Robert Wall (Paris), Andy Nativi (Genoa), Graham Warwick (Washington)
As Europe steps up efforts to meet its need for a future heavy-lift helicopter, it is becoming increasingly likely the project will focus on upgrading a current system rather than launching a brand-new design.
The Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam will not license new airlines until 2015 to help incumbents cope with the global economic downturn and to relieve a shortage of skilled workers and infrastructure. The pressure on Vietnamese aviation skills and infrastructure is a result of the industry’s rapid growth. Vietnamese airlines carried 23 million passengers in 2008—a figure that is expected to more than double to 47 million for an approximate growth rate of 10%.
Pilots caught in the time warp of being older than 60 but younger than the FAA’s new mandatory retirement age of 65 are suing to get back in the air. But it’s unclear if they’ll find relief in court. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asked why they are suing in San Francisco rather than in Washington. One unstated answer is the perception that the FAA has a home court advantage in the nation’s capital.
Craig Simpson has become director of European sales for Connecticut-based Titanium Industries Inc. He was U.K. general manager for Samuel Son & Co. (U.K.) Ltd. Honors and Elections
Reports of the death of the VH-71 presidential helicopter have been greatly exaggerated. Defense Secretary Robert Gates may have recommended axing the program when he first made his budget recommendations in early April, but now he finds himself shouting down critics concerned with wasting more than $3 billion that has already been spent on development. And the basic requirement for a new fleet for the president is still alive and well—even if the nine aircraft already built by Lockheed Martin-AgustaWestland don’t fit the bill.
Chris Stott and Dianne vanBeber have been elected to the board of directors of the New York-based Society of Satellite Professionals International . Stott is managing director of Mansat; and vanBeber is vice president-investor relations and corporate communications for Intelsat. She will be the board secretary. Richard P. Wolf has been appointed chairman of the board and Clayton Mowry president. Wolf is senior vice president-telecommunications and network origination services for ABC, while Mowry is president of Arianespace Inc.
Experimental work on open rotors—heralded last year as potential game-changing innovations for an industry fighting unpredictable fuel costs and environmental pressures—is intensifying despite slacker oil prices and the dreary economic outlook.
Ted Mickevicius has become director of business development for reserve component forces for EADS North America , Arlington, Va. He has been president of District Catalyst Inc.
French military planners remain confident that the Dassault Rafale’s proven combat experience and new multirole capability, together with further upgrades in the pipeline, will enable the fighter to improve its operational effectiveness and, perhaps, gain a long-sought export breakthrough.
Boeing’s 45-year history of optimism about commercial jet sales continues in its latest 20-year forecast: It expects the current global fleet of 18,800 aircraft to reach 35,600 in 2028 with 29,000 new deliveries and 14,250 airplanes removed, mostly because high fuel prices will make them too expensive to operate.
Patrick Major has been appointed vice president-flight operations, air carrier certification, training, and organizational development for SH&E in Washington.
Robert Candler has been named vice president/general manager of the Reno (Nev.) Service Center of Dassault Aircraft Services . He was a vice president of Landmark Aviation.
Bruno Cervia has been appointed head of research and development for Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. , Stans, Switzerland. He was head of new product development and succeeds John Senior, who has left the company.
Italian-based Sorem is contracted to deploy a pair of Bombardier CL-215 amphibian water bombers to Bastia, Corsica, for three months beginning July 1. The airplanes will complement Northrop Grumman S-2 Trackers operated by the French Civil Defense. Sorem, which operates 17 turboprop-powered CL-415s for the Italian Civil Protection Agency, will take delivery of another two airplanes by year-end. In addition, Giuseppe Spadaccini, chairman of the Aeroservices group that controls Sorem, says the company is discussing a firefighting agreement with the U.S.
U.S.-based Globalstar has clinched a French government-backed $586-million credit facility financing package for deployment of its second-generation mobile satellite system and ground segment. The agreement with a syndicate of French banks led by BNP Paribas and insured by France’s export credit agency, Coface, is subject to execution of certain conditions that Globalstar says will be satisfied shortly.
David J. McComas has been promoted to assistant vice president from senior executive director of the Space Science and Engineering Div. at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio.
International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) is yet again looking at placing large aircraft orders with Boeing and Airbus once its sale to a private equity consortium led by Onex Corp. and Greenbriar Equity is finalized. Despite the renewed optimism expressed by ILFC founder, Chairman and CEO Steven Udvar-Hazy at the International Air Transport Assn.’s annual general assembly here, the leasing giant is considering canceling its order for 10 Airbus A380s because of concerns about the aircraft’s market outlook.
Thai Airways International is close to canceling its order for six Airbus A380s, arguing that it cannot economically deploy the aircraft. The airline is ready to pay a cancellation penalty, but could negotiate for other Airbus aircraft.
The paperless boarding pass is spreading rapidly with benefits mounting for the airlines, the Transportation Security Administration and for travelers using web-enabled cell phones or personal mobile devices. Under a system developed by the International Air Transport Assn., travelers can receive electronic boarding passes on the screens of their devices when they check in on an airline web site. The image contains a two-dimensional bar code established under an IATA standard. The service is available at 20 U.S. airports.
American Airlines has boosted its Boeing 737-800 orders, even as it decides to cut capacity further this year. The carrier has updated its agreement with Boeing, and has increased its 737-800 order by eight to 84. It will receive 76 through 2009 and 2010, and eight in 2011. American has financing for its 737 deliveries well into the second half of 2010. These aircraft will replace MD-80s. Meanwhile, the carrier this fall plans to reduce mainline capacity by 7.5% year-on-year in 2009, compared to a previously announced 6.5% cut.
The Airborne Laser (ABL) missile defense program may have been drastically cut, but it’s far from dead, says the head of the Missile Defense Agency. In fact, MDA plans to explore putting ABL technology on an aircraft smaller than its current jumbo jet platform, says Army Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly. The high-powered laser, designed to destroy an attacking missile shortly after launch, flies on a modified Boeing 747-400 freighter now.
Anthony Albanese has been promoted to vice president from assistant vice president of the Systems Technology Business Area of the Syracuse (N.Y.) Research Corp. (SRC) . Joanne Shumaker has been named Hanover, Md.-based federal market account director. She was president of SciTech Services Inc. Tom Wilson has been named vice president/chief strategy officer of subsidiary SRCTec. He was SRC’s vice president-systems technology.
Japan justifies its bid to acquire high-tech F-22 Raptors by pointing to China’s growing fleet of advanced fighters like the Su-30MKK and a new, high-performance, air-launched cruise missile. But Japan’s major threat is “Chinese ballistic missiles, and no fighter is going to solve that problem,” notes a veteran Washington analyst.
France will consider leasing or buying C-130J transports as part of a plan to meet urgent airlift requirements until it receives its first A400Ms—assuming the troubled program survives a looming ministerial facedown.
Jack Lawless has become president of Standard Aero ’s Associated Air Center in Dallas and Chris Swan vice president/general manager of the company’s Component Services in Cincinnati. Lawless was vice president-aerospace global sourcing and vice president-original equipment manufacturers for Honeywell. Swan was commercial field service director for the Americas for GE Aviation.
