U.S. Army officials believe the shortage of UAVs contributed to a lack of intelligence for a mission during the war in Afghanistan that resulted in the death of seven special operations personnel.
Legacy space systems and warfighter ingenuity have been vital ingredients of successful U.S. operations in the ongoing war on terrorism. But, as the enemy switches to more sophisticated methods, countering or preventing additional attacks will depend on the strength of national commitment--backed by money--to develop and integrate advanced technology into existing and future space resources.
T-50 GOLDEN EAGLE deliveries to the South Korean air force are expected to begin in 2005 from among the 100 of the advanced jet trainers that it has ordered, with deliveries to start in 2006 to other customers, according to executives of Lockheed Martin, which has borne 13% of the development cost. They said the aircraft, to be manufactured by Korean Aerospace Industries, will have a flyaway cost of $20-22 million. Lockheed Martin predicts 200 of the aircraft will be bought to replace F-5E/Fs and that there is an export potential for up to 800 T-50s.
Space radiation did a number on the first high-definition television (HDTV) camera mounted on the International Space Station, and no further experiments with the technology are planned until next year. The Sony 700A camera suffered a ``very significant amount of pixel damage'' that left spots on its recorded imagery by the end of the 128 days it remained on the ISS, according to Rodney Grubbs, chairman of NASA's Digital TV Working Group and a principal investigator for HDTV test flights.
The rising cost of jet fuel will be an added burden--but not an unbearable load--for airlines recovering from Sept. 11, according to industry analysts. Last month, spot prices of jet fuel per gal. were, as expected in the reviving global economy, inching up to Sept. 4, 2000, levels (see chart). Last week's oil boycott by Iraq threatened to drive fuel costs higher, as did labor strife that stalled oil exports from Venezuela, a major source of refined products, including jet fuel.
Seven months into his stint as director, James Clapper continues to shake up the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. Now, he wants a new name for NIMA. Clapper isn't too fond of the old name, because it treats imagery and mapping as separate products. The name is a reflection of NIMA's heritage, which was created in 1996 out of the Defense Mapping Agency, the Central Imagery Office, the Defense Dissemination Program Office and parts of the CIA's National Photographic Interpretation Center.
Alexander C. Schoch has been promoted to vice president/associate general counsel/secretary from vice president/assistant general counsel at the Goodrich Corp., Charlotte, N.C. Sally L. Geib has been promoted to vice president/associate general counsel/assistant secretary from senior counsel.
Jerry H. Cobb has become manager of training for TAC Air, Texarkana, Tex. He was supervisor of training and operations for the AMR Services Corp. at Raleigh-Durham (N.C.) International Airport.
Tom Nixon has been named director of military sales for Sensor Systems Inc., Chatsworth, Calif. He was head of mechanical designs and product development.
RAYTHEON CO.'S RAYTHEON TRAVEL AIR HAS FINALIZED a joint venture agreement to form a business with Cleveland-based fractional ownership operator Flight Options. The company will have about 200 airplanes available for clients, according to Raytheon. Flight Options holds 50.1% of the business. Raytheon Aircraft Co. is under contract to supply the company with up to 115 new business jets over the next five years. In addition to fractional ownership, charter and management companies also are expanding in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The FAA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the Sport Pilot certificate, which includes a light-sport aircraft category and new maintenance procedures. FAA officials expect to issue a final rule by year-end. The Sport Pilot initiative is aimed at making flying more accessible. Members of the Experimental Aircraft Assn. have given 768,000 young people rides in small aircraft as part of its ``Young Eagles'' program, which plans to fly 1 million children and young adults by Dec. 17, 2003--the centennial of the Wright Brothers' flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C.
An American Airlines Boeing 767 parked overnight at the company's maintenance ramp at Los Angeles International Airport rolled 60 ft., going through a chain-link fence and stopping with its nose gear 15 ft. into an employee access road. The incident happened on Apr. 10. The engine cowl was scratched but no one was injured. The initial report is that the airplane's wheels were not chocked. The 767 parking brake works by the pilot pressing the pedals and closing a valve to trap the hydraulic pressure. Boeing notes that pressure can bleed off after several hours.
Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. has posted a wider fourth-quarter net loss than Wall Street had been led to expect. Nonetheless, management indicated the company would finish rolling out its subscription radio service across the U.S. by July 1, one month ahead of schedule. The company's loss widened to $83.6 million, or $1.52 a share, from a loss of $54.1 million, or $1.28 a share, a year earlier.
