Embraer plans to wait until the second half of the next decade to introduce a next-generation jet, despite proposals by two competitors to technologically leapfrog the Brazilian aircraft builder within five years.
Airbus is in advanced talks with at least three new A380 customers—Asiana, Air India and All Nippon Airways—and is looking to broaden the appeal of its A350 twin-widebody with the likely introduction of a high-capacity configuration. The negotiations with Air India have been underway for some time, but Airbus chief operating officer for customers, John Leahy, says the deal could be completed this year.
Israel Defense Forces Brig. Gen. (ret.) Moshe Lippel (see photos) has been appointed vice president/chief financial officer at Israel Aerospace Industries Elta Systems. He was financial adviser to the IDF’s chief of staff/head of the Budget Section at the Ministry of Defense. Tal Sagee has been named Elta’s vice president/general counsel at Elta Systems. Israel air force Col. (ret.) Moshe Medina has become general manager of the Aircraft Div. of IAI’s Bedek Aviation Group. He was head of the Israeli delegation in Washington for the Joint Strike Fighter.
Wichita State University (WSU) ranks third among all universities in the U.S. in aerospace engineering research and development, behind Georgia Institute of Technology and the Johns Hopkins University, according to the National Science Foundation. WSU’s new ranking is chiefly due to activities at the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) located on campus. In 2007, the university spent $19 million on research and development and had an operating budget of $35 million.
Serious development efforts on the Kongsberg/Lockheed Martin Joint Strike Missile for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter are expected to begin this year, although a production decision on the stealthy cruise missile is still pending. Kongsberg has been working on concept refinement of JSM under the aegis of the defense ministries of Norway and Australia. The focus has been on adapting the ship-launched Naval Strike Missile in production for the Norwegian navy for internal carriage on the fighter.
The U.S. Homeland Security Dept. thinks it has found a better way to screen passenger baggage for liquid explosives—magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is now in test at New Mexico’s Los Alamos National Laboratory. The ultralow-level MRI can differentiate among “probably 200 different” liquids and gels, classifying them as hazardous, nonhazardous or uncharacterized, says Rear Adm. (ret.) Jay Cohen, Homeland Security undersecretary for science and technology. Uncharacterized liquids would be subject to secondary screening, he says.
Astrium affiliate Infoterra has formed a joint venture with Spanish satcom operator Hisdesat and the Cartographic Institute of Catalonia (ICC) to distribute high-resolution radar imagery from Infoterra’s TerraSAR-X satellite. Astrium will have a 60% share and ICC and Hisdesat, 20% each.
Global demand for new combat rotorcraft is driving sales upward and fattening order books as governments seek to modernize their forces and warfighting capabilities. Turbine engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce forecasts that demand for military helicopters will remain steady until 2012 before declining to a more sustainable level by 2016. In addition, during the next eight years, military sales will gradually shift away from single-engine turbine-powered helos toward medium- and heavy-lift designs deemed necessary for long-term operational needs.
Emirates has increased service between Dubai and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport to daily from thrice-weekly, only two months after initiating the flights. Richard M. Vacar, director of the Houston Airport System, says 70% of the passengers are representatives of the Houston-area oil and gas industry. On average per flight, Emirates aircraft are carrying 16 tons of cargo departing Houston, while arriving flights carry an average of 10 tons of freight.
The International Air Transport Assn. hopes to begin testing its Baggage Improvement Program (BIP)—designed to address all of the causes of mishandling—with six member airlines and airports in 2008. For every 1,000 passengers, 982 do not have problems with luggage, according to IATA. But of the remaining 18, luggage for 15 is delayed on delivery, 2.25 are damaged and 0.75 is lost.
Japan’s first KC-767J tanker arrived at Gifu air base on Feb. 20, following its delivery flight from Boeing’s Integrated Defense Systems’ conversion and modification site in Wichita, Kan. The aircraft, which was formally delivered to the Itochu Corp., a trading company acting for the Japanese government, will be officially handed over to Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force following an in-country acceptance process.
