KLM ENGINEERING&MAINTENANCE and Hamilton Sundstrand announced a joint venture to serve the European, Middle Eastern and African overhaul markets for all large commercial aircraft pneumatic components. The new company, to be called European Pneumatic Component Overhaul and Repair, will begin operations next April from facilities near Schiphol Airport. Hamilton Sundstrand will hold a 51% share of the new company.
Pratt&Whitney's F119-PW-100 engine has been certified to power the F-22, the company reported. U.S. Air Force certification for Full Flight Release (FFR) followed by two months a demonstration of the F-22's ability to supercruise, or fly at speeds of Mach 1.5 or greater without the use of afterburners. Supercruise occurred July 20 at Edwards AFB, Calif. Most recently, the F-22 flew in excess of 60 degrees angle-of-attack during flight testing on Aug. 25.
Boeing earned $477 million in its 1999 third quarter, up $130 million over the same period in 1998, the company reported yesterday. Third quarter sales grew 4% to $13.3 billion, while net margins rose to 3.6%, compared to 2.7% for the same period in 1998.
Pratt&Whitney and Rolls-Royce signed an agreement under which the parties would negotiate a contract for Rolls to supply the STOVL system for the Joint Strike Fighter's JSF119 EMD engine, P&W reported. "This agreement, in conjunction with Pratt&Whitney's Day One Sourcing plan, adds to our worldwide team of proven suppliers to insure the successful global fielding of the JSF119 propulsion system," said Bob Cea, P&W JSF program manager. The JSF119 has been selected to power both the Boeing and Lockheed Martin weapons system concepts.
The U.S. Air Force is halting use of the T-3A Firefly aircraft to screen and prepare pilot candidates for further training. The service suspended T-3A operations in July 1997 following a number of uncommanded engine stoppages, and some resulting deaths. It has 110 of the side-by-side, low-wing, fixed-gear trainers, originally acquired at a cost of $32 million.
Robert H. Loehfelm has been appointed vice president, marketing at the headquarters in San Antonio. Dan Stone has been appointed vice president of maintenance and field support.
Frank Wagner has been named director and Integrated Product Team leader for the F-14 program at the company's Integrated Systems and Aerostructures sector. He succeeds Hank Janeisch, who retired after 42 years of service.
John T. Kuelbs has been named senior vice president and general counsel for the new company to be formed in the planned spin-off of Allegheny Teledyne's Aerospace and Electronics segment. AVIATION SALES CO., Miami James AuBuchon has been promoted to president of Aerocell Structures, a subsidiary of Aviation Sales Company. Michael Mayer has been appointed president of Dixie Aerospace, also a subsidiary of Aviation Sales Company.
DELTA AIRLINES said it is equipping its cockpit crews with full-face oxygen masks from B/E Aerospace. The masks consist of a one-piece nose and eye protection against oxygen deficiency and the effects of smoke and fumes in the cockpit, it said. Installation will begin in January. Delta estimates that equipping all 600 of its aircraft with new masks will cost $7.2 million. The Air Line Pilots Association provided input in the selection process. The masks fit in the same cockpit location as current masks with no engineering modifications or replumbing required.
U.S. forces could not have continued the campaign in Kosovo and still be prepared to fight and win two major regional wars, Defense Secretary William Cohen told the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday. That realization forced the Pentagon to conduct a thorough analysis of what it has available for conducting wars while dealing with other contingency operations, Cohen said.
Boeing completed structural proof testing of its Joint Strike Fighter X-32A concept demonstrator, validating the aircraft's ability to withstand the rigors of flight testing, which begins next year.
Robert A. Wright has been named product marketing manager for QuickBird satellite imagery products. Ron Elsis has been named industry market manager. Mathew Cross has been named product market manager for EarthWatch's Digital Globe imagery archive. John Lee has been named product distribution manager for international master distributors and resellers in Asia, Europe and Latin America.
Gary DeVlieg has been named vice president, Technology Center for Crane Aerospace, a part of Crane Co. John King has been named technology specialist for Hydro-Aire, Inc., a Crane company and a member of the Crane Aerospace group.
Christophe Lachnitt, previously press relations director, has been appointed External Communications director for the Group. Niall Hickey has been appointed press relations director replacing Lachnitt.
A recent demonstration of the "Spotter UAV" initiative at Ft. Polk, La., showed how a Hunter unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with an infrared illuminator could help non-Lantrin equipped aircraft crews wearing night vision goggles to hit targets at night. "Air National Guard pilots loved it, especially A-10 drivers," said Capt. Chuck DeLuise of the Air Force's UAV Battle Laboratory at Eglin AFB, Fla.
France's Alcatel Space will build a satellite communications system to service the Andean nations of South America under a deal with Andesat, the Andean Community's satellite license holder, the companies announced yesterday in Paris. Under the arrangement, Alcatel Space and Andesat became partners in a joint venture to be known as BolivarSat, with Alcatel Space holding a 49% interest and Andesat the rest. BolivarSat will operate satellites at 61 and 67 degrees West longitude to serve the potential 600-million-strong market in the Andean nations.
The House yesterday passed the fiscal year 2000 defense conference report, providing $267.7 billion for the Pentagon, $4.5 billion more than the president's request. The vote was 372-55, and the Senate is expected to pass the report before the end of the week.
GEOFFREY HOON was appointed to succeed George Robertson's U.K. Defense Secretary. As former Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hoon's selection was unexpected by most observers, who had predicted the promotion of one of the junior defense ministers. Before entering Parliament, Hoon lectured in law at Leeds University, and was visiting professor of law at the University of Louisville, Ky.
