocopter. The initial entrant into the medium and super-medium field will be Eurocopter's EC175 later this year, followed by the AgustaWestland AW189 in 2014. Not far behind comes Bell's newly launched 525 Relentless (see p. 36).
Eurocopter plans to develop a two-step approach to introducing its advanced X4 helicopter, with the first version entering service in 2017. The X4 is aimed at the AS365 Dauphin/EC155 replacement market in the medium-twin, 9,000-11,000-lb. category, with first flight in 2015. This intermediate configuration would be followed by an updated variant in 2020 featuring fly-by-wire and more advanced avionics and systems, says CEO Lutz Bertling.
Certification of the long-awaited Sikorsky S-76D is on track for around mid-year, with first deliveries in the third quarter, confirms company President Jeff Pino. Delayed by up to four years based on its original program targets, the S-76D effort has overcome rotor lag, avionics problems and an engine redesign.
Amy K. Hoage (see photo) has been selected as VP-business development for PAS Technologies, Kansas City, Mo. She was director of aerospace business development at Goodrich Corp. Engine Components.
E. Robert Lupone has been appointed executive VP, general counsel and secretary of Textron, Providence, R.I., succeeding Terrence O'Donnell, who will retire. Lupone was senior VP and general counsel of Siemens Corp.
The Chengdu works of Avic's combat aircraft subsidiary is developing a two-seat version of the JF-17 Thunder fighter in cooperation with the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, say Chinese industry executives. The two-seater will be adaptable for conversion training and combat roles, they say, though as a fighter it will not perform as well as the single-seat version. The JF-17 is being built in a joint program with Pakistan for its air force, with delivery of about 100 anticipated.
Richard Larson (see photo) has been named executive director-business development for MEI Technologies of Houston. He was VP-business development for space and launch at the Science Applications International Corp.
When it comes to biofuels for aviation, Washington state has it all—a major aircraft producer in Boeing, a major carrier in Alaska Airlines, a large military presence, plenty of feedstock in forestry and farming—and advocates on Capitol Hill such as Sen. Maria Cantwell.
French engine maker Turbomeca is seeing a rebound in business and predicts a buoyant 2012-13 on the back of new sales and increased production. “The trough is behind us and the market is picking up again,” says Chairman and CEO Olivier Andries. Engine deliveries climbed to 950 in 2011, a 20% increase over 2010. “We also repaired 1,450 engines, which is 10% higher than 2010.” Turbomeca is investing in engine development work for the Arriel 2D, which Andries says is “the last stage of the Arriel family,” as well as the Ardiden 3 and TM800.
March 7—55th Annual Laureate Awards. Washington. March 13-14—Innovation Supply Chain Showcase. Orlando, Fla. April 3-5—MRO Americas 2012. Dallas. April 4-5—MRO Military Conference & Exhibition. Dallas. April 23-25—NextGen Ahead: Air Transportation Modernization. Washington. May 8-9—Civil Aviation Manufacturing. Charlotte, N.C. May 23-24—MRO Regional: Eastern Europe, Baltics and Russia. Vilnius, Lithuania. Sept. 19-21—MRO IT Conference & Showcase. Miami.
What was motivated by fashion envy is now much in vogue with environmentalists and CFOs alike. Industrialist Dennis Washington wanted his Gulfstream G-II to look like the newer G-III, which is to say he wanted it fitted with winglets, and in 1989 convinced Joe Clark, a successful aviation entrepreneur in Seattle, to take on the job.
Gilles Gosselin (see photo) has been appointed general manager of Munich-based Aviareps' subsidiary in Paris with added responsibility for the Morocco office. He was managing director for France and Europe at Air Seychelles.
William J. Lynn , 3rd, has become chairman and CEO of DRS Technologies, Parsippany, N.J., succeeding Mark S. Newman. Lynn was U.S. deputy secretary of defense in 2009-11.
With U.S. defense spending about to drop and, at best, only stay level through the rest of the decade, and the Pentagon resolved to reduce the price of weapons systems to what they “should” cost, it is easy to understand why some industry professionals are anxious about the new business environment.
Asia has seen a flurry of activity lately, with airlines acquiring widebodies for new services touted as “long-haul low-cost,” but the term is misleading because the flights being proposed are really medium range. A question mark hangs over whether the low-cost carrier (LCC) model can be successfully applied to long-range flights. AirAsia X tried it and failed. The Malaysia-based airline has been serving London Gatwick and Paris Orly airports, but will be suspending these services at the end of March.
David Fulghum (Washington), Bill Sweetman (Washington), Amy Butler (Washington)
With the Pentagon's budget goals set for affordable programs and the U.S. Air Force's MQ-X next-generation unmanned aircraft program killed, there appear to be new opportunities for the reduced-signature, jet-powered Predator C Avenger. To show off the aircraft's truck-like versatility, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems quickly built a 4-ft. longer version of the original, reduced-signature design, which first flew in 2009. The modified Avenger made its unannounced initial flight on Jan. 12 at the company's Palmdale, Calif., facility.
Gulf Air was the main carrier of the Persian Gulf region for decades. But now, political unrest and economic turmoil are threatening its very survival. The Bahraini government has been looking at various options that include shutting down the airline in favor of creating a new national carrier or continuing to invest in Gulf Air, but diminishing its scope. After weeks of uncertainty, it appears that Gulf Air will continue to fly, but as a significantly smaller carrier. And the key question remains: How long can it count on government support?
Space Systems/Loral reports deployment of the solar arrays and successful performance of post-launch maneuvers for SES-4 following its Feb. 14 launch on an International Launch Services Proton Breeze M from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. SES will serve fixed-satellite services markets in the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East with the spacecraft.
Ethiopian Airlines has ordered five Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircraft, bringing to 13 the number of Q400s the carrier has ordered. Two of the five aircraft will be operated by Ethiopian and three by its affiliate, Togo's ASKY Airlines. Bombardier Aerospace is bullish on the African market, noting there are now 11 Q400 operators on the continent. Separately, Horizon Air has ordered two more Q400 NextGen aircraft, which will bring its Q400 and NextGen fleet to 50 aircraft. It is the largest operator of the type in the Americas.
For investors in aerospace stocks, it doesn't get much better than TransDigm. The supplier of aircraft components has seen its share price more than quintuple since going public six years ago, with gains of 67% in 2009, 52% in 2010, 33% in 2011 and about 20% so far in 2012. Sales are on pace to reach $1.5 billion this year—up ten-fold since 2000—and the company has posted operating margins of 44% in a sector where 20% is considered superior.
