General Electric’s development of the -2B derivative of its GEnx engine for the 747-8 program includes a lighter front and back end to reduce fuel burn even as the engine retains 80% line replaceable units and 90% line tooling commonality with the larger -1B on the 787. The -2B has a 105-in. fan diameter and generates 67,500 lb. thrust for the new four-engine 747, while the original -1B uses a 111-in. fan and produces 75,000 lb. for the two-engine 787.
The mounting turbulence surrounding EADS deserves great attention. Despite a robust backlog and strong growth potential, the cross-border group is being hit by an element it can’t control—the “weak” U.S. dollar. In addition, company managers—perhaps seeing themselves as Gulliver beset by the Lilliputians—must handle an insider stock-trading probe and monitor the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s investigation of the A330-based KC-45A contract award to Northrop Grumman/EADS North America.
Joris Janssen Lok (Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands)
Close to 1,000 U.S. and European-operated Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter aircraft will receive a set of improved avionics and weapons capabilities beginning in July 2009—provided initial problems with the aircraft’s modular mission computer are overcome. The computer issues came to light during an early operational assessment of the M5 package of F-16 software and hardware updates. This was developed by Lockheed Martin as the fifth iteration of a rolling program of avionics improvements that began in the late 1990s.
The dogfight over the U.S. Air Force’s decision to buy new tanker aircraft from a Northrop Grumman/EADS team instead of Boeing might eventually produce a useful result. By the time the contrails clear, the need for forward-thinking in defense procurement will be staring us in the face.
Trevor van Rooyen has become Johannesburg, South Africa-based sales manager for sub-Saharan Africa for BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul of Dallas. He was director of technical services for Execujet Maintenance Pty. Ltd.
A U.S. supercomputer like those used at research facilities such as Los Alamos National Laboratory will be used by the Chinese to operate a new generation of Fengyun weather satellites to be launched as early as this month. There are military implications, however, for China’s use of this powerful Silicon Graphics Inc. computing capability. The advanced weather satellite system will be employed heavily by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as well as civilian weather outlets. The Chinese have developed their own software codes to run in the SGI system.
LCAL of Dubai, established in 2005 to lease Boeing 787s, has placed an order valued at up to $350 million for General Electric GEnx engines to power up to 13 of the airplanes.
Video of astronauts undergoing underwater training for China’s first extravehicular activity (EVA)—planned for the Shenzhou VII mission this fall—show spacesuits that appear identical to Russian Orlan EVA suits. Top Shenzhou managers, however, say emphatically the Chinese EVA suits have been designed and manufactured in China, not Russia. Although seemingly a contradiction, both could be true. The Shenzhou spacecraft itself, for example, uses the basic Russian Soyuz design, but it is significantly larger and carries major system design differences.
Salvatore (Tory) T. Bruno (see photo) has been appointed vice president/general manager of the Strategic and Missile Defense Systems Div. of the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. , Sunnyvale, Calif. He was vice president/general manager of the Strategic Missile Programs Div.
The Joint Strike Fighter Executive Steering Board meeting has discussed the possibility of extending the JSF system development and demonstration (SDD) program by one year to late 2014, says the Dutch state secretary for defense procurement, Jack de Vries. A decision is expected this fall. Such an extension will also lead to a longer initial operational test and evaluation program (now scheduled from 2011-14).
Comair will equip its 115 regional jets with Applied Aeronautical Systems Inc.’s (AASI) Pilots Performance Advisory System, a cost index optimization system developed by AASI of Montreal. The system provides pilots with optimal speeds and altitudes during specific wind and temperature conditions. AASI says Comair has been able to reduce fuel burn by 3% using the system.
The Iraqi government is looking to the future by ordering 30 Boeing 737-800s plus 10 options, and is negotiating to buy 10 787s. Delivery dates are unspecified but are unlikely to occur before 2010 because of Boeing’s production schedules. The company has a backlog of 2,175 737s and 900 787s. The Iraqi order for 737s is worth $2.2 billion and was previously listed on Boeing’s web site as “unidentified” and did not specify an airline. Iraqi Airways’ last order for Boeing was a 747-SP in 1982, and the last delivery was a 737-200 in 1984.
