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UPDATE
Week ending May 4, 2003
+++ Last flight of X-31 ends with 24-degree ESTOL +++ Swiss to spin off regional ops +++ Lufthansa cuts mor capacity +++ New crew at the Space Station +++ EADS Integrates U.S. activities +++ SM146 engine selected for Russian Regional Jet +++ Galileo Negotiations deadlocked +++ News in brief +++
Last flight of X-31 ends with 24-degree ESTOL
X-31 schließt Kurzlandetests ab
Flight testing of the VECTOR X-31 ended April 29, following a week of successful demonstrations of the world's first fully automated, thrust vectored landings at up to 24 degrees angle of attack. For three years, the VECTOR test team has been working to demonstrate the viability of thrust vectoring for extremely short takeoff and landing, using the unique X-31 as a test bed for the concept. Marine Corps Maj. Cody Allee made the last flight of the thrust-vectored jet at about 5:30 p.m. April 29, completing an automated ESTOL landing at 24 degrees angle of attack and 121 knots, a 31 percent reduction from the aircraft's normal landing speed of 175 knots. The X-31 typically requires 8,000 feet to stop after a conventional landing, Allee said. Following his ESTOL touchdown, he needed just 1,700 feet to slow the X-31 down enough to turn around in the middle of the runway and taxi in a complete circle.
The final landing was greeted with cheers in English and German from scores of test team members watching at runway's edge; since the beginning, VECTOR has been an international partnership between the Navy, Germany's Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, and Boeing Aerospace. The program will now move into a data analysis and reporting stage, creating what will essentially be a how-to manual for thrust-vectored ESTOL and the technology demonstrated on the X-31.
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Swiss to spin off regional ops
Neue Sparmaßnahmen bei Swiss
The Swiss International Air Lines Board of Directors intends to spin off the airline's regional operations into a separate subsidiary which will operate under the “SWISS Express” brand from the start of the 2003/04 winter timetable period. SWISS Express will offer a competitively-priced product that is carefully tailored to the regional air travel market by reducing the costs of these regional operations by some 20 per cent from their current levels. The action is being taken in response to new market conditions. Further savings are also planned in the company's mainline business by reducing personnel costs in close collaboration with the unions. SWISS expects to see rising demand and load factors on its flights in the coming summer months. So any capacity modifications on the medium- and long-haul fronts will not be effected before the start of the 2003/04 winter schedules.
The SWISS Board of Directors and Executive Management have resolved a series of tactical and strategic measures to ensure the airline's sustainable success. SWISS has already made extensive temporary adjustments to its schedules in view of the collapse in passenger volumes following the Iraq war and the outbreak of SARS, and has reduced its systemwide available seat-kilometre capacity by some six per cent. The airline has optimised its network for the high-revenue summer months, but is refraining from further network reductions in view of the higher load factors expected in this traditionally strong period. Any structural modifications required to the network and the aircraft fleet will thus be effected with the start of the 2003/04 winter timetable period.
The move is intended to provide a lean organisation whose costs are 20 per cent below those of the present airline. SWISS Express should commence its operation of niche and feeder flights for SWISS with the introduction of the 2003/04 winter schedules. In doing so, SWISS Express will act as an operator for SWISS. The SWISS Express fleet is expected to consist of Saab 2000, Avro RJ 85/100, Embraer 145 and (later) the new Embraer 170 and 195 aircraft. The new company will be a fully-owned SWISS subsidiary with its own board of directors and executive management. A detailed business plan is being devised. The project is headed by Manfred Brennwald, SWISS Managing Director Operations. The new company's CEO-designate is Björn Näf, currently Executive Vice President Product & Services at SWISS.
SWISS is already on course to save CHF 600 million with its Target Turnaround results-enhancement programme, with CHF 500 million of these savings to be achieved in 2003. But with revenues from flight operations expected to fall further in the foreseeable future while non-influenceable costs are likely to rise, the current erosion of bottom-line results can only be averted through an additional reduction in production costs. Further savings in personnel costs are therefore essential. The aim here is to effect a 10-per-cent reduction in the CHF 1 billion in total salary costs budgeted for 2003. This can only be achieved, however, in close collaboration with the unions. SWISS's top management are setting an example here, agreeing to voluntarily reduce their own salaries by 14 per cent with immediate effect.
