IDEAS FOR A VARIABLE-TILT HELICOPTER ROTORMAST have been published by NASA's Langley Research Center. If successful, the concept would increase helicopter efficiency and speed while reducing vibration. Modern helicopters usually incorporate about a 5-deg. fixed forward mast tilt, which can cause drag and download losses at forward speeds above 120 kt. A variable forward-tilt rotormast, using a flexible rotormast coupling or powerplant-transmission platform tilt actuators, or both, would improve performance under all flight conditions, according to Henry L.
KLM ENGINEERING&MAINTENANCE has entered an alliance with Feadship (First Export Assn. of Dutch Shipbuilders) for the design and luxury conversion of wide-body aircraft. Feadship, a consortium of three Dutch ship design and family-owned shipyards, promotes the export of Dutch luxury yachts. The new alliance, announced at the recent Dubai air show, is aimed at the customized aircraft market among world and industrial leaders and royalty. Talks are underway with three prospective customers, including one from the Persian Gulf area, according to KLM's Dirk le Clercq.
Boeing machinists last week rejected a sweetened contract offer and voted to remain on the picket lines for the seventh straight week. The strike now could easily extend past Christmas as Boeing avoids costly production line startup only to shut down again for the traditional Dec. 22-Jan. 2 paid holiday period.
McDonnell Douglas received 21 firm orders for the MD 600N helicopter in the prototype demonstration phase of the program, during which time the company was able to gauge market interest as well as implement design changes prior to making a production commitment. The 21 orders for the eight-place MD 600N, earlier called the MD 630N, will take McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems production of the aircraft through the first quarter of 1997.
Michael D. Lisagor has been appointed vice president-business development of Anstec Inc., Fairfax, Va. He was director of Washington operations business development for CTA Inc.
The information warfare squadron the U.S. Air Force is forming at Shaw AFB, S.C., will evaluate requirements for offensive operations and defenses against potential disruption of U.S. military computer systems. Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, commander of USAF's Air Combat Command, said the small unit, the 609th Information Warfare (IW) Sqdn., was formed last month at Shaw to study personnel and operational requirements for such a unit. The organization is attached to the Ninth Air Force.
Korean Air's traditional strength as a cargo carrier continues unabated, but ever since the Korean government unleashed the nation's tourists, the airline has seen a bonanza in passenger growth.
Thomas Cook (see photo), president of the AMR Corp.'s Sabre Decision Technologies, Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport, has been inducted into the National Academy of Engineering and cited for ''leadership in advancing operations research and decision-support technologies'' in the transportation industry.
Air Canada pilots have voted to leave the Canadian Air Line Pilots Assn. and form their own union following an unpopular arbitration decision calling for a partial merger of seniority lists.
Brian Mulroney, Canada's former prime minister, has filed a libel suit against the national government and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police over allegations he may have received payoffs to help Airbus Industrie win an Air Canada order in 1988. Mulroney is seeking C$50 million ($37 million) in damages.
Daniel J. Kester has been named a senior engineer at Advanced Refractory Technologies Inc., Buffalo, N.Y. Peter R. Mundt and Michael R. Martin have been named research and development engineers.
FAKE PRESS RELEASES ARE GETTING TO BE A MINOR art form. (Remember Martin Marietta's acquisition of the Air Force? How about Microsoft's merger with the Catholic Church?) Now comes this circulating at NASA: The Fish and Wildlife Service and the space agency announce a cooperative program to introduce packs of endangered wolves at NASA field centers.
U.S. AND PHILIPPINE officials signed a new bilateral aviation agreement last week in Manila. Key provisions include allowing both countries to designate two additional all-cargo carriers for existing markets, and one all-cargo operator to conduct flights in the Saipan-Guam-Philippine market with the right to serve destinations beyond the Philippines. In addition, U.S. cargo carriers can implement hub-type operations at Subic Bay and Manila to increase their flexibility. Philippine-based airlines received expanded access to U.S.
