USAF Gen. (ret.) Kevin P. Chilton has been named to the board of directors of Washington-based Schafer Corp. He was commander of U.S. Strategic Command from 2007 to 2011. HONORS AND ELECTIONS
The U.S. has long been a leader in creating new technologies and in creatively adapting existing ones to new uses. This leadership arises from the interaction of several mutually supportive sectors of innovation. But we face a serious challenge to continuing that creative interaction which is so necessary to keep the U.S. engine of innovation strong.
Joseph J. Trotti has been appointed president and CEO of the aerospace division of New York-based American International Group, covering business development in the Asia-Pacific region, Canada, Europe and Latin America. He was CEO of the global specialties segment of insurance broker Willis.
Andrew Wilson, editor of Vision System Design magazine, will receive the 2013 AIA Achievement Award, presented by Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Association for Advancing Vision (AIA). Wilson was honored for his contributions to the vision and imaging industry.
The item “Meteorite Sparks Interest” in The World column (AW&ST Feb. 25, p. 10) uses words imprecisely, an egregious error for a space technology journal. NASA is quoted using the word 'meteor' correctly, but your headline and text do not. For example, “the meteorite that was traveling at 40,000 mph . . . ” Meteorites travel at zero mph. Richmond, Va. (The reader is correct—Ed.)
Paul J. Gennaro, senior VP and chief communications officer of Aecom Technology Corp., has joined the advisory board of Atlanta-based Emory University's Center for Ethics.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association's climb has yet to level off. The Washington lobby group recently signed three more members—SimCom, CubCrafters and Taylor-Deal Aviation—raising its total to 80 member companies. That's up from 52 just eight years ago.
I disagree with a couple of your recent suggestions regarding killing sacred cows in industrial policy. Small businesses represent the majority of companies in the U.S. and half the total jobs. What is more, nearly all the net new jobs are created by young companies. You claim that Pentagon leaders pay lip service to technology, yet it is in small organizations where the most new technology is developed.
John Pakiela has been named the 2013 recipient of the Medical Transport Leadership Institute Scholarship by the Alexandria, Va.-based MedEvac Foundation International. Pakiela is an associate medical director at MedFlight of Ohio and the emergency medical services director at Akron (Ohio) General medical Center. He was selected for “his dedication to the critical care transport community.”
Columbia Helicopters is set to begin receiving the first of 10 Vertol 107-IIs this month from the Swedish defense ministry. The purchase includes six Boeing Vertol 107-IIs and four Kawasaki Vertol 107-IIs. Three of the tandem-rotor aircraft have been disassembled and are to arrive at the end of the month at Port Tacoma, Wash., before being trucked to Columbia's headquarters at Aurora State Airport south of Portland. The other seven are to arrive by year-end. All are to begin a complete strip-to-bare-metal refurbishment “as soon as possible,” says President Stan Wilson.
Boeing is preparing to install a modified battery system for flight tests in a 787, hoping the FAA will approve its redesign plan by March 6 or earlier.
Bolstered by recent new product introductions and buoyant sales of its turboshaft engines, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) says plans for a next-generation PT6 family replacement will not be firmed up until at least 2014.
Sincere compliments for a very timely column. As a long-time participant in aerospace and defense programs, I have seen far too much of the type of activities you describe.
Carl Allen has been named managing director of technical services for Horizon Air. He was director of flight operations engineering for Alaska Airlines.
Kevin M. Larson, VP and chief information officer of AAR Corp., has been named a top U.S. chief information officer for 2012 by Wood Dale, Ill.-based ExecRank.
