The arrival of new leadership in Washington raises some questions about NASA’s future, including the willingness of U.S. taxpayers and their elected representatives to support human space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. The cost of sending humans to Mars, for instance, is probably much too great to generate the necessary public and political support given America’s fiscal problems. But a return to the Moon under the Constellation program is a far more realistic goal.
Although the UAV business is still immature, Russian manufacturers are vying to claim a share of the national market for civil and military unmanned platforms. Many companies touted their wares here at the Unmanned Multipurpose Vehicle Systems (UVS-Tech) show last month. But few have the funds to proceed fully without production orders. Government departments—including the defense ministry and civil emergency services—are not yet in a position to integrate UAV capabilities into their own systems.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) met the congressionally mandated cargo security deadline last week that required screening of at least 50% of freight on passenger aircraft, according to industry sources. TSA achieved the goal by clearing material loaded on narrow-body aircraft and involving freight forwarders in a pilot of its Certified Cargo Screening Program, largely at 18 U.S. hub airports (AW&ST Sept. 8, 2008, p. 52).
EADS and Airbus need a bailout. Sound familiar? In “Trials and Tribulations” (AW&ST Jan. 19, p. 35), Airbus CEO Thomas Enders’ statement that signing the original A400M contract was “stupid” is 100% correct. Be it national pride or arrogance, the U.K., France, Germany and Spain were stupid as well in agreeing to the original contract.
In their studies of global climate change, NASA’s science teams are using Earth-observing satellites to map everything from floods and wildfires to El Ninos and phytoplankton. They track sea ice breakups and make daily scans of temperatures from the bottom of the troposphere to the top of the stratosphere. Wonder where smog-producing ozone is concentrated? Data from NASA’s spacecraft reveal the ugly picture.
The Air Line Pilots Assn. (ALPA) thinks it is time for scientists—not airline management or the FAA—to determine how much rest a pilot needs before safety is affected. Pilot fatigue tops the union’s legislative agenda for 2009, and it is calling for the National Academy of Sciences to collect data on the effects of sleep deprivation. ALPA wants the academy to examine recommendations already made by the NTSB and NASA. The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking in 1995 to update flight- and duty-time regulations, but this bogged down.
Bombardier is to cut business-jet production by 10% and reduce employment by 1,360 jobs in its 2009-10 fiscal year, citing a “greater than usual” level of deferrals and cancellations. The company delivered 239 business jets in the year ended Jan. 31, up from 232 in fiscal 2007-08, but net orders fell to 262 from 452 during the previous year. Learjet and Challenger production rates will be cut. Output of Global business and regional jets is unchanged, but production of Q400 regional turboprops has increased.
USAF Col. (ret.) Michael R. Gallagher (Hillsboro. Ore.)
Daryl May’s suggestion that C-17s be used to supersede the troubled A400M program is good, but not new (AW&ST Jan. 5, p. 8). While serving on the Air Staff in the Pentagon during the mid-1980s, I suggested developing a foreign military sales proposal involving C-17s and C-130s and making the cost so attractive that the A400M program would never start. Perhaps the Obama team can learn to avoid duplication of defense procurements within and among friendly nations. The arguments for maintaining each nation’s industrial base are far less valid than previously.
Given that there is a system to deliver 29,000 shp. to the lift-fan compartment behind the F-35B cockpit, how long before “A” and “C” users give up fuel in that space to avail themselves of energy for use as on your Jan. 12 cover? 25 years? It will make a nice midlife update.
A further test firing of the British Royal Navy’s MBDA Sea Viper air defense missile system was carried out Feb. 4, from the Longbow trials barge. An Aster 15 missile was fired against a Mirach target drone simulating a subsonic anti-ship missile flying at low level. The final qualification shot is due in mid-2009.
As Boeing assembles the first 747-8, the company is quietly celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first flight of the 747, which took place on Feb. 9, 1969 (AW&ST Feb. 17, 1969, pp. 26-31; AW&ST’s first cover photo of the 747 ran on Mar. 10, 1969).
