In "U.S. Global Warming Initiative Is A Step Backward," you quote NASA Administrator Michael Griffin as saying: "To assume that [warming] is a problem is to assume that the state of Earth's climate today is the optimal climate . . . and that we need to take steps to make sure it doesn't change." And deciding that today's climate is best for everyone else is "a rather arrogant position for people to take." Kudos, Mr. Griffin! I couldn't have said it better!
Fighter manufacturer Sukhoi is trying to persuade the Russian government to contribute development funds for its latest version of the Su-27 Flanker family, the Su-35, with indications that the air force has already decided to acquire the aircraft. Three Su-35 prototypes are initially being manufactured, with a first flight planned by the end of September, according to a senior Sukhoi executive involved in the program. "Currently, there's no government funding," he says. "The program so far is being funded by industry participants."
India's minister of civil aviation, Praful Patel, was in Washington on June 22 to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Transportation Dept. and U.S. Trade Development Agency to create a U.S.-India Aviation Cooperation Program. The program is modeled after an aviation safety agreement the U.S. signed with China. The program allows the U.S. government and private industry to work with India on aviation safety programs that could include air traffic control.
USAF Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Sullivan has been nominated for promotion to lieutenant general with assignment as deputy chief of staff for logistics, installations and mission support at the Pentagon. He has been commander of the Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah. Maj. Gen. Donald C. Wurster has been nominated for promotion to lieutenant general with assignment as commander of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), Hurlburt Field, Fla. He is its vice commander. Maj. Gen. Kurt A. Cichowski has been appointed special assistant to the commander of AFSOC.
Boeing's push-back of a potential service entry date for the 787-10 by a year is an ironic endorsement that the as-yet-unlaunched second stretch of the new jet is on its way. Boeing Vice President and 787 General Manager Mike Bair says the earliest the 300-plus-seat 787-10 will enter service is 2013, a year later than previously forecast.
Airbus will conduct key meetings on its A350XWB in the next few weeks, when it will submit the plan for the twin-widebody to an independent review and start detailed talks with potential industrial partners for the project. The assessment of the A350XWB design will take place early next month, says Airbus Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Bregier. Such drills will be performed throughout the program's development to avoid surprises.
Robert Wall, Amy Butler and Douglas Barrie (Le Bourget)
NATO's decade-long effort to develop a critical ground surveillance system has never been closer to fruition--but also never this close to dying. The 23 NATO members participating in the Alliance Ground Surveillance program to field Global Hawks and A321s fitted with ground-target tracking radars have until year-end to make up their minds. That's when the contract has to be inked with an international consortium to initiate development, or the carefully drawn up terms expire.
Embraer and Brazilian airline BRA Transportes Aeros have signed a preliminary agreement for 20 firm orders for the Embraer 195, plus 20 options. Italy's Alpi Eagles has confirmed five options for the 195 from its original order for five of the aircraft. Addition- ally, Aeromexico will operate four Embraer 190s under a lease from GE Commercial Aviation Services, which confirmed three options.
It's good to read that the "first BA609 has been flown 'to all corners of the flight envelope" (AW&ST June 4, p. 43). And since the BA609 will not go into combat and has benefited from some of the Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey's extended and flawed development, the program managers will not have to worry about wrong cabin size or window placement, or efficacy of a ramp-mounted defensive weapon. Unlike its larger cousin, it is pressurized. But as it approaches multiple certifications in the U.S. and Europe, some safety-related questions remain:
NASA Administrator Michael Griffin has it right in de-emphasizing "global warming" alarums. His knowledge and record in this area far surpasses yours. Your criticism of his opinion is wide of the mark. You should stick to the field you know (in which you are both expert and excellent), or provide your readers with opinions and data on both sides of this issue. Griffin's being made to recant, Galileo-like, is neither a good testimonial for science nor for the scientific validity of the evidence supposedly supporting catastrophic global warming.
Boeing expects to have 42 aircraft parked outside its 787 final assembly building in Everett, Wash., by the time the 250-seat jet achieves certification next spring and delivery in May to its launch customer, All Nippon Airways. Despite that optimism, the company has learned that an industry-wide fastener shortage makes for an unpleasant picture.
Amy Butler, Robert Wall and Joris Janssen Lok (Le Bourget)
A global shortage in military airlift capacity is driving aircraft makers on both sides of the Atlantic to explore options at different ends of the airlift spectrum, though governments haven't yet fully backed the projects. EADS CASA is working on a new turboprop airlifter design, while Boeing and Lockheed Martin offer competing proposals to the U.S. Air Force to add to its strategic airlifter fleet.