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Lufthansa cuts mor capacity
Weitere Einschnitte bei Lufthansa
As an immediate consequence of the undiminished heavy economic burdens, Lufthansa's Executive Board decided on further far-reaching measures. Working hours will be reduced to 35 hours a week with a corresponding reduction in remuneration. This applies to all ground personnel employed in Germany including the corporate control and service functions of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. In addition, capacity will be reduced by another 15 aircraft in continental traffic. As a result, Lufthansa together with its regional partners will have a total of 70 aircraft out of service. The second stage of the reduction in working hours should become effective at the latest on 15 May, after the existence of the prerequisites for the further reduction in working hours has been agreed with the operating partners. The Executive Board expects passenger business revenue to decline by around 20 percent in April 2003 compared to the same month last year. Thus, the limit agreed on in the arbitration process for the initiation of the second stage of the reduction in working hours has been significantly exceeded.
The considerable reduction in demand in the passenger business is due not only to the persisting depressed economic situation and the consequences of the Iraq war, but also to the continuing high degree of uncertainty among travelers to Asia because of SARS. These three factors have plunged the aviation business worldwide into its worst-ever economic crisis. The demand on some Asian routes has slumped dramatically by up to 85 percent and calls for corresponding measures: among other things, the offer of flights to Hong Kong will be reduced from 13 to three weekly flights. Furthermore, on many long-distance routes smaller aircraft will be used. "Even these measures are not sufficient", according to Lufthansa's Chairman and CEO Jürgen Weber. "In a combined and coordinated action with internal and external partners, we will develop solutions which in the long run will put Lufthansa in a cost competitive strong position."
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New crew at the Space Station
Sojus bringt neue ISS-Besatzung
New residents arrived aboard the International Space Station to take over occupancy of the orbital outpost from the crew that has been aloft for more than five months. Expedition 7 Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Flight Engineer and NASA ISS Science Officer Ed Lu monitored systems as their Soyuz TMA-2 spacecraft gently flew to a smooth, automated docking with the station's Zarya Control Module at 12:56 a.m. CDT. At the time of docking, the two space vehicles sailed some 240 statute miles over Kazakhstan, home of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, from where Malenchenko and Lu were launched on Saturday. Within minutes, hooks and latches on the Soyuz and Zarya docking mechanisms were fully engaged to provide a firm mate. On the ISS, Expedition 6 Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit watched closely as the first visitors of their increment eased the new Soyuz to its port along side the Soyuz TMA-1 capsule, which has been linked to the Pirs Docking Compartment since November. Three Russian vehicles now reside at the ISS, including a Progress resupply ship.
Bowersox, Budarin and Pettit will ride home in on the older Soyuz Sunday (late Saturday CDT) to a landing in Kazakhstan to complete a mission that began with their launch Nov. 23, 2002. It will mark the first time in history U.S. astronauts will have returned from space in a Russian craft.
At the time of docking, Bowersox, Budarin and Pettit had been in space for 156 days, 154 days on the station. Shortly before docking, while the new Soyuz sat about 200 meters away from the ISS for a few minutes of stationkeeping and systems checks, Pettit used high-powered digital camera lenses in the Destiny laboratory to document the capsule's arrival at the station.
