Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works takes the wraps off its proposed SR-72, a Mach-6 successor to its long-retired SR-71 Blackbird spy plane (page 18). The concept, detailed here for the first time, relies on a breakthrough turbine-based combined-cycle propulsion system that marries scramjet technology with today's fighter engines. Elsewhere in this issue are updates on helicopter programs and technologies (pages 25, 26 and 44) and the latest on industrial jockeying to win work to build the next U.S. bomber (page 22).
South Korea may move quickly to order the Lockheed Martin F-35 for its derailed F-X Phase 3 competition for 60 fighters—and yet again, it may not. In a program that has become chaotic and unpredictable even by the standards of fighter acquisitions, a range of outcomes is in the offing.
Sirius XM Radio's FM-6 satellite is performing post-launch orbit-raising maneuvers as planned following its Oct. 26 launch aboard a Proton M Breeze M from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. On Oct. 27, the satellite, built by Space Systems/Loral, began the first of several thruster firings to propel itself from geostationary transfer orbit to its final geostationary orbit at 116.15 deg. W. Long.
Nov. 11-13—Airport Council International's (ACI) 2013 Airport Concessions Conference. Sacramento, Calif. See www.aci-na.org/event/2420 Nov. 13-15—10th ALTA Airline Leaders Forum 2013. Cancun, Mexico. See www.altaairlineleaders.com Nov. 17-21—Dubai Airshow. See www.dubaiairshow.aero Nov.21-22—Air Force Association's Global Warfare Symposium and Air Force Ball. Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Los Angeles. See olereg.com/afa/LA2013RegHome.aspx
Biologists tell us complex eyeballs first appeared in the Cambrian era, more than 500 million years ago, as the evolutionary value of making sense of the light waves bouncing around in the atmosphere began to manifest in the relatively primitive creatures alive then. Over time, experts say, the eye has evolved as many as 100 different times, demonstrating the persistent importance of sight as a tool for survival.
Bombardier is looking at two scenarios for the rest of the CSeries flight-test program and their schedule implications, but will only come to conclusions over the next few months, says President and CEO Pierre Beaudoin. Bombardier is deciding between a tight flight-test schedule, which would require using more prototypes at the same time, or using fewer, which would necessitate a longer program but limit the cash drain.
Capt. (ret.) Wolfgang Wachholz (Tobermory, Ontario )
In “The Great Stagnation” (AW&ST Oct. 14/21, p. 20), Kevin Michaels writes about why global air travel will not rise as quickly as forecast. But he failed to mention a very important reason why air travel may stagnate—the appalling lack of customer service. The treatment travelers receive at the hands of the airlines, security agents, customs and immigration officials, not to mention the many surcharges—coupled with the affront of cramped seating and an indifferent cabin crew—are huge causal factors.
The price of EU carbon dioxide allowances (EUA) under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) was volatile in October, as market participants positioned ahead of imminent sales by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and speculated on the prospects for progress on market intervention by the regulator. The price of EUAs for delivery in December seesawed wildly through the month, ahead of upcoming sales by the EIB and possible political progress on the European Commission's plan to backload up to 900 million EUAs from auctions over the next few years.
NASA's Kepler extrasolar-planet finder has discovered its first Earth-size planet orbiting a distant star, but while its composition is rocky like Earth's, its 8.5-hr. orbit means the planet is far too warm to lie in the habitable “Goldilocks zone.” Designated Kepler-78b, the new planet is “a blazing inferno and not suitable for life as we know it, according to the Ames Research Center, which manages Kepler.
Hans-Juergen Loss has been named executive director of the Operation Div. of Ameco Beijing. He was vice president-technical operation and vice president-quality management for Lufthansa German Airlines.
As I read about the A-10 in “From the Ground Up” (AW&ST Oct. 7, p. 54) from the comfy remoteness of a peaceful Central Europe, it seems evident that the top brass of the U.S. Air Force and the Obama administration are following in the footsteps of their predecessors who—driven by budgetary protectionism, envy and similar nefarious reasons—managed to kill the SR-71 Blackbird, an irreplaceable strategic reconnaissance asset.
Jeremy Mammen has been named director of aviation safety in the Flight Department of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla. He was manager of flight safety at Aerosim Flight Academy in Sanford, Fla.
Since creating, testing, certifying, producing and promoting an all-new aircraft is such an expensive proposition—I've heard figures ranging from $100 million to 10 times that, depending upon the design's complexity and performance—reworking an existing model is a much-practiced tactic among planemakers. And a new wave of redos is upon us. Indeed, Second Chancers helped anchor the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Annual Convention, held in Las Vegas Oct. 22-24.
Reader Hank Caruso's letter “The A-10, And Its Community Too” (AW&ST Oct. 28, p. 10), was right on the money. And his description that the community “relish[s] improvising Plans B and C when Plan A goes awry” sounds exactly right, except that it applies more closely to Marine Corps aviation than the Air Force. The only justification for Marine Corps' aviation is to take care of the grunt on the ground. The A-10, flown by a Marine pilot, is the perfect combination, and an economical one, once the F-35B is dropped from the Corps' future plans.
David Hoyt has been promoted to senior vice president-strategic accounts executive from vice president-business development for Dynamic Aviation, Bridgewater, Va. Honors And Elections
The most conspicuous exhibits at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) show in Washington in late October were a pervasive sense of unreality and a newfound Army paranoia that rivals that of the Marine Corps.
Business jet billings are surging on the strength of large-cabin business jet deliveries, but ongoing woes at the light end of the market continue to temper overall business jet shipments. Industry billings for the first nine months have reached $15.4 billion, nearly one-quarter more than the $12.4 billion in billings reported a year ago, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. This is despite a 2.1% decline in business jet shipments from a year ago.
Airbus is now offering sharklet retrofits for in-service Airbus A320s and A319s after having formally launched the initiative with JetBlue Airways. The sharklets have so far only been available for newly delivered aircraft and as a retrofit for aircraft manufactured with structurally reinforced wings. The devices are helping to deliver a fuel-burn improvement of up to 4%, or 100 nm more range, according to Airbus.
