RC-135 signals intelligence and network attack aircraft operating as the 763rd expeditionary reconnaissance squadron (aka the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, Neb.) have won the distinction of being the first aircraft to have been deployed continuously for 6,000 days. They were first deployed to the Iraq theater on Aug. 9, 1990. Upgraded, re-engined aircraft now carry a crew of 34 along with 40 tons of electronics equipment.
Airbus reached the 5,000-order mark for its A320 family, when Spirit Airlines in December signed up to buy 30 A319s. The market for the aircraft remains strong, and Airbus is mulling a production rate hike to 40 per month to satisfy demand.
Jane Hemberger has been appointed federal security director at Dane County Regional Airport, Madison, Wis. She was acting director and has been assistant FSD for regulatory compliance.
Judd Gambill, who is business development manager for Honeywell Defense and Space Logistics Services, has received the Leonard Ross Memorial Award for outstanding service from the AIA's Product Support Committee. He was cited for work on AIA initiatives including government-industry provisioning, safety critical parts and military service support.
Exostar, the aerospace supply chain collaboration infotech firm, said it handled 10 million transactions totaling more than $35 billion in goods/services last year, a 53% jump over 2005. The year's accomplishments included adding 11,000 trading partners to its network, which numbers 34,000.
Engine maker ITP has sold its Engineering Services and Design Technology, a specialist in aircraft system design, to the Mazel Group and the Spanish region of Castilla y Leon.
About halfway through Lee Ann Tegtmeier's article "Retooling Maintenance Lessons" (AW&ST Dec. 4, 2006, p. 50), the question is asked: What can we do to attract aviation mechanics and give them the training and tools they need to do their jobs in a competent way? The aviation maintenance field has been devastated by airline mismanagement. At United and other airlines, the maintenance divisions have been devastated by layoffs, loss of pay, lies about our promised pensions, bankruptcies and outsourcing of most of the inhouse aircraft maintenance.
Japan has tentatively decided to scrap its Lunar-A lunar penetrator/orbiter mission, although a final decision isn't expected until next month. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials say it has taken so long to develop the seismic probes, that the orbiter built 10 years ago is no longer flightworthy and not worth the expense of repairs. JAXA still plans to launch its Selene lunar mission--a main lunar orbiter and smaller satellites for gravity measurements and data relay--on an H-IIA later this year.
A Dutch court has effectively prolonged the standoff between Stork and shareholders Centaurus and Paulson over the company's future. Stork wants to remain a conglomerate, while the shareholders are pushing a focus on aerospace.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has signed a letter of intent with Rolls-Royce to provide maintenance for Trent 800 engines that power the carrier's fleet of 58 Boeing 777s. The repair and overhaul work would be done by Singapore Aero Engine Services Ltd. (Saesl), with Rolls performing off-wing maintenance and spare engine support. Saesl, which is owned jointly by SIA Engineering Co., Rolls and Hong Kong Aero Engine Services, has overhauled 500 Trent engines in the past five years.
The FAA has proposed an airworthiness directive that would require operators of General Electric CF34-10E engines to remove the main fuel pumps (P/Ns 2043M12P03 and P04) from service and install, by Apr. 30, a newly designed pump (P/N 2043M12P05) with a "more robust" fuel inlet strainer. The move is aimed at preventing inflight shutdowns caused by MFP malfunctions, and follows GE's determination that fuel strainer failure is caused by a strainer design problem.
While Midwest Airlines is in a quiet period mulling AirTran Holdings' takeover bid, a grassroots uprising is fighting to keep Midwest the "homegrown independent airline." Organizer Art Suarez says the effort is not anti-takeovers; rather, it's an opportunity for people to be "participants in their economic destiny" and fight for something good, the continued existence of Midwest.
Look for Japan and the U.S. to establish by September a strategic planning office in charge of drawing up medium- and long-range defense policies, now that Japan has upgraded its Defense Agency to a full-fledged government ministry (AW&ST Jan. 15, p. 409). Post-World War II pacifism overcame the idea of a ministry for 40 years, and the agency was run as a subordinate part of the cabinet with a budget that went through the prime minister's office instead of being submitted directly to the finance ministry.
