Airbus is scheduled to deliver the final A340 soon, bringing to a close a 24-year program that has a special meaning for Europeans. The A340 was intended to enable Airbus, which was still a loose industrial grouping in the mid-1980s, to meet the airline industry's long-haul segment needs, after decades of unsuccessful attempts by airframe designers and producers in Europe.
This pressurized, single-turboprop-powered, corporate/utility transport aircraft first flew in May 1991 and received Swiss and U.S. certification in 1994. It has seating for nine passengers in its standard layout. Portugal's OGMA assembles green aircraft and also manufactures some components. The current PC-12 production version, the PC-12 NG (Next Generation), is powered by the 1,200-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67P. A total of 1,041 PC-12s, in all versions, were built through 2010. Production of 944 units is expected in 2011-20.
By year-end, Airbus plans to strengthen its corporate jet unit (ACJ), so it “will be able to provide the same packages as our competition,” says Airbus Middle East President Habib Fekih. ACJ will include engineering, program management, and sales and service, with Airbus Chief Operating Officer-Customers John Leahy saying it will get “a new level of attentiveness.” Airbus sold its first ever ACJ321 to Comlux at the Dubai Air Show last week and now has orders for the corporate versions of all of its passenger aircraft.
A recent letter from reader Norman Kellman regarding pilot training (AW&ST Nov. 7, p. 8) referenced a letter from Roger Waldman that ran in the Sept. 6, 1999, issue. I would appreciate it if you could reprint that letter. Kailua, Hawaii (Waldman's letter follows—Ed.)
Capt. (ret.) Roger H. Waldman (Bellingham, Wash. )
The article “Boeing Safety Tool Provides Insight Into Human Factors Errors” (AW&ST June 21, [1999] p. 51) points to an element of the human factors equation that has proven to be thorny for airlines.
I think we will hear more about the LOT Airlines gear-up landing (AW&ST Nov. 7, p. 16). I have read the Boeing 767 emergency gear extension procedure and unless gravity was not working that day, the gear should have extended. Is it possible the pilot did not run that procedure? Also, why was the first officer allowed to make the decision to continue to Warsaw? Pelham Manor, N.Y.
Regarding “Power Play” (AW&ST Oct. 24/31, p. 97), F-16s look more like they're grown than manufactured. No other front-line jet looks so sleek, sexy, supersonic, dangerous. At least one writer has described the design as timeless. It's true. I'm pretty sure I saw my first F-16 at Farnborough in 1974. It still looks cool. And scary. We may not be able to launch astronauts into space on our own vehicles anymore, but we can still transfix the Chinese by selling F-16s to Taiwan.
BananaPeal commented: How about we skip replacing ICBMs and just use subs and bombers for our deterrent? Or perhaps at least bring the numbers way down. What's the point of 5,000 missiles? Just by counting the missiles on the submarine fleet, there are almost 300 or so Tridents. How many nukes do we need to blow up our enemies, or the world? Executive Editor James R. Asker replies:
Stephanie Pope has been appointed VP-investor relations of Chicago-based Boeing, effective Feb. 1. She will succeed Scott Fitterer, who will become VP-financial planning and analysis. Pope is CFO for the Integrated Logistics business of Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
Larry Kellner has joined Boeing's board of directors. He is president of private equity firm Emerald Creek Group and was chairman and CEO of Continental Airlines.
Ruedi Kraft (see photos) has been appointed VP-market development and completions sales at Jet Aviation, Basel, Switzerland. He comes from Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., where he was VP for the Middle East and North Africa. Company veteran Abdullah Al-Ghamdi is the new customer relations manager and sales representative for aircraft management and charter services for Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
George Puthoff and Glenn Gray have joined the maintenance and avionics department of San Diego-based Jet Source. Puthoff was parts manager at Air Resorts and Crownair, and Gray, a returning Jet Source employee, held positions in corporate aircraft procurement.
Jeffrey Wood (see photo) has been named senior VP for Tempe, Ariz.-based StandardAero's airlines and fleets business, taking over from interim leader Jennifer McNeill, who will return to her post as VP-sales, marketing and business development. Wood was senior adviser for Irving Place Capital's aerospace practice.
Mike Twyman (see photo) has become VP and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Defense Systems Div., McLean, Va., succeeding Barry Rhine, who is retiring. Twyman was VP for Integrated Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence Systems.
Graham Evitt (see photo) has become Dallas-based BBA Aviation's Rolls-Royce M250 regional sales manager at engine repair and overhaul subsidiary H+S Aviation, Portsmouth, England. He was commercial engineer for the M250.
USAF Brig. Gen. Martin Whelan has been promoted to major general and named director of requirements at Air Force Space Command Headquarters, Peterson AFB, Colo. He was director of the Nuclear Support Directorate in the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va. Whelan has been succeeded by Brig. Gen. Michael E. Fortney, who was chief of the Nuclear Operations Div. at U.S. Strategic Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, Neb. HONORS AND ELECTIONS
Paul Kirby (see photo) of Cerretani Aviation has been elected 2012 chairman of the National Aircraft Resale Association, Grapevine, Texas. Other new board members are: treasurer, Brad Harris, Dallas Jet International; secretary, Herb Knight, Tempus Jets; Jay Gantt, Gantt Aviation; Nick Schneider, Global Wings; Tobias Kleitman, TVPX 1031 Exchange Co.; and Louis Seno, Jet Support Services.
Julie A. Sattler, a VP and general manager of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., has been named to receive the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Aerospace, Sunnyvale, Calif. Sattler was recognized for leadership and the development of space-based communication systems for warfighters.
Pilot and business aviation executive Clay Lacy has been inducted into the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame in Wichita. He also recently received the National Business Aviation Association's Meritorious Service to Aviation Award for his dedication to building the business aviation industry.
David Giger, director of Dragon spacecraft development and propulsion for SpaceX, is among three space professionals to receive the 2011 Promise Award from the New York-based Society of Satellite Professionals International. The others are: Bradley Patterson, senior project manager of Intelsat; and Rohit Iyer Seshadri, senior member of the technical staff at Hughes Network Systems. The award recognizes the potential of young satellite professionals to play leadership roles in the industry. Tom Eaton, president of Harris CapRock, received SSPI's Mentor Award.
Nicholas E. Calio is not afraid of a fight. As the White House's legislative affairs director under U.S. President George W. Bush, the longtime Washington insider secured a string of victories on Capitol Hill, including congressional authorization for Bush to wage war on Iraq. And when Calio in January became president and CEO of the Air Transport Association (ATA), he was expected to bring some much-needed vigor to the U.S. airline industry's lobbying organization.
