On the heels of last year's 20% growth in Asia, United Parcel Service is bringing new shipping and logistics management systems to an additional 21 of 108 Chinese cities now served by its China joint-venture partner, Sinotrans, which operates under the aegis of the China National Foreign Trade Transportation Corp. In what UPS calls a new strategic partnership, the Atlanta-based freight integrator expects to open its own offices in nine new Chinese cities by late March, including Xian, Chengdu and Shenzhen.
St. George, Utah-based SkyWest Airlines ordered 25 Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet series 200LR (Long Range) aircraft, with deliveries to start in June 2000, and took options on 25 more.
European airlines are anticipating a gradual downturn stemming from slower traffic growth and swelling capacity. In recent weeks, major carriers have made contradictory predictions regarding short-term growth. Air France executives, for example, characterized the Pacific Rim as a ``fragile region.'' Traffic between Europe and Asia remains healthy, but yields are plummeting, a negative trend linked to the recent collapse of Asian currencies.
Alitalia Chairman Fausto Cereti has been elected president of the Assn. of European Airlines for 1999. He succeeds Lufthansa German Airlines Chairman/CEO Juergen Weber.
LucasVarity PLC has agreed to an offer from TRW Inc. in which the Anglo-American automotive and aerospace supplier would be acquired for $7 billion. LucasVarity had been the target of a bid by Federal-Mogul Corp. of the U.S., which was considering upping its offer after the deal with TRW was announced late last week.
Triumph Air Repair has been awarded a $7.4-million contract by Boeing for overhaul, maintenance and repair of auxiliary power units and line replacement units on KC-10 aircraft.
Samuel R. Berger, White House national security adviser, said the President has approved requests from the military for more expansive rules of engagement. Instead of just firing small-warhead antiradar missiles to keep Iraqi radars switched off, U.S. aircrews can use 1-ton weapons like the AGM-130 to destroy communications and early warning facilities as well as radars that help guide antiaircraft missiles. ``We consider the entire central air defense system a legitimate [target] if there are violations of the no-fly zones,'' he said.
Based on findings from the Swissair Flight 111 probe, the FAA on Jan. 28 expanded a previous inspection order and now requires airlines within 60 days to check the forward section of MD-11s for damaged or improperly rigged wiring.
U.S. Navy pilots recently completed tests of a prototype Boeing ``smart cockpit'' controller aimed at automating emergency tasks for increased safety and improved mission performance. Although the exact architecture has yet to be determined, preliminary versions of a smart cockpit controller (SCC) combine and monitor 13 aircraft subsystems, according to John Vian, associate technical fellow for vehicle systems technology at Boeing's Phantom Works.
Reversing a year-earlier loss, the Boeing Co. last week reported a profit for the fourth quarter and all of 1998--albeit a pittance for a company of its size and market position. And while Wall Street welcomed the improvement, the actual amount was largely symbolic. ``It basically was a non-event,'' said Pierre Chao of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Still, the results exceeded expectations.
Western European officials have expressed skepticism about Russian claims for the ANPK MiG design bureau's 1.42 technology demonstrator, which was rolled out in public for the first time on Jan. 12 (AW&ST Jan. 25, p. 27). Several industry officials and aerospace engineers said the aircraft does not appear to be a flightworthy vehicle, although MiG officials say it will make its first flight by March. Others have questioned its stealth characteristics (AW&ST Jan. 11, p. 437).
The Japanese military is evaluating a Marconi Astronics ground support cart that combines air-conditioning, power generation and air-start capability in a single and compact wheeled unit. The CGAC system uses a quick-detach air-cycle module, designed by Aircraft Environmental Systems in Santa Barbara, Calif., that produces a 50-lb./min. airflow rate. It easily attaches to the widely used Marconi Astronics aircraft ground power unit (AGPU), according to AES President Joe Phillips. Initial units were built at TEMP in Gardena, Calif. The U.S.
The prospect of record results for 1998 appears to have dampened the ardor of DaimlerChrysler Aerospace CEO/Chairman Manfred Bischoff to find a new merger partner to replace British Aerospace, which recently decided to go to the altar with General Electric Co. of the U.K. instead of DASA (AW&ST Jan. 25, p. 30). Reports have shown a spurned DASA rushing to find solace with a new partner in France or the U.S., but the chief executive said he was in no hurry to cut a deal.
Titan Corp. has been awarded two contracts totaling $22.8 million for national defense programs.Titan signed a 5-year, $18.2-million contract with the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command to provide Electro-Optical/Infrared and Anti-Armor Threat System assessment, modification and enhancement. The other contract, for $4.6 million, extends an agreement to provide engineering development and enhancements to the National Imagery and Mapping Agency.
Allegheny Teledyne Inc. plans a major restructuring that will include the sale or spin-off of nine of its current operations. The new enterprise will comprise four former Teledyne businesses in the aerospace and electronics segment: Electronic Technologies, Brown Engineering, Continental Motors and Cast Parts. The new company will focus on markets in software and engineering systems, communication and electronics, and aircraft engines and components. Combined 1998 revenues of the businesses in the new company totaled about $800 million.
Flow International has developed a waterjet milling process that does not reduce material fatigue life or induce stress. The technique can be used to mill titanium, nickel alloys and a variety of composites, according to Mohamed Hashish, vice president of advanced applications for the Kent, Wash., company. Similar to waterjet cutting, it uses small amounts of garnet abrasive entrained in a high-pressure water stream. Advantages include elimination of toxic materials and waste associated with traditional chemical milling processes. Accuracy is within 0.002 in.
Taiwanese spacecraft ground controllers are beginning orbital checkout of Rocsat-1, Taiwan's first spacecraft, launched here Jan. 26 on a Lockheed Martin Athena I booster. The mission is a major element in a multiyear, $500-million effort to stimulate Taiwanese aerospace development. Nearly 400 Taiwanese aerospace, government and news media personnel traveled to the Cape for the launch, which occurred at 7:34 p.m. EST from Spaceport Florida's commercial pad here.
John Diebold (see photo) has become senior vice president-technical services for Signature Flight Support, Orlando, Fla. He was vice president-product support for Raytheon Aircraft, Wichita, Kan.
Inflatable space structures will have several chances to prove themselves in orbit over the next few years, and may well become an important part of both exotic and standard spacecraft design.
Advanced flywheel technology is being readied for tests on the International Space Station that, if successful, could significantly advance future space vehicle performance and payload capability and be mission-enabling for others. Potential future flywheel applications include ``high-pulse'' low- and medium-Earth-orbit communications satellite constellations such as Iridium Next, as well as space-based lasers and radars.
The Ohio Aerospace Institute will manage two projects, worth a total of $3 million, aimed at creating the next generation of aircraft brakes. The projects will bring together the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson AFB, Aircraft Braking Systems Corp., AlliedSignal Aerospace, BFGoodrich Co., Parker Hannifin Corp., NASA Lewis Research Center and Applied Sciences Inc.
A US Airways Boeing 737-200 crew declared an emergency on Jan. 15 and landed at Fort Wayne, Ind., after an unidentified irritant made some passengers sick. An FAA official said the agency was investigating whether glycol may have been absorbed into the cabin after its use at Baltimore/Washington International Airport under US Airways supervision. Passengers reported an odorless irritant and complained that it was causing sore throats. Seven passengers went to the hospital.
