Fairchild Aerospace and Newcourt Capital, a Newcourt Credit Group affiliate, are to form the Millennium Leasing Co. to provide finance leases to operators of Fairchild/Fairchild Dornier aircraft. The new company is expected to sustain Fairchild Dornier's efforts to promote in-production aircraft as well as the proposed 70-seat 728JET, which is tentatively scheduled to get the go-ahead by year-end.
Early cutoff of both the cockpit voice and flight data recorders from Swissair Flight 111 will all but force an international team of investigators to have key electrical components retrieved from 200-ft.-deep Atlantic waters so they can decipher why the MD-11 crashed off Nova Scotia.
Hellfire Systems LLC, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, has won a contract from the U.S. Army for 100 Hellfire 2 missiles with blast fragmentation warheads and 100 inert training missiles. With all options, the contract is worth $12.4 million.
Stephen M. Wolf, chairman/CEO of US Airways, has been named head of the American Red Cross Hurricane Cabinet, which works to raise awareness of Red Cross disaster relief efforts.
The market for trainers and light combat aircraft could soon become even more crowded if Daimler-Benz Aerospace engineers convince their board of directors that it makes sense to launch the Mako, a supersonic trainer that could double as a light fighter, fighter bomber or reconnaissance aircraft.
The French defense ministry will slightly increase military procurement spending next year, for the first time since the early 1990s. In addition, major programs such as Dassault Aviation's Rafale and Eurocopter's Tiger will gain momentum soon, when long-awaited multiyear orders are signed.
Israel successfully conducted a test of its Arrow 2 anti-ballistic missile in which all elements of the system were actively involved for the first time.
U.S. Army Gen. (Ret.) John M. Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been appointed to the board of directors of L-3 Communications of New York.
Singapore Airlines CEO Cheong Choong Kong said SIA has $1.2 billion in cash to make equity investments in other airlines. It is joining with Germany's Lufthansa to propose buying stakes in Thai Airways International and South African Airways. On its own, it already has agreed to take up to a 30% stake in Taiwan's China Airlines. The Thai and SAA investments await approval by their respective governments; the extent of SIA's investment in China Air has not been decided.
Eric L. Lasley has been named vice president-research and engineering of Marconi North America's GDE Systems Inc. of San Diego. He was director of engineering of the GDE's Tactical Systems.
GE Engine Services has received a $100-million contract to maintain and overhaul Pratt&Whitney JT9 engines for Boeing 747-100/200 freighters for Evergreen International Airlines.
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS&SUPPORT INC. is producing flat panel displays for use in the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft that the Malvern, Pa.-based company believes will be the largest in any airborne application. The 9-passenger PC-12 turboprop aircraft will use three of the color displays, each 12.3 in. wide by 9.5 in. high--roughly double the size of those in a Boeing 777. One display gives the entire basic instrument ``T.'' Three would replace the electromechanical instrument panel and provide redundancy. The company cites reliability at more than 10,200 hr.
Contradictory views regarding European aerospace industry restructuring are delaying Airbus Industrie's single corporate entity. The stock company, which was to be formed in January, is now expected to take shape in late 1999. A plan to form a dual civil/military giant, dubbed European Aerospace and Defense Co. (EADC), has collided in the last few weeks with the proposed SCE. Top company executives are sharply critical of the two schedules' priorities, and they disagree about the need to link--or disconnect--the double consolidation plans.
Northwest Airlines' new contract with its pilots' union removes one obstacle blocking the carrier's proposed code-sharing partnership with Continental Airlines, but government and political hurdles remain and may even be getting higher. The marketing alliance and a companion agreement under which Northwest would acquire control of Continental currently are being reviewed by the Antitrust Div. of the Justice Dept. Though Justice has the lead, the Northwest/Continental alliance also is being scrutinized by the Transportation Dept.
Matt Hartnett (see photos) has been appointed vice president-used aircraft and Jess Munro vice president-contracts for Bombardier Aerospace Business Aircraft of Montreal. Mike Riegel has been appointed vice president-sales and marketing and George Ferito director of flight operations of the Bombardier Flexjet program, both based in Dallas.
A China Eastern MD-11 transport with 120 passengers and 17 crew made an emergency landing at Shanghai' s Hongqiao International Airport on Sept. 10 because of a jammed landing gear. The flight was outbound to Beijing. Instead of dumping fuel, the aircraft circled Shanghai for 3 hr. and landed on a bed of protective foam with its front gear retracted. Its nose skidded on the runway as emergency vehicles sprayed foam and water on the aircraft. Passengers evacuated from emergency chutes, and none suffered injuries.
Singapore Airlines' recently launched $300-million product and services upgrade includes a complete redesign of the first-class cabin in its 39-aircraft long-haul 747-400 fleet. There are 12 private ``mini-suites'' in the Connolly leather-, burr wood-appointed cabin interior, shown here. Each 23-in.-wide, 78-in.-pitch seat is fully adjustable, from upright to 177-deg. reclined bed position. Laptop power supply and a retractable video control/telephone unit are within arm's reach, and a suite cabinet holds a 14-in. video monitor and a sliding table.
The European Court of First Instance has upheld a 1993 European Commission decision to approve $259 million in state aid to Irish carrier Aer Lingus. Ryanair had challenged the measure, but the court found that Aer Lingus had adhered to conditions laid down by the EC. The Irish government has given its approval to Aer Lingus, targeted for partial privatization, to look for a strategic alliance with a U.S. carrier willing to acquire an equity stake in the airline.
Despite the U.K.'s decision to pull out of a planned three-way Trimilsatcom program involving France and Germany, cooperation on the next-generation European military communications satellite may not be dead. According to industry officials here, the French defense procurement office (DGA) is continuing to weigh various options. They include: -- Pursue the Trimilsatcom solution on a bilateral basis with Germany or other prospective partners.
Donald R. Abel (see photo) has become vice president/general manager of Comant Industries, Santa Fe Springs, Calif. He was general manager of Esterline Technologies.
Jon L. Beatty has been named vice president-marketing and programs for the Chandler Evans Control Systems Div. of Coltec Industries, Charlotte, N.C. He succeeds Paul T. Glover, who has retired. Beatty was general manager of AlliedSignal's Electronics and Avionics Systems.
ESA/NASA engineers have successfully recovered attitude control of the Soho solar observation spacecraft, allowing it to turn its face fully to the Sun for the first time since it failed on June 25. The recovery operation will permit mission scientists to gradually check the status of Soho's 12 on-board instruments, some of which may have been damaged by exposure to extreme cold or heat during the long shutdown.
General Electric has added two international overhaul partners. GE Varig Engine Services will be located at Varig's Galeao International Airport engine service facility in Rio de Janeiro for maintenance of CFM56-3, CF6-50 and CF6- 80C2 engines for Varig and third-party customers. GE owns 95% of the venture, Varig the rest. The venture follows Varig's order for GE-powered Boeing 737/767/ 777s. GE also has added Xiamen, China, to its list of four GE On-Wing Support Co. maintenance and repair facilities.
``HIGHWAY IN THE SKY'' DISPLAYS showing an aircraft's flight path over a computer-generated terrain picture would increase safety and efficiency of operations, according to a recent briefing to the U.S. government/industry Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) by Phil Brooks, chairman of the Allied Pilots Assn.'s graphic navigation committee.
