CASA of Spain has been selected by Airbus Military Co. as the final assembly site for the A400M military transport, formerly called the Future Large Aircraft. AMC has placed formal proposals with seven European countries, which have a total requirement for 288 new airlifters (AW&ST Feb. 15, p. 32). Decisions are expected to start being made later this year, and if enough commitments are received AMC will launch the program next year.
Also, Stanley Hiller, Jr., founder of the Hiller Aviation Museum, San Carlos, Calif., for leadership in helicopter development with great value to human life, safety and quality; Howard S. Jones, Jr., retired chief of microwave research at Harry Diamond Laboratories, Adelphi, Md., for the invention and development of antennas and microwave components for missiles and spacecraft; and Martin M. Mikulas, Jr., professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Colorado, for contributions to the development of advanced structural concepts.
The Allied Pilots Assn., which represents more than 9,000 pilots at American Airlines, said last week it will oppose attempts by the airline to increase its interest in struggling Canadian Airlines Corp. American already has a 25% voting stake in the carrier. In a bid for new equity, Canadian is considering a request that the Canadian government relax its limitations on foreign ownership, which is restricted by law to not more than 25%. Anticipating such a move, the APA president, Capt.
John H. Mullan has become vice president/secretary of the Northrop Grumman Corp. of Los Angeles. He had been acting secretary/senior corporate counsel.
Weighty strategic issues confront the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as it expands eastward on its 50th anniversary. They encompass Europe's struggle for a military identity of its own, the clamor of additional countries for NATO membership, challenges to transatlantic industrial cooperation and the continent's willingness--or lack of it--to follow the U.S. lead in upping defense expenditures after a long retrenchment.
Air Force futurists also fault Boeing for not being more aggressive in research on a new bomber to replace the odd-ball mix of B-52s, B-1s and B-2s. There is a corporate rationale for Boeing's strategy. ``There doesn't appear to be a new bomber on the near- or mid-term horizon,'' Sears said. In the meantime, he says, there will be massive technological and operational changes. Unmanned combat air vehicle and space-based systems are ``going to have a major impact on how we do those missions.
With carriers around the world scrambling to join the growing web of alliances, airlines in Central Europe are finding that they have no choice but to do the same. The movement, underway for several years, is accelerating as pressure builds to sell off government holdings (AW&ST Nov. 17, 1997, p. 79).
In a dramatic turnaround in the last five years, globalization has risen from a low priority to the single most important objective among U.S. and European aerospace/defense companies. But most executives who now think it is imperative to exploit market opportunities worldwide are unsure of the most effective strategy for achieving this goal. These are two of the most notable findings to emerge from a survey of nearly 900 executives in 35 countries, by the professional services firm of Deloitte&Touche.
India's Ministry of Finance has given long-awaited approval for construction of the country's first indigenously produced aircraft carrier, with a target commissioning date of 2009. Vice Adm. Madhvendra Singh, flag officer commander-in-chief of the Western Naval Command at Bombay, said work is to begin in 2000, although the project still must be approved by the Cabinet Committee for Political Affairs.
John Purchase has become vice president of Exigent International, Melbourne, Fla. He was systems technical director for Space Systems/Loral, Palo Alto, Calif.
Simex Aircraft Tire Co. of Malaysia is nearing completion of a $200-million modernization of its aircraft tire manufacturing and retread facility near Kuala Lumpur. The total includes a $40-million dynamometer research facility. The company recently based a sales and marketing outlet, Omega Aerospace Supply Corp., in Redmond, Wash., to establish distributorships and promote expansion into the North and South American markets. Simex Aero is developing radial tires for the Boeing 737NG, 777 and the upcoming Boeing 767-400, according to OASC owner Don Ragsdale.
FAA officials plan to use backup computer systems at five Denver-area air traffic control facilities and at least one aircraft in flight to perform a large-scale test Apr. 10 of whether the systems can handle the rollover to the Year 2000 without disruption. Agency officials struggling to cleanse critical computer systems of the Y2K bug plan similar tests later this year with foreign air traffic control (ATC) organizations whose airspace abuts that controlled by the U.S.
American Airlines' losses from a pilot sickout in February will substantially surpass earlier estimates (AW&ST Feb. 22, p. 11) and are likely to range up to $225 million. As a result, earnings per share are expected to fall below analysts' revised estimates of late February.
The Asian recession has claimed a third Malaysian carrier. Transmile Air, which started up in February 1997, has ceased operations. It follows the demise of Asia Pacific Airlines and Saeaga Airlines. Transmile was operating two Boeing 737-200s on regional flights to Kuching, Labuan and Kota Kinabalu. Its loss will help national flag carrier Malaysia Airlines. The carrier, which had promoted its move to Kuala Lumpur's new airport, had to shift some flights back to the old airport. It seems passengers preferred flying with Transmile, which flew out of the old airport.
Lawrence J. Delaney been nominated to become U.S. Air Force assistant secretary for acquisition. He would succeed Arthur Money, who now oversees all Pentagon command, control, communications and intelligence programs.
Officials at startup AccessAir wrote Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater complaining of predatory pricing, hoping it might, at most, generate enough publicity to shame competitors into ending the practice. But the Des Moines, Iowa-based carrier was delighted when, within a day of the Mar. 15 letter's delivery, Transportation Dept. officials were on the phone with AccessAir's president, Roger Ferguson, looking into his charges that Northwest, TWA and Delta were using cutthroat pricing to drive it out of business.
Susan K. Howard has been appointed director of marketing for the Mercury Air Group Inc. of Los Angeles. She was international marketing manager for Avcard, Hunt Valley, Md.
