China continues to be a backstop for Asian carriers fighting recession in the U.S. and elsewhere in the region. Korean Air will increase its seating capacity on Chinese routes by 20% with the addition of six new flights, bringing the total to 51 passenger and cargo flights per week. Last year, Korean Air carried 674,000 passengers on 32 flights between the two countries, a 38% increase over 1999. It expects to carry about 800,000 this year.
Hispasat is negotiating to sell a 5% minority holding to EADS/CASA and other Spanish firms. Eutelsat, in the process of acquiring a 21.15% stake in Hispasat, has an option for an additional 8%, but some of this could be sold to other entities provided they are not Eutelsat competitors. A decision is expected by late December. The Spanish operator also said it had completed an agreement to lease C-band capacity on a new Amazonas satellite, to be built and operated with Telemar of Brazil and Eutelsat.
Although many of their activities are classified, there is little doubt the U.S. and allied military space complexes are providing vital support to Enduring Freedom operations in Afghanistan, as well as to domestic antiterrorism efforts.
Boeing's $3.85-billion purchase of the former Hughes Space and Communications was aimed more at tapping the company's expertise in space-based communications than it was at getting into the satellite manufacturing business. Boeing officials are quick to add, however, that they plan to keep Boeing Satellite Systems (BSS)--with its approximately $4-billion firm order backlog of more than 36 satellites--at the forefront of the commercial and government satellite market.
Boeing's Phantom Works has completed an evaluation of a technology that could provide lighter, more efficient, cooling systems. Cool Chips plc, a subsidiary of California-based Borealis Exploration Ltd., developed a form of vacuum diode that pumps heat from one side of the chip to the other to provide localized cooling and refrigeration. The solid-state technology operates silently, without use of motors or environmentally harsh fluids. Although further development is needed, Cool Chips could carve out a place in efficient thermal management of aircraft and spacecraft.
This line of GS:V (Grinding System:Vertical) grinders provides higher grinding speeds and the capability of using advanced abrasives. The grinders are based on established vertical designs with several improvements. First, the vertical grinding spindle is fixed at 90 deg., which increases grinding rigidity and simplifies set-ups. Another improvement is the capability to incorporate high-speed spindles, up to 75,000 rpm. A range of abrasives can be used, from aluminum oxide and seeded gel to CBN and diamond.
The actors are in the wings as the conclusion of the big transatlantic-alliance drama nears. Will the U.S. and the U.K. negotiate open skies? Will American and British Airways, and United and British Midland, win antitrust immunity? The U.S. Transportation Dept. turned down as unnecessary a bid from Continental, Delta and Northwest for an oral evidentiary hearing on the alliance applications, which AA-BA had denounced as dilatory. The department itself said a hearing would have delayed its attempt to decide the immunity cases by ``early next year.'' It set Dec.
The business flying community is coping with security issues, an economic recession and the specter of skyrocketing insurance costs as it struggles to recover from the effects of terrorist attacks in September. Although business flying was crippled in the weeks after the assault on America, close cooperation between industry and government officials is leading to the easing of flight restrictions for both airplanes and helicopters, but much work remains before full access to airspace and major airports is available to general aviation.
Rather than slug it out with the FAA in an effort to restore its grounded fleet to airworthy status in the midst of an economic downturn, Emery Worldwide Airlines Dec. 5 decided to get out of the airline business altogether. Company officials say they'll continue to operate the Dayton, Ohio, cargo hub employing the same contract air carriers they have used since the company voluntarily grounded its fleet in August following a ``shut down or be shut down'' ultimatum from the FAA.
Japan's Defense Agency has named Kawasaki Heavy Industries as prime contractor to build two aircraft with significant commonality to replace two of the country's veterans, the Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion and Kawasaki C-1 troop transport. Development program costs for both aircraft are estimated at 340 billion yen ($2.7 billion), but the JDA hopes to drive 20-30 billion yen out of the program by adopting commonality in such areas as avionics and the outer central and outer horizontal wings.
Heinz-Ludger Heuberg has been appointed head of finance and human resources of Lufthansa Cargo. He succeeds Walter N. Gehl. Heuberg was chief financial officer of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg.
Lawrence A. Sala, president/CEO of Anaren, Syracuse, N.Y., is now also chairman. He succeeds Hugh A. Hair, who will continue as a director. U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. (ret.) Paul Busick has become associate FAA administrator for civil aviation security. He was the USCG deputy chief of staff for law enforcement and defense operations.