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EADS Integrates U.S. Activities
US-Aktivitäten werden integriert
EADS, the world's second largest aerospace and defense company, announced on April 25 the formation of EADS North America and integration of the Company's wholly owned U.S. operating units into EADS North America, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Ralph Crosby, Chairman and CEO of EADS North America, and member of the EADS Executive Committee, will oversee the activities of this new entity. EADS North America also announced the appointment of its CFO, Chris Emerson, and its General Counsel, Pierre Cardin, in a press breakfast Friday. EADS North America will be comprised of ten operating units: American Eurocopter Corporation, with headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas, a market leader in rotary-wing aviation. Astrium North America in Houston, Texas, the home of EADS space activities in the United States; Barfield, Inc., headquartered in Miami, Florida, providing avionics and aircraft system repair and maintenance; --EADS Aeroframe Services, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, a maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility for large commercial passenger and freight aircraft; EADS CASA Aircraft USA, in Chantilly, Virginia, which markets and supports EADS CASA aircraft; EADS Socata Aircraft, in Pembroke Pines, Florida, the sales and support headquarters for Socata corporate and leisure aircraft; EADS Supply and Services, in Rockville, Maryland serves as purchasing agent in the United States for EADS divisions and business units; EADS Telecom North America, headquartered in Addison, Texas, offering advanced telecommunications solutions for the private sector and homeland security markets; Fairchild Controls Corporation, in Frederick, Maryland, designer and manufacturer of air turbine drives and environmental controls for military and commercial applications; TYX, headquartered in Reston, Virginia and its subsidiaries ARC and ARC-IAI, providing electronics testing solutions and network security
The formation of these transfers will all be complete by the end of the second quarter of 2003. The pro-forma consolidated revenues of EADS North America, based on 2002 activities, would have been $529 million. 2003 revenues are expected to increase about 10%. Chris Emerson, the newly appointed CFO and Vice President of Investor Relations, will be responsible for the financial management of the new U.S. entity, including: accounting, treasury, capital markets and merger and acquisition activity for the company. Respectively, Mr. Cardin, who as General Counsel, will be responsible for the legal affairs for the group's businesses in the U.S. Mr. Cardin will support the expansion of these businesses both organically and through acquisition, as well as coordinate legal matters with EADS in Europe.
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SM146 engine selected for Russian Regional Jet
Snecma-Triebwerk für Suchoi RRJ
The regional jet engine SM146, developed by Snecma Moteurs and NPO Saturn, has been selected to power the future Russian Regional Jet family (RRJ). The Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) family is being developed by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft jointly with AK Ilyushin, KB Yakovlev and Boeing. This selection results from a technical and commercial competition based on criterions jointly established by Sukhoi and Boeing. Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, Snecma Moteurs, and NPO Saturn signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding at the Snecma headquarters in Paris, April 29th.
The SM146 engine, in the thrust range of 13500 to 17500 lbf, is specially designed for the regional aircraft market, which is expected to have a strong development in the world_s air transportation business in the next 20 years. An important operational advantage for the future customers of the SM146 engine is to have a common engine for all the versions of the RRJ family (baseline and long range) with 60-63, 75-78, and 95-98 passenger seats. The regional jet engine SM146, developed by Snecma Moteurs and NPO Saturn, has been selected to power the future Russian Regional Jet family (RRJ). The SM146 engine will benefit of the successful results of the DEM21 core engine demonstrator, recently tested by Snecma Moteurs, as part of its technology maturation program. The excellence of the test results has proven the relevance of the technology and architecture choices. This will give the designers confidence in certifying the engine on schedule in compliance with the Joint Aviation Authorities of European regulation (JAA), Federal Aviation Administration (USA) and Intergovernmental aviation committee (AviaRegister MAK) of Russia and CIS.
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Galileo Negotiations deadlocked
Neue Probleme mit Galileo GPS
Negotiations surrounding EU Member State contributions to the proposed European satellite navigation system, Galileo, are still deadlocked, a spokesperson for the European Space Agency (ESA) has told CORDIS News. More than a year has now passed since national transport ministers agreed to allocate 450 million euro in EU funding to the project, but agreement on what proportion of the remaining 550 million euro budget each individual ESA Member State should contribute has proven harder to achieve. While Italy and Germany managed to resolve their dispute over the operational return on their contributions, Spain is now refusing to accept a deal under which it would provide nine per cent of the total cost. The Spanish government wants its contribution to Galileo to be at least ten per cent. The extent of the deadlock is illustrated by the fact that the Galileo project was not even discussed at ESA's board meeting on the 25 April, which national representatives attended, ESA spokesperson Franco Bonacina told CORDIS News. “Any agreement on financial contributions to the programme has to be unanimous, so until Spain changes its position, we're stuck,” Mr Bonacina said. There currently are no plans for a meeting to resolve the issue, and with a delay to the planned 2008 launch date looking ever more likely, ESA chiefs will not be alone in hoping that a surprise compromise can somehow be found.