Even as specifications are being clinched for a faster, higher flying UAV equipped with precision standoff weapons, the Air Force has drawn a line in the sand about arming other unmanned reconnaissance aircraft. In particular, the U.S. wants its allies and potential foes alike to know that the Global Hawk, like the U-2, will remain unarmed and nonthreatening.
The Pentagon put out the formal word last week on cost increases on several programs that have exceeded costs 25% or more, forcing the projects to be reviewed. The Marine Corps' AH-1Z and UH-1Y program costs increased 68% and the Army's CH-47F costs grew 117.9%. The V-22 managed to barely avoid the need for formal recertification to Congress with cost growth of 24.2%, just under the threshold. The Navy's MH-60S helicopter was another rotorcraft to report substantial cost increase, with 18.1% rise largely due to underestimated labor and overhead cost increases.
Since 1959, FAA regulations have forced airline pilots to retire at age 60, banning them from flying any aircraft with more than 10 passenger seats. But Robin Wilkening, writing in the March edition of Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine, slams the rule for age discrimination without any medical, scientific or safety justification. It was erroneously based on characteristics of the general population 40 years ago, he said.
Japanese carriers will adopt a tougher stance against disruptive passengers as the May 31-June 20 World Cup approaches. They have traditionally avoided hiring air marshals out of concern their presence would upset passengers and pose a danger of cabin depressurization should a firearm be discharged. Awareness of past problems created by unruly soccer fans, particularly Europeans, prompted a reversal of that policy. The Scheduled Airlines Assn. and Japanese Transport Ministry decided to assign hundreds of plainclothes police officers to domestic and international flights.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO. INTRODUCED AN UPGRADED version of its Citation X business jet at the FIDAE air show earlier this month. The airplane is powered with Rolls-Royce AE 3007C-1 engines featuring a 5% increase in thrust to 6,764 lb., and a 400-lb. boost in maximum takeoff weight to 36,100 lb. As a result, a typically equipped Citation X can carry up to seven passengers and full fuel. In addition, standard avionics installation includes a Honeywell TCAS II system and an enhanced ground proximity warning system.
Cindy Kirk has been named computer-based training sales manager for the Lindon, Utah-based Wicat Systems division of Faros. She will also continue as program manager for the portion of Faros' contract with Thales Training and Simulation and Saudi Arabian Airlines.
Boeing and Siemens Corp. have formed a team to bid for the U.S. government's requirement to install, operate and maintain a system of explosives detection devices at U.S. airports.
South Korea's plan to procure 40 next-generation combat aircraft, a $3-billion-plus deal, is rapidly deteriorating into a highly charged legal and political wrangle. Dassault Aviation executives claim the final phase of the F-X competition isn't fair and is intended to favor the rival U.S. offering submitted by Boeing. Last week, the French manufacturer filed an injunction in a Seoul court asking the government to freeze the procurement process and clarify the selection procedure.
Raytheon's second limited production system of the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (Stars) Early Display Configuration has achieved initial operational capability for the terminal radar approach control facility servicing Bradley International Airport near Hartford, Conn. This is the first step in the deployment of the full Stars system that provides new, high-resolution color displays, and an emergency back-up system to be used in conjunction with the airport's existing technology.
Long-lasting, healthy traffic growth at Paris airports is expected to resume in the second half of 2002, after the gradual lessening of the recent economic downturn and post-Sept. 11 difficulties. Not unexpectedly, the unfriendly marketplace seriously affected the demand during 2001's last quarter, ADP Paris airports authority executives said. Last year, Charles de Gaulle and Orly combined traffic decreased 3.5% to 71 million passengers, while freight moved back 1.5% to 1.7 million metric tons.
Former U.S. Sen. and astronaut John H. Glenn, Jr,. is among the six new members of the NASA Advisory Council. He joins Richard Danzig, Navy secretary from 1998-2001 and now a director of the National Semiconductor Corp. and Human Genome Sciences; Roger E. Tetrault, retired vice chairman/CEO of McDermott International and former president of General Dynamics' Electric Boat Div.; Donald C. Fraser, founder/director of the Photonics Center at Boston University and former principal deputy undersecretary of Defense for acquisition; David J.
