In pictures of Saturn 5 liftoffs I have noticed that the main engines at the end of the exhaust-bell have a dark gaseous extension of perhaps 8 ft. before you see flame glow. I have never been able to find out why. Can any of the brain trust of engineers who have worked on this program offer a firm explanation? All close-up liftoff pictures of the bottom of the rocket show this dark effluent, seemingly blocking out the bright light of the hot exhaust. At that point of the exhaust, I cannot imagine any unburnt hydrocarbons that have not ignited.
With all the talk of the potential of electric and hybrid propulsion to revolutionize general aviation, it is easy to forget that light aircraft have largely missed out on one of the most fundamental advances in aeronautics—the jet engine. Now, after 15 years of work, a French company is getting close to beginning certification work on a small turbofan aimed at replacing piston engines in light aircraft. And it is fitting such a venture should be French, because the SIPA S.200 Minijet, flown in 1952, was the first jet-powered light touring aircraft.
The Pentagon's acquisition czar says he is “reasonably confident” that the Lockheed Martin F-35 program's classified cybersystems are “well-protected” from Chinese and Russian hacking, but Frank Kendall is “not at all” confident about unclassified information. “I have determined in general that with the loss of design information that's at the unclassified and insensitive level, I'm going to be putting some policies into place that try to make stronger sanctions . . .
Warren M. Boley, Jr., has become president of the new Aerojet Rocketdyne subsidiary of GenCorp Inc., Sacramento, Calif. Boley has been president of Aerojet since July 2012. Aerojet Rocketdyne was created on June 14, when GenCorp acquired Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne from United Technologies Corp. Boley was president of Pratt & Whitney's Military Engines Div. John Schumacher has been named vice president-business relations for GenCorp.
President Barack Obama's Brandenburg Gate call to eliminate up to a third of the U.S. nuclear arsenal has few ardent champions. And the remaining discontent may matter, since the cuts aren't likely to materialize while Obama is still in office. Republicans denounce the plan to reduce beyond the New Start treaty's limit of 1,550 deployed strategic warheads, and promise to set up procedural roadblocks in the Senate.
In a conversation with AW&ST Contributing Editor David Eshel, Brig. Gen. Hagi Topolanski, chief of air staff and deputy commander of the Israeli air force, describes how the IAF is dealing with the evolving threat in the Middle East. He lays out the Air Force's upcoming five-year acquisition blueprint, including plans for the purchase and fielding of the first squadron of F-35I stealth fighters.
Jens Flottau's “Blue Horizons” (AW&ST May 20, p. 44) provided an insightful look into the interesting strategic and operational challenges faced by JetBlue as it pursues the “tweener” strategy, which means leading in the “lifestyle” segment of the market. My perspective as a very satisfied customer is that they have succeeded so far, in no small part due to exercising tremendous discipline in saying “no” to various strategic choices that airlines regularly face.
Preliminary design review (PDR) for the next U.S. heavy-lift launch vehicle is underway and expected to be finished this summer, but work on the crew vehicle that is to ride atop it is lagging slightly. Engineers from NASA and its contractors on the Space Launch System (SLS) started PDR on the initial 70-metric-ton variant of the vehicle, conducting detailed reviews of the design concept. The project, mandated by Congress in the 2010 NASA authorization bill, is on track for a first flight in 2017, according to Todd May, NASA's SLS program manager.
Vietnam has a requirement for long-range maritime patrol aircraft, but is unwilling to buy the aircraft from the U.S. unless it lifts a ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Vietnam's ruling Communist Party government.
Too bad readers must delve deep into your June 17 issue to find out how the French have managed aerial firefighting since 1963—keeping 95% of wild/forest fires to less than 12 acres as a result of their ability to strike early. And, in an embarrassing irony, they are using many U.S. aircraft such as the PBY Catalina, early on, and now have nine modified Grumman S-2 Trackers along with 17 other fixed-wing aircraft.
A Lockheed Martin-led consortium developing the Medium Extended Air Defense System (Meads) is requesting approval from Italy, Germany and the U.S.—the program's three partners—to expand the scope of its second and final flight test before the partnership is set to expire later this year. A November 2013 trial was slated to pit Meads only against a theater ballistic missile (TBM) threat.
Air shows do more than trumpet commercial transport orders or dazzle visitors with noisy flight displays. They also provide a great opportunity to introduce new ideas and, even better, concepts that could lead to technology breakthroughs. Last week at the Paris air show, Switzerland's Ecole Polytechnique, based in Lausanne, unveiled an all-new concept of modular aircraft—a three-engine flying wing able to carry three Airbus A320-size “capsules.”
Warren M. Boley, Jr., has become president of the new Aerojet Rocketdyne subsidiary of GenCorp Inc., Sacramento, Calif. Boley has been president of Aerojet since July 2012. Aerojet Rocketdyne was created on June 14, when GenCorp acquired Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne from United Technologies Corp. Boley was president of Pratt & Whitney's Military Engines Div. John Schumacher has been named vice president-business relations for GenCorp.
Lockheed Martin is examining the business case for a commercial version of the C-130J Super Hercules. While the company has been able to offer the C-130J for civil customers since 1998, it is now examining the potential of a dedicated civil variant called L-100J.
Heidi Hendrix (see photos) has been appointed vice president-human resources for the Falls Church, Va.-based Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Aerospace Systems. She was senior vice president and human resources executive for Bank of America Legacy Asset Servicing. Jeannie Hilger has been named vice president of the Network Communication Systems business for Northrop Grumman's San Diego-based Information Systems. She has been acting leader of the business since November 2012, and previously its director of enterprise engineering, operations and programs.
It has come as welcome news for Japan's major airlines that their customers do not seem to be worried about flying on Boeing 787s since the aircraft's return to service. Concerns have also eased regarding the effect of the 787's battery problems on their delivery schedules.
Gary Kenneth Toomey has been appointed CEO of India's Jet Airways. He will succeed Nikos Kardassis, who has resigned. Capt. Hameed Ali will continue as acting CEO, pending regulatory approval of Toomey's appointment. Toomey has been president/CEO of the Air New Zealand Group and CEO of Airlines PNG in Papua New Guinea, CFO/executive director of Qantas Airways and CFO of Australian Airlines.
EADS Astrium is preparing a bid for Italian space propulsion company Avio, the prime contractor on Europe's new Vega light launcher, a takeover that could give Germany a larger role in a French-led follow-on to the European Ariane 5. Astrium could enhance Vega's capabilities with a new German upper stage. Synergies could be found between the small-satellite launcher and the new Ariane 6, the design of which is set to be frozen by the 20-nation European Space Agency July 14.
Airbus Military's A400M airlifter was finally able to provide a flying display in front of the crowd at Le Bourget this year. Issues with the aircraft's TP400 turboprop engines limited the planned aerobatic display in 2011 to a mere flyby before it was relegated to the static park. The second aircraft at the show, which is destined for the French air force, appeared in the static display area.
