Ill-fated Alitalia's lingering agony is probably the European airline industry's most heartbreaking development since Sabena Belgian World Airlines' demise in 2001. It is like losing a long-time friend to an incurable disease.
Israel Defense Forces Brig. Gen. (ret.) Uzzi Rozzen (see photo) has become president of IAI International, Israel Aerospace Industries' American subsidiary, Arlington, Va. He succeeds Moti Bones, who has retired. Rozzen was corporate vice president-research and development and strategic planning.
Though there is no shortage of Pentagon concern about China's growing space capabilities, the Air Force's unclassified space budget doesn't reflect any accelerated work to counter the problem. The service's approach remains focused on efforts to improve its awareness of what is in space--with ground-based sensors and a modest space-based effort--as well as to understand the capabilities of potential adversaries' satellites.
Rep. Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) took over chairmanship of the House aviation subcommittee in January after Democrats won control of Congress. Costello, 57, discussed FAA reauthorization and other issues facing the panel, with AVIATION WEEK editors John M. Doyle and Adrian Schofield. Excerpts follow: AVIATION WEEK: The FAA reauthorization plans, outlined broadly in the president's Fiscal Year 2008 budget, call for a combination of user fees and taxes to pay for modernization, but haven't you questioned the need to change the funding system?
Cessna Aircraft Co. delivered 1,239 airplanes in 2006. Jack J. Pelton, chairman, president and CEO, says deliveries of Citation-series business jets increased by 307 aircraft--up more than 50 over 2005. Deliveries of single-engine, piston-powered airplanes totaled 865 units, and 67 turboprop-powered Caravans went to new owners. Pelton says the market for business jets continues to grow, with international customers accounting for 48% of total orders in 2006. He expects the company will deliver 375 Citations this year, including 40 new Citation Mustang lightweight jets.
NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate is changing its approach to maintaining the International Space Station over the long haul, now that it knows it won't have the space shuttle's unique capabilities after September 2010. But some of the new "spares philosophy" may also apply to future exploration vehicles traveling to the Moon and beyond, says William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for space ops.
Letters 6 Who's Where 8-9 Industry Outlook 11 Airline Outlook 12 In Orbit 13 News Breaks 14-18 Washington Outlook 19 Inside Business Aviation 43 A European Perspective 44 Classified 54-55 Contact Us 56 Aerospace Calendar 57
Philip LaVelle has been named vice president-sales and marketing of Cleveland-based Flight Options. He was senior vice president-sales and marketing for the Wayne-Dalton Corp.
Researchers hope to learn more about seasonal changes in the hydrocarbon rain and evaporation processes they believe shape the moon Titan, using cameras on the Cassini Saturn probe that have spotted this expected cloud of organics over Titan's north pole. The cloud, measuring about 2,400 km. (1,491 mi.) in diameter, has moved into sunlight from winter shadow, and Cassini imaged it in the visual and infrared wavelengths on Dec. 29, 2006.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary may be busy plotting the acquisition of Aer Lingus, fighting with the U.K.'s airport authority over fees, arguing with the French about labor rules and jousting with the British over environmental taxes, but none of these seem to be affecting his airline's core business from delivering strong financial results. Europe's main low-fare carrier, Ryanair is boosting its forecast of net profit to €390 million due to performance gains and lower fuel costs. Profits are up 30% on 21% growth in seat capacity, and ancillary revenue has increased 61%.
Ball Aerospace and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are trying to determine the cause of detector degradation in the critical HiRise High-Resolution Imaging System on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter that has forced managers to cut imaging operations by 50%.
Eurocontrol, NATO, military services in many nations and a variety of aerospace industry groups in Europe are pursuing greater access to civil airspace for UAVs, but one industry leader notes that these efforts are not unified.
Steven Lott has been appointed Washington-based regional director of North American communications of the International Air Transport Assn. He was deputy managing editor of AVIATION WEEK's Aviation Daily.
The FAA's expanded National Air Tour Safety Standards will require air tour operators to meet tighter safety requirements, which include providing enhanced passenger briefings before takeoff.
Lt. Gen John G. Castellaw, the Marine Corps deputy commandant for aviation and a self-described country guy from Crockett County, Tenn., sums up President Bush's $716.5- billion military spending plan in plain language. "There's a lot of bucks in there," he told a New York audience of investors. "But when you think about what we need to do, somehow it's never enough."
Harris Corp., a Florida-based infotech company, received a three-year, $66-million U.S. Navy contract for preproduction and test of the K u-band common data link Hawklink system for the MH-60R light airborne multi-purpose system helicopter.
MARKET FOCUS Aerospace executives like Bush's defense budget, but are wary of Congress 10 NEWS BREAKS Sea Launch's platform and mother ship returning to their home base 14 Ball, JPL trying to determine cause of detector degradation in Mars orbiter 15 Airbus unions drawing battle lines before unveiling of cost-cutting plans 15 Fare and load factor hikes improve fortunes of Big Seven U.S. airlines 16 Obituary for Southwest Airlines co-founder M. Lamar Muse 16
The White House approved creation of a unified combatant command for Africa in the Defense Dept. by the end of 2008. Various numbered air forces in European Command have had the assignment for many years, and have supplied cargo aircraft and surveillance, particularly for disaster relief. However, terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda have been using Africa for training, recruiting and fund-raising for the past several years. Insurgent groups have launched attacks in Algeria, Morocco and Somalia, and threatened other countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia.
Contract discussions are nearly complete for the sale of three Boeing 787-8s and two 737-900ERs to Azerbaijan Airlines. It would become the first carrier in the former Soviet Union to operate both types of airplanes.
Civilian operators at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite-control facility at Suitland, Md., have taken over F-17, the newest Defense Meteorological Satellite Program spacecraft, for operational use worldwide. Launched Nov. 4, 2006, it was the second mission carried by a Delta IV from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., and the first use of that new booster in a direct insertion. F-17 is the second Block 5D-3 built by Lockheed Martin for DMSP and includes a number of system upgrades.
Airline entrepreneur M. Lamar Muse died Feb. 5 in Dallas of lung cancer. He was 86. Muse co-founded Southwest Airlines and served as its first president and CEO from 1970-78 before resigning. Muse was responsible for much of Southwest Airlines' innovative marketing techniques, including flight attendants wearing hot pants and the carrier's "luv" theme. LUV remains the airline's symbol on the New York Stock Exchange. He was an early advocate of deregulation and together with his son Mike, later founded Muse Air, which was eventually bought by Southwest Airlines.
Anish Patel (see photo) has become vice president-business development and strategy for Circor Aerospace Products, Corona, Calif. He was a sales executive for Honeywell and Eaton Aerospace.