Sikorsky S-92 flies over New York on a demonstration flight. The commercial helicopter industry is riding a wave of prosperity that is forecast to remain strong for the next 10 years (see p. 56). Thousands of new rotorcraft are expected to be built as operators replace aging, high-maintenance aircraft with new, more efficient models. Strong demand from law enforcement, energy exploration and emergency medical services will help drive sales upward. Sikorsky photo by Rich Zellner.
Mar. 4-5—ATO Events’ Third Annual Conference and Exhibition: “Aircraft Maintenance Russia.” Holiday Inn Moscow Sokolniki Hotel. Call +74 (95) 626-5329, fax +74 (95) 245-4946 or see www.events.ato.ru/eng/events/mro/ Mar. 4-6—American Astronautical Society’s 46th Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium: “Exploration to Commercialization: Going to Work in Space.” Greenbelt (Md.) Marriott. Call +1 (703) 866-0020, fax +1 (703) 866-3526 or see www.astronautical.org
Dassault Aviation says it took orders for 212 business aircraft last year—dwarfing the previous high of 158 in 2006. The purchases prompted a leap in orders to €6.26 billion ($9.2 billion), the fifth year in a row that new business has increased. The bulk of buys—73 units, according to figures reported last year—were for the new top-of-the-range 7X trijet, which entered service last June, said Chairman/CEO Charles Edelstenne. Falcon Jets deliveries climbed to 71 units from 61 a year earlier.
The U.S. Navy is asking three companies each to design an aircraft that can conduct simultaneous intelligence-gathering missions that were considered impractical, perhaps impossible, even a couple of years ago.
Jim Stobie has been named Falls Church, Va.-based director of aviation weather programs for government customers for Ensco . He was a senior systems engineer for the FAA.
The PowerJet SaM146 turbofan engine for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 family of 75-95-seat regional jets has completed the first phase of airborne trials on an Ilyushin Il-76LL transport, accumulating 42 hr. during 22 flights. Officials of the Snecma/NPO Saturn joint venture say the engine is meeting performance targets, but is not yet ready for production.
EADS Defense and Security and Tata of India have agreed to team for the Indian Army’s $1-billion tactical communications system, for which a request for proposals is expected this year.
The global appetite for commercial rotorcraft shows no signs of weakening as airframe manufacturers expand capacity and carefully manage supply chains to keep production lines rolling.
The FAA is proposing a rule that would harmonize engine fire protection certification standards with those of European Aviation Safety Agency requirements. The proposed rule, aimed at simplifying aircraft engine import and export activities, would apply to powerplants certificated in the U.S. under 14 CFR Part 33 and EASA CS-E or certification specifications for engines. The FAA is inviting comments by May 21.
Vietnam’s first telecommunications satellite, Vinasat-1, is set for launch following the completion of final checks. According to owner Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group, the $180-million Lockheed Martin-built spacecraft is to be orbited by Arianespace on Apr. 2. However, the launch operator, now preparing the Mar. 7 inaugural flight of Europe’s ATV space tug, says a mid-month date is more likely. To be sited at 132 deg. E. Long., Vinasat-1 will offer more than 200 DirecTV channels, and telecom/Internet access capacity.
SES and Eutelsat have formed a joint venture, Solaris, to offer mobile TV service using an S-band payload on Eutelsat’s W2A. The service is expected to be launched in early 2009 (see p. 49).
Chicago’s Midway Airport is one step closer to privatization after issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The City of Chicago signed up for an FAA pilot program that allows five U.S. airports to be leased to private operators. In September 2006, Midway announced its intention to complete privatization by the end of 2007. But the airport’s biggest tenant airlines—Southwest, Delta, AirTran, ATA and Frontier—expressed concern about how privatization would affect their operations. Now that the airlines have given their blessing, RFQ responses must be submitted by Mar.
Denmark-based Satair is making its first investment in China, taking a 49% stake in Sichuan Ruibo Hydraulic Component Service, which supplies Air China, China Eastern and China Southern with aircraft hydraulic overhaul services.
USAF Lt. Gen. Douglas M. Fraser has been named deputy commander of U.S. Pacific Command, Camp Smith, Hawaii. He was commander of the Alaskan Command of U.S. Pacific Command/commander of the 11th Air Force of Pacific Air Forces/commander of Alaskan North American Defense Region, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.