Roy Goforth’s observations about the negative effects of letting aeronautical construction take flight overseas were a wakeup splash of cold water on this rather conservative face. I was comfortable in the assurance that other people in other places were perfectly capable of shaping metals, forming resin fibers and assembling nuts and bolts. What Goforth’s words drew to mind was the tribe: the basic unit of societal progress and intergenerational transference of skills.
Integrated, multi-function avionics systems are encompassing more and more of the content on commercial airline flight decks. The latest beneficiary of this is Rockwell Collins on the A350XWB. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based company just won the 5-in-1 radio communications system on the A350XWB program from Airbus along with two other avionics work packages.
General Electric’s GEnx-2B, the world’s newest big fan engine, is well into tests at the company’s Peebles, Ohio, facility. Destined for Boeing’s 747-8, the engine is a derivative of the GEnx-1B that is in final preparation for the 787. With more than 1,150 orders between them before an aircraft has flown, the two turbofans contribute to a major production ramp-up coming to GE. In this special report that begins on p.
Volker Fabian has been named Singapore-based vice president/senior regional director for Asia and the South Pacific, Gwyn Scourfield Dublin-based vice president/senior regional director for Europe, Africa, India and the Middle East, and Mark L. Ebanks Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based vice president/regional director for the Americas, for the CIT Group Inc. of New York.
Pratt & Whitney will use an integrated technology plan to propel its engine development programs and, in the process, do away with many of the boundaries that have separated its business units by product size and mission requirements. At the center of this drive is the geared turbofan—already selected by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) for its 70-90-seat regional jet and Bombardier for the CSeries that, at 110-130 seats, invades Airbus and Boeing’s single-aisle territory.
Intelsat will provide satellite links for inflight entertainment (IFE) systems from Panasonic Avionics under a recently signed multi-year service agreement. Called eXConnect, the agreement marries Intelsat’s GlobalConnex broadband service from its network of 53 in-orbit satellites with Panasonic’s cabin IFE systems to provide passenger and crew with such broadband services as virtual private networks, live television, streaming media, on-line shopping and tele-medicine. Data rates are said to be comparable to WiFi hotspots.
CAE will build a Boeing 777-200 full-flight simulator for use by Lufthansa Flight Training at its Berlin facility beginning in 2009. The device will train pilots for Aerologic, the joint-venture carrier formed by Lufthansa Cargo and DHL Express. CAE also has sold a Boeing 757 simulator to Flight Training Finance, which will lease it to Icelandic Flight Academy to train Icelandair pilots next year.
Bettina H. Chavanne, in her article “Heavy Lifting” (AW&ST Apr. 14, p. 53), reported on the stated goals—during the Army Aviation Assn. of America (Quad-A) show—of Maj. Gen. Virgil Packett, the U.S. Army Aviation chief, for a joint development of heavy-lift and multirole aircraft, the ability to break 200 kt. in a rotorcraft and expansion of the manned-unmanned teaming concept.
The Russian air force has taken delivery of a new Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bomber. Russia now operates 16 Tu-160s, senior air force officials say. One of the bombers is to be modernized this year and up to three in 2009.
Notwithstanding the sudden and sad turn of events, your comments in the Apr. 28 issue (p. 16) concerning the success of the business model at Eos Airlines were essentially correct. It was my privilege to fly the final flight back to New York on Apr. 29.
May 19-20—Technology Training Corp.’s Next-Generation Radio Communications Conference. Harrah’s Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. And, June 5-6—Space Security & Defense Conference. Radisson Reagan National Airport, Arlington, Va. Call +1 (310) 563-1223, fax +1 (310) 563-1220 or see www.ttcus.com May 20-23—Air Medical Physicians’ Assn./Brown Alpert Medical School’s World Congress: “Airmed 2008.” Hilton Prague Hotel. See www.airmed2008.org
Capt. Lyle Hogg has been promoted to vice president-flight operations from managing director and James Olson has become vice president-corporate communications for US Airways . Olson was senior vice president of Waggener Edstrom Worldwide of Seattle.
