AN EVERGREEN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES Boeing 747-100 has circled the globe, navigating completely with GPS, according to Trimble Navigation. The aircraft's inertial navigation system had been replaced with a triple installation of Trimble 8100 GPS navigation systems, including a Honeywell Attitude and Heading Reference System. Trimble officials believe the flight was the first circumnavigation by an aircraft in revenue service relying solely on GPS.
UNC Inc. and Parker Hannifin Corp. hope to close key acquisitions in coming weeks, offering a preview of the nature of transactions that are expected to dominate the aerospace/defense industry's consolidation in 1996.
French independent carriers are entering their first ``fare war'' ever on the country's newly deregulated route system. On Jan. 1, the government implemented the final step of domestic deregulation. All French carriers now have unrestricted access to the market. Transport State Secretary Anne-Marie Idrac's initiative is intended to pave the way for the European Union's unified air transport market, scheduled to take effect on Apr. 1, 1997.
Lockheed Martin is heading a joint venture that plans to orbit up to three geosynchronous satellites to provide mobile voice, data and fax communications to the Middle East, Mediterranean and northern half of Africa. The venture, Satphone International, plans to begin service in late 1998, when the first of its next-generation Lockheed Martin Astro Space A2100 satellites is scheduled to be orbited.
German Tornado carries two Matra Apache cruise missiles during ongoing tests at France's Cazaux weapons center. The French air force and Luftwaffe are procuring the 140-km.-range (86-mi.) version that deploys submunitions to disable airfields. The nations also are considering joint work on additional Apache versions. Germany's program involves two firing tests (AW&ST July 24, 1995, p. 25).
Eckhard Strauss has been named head of corporate design and public relations for DASA at its Stuttgart, Germany, headquarters. He was head of public relations for DASA space, defense and civil systems. Eckehart Rotter has been appointed head of public relations for DASA's AEG subsidiary. He had been head of public relations for the aircraft group. Rotter will be succeeded by Theodor Benien, who remains head of public relations for the regional aircraft division. And, Dirk Grosse-Leege has been named coordinator of public relations at DASA headquarters.
THE U.S. DEFENSE DEPT.'S ADVANCED Research Projects Agency (ARPA) will provide nearly half of the $6.8-million budget for the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Center for Optics Manufacturing to develop equipment to produce aspherical lenses. Computerized equipment is needed to automate the production of the complex shapes of aspherical lenses--one has a cross-section that resembles a handle-bar mustache. Aspheres reduce the distortions, called spherical aberrations, found in conventional lenses. Optical systems with aspheres offer better images and larger field of views.
AirTran Airways has a sunny future, its executives maintain, that will not be dimmed by the cloud that Southwest Airlines casts over other competitors in Florida markets. The executives base their optimism on the constant need of major tourist attractions in Orlando to establish and tap new sources of visitors. The Orlando-based carrier also plans on avoiding direct competition with Southwest by pursuing longer-haul markets than Southwest typically targets.
The three-bladed Top Prop system is now available for use on Cessna 210s equipped with naturally aspirated IO-520-L piston engines, as well as turbocharged powerplants. The swept-blade scimitar propeller system consists of an aluminum hub and blades. The design improves performance by distributing twist from the blade root to tip to maximize performance within the aircraft's flight envelope, while also reducing noise levels. The 78-in.-dia. system also improves safety by increasing ground clearance from the original, 83-in.-dia. design.
DASSAULT SYSTEMES is integrating desktop videoconferencing and multi-media collaboration software into its Catia computer-aided design product line. Aerospace and defense companies using Catia and CADAM software will be able to share, edit and modify engineering drawings in real time as well as conduct videoconferences with team members worldwide. Dassault will integrate parts of Insoft Inc.'s OpenDVE multimedia framework and Communique, a desktop videoconferencing package, into its Catia/CADAM architecture.
U.S. Navy Cdr. Stephen R. Vaughn has become commanding officer of Fighter Sqdn. 143 at NAS Oceana, Va. He was the squadron's executive officer. Vaughn succeeds Cdr. Peter J. Williams, who will be air boss on board the USS Enterprise.