Boeing has taken a page from Lockheed Martin's book with the establishment of Boeing Launch Services (BLS), a wholly owned subsidiary which appears to mirror the operations of competitor International Launch Services (ILS). Both ILS and BLS offer a new family of U.S. expendable launch vehicles as well as boosters with origins in the former Soviet Union. But while BLS focuses only on sales and marketing, ILS responsibilities include the management of launch services as well as sales functions.
Gerald Frielinghaus has been named head of production at Lufthansa Technik's aircraft overhaul and modification facility in Hamburg, Germany. He succeeds Norbert Marx, who is now CEO of subsidiary Composite International.
An American Airlines Airbus A300-600R started ``fishtailing'' after takeoff on Nov. 28 from Lima, Peru, barely two weeks after the carrier's Flight 587 crashed while departing New York JFK International Airport, with large rudder motions on that A300-600R a part of the scenario.
The U.S. Transportation Dept. approved much of what the biggest U.S. airlines wanted regarding temporary waivers of dormancy standards for limited-entry international route authority (AW&ST Nov. 19, p. 63), but what it didn't go along with will prompt a flurry of paperwork in February and March. Carriers taking down capacity in reaction to the Sept. 11 attacks will be able to suspend service on such routes through Mar. 31 without losing their rights to them. The airlines had asked for relief through June 30, but the department noted that Mar.
Three U.S. and six Afghan anti-Taliban fighters were killed and 19 U.S. and 18 Afghan troops were wounded when a 2,000-lb. Joint Direct Attack Munition, dropped from high altitude by a B-52, hit about 100 yd. from their position. The incident is being investigated by Central Command officials. It could have resulted for a number of reasons, according to industry experts. High mountains can mask GPS navigation signals causing the weapon to stop correcting its flight.
The dataMate business unit of this company has brought out what it says is the industry's first program-as-need electronic lock, also known as a ``software lock.'' The device consists of a DB9 connector with an EEPROM housed in a overmolded case. Programmable by either the OEM or by dataMate, the electronic key can be used to enable software features, store electronic signatures, and provide such data as when a piece of equipment was made, its serial number or its original configuration settings.
Palestinian presidential guards inspect a Mil Mi-8 used by Palestinian Authority leader Yasir Arafat, in a Gaza City hangar damaged by Israeli forces early last week in retaliation for terrorist bombings. Seeking to strike key symbols of Palestinian autonomy, the Israelis attacked aviation facilities. Apache helicopters fired missiles at Arafat's heliport, while tanks and bulldozers launched an incursion to Gaza's international airport to tear up the runway.
Qualcomm Inc. has jumped on the satellite flight data bandwagon, proposing a system based on the Globalstar constellation of 48 low-Earth-orbit spacecraft to deliver flight and other data from aircraft to the ground. Its Globalstar Aviation Safety Communications System would transmit flight and voice recorder data in real time, and could provide video monitoring of cockpits and cabins. Air marshals also could use the system to communicate with their base, Qualcomm says.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, eager to expand his role in Central Asia, has offered to enhance ``nuclear cooperation'' with India, including offering it a limited ``missile shield.'' The offer came last month during a visit to Moscow by Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and follows on pledges that Putin made to Vajpayee during a visit to New Delhi in October to sell India more than 300 T-90 tanks, antitank guided missiles and kits of 140 Sukhoi Su-30 KI fighters for assembly in India.
Five top officials of their nations' International Space Station programs have received the 2001 Prince of Asturias Foundation Award for International Cooperation. The recipients are: W. Michael Hawes, deputy associate administrator for the space station with the NASA Office of Space Flight; Antonio Rodota, director-general of the European Space Agency; William (Mac) Evans, president of the Canadian Space Agency; Yuri N.
In a rare move, the National Transportation Safety Board recently dismissed a member of a technical panel investigating the January 2000 crash of Alaska Airlines Flight 261. In a letter signed by John C. Clark, director of the Office of Aviation Safety, to Alaska Airlines' director of flight safety, Capt. Terry Clark, the NTSB said: ``We are withdrawing the invitation for Mr. Eiji Sugi to serve as a member of the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 Lubricating Grease Investigation Group, chaired by Dr. Joseph Kolly.''
