Recaro Aircraft Seating will establish a U.S. subsidiary in Fort Worth. The German manufacturer recently concluded a $100-million contract with American Airlines to supply economy-class seats.
Jennifer Whitlow has been appointed corporate public relations manager of the Cessna Aircraft Co., Wichita, Kan. She was marketing communications manager for Cessna single engine aircraft.
The U.K. government's decision last week to launch a review of competition at British airports could mean problems for airport operator BAA. The company runs seven of the U.K.'s major airports, including the London trio of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted.
As Cathay Pacific reels from its first loss, other major Asian airlines are struggling to find fresh sources of capital, privatize themselves or reduce overhead. Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is proceeding slowly with the sale of equity stakes in two of its operating units. Boeing is to buy its technical training and flight simulator departments, and the Memphis Group is negotiating to buy its materials management department, which manages spares and components.
Kerry Larson has become vice president-people development, Dennis James general counsel and Sami Hinedi vice president-systems, all of Teledesic, Kirkland, Wash. Hinedi was director of communications systems for Teledesic, and Larson held the same post at AT&T Wireless Services. James was vice president/ general counsel of the Caroline Hunt Trust Estate.
Qatar Airways has agreed to lease four 144-seat Airbus A320s powered by International Aero Engines V2500 turbofans from Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprises. The aircraft will be operated on Qatar's regional routes.
J. Leland (Lee) Atwood, whose engineering achievements and contributions as an executive with North American Aviation and its descendant companies helped shape the U.S. aerospace industry, died on Mar. 5. He was 94. Atwood was involved in the design phase of such landmark programs as the P-51 Mustang, T-6 trainer, F-86 Sabre Jet, F-100 Super Sabre, B-25 Mitchell bomber, XB-70, Apollo and Saturn second stage. Even as an executive later in his career, he remained an engineer at heart, steering overall development of the X-15, B-1 bomber and space shuttle.
Andy Elson and Colin Prescot failed in their attempt to be the first to circumnavigate the world nonstop in a hot air balloon, but the British crew set a record for the longest flight in the Earth's atmosphere-- 426 hr. 25 min. The previous record was 233 hr. 55 min. The team, sponsored by Cable&Wireless, traveled 12,200 mi. before bad weather forced them to land in the Pacific Ocean 50 mi. southwest of Tokyo on Mar. 7.
An article in the Feb. 22 issue incorrectly reported that Raytheon delivered fewer business aircraft in 1998 than in 1997. Deliveries increased to 215 from 192.
And, while other airlines are digging in for an expected slump, Lufthansa is planning to increase seat capacity to meet growing demand. Officials indicated at the ITB tourist convention in Berlin that Lufthansa would boost capacity by 13% this year to compensate for relatively low capacity increases in past years (seat capacity grew an average of 5.3% in 1995-98, compared to 7-9% for main European competitors) and strong traffic growth.
Phil Wright has become vice president-sales and marketing of Newco Aviation Services, Punta Gorda, Fla. He was director of sales for L-3 Communications' Aviation Recorder.
The reason electronic jamming aircraft will remain important to the U.S. military is the rapid spread and modernization worldwide of air defense weapons. U.S. Navy officials say their forces now routinely operate within visual or radar range of potentially hostile air defenses. Therefore, the importance of locating and interpreting electronic signals in the field is also increasing.
Donna Whitt has been promoted to senior vice president-finance and operations/chief financial officer of the Arlington, Va.-based Electronic Industries Alliance from vice president-administration and finance of the affiliate Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Assn.
With a bipartisan chorus of criticism, Congress has served notice on the U.S. airline industry that it faces massive legislative intervention unless it ``cleans up its act'' in the handling and treatment of passengers. Key lawmakers sounded warning after warning last week that commercial aviation has become arrogant and callous in its attitude to consumer relations, alienating diverse sectors of the flying public, from CEOs and unaccompanied minors to business groups, the disabled and members of Congress themselves.
Herm Reininga, vice president-operations of Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has won the 1998 Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award from the Assn. for Manufacturing Technology. He was cited for leadership in using commercial manufacturing technology in defense systems and his involvement in manufacturing policies, issues and processes for government and industry.
U.S. fliers are well into their second month of attacks on Iraqi air defenses. They are engaged in a low-intensity war that makes some of its greatest demands on three small squadrons of electronic warfare crews and aircraft. No mission penetrates Iraqi air space without support from EA-6Bs flown by U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps crews. But even though these are the only U.S. aircraft and crews dedicated to jamming enemy radars, a circumstance that calls for husbanding these key resources, they face an unusually tough decade.
Star Alliance members are beginning to wield their joint buying power. The global alliance, which includes United Airlines, Lufthansa German Airlines, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Ansett Australia, Scandanavian Airlines System, Thai Airways International and Varig S.A., has formed a joint aircraft purchasing committee to coordinate upcoming new transport requirements, according to Dietmar Kirchner, senior vice president of corporate purchasing and properties for Lufthansa.
Avcorp Industries Inc. of Vancouver, British Columbia, has moved to a new $25-million state-of-the art manufacturing facility with more than double the floor space of its previous complex. The new facility is purpose-designed to support lean manufacturing techniques and production flow, according to Dale Hunt, vice president of marketing and business development. The company designs, fabricates, assembles and supports sheet metal, machined and composite primary aircraft structures.
