Northrop Grumman's second X-47B, Air Vehicle 2 (right), has joined AV-1 in flight testing under the U.S. Navy's UCAS-D unmanned combat air system demonstrator program. AV-1 is being moved to NAS Patuxent River, Md., from Edwards AFB, Calif., to begin the work-up to autonomous landings on an aircraft carrier in 2013 and automated aerial refueling trials in 2014. Northrop Grumman photo by Alan Radecki.
Nicholas E. Calio, President/CEO Air Transport Association (Washington, D.C. )
In “War in Washington: U.S. Airlines Vs. Boeing” (AW&ST Nov. 21, p. 12) you correctly noted the Air Transport Association's (ATA) position that the Export-Import Bank's practices have a significant adverse effect on U.S. airlines, disadvantaging the carriers and commercial aviation jobs, and thus bears close scrutiny.
In the recent commentary “No Risk, No Reward” (AW&ST Nov. 14, p. 62), John Stopher recounted a great cautionary tale for engineering companies: “External staffs imposed specific design constraints, believing that they understood better than . . . engineers how to build effective spacecraft.” He notes, and I agree, that engineers do not need to be “managed,” they need to be told what the job is and then be allowed to do it.
The editorial “Debate Defense Spending Honestly” (AW&ST Nov. 14, p. 66) makes excellent points, but does not sufficiently address our military bloat. We can safely shift $300 billion a year from the defense budget to NASA and infrastructure development, and still maintain a robust military.
International Editor Robert Wall's recent Ares blog “French UAVs: Who is Up, Who Is Down?” prompted this comment: Stan saying: Interesting story. As a side note, the senate now has a socialist majority (for the first time). The socialists are not good friends with Serge Dassault, a right-wing senator who owns many newspapers and was CEO of Dassault Aviation.
Howard Eng has been appointed president and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, starting late in the first quarter of 2012. He is executive director-operations at Hong Kong International Airport.
William H. Jolly (see photo) has been named president of Huntsville, Ala.-based WestWind Technologies. His 25-year career in mechanical and aerospace engineering includes executive positions in technical services and manufacturing for government customers.
Christian Schleifer has been appointed to a one-year term as president of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Air Navigation Commission, based in Montreal. He comes from a 13-year tenure at the Austrian Civil Aviation Authority in the department of certification and airworthiness.
Michelle James (see photo) has become director of marketing and communications at Universal Avionics, Tucson, Ariz. She was relationship marketing manager.
Troy Miller (see photo) has been appointed regional VP-military and special mission sales at Savannah, Ga.-based Gulfstream Aerospace. He was a Gulfstream V pilot for Corporate Jets.
Jason Chamberlain has become president and CEO of HDT Global, Solon, Ohio, succeeding John Gilligan, the company's chairman, who has been interim CEO since March. Chamberlain was president and chief operating officer.
Trudy Carson (see photo) has become air service development manager at the Metropolitan Nashville (Tenn.) Airport Authority. She held a similar position at Tampa (Fla.) International Airport.
George Schindler, president of CGI Federal, Fairfax, Va. has been appointed president of the parent company's U.S. operations. He will be succeeded by Donna Ryan and follows Donna Morea, who is retiring.
Chaz Counter (see photo) has been named air operations and change management consultant for Baines Simmons, Chobham, England. He was a military air operator for the Royal Air Force and a consultant in human performance improvement.
Dave Hopkins has been named director-aircraft programs and commercial agreements for California Pacific Airlines in Carlsbad. He comes from Air Transport Business Development Inc.
USN Capt. Kevin Peterson has become the new program manager of the Network Enterprise Domain Program Office of the Joint Tactical Radio System in San Diego, succeeding Capt. Jeffery Hoyle.
Sean O'Keefe (see photo) has been named chairman of the National Defense Industrial Association, Herndon, Va. He is CEO of EADS North America and a former NASA administrator.
Joseph Ackerman, president of Elbit Systems, Haifa, Israel, has received the Brazilian Air Force Merit Medal, presented by the Brazilian ambassador to Israel, H.E. Maria Elisa Berenguer, who praised Elbit and the Brazilian air force for strengthening the ties between Brazil and Israel.
Sikorsky Chief Test Pilot Kevin Bredenbeck has received the Lancaster, Calif.-based Society of Experimental Test Pilots' Iven C. Kincheloe Award, which honors contributions to an aerospace program by a test pilot. Bredenbeck flew the X2 technology demonstrator last year to an unofficial speed record for conventional helicopters.
John Infanger, editorial director of Airport Business magazine, has been honored for 25 years of service to the aviation community by San Diego-based Airports Council International-North America.
Brad Elstad, Republic Airways VP-safety and regulatory compliance, has been elected chairman of the Washington-based Regional Airline Association Safety Council. Brad Sheehan, Atlantic Southeast Airlines director of safety, is vice chairman.
Thomas E. Romesser has been selected for a three-year term on the Ottawa-based National Research Council Aeronautics Research and Technology Roundtable. He is VP-technology development for the Advanced Programs and Technology Div. of Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems Sector.
In less than a month, the European Union's emissions trading system (ETS) expands to include aviation, and the chorus of opposition from airlines worldwide grows louder. Airlines claim—to some degree, accurately—the strides made in the last few decades toward a more fuel-efficient fleet show that the industry is serious about carbon emissions and the environment. But even the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and U.S.
Boeing is optimistic about gaining FAA certification for the first 787 capable of flying long-haul international routes in the next few weeks, following completion of flight tests of the improved Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 “Package B” engine on Nov. 28. The upgraded engine, tested on 787 ZA004, is designed to bring performance to within 1% of Boeing's original specification and will be rated at 70,000 lb. thrust for delivery of the first long-range 787-8 version for All Nippon Airways.
A preliminary report by Polish authorities into the wheels-up landing of a LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767-300 at Warsaw on Nov. 1 says investigators discovered an open circuit breaker that disabled the back-up mechanism for lowering the landing gear. The 767, on a flight from Newark (N.J.) Liberty International Airport to Warsaw with 221 passengers and 10 crew, was belly landed after several attempts to lower the gear failed.