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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN
For fiscal year 2002 Fraport AG has made a complete write-down - in the context of its business caution and conservative balance-sheet policy - on its financial investment in the new International Passenger Terminal 3 (IPT 3) project at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, the Philippines. This exceptional write-down overshadowed positive results in the Group's operating business: Excluding the exceptional write-down for Manila, the 2002 EBITDA (earnings before income, tax, depreciation and amortization) of EUR503 million almost reached the previous year's level. "In these difficult global economic and political times, we have achieved a precise landing and successful business results," said Dr. Wilhelm Bender, Executive Board Chairman of Fraport AG. Nevertheless, because of this exceptional effect of EUR290 million resulting from the Manila write-down, the Fraport Group had an annual net loss of EUR121 million and retained earnings were zero after a release from capital reserves for 2002. As a result, no dividend payments will be made for fiscal year 2002. The Fraport Group sales increased in the reporting year by 14 percent to EUR1.8 billion. This noticeable increase can be attributed primarily to the full-consolidation of ICTS Europe, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fraport since January 2002 and the European market leader for aviation security services. Even when adjusted by this consolidation effect, Fraport's sales grew strongly by four percent over the previous year. The major factors contributing to this were mainly the increase in airport charges at Frankfurt Airport at the beginning of 2002, as well as continued good growth in retail revenues. Proceeds from retail and duty-free shops increased by over 12 percent to EUR67.6 million. The Fraport Group's total output reached EUR1.9 billion. Material expense grew by four percent to EUR527 million over the previous year. The increase in personnel costs of about 25 percent to EUR860 million was mainly due to the first-time full consolidation of ICTS Europe, a very manpower-intensive operation. Thus, the Fraport Group employed an average of 21,395 people during 2002, 5,869 more than in the previous year.
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Meeting at the Agency's headquarters in Paris, the ESA Council appointed Mr Antonio Fabrizi, an Italian, to the post of Director of Launchers, for a four-year term. Antonio Fabrizi, 55, graduated in Mechanical Engineering at La Sapienza University in Rome. From 1975 to 1989 he held several positions at BPD, including responsibility for feasibility studies on Ariane boosters. Mr Fabrizi will succeed Mr Jean-Jacques Dordain, the current Director of Launchers, who takes up his new duties as ESA Director General on 1 July.
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Raytheon has signed a $242 million contract with the Hellenic Ministry of National Defense to produce the "Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suite" of electronic warfare equipment for the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) Block 52+ F-16 aircraft fleet. The program, dubbed "ASPIS II," is a new, enhanced version of the original ASPIS system delivered in the late 1990s for the HAF Block 30/50 F-16s. It represents one of the largest contracts for electronic warfare systems in the history of Raytheon. The ASPIS II contract calls for a total of 60 complete integrated electronic warfare suites, consisting of the ALR-93(V) threat warning system, ALQ-187 jammer, and ALE-47 chaff/flare dispenser. The contract is expected to take effect in early summer. Each of the new suites incorporates advanced signal processing including a digital radio frequency (RF) memory capability.
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The European aerospace industry has agreed on a set of guidelines for customer-supplier relationships, one of which calls for the creation of a common research and development strategy. The “principles of conduct in the European aerospace supply chain” are centred on six principles: communication, research, costs, quality, commercial relationships, and improvement and best practice. “The principles of conduct are an important element for the future competitiveness of our industry,” said President of the European association of aerospace industries, Bengt Halse. “They represent best practice, and their application will benefit companies, both large and small.” According to the guidelines, customers and suppliers should combine their areas of excellence in a reliable network encompassing industry, research institutes, universities and other entities to find the most effective solutions for future aerospace applications. Both parties are also expected to reflect reliable supply chain structures in such research networks.
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Congressional dignitaries, U.S. Army representatives and dozens of Boeing-Sikorsky employees celebrated the start of the new RAH-66 Comanche production line here at Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. Boeing is manufacturing and assembling the composite tail section and rotor blades for Comanche, which will be shipped to Sikorsky Aircraft's facility in Bridgeport, Connecticut for final installation on production aircraft. The Boeing-Sikorsky team is under contract to build and deliver nine new Comanche aircraft to the U.S. Army under the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development phase of the program. Boeing began parts production of the first aft section in early 2003 and loaded the first major fixture on the production line, the FANTAIL shroud, on April 21.
