Charlie Ferraro has been appointed VP for the western U.S. at Houston-based Landmark Aviation. He was general manager of the company's San Diego facility.
Wayne Boggs, air show director and aerial choreographer, has been named the winner of the Oshkosh, Wis.-based International Council of Air Shows' Sword of Excellence award. It was presented to Boggs for his “leadership role in the air show community over the last quarter century.”
William W. Boyle has become CEO of San Diego-based Cubic Corp. He had been executive VP and CFO and also interim president and CEO since the death of founder and former CEO Walter J. Zable in June 2012. Bradley H. Felmann was appointed president and chief operating officer, and John D. Thomas was promoted to executive VP and CFO. Stephen O. Shewmaker, president of the company's Transportation Systems, is now also an executive VP.
Boeing subsidiary Insitu has regained the contract to provide unmanned-aircraft intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services to U.S. Special Operation Command (Socom) after AAI was dismissed from the contract it won away from Insitu last year. Insitu has received a 25-month contract potentially worth $190 million to provide ISR support to Socom with its ScanEagle UAS.
With a key deadline looming in mid-February, negotiators from American Airlines and US Airways raced to seal a merger deal that would create the world's largest airline.
Bill Sweetman's “Commander's Intent” column “No More Time” (AW&ST Jan. 28, p. 12), is spot-on with the exception of the conclusions he tries to avoid. Lockheed Martin's setting a date for the initial operational capability (IOC) now means nothing. The date has been set and moved so often that the company has lost all credibility on the issue. The Pentagon, in cooperation with Congress, should set a program cancellation deadline. If full IOC is not reached by then, terminate the program.
If former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) emerges from an extremely contentious confirmation hearing as the next U.S. defense secretary, he may enter the Pentagon weakened at a time when the military's top civilian needs cooperation more than ever. The Pentagon, which scaled back its fiscal expectations dramatically in early 2012, is facing the prospect of $500 billion in across-the-board budget reductions. It is in the midst of drawing down the war in Afghanistan, guarding against continued tension in the Middle East and pivoting forces to the Pacific.
The global aviation industry will be watching Australia this year as it prepares to impose the first nationwide equipage mandate for automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B), years ahead of the deadlines proposed by European and U.S. regulators.
The problem with batteries in the Boeing 787 makes me wonder what could be different when using them in aircraft. Were these batteries tested for pressurization and depressurization problems? Even within the pressurized section of an aircraft, the pressure is lower in flight.
Brian Anderson has become aftermarket sales manager for the Americas at Arlington, Va.-based Cobham Satcom. He joins Cobham from partner Avionics Support Group.
The woman in charge of the National Transportation Safety Board is now among the top contenders to replace Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. If Deborah Hersman is nominated and confirmed, she will have to temper her approach to ferreting out problems in the transportation system to align with the confines of a limited budget.
The U.S. government spends more on weapons development than any other nation on the planet, but its plans for doing so are caught up in a larger financial debate.
Amanda Brownfield has joined Chantilly, Va.-based TASC as VP of the Mission Analysis Business Unit. She was VP of a business unit supporting intelligence, defense and law enforcement customers for SAIC. HONORS AND ELECTIONS
It is a standing joke that business aviation recycles its own, referring to the frequent movement of executives, sales people and managers from one company to another, but always within the community. This, I submit, is a result of the demanding nature of the segment's high-octane users and the infinite flexibility of its missions. Not many individuals thrive in that kind of environment, so there's a steady demand for those who do. All that came to mind when I learned of Jim Christiansen's new position.
Israel's Rafael will spotlight its Iron Dome counter-rocket system at Aero India 2013. India has been showing interest in the combat-proven active defense system, which can intercept short-range artillery rockets. Rafael also will showcase David's Sling, the multi-mission, multi-platform interceptor; the Spyder short- and medium-range air defense systems; Python-5 air-to-air IR and air defense missiles; Derby beyond-visual-range range air-to-air and air defense missiles; and Modular, Integrated C4I Air & Missile Defense System, the company says.
Central Florida's Lake County is well named since it comprises 1,400 lakes and countless ponds, pools and puddles. This water wealth, combined with the region's abundance of sunshine and warm air year-round, make the place a magnet for fisherfolk, boaters, kayakers and other wet-setters. And that very much includes floatplane fliers.