The European Parliament budget committee last week issued a resolution saying it would oppose combined European Commission/European Space Agency funding for the 24 remaining operational satellites still to be purchased for the Galileo satellite navigation system, and their associated ground segment. The Parliament wants the estimated €2.4 billion ($3.22 billion) for this so-called full operating capability phase to be acquired entirely with EC money and according to EC rules.
Bombardier has linked up with China's Avic 1 for development of regional jets and its CSeries narrowbody. Bombardier plans to spend $100 million to help Avic 1 define the ARJ21-900 once the program is launched. The Canadians also would assist with Western certification of the Chinese regional jet, which is expected to enter service in 2011. The aircraft, which will have five-abreast seating, is derived from the ARJ21-700.
Steve Schneps (see photo) has been named vice president-operations for BAE Systems' Nashua, N.H.-based Electronics and Integrated Solutions. He was director of operations for the unit's electronic warfare section.
India's long-delayed civil aviation policy, Vision 2020, is now under review by the country's Group of Ministers, including civil aviation, finance and tourism. The cabinet was set to act on the policy, which aims at opening up the international market to private domestic carriers. However, dissension over several proposals led to the call for deeper discussions involving the ministers. There was disagreement, for example, about spinning off air traffic management into a separate entity and introducing private and foreign participation.
Australia and the U.S. have conducted the first flight test of a scramjet engine with an inward-turning inlet. The test engine reached Mach 10 over the outback on June 15. Its inlet form promises greater efficiency than earlier, so-called two-dimensional inlets. A sounding rocket took the engine from the Woomera launch site to an altitude of 530 km. (330 mi.). During the descent, the engine fired for 3 sec.
Italy has launched the first phase of the Lyra program, which is aimed at studying evolutions of the Vega launcher. The €35-million ($46.8-million) contract went to a joint venture of Avio and the Italian space agency. Lyra, which is focused on a liquid propulsion engine and a new guidance system, should boost the rocket's payload capability to send 4,400 lb. into a polar 700-km. orbit. A full-scale demonstrator of the new engine, called Mira, is scheduled to be built. Another €70-80 million are needed to complete development.
A technology that allows pilots to control aircraft systems by voice command has completed a new round of flight trials on a U.K. Army Air Corps Gazelle helicopter. Qinetiq's Direct Voice Input (DVI) system enables the direct-voice-input control of avionics equipment via standard aircrew helmet microphones and intercom and is speaker-independent--the system does not need to recognize a specific user. This provides aircrew the ability to control aircraft systems using voice commands and access information without removing their hands from the flight controls.
The in-the-centerline infrared search-andtrack system idea saves time and money, although it is ironic that a now-retired fighter is the hardware source to catch up with the rest of the fighter world (AW&ST June 4, p. 30). However, fuel tanks are jettison items, especially in shipboard catapult launches. This might promote just a slight, possibly fatal, hesitation in a single-engine, heavy weight shot, if a $2.5-million limited availability item cohabitates with 2,500 lb. of fuel. Perhaps the weight should depart without the money.
Northrop Grumman has completed work on the main fuselage of its first X-47B in the jig at its Palmdale, Calif., facility. The X-47B is a candidate for the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System competition, which will be decided this fall. Boeing is also proposing a variant of its X-45 family of UAVs. Installation of the engine and component parts are the next steps for Northrop Grumman's UAV.
BC Partners, a London-based private equity firm, has struck a deal to buy a 76% stake in Intelsat for $5 billion and the assumption of $11.4 billion debt. Intelsat's current owners, a group of four private equity firms, acquired the global satellite operator in 2005 and purchased chief competitor PanAmSat--from a private equity owner--for $3.2 billion last year. The group plans to retain a 24% stake in the company, which is based in Bermuda but largely run from Washington.
VolgaDnepr and the Antonov design bureau say the Russian and Ukrainian civil aviation authorities have confirmed that plans to modernize the An-124 freighter, in particular the flight deck, will comply with certification requirements. However, funding to cover the modernization and reopen the assembly line remains to be clarified. Meanwhile, VolgaDnepr concluded an agreement with Ilyushin to acquire three additional modernized Il-76TD-90VD cargo aircraft, plus 10 units on option.
