In response to Bill Sweetman's “Under Fire” (AW&ST Aug. 29/Sept. 5, p. 24), I feel compelled to ask: When is the U.S. Defense Department going to see that the dollars spent on the F-22 and F-35 have yielded next to nothing? The F-22, which has never been fielded in any meaningful way, is grounded and in need of an extremely expensive retrofit program. Meanwhile, the F-35 program's performance puts it at risk of losing international partners, and now there is talk about canceling all but the Air Force version.
I was dismayed when I read decades ago that Airbus was designing the A320 with a side-stick controller. Side-stick controllers—joysticks—may have a place in an F-16 where extreme Gs are common, but not on an airliner. Yet, they have been featured on all Airbus airliners since the A320.
Brian Ferren, a key source quoted in “Cathartic Change” (AW&ST July 18/25, p. 48), insists that NASA's space exploration woes are due to a lack of vision, leadership and passion. The first two are absolutely true, thanks to a succession of lackluster leaders.
Although I strongly agree with Brian Ferren's position in “Cathartic Change” to reignite the passion for space exploration, as well as to take more risks to achieve new exploration goals, one monumental social issue stands in the way: How do you inspire the nation's youth when we live in a culture completely averse to risk? It has become ingrained in our milieu, from children mandated to wear helmets and knee pads for many benign activities, to a Congress that will threaten to cancel a weapons development program if a single test missile is lost.
A recent article notes that Russia is projecting it may sell as many as 1,000 T-50 fighter aircraft in the coming decades. djanes writes: This is exactly why we should have allowed export of the F-22 to our closest allies. goodwin ponders:
Frank Morring Jr.'s article about the inflight failure of Blue Origin's second test vehicle notes that it is not necessarily being notched as a failure of the company's efforts to begin launching scientists and space tourists on a reusable suborbital rocket. Gaetano Marano wonders:
Graham Warwick recently outlined the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's search for technologies to be incorporated into a high-velocity penetrating weapon—a 2,000-lb. munition that would fit inside an F-35 but have the bunker-busting capability of a 5,000-lb. weapon. See the Ares Defense Technology blog for details.
Christine Burgeson (see photo) has been named senior VP-global government affairs of the Washington-based Air Transport Association. She was a senior lobbyist for the George W. Bush White House and Citigroup and most recently headed her own consulting firm, CMB Insights.
USAF Gen. (ret.) Charles F. Wald, senior adviser with Rosslyn, Va.-based Deloitte's aerospace and defense practice, will lead the company's Defense Department practice for federal government services.
Jonathan Burls is the new director of maintenance at Miami-based Executive Air Services. Burls is the founder of Reliable Jet Maintenance, Boca Raton, Fla., and was VP and director of maintenance for an FAR 135 operation.
Pasquale Di Bartolomeo has been appointed executive group director-strategy and a member of the executive committee at Paris-based MBDA. He was head of group strategic planning at Finmeccanica.
Mike Brand has been named to the board of directors of UCA Holdings Inc., Asheville, N.C. He is VP-787 Entry Into Service for the Goodrich Corp., Charlotte, N.C.
Quinton Rodgers has become VP-space business sector at Aitech Defense Systems, Chatsworth, Calif. He comes from a 10-year tenure at The Boeing Co., where he was senior project engineer and senior manager of avionics development projects for the International Space Station program.
Terry Neal has been appointed senior VP-public relations and communications for LightSquared, Reston, Va. Neal was senior VP and director of strategic media at Hill & Knowlton.
Robert Stangarone (see photo) is the new VP-corporate communications-North America at Brazil-based Embraer. He was VP-corporate communications for Cessna Aircraft Co. of Wichita.
Dov Baharav (see photo) has been named chairman of Israel Aerospace Industries, based at Ben Gurion International Airport. He was president and CEO of Amdocs Management.
Paul Pfaffenberger has joined Phoenix Heliparts, Mesa, Ariz., as engineering program manager. He was a founder and engineering director of FAA-PMA manufacturer Extex.
Kevin B. Yim (see photos) has been appointed director-advertising and promotions, and Ann Botticelli, senior VP-corporate communications and public affairs for Hawaiian Airlines. Yim was VP-brand and advertising and promotions manager for the Bank of Hawaii. Botticelli, who will succeed the retiring Al Hoffman, was VP-community relations and communications at Kamehameha Schools.
Thomas R. Ingersoll has become CEO of Skybox Imaging, Mountain View, Calif., succeeding co-founder Dan Berkenstock, who is now executive VP and chief product officer. Ingersoll was co-founder and CEO of Universal Space Network.
Robert Smith has been named manager of quality control and engineering by Torrance, Calif.-based AeroWorx. Smith was a design engineer for Ancra International.
Derek Zimmerman (see photo) has been named VP-product support materials at Savannah, Ga.-based Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. He was VP-supply chain and aftermarket development for Piper Aircraft.
USAF Brig. Gen. Richard A. Klumpp, Jr., has become director of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and liaison to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. He was inspector general at Headquarters Air Mobility Command. Klumpp has been succeeded by Brig. Gen. Steven J. Arquiette, who was deputy director of operations of Operations Team Two of the National Military Command Center at the Pentagon. And Arquiette has been followed by Brig. Gen. Christopher J. Bence, who was deputy director of the Operations and Plans Directorate at Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