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Evans & Sutherland's Harmony 1 is now delivering the most advanced visual simulation in the world for all five of its UK helicopter and fixed-wing training programs, the company announced today. The E&S visual systems at Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS), Sea Harrier, UK Attack Helicopter, Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service, and Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF) are now in active use for training. The performance and visual fidelity of Harmony at each of these UK locations has been recognized by officials from the MoD, simulator facility operators, and students. Designed to meet the most demanding training needs, such as low-level flight, NVG and sensors, and accurate speed and altitude cues, Harmony delivers unprecedented realism and creates some of the world's most effective training environments.
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Embraer and LOT Polish Airlines have signed the final agreement for the acquisition of ten EMBRAER 170s. The contract also includes options for additional eleven aircraft, with a possible conversion into the EMBRAER 190 or EMBRAER 195 types. First delivery is scheduled to take place in early 2004. At the same occasion Embraer and LOT have announced that they have signed a two year agreement, appointing the carrier an authorized service center for both base and line maintenance for the ERJ 145 aircraft type, effective immediately. This agreement is part of the manufacturer's intention to extend its already strong MRO network within Europe. “We see great value in LOT becoming an authorized service center, not only due to its convenient geographical position but also to its intrinsic knowledge of the ERJ 145,” Luiz Fuchs stated. Currently the EMBRAER 170/190 family has 94 firm orders and 139 purchase options from SWISS, Air Caraibes, Alitalia, GECAS and LOT.
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Northrop Grumman will continue to help the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) modernize the nation's air traffic control system through a seven-year contract valued at approximately $350 million. Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector will serve as prime contractor for the Technical Assistance Contract (TAC2) supporting the FAA's Office of Air Traffic Systems Development (AUA). Specifically, Northrop Grumman will provide program management and technical assistance to five integrated product teams that include Traffic Flow Management, En Route, Next-Generation Communications, Free Flight and Weather that will assist the FAA in its continued focus on modernizing the National Airspace System. "This win reaffirms the FAA's confidence in the Northrop Grumman team," said Dave Zolet, Mission Systems vice president for its Civil Systems Division. "We will deliver seven more years of excellent service tackling the complex job of keeping the nation's air traffic control system current. The continuity we bring to this project means the FAA won't miss a beat in assuring the public that it's operating within the safest and most efficient airspace possible.
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Rockwell Collins' Pro Line 21 avionics system has been selected by AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Co. (ACAC) Ltd. of China for the new ARJ21 regional jet. In addition, Rockwell Collins was also named as the avionics system integrator for the advanced regional jet. "We are proud to be the avionics system integrator for this new aircraft," said Denny Helgeson, vice president and general manager Business and Regional Systems for Rockwell Collins. "It is fitting that the ARJ21 (Advanced Regional Jet for the 21st century) be equipped with the avionics system for the 21st century." ACAC has estimated the market for the ARJ21 in China and globally at 500 aircraft. The 79- to 99-seat aircraft is designed to meet the demanding conditions of China's diverse environment. The ARJ 21 flight deck includes five Collins 10x 8-inch high-resolution liquid crystal adaptive flight displays, and integrates a number of advanced technologies, including integrated processing and Ethernet network communications.
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Following the newswire reports, Airbus communicates that its 300 aircraft delivery target for 2003 is, at this stage, confirmed. This figure carries a higher degree of risk than a few weeks ago, however, when the SARS epidemic was unknown.
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The 1677th flight of a Soyuz family launch vehicle, Soyuz-FG version, was performed on Saturday, April 26, 2003 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Starsem and its Russian partners report that the Soyuz TMA-2 manned transport spacecraft was accurately placed on the target orbit. The launcher lifted off on schedule at 09:53 a.m. Baikonur local time (05:53 a.m., in Paris).
Soyuz sustained launch rate confirms its position as one of the world's primary launch vehicles. This rate also demonstrates Samara Space Center's continuous production capacity, as well as the operational capability of launch teams at Baikonur under the authority of the Russian Aviation and Space Agency. The Starsem manifest for Soyuz missions currently includes contracted launches for Space Systems/Loral, Alcatel Space Industries, the European Space Agency and Eumetsat
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EADS has appointed retired Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham KCB within its marketing organisation EADS International as Senior Military Adviser to the EADS Group.
