Democratic senators on the appropriations subcommittee that funds the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) vow to keep a close watch over agency spending on satellites. Reacting to cost growth in the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (Npoess), panel members want to set an overrun trigger similar to the Nunn-McCurdy certification that governs Defense Dept.
Both the Dominican Republic and Guatemala now hold a Category 1 air-safety rating, meaning their civil aviation authorities comply with the safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The European Space Agency has issued a pair of contracts to define options for its Future Launcher Preparatory Program and develop a spaceplane to demonstrate advanced reentry and integrated system design technologies.
Italy and France appear close to a final decision on a cooperative X-band and broadband satellite venture that would meet strong demand in Europe for military and government satcom bandwidth.
The rover Spirit, working in hilly terrain on the far side of Mars from Opportunity, is beginning a science campaign to decipher major new evidence for the past presence of water in the form of hot springs or other volcanic-spawned water at its site. The new data present a mystery, since the evidence for water at locations only meters apart is quite different. "Spirit had been great lately. We have been having so much fun with Spirit," says Steve Squyres, rover principal investigator from Cornell University.
Turbomeca Canada has been certified to repair and overhaul hydromechanical control units for the Arriel 2 turboshaft engine--the final step in the process of certifying the maintenance, repair and overhaul facility to work on both the Arriel 1 and 2 powerplants, including line-replaceable units. The plant, which opened in 2003, also serves as a support site for the Arrius 2 engine.
The International Air Transport Assn.'s May traffic data shows a sharp rise in cargo growth and a continued increase in international passenger traffic compared to May 2006. Cargo demand rose 5%, up from a 2.8% hike in April and the largest increase since September 2006. Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's director general and CEO, says, "The pickup in freight, led by Asia, could be the first sign of strengthening demand." International passenger numbers were up 5.5% year over year, with load factors strong at 73.7%.
Britain is considering replacing early model Eurofighter Typhoons with aircraft from the final production run, as London seeks to identify a strategy to negotiate the remaining element of its order. While notionally committed to a production run of 232 aircraft, there has been considerable speculation over whether the U.K., or some of the other four partners, would purchase anything like their full complement of the planned Tranche 3 procurement.
You conclude your editorial "LCCs Should Study Legacies' History . . . Not Repeat It" (AW&ST May 28, p. 78) with: "If LCCs really want to improve their prospects, "they won't repeat the same mistake." What mistake? When deregulation came along the so- called legacy carriers obviously had relatively higher costs than the startups because they had created a complex unionized system like most historic American enterprises. Sure there were some inefficiencies, but that is part of any business.
Richard A. Hauser has been named vice president/assistant general counsel-Washington for Boeing. He was president of the National Legal Center for the Public Interest and had been general counsel of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Dept.
It's not easy running a company with two CEOs and two chairmen working in different countries, especially when it happens to be Europe's largest aerospace contractor. Tom Enders, the German co-CEO of EADS NV--the parent of Airbus--told a reporter at last month's Paris air show that the company was discussing whether to sell off its 46% stake in Dassault Aviation. He was promptly contradicted by his French counterpart, Louis Gallois.
An invasion by Asian budget carriers into Australia's lightly protected aviation market looks likely to threaten the excellent profits of incumbents Qantas Airways and Virgin Blue Airlines. Singapore-based Tiger Airways, a pure low-cost airline, is moving on to Australian domestic routes, while Malaysia's AirAsia Long Haul, also super-low-cost, assaults the international sector.
Australia has ceased payments for the Eurocopter armed reconnaissance helicopter because it has not reached initial operational capability as plan- ned. Delays in the Tiger program set back simulator development and the ability of Australia to start training, as required under the pact with Eurocopter's Australian Aerospace.
Continental Airlines and its Air Line Pilots Assn. unit will launch talks this month toward a new contract, starting nine months earlier than business-as-usual at the pilots' request. The contract's amendable date is Dec. 31, 2008, and the pilots' negotiation committee chairman, Capt. Jay Pierce, says the early talks, on non-economic issues, will "help to ensure that we have plenty of time to thoroughly discuss and refine all areas of the contract." Continental is one of two big network airlines that did not reorganize in bankruptcy during the past five years.
While reforming EADS may be the French government's top industrial policy preoccupation, bureaucrats are looking to resurrect another festering problem--how to recast the solid rocket and munitions business of state-controlled SNPE. Safran, which owns part of the rocket activity through a joint venture and has long coveted the rest, is reportedly proposing a plan, in association with land systems specialist Nexter (ex-Giat), under which Safran would acquire the rocket unit and Nexter the munitions business.
Indonesia, its airlines banned from flying to EU countries, has agreed with the International Civil Aviation Organization to enact new laws to improve safety oversight in civil aviation and ensure adequate staff and finances for it. The U.S. advised against flying on Indonesian carriers in April.
NASA is looking for a way to accelerate its long-planned Mars sample-return mission, possibly by fitting upcoming landers like the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory with sample caches that could be retrieved and delivered back to Earth later.
I am amazed at the variety of configurations of screening systems in U.S. airports. Aside from the one at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, none is particularly efficient. Phoenix has two sets of bag-screening systems for every "person" device, a good long line for passenger screening preparation such as unloading briefcases, and good conveyors to move items to the scanners. Lines move quickly, and everyone seems happy. That's not the case in most other airports, and space prevents me from listing the basic sins of efficiency I've seen.
The B-52, F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet aren't the family's old station wagons as each is an instrument of war. If through the advancement of aviation technology, each one can give the U.S. an unfair advantage, it is something the U.S. will always pursue. The B-52 remains operational only because of technological breakthroughs with GPS-guided bombs and long-range cruise missiles that allow it to operate beyond the range of surface-to-air missiles.
Xavier Sahut D'Izarn (see photos) has been appointed vice president/general manager of France-based Safran subsidiary Snecma's Military Engine Div. Jacques Serre has been named vice president/ general manager of the Space Engine Div. and Bruno Pasini vice president-human resources. D'Izarn has been director of large commercial engine programs. He succeeds Jean-Luc Engerand, who is now chairman/CEO of Snecma Propulsion Solide. Serre has been his division's deputy operating director.
China appears to be inching back into the commercial launch market, following the orbiting of Chinasat 6B late last week. The 38-transponder C-band spacecraft, built by Thales Alenia Space, lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China on July 5, on board a Long March 3B booster. It was the first commercial launch by Long March since Apstar VI, also built by Thales Alenia, last year.
Avic I and Avic II units are among Chinese firms receiving $500 million in contracts from Boeing for civil aircraft components. BHA Aero Composites, a Boeing, Hexcel and Avic I joint venture, also got more work.
A German decision to reduce funding for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance program risks precipitating its collapse. An "extraordinary meeting" is to be held next week to discuss the crisis.
