Reading “M&A Wakes Up” ( AW&ST May 12, p. 20) reminded me of some relevant history. In the late 1990s, following the merger of Lockheed and Martin Marietta, the newly minted Lockheed Martin negotiated a second merger with Northrop Grumman. The arrangement was agreed to by both corporations but was ultimately denied by the Justice Department due to competitive reasons. It is interesting to speculate on the landscape of industry now if that coupling had taken place.
“Open Answers” about open rotor engines ( AW&ST March 31, p. 22) caught my interest, especially with regard to the integration of these engines with future airframes. The illustration of a possible configuration reveals the kind of problems being faced and fills me with apprehension—despite the talk of heavy shielding.
Rank: 1st, revenue greater than $6 billion Sales (12 months through Dec. 2013): $13 billion JAL returns to the TPA rankings this year as the highest-ranked of the large carriers. It also ranks fourth overall – a notable achievement considering how rare it has been for a major network carrier to crack the top five.
Not only is Congress moving toward sanctioning China, diplomatic consequences are also underway. The U.S. embassy in Beijing denied visas to three groups of Chinese space officials who were planning to attend the 30th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Elliot Pullham, who heads the Space Foundation that sponsors the annual event, announced while moderating a panel of top space-business leaders that the delegations would not be attending.
Aerion, the supersonic business jet concept long promoted by billionaire Robert Bass, has undergone a major redesign. The original cabin was deemed too small, its range too short and engines too loud. The new Aerion AS2 features a Gulfstream G450-size cabin with a galley, forward and aft lavatories, 5,000-nm range and three new production engines—yet to be identified—producing 15,000 lb. thrust each. “You could say it’s our follow-on aircraft,” observes Bass.
