Boeing is moving ahead on its part of the Lockheed Martin Orion crew exploration vehicle, completing a long-awaited developmental heat shield and shipping it to Kennedy Space Center for inspection. Boeing made the thermal protection system (TPS) from Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) material, which was used successfully in the heat shield for NASA’s Stardust comet sample return spacecraft. The unit is assembled from multiple PICA pieces, each “significantly” larger than the reusable ceramic TPS tiles on NASA’s space shuttle.
I have watched the KC-X competition with interest and am intrigued by the advocacy of some of my fellow retired generals. As a part of the fighter community for 29 years, as a Joint Forces commander and later as commander of the U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, I have a unique perspective on the complexity of tanker operations.
Hawker Beechcraft Corp. has received FAA certification of its King Air 350ER, which features extended range, a heavy-duty landing gear installation and increased gross weight (16,500 lb. from 15,000 lb.). The twin-turboprop-powered 350ER is a derivative of the King Air 350 business aircraft. Additional fuel is carried in tanks installed in the engine nacelles. With a full load of fuel, the airplane can fly out 100 naut. mi. and remain on station for up to 7 hr. 20 min., fly back to base, and land with more than 45 min. of fuel on board, according to the company.
Boeing has realigned its production plans for the first 747-8F to allow completion of the final 747-400Fs by the end of 2008—several months earlier than scheduled. As a result, the first -8F will be built three months later than planned. Michael Teal, deputy chief project engineer, says Boeing now expects to roll out the airplane in February 2009 with initial delivery to launch customer Cargolux in October, leaving a relatively short flight test window.
True Flight Holdings LLC has been cleared to purchase the assets of bankrupt Tiger Aircraft, builder of the four-seat, single-engine Tiger light airplane. The acquisition includes Tiger’s FAA type certificates, parts and materials, as well as tooling. Kevin Lancaster, CEO of True Flight Holdings, says he plans to resume production of the Tiger and will relocate manufacturing to a site in Georgia. From 2001-06 Tiger Aircraft, of Martinsburg, W. Va., built more than 50 AG‑5B Tigers before financial problems forced the company to file for bankruptcy in January 2007.
Vic Gregg has been promoted to director of operations from Asia-Pacific regional director for Universal Aviation of Houston. He has been succeeded by Lex den Herder. Curt Kurshildgen has been named operational standards and training manager.
The European Space Agency is beginning to look at scenarios to ensure an independent manned space capability if such access is threatened by conflicting U.S. and Russian policy objectives.
The Royal Thai Army and Navy will acquire two Embraer ERJ 135LRs to transport government and military officials, and for medical evacuations. The twin-engine jet performs similar missions in Brazil, Belgium, Greece, India and Nigeria.
Bernadine Douglas has become assistant vice president-institutional advancement and Christopher Lambert director of development for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University , Daytona Beach, Fla. Douglas was director of development at the University of Central Florida’s Burnett College of Biomedical Sciences. Lambert was vice president-private banking and wealth management at Fifth-Third Bank in Morgantown, W.Va.
ATR has signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysian Airlines for the sale of 10, 68-seat ATR 72-500s. The carrier also holds options for five more of the turboprops. The deal is valued at $285 million (options included). MASWings will operate the aircraft, which are to be delivered in 2009-10.
To usher in a new era, 20 sec. and 30 cm. (11.8 in.) may seem small measures, but the two together heralded the beginning of human rotary-powered flight. One hundred years ago—on Nov. 13, 1907—Frenchman Paul Cornu is generally held to have become airborne, if by the slightest of margins, and for a little more than a hop, astride an airframe fitted with contrarotating blades. The reemergence of design ideas is a leitmotif of helicopter development.
George Nguyen (see photo) has been appointed senior vice president-operations of the Hawker Beechcraft Corp. , Wichita, Kan. He was president/chief operating officer of Asimco Technologies Inc.
German carrier Air Berlin is set to accept its first factory-delivered Boeing 737-700 in a move that signals the start of a major expansion phase for the growing airline. Although already operating seven -700s, all of the existing aircraft have passed through the hands of former operators such as Rio Sul, Midway, Sun Country, LAPA or Germania. The new aircraft is the first of 25 737-700s on order along with more than 60 -800s. Air Berlin, which acquired Dusseldorf-based charter carrier LTU in August, already operates 40 -800s as well as a fleet of 26 Airbus A319/A320s.
Chris Goater has become director of communications for the Netherlands-based Civil Air Navigation Services Organization . He succeeds Philip Butterworth-Hayes, who has resigned. Goater was head of media and public affairs/head of environment policy at the U.K.’s Airport Operators Assn.
The new active, electronically scanned array radar technology (already in the F-22 and newest model F/A-18E/Fs, and selected for the F-35, F-15C and a new generation of F-16s) will make the leap to heavy bombers. These radars triple the range of conventional designs and allow the detection of stealthy and very small targets.
Runway safety—as it has since 1990—appears on the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board’s “Most Wanted” list of critical aviation issues that require FAA corrective action. On Nov. 8, the NTSB reviewed its annual list and the remedies it is seeking:
A decision by Russian authorities to withdraw Lufthansa Cargo’s overflight rights is turning into a serious political issue between Russia and Germany.
The nearly 15,000 aerospace contractor and NASA employees at the Kennedy Space Center are focused on the critical launch of the shuttle Atlantis (right) to the International Space Station with the European Columbus module (see p. 42). The Flight Readiness Review for the planned mid-December launch is set for Nov. 14 at Kennedy.
Air China will begin thrice-weekly nonstop services between Beijing and Sydney on Dec. 1, using Airbus A330s and competing with Qantas Airways. Air China also is doubling its services between Beijing and Bangkok to twice daily and will introduce flights between Beijing and Macau.
Kaushik Patel has been named chief financial officer of South African Airways . He held the same position at Telkom. Patel will succeed Clive Else, who will become CEO of SAA Technical. Else, in turn, will follow Jan Blake, who has been appointed general manager for mergers, acquisitions and disposals. Fortune Ntlhoro has become SAA’s chief procurement officer.
Air Canada and Star Alliance partner Lufthansa are expanding Germany-Canada services. On June 1, 2008, they will launch daily nonstop flights between Ottawa and Frankfurt, the alliance’s primary European hub. On Mar. 1, the partners will offer up to three daily nonstops to Toronto from Frankfurt. Lufthansa plans to add a second daily nonstop Calgary-Frankfurt flight on Apr. 14, and seasonal nonstop Toronto-Dusseldorf service the next month.
Apotential shareholder revolt among EDO Corp.shareholders is raising questions about whether ITT Corp. will increase its $1.7-billion bid for the 82-year-old defense electronics supplier. ITT agreed in September to pay $56 a share, a 9% premium over EDO’s pre-deal closing price and 33% above the figure of a month earlier. But now some EDO shareholders are saying that’s just not enough.
Geoffrey Wright has become director of financial projects for PAS Technologies Inc. , Kansas City, Mo., and May Lim senior customer service executive for Asian Surface Technologies Pte. Ltd., the Singapore-based joint venture of PAS Technologies, SIA Engineering Co. and Pratt & Whitney. Wright was division finance manager for Praxair Surface Technologies Inc., while Lim was senior customer support officer for Turbine Overhaul Services Ltd. of Singapore.
In a deal valued at $5.2 billion, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific will buy 10 Boeing 747-8 freighters and seven 777-300ERs, partly to replace seven 747-200 freighters by 2012. The new aircraft will all be delivered by that year, with the first arriving in 2009. Cathay has also taken purchase rights on another 14 747-8s. It had already ordered 23 777-300ERs.
