USAF Gen. (ret.) Bruce Carlson, director of the National Reconnaissance Office, says in “Strike Out” (AW&ST Oct. 17, p. 32) that China's military believes in deception, which concerns him. Doesn't the U.S. military believe in deception? I would be concerned if they did not. Dianella, Western Australia
A pair of advanced-technology development projects at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center illustrates how the agency is making the transition from work that had focused on the Bush administration's back-to-the-Moon exploration approach to a more open-ended drive to advance technology readiness levels. Efforts behind the technology work that was once directed at the Constellation program's goal of planting a human outpost on the Moon have been shifted to support NASA's latest plans to push beyond low Earth orbit with human crews on an as-yet-uncharted route to Mars.
CAE said revenues for the quarter that ended Sept. 30, were $435.5 million, up 12% from a year earlier on the back of strong demand for its civil training products and services. The Canadian company's backlog is valued at $3.6 billion. President and Chief Executive Marc Parent said the company's New Core Markets segment signaled a “turning point” and is expected to generate $120 million in the next fiscal year.
The National Reconnaissance Office, a secretive intelligence agency that operates out of a posh headquarters a stone's throw from Washington Dulles International Airport, has earned its cache during its 50-year history. The agency's development of the nation's first classified imaging satellites helped to end the Cold War by revealing the Soviet Union's true military might—or lack thereof.
The 777 remains the star of the show this year for Boeing as the company is in sight of passing the record of 154 net orders received for the twin-aisle jet in 2005, says 777 General Manager Larry Loftis. As of Nov. 8, the company had recorded 132 net 777 orders. The majority are for the 365-seat 777-300ER or 777F. Loftis spoke as a 97-ft. wing spar was loaded into an automatic drilling machine at Boeing's Auburn, Wash., fabrication plant for the 1,000th airplane. A 777-300ER, it is to be delivered next March to Emirates, which boasts the largest 777 fleet, with 95.
Richard Wittington (see photo) has joined Drexel Hamilton of New York, as senior VP of research analysis for aerospace and defense. He has held executive positions in defense electronics and industrial companies, most recently for JSA Research.
Struggling to stay within a flat budget for the heavy-lift Space Launch System (SLS), NASA plans to halt development of the J-2X rocket engine that will power its upper stage after the ongoing development-test series.
In “Regaining Control” (AW&ST Oct. 24/31, p. 86), Boeing's chief pilot for regulatory affairs presents a list of six points to follow in a stall or approach to stall. These are fine if the stall is recognized, which it would appear was not the case in either the Air France Flight 447 or Turkish Airlines crashes, both in 2009. There have been many examples of intuitive airmanship in the face of severe inflight problems. This is a capability and mindset that I expect of any pilot. Train to fly the aircraft first.
Despite efforts by industry and educational institutions to cultivate young women's interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), things have not changed much since 2001, at least not on paper. Women still represent less than a quarter of the aerospace and defense (A&D) workforce and only make up a small fraction of engineers.
Senior Editor-Technology Graham Warwick's recent blog in Ares on progress in the F-35 program drew this exchange: Solomon asserts: Talk about damned if you do, damned if you don't! Concurrency was supposed to prevent a lot of these problems but the critics slam that plan and then get all atwitter when the alternate . . . life extensions are done. And Warwick responds:
Nov. 23-24—BCI Aerospace's European Defense Meetings. Palais de Congres, Bordeaux, France. See en.edm-bordeaux.com/391-homepage.html Nov. 28-30—Airports Council International-Europe/Asia's 2011 Airport Exchange. Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, United Arab Emirates. Also, Power of India: “New Horizons for Airport Commercial Revenues. Novotel, Hyderabad. See www.aci.aero
Richard Davey has been elected chairman of the Massachusetts Port Authorityboard of directors. He is the CEO of the Massachusetts Transportation Department.
Airlines, pilot hiring committees, flight instructors and the FAA should have heeded reader Capt. Roger Waldman's letter of more than a decade ago (AW&ST Sept. 6, 1999, p. 6). Pilot attitude was and is the key to safety. Waldman's letter outlined exactly what's wrong and how to fix it. The serious situation facing pilots at all levels today is the same. The basics of piloting any airplane are either not understood, not being taught, not reinforced by practice or not applied in actual flight.