Commenting on the appointment, Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich, CEOs of EADS, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sir Jeremy to our team. He has had a very distinguished career at the top level of the British armed forces and is highly regarded by his peers both in the UK and internationally. His insight and guidance on major programme development and procurement will be invaluable as we pursue our continued expansion in the United Kingdom. We are committed to providing the best possible service and support to our British customer and the armed forces. Sir Jeremy's appointment is intended to play an important part in achieving this.”
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The Marine Corps concluded its first operational assessment of its newest attack and utility helicopters, the AH-1Z SuperCobra and the UH-1Y Huey, March 27 at Patuxent River. The operational assessment, which began Feb. 12, was conducted by 25 enlisted Marines and four officers, all of whom are assigned to the H-1 Operational Test Team here and fall under the operational control of VX-9 at China Lake, Calif. Based here, the aircraft flew missions to Quantico, Va., New River, N.C.,and the Aberdeen (Md.) Proving Ground. The missions, which totaled 12.7 flight hours in UH-1Y-1 and 11.8 hours in AH-1Z-3, were reconnaissance team insertion and extraction (simulated), aerial reconnaissance, airborne forward air control and escort (for the Yankee) and armed reconnaissance, air interdiction, close air support (simulated), forward air control and escort (for the Zulu).
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Noel Forgeard said on April 30 that Pratt & Whitney had made a bid to supply engines for the A400M military transport plane that was 20 percent lower than its rival. But Forgeard told reporters he had been asked to delay a decision to award Pratt the contract in order to give its European rival time to make a more competitive offer. "If we had to choose today it would be Pratt. They made an offer that was much cheaper," Forgeard said. He added that he had planned to make an annoucement today choosing Pratt & Whitney to supply the engines for the A400M, but had received a call asking him to delay his decision. Asked whether the French government or European arms procurement agency OCCAR had contacted him, he replied "I will say OCCAR."
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The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) today awarded modifications to Northrop Grumman and Boeing for work under the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (J-UCAV) demonstration program. The Boeing Co., Phantom Works, Seattle, Wash., and Northrop Grumman, Air Combat Systems, El Segundo, Calif., each were issued an undefinitized modification to their other transaction for prototypes agreement. The terms and amount of these modifications will be negotiated over the next few weeks. Funding for Boeing will not exceed $140 million; funding for Northrop Grumman will not exceed $160 million. Under these modifications, Northrop Grumman and Boeing will adapt their UCAV designs and demonstration plans to focus on a more common set of Service objectives. The common objectives specify, among other things, a combat radius of 1,300 nautical miles with a full payload of 4,500 pounds. The modifications also initiate Phase IIB of the Naval UCAV effort. In Phase IIB of the Naval UCAV effort, Northrop Grumman will, subject to available funds, develop a minimum of two full-scale, flight-worthy demonstrator vehicles that conform to the common objectives, and design and conduct a demonstration program to satisfy the Navy's and possibly Air Force demonstration objectives. With their modification, Boeing is being asked to develop a minimum of three X-45Cs. Boeing will use the X-45C air vehicles to conduct demonstrations to meet Air Force and Navy objectives.
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With a final sonic boom reverberating over the desert north of Edwards Air Force Base, a NASA research aircraft has completed the first phase of the Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) flight research program. NASA research pilot Richard Ewers flew the final two test points during the brief 35-minute flight in mid-April from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards. In all, 50 test missions were flown by two project pilots in the modified, highly instrumented F/A-18A over the course of five months since the first flight last November.
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Alcatel Space, a subsidiary of Alcatel specialized in space activities, has today notified its workers council that further restructuring measures should be required due to the continuing weakness of the space market. As a result, the cost reduction program will be intensified and staff will be adapted to market conditions. The restructuring measures will lead to 650 redundancies worldwide in 2003. In France, a further adaptation plan, concerning 350 people, and an agreement concerning the methods to be employed should be proposed. Furthermore, Alcatel Space in Denmark, which employs 100 people, and Alcatel Space in Norway, which employs 130 people, should be closed down by end 2003. Alcatel Space in Switzerland, which employs 70 people, is expected to be sold in the near future. These plans were presented to employee representatives of the concerned sites. The objective is to open negotiations in order to identify the most appropriate measures and determine details of their implementation within the framework of negotiated restructuring plans. Alcatel Space currently has 6,000 employees, including 4,800 in France.
