With an advanced combat acquisition on hold, the Brazilian air force is looking to purchase 9-12 additional F-5s to expand its ongoing fighter modernization program. Executives at Embraer, which is managing the upgrade, say they hope the deal can be clinched by the end of 2008, when modernization of the present 46-aircraft fleet is expected to be completed. At least 12 units have been delivered.
M. David Kornblatt has become senior vice president/chief financial officer of the Triumph Group Inc., Wayne, Pa. He succeeds John R. Bartholdson, who has retired. Kornblatt held the same positions at the Carpenter Technology Corp.
Students at Cranfield University in the U.K. are the latest group to tackle reducing the environmental impact of commercial aviation. Aerospace Engineering Dept. master of science degree candidates were tasked with conceiving a 380-seat "green" passenger aircraft as part of their course in aerospace vehicle design. The result--the A6 Greenliner--made extensive use of composites, improved aerodynamics and fuselage-mounted engines to reduce environmental impact. Cruise speed was also lowered to enhance environmental performance.
The 787's rollout on July 8 remains on schedule, but the aircraft's worldwide supply chain is likely to experience some opening-day jitters. The aircraft's seven major airframe assemblies--including 98-ft.-long wing sets and an 84-ft.-long center fuselage--have been transported on schedule from a widely dispersed supplier network that includes three factories in Japan, two in Italy and major centers in Kansas and South Carolina (see p. 72).
Consolidation in the European air transport sector could get a major boost if a planned bid for Iberia by a British Airways-led consortium succeeds. Following weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations, BA last week confirmed that it "has joined with TPG Capital, Vista Capital de Expansion, Inversiones Ibersuizas, and Quercus Equity to investigate a possible consortium offer for Iberia." BA cautioned that "there is no guarantee that a formal bid will be made," although industry officials say it is likely.
Cebu Pacific has ordered six ATR 72s from the EADS-Alenia joint venture Avion de Transport Regional and says it needs the turboprops for airports that cannot handle A320-family aircraft. The airline has also taken options on another eight and values the total deal, for delivery from 2008-13, at $275 million, based on catalog prices.
U.S. space scientists will set their own priorities for future space- and Earth-science missions, including "trip wires" for killing over-budget missions. Alan Stern, NASA's new associate administrator for science, says the agency will rely on the decadal survey process run by the National Academies of Science to plan its future program, but with much more emphasis on accurate cost estimates at the start and the trip-wire approach to control cost once mission-development is underway.
Jim Taylor has been named senior director of day operations, Gary Stover senior director of Air Park Services, Doug Rudy night operations director of ramp and transportation, Rex Gunning director of flight technical training and compliance, Brian Schlise manager of the Eastern U.S. operations and John Millen manager of the Providence, R.I., regional hub, all for Wilmington, Ohio-based ABX Air Inc.
European business aviation leaders are looking for ways to avoid draconian environmental compliance rules by staying out in front of regulators. One tactic is trying to be "carbon neutral."
Turkey is on a new defense acquisition spree. In addition to bolstering its air defense and command and control capabilities, it wants to give a big boost to its defense industrial complex.
Mt. Rainier provides a backdrop for an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-900 not far from the airline's home base at Seattle. A renewed legacy carrier in its 75th year, Alaska and its partner Horizon Air are expanding their networks. Alaska is adding more transcontinental flights and destinations beyond mainland borders. Known as a technology innovator, Alaska will become an all-Boeing 737 airline next year. Horizon is expanding with CRJ700 and Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Articles begin on p. 60. George Hall/Clay Lacy photo.
Most of the participants in the FAA reauthorization debate say they favor a system in which the users of the services will pay fairly for what they receive. However, the rhetoric and political posturing by these participants suggest otherwise.
After a 17-month proceeding that amassed 15,000 docket filings, including a tentative denial that led to substantial changes in its application, Virgin America won certification as a U.S. airline. The U.S. Transportation Dept. accepted the applicant's concessions to separate the U.S. carrier from control of the U.K.-based Virgin Group, which operates Virgin Atlantic, and it dismissed a last-ditch objection from the Assn. of Flight Attendants-CWA as a rehash of previous filings in the case.
