Lockheed Martin plans to begin flight teting an enhanced deicing mechanism for the C-130J transport. Ice can build up on the top of the aircraft's vertical stabilizer and on an antenna near the root of the stabilizer, Lockheed Martin said. The problem appeared during forced ice tests using a company-owned Cessna Citation that has been configured as an icing plane. Lockheed Martin attached material to the spots where ice builds up to determine the effect on flight controls. Tests using the material, which mimics ice, showed handling could be affected.
Europe's aerospace industry agrees that it has lost ground to its U.S. competitors in many respects, according to "1998 Vision in Manufacturing," a study issued this week by Deloitte&Touche. The international consulting group surveyed top executives representing 60% of the revenue of the Global 500 aerospace and defense companies and found that "European companies believe they are substantially weaker than their North American competitors in product development."
GEN. WALTER KROSS, commander-in-chief of U.S. Transportation Command, will address a luncheon meeting of the Aero Club of Washington on March 24 at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Maura E. Dyer has been named vice president of reinsurance. Russel N. (Rick) Fillers has been named vice president of engineering for AXA Space, Bethesda, Md.
Cayce Blanchard has been appointed director of Strategic Planning and Corporate Relations for the City of Industry, Calif., company. Gary Burdick has been appointed vice president of Solar Cell Operations. Jerry Wishes has been appointed corporate director of Quality.
A Defense Dept. group next week will begin reviewing requirements for the U.S. Navy's unitary variant of the Joint Standoff Weapon, the AGM-154C, to determine if they can be relaxed to reduce the unit cost of the missile to $200,000 or less.
Norman R. Augustine, chairman, is in line to be appointed principal officer and member of the board of governers of the American Red Cross. Jack W. Hugus has been appointed to the newly created corporate position of vice president, Best Practices.
The following promotions to the corporate executive team were announced: Michael P. DeBlasio, senior vice president and chief financial officer, has been promoted to first senior vice president and CFO. Erick J. Zahler, vice president and general counsel, was promoted to senior vice president, general counsel and secretary. Nicholas C. Moren, vice president and treasurer, was promoted to senior vice president and treasurer.
David Smukowski has been appointed president of FlightSafety Boeing Training International. FlightSafety Boeing is a joint venture of Boeing and FlightSafety International to provide airline pilot and maintance technician training services.
The Pentagon, unlike commercial companies, accepts higher degrees of risk in technology development programs and does not always have a clear understanding of how the technology matches a requirement at the time of a program start, a General Accounting Office acquisition expert has told senators.
Steve Bence has been named vice president of Boeing Programs for BF Goodrich Aerospace in Everett, Wash. Phil Rosnik has been named vice president of sales and marketing for Airframe Services Division.
The following appointments were made at Loral Skynet, a subsidiary of Loral Space&Communications, to a team of satellite sales professionals headquartered in Bedminister, N.J.: Mahfuza (Mary) Salih has been named regional account manager, Europe&Eastern Europe. Blair Marshall has been named regional account manger, North America, responsible for the cable and DTH market segment.
Phillip E. Lacombe has joined the company as vice president for External Affairs. Veridian, Washington, D.C., was formed through the combination of Calspan SRL Corporation and Veda International.
Engineers from Boeing, Pratt&Whitney and NASA have started testing the RL10B-2 engine that will power the cryogenic second stages of Boeing's planned Delta III and Delta IV launch vehicles, Boeing reported. The tests at NASA's Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio, near Lewis Research Center, started March 6 with a 60-second firing that went as planned. Three more flight hardware tests are planned before the first Delta III flight later this year, Boeing said.
Larry B. Ilcewicz has been appointed to the National Resource Specialist (NRS) team. The NRS program taps internationally recognized experts in their respective fields to serve as advisors to industry, government agencies and international aviation authorities.
A realignment within the Office of the Secretary of Defense will eliminate both the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Space, merging much of their responsibility in a new organization.
Lockheed Martin said it must respond to the Dept. of Justice's "demand for unprecedented divestitures" by 10 a.m. Monday before DOJ will approve its combination with Northrop Grumman. Lockheed Martin said yesterday it received a letter from DOJ late Wednesday, containing the deadline information and a warning that if the deadline and terms are not met, DOJ and the Dept. of Defense "will proceed to court to block the transaction."
Rick Bedard has joined the company as assistant manager of the West Palm Beach Learning Center. Marsha Bell has been promoted to product marketing director.