This month Bell Helicopter Textron's Model 206 series celebrates 40 years in service. The single-engine, turbine-powered 206A helicopter was introduced in January 1967, and more than 4,800 206B JetRangers and 1,700 of the larger 206L LongRangers have been built. Bell has developed five generations of the Model 206 and is currently producing the 206B-3 JetRanger III at its facilities in Mirabel, Canada. The JetRanger fleet has accumulated more than 55 million flight hours in commercial and military service.
Thai Airways International will scrap ultra-long-haul Airbus A340-500 services to the U.S. as part of a route revamp that could also see it yield ground in Australia to rapidly expanding Emirates. The economic failure of the polar services to Los Angeles and New York casts renewed doubt over the attractiveness of the special A340 and Boeing 777 versions that can fly farther than other commercial aircraft but with fewer seats and correspondingly higher operating costs.
Bernhard Conrad has been appointed chief technology officer of Lufthansa Technik while continuing as senior vice president-design organization and innovation. Hans Schmitz has become senior vice president-VIP and executive jet solutions.
MARKET FOCUS Lower fuel prices, high load factors boost WestJet stock value 10 NEWS BREAKS EADS CASA delivers first HC-144A multi- mission transport to USCG 16 Italy is expected to join other countries in F-35 MOU by Jan. 31 18 South Korea likely to buy another 20 Boeing F-15K fighters 18 Cabin design for Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental takes shape 19 Italy awards Alcatel Alenia Space a con- tract to complete Sicral 1b milsatcom 20
British Royal Marines used two AgustaWestland WAH-64 attack helicopters as combat taxis in an attempt to rescue a colleague who had been shot during an operation in Afghanistan last week. Four marines were strapped to the stub-wings of two WAH-64s, two on each helicopter, while a third WAH-64 provided top cover.
I appreciated your editorial "Six Issues That Demand Action" and in particular the observation regarding NASA's plan to return to the Moon by 2020, which said the plan requires that NASA "move quickly, decisively and skillfully to develop the needed capabilities and identify those that would be best left to other nations." How timely, and how perspicacious of the editorial staff.
The U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) is upgrading the imaging system of the large Hypervelocity Ballistic Range G facility with a special laser. The facility uses a two-stage, light-gas gun system to launch high-fidelity missile simulations at hypervelocity speeds while minimizing acceleration loads. The laser, which will assess the condition of a projectile during a specific stage of flight, incorporates a neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser, a compact power supply, high-resolution digital camera and supporting hardware.
Field Aviation of Toronto has developed a cargo-door modification for the Bombardier Dash 8 that builds on the company's extensive experience upgrading this aircraft model. The new door, which can be operated in flight, is suitable for use on the types of special mission Dash 8s that Field has supplied to various customers in Europe and Asia. The door could be used by military parachutists and for cargo air drops, as well as by smoke jumpers to fight forest fires. And maritime patrol aircraft could drop life rafts to people in the water.
Wood Dale, Ill.-based AAR has acquired almost all of the assets of Reebaire Aircraft Inc., a regional maintenance, repair and overhaul provider in Hot Springs, Ark. AAR officials say the acquisition will help AAR double its regional airline MRO business as well as expand its supply-chain operations. The new subsidiary will operate as AAR Aircraft Services at its current location.
EADS may ask shareholders to approve of a capital increase to bolster its balance sheet, according to Chief Financial Officer Hans-Peter Ring. A decision would likely be made in early April, ahead of the annual general assembly. The capital increase was the subject of internal debates among the shareholders late last year, when subsidiary Airbus asked for approval of the A350 launch. Sources close to the company said one way around a possible shareholder clash would be a capital increase in which none of the main shareholders participates.
Perhaps one answer to the question-- "Why do people go to school for two years to become an aviation mechanic and then go to work at the local Chevrolet garage rather than work in aviation?"--is in the following letter to the editor in your Mar. 11, 1992, issue.