Lockheed Martin has acquired Netherlands-based commercial flight simulator manufacturer Sim-Industries in a bid to diversify as defense budgets decline—and not for the first time. In 2000, citing a similar rationale for expanding into closely adjacent markets, Lockheed built a commercial flight training center in Orlando, Fla., equipped with three full-flight simulators for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. In 2007, it leased the center to civil training provider SimCom.
Air France is entering an area of unprecedented difficulties, an indication it urgently needs to improve its corporate governance. But it is also the victim of problems it can't control. In other words, Air France (and the entire Air France-KLM Franco-Dutch group) is in dire straits.
This time around, Tehran was merely the propaganda target of Israel's test launch of a Jericho III intermediate-range ballistic missile, but there is no question that Iran is also the primary target for any potential use of the nuclear weapons delivery system.
Noe E. Rodriguez, 2nd, Guadaloupe O. Delgado, Jr., and Rodolfo Loera were honored by the Northrop Grumman Corp. for their achievements in science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the company's Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference. Rodriguez won an award for Professional Achievement in Industry; Delgado was recognized for Most Promising Engineer or Scientist-Undergraduate Degree; and Loera won an award for community service.
Finland again looks set to become a potential export customer for the stealthy AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile under a foreign military sales deal now under discussion with the U.S. The package is valued at up to $255 million and would include 70 missiles as well as related equipment. Finland would use the weapon on its F/A-18C/Ds.
Lower than expected deliveries of executive aircraft are forcing Embraer to moderate its earnings forecast, although the situation is cushioned by strong regional jet and defense activities. The move, coupled with the release of third-quarter results, means the full-year forecast is for revenue of $5.6-5.8 billion rather than the $5.8 billion foreseen at the half-year mark. Through the third quarter, Embraer delivered 47 Phenoms and six executive aircraft; it delivered 83 business aviation aircraft in the year-ago period, including five executive jets.
Chip Fichtner has been named VP-engineering for Associated Air Center, StandardAero's Large Transport Category VIP Aircraft Completions Center in Dallas. He comes from Gore Design Completions of San Antonio.
Range and technical issues have forced German researchers to delay the flight test of an ambitious hypersonic demonstrator until early 2012. The test of the Mach 11-capable Sharp Edged Flight Experiment (Shefex 2) is meant to pave the way for potential flights of a small suborbital reentry vehicle in 2020 and builds on the technologies validated by the Mach 6 Shefex 1 flight in 2005. Shefex 2 is designed provide up to 50 sec. of experimental hypersonic flight time, with a reentry flight distance of around 100 km (62 mi.).
Lufthansa and International Airlines Group (IAG) have entered exclusive negotiations over the possible sale of BMI. Virgin Atlantic, once seen as a potential bidder, has not qualified as a competitor. Lufthansa decided to sell BMI as a result of huge operating losses and no viable prospect to turn the airline around. Since 2009, BMI operating losses have totaled more than €350 million ($483 million). It was the worst performer in Lufthansa's airline portfolio. IAG appears only to be interested in the Heathrow-based mainline operation. BMI is in separate talks with a U.K.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise has converted five of its 15 Boeing 747-8 Freighter orders for the equivalent of 777Fs to be operated by Emirates, the largest operator of 777s. Boeing also has added two more 777 orders from an unidentified customer. DAE now accounts for 20 unfilled Boeing orders, 10 each for 747-8Fs and 777s. As of Nov. 1, Boeing holds 428 net orders for 2011, including 132 777s. The company has booked seven 747-8 orders this year but lost eight.
In the Oct. 24/31 issue the article “Power Play” (p. 97) misstated the vote on an amendment to a U.S. Senate bill that would have mandated the sale of F-16 aircraft to Taiwan. The amendment lost on a 48 to 48 vote.
Unlocking supply chain data means moving away from operation-specific databases. For the airline industry, with revenues of $554 billion that transports passengers and cargo around the world, why are there about $50 billion worth of non-moving spare parts? The supply chain is complex and the financial risks of not having the right assets at the right location are significant.
