A CHEAPER, FASTER WAY to make carbon-carbon composites may result from new production techniques developed by Sioux Manufacturing Co., Ft. Totten, N.D. The new technology could significantly widen commercial and defense markets for the now-expensive composite material. Sioux's process uses an iron-based catalyst to enhance the rate of carbon fiber growth by a factor of three. BFGoodrich is conducting tests to see if Sioux's lab-proven efficiencies can be transferred to larger samples.
LITTON ENGINEERS WILL REPORT ON an improved version of a new type of millimeter-wave traveling wave tube (TWT), which can deliver average output powers greater than 1 kw., at the upcoming IEDM. The latest model of the TWT, first reported at the 1993 IEDM, offers total efficiencies of up to 28%.
Hughes Space and Communications Co. has named Paramjit Bains general manager of commercial programs. Previously general manager of the antenna and microwave business unit, Bains succeeds Patrick C. Dougherty, who is retiring. Ronald V. Swanson, who was Hughes' program manager for the U.S. Navy UHF-Follow-On Satellite program, has been promoted to general manager of government business development. He succeeds C.R. Johnson, who also is retiring.
NATIONS AIR, AN AFFILIATE OF NATIONS AIR EXPRESS, INC., of Miami has set mid-January as a startup date for low-fare service between Boston, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, pending U.S. Transportation Dept. approval. The carrier has acquired three Boeing 737-200s for the service, and its owners have raised $3 million in investment capital and $2 million in credit, according to Morten Beyer Associates. Nations Air recently revised its route and aircraft plans after spending more than a year seeking investment funds.
Atlas Air, Inc., is expanding its fleet of Boeing 747 freighters to fill a rapidly growing niche market for ``just-in-time'' and customer-tailored air cargo services.
China has reported the successful launch of its Dong Fang Hong-3 (DFH-3) communications satellite from Xichang space center on board a Long March 3A. The 2.2-metric-ton (4,850-lb.) spacecraft, which carries 24 C-band transponders, achieved ``a proper orbit 24 min. after liftoff'' Nov. 30, according to Xinhua, the official New China News Agency. The reference was presumably to the spacecraft's geosynchronous transfer orbit.
European science, military and communications spacecraft, along with major Ariane 5 hardware, are beginning critical tests here to keep them on schedule for missions in 1995 and 1996. The tests are being conducted at French CNES national space agency and contractor facilities. Engineers from CNES, ESA, Matra-Marconi, Alenia, Deutsche Aerospace/Dornier and other contractors such as Intespace, a CNES subsidiary, are involved in the test activity on several vehicles, including:
Most employees at ailing Iberia Airlines have accepted a watered-down plan to cut costs and eliminate jobs, but the key pilots union has refused so far to go along.
The police in Nagoya are seeking help from senior flight operations officials of China Airlines in a criminal investigation of the Apr. 26 crash of a CAL Airbus A300-600R that killed 264 passengers and the crew. The Aichi Prefecture police have sought help from Chang Guangfeng, CAL vice president for flight operations, and five other senior officers of the Taiwanese carrier who are involved in crew training.
Sweden's National Defense Research Establishment is working with Northrop Grumman and Ericsson Radar Electronics to study the possible use of Sweden'sCarabas ground and foliage penetrating radar on an unmanned aerial vehicle.
The McDonnell Douglas C-17 static ground test article has successfully completed its durability warranty requirement of 45,000 hr. of simulated flying in a program that began two years ago. The testing (equivalent to about 1.5 design lifetimes for the aircraft) simulates more than 30 years of actual flying time using hydraulic actuators to apply airframe loads. The evaluation was conducted at McDonnell Douglas facilities in Long Beach, Calif.
America West Airlines has named Larry J. Pool vice president-technical services. He was managing director of maintenance and engineering planning at American Airlines' Tulsa, Okla., facility.
Nizhny Novgorod airport, which serves Russia's third largest city, is being upgraded and modernized with the goal of becoming a new international gateway. The work at Nizhny Novgorod is representative of airport authorities' efforts across the former Soviet Union to attract revenue-producing passenger and cargo flights. Upgrade work includes expansion of the Nizhny Novgorod airport's passenger terminal and the addition of a new 2,800-meter (9,420-ft.) runway.
Instrument Tech Corp. of Dallas has named Mike Morgan (see photo) general manager. He was senior program manager for commercial air transport at Castleberry Instruments.
ASI, Bellevue, Wash., will begin multi-cycle tests next month of its patented pulse detonation engine in the company's new PDE test facility. The unique powerplant offers high performance and low specific fuel consumption in both air-breathing and rocket modes, according to Thomas Bussing, ASI chief engineer and manager. The 18-month-long test program, which will include both hydrogen- and hydrocarbon-based fuel mixtures, is supported by NASA and various U.S. military organizations.
French engine manufacturer Snecma will develop an increased-power, enhanced version of the 32-year-old Tyne two-shaft turboprop engine. Maximum power of the updated version, dubbed Tyne Plus, will increase by 8% to 6,600 shp., up from the current 6,100 shp.; time between overhaul will rise to 4,000 hr., from 2,400 hr. today.
Oren B. Phillips, vice president-business development for Thiokol Corp., has been elected chairman of the Aerospace Industries Assn. Space Committee. Gordon F. Neary, director of engineering services for McDonnell Douglas Corp., has been elected chairman of the AIA's Technical Management Committee.
NASA astronaut F. Story Musgrave has won the 1993 Gold Space Medal from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale for meritorious service to the U.S. Space program. Olavi A. Rautio, past president of the FAI and the Finnish Aeronautical Assn., has won the FAI's 1993 Gold Air Medal.
Texas Instruments, Dallas, has promoted William L. Eversole (see photo) to vice president/general manager of its communications and electronic systems business. He was manager of commercial business ventures within TI's Defense Systems and Electronics Group.
California Commercial Spaceport has brought on the ITT Corp. as a partner in its plans to build commercial launch facilities at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The new facilities will bring to Vandenberg a permanent, commercially operated launch pad for rockets carrying 300-5,000-lb. payloads into polar orbit. Facilities for larger Delta and Atlas launches are already commercially available, and launches in the lower weight category have already been made by Orbital Sciences from a spartan launch pad and their Pegasus L-1011 carrier aircraft.
Lockheed says it can arrange private financing for a low-cost, reusable launch vehicle if the U.S. government will give it all the space shuttle and Titan business for at least five years. In return, the government would get a $2 billion a year savings. Lockheed's Skunk Works would lead the development of the single-stage-to-orbit RLV, and it could carry 40,000 lb. to low Earth orbit--considerably more than the 25,000-lb. payload capability NASA envisions in a commercial RLV that would follow its experimental X-33 vehicle.
Dallas-based Vought, a risk- and revenue-sharing partner in the G-5 program, is responsible for designing and fabricating the complete G-5 wing, including integration of electrical, hydraulic and fuel systems. Vought also will be making each 52-ft.-long wing's control surfaces and fixed trailing edge components. A wing team partner, ShinMayWa of Japan, will provide the main landing gear doors and fairing, the wing-to-body fairing and the G-5's radome.
Northrop Grumman has provided the U.S. Air Force with new price and schedule proposals for procuring 20 additional B-2s just as the Pentagon is beginning a six-month study of future heavy bomber force requirements.