A 16,000-lb. Soviet lunar module that was launched into orbit for unmanned tests nearly 25 years ago as part of the U.S./Soviet race to the Moon is expected by tracking experts to fall back to Earth next week. Several small pieces of space debris are expected to survive the reentry of the historic spacecraft during the first week of December. The exact time and location of the reentry will not be known until a few hours before the event.
WITH IT LOOKING AS THOUGH U.S. TROOPS will head to Bosnia, what has Army Chief of Staff Gen. Dennis J. Reimer waking up in cold sweats? For starters, it's ``rogue elements, small units who are not paying attention to any centralized command and control, [and] about 6-million mines.'' About 20,000 U.S. troops would be concentrated in the U.S. sector around Tuzla. A few more would be in the Croatian port city of Split, while about 5,000 would staff a forward logistics base in Pecs, Hungary.
MAGELLAN SYSTEMS has introduced two new Global Positioning System receivers that operate in both English and Arabic. The Magellan Pioneer is designed primarily for military use, while the Leader is built for civil applications such as fishing, sailing and desert driving.
THE DEFENSE MAPPING AGENCY WILL MAKE up the bulk of a new National Imagery and Mapping Agency. The new outfit will consolidate defense and intelligence imagery and mapping functions. DMA will account for 7,000 of the 9,000 employees at the new agency, according to plans being finalized by the Pentagon last week.
FAA, TRANSPORT CANADA AND NASA are planning to begin a five-year joint runway friction test program this winter. Instrumented aircraft and ground vehicles will be used as well as specialized test equipment at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. Langley's Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility operates a 220-kt. water-jet catapult with an 1,800-ft. test section as well as a diagonal braked vehicle system.
AIR FRANCE'S SALES for the first half of the 1995-96 fiscal year decreased 4% to $4.06 billion, a trend tied to weak yields, a 1.4% decline in passenger traffic and unfavorable exchange rates, carrier officials said. However, the French state-owned carrier's recovery plan is now producing lower operating costs. Losses for the current fiscal year ending on Mar. 31 are expected to decrease to $240 million, down from $476.6 million, exclusive of costs linked to additional job cuts.
AEROJET IS HOPING its five test firings of the Russian NK-33 will strengthen its bid to supply the main engine for Lockheed Martin's upgraded Atlas 2AR. During a final firing at Aerojet's Sacramento facility on Nov. 15, the NK-33, built by NK Engines, produced a high thrust level of 385,000 lb., or 114% of nominal thrust, for 130 sec. Since October, the engine has endured a total of 410 sec. of tests at levels of 77-114% of rated thrust.
John Murphy has been named vice president-marketing of Coryphaeus Software Inc., Los Gatos, Calif. He was vice president-sales and marketing of Orchid Technology.
United Airlines and Air India plan to begin code-sharing flights next month as India and the U.S. prepare to resume negotiations leading to a new bilateral aviation agreement.
Photograph: The Hubble Space Telescope recently imaged the area of Jupiter that the Galileo probe will enter on Dec. 7 as the Galileo orbiter passes overhead to relay the data back to Earth. The area is marked with an arrow in the large left frame, and is denoted with a white dot at 6.5 deg. N. Lat. and 4.5 deg. W. Long. in the center of the four expanded frames at right. These four frames were taken over a 60 hr. period starting on Oct. 4, and each is 30 deg., or 23,300 mi., wide and tall.
Eelco Wagner has been appointed vice president-marketing and sales for North America of Fokker/president of Fokker Aircraft USA. He succeeds Maarten van Eeghen, who has joined Dutch Railways. Bert Wilschut has been named vice president-marketing and sales for Africa, the Middle East and China. He was vice president-contracts, marketing and sales. Wilschut has been succeeded by Peter Glasbeek, who was Fokker controller.
Bob Ehr has been named president of Smiths Industries Defense Systems-North Amerrica, Grand Rapids, Mich. He succeeds Richard Tierney, who has resigned. Ehr was president/general manager of North American manufacturing operations.