French President Nicolas Sarkozy faces an uphill battle with lawmakers over a reported deal with Washington that would give France two key NATO responsibilities in exchange for returning to the alliance’s integrated military command. According to Le Monde, the French have been offered leadership of the Allied Command Transformation office in Norfolk, Va., and the NATO regional command in Portugal to smooth France’s reintegration, which is expected to be officially announced at NATO’s annual summit Apr. 3-4.
Air Canada plans to launch new services from Calgary to the U.S., as well as more domestic flights, in the late spring and early summer. Starting May 15, the airline will offer daily nonstop flights to San Diego using 75-seat Air Canada Jazz CRJ705s. On June 15, new non-stop flights to Portland, Ore., with Air Canada Jazz 50-seat CRJ aircraft are scheduled to start.
Lufthansa Technik and AeroLogic GmbH. inked a 10-year pact for technical support for up to 11 Boeing 777 freighters. The first aircraft are to be delivered to AeroLogic in May.
The Pentagon’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Task Force—created last year to get ISR systems into Iraq and Afghanistan quickly—is being criticized by some for being too diligent about time. The group is so focused on fielding systems within a 90-day requirement, it loses out on technologies that “could be ready on Day 91,” says one industry official. But the Army could have a remedy. Part of the problem has been the limited availability of test aircraft, says Tim Owings, the Army’s deputy project manager for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
“Trials and Tribulations” was revealing of the EADS-Airbus managerial competence and/or desire to hide the truth. There were many vague statements and misstatements, such as “with the current contractual and organizational setup, we will not get there. . . . We think it would be irresponsible to continue on the current track. . . . The company has no idea of the cost to complete.”
Zhang Yanling has been named chairman of BOC Aviation , previously Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise. She was executive vice president of the Bank of China.
Frank Morring, Jr. (Washington), Amy Butler (Washington)
Iran is expected to use the technical prowess it demonstrated with the launch of a relatively simple satellite of its own design on a basic two-stage rocket to strengthen its hand as it begins to engage with the Obama administration.
Eumetsat appears set to approve a funding plan that will ensure continuity of a key U.S.-European altimetry program as it transitions from scientific to routine operational use.
Boeing’s first contract under the U.S. Air Force Future Flexible Acquisition and Sustainment Tool (F2AST) program has been announced. The $19.1-million Air Force Special Operations Command award covers AC-130U Gunship operational flight and simulation software sustainment/maintenance; field service support; configuration, data and obsolescence management; and intermediate-level repairs.
British Airways plans to offer inflight mobile phone service and Internet access to passengers on executive shuttle flights planned between London City Airport and New York JFK. Service on the twice-daily flights, set to begin in the autumn, will be provided by Sita/Airbus joint venture OnAir using satellite capacity supplied by Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband network. It will include voice, text and e-mail messaging and Internet access, either by mobile phone, BlackBerry-type devices or via laptops fitted with GSM cards.
Douglas Barrie (London), Neelam Mathews (New Delhi)
An EADS-India contract worth a relatively small $20 million poses fundamental questions for the new U.S. administration regarding a multibillion-dollar fighter competition. Europe’s EADS is near closing the deal with India to support the flight-test program for New Delhi’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), usurping Boeing. The U.S. manufacturer was tapped last year to provide support to India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) on the LCA—but an inability to overcome U.S. technology transfer and regulatory issues has forced the company to withdraw.
The Pentagon’s unmanned aircraft system (UAS) fleet is growing and providing new capabilities for war efforts as planners weigh options for the next generation of systems to be fielded in the coming decade.
Sikorsky is preparing to take the next step in its X2 Technology high-speed helicopter program, having tested the coaxial-rotor demonstrator for the first time with the tail-mounted pusher propeller turning.
Pierre Chao, a Wall Street insider turned Inside-the-Beltway guru, looks at the diminished valuations of large defense companies and sees parallels with 1992-93. Back then, the Cold War had just ended, Bill Clinton was elected president, and U.S. defense spending began a precipitous six-year decline. But when Chao takes measure of today’s threat environment—Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia—he’s jolted back to the present. “It just doesn’t feel like 1992-93,” he says.
