A senior engineer with the Norwegian Air Force Air Material Command has joined the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency to monitor the Eurofighter program during Norway's evaluation of the aircraft, which is scheduled to be completed late in 1999. Norway is considering the Eurofighter and the Lockheed Martin F-16 (Block 50N), and a formal request for proposal will be issued in February. The Eurofighter partners have offered Norway full participation in the program, including access to Eurofighter technologies and a role in developing future upgrades.
Mongolia is transitioning to one of the world's first satellite-based overland air traffic control systems using automatic dependent surveillance (ADS) technology to monitor, communicate with, and maintain separation between aircraft.
Notwithstanding a U.S. antitrust suit challenging the takeover, Northwest Airlines has completed the purchase of a near-controlling stake in Continental Airlines. The transaction took place exactly four weeks after the Justice Dept. filed suit to block the takeover, alleging it would eliminate actual and potential competition between them, leading to higher prices and poorer services for passengers. The department did not seek an injunction barring the carriers from going forward, however.
The installation of portable defibrillators and upgraded medical kits on board American Airlines aircraft are credited with saving the lives of two passengers on Nov. 21.
The FAA has certificated a second explosives detection system for screening checked bags--the eXaminer 3DX 6000 manufactured by L-3 Communications Corp. The device joins the InVision Technologies' CTX-5000 SP/CTX-5500 DS as an FAA-certified explosives detection system for deployment by the agency at U.S. airports (AW&ST Sept. 7, p. 166).
Gene Empey has been named vice president-customer service of International Total Services of Cleveland. He was San Francisco-based vice president-Western Div.
Defense will probably get real increases over the next several years, but they shouldn't be as much as the $17-25 billion per year the Pentagon wants, according to a new report on future spending by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. As little as $5 billion could alleviate immediate problems, with a 4.4% pay raise and 25% increase in spending for aircraft modifications, researchers contend. Rethinking requirements would also cut needs.
Hong Kong's Asia Satellite Telecommunications has ordered its third HS 601 in what could be called the AsiaSat 3 series. The original, also an HS 601, was an insurance writeoff after a Proton's upper stage failed to place it in a good orbit during launch last Christmas (AW&ST Jan. 5, p. 28). As a replacement, AsiaSat ordered a second -601, Asiasat 3S. It is set for launch on a Proton in the first quarter next year and will be placed at 105.5 deg. E. Long. Last week the company announced plans to order a third HS 601 to be called AsiaSat 3SB as a backup for -3S.
Sir Richard Evans, chief executive of British Aerospace; Lord Marshall, chairman of British Airways; and Sir Michael Bishop, chairman of British Midland, were among the more than 100 British business leaders urging the U.K.'s government to join the European Monetary Union. The executives warned that not participating ``would pose a serious threat to our future prosperity.'' The government prefers to join the euro currency, which is scheduled to be launched in January, at a later date if economic conditions are appropriate.
Israel Aircraft Industries' Elta Electronics subsidary has been awarded an $80-million contract to supply tactical communications intelligence systems to the Swiss army.
A report prepared for NASA by an outside consultant recommends dropping the space shuttle fleet if a new RLV such as Lockheed Martin's VentureStar emerges from NASA's X-33 single-stage-to-orbit technology program. The report by Hawthorne, Krauss&Associates of Boston concluded that switching to a VentureStar-type vehicle for station servicing and other missions could cut NASA's annual launch costs by about two-thirds, to $825 million (see chart). That would free up $1.6 billion a year for other space endeavors.
The NASA/AeroVironment Centurion solar drone made a second successful flight on Nov. 19 using battery power, increasing its speed to 21 kt. and achieving a turn rate of 4 deg./sec. (AW&ST Nov. 16, p. 42). More aggressive pitch profiles were performed that induced several bending modes in the 206-ft.-span wing. There have been no failures in the 14-motor aircraft, and the wing spar only reached 20-25% of ultimate load during mild turbulence on the first flight. A third flight at a takeoff weight of 1,800 lb. is planned for early December, carrying a 600-lb. payload.
Aserca Airlines of Venezuela is discussing possible acquisition of the new 717 transport with Boeing. Aserca is looking into acquiring 13-15 717s as a replacement for its 11 DC-9-30 aircraft by 2003.
The General Accounting Office (GAO) is worried that limitations of the Pentagon's Milstar satellite communications system could make it difficult for military commanders to confer during a potential ballistic missile attack. In a new report, the GAO said low data rate limitations of the initial two Milstars now in orbit result in poor voice quality and signal delays. Four new Milstar 2s with more advanced medium data rate (MDR) payloads are slated for launch between 1999-2003, but the problems won't end there.
In one of its boldest merger attempts thus far, BFGoodrich hopes to purchase Coltec Industries and become a much more diversified supplier of integrated systems to major aerospace customers such as the Boeing Co. The transaction, which was announced last week, is valued at about $2.2 billion. Since 1993, BFGoodrich has made 15 aerospace-related mergers and acquisitions. Coltec would exceed any of those. Its 1998 revenues will total approximately $1.5 billion, with nearly 50% coming from aerospace-related products and services.
Frank Taylor, director of the Aviation Safety Center at Cranfield (England) College of Aeronautics, has received the Jerome F. Lederer Award for contributions to technical excellence in accident investigations, from the International Society of Air Safety Investigators.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has peered down a 12-billion light-year corridor, viewing thousands of never-before seen galaxies. This image (above) is the culmination of a 10-day observation in October aimed at a region in the constellation Tucana, near the south celestial pole. The image is dominated by pinwheel-shaped disk galaxies similar to the Milky Way. Oddly shaped galaxies can also be seen colliding with companion galaxies.
The first flightworthy version of the Sikorsky S-92 Helibus has been delivered to the company's Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., in anticipation of first flight late this year. The S-92 No. 2 left the company's Stratford, Conn., headquarters on Nov. 18 and was trucked to Florida, arriving in West Palm Beach on Nov. 20. The aircraft will now undergo final assembly and be instrumented for first flight.
NASA and Lockheed Martin have given up trying to test a Rocketdyne linear aerospike rocket engine carried on an SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft, after years of frustration with propellant and airflow leaks.
Japan's Defense Agency (JDA) has told the Toyo Communications Equipment Co. to refund about $41 million for overbilling electrical and electronics parts. In the wake of the scandal, the government has forced three JDA executives into retirement. The debacle has centered on Toyo and NEC, but agency auditors also are examining bills from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It is suspected of receiving about $1 million in additional payments for the ASM-1 air-to-ship missile's propulsion system built by Nissan.
Joseph C. McCarty has been promoted to CEO of the FDX Corp. subsidiary Caliber Logistics Inc., Memphis, from chief administrative officer of FDX. Thomas I. Escott, who was president of Caliber Logistics, has been named president of North American operations of FDX Global Logistics.
After a stunning victory at Northwest Airlines, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Assn. is planning to apply its successful divide-and-conquer strategy to gain exclusive representational rights for mechanics and aircraft technicians at other U.S. major airlines.
John Richardson (see photo), senior consulting engineer for air traffic control systems for the Computer Sciences Corp., has received the Clifford Burton Medallion Award for lifetime achievement from the Air Traffic Control Assn. He was cited for ``innovative thinking and aggressive actions that were key in developing the role automation plays in today's traffic management system.''
