Universal Avionics has introduced a new suite called System-1 that is designed to improve the flow of information in an aircraft while aiding pilots' situational awareness.
Mary Ellen Genovese, who has been vice president-finance/chief accounting officer of Trimble Navigation Ltd., Sunnyvale, Calif., has been appointed acting executive vice president/chief financial officer. She succeeds Dennis R. Ing, who has resigned. Ron Hyatt has been named group vice president-precision positioning, David Hall group vice president-mobile and timing technologies, Bruce Peetz vice president-advanced technology and systems, Charles Armiger vice president-worldwide sales and Jose Briceno vice president-international business development.
Digital Multimeter Principals is a training package developed by Fluke Corp. and American Technical Publishers Inc. It includes the Digital Multimeter Principals textbook, an instructor's Resource Guide with hands-on exercises, a course outline and 42 color transparencies; Electrical Principles and Practices and Electrical/Electronic Systems textbooks, two videotapes covering digital multimeter operation and safety procedures; and a components kit for use with the exercises. Also included are a Competency Skill Checklist and a Certificate of Completion.
From India to Japan, the Asia-Pacific region is using satellite imagery to tackle problems of growing populations and dwindling resources, often in imaginative ways. Despite being walloped by their worst economic crisis in decades, Asia-Pacific nations are continuing to expand their remote-imaging capacity. The region is a prime market for North American and European satellite imagery and for foreign investment, too.
The initial countdown scrub, which postponed the planned Dec. 3 liftoff of the space shuttle Endeavour on the first International Space Station assembly mission, highlights the challenges the launch team will face as they undertake three dozen flights with the tight rendezvous launch windows required for station operations. Building to an increased shuttle launch rate for ISS with limited shuttle manpower will also be difficult, a major new NASA Headquarters report said.
The deal that was to have saved Philippine Airlines has fallen apart, and the debt-ridden carrier and its creditors must start looking for a savior once again. In a carefully worded statement, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways cited ``major differences'' on a number of critical issues that could not be resolved and said it was withdrawing an offer to take a 40% stake in the Philippine flag carrier for about $100 million (AW&ST Nov. 16, p. 48).
One of two planned burns of a Cassini spacecraft main engine during the NASA vehicle's 7-year trip to Saturn was completed successfully last week. The 90-min. firing set the spacecraft on course for a second gravity-assist flyby of Venus in June. The second main engine burn of comparable length is intended to place Cassini in orbit around Saturn when it arrives at the ringed planet in 2004.
Telephonics has received an award from The Boeing Co.for production of intercommunication control units in support of the U.S. Navy F/A-18 E/F program.
The Dash 4u is a four-channel data aquisition field recorder with universal inputs that accept isolated single-ended, differential and high voltage, thermocouples, RTDs, DC bridge and frequency-to-voltage conversions. The unit eliminates the need for signal conditioning or additional front-end filtering. The portable recorder features a 10.4-in. active matrix, color liquid crystal display monitor, two additional channels for real-time mathematics, an uninterruptable power supply, 4 gigabyte hard drive and a built-in Zip drive.
Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic Airways, has received the WAEA's Outstanding Contribution Award for his pioneering achievements in inflight entertainment.
The latest version of Free Flight moving map software includes a three-dimensional synthetic vision ``highway in the sky'' option. The ``highway'' is presented slightly below the flight plan altitude and can include airports, navaids, cities, obstructions and user waypoints. Selected runways also can be displayed. Terrain is rendered from 5-18 mi. using data points every 1,500 ft. Free Flight Inc., 975 N. Michillinda Ave., Pasadena, Calif. 91107.
DRS Technologies Inc.'s Ontario-based Flight Safety and Communications unit has received a $2.3-million award to supply emergency avionics systems for the U.K. Royal Navy's Merlin helicopter.
Scott Dandeneau, president of Peregrine Aviation Services Inc., Hackensack, N.J., has been named marketing consultant for the Airbus Corporate Jetliner.
After more than three decades of opposition, only two local farmers now oppose the expansion of Tokyo's Narita airport. Their strategically located plots are holding up construction of a badly needed second, parallel runway. However, Japan lacks eminent domain laws and must induce landowners to sell rather than seize the property outright. Both farmers are described as strong-willed and have the support of several Japanese extremist groups.
Israel Aircraft Industries' MLM Div. delivered the first operational Arrow anti-ballistic missile to the Israeli Ministry of Defense last week. The missile, which is intended for further tests but could be used operationally if necessary, will be handed over to the Israeli air force within the next few weeks. Several more missiles of the same type are to be delivered, after which the production line at MLM will be converted to manufacture fully operational missiles.
AutoSEA2 is noise and vibration analysis software that can run on a laptop computer to provide quick analysis of a design. It uses the probabalistic engineering methods of statistical energy analysis and room acoustics. The statistical approach allows for simpler model substructuring and predicts the expected mean noise and vibration behavior. These are both advantages over traditional ``deterministic'' computer-aided engineering software, according to AutoSEA2's developer. The new version also is said to be easier to use than the earlier AutoSEA1.
Stork N.V. of the Netherlands is acquiring the 42.8% share of Belgian aerospace manufacturer Societe Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aeronautiques (SABCA) formerly held by Fokker. Stork, which acquired most of Fokker's businesses when it went bankrupt in 1996, has agreed to buy the shares in SABCA from Fokker's receivers for $41.5 million. France's Dassault Group holds 52.8% of SABCA, which employs 1,500. The remaining shares are traded on the Brussels stock exchange.
VX/NCL integrates NCL Version 9.0 computer-aided manufacturing software with Varimetrix Version 8.0 3D parametric solid modeling software. NCL generates simultaneous 2 through 5-axis numerically controlled tool paths. It is suited for environments with frequent design changes and can be used to automate the manufacturing of part families. Varimetrix is a parametric three-dimensional solids and surface modeler. Numerical Control Computer Sciences, 4685 MacArthur Court, Suite 200, Newport Beach, Calif. 92660.
BTG Inc., MacAulay-Brown Inc., Ball Aerospace and Technology Group and Computer Sciences Corp. have been granted a $350-million contract to provide information warfare-related engineering ser- vices to the U.S. Air Force Information Warfare Center.
Edward J. Weiler was named associate administrator for NASA's Office of Space Science. He had been acting in the position following the departure of Wesley T. Huntress, Jr.
Antitrust enforcement agencies on both sides of the Atlantic are looking into commercial aircraft pricing practices by giants Airbus Industrie and Boeing Commercial Airplane Group to determine if there has been any collusion between them.
Two years ago, the Asia-Pacific region was expected to blossom for the satellite industry. Expectations for better telephone, broadcast and data services were growing as the region's enormous population saw its income level and business base expand. Satellites offered the best chance to leapfrog Asia's poor communications infrastructure and achieve instantaneous connections with the most modern mobile and fixed-line technology available.
