The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) is making sea-based aviation a funding priority and, with unmanned combat and rotorcraft looking to enter the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps fleet alongside planned Joint Strike Fighters, researchers are touting the potential for dramatic effects on the basic nature of naval aircraft design.
The proposed $18.4 billion takeover of Goodrich by United Technologies Corp. involves companies whose business units are working together in ways that both serve the civil aviation establishment and challenge it.
Safety begins at home, and for the offshore energy support sector that means convincing smaller oil and gas producers, and the small helicopter operators they use, that improving safety is good for business. As the International Helicopter Safety Symposium takes place in Fort Worth this week, improving safety among the many operators serving the Gulf of Mexico remains a work in progress. But the bigger, financially stronger companies are reaching out to smaller operators in a bid to improve overall safety.
Nov. 16-17—Lean Six Sigma for MRO Europe. Amsterdam. Nov. 30-Dec. 1—Aerospace & Defense Finance Conference. New York. Feb. 1-2—MRO Middle East 2012. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. March 7—54th Annual Laureate Awards. Washington. March 13-14—Innovation Supply Chain Showcase. Orlando, Fla. April 3-5—MRO Americas 2012. Dallas. April 3-5—MRO Military Conference & Exhibition. Dallas. PARTNERSHIPS Nov. 13-17—Dubai Air Show.
Nov. 14-17—SAE International's Defense Maintenance Symposium and Exhibition. Fort Worth Convention Center. Call +1 (724) 776-4841 or see www.sae.org Nov. 15-16—American Astronautical Society National Conference: “Celebrating Achievements, Celebrating the Future.” Gilruth Center at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston. See www.astronautical.org Nov. 23-24—BCI Aerospace's European Defense Meetings. Palais de Congres, Bordeaux, France. See en.edm-bordeaux.com/391-homepage.html
To hear executives at most large systems integrators describe the relationships of their companies to their suppliers, prime contractors have all but mastered the art of building teams of far-flung, interdependent companies and getting them to work together seamlessly. Executives wax enthusiastic about open and frequent communications top to bottom, the visibility they provide into business and market forecasts, and the mutual trust and unselfish approach to collaboration that holds such virtual partnerships together.
Nov. 2-3—Engine MRO Forum. Istanbul. Nov. 8-10—MRO Asia. Beijing. Nov. 16-17—Lean Six Sigma for MRO Europe. Amsterdam. Nov. 30-Dec. 1—Aerospace & Defense Finance Conference. New York. Feb. 1-2—MRO Middle East 2012. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. March 7—54th Annual Laureate Awards. Washington. March 13-14—Innovation Supply Chain Showcase. Orlando, Fla. April 3-5—MRO Americas 2012. Dallas. April 3-5—MRO Military Conference & Exhibition. Dallas.
American aerospace and defense has many heroes, but most of them are not famous. While astronauts and fighter pilots grab the headlines, some of our greatest achievements have come in laboratories, conference rooms and computer centers. Take Bob MacCormack—a 20-year-old mathematician who answered President Kennedy's call and spent the 1960s at NASA's Ames Research Center. Bob studied the lunar surface, but supercomputer time was so scarce he could not finish processing the data before the Moon launch needed it.
Few topics ignite our passion more than technology—its potential as a game-changer, its ability to capture the imagination, its champions, the ingenuity that goes into innovative products, and of course, the shape of things to come.
Application of quantum physics to the development of new sensors to aid the search for life on other planets is one example of how our increasing understanding of the world of the very small is shaping the future of aerospace. The quantum revolution is also opening new frontiers in materials, manufacturing, energy and propulsion. The varied futures that could result are explored by invited authors in our Innovation Special on pages 56-83. The cover illustration by David A.
“Purchasing Polemics,” about a French-proposed ban on Boeing aircraft, mentions concern in France regarding the burgeoning Chinese aircraft industry (AW&ST Oct. 3, p. 15). I share this concern. Many airlines employ Chinese companies to perform maintenance and overhaul work. I have long thought that China was only offering low-priced services to better copy the construction techniques of Western manufacturers, much like Russia did with the B-29. Boeing and others should be wary.
“Less Spending Drives Big Changes,” about the U.S. military maintaining missions but at reduced capacity, drove many to respond: FMafia writes: It will be interesting to see if the Pentagon can forgo turf battles and actually provide better bang for buck. alexandre says:
Guy Norris's “Rolls Joins Force With Pratt on Future GTF,” elicited: Dave_In_Rio_Rancho saying: I'm waiting for the first person who said: “We must have consolidation in the aerospace industries” to state that this is an anti-competition move. BananaPeal writes:
Carlo Luzzatto (see photo) has been named president of Chromalloy, Orangeburg, N.Y., succeeding Armand F. Luzon, Jr., who will become CEO and continue as CEO of parent company Sequa Corp. Luzzatto was co-general manager of Ansaldo Energia.
Adam Tibbitts has become sales director for the Rocky Mountain Division of Flight Options of Cleveland. He was Pacific Northwest sales director for another fractional aircraft provider and has held sales positions at Cirrus Design Corp. and Airline Transport Professionals.
Judd Frieling, Tomas Gonzales-Torres and Greg Whitney have been named flight directors for International Space Station operations, leading a team of flight controllers from around the world in the Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Al Naqbi (see photo), founding chairman of the Middle East Business Aviation Association, has been appointed to the board of Zurich-based Comlux. He spent 20 years with Abu Dhabi Presidential Flight as VP-finance and administration and was a founder and managing director of Royal Jet. Randy Shelton has become a regional sales manager for Comlux Aviation Services of Indianapolis. He had worked for Pentastar Aviation, Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. and KC Aviation.
Simon Caldecott has been appointed interim president and CEO of Piper Aircraft, Vero Beach, Fla., succeeding Geoff Berger, who has left the company, along with Executive VP Randy Groom. Caldecott was VP-operations, responsible for manufacturing.
Reed Kimball has joined Sifco Applied Surface Concepts, Independence, Ohio, as production manager. He held similar roles at Goodyear Tire and Rubber and GOJO Industries.
Marc McGowan has been named VP-business development, strategy and product management at Standard-Aero Business Aviation, Tempe, Ariz. He was VP-international defense and space at Honeywell Aerospace. Tom Roche has become VP-turboprop business. He was VP-helicopters.
Mike Bunney (see photos) has become senior VP of Tulsa, Okla.-based Nordam. He was chief economic officer for the City of Tulsa and held executive positions with McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, including director of logistics for Boeing in Seattle. Dave Whitten has been promoted to senior VP-strategy and marketing from head of global marketing.
Jo Anne Doty has been appointed VP-sales and marketing for Pinehurst, N.C.-based charter operator Renaissance Jet. She comes from aviation startup Social Flights, where she was charter sales manager.
Christophe Degoumois has been promoted to VP-sales for Montreal-based Bombardier Aerospace in China, Asia-Pacific, Australia, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). He was VP-Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and CIS countries. Degoumois takes over from David Dixon, who has retired. Michael Han has been promoted to VP-China from Bombardier Business Aircraft's sales director for greater China.
Fred Rasch has rejoined Timco Aviation Services as VP-maintenance, repair and overhaul sales. He was director of business development for TeamSAI and Timco's director-contracts and pricing from 2001-05. Honors And Elections
