Hawker Beechcraft Corp. has sold its charter and management business to Sentient Flight Group. Hawker Beechcraft Corp. says the charter and management business was a “small but important part” of the company’s business, but sold the operations because “true growth potential was limited” under the company. The sale includes FAR Part 135 license, 22 employees and current contracts. Sentient Flight Group operates from bases in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Louis, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Andrew Zeitlin, senior principal engineer at the Mitre Center for Advanced Aviation System Development, McLean, Va., has received the 2007 John C. Ruth Digital Avionics Award from the Reston, Va.-based American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics . The award recognizes achievement in technical management and/or implementation of digital avionics in space or aeronautical systems. Zeitlin was cited for his role in the definition and development of the algorithms that are the cornerstone of the Aircraft Collision Avoidance System.
Russell Hulstrom has been appointed vice president/general manager and Bernard Asare sales director for the Americas for the Air Traffic Management Solutions Div. of the Era Corp. , Reston, Va. Hulstrom was vice president-worldwide sales.
The National Business Aviation Assn. (NBAA) has asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection to extend its deadline for public comment regarding proposed rules that would require business aviation to submit detailed information about passengers and aircraft owners and operators before leaving and entering the U.S. on international flights. The proposal “will significantly change the way private aircraft operate into and out of the United States,” says Douglas Carr, NBAA’s vice president for safety, security and regulation.
Ronald Sugar, chairman/CEO of the Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp., has accepted the Eddy Award from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. (LAEDC) as part of its recognition of leadership in economic development. LAEDC President/CEO Bill Allen said in a statement: “Northrop Grumman displays outstanding economic development leadership and corporate citizenship.
Edward Hoffman, director of NASA’s Academy of Program/Project and Engineering Leadership, is befuddled by a sixth grader. The child, named Nick, has asked NASA to reserve him employment when he grows up. Hoffman, a doctorate-degree official keenly aware of the aerospace and defense industry’s growing anxiety over cultivating future workers and leaders, would like nothing better.
What’s left of November will be critical for NASA and its European, Japanese and Canadian partners on the International Space Station. The three crewmates on board ISS will be racing the Sun to recover enough of the time lost repairing a torn solar array for one more mission this year—to launch Europe’s laboratory module. And on the ground, station engineers will be figuring out a complex and probably lengthy repair to a broken rotary joint that threatens the entire assembly sequence in 2008.
The Boeing-led Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) for the U.S. Air Force’s fleet of C-130s, which has recently encountered major cost overruns, is moving forward after the first flight of a C-130 AMP late last month. The flight was made following a series of engineering improvements to the avionics system. Current plans call for the Air Force to convert 222 of the four-engine transports, instead of up to 500 as originally planned. It remains undecided whether the remaining aircraft will be modified.
The European Space Agency Columbus module—the cornerstone of Europe’s $7-billion investment in the International Space Station—was hoisted Nov. 1 from its checkout cell at the Kennedy Space Center and transferred to the launch pad Nov. 6. It was to be moved into the orbiter Atlantis Nov. 11 (see p. 40). After more than 20 years of development, the transfer of Europe’s station module is a huge milestone, codifying the link between international space programs for future exploration to the Moon and beyond, says Mike Griffin, NASA administrator.
An airworthiness review has determined the Oct. 27 right landing gear mishap on a SAS Bombardier Q400 was not the result of a design error, and the airworthiness of the aircraft is intact. The review also determined that the Oct. 27 incident is unrelated to those of Sept. 9 and 12.
Bravo to Curt Woodall for proposing fines for bumping. Most of the airlines figured out in the 1980s that travel vouchers not only cost very little (taxes plus the cost in fuel for the extra weight), they generated positive revenue when the recipient figured out he could take his girlfriend to Maui if he bought one more ticket. A monetary cost for bumping would stop the practice instantly.
The Chinese civil aviation bureau has submitted a plan for a new Beijing airport to the central government. A site south of the city has been chosen. The current main airport, Beijing Capital International, has commissioned a third runway, but traffic has been growing faster than expected and so a fourth runway is under consideration.
Andrew C. Levy has been appointed chief financial officer of Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co . He was director of planning and succeeds Linda Marvin, who has resigned. Scott Sheldon has been promoted to principal accounting officer from director of accounting. John Redmond, who is former president/CEO of MGM Grand Resorts has been apppointed to the board of directors.
Launch of the first Space-Based Infrared System (Sbirs) geosynchronous satellite, scheduled for 2009, will be delayed by software issues, according to officials at the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) in Los Angeles. A new launch date will be set after a Pentagon review of the program this month. Some analysts say a gap in space-based missile warning could occur if the schedule for Sbirs—which replaces the aging Defense Support Program spacecraft, the last of which launches this month—is not closely managed.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. will use the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion cockpit in its Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ). The installation will feature 15-in. liquid crystal displays with synthetic vision. Enhanced vision will be optional. Rockwell Collins will be avionics systems integrator for the MRJ, which will be certified to fly GPS-based Wide Area Augmentation System instrument approaches and equipped to conduct Required Navigation Performance procedures.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise plans to make the first major move to build its manufacturing unit next year, with the initial focus on buying a component-production capability. The company has identified “a handful of opportunities,” says Robert Mionis, CEO of DAE Engineering and Manufacturing. Although DAE doesn’t necessarily want to start small, it’s shying away from moving too aggressively. It therefore decided not to pursue a large aerostructures-production business initially—although that could follow.
International Aero Engines (IAE) is analyzing performance data from just-completed V2500 SelectOne engine flight tests, which show early indications of fuel-burn reductions and temperature margins greater than predicted for the improved propulsion system, the company says.
Parker Aerospace, an operating segment of Parker Hannifin Corp., has acquired Shaw Aero Devices, a Naples, Fla.-based company that manufactures fuel caps and adapters, fuel system components and hydraulic equipment for commercial and military aircraft. Aero Devices, which employs 250 people and has annual sales of about $45 million, will be integrated into Parker Aerospace’s Air & Flow Division.
The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved legislation seeking accountability in government contracting. The measure would help federal agencies recruit, retain and develop an adequate acquisition workforce by creating an internship program. It would also require publication of notices at the “FedBizOpps” web site of all sole-source task or delivery orders above the simplified acquisition threshold within 10 business days of an award. Source of MV-22 Fire Unknown
Delta TechOp expects to sign a big support contract with Lion Air for Boeing 737-900ER maintenance. It will cover airframe, auxiliary power unit, engine and component maintenance, as well as maintenance planning and line maintenance. Delta also signed a 10-year, $1-billion pact with Chromalloy Gas Turbine for 50 Parts Manufacturing Approval items for CFM56-5 and -7 engines.
European concern about legislation before the U.S. Congress threatens to delay or even block implementation of a highly anticipated transatlantic aviation safety agreement.
The International Air Transport Assn. has launched pilot programs under its e-freight initiative, which aims to make air cargo business paper-free, in much the same way e-ticketing has transformed the passenger business. The effort is part of the group’s “simplifying the business” cost-saving efforts—and is one of the more challenging programs, as it requires government involvement. Hong Kong, Canada, Singapore, the Netherlands and U.K. are participating in the trials.
