Michael “Willy” Andersen has been appointed VP and program director for the V-22 Osprey and deputy director of the Bell-Boeing Program Office at Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth. A retired USAF colonel, Andersen was director, chief engineer and deputy lead for missions systems for the Lockheed Martin F-35.
You have to hand it to European Union officials—they sure know how to keep an industry on its toes, if not knock it on its derriere. The EU's plan to include virtually all of the world's airlines in its emissions trading system (ETS) is both audacious and menacing. With tortuous reasoning, a European judge has ruled that, even though every EU member nation is a signatory to the Chicago Convention, the EU itself is not bound by the precepts of that convention, the essential backbone of international civil aviation for 65 years (AW&ST Oct. 10, p. 28).
The Eurocopter EC120 is a single-turbine helicopter primarily used in the military arena for flight training. Power is supplied by a Turbomeca Arrius 2F turboshaft engine rated at 504 shp. Through 2010, 689 EC120s were produced, with another 510 expected in 2011-20.
The K-8 is a tandem-seat trainer aircraft produced by Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, with 18% of components produced by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. First flight occurred in 1990. The K-8 is powered by either a 3,600-lb.-thrust Honeywell TFE731-2-2A turbofan engine or a 3,792-lb.-thrust ZMKB Progress AI-25TL turbofan. At least 306 K-8 aircraft were produced through 2010, with 205 forecast for production in 2011-20.
The FAA gave its final, conditional approval for Delta Air Lines and US Airways to swap a large number of their slots at New York LaGuardia and Reagan Washington National airports, but the Justice Department (DOJ) says it is still investigating the slot transaction at National for antitrust concerns. The investigation will not prevent the carriers from proceeding, but the absence of a DOJ decision creates some uncertainty for US Airways.
First flight of the J-10 combat aircraft occurred in March 1998. The single-engine, single- or two-seat interceptor/ground-attack aircraft is powered by a Lyulka Saturn AL-31FN turbofan rated at 27,560 lb. thrust with reheat, although the Chinese have been working on a version powered by the indigenous WS-10 engine. Some 173 J-10s were produced through 2010. Production of an additional 276 is forecast for the 2011-20 period.
From the acquisition of an aircraft carrier to the development of new aircraft to an expansive view of its roles and rights in the South China Sea, Beijing is signaling it intends a longer military reach than just Taiwan (see pp. 32 and 52). In the photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Morrison, Chinese navy sailors prepare for an honors ceremony for then-Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in the capital last January.
Although FAA Air Traffic Organization COO David Grizzle apparently feels “near perfection is futile and can be the enemy of progress,” “NextGen Umbrella” (AW&ST Oct. 10, p. 31), many dedicated pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers and aviation maintenance technicians consistently work for that, often under demanding conditions. I wonder how comfortable Grizzle would feel boarding a flight knowing that those responsible for its safe conclusion believed that perfection is the enemy of good enough.
USAF Col. (ret.) Michael R. Gallagher (Hillsboro, Ore. )
After reading “Hidden Benefits” about the flight control system of the Boeing 787 (AW&ST Oct. 3, p. 26), I can only say to my fellow die-hard pilots who resist modern technology: “Time to hang up the leather helmet, goggles and scarf.” The arguments about near full automation are over. The programmers have won and that may very well be a good thing for the passengers. The industry still has serious work in the human-interface and training areas, but the advantages of the new flight control systems by Boeing and Airbus cannot be denied.
I agree with reader Harry White, “Feedback” (AW&ST Sept. 19, p. 10), that unlike a control column, the wrist-operated sidestick “computer game” controller conveys little or no understanding of the true position of the actual control surface(s).
Photos of the Small-Diameter Bombs in “Test Case” (AW&ST Sept. 19, p. 73) are as revealing as their history is troubling. These are designer bombs built for specific aviation assets to the exclusion of existing aircraft without specialized release units.
Guy Norris's Aerospace Daily and Defense Report posting, “Boeing Studies X-37B Evolved Crew Derivative” drew comments from: Gaetano Marano: This is a good idea! A smaller, cheaper 100+ reusable shuttle is what I've been promoting for years . . . Technoid writes:
Marco Clochiatti (see photos) has been appointed general manager of Northrop Grumman Italia, based in Pemezia. A 20-year veteran of the company, he was programs director at Northrop Grumman's Navigation Systems Div. U.S. Army Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kevin T. Campbell has been named VP and corporate lead executive for Northrop Grumman's Huntsville, Ala., activities. He joins the company after a 37-year career with the Army, most recently as commanding general of the Space and Missile Defense Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
Stan Younger has been appointed to lead Montreal-based Bombardier Aerospace's Aircraft Service Center Network, succeeding Michael McQuay, who will retire next year. Younger was head of Cessna's 10 service facilities.
Magnus Lofgren (see photo) has been named CEO of Speed Identity, Tyreso, Sweden, succeeding Magnus Svenningson, who has resigned. Lofgren was sales and marketing director.
Tim Thompson has joined Alaska Airlines as manager of public affairs for Alaska, succeeding Susan Branstedt, who has retired after 45 years at the airline. Thompson was a partner in Anchorage-based Thompson & Co. Public Relations.
Steve A. Cartolano has been selected by Circor Aerospace, Burlington, Mass., as VP-business development and strategy. He comes from Parker Hannifin Aerospace, where he was VP-program execution.
Dave Turner has joined the Washington-based Gibraltar Associates GeoEye team. He worked on President Barack Obama's election campaign as a field director and was a press aide to Rep. Carolyn McCarthy. (D-N.Y.).
Norbert Ehrich (see photos) has been appointed VP and general manager for Latin America at Zurich-based Jet Aviation. He was head of the company's fixed-base operations in West Palm Beach, Fla., Dallas and St. Louis. John Langevin has become VP and general manager-FBO operations for the U.S. He was general manager of Jet Aviation at Teterboro, N.J.
Jace Stone (see photo) has been promoted to director of product support sales for the western U.S. and western Canada from sales manager in south Texas for Gulfstream Aerospace, Savannah, Ga.
Joan Hooper has been appointed senior executive VP and CFO for Vancouver-based CHC Helicopter, succeeding Rick Davis, who stepped down in August. Hooper comes from Dell Global Public, where she was chief accounting officer.
Former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has joined the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington. Honors And Elections
Oris W. Dunham, Jr., has been selected by Washington-based Airports Council-International to receive its William E. Downes, Jr., Memorial Award for 2011. Dunham, who operates an international aviation consulting and development business, was instrumental in the renovation of Los Angeles International Airport for the 1984 Olympics and helped establish the passenger facility charge in 1990.
Chris Babb, senior product manager-customer experience at Delta Air Lines, has been elected president of the Seattle-based Airline Passenger Experience Association. Linda Celestino, general manager-inflight services at Oman Air, is vice president. New board members are: Luay Qunash, director-inflight product at Royal Jordanian; Alfy Veretto, manager-inflight entertainment content/partnership for Virgin America; and Ian Walberg, CEO of Airborne Interactive.
The world's biggest active fighter competition—for India's $11 billion Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program—is heading toward a climax as the government prepares to open the bids of two commercial finalists before the month ends. “In the middle of November, we shall be able to announce to the whole world which plane we have selected, the lowest bidder,” the Indian air force chief, Air Chief Marshal Norman Browne, said Oct. 8.
