European nations may be moving toward a rule change that would enable more hardware for out-of-theater operations to be financed from a common funding pool.
BMI expects to launch services to the U.S. from London Heathrow in 2009—and not “jump into” the market by the end of March 2008, when the U.S.-U.K. transatlantic open skies deal goes into effect. BMI has long been pushing for a liberalized market. Earlier this year, the carrier, which now operates transatlantic flights from Manchester with a fleet of Airbus A330s, announced that it plans to focus on medium- and longer-haul routes with 17 new destinations mainly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
A “mid-term review” of NASA’s progress in implementing the recommendations of the National Research Council’s 2003-13 Solar System exploration survey gives the agency passing marks for now, but projects it will fail to meet the survey’s goals if current trends continue. NASA received a “B” for its overall Solar System exploration effort, but the report notes a downward trend.
Lockheed Martin’s first short-takeoff-vertical-landing F-35 test article, called BF-1, is expected to roll off of the company’s Fort Worth production line Dec. 18. First flight is set for spring.
The British Defense Ministry and Boeing have signed a contract covering the acquisition of a sixth C-17 Globemaster III for the Royal Air Force. The aircraft, which cost £130 million ($264 million) each, will enter service with the RAF in mid-2008.
In the wake of losing the U.S. Army’s $2-billion Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) bid to its rival Alenia North America, EADS North America is now exploring ways to maximize its experience as a prime contractor of helicopters for the Pentagon.
Boeing has confirmed that an order for 22 737-900ERs carried on its unidentified-customer list since the second quarter was placed by Indonesia’s Lion Air.
The European Commission is trying to accelerate the push to shed defense protectionism within its market, but industry is concerned the terms of the policy could have negative side effects.
Brinksmanship and bartering will likely characterize upcoming key talks to determine the future size and shape of the Eurofighter Typhoon program. There are already concerns some partner nations may try to drag out the discussions. The formal proposal from the industry consortium for Tranche 3 production is due Dec. 14. Nominally, the phase is supposed to cover the last lot of production for the four core Eurofighter states—Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.—and include 236 aircraft—148 have been bought in Tranche 1 and 236 in Tranche 2.
For the first time, Boeing has received a 100% award fee for its performance as the prime integrator of the U.S. missile defense system. The award came during the period that included a successful intercept Sept. 28 by the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System, when a target vehicle launched from Kodiak, Alaska, was intercepted by a missile launched from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Jim Albaugh, chief executive officer of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, disclosed the award Nov. 29 during Aviation Week’s Aerospace & Defense Finance conference.
France and Italy have signed a letter of intent to jointly develop and build a dual-use broadband satellite to meet unencrypted defense and government communications needs.
USAF Lt. Col. (ret.) Bill Schrader (Albuquerque, N.M.)
The Oct. 16 USA Today front-page article on Transportation Security Administration issues about overseas maintenance, repair and overhaul security heightened my concern about maintenance on U.S. airliners. The article cites a “senior technician at a shop in Singapore who worked for Al Qaeda” and photographed U.S. aircraft as potential targets. An aviation security consultant said, “They could take door panels off and pack in explosives and nobody would know.” These explosives could later be detonated by cell phone.
U.S. aerospace has attained peak after peak in significant business-performance measures during the past few years, and the Aerospace Industries Assn. (AIA) sees more of the same in 2008.
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is considering whether to introduce competition into Ground-Based Missile Defense (GMD) development and operations when Boeing’s multibillion-dollar contract as prime integrator runs out next fall. As such, MDA is accepting ideas from industry on how to compete the overarching integrator contract or parts of it. At issue is whether breaking out various items into separate contracts could complicate management and jeopardize development and fielding schedules.
Vietnam has granted an aviation transport license to aspiring startup Vietjet, which is due to begin operations by next November and to lease three aircraft. The company is Vietnam’s first privately owned airline.
Commercial aircraft makers and their suppliers have enjoyed a record three-year run in order intake, but realistic outlooks may soon return as commitments start falling to more normal levels. “This year is probably reaching the peak,” says Airbus chief operating officer for customers, John Leahy. Airbus has already surpassed its record of 1,111 gross orders set in 2005, and should finish the year with well above 1,200 firm purchases.
With runway excursions causing 29% of all fatalities in air transport in recent years, the International Air Line Pilots Assns. is urging Sydney Airport to consider extending the Runway End Safety Area on Runway 07/25 to the 240-meter RESA recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization—or install an alternate system such as EMAS (engineered materials arresting system). Sydney Airport, which is adopting the 90-meter minimum RESA required by ICAO, plans to start RESA construction in April 2008.
Israel’s raid on Syria was designed as a signal to both Syria and Iran that their unconventional weapons programs are vulnerable to attack in spite of improved, Russian-built air defenses, officials in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem say. The officials contend, however, that the new U.S. national intelligence estimate reporting that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 essentially eliminates the U.S. as a deterrent to Iranian development of a bomb and a system to deliver it.
European Commission official Olivier Onidi makes some astute observations about the relevance of the International Civil Aviation Organization (AW&ST Nov. 5, p. 43). Onidi is misinformed, however, if he believes ICAO is not doing enough to deal with Africa’s safety crisis and strains on air traffic management systems. That is, if giving the appearance of doing something counts.
Northrop Grumman has expanded its effort to muscle into the air-refueling business. The company announced it would compete against Boeing for the U.S. Air Force’s KC-10/KDC-10 tanker program, which could involve nearly $4 billion in logistics, maintenance and repair work. Boeing is the incumbent and also is competing. A win by Northrop Grumman would take it a step closer to offering its KC-30 or even a bigger Airbus aircraft as a replacement for the KC-10.
Discussion at the Pentagon about the troubled Space-Based Infrared System (Sbirs) program is now focusing on how or whether to fix a software issue on the first satellite bound for geosynchronous orbit. Some of the code for the early missile warning satellite was improperly timed, raising concern that if an in-orbit emergency occurred, ground control could not recover command.
Pratt & Whitney is preparing to start key performance tests on the geared turbofan (GTF) demonstrator after hitting its maximum targeted thrust of 30,000 lb. The performance test phase is Pratt’s first opportunity to evaluate the true fuel-saving potential of the GTF, which is designed to maximize the operating efficiency of both high- and low-pressure spools through the use of a gear-driven fan.
One of your articles referred to a U.S. Homeland Security Dept. program to screen general aviation aircraft before they enter the U.S. (AW&ST Nov. 12, p. 58). To test the concept, the department initiated pilot programs in Shannon, Ireland, and Anchorage, Alaska. I am reminded of an incident a few years ago when a Boston-bound transatlantic airliner was forced to land in Bangor, Maine, so a passenger could be intercepted “before he could arrive in the U.S.” Last I checked, both Anchorage and Bangor were in the U.S.
The Clear registered traveler program is to launch at Denver International Airport in early January. Passengers wishing to take advantage of express security lanes may enroll at the DIA center set to open this month, the Hyatt Regency Tech Center in Denver, or at any other airport where Clear operates fast lanes.
My letter “Make Airlines Pay Real Money” (AW&ST Oct. 15, p. 9) provoked two unsupportive airline pilot responses, and a bravo. Yes, we don’t need a long-winded passenger bill of rights. Airline people must realize when their customer pays real money, they expect real transportation to be delivered safely and on time, subject to weather or government intervention.