Bental Industries has developed the B-020, a micro and mini unmanned aerial vehicle propulsion system, weighing in at 450 grams. The system, which includes the driver in its weight, is designed for UAVs up to 8 kg. and delivers 1 kw. The B-020 is sealed to operate in harsh environments and can be integrated within a UAV. The Israeli company also produces the 56-gram B-013 UAV Propulsion Motor and the 1.4-kg. B-047-017 system.
A Swiss-led group is building a solar-powered aircraft that would be the first manned air vehicle capable of sustaining night flight. The project, dubbed SolarImpulse, is intended to optimize key technologies involved in solar flight, including photovoltaic cells, lithium batteries, propulsion and materials. It could also help stimulate work on ultralight long-endurance aircraft, from which Europe has been largely absent.
Delta Air Lines, as part of its ongoing international expansion, on May 21 launched nonstop Atlanta-Vienna service. The Boeing 767-300ERs to be operated on the route have upgraded economy- and business-class services. Delta claims to be the only U.S. carrier to offer nonstop service to the city. Meanwhile, Austrian Airlines and charter JetAlliance have launched a new service, Austrian Business Jet, aimed at premium business-class passengers.
Lockheed Martin is trying to keep its cruise missile efforts alive with in-house and government-funded development efforts, despite setbacks that risk the cancellation of its premier stand-off program, the U.S. Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missile (Jassm). The company has suffered numerous test problems with Jassm that now put the program in jeopardy. Cost performance has also been poor.
U.S. airlines are already maneuvering to take advantage of a new international aviation agreement that will double the number of flights allowed to China within five years. But while all the airlines that fly--or want to fly--to China will eventually benefit from the deal, most will have to wait until 2009 to increase service in this popular yet highly restricted market.
Alaska's empathetic, smiling Eskimo is on the move. This featured character of Alaska Airlines, a tail logo, is being seen in more places than on the frozen tundra. The airline, in its 75th year, is expanding in the transcontinental market, and management is reviewing deeper penetration across the U.S. mainland border either to Hawaii or to Central America.
Plans by Safran to split its Sagem defense and security business into separate legal entities are likely to revive rumors that the troubled unit is headed for a total or partial spinoff.
The global boom in business aviation is driving increasing traffic to the annual European Business Aviation Conference and Exposition (Ebace) in Geneva. With non-U.S. markets of increasing importance for the sector in general and travel to the U.S. viewed as burdensome for key Middle East buyers, manufacturers view Ebace as an increasingly important place to do business, even in relation to the larger, U.S.-based National Business Aviation Assn. exhibition in October. The numbers reflect that. For the first time, Ebace topped 10,000 attendees.
MARKET FOCUS Northwest Airlines readies for bankruptcy exit 16 NEWS BREAKS Astrium's Automated Vehicle testing on target 23 MBDA performs high-altitude Meteor rocket ramjet missile firing tests 24 Chino (Calif.) Air Museum holds 50th anniversary air show 24 Skybus Airlines one of the latest to institute fees for almost everything 26 Global boom in business aviation brought record crowds to Ebace 30 WORLD NEWS & ANALYSIS
The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority has decided to expand the use of Secondary Surveillance Radar Mode S (Selective), but to roll the system out more gradually than originally planned. This will allow a variety of aircraft users to collaborate on the implementation without having to extend the reach of controlled airspace on a large scale. The CAA is responding to 3,000 replies to a regulatory impact assessment. The new measure provides a four-year transition during which upgrades to existing transponders can be completed starting on Mar. 31, 2008.
E. Roberts (Bob) Wood (see photo), professor emeritus at the Naval Postgraduate School, and Michael D. Blake (see photo), executive vice president-programs at Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., have been named honorary fellows of the Alexandria, Va.-based American Helicopter Society International. Winners of the AHS Technical Fellow Award were: Maj. Gen. Anthony P. Fraser, head of the Australian Helicopter Systems Office for Australia Army Aviation; J. Gordon Leishman, Minta Martin Professor of Engineering at the University of Maryland; T.
The U.K. Defense Ministry is using software tools that model the engagement envelope of man-portable surface-to-air missiles to try to reduce the threat from such systems. The Royal Air Force Regiment, which is providing force protection for the airfields at Basra, Iraq, and Kandahar, Afghanistan, has bought the Surface-to-Air Missile Position Ranking and Analysis System.
