Bell Helicopter Textron will essentially stop work on the BA609 civil tiltrotor program until flight tests of the military V-22 prove that tiltrotor technology is safe, and lay a foundation for introduction of a commercial version.
As in past years, the FAA projects steady increases in average seats per commercial aircraft during the coming decade, and many aviation industry executives can't figure out why. In its 2002 forecast (AW&ST Mar. 18, p. 44), the agency sees an increase to 146 in 2013 from about 136 seats per airplane this year, even as the regional jet fleet increases to 2,900 from about 700. The buildup will be in aircraft with 40-70 seats.
Giovanni Bisignani, former CEO of Alitalia and now CEO of Opodo, the airline-owned European travel Web site, was appointed International Air Transport Assn. director general and CEO by the IATA board of directors. The appointment is subject to confirmation at the IATA annual general meeting on June 3-4 in Shanghai. Bisignani will succeeds Pierre Jeanniot, who is retiring.
Jake Warren has been named vice president-sales and marketing for the Western U.S. for Qatar Airways. Three other vice presidents-sales and marketing have been appointed: Joe Luciano, Central U.S.; Ed Hunter, Eastern U.S.; and Janet Rivers, Canada.
U.S. domestic airfares tabulated by the Air Transport Assn. rallied slightly in February. Average first- and business-class fares were 11.4% less than those of February 2001, and coach fares were down 14.3%. Both of these year-over-year shortfalls remain substantial but are the lowest since last August and the almost continuous post-Sept. 11 fare sales. Average international fares were down 12.4%, less than the December-January drop but more than that of September-November.
Harris Belman has become vice president-homeland security for BAE Systems North America, Rockville, Md. He was vice president-business development for the company's Information and Electronic Systems Integration Sector.
NASA's financial management systems grew creaky under former Administrator Daniel S. Goldin, and consensus in the federal accounting community is that that situation contributed mightily to the $4.8-billion shortfall in the International Space Station program. With each field center using home-grown methods to track the taxpayers' money, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) couldn't get enough documentation to issue an opinion on the agency's books for Fiscal 2001, its first year as NASA's auditor. That never bothered NASA's old auditor, Arthur Andersen, leading Rep.
Fairchild Dornier has rolled out its 70-seat 728 regional jet, but has delayed the maiden flight from May until at least mid-year. Certification is expected 11-14 months after the first flight, according to Chief Operating Officer John Wolf. The first 728-100 was scheduled to be delivered to Lufthansa CityLine in early summer 2003 but will enter service in the fourth quarter. Wolf said the delay resulted from changes in wiring and secondary structure. In the meantime, the company's quest for an industrial partner and additional investors has become increasingly urgent.
Helicopter pioneer Frank N. Piasecki, who flew his first rotorcraft in 1943, has received the Helicopter Foundation International's Hall of Fame Award and honorary life membership in the Helicopter Assn. International.
Robert Sadler has been named director of marketing and licensor relations and Syed Husain director of quality for Ontic Engineering and Manufacturing Inc., Chatsworth, Calif.
Robert M. Hanisee and Robert J. Hermann have been appointed to the board of directors of the Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va. Hanisee is managing director/chief investment officer of the Private Client Group at Trust Co. of the West in Los Angeles. Hermann is a senior partner of Global Technology Partners of Boston.
Chris Bade has become president of Raytheon Commercial Infrared of Dallas. He was vice president-operations for RCI parent Raytheon Commercial Electronic.
Carl A. Nardell has been appointed CEO and Peter Tchoryk executive vice president of the Michigan Aerospace Corp. of Ann Arbor. Nardell, who was vice president/chief engineer, succeeds Lennard A. Fisk, who is now chairman. Tchoryk was director of business development.
The Pentagon is facing growing costs from the war against terrorism ranging from paying allies for their assistance to pronounced equipment shortages in areas outside the direct combat zone. The most immediate of these bills comes in the form of the Fiscal 2002 supplemental budget request, which is expected to total about $27.1 billion. The Pentagon's portion of the mid-year spending add-on would be nearly $14 billion and should pay for fuel, ammunition and other war costs.
Japan's Fair Trade Commission has called a halt to the planned integration of Japan Airlines and Japan Air System, saying the proposed company would gain an unfair competitive advantage that eventually would harm consumers.
Six months after the horror of Sept. 11, it is worthwhile to look at what happened in the months after the bombings of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland and UTA Flight 772 over Africa in 1988 and 1989, respectively, and the explosion of TWA Flight 800 off Long Island, N.Y., in 1996. Presidential commissions were formed and legislation was passed. Support for improving aviation security was high, but interest waned over time, and resources were reduced or diverted to higher-profile programs. This is an important lesson for us now.
Pat Roche has been named commercial director of London Stansted-based Volga-DneprUK. He was director of sales and international development for Menzies World Cargo.
Like mountain climbers making their final ascent, U.S. airlines are trying to complete their years-long campaign against the operating cost they think they have the most control over--travel agent commissions. Delta Air Lines acted first, on Mar. 14, and American, Continental, Northwest and United followed by the middle of last week. All four carriers eliminated ``base'' commissions, the per-ticket amounts airlines pay travel agents, for tickets sold by agents in the U.S., including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada.
Field Aviation will modify three Bombardier CL604 Challenger jets as Multi-Mission Aircraft equipped with airborne surveillance sensors for the Royal Danish Air Force. The aircraft will fly maritime missions in Europe and Greenland, as well as search and rescue, ice reconnaissance and VIP transport. Toronto-based Field Aviation is a major maintenance/modification facility.
Marilyn Ellis has been named station manager for Southwest Airlines at Tampa (Fla.) International Airport and Mike Hunter as Southeast U.S. regional director. Ellis was Tampa Bay regional director. Hunter was senior director for ground operations at Southwest's headquarters.
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is shifting to a single-class structure for domestic and regional short-haul routes, with elements of the scheme also being considered for introduction into its wider European network. As of June 1, SAS will introduce Scandinavian Direct, which will see fares cut by up to 30% compared with present business-class prices. The airline, however, says it is not attempting to adopt a no-frills approach, with business passengers remaining its focus.
Upgrade programs aimed at improving the durability and longevity of General Electric's fielded large commercial aviation gas turbines is gaining importance at the company as its installed engine base climbs from 10,000 powerplants today to more than 25,000 over the next 6-10 years.
THREE COMMERCIAL DIGITAL AUDIO RADIO SERVICE (DARS) systems are broadcasting radio from satellites, primarily for automobile use. With more on the way, the Defense Dept. is considering possible applications. Sirius and XM Satellite Radio are on the air in the continental U.S., while WorldSpace Corp. covers most of the world except North America. The military is considering DARS for troop morale overseas; has tested satellite weather service to aircraft; and is investigating the efficacy of broadcast psychological warfare messages.
Spaceflight leader George E. Mueller, who is now CEO of the Kistler Aerospace Corp., Kirkland, Wash., has received the 2002 Rotary National Award for Space Achievement. He is a former head of the NASA Manned Space Flight Program; leader of the Gemini, Apollo/Saturn and other related programs; originator of Skylab; and author of ``An Integrated Program of Space Utilization and Exploration.'' Mueller later was senior vice president of the General Dynamics Corp. and chairman/president of the System Development Corp.
