AVSiS is an air safety information system designed so flight safety officers can log events. The screens help the user collect an event's details and grade its severity. The system also can be set up so ``trusted groups'' of users can encrypt and securely share data over the Internet. Events are managed by tracking actions and due dates. Overdue items generate alerts. The system comes with templates for standard reports. Graphical displays allow trends to be viewed. AvSoft Information Systems, Myson House, Railway Terrace, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 3HL, England.
Vladimir Kotelnikov has received the International Academy of Astronautics' Von Karman Award for 1998, for leadership in international engineering sciences and peaceful uses of space, as a member of the IAA's Engineering Sciences Section. Eutelsat CEO Jean Grenier won the Engineering Sciences Award for work to advance European space communications. Prof. Satoru Watanabe, head of the Physiology Dept. at Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan, received the Life Sciences Award for work in space neurophysiology.
Shenyang Aircraft Building Plant has completed preparations for licensed production of Su-27SK fighters and has begun assembly of the first aircraft. Russia's KnAAPO has already delivered parts and assemblies for the first two Chinese-produced aircraft. Deliveries of 13 more Su-27SKs are scheduled through 2000. China plans to produce up to 200 of the fighters.
Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems and Aerostructures (ISA) sector here plans to develop and implement lean concepts throughout the enterprise to reduce costs and earn new business, according to Ralph D. Crosby, corporate vice president and general manager.
The Monopoly Game: U.S. Space Program Edition, issued in recognition of NASA's 40th anniversary, follows the traditional rules of the popular board game but replaces such properties as Boardwalk and Park Place with landmarks like the Johnson and Kennedy Space Centers. Players also can acquire Freedom 7, Liberty Bell 7 and Faith 7, but can still end up in Jail. Traditional playing pieces are replaced with an astronaut, space shuttle, lunar rover, Mars Sojourner and others. A ``Mission Manual'' included with the game provides historical information on U.S.
New cockpits displayed at this week's National Business Aviation Assn. convention in Las Vegas underscore the trend toward integrated, modular and central processor-driven systems designed for easy upgrades.
The Optrel Solarmatic Comfort welding mask has a built-in solar cell that provides power for its automatic faceplate dimming circuitry, assuring that the mask is always ``on.'' The faceplate darkens within 1 millisec. of arc ignition and provides continuous shade protection of 9-13. A potentiometer allows a welder to make fine adjustments to the faceplate darkness during use. A detachable ``sensor bar'' eliminates the influence of surrounding light when welding with low current or when welding highly reflective surfaces.
An F-22 prototype broke the sound barrier for the first time on Oct. 10, reaching Mach 1.1. The supersonic mission was the last performance criterion required by the Defense Acquisition Board for the advanced tactical fighter program to buy two ``production readiness test vehicles'' (PRTVs), aircraft Nos. 4010-11. The two USAF/Lockheed Martin-Boeing test aircraft, Raptors 4001 and 4002, have exceeded the DAB-required 18-deg. angle of attack by 6 deg. and met all other technical requirements.
Westest Engineering Corp. will provide automatic test and repair capability for the F-16 aircraft at Hill AFB, Utah, to support foreign military sales to Turkey.
Hellenic Aerospace Industries has joined the Northrop Grumman-led industrial team that is proposing E-2C Hawkeye 2000 early warning and control aircraft for the Greek air force.
ICO Global Communications has ordered $25-million worth of handsets and marine communications terminals from Nera ASA of Norway, for delivery by 2000 for launch of ICO service.
The Apex Ground Station allows Radarsat operators to receive and process synthetic aperture radar data from satellites for use in mapping, environmental monitoring and surveillance applications, such as monitoring harbor traffic. This topographic image map of Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, produced from stereo fine beam imagery is indicative of Apex's capability. The ground station also can be upgraded to receive data from other orbiting radar and optical sensors.
Serge Plattard has become international relations director of the CNES French space agency. He was science and technology adviser of the French Embassy in Washington.
A $1.3-billion Titan 4 contract modification calls for Lockheed Martin Astronautics to deliver extra components to the U.S. Air Force. The new contract includes one additional Centaur upper stage, three additional flight sets of Solid Rocket Motor Upgrades, and a full-scale static test firing of the SRMU to requalify the motor and enhance reliability after a change of materials in the nozzle.
Paul Kaminski, former under secretary of Defense for acquisition and technology, has been named to the board of directors of Washington-based Veridian. He is a senior partner in Global Technology Partners and chairman/CEO of Technovation Inc.
The European Space Agency's Integral International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory has entered production, marking a major step forward in the agency's Horizons 2000 science program. However, officials fear turmoil in Russia could affect plans to launch the space observatory on a Proton rocket.
Cessna Aircraft Co. will introduce significant upgrades to four of its Citation business jets at the National Business Aviation Assn. convention this week, including the mid-size cabin Sovereign designed to compete with the Learjet 60 and Hawker 800XP.
Japan's Ministry of Transport is considering increasing the number of takeoffs per hour at Haneda, Narita and Kansai airports to reduce waiting times. It is examining the possibility of raising Haneda's rate to 47-49 per hour from 45, Narita's to 33-34 from 30, and Kansai's to 30 from 28-29. Foreign airlines complain that Japanese air traffic controllers are so formal and conservative they delay traffic. The Japanese counter that their system avoids the near misses which are more common elsewhere.
Philippines President Joseph Estrada said last week that ``negotiations for Cathay to buy a 40% stake in [Philippine Airlines] are close to being concluded.'' But Cathay has denied the statement.
Accusations in Japan's Defense Agency overbilling scandal have spread from Toyo Communications Equipment, Nikoh Electronics and Japan Aviation Electronics Industry, all wholly or partly owned subsidiaries of NEC, to the parent company itself. NEC is alleged to have inflated JDA bills by as much as 10 billion yen ($83 million) in the past five years. In addition to eight previous arrests, a former NEC managing director and director, and two Nikoh Electronics executives have now been charged in the scandal.
Inmarsat's Assembly, representing its 84 member governments, has approved transitioning the international organization into a private company by Apr. 1, 1999, slightly later than the original target date of Jan. 1. The new structure, approved last year by Inmarsat's Council, will consist of a limited company which will seek an initial public offering on the stock exchange within two years and an intergovernmental secretariat to ensure that Inmarsat meets its public service obligations (AW&ST Mar. 23, p. 34).
Ed Rabel has become vice president-communications of Washington-based Business Executives for National Security. He was a senior correspondent for NBC News.
Two new kit-built aircraft offer examples of the sophistication and growth in that sector of the general aviation market. The first is a four-place aircraft that is to be powered by two converted General Electric T58 engines. Developed by Maverick Air Inc. of Penrose, Colo., the first TwinJet is expected to fly in January, company President Robert Bornhofen said.
