The incoming director of space programs in the U.S. Air Force acquisition office says the U.S. must improve the way it conducts launches or get out of the business altogether. "We lost over two-thirds of the commercial market in ten years," said Maj. Gen. Robert S. Dickman. "If we can't do launch better than anyone else in the world, then we should fold our tent."
FAA is "aware" of National Transportation Safety Board concerns about older-generation cockpit voice recorders (CVRs) and the limited post-crash information they provide, and it will work with the board and industry on the issue, Anthony Broderick, FAA associate administrator for regulation and certification, said Friday at the FAA news conference. Broderick said that while aircraft built since the early 1980s, such as the MD-80, might be retrofitted more easily with new, digital CVRs, aircraft with electromechanical instruments are much more of a problem.
Republicans in Congress who deal with defense aren't the only people attacking President Clinton's State of the Union address (DAILY, Jan. 26, page 125A). House Science Chairman Robert Walker (R-Pa.) issued a statement saying he's "deeply disappointed" that Clinton didn't mention America's science mission or technological goals during his lengthy speech. "Such an omission could be seen as an indication that science policy may be a diminished priority within the Clinton Administration," Walker said.
Rolls-Royce's Trent 800 turbofan for Boeing's 777 widebody twin won its European airworthiness certification Friday, much to the chagrin of rival General Electric, which has been waiting for FAA certification of its GE90 since late December. FAA still is wrangling with technical issues stemming from the unique conditions it approved for the GE90 blade-out test, but officials say they may give the all-clear this week.
A European consortium led by France's Alcatel Espace has won an estimated half-billion dollar contract from a U.S. venture that is aiming to establish the world's first satellite digital radio broadcasting service. The deal, signed Jan. 26, calls for the Alcatel consortium to build three geostationary audio broadcasting satellites for Washington-based WorldSpace, Inc. The consortium, which also includes Italy's Alenia Spazio, will make a "major investment" in WorldSpace as part of the deal, Alcatel said.
Defense Secretary William J. Perry said he will submit to Congress the last of four base closing reports within the next month. This report, he told the United States Conference of Mayors in Washington on Thursday, "will not be as harsh as the last one" because there are fewer easy choices. He promised "full and vigorous support" for redevelopment and reuse. The time to transfer bases from military to civilian use is being reduced, he said, and other support is being provided to affected communities.
Air Canada last week began offering special fares to Osaka for relief workers and the families of victims traveling to the earthquake-stricken area of Japan. The carrier filed its application to offer the fares soon after the Jan. 17 earthquake but did not receive approval until Wednesday. In a Jan. 26 message to employees, Air Canada blamed the delay on objections to the special fare registered by Canadian Airlines International, which serves Tokyo but not Osaka.
The Defense Dept. has elevated its point of contact with DOT and FAA officials involved in the Global Positioning System from its command, control, communications and intelligence (C3I) office to Paul Kaminsky, deputy under secretary of defense for acquisition. The contact had been Emmett Page, assistant secretary of defense for C3I.
S&P put its B- preliminary senior debt rating of Continental's $1 billion Rule 415 shelf registration on CreditWatch with negative implications because of the serious operational and financial problems the airline has had implementing Continental Lite, and because of Continental's suspension of some rentals while it renegotiates aircraft leases (DAILY, Jan. 27).
Gen. Gary Luck, commander of U.S. and South Korean forces, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last Thursday that "the nuclear issue [with North Korea] seems under control" thanks to the recently signed agreement, but that there has been "no appreciable change" in the disposition of Pyongyang's ground forces.
Hawaiian Airlines flew 0.3% more revenue passenger miles in 1994 than it did 1993 on 3.8% more capacity, resulting in a load factor decline of 2.5 percentage points. The number of passengers boarded increased 5.7% for the year and cargo traffic rose 30.1% to 29.55 million cargo ton miles. In December, Hawaiian's passenger traffic slipped 0.9% on 5.7% more capacity, pushing the load factor down 4.5 points. Dec 94 Dec 93 12 Mths 94 12 Mths 93 RPMs 258,169,000 260,577,000 2,880,339,000 2,870,712,000
U.S. National Carriers Operating and Net Proft Third Quarter 1994 Operating Net Profit/Loss Profit/Loss (000) (000) Third Quarter 1994 Alaska $ 44,003 $ 22,190 Aloha (612) (197) American Trans Air 3,757 2,516
A task force of the NASA Advisory Council questions the agency's approach to aeronautics research, complaining in a draft report that it spends too much on near-term commercial research at the expense of more advanced research work in general and military aircraft work in particular. The NASA Federal Laboratory Review Task Force (see story page 146) said "declining NASA investment raises a concern for our future technology readiness for military aircraft," and recommended a reversal of the trend in coordination with DOD.
