ISO 14001 certification for environmental stewardship was presented to Miami International Airport for its fuel storage facility operation. MIA is the first U.S. airport to obtain the certification. Miami-Dade Aviation Dept. developed written procedures for all operational areas that are likely to handle potential pollutants and trained its employees accordingly.
Two regional fixed/mobile satellite projects in Asia are switching their focus to fixed services in a further sign of deteriorating mobile satellite communications fortunes.
A chagrined White House switched hurriedly into high-speed denial mode after senior officials leaked word to reporters that Washington would sit still for Chinese missile modernization and an eventual resumption of nuclear testing if Beijing keeps its shirt on about missile defense. Bush spinmeister Ari Fleischer hastened to ``explain'' that although the Chinese would get the same briefing on planned missile defense tests accorded to allies and Russia, the Administration certainly would not take China's missile modernization or breach of the nuclear moratorium lying down.
The Boeing Co.'s new world headquarters opened for business in downtown Chicago last week, and a banner signed by 175 employees was suspended on the renovated building near the Chicago River. Boeing employees usually sign a banner for display on the first airplane built to launch a new model. But one tradition that is now gone is 85 years of being headquartered in Seattle. Chairman and CEO Phil Condit spoke of a new launching pad for the company, and he also signed the banner along with Illinois Gov. George Ryan and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
A small tornado dips toward the surface beyond a NASA DC-8 at the Jacksonville Naval Air Station. The aircraft, part of a multiagency fleet of planes and unmanned aerial vehicles in Florida to probe hurricanes during the 2001 storm season, was undamaged when a line of severe thunderstorms spawned the twister early on the evening of Aug. 18. NASA has detailed the flying laboratory for the fourth Convection and Moisture Experiment (Camex 4), which will combine airborne and satellite sensor data for a top-to-bottom picture of tropical storms (AW&ST Aug. 13, p. 33).
A maiden flight was completed last week in New Zealand of an adaptation of the half-century-old Fletcher/Cresco design of agricultural sprayer/light utility aircraft for that most modern of recreational activities--skydiving and sport parachuting.
The most significant improvements in satellite navigation capability since the initial GPS launch in 1978 will commence in 2003, with the scheduled launch of Lockheed Martin's first Block IIR-M satellites. For the first time, civil users will have signals broadcast on two frequencies--giving increased accuracy through the ability to correct for atmospheric errors, a capability that U.S. and allied military users have always had.
Top Russian space managers have settled a lingering dispute over who gets to use a valuable Earth-facing docking port on the International Space Station, redesigning Russia's half of the ISS to accommodate the two contenders. Both RSC Energia's Enterprise Module and the FGB-2 module under construction at the M.V. Khrunichev plant would be accommodated on Russian-side nadir ports, under a reconfiguration approved by the Russian Space Agency and its principal station contractors.
Northrop Grumman Corp. plans to reduce its workforce in Southern California by about 500 people, starting this month and continuing through July 2002. The reduction, which will involve only administrative and support personnel, is part of the company's effort to consolidate Litton operations it acquired earlier this year. No engineers or technicians will be affected by the layoffs.
Midway through the comment period on options to curb demand at New York LaGuardia Airport, the FAA is seeking ``market-based'' ideas on how to avoid congestion and delays at other airports in the longer term. Market-based measures, intended to affect airline decisions by changing their operating costs, include slot auctions, congestion pricing, peak-period surcharges, off-peak discounts and flat fees instead of charges based on aircraft weight. All are under consideration at LaGuardia, as are administrative initiatives such as regulating aircraft size.
Robert Leduc, who is executive vice president/chief operating officer of Pratt&Whitney, East Hartford, Conn., also will be president of the Large Commercial Engines business. Stephen Finger, who is president of the Military Engines business, also will be executive vice president-engineering and operations.
PerkinElmer Inc. is preparing to exit the aerospace industry by seeking a buyer for its $252-million Fluid Sciences business unit. Separately, Lockheed Martin Corp. last week closed the sale of its IMS Corp. to Affiliated Computer Services Inc. for $825 million. The transaction completed the divestiture of those business units identified by Lockheed Martin as candidates for potential sale following a comprehensive strategic review announced in 1999.
An F-22 Raptor made a precautionary landing at the U.S. Navy's Pt. Mugu, Calif., airfield on Aug. 23 after the test pilot shut down an engine inflight. The aircraft was conducting a rehearsal for an upcoming test mission off the California coast when oil loss was detected in an Airframe-Mounted Accessory Drive (Amad). Standard procedures called for shutting down the associated engine and landing when feasible. A loose fitting on an Amad oil line was repaired at Pt. Mugu, but a return flight to Edwards AFB was delayed until Aug. 28 by heavy coastal fog.
John Lenyo has become president of CAE USA. He succeeds John Pitts, who has resigned. Lenyo was vice president-marketing and business development of Reflectone.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada last week released the fourth set of safety recommendations--these focusing on material flammability standards--stemming from its ongoing probe of the Sept. 2, 1998, crash of Swissair Flight SR111 into the Atlantic Ocean off Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia.
W. Douglas Parker has been promoted to chairman/president/CEO from president/chief operating officer of America West Holdings Corp. and America West Airlines. He succeeds William A. Franke, who plans to retire.
The Boeing 707 with tail number 27,000 completed its career supporting U.S. Presidents last week as it flew its final mission with the call sign Air Force One. This is the aircraft that ferried Richard Nixon to California after his resignation. After logging more than 1 million mi. serving the White House, it will now go on display at the Ronald Reagan library in California.
John W. Bachmann of St. Louis, who is managing partner of Edward Jones and a former member of the board of directors of Trans World Airlines, and Roger T. Staubach of Dallas, chairman/CEO of The Staubach Co., have been appointed directors of the AMR Corp.
Mario Colaiacovo has become chairman, Anne Lauvergeon deputy chair and Gregoire Olivier chairman of the executive board of France-based Sagem. Jacki Brown has been named Atlanta-based director of sales for Latin America for Delta Air Lines.
The drive by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to consolidate the nation's airline industry has produced three groups of carriers so far. But a senior air transport official in Beijing says the long-term aim is to have only three major international carriers by 2006 from the current nine that CAAC backs. The goal is to increase China's clout when negotiating international traffic and landing rights and to allow the survivors to operate more profitably.
Jeanne A. Springer has become director of sales of Certified Airline Passenger Services of Las Vegas. She was Seattle and Hawaii sales manager for MLT Vacations.