Restructuring charges and other special provisions totaling nearly $600 million at AMR Corp. resulted in a $281-million fourth-quarter net loss despite strong underlying operating performance. Before the extraordinary charges, AMR, parent company of American Airlines, achieved pretax profits of $91 million in the October-December period, up from $51 million a year earlier. Net earnings for 1995 were $167 million, down from $228 million in 1994. Excluding restructuring charges, last year's earnings were $501 million, up from $402 million in 1994.
Orlando (Fla.) International Airport will have the first operational Halotron 1 delivery system when its new aircraft rescue and firefighting truck is charged with the flame-dousing gas in a few weeks. The T-3000 vehicle, built by the Oshkosh Truck Corp., will carry 460 lb. of Halotron 1--the FAA-approved substitute for Halon 1211--in addition to 2,500 gal. of water and 420 gal. of firefighting foam.
Ronald L. Patrick (see photo) vice president-distribution strategy and development of Aviall, has been elected president of the Aviation Distributors and Manufacturers Assn. He was ADMA vice president.
Airframe manufacturers are sharpening their pencils in response to British Airways' call for bids to supply the airline with as many as 60 new short to medium-haul jet aircraft by 1999.
Endeavour's astronauts retrieved two satellites, dodged a defunct third one and performed two spacewalks during a mission to help NASA prepare for space station assembly later in the decade. The hectic pace of last week's Mission 72 is a harbinger of missions to come. Over the next several years, NASA must build a cadre of astronauts versed in spacewalking and rendezvous operations and put them to work launching and assembling the space station. Assembly is scheduled to start in December, 1997.
The Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Board has agreed to support an accelerated seven-year purchase of C-17s that would lower the new airlifter's cost by another 5%.
A daunting challenge now facing the U.S. nuclear laboratories is disposing of plutonium and contaminated materials as weapons are dismantled under START treaty provisions. President Bill Clinton committed in 1994 that the U.S. will ``withdraw 200 tons of fissile material from the defense stockpile, never again to be used for nuclear explosives.'' To do this, plutonium must be removed from dismantled weapons, separated from other materials, examined by international agencies, then stored safely.
The appointment of airline veteran Stephen M. Wolf to command troubled USAir underscores senior management's determination to slash costs and restructure the carrier for long-term survival. Last week's selection of Wolf, known throughout the airline industry as a savvy but tough executive who takes a hard stance when dealing with labor unions, came as a surprise. USAir officials had claimed the company was seeking an executive from outside the capricious airline business.
GERMAN COMPANY LITEF GmbH. has completed development of a new electronic blanking and suppression module to prioritize the new Eurofighter 2000's system operations in combat. Without such a system, the fighter's electronics and avionics could interfere with each other. The LITEF module coordinates the operation of up to 24 Eurofighter 2000 systems. It has a computer memory with 128 different operational scenarios so the system can adapt automatically to different tactical situations.
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES SHAREHOLDERS WILL VOTE Jan. 30 on whether to sell 61% of their company to Airline Investors Partnership in exchange for $20 million. The carrier has had little cash margin since emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, 1994, and has deferred several lease payments to American Airlines for its eight DC-10-10s. The airline also operates 13 DC-9-50s. Hawaiian's four unions agreed last week to delay wage increases and allow code-sharing to cut losses.
A U.S. industry consortium, formed under the auspices of the federal Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), aims to reduce by a factor of three the design time and cost for the radio-frequency components of military electronics. The program also should result in smaller sensors with increased band-width and improved discrimination, said Lance Glasser, director of ARPA's electronics technology office. The seven consortium members have agreed to co-fund with ARPA a $57-million, three-year, first-phase effort.
DELTA AIR LINES HAS ASKED all of its computer reservation system vendors to work with the airline in reducing CRS distribution costs. Recent rate increases are expected to bring Delta's total annual bill for CRS distribution to $250 million. Delta officials claim that CRS vendors have taken advantage of airlines since carriers have little control of computer reservation system expenses. Delta might take advantage of the emerging electronic marketplace to give travel agents and customers new ways to make reservations and order tickets.
Nasco has won FAA approval as a second-source supplier of brake components for Boeing 727 and 747 transports with Bendix brakes. The brake rotors covered by the Supplemental Type Certificate can be substituted freely or even comingled on the same wheel as the OEM components. Nasco Aircraft Brake Inc., 13300 Estrella Ave., Gardena, Calif. 90248.
Lufthansa and Scandinavian Airlines System will begin integrating their networks Feb. 1 now that the European Commission has endorsed their strategic alliance.
