Europe may be mired in financial austerity, but that has not derailed the region's effort to duplicate GPS with the Galileo satellite navigation and timing constellation. Instead, it is changing the economic equation underpinning the program.
AMR Corp. is looking to shed close to 20% of its workforce under a bankruptcy reorganization plan that includes $2 billion in annual savings and a further $1 billion in revenue growth. The company, which owns American Airlines and American Eagle, has only started to reveal details to its unions so specifics are scarce, but it is clear the operator wants to close its widebody maintenance facility in Fort Worth and reduce the size of its Kansas facility, choosing instead to outsource its repair work to reduce operating costs.
Thomas Kreidler has joined General Dynamics C4 Systems, Scottsdale, Ariz., as VP-worldwide product sales. He has held similar positions at Lumeta Corp., Juniper Networks and Sun Microsystems.
South Korea has formally launched its F-X fighter competition, with the goal of having bids in hand on June 18. The program is expected to be for around 60 aircraft. The competition is expected to pit a version of the Boeing F-15, which South Korea has bought in recent procurements, against the Lockheed Martin F-35, recently acquired by Japan.
Michael Mecham (San Francisco), Robert Wall (London), Leithen Francis (Singapore )
Once known as the home of big airplanes, the Asia-Pacific region's growth now spans so many commercial jet market segments that even manufacturers of regional aircraft are beginning to find ways to keep from being squeezed out by the big guys.
Russian space officials will scrap the next Soyuz crew carrier bound for the International Space Station (ISS) after it was damaged in a testing mishap at RSC Energia last month. Mike Suffredini, NASA's ISS program manager, says the descent and propulsion modules developed cracks and leaks after the spacecraft was overpressurized during a test of its flight-worthiness. As a result, the planned April 1 docking of Soyuz TMA-04M/30S to ISS will slip until “the middle of May,” he says.
FAA has taken a major step in its much-delayed en route air traffic control upgrade, beginning operational use of the new system at six more FAA centers across the U.S. The En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) system achieved initial operating capability at the six centers in December and January. ERAM will be the backbone operating system at all FAA en route centers, and is considered a precursor to NextGen.
Kary Morihara (see photo) has been named director of training and development for Aloha Air Cargo. She was a business program developer for the Sullivan Family of Companies.
European governments have been notorious for their open or hidden subsidies to support national carriers. But tighter controls imposed by the European Commission, coupled with the effects of the sovereign debt crisis, are taking their toll on the weakest airlines—as witnessed by the recent demise of Spanair and the de facto collapse of Malev.
Tarek Ragheb has been appointed senior adviser-international sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Savannah, Ga.-based Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. With the new role, Ragheb takes on added responsibilities for the group he has headed for 18 years.
European Union emission allowance (EUA) prices rebounded in January, taking support from colder weather in Europe, which boosted demand for domestic heating, driving up CO2 emissions and the demand for allowances. EUAs for delivery in December 2012 rallied to €8.04 per metric ton ($10.56 per metric ton) on Jan. 31, up from an all-time low of €6.60 on Jan. 3.
Dinesh Keskar has been promoted to senior VP-Asia-Pacific and India, from president of Boeing India for Seattle-based Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He became president of Boeing India in March 2009.
Hooman Yazhari has been named general counsel for Los Angeles-based International Lease Finance Corp. He was Gategroup's senior VP and general counsel.
Michele Arcamone (see photo) has been appointed president of Toronto-based Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. He succeeds Gary R. Scott, who has retired. Arcamone was president and CEO of GM Korea.
Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd. (ST Aero) President Chang Cheow Teck spoke to AW&ST Asia Editor Leithen Francis at the company's corporate headquarters in Singapore. AW&ST: Is there a danger that demand for passenger-to-freighter (PTF) conversions will fall in 2012? I notice China's Jade Cargo has grounded its fleet.
A multibillion-dollar commercial satellite imagery program and a showcase example of the Obama administration's forward-looking commercial remote-sensing space policy has been targeted for cuts that could impact U.S. military and allied operations and potentially lead to industry consolidation in the U.S. sector.
The Hungarian government has decided to extend its lease of 14 Saab JAS Gripen fighters until at least 2026. The move comes as the Czech Republic, another Gripen user, mulls its course of action, with air force officials suggesting they also would like to remain committed to Saab's single-engine fighter.
Norman Ramirez has been named general manager at Houston-based Landmark Aviation's Oakland (Calif.) International Airport location. He has held management roles at Signature Flight Support, Atlantic Aviation and American Airlines.
Amy Butler (Washington), David Fulghum (Washington)
The Pentagon's forthcoming $613.4 billion funding request for next year outlines a series of significant cuts—and hints at operational sacrifices—but several questions remain unanswered about what is ahead as defense spending flattens. This budget request is designed not only to slice $487 billion over 10 years, as required by the Budget Control Act, but to shift the Pentagon's focus to the Asia-Pacific region while reducing the U.S. presence in Europe, in accordance with the White House's new military strategy.
Qatar Airways has selected Engine Alliance GP7200 turbofans to power its Airbus A380s. The win for the General Electric/Pratt & Whitney joint venture continues its success in the Middle East, where Emirates and Etihad Airways have also opted for the turbofan. It adds to the group's lead over rival Rolls-Royce with its Trent 900.
Rocket-engine testing for U.S. human spaceflight is getting off to a roaring start in 2012, with SpaceX announcing the first hot-fire test of its SuperDraco hypergolic engine, and NASA preparing to begin testing the powerpack of the J-2X cryogenic upper-stage engine for its planned Space Launch System heavy lifter. Meanwhile, engineers at Stennis Space Center, Miss., are getting ready for the first in a series of J-2X powerpack tests at the NASA testing center's A-1 test stand. Plans call for about a dozen tests running through the summer.
It's a sign of the times in the topsy-turvy air cargo market that while one eager operator can't wait to get its hands on the latest Boeing 747-8F freighter, others are negotiating deferrals. Such was the confusing picture at Boeing's Everett, Wash., site on Jan. 26 as burgeoning Russian operator AirBridge Cargo (ABC) celebrated the hand-over of its first 747-8F. Meanwhile, not far away, other factory-fresh freighters temporarily sat idle, swaddled against the winter weather in protective covers.
