After several false starts and the most intensive build-up to the entry of revenue services for any commercial program, including the 747 and 777, Boeing feels as prepared as it can ever be for 787 operations to begin. “The aircraft is certified and going through the first of model testing,” says 787 Services Vice President Mike Fleming, who adds, “It's been a long time coming.”
As some analysts see weakening in air cargo, Boeing's 747-8 Freighter program has been rattled by the cancellation of three airplanes by Atlas Air and a contract dispute over two others with launch customer Cargolux. In a Sept. 16 notification to Boeing, Atlas Air cited “lengthy delays in delivery” and “performance considerations” for canceling the first three of the 12 firm orders it placed in September 2006. President and CEO William J. Flynn told analysts one delivery is set for October and two more in November.
As wrangling continues over the delayed delivery of the first Boeing 747-8F to Cargolux, General Electric is starting assembly of an improved engine designed to narrow the performance-guarantee gap at the heart of the controversy.
Walter J. Zable lights up as he talks about some of the advanced defense technologies his company is developing. The chairman and CEO of Cubic Corp. describes an optical communications system that can help steer a sniper's bullet to a target a mile away, an advanced system to detect improvised explosive devices and a compact, encrypted data-link system for smaller unmanned aircraft. “You have to stay ahead of the game,” he explains.
Europe's maintenance, repair and overhaul sector is facing tough market conditions and long-standing structural disadvantages over competitors with lower costs, but that does not seem to stimulate any fundamental change to the shape and size of the industry.
There is a basic assumption that as Europe and the U.S. curtail purchases of new defense equipment, support services will grow. But as is the case for prime contractors, it may be the export business that is really critical to future revenue streams for companies focused on maintenance services and upgrades.
Chinese aircraft maintainer Gameco will try strict specialization as a way of driving up efficiency, allocating one of its sites to only A320 maintenance. The company is emphasizing scale as well as efficiency at its main base, at Guangzhou, eyeing a third-stage expansion even as it breaks ground on the second stage.
Oct. 12-13—Fifth Edition of Lean Six Sigma for MRO Forum. San Francisco. Oct. 20-21—MRO IT Conference and Showcase. Chicago. Oct. 24-26—A&D Programs. Phoenix. Nov. 2-3—Engine MRO Forum. Istanbul. Nov. 7—China Business Aviation Forum. Beijing. 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.
Oct. 2-5—Air Traffic Controller Association's 56th Annual Conference and Exposition. Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, Md. Call +1 (703) 299-2430 or see www.atca.org/56Annual Oct. 3-7—International Aeronautical Congress 2011. Cape Town (South Africa) International Convention Center. Call +27 (21) 460-9357 or see www.iac2011.com Oct. 6-9—Australasian Society of Aerospace Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting. Crowne Plaza Hotel, Newcastle, Australia. See www.asam2011.org.au
In January, I came to Washington with certain preconceived notions about how things work in our government. Before I could get settled as ALPA's president, I ended up with an expired FAA reauthorization bill, significant flight- and duty-time concerns, and questions about foreign ownership.
The U.S. Air Force is departing from its long-standing pursuit of cutting-edge technology and embarking on a new philosophy of “incrementalism” in the procurement of new aircraft, rockets, satellites and weapons. This calls for integrating existing technologies onto new platforms, and is as much about reigning in spending as Washington sorts out a national debt reduction plan as it is about regaining lost confidence in its ability to conduct source selections without mishaps.
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.