TWA and the unofficial committee representing its 10% noteholders have reached an agreement in principle on revised terms for the exchange of the 10% notes for new TWA securities. As a result, TWA said it expects to have the support of the committee for the airline's complex capital restructuring that entails, in part, swapping $500 million to $600 million in debt for new equity in the struggling carrier.
Lockheed Corp. pleaded guilty Friday to a single count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and agreed to pay the U.S. government $24.8 million to settle bribery charges. The charges stem from a 1989 sale of three C-130H aircraft to Egypt. According to the Justice Dept., Lockheed admitted making a $1 million payment to a member of the Egyptian parliament "for her influence in assisting Lockheed in obtaining the 1989 C-130 contract," which was valued around $79 million.
French air force chief General Jean-Philippe Douin warned that if low budgets force a choice between keeping the Dassault Rafale fighter or the Future Large Aircraft airlifter, Rafale will win-and France will turn to Lockheed for C-130Js. "If our budget remains what it is now and until 2006, we will not be able to buy both the Rafale and the FLA," Douin told aviation reporters in Paris last week, The DAILY confirmed Friday.
MarkAir says its costs are down to just 6.3 cents per available seat mile. Low-cost, low-fare leader Southwest reported unit costs of 6.94 cents for the December quarter and 7.08 cents for the full year 1994.
FlightSafety International said its centers have added unusual- attitude/loss-of-control training to initial and recurrent pilot training programs, including an expanded simulator brief to discuss recognition and recovery procedures, followed by event training. FSI said the simulator briefings are lengthened to provide instructors the opportunity to discuss unusual-attitude situational awareness and crew resource management.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has agreed with 61 current and former Delta flight attendants that their civil rights were violated by a policy that resulted in grounding or firing because of their weight. The flight attendants filed the complaint in 1992, claiming that the policy, which set weight limits based on height, was discriminatory. Delta eliminated the use of weight standards last March. The EEOC allows the complaining parties to file suit but carries no penalties or fines and is not binding on either party.
DOT will announce more details about its reorganization Thursday but will say little about air traffic control reform beyond restating its plan to create a government ATC corporation. Details will await fiscal 1996 budget hearings in mid-February. The Feb. 6 federal budget will include a 1997-99 "place-holder" for the corporation. ATC structure will change very little in 1996. Rep.
A task force of the NASA Advisory Council plans to recommend that universities or other outside organizations take over the management of all or part of some NASA field centers as the agency downsizes under the press of budget reductions.
Gen. George Joulwan, commander of U.S. forces in Europe, has no fear that he'll be reimbursed O&M costs for unbudgeted contingencies. "The check's in the mail," he tells a group of defense reporters in Mons, Belgium. However, he says, the FY '95 supplemental may not be "as high as we need it." He relates the position he urges on U.S. and NATO leaders: "When they give me a requirement, give me the resources as well."
Reeling from hundreds of millions of dollars in red ink, Continental and USAir together put off or cancelled orders for more than 30 Boeing aircraft late last week, only days after Air France cancelled four high- margin 747s and put orders for dozens more in doubt. USAir said Friday it will put off eight 757s slated for delivery next year to some unspecified future date, the second time in less than 12 months that USAir dealt a blow to Boeing's backlog. Last May, it rescheduled 40 737s until after the turn of the century.
FAA's 1995 strategic plan, which had not been printed at the time of this month's aviation safety conference, will reflect some of the 70 recommendations developed by participants, according to Anthony Broderick, FAA associate administrator for regulation and certification."We will be able to respond to recommendations without major upsets" in the plan, he said.
