Once again, Japan's Ministry of Transport is looking for replacements for the Nihon YS-11 turboprops it uses for low- and medium-altitude navaid flight check missions. The ministry had selected the Saab 2000 and received two aircraft before the Swedish manufacturer ceased production. It operates five YS-11s so the two Saab 2000s will satisfy part of its needs. But it still must replace the three remaining aircraft. The ministry also is seeking a replacement for two Gulfstream 4 executive jets that are used for high-altitude flight checks.
A team of Russian, French and Slovak cosmonauts has begun a joint scientific mission to Mir that is likely to be the final mission for the venerable Russian orbital facility.
The European Space Agency has awarded a Kayser-Threde team a 1-million euro ($1.2-million) second-phase contract to define a tether system to return samples from the International Space Station. The system would send an orbiting capsule on a reentry trajectory by means of a 35-km. long tether. The award, which follows an 18-month feasibility study, reflects growing ISS activity at ESA. Last month, the agency awarded Alenia Aerospazio a 20-million euro ($23-million) contract to build two cupolas for the International Space Station for launch in 2003.
Rosanne O'Brien has been appointed vice president-corporate communications of the Northrop Grumman Corp. of Los Angeles. She succeeds Tony Cantafio, who has retired. O'Brien was vice president-corporate relations of Teledyne Inc.
William O. Brackney (see photo) has been named vice president/general manager of the Defensive Systems Div. of the Northrop Grumman Corp. Electronic Systems and Sensors Sector (ES3) in Baltimore. He succeeds W. Dean Baker, who will retire in April. Brackney was ES3 vice president-business operations and will be succeeded by John L. Messmore (see photo) who was vice president/controller. William C. Bodie (see photo) has become director of sector communications and James R. Stark director of marketing for Western Europe.
ABX Air Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Airborne Express, faces a possible $100,000 fine from the FAA for allegedly failing to train four cargo handlers and a supervisor on the identification and proper handling of hazardous materials.
Having redesigned its Joint Strike Fighter, Boeing is now looking at internal weight savings to address a few remaining performance shortfalls with the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) version of the multirole fighter.
THE U.S. DISPLAY CONSORTIUM has awarded a contract to a team led by Battelle Memorial Institute to develop hardcoated plastic substrates for flat panel displays. Battelle expects flexible substrates to result that will improve ruggedness of electronic displays, and could result in roll-up applications. Hardcoating is intended to give plastic the scratch and moisture-intrusion resistance of glass.
NASA could realize savings up to $1 billion per year in resupplying the International Space Station and performing other orbital missions if the agency would endorse a few commercial launch vehicles now under development, according to an industry assessment.
Delivery of the first Boeing 717-200 to AirTran Airways has been put off until September, primarily due to delays in completing flight test aircraft and the time required to certify the aircraft's optional Category 3B autoland system. The first delivery originally was to be in June, but the date moved to the right as a clearer picture emerged of the remaining flight test work to be done.
Japan's National Space Development Agency (NASDA) is studying a plan that would make manufacturers share part of the cost of launch and mission failures. In the past, NASDA has not sought compensation out of concern that it might diminish manufacturers' research and development efforts. But the space agency has had to absorb 200 billion yen ($1.75 billion) from a series of failures during the past 4 years.
Australia's remarkable airline safety record has come under scrutiny after some extraordinary allegations of capitulation to vested interests, cronyism and favoritism by the country's air safety regulators.
The first X-34 reusable test vehicle was shipped from Orbital Sciences Corp.'s factory in Virginia to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California last week. Orbital is building two more X-34 technology demonstrators.
Belgium's Barco Display Systems will acquire the Metheus Corp. of Beaverton, Ore. The purchase is expected to strengthen Barco's share in such market segments as air traffic control, command control and intelligence, and medical imaging.
Stephen E. Wilson (see photo) has been named vice president/general manager for commercial simulation and visual systems for CAE Electronics Ltd. of Montreal. He was vice president/general manager of the BFGoodrich Aerospace Test Systems Div.
Terrance M. Hebbard has become chief pilot of the Norwich, N.Y., operation of Flight Services Group Inc. He was chief pilot/captain for Miller Aviation.
GenCorp Aerojet will build a new generation of solid rocket motors for Lockheed Martin Astronautics' Atlas V pro- gram. The base contract could be worth more than $500 million over 10 years.
The first Boeing Business Jet equipped with winglets took off from Boeing Field in Seattle last week. Boeing previously used a 737-700 to check the winglets' aerodynamic performance (AW&ST June 1, 1998, p. 19). The winglets are being tested as a range-enhancement for the BBJ, which is a 737-700 fuselage combined with the strengthened wing and landing gear of the larger and heavier 737-800. Once the winglets are certificated, they will be offered as a post-delivery installation for all BBJs.
Jeffery B. Weinress has become senior vice president/chief financial officer of Exigent International, Melbourne, Fla. He was vice president/CFO of Avanir Pharmaceuticals.
Thomas P. Harper has been named manager of marketing communications and Todd A. Curtis manager of original equipment manufacturer sales for the Avidyne Corp., Lexington, Mass. Harper was manager of marketing technical services for AlliedSignal Electronic and Avionics Systems, Olathe, Kan. Curtis was director of sales and marketing for business and commuter aircraft avionics for Teledyne Controls, Bothell, Wash.
U.S. Air Force Reserve Capt. Mark S. Barker of the 459th Airlift Wing, Andrews AFB, Md., has received the 1998 Koren Kolligian, Jr., Trophy. The trophy is awarded to USAF aircrew members who minimize or avert an aircraft accident. Barker was honored for actions on Feb. 6, 1998, during his initial C-141B commander check ride. Immediately after takeoff from Travis AFB, Calif., a loadmaster on board reported there was a fire in the cargo bay.
United Technologies' proposed acquisition of Sundstrand could be the first in a series of such deals triggered by low market valuations of key suppliers, whose depressed stock prices belie the underlying strength of their businesses. UTC announced last week that it intends to acquire Sundstrand in a transaction valued at about $4.3 billion, half of which will be paid in cash and the other half in stock. With no regulatory obstacles anticipated, the deal is expected to close by mid-1999.
GPS jamming as part of a U.S.-NATO exercise concluded Friday. The Navy used the NKC-135 Big Crow aircraft to occasionally block GPS signals. At sea level, the jamming affected a 45-mi. area 150 mi. off the Atlantic coast. At 40,000 ft., the area extended 350 mi. The FAA and Coast Guard issued notices to airmen that GPS access could be impacted.
Geoffrey Bridges, chairman of Bridges Worldwide PLC, has been elected president of The International Air Cargo Assn., based in Miami. He succeeds W.R. Christ- opher Foyle, chairman of Air Foyle Ltd.