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Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. announced an order from the NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., for a full-scale prototype of a proposed Mars airplane. The aircraft is being built as part of the Mars Scout Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey (ARES) project of which Dr. Joel S. Levine is the Principal Investigator. In 2002 Aurora and NASA Langley successfully demonstrated a half-scale version of the airplane in a series of low altitude and high altitude drop tests. The new airplane is to be a full-scale version, designed to demonstrate flight-weight components and actual aerodynamics. The prototype plane is scheduled to make its first flight later this year with a deployment test in the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere. The ARES team includes NASA Langley Research Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory and Lockheed Martin Astronautics, in addition to Aurora. The ARES team is one of four selected for a Phase A study as part of the NASA Office of Space Science Mars Scout program. The first Mars Scout mission is planned for launch in 2007 with an arrival at Mars in 2008.
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The South African Government has decided to terminate the discussions with BAE Systems for a 30% disposal of Denel, the state-owned high technology engineering and defence industrial undertaking. BAE Systems was selected as the preferred partner for Denel in 2000, as part of Government's policy of restructuring in the Defence industrial sector. A thorough and complex series of negotiations ensued from that time onwards. Despite recording significant progress in a complicated process, agreement could not be reached on a number of commercial and contractual arrangements to the satisfaction of the South African government. Since 2000, Government successfully concluded the formation of Turbomeca Africa, a new aerospace engine and maintenance facility, comprised of 51% Turbomeca, France, and 49% Denel Airmotive. This company is operating comfortably and to schedule within the terms of its business plan. Denel itself has also shed some of its loss-making, non-core, entities during this period. It has improved its order book from less than R1 billion in 1998 to over R10 billion today. Denel continues to generate technology transfers into the company through its participation in the Strategic Defence Package acquisition by the SANDF.
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The US DoD officials said that the combined air operations center at this base will be mothballed and all U.S. aircraft operating from Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia will be gone by August. The decision was made by "mutual agreement," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said following a meeting with Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi defense minister, in Riyadh today. The secretary and minister discussed the changes taking place in the region. The mission of the combined air operations center has already passed to Al Udeid Air Base in neighboring Qatar. "All air tasking orders began coming from Al Udeid yesterday," said Navy Rear Adm. Dave Nichols, coalition air component deputy commander. The center, air command and control center, and all services and nationalities participating in the coalition are commanded through the CAOC.
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Globalstar, L.P. and ICO Global Communications (Holdings) Limited announced they have received court approval for ICO to acquire a majority interest in a reorganized Globalstar. Late last Friday, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware approved the sale of Globalstar's assets to a new company to be controlled by ICO in exchange for an investment of $55 million for which ICO will receive a 54% equity stake in the new operating company. The Court-approved sale supercedes an earlier proposal that had been made by Thermo Capital Partners earlier this month. "Approximately $12 billion has now been spent for mobile satellite communications and handheld devices. The numerous bankruptcies throughout the industry have been indicative of the risks associated with providing innovative new services and the failure, to date, of mobile satellite service (MSS)," said ICO Chairman Craig O. McCaw. "We believe that the $4 billion spent thus far on Globalstar, however, will result in useful services for governments, corporations and communities around the world. We like the Globalstar system architecture and see this as a turning point for the MSS industry and for Globalstar in particular."
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Kawasaki Aeronáutica do Brasil, a subsidiary of Japan's Kawasaki Heavy Industries and one of Embraer's industrial partners for the Embraer 170/190 Program, inaugurates its new plant located within Embraer's Gavião Peixoto Unit, 300 km northwest from São Paulo. The ceremony will be attended by the Hon. Governor of the State of São Paulo Dr. Geraldo Alckmin, by Kawasaki Heavy Industries President & CEO, Mr. Masamoto Tazaki, by Embraer President & CEO Mauricio Botelho, by the President of Kawasaki Aeronáutica do Brasil, Tsuneo Komaki, as well as by local officials, authorities and other executives from both companies. One of the concepts used as a base for the creation of Embraer's Gavião Peixoto Unit was to bring Company partners to Brazil, thus contributing with the generation of new jobs in the country and the increase of Brazilian content in its products. The inauguration of Kawasaki's plant confirms that this principle is being put in practice.
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Orbital Sciences Corporation announced that on April 28, it successfully launched the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite into its targeted orbit aboard the company's Pegasus rocket. The 312-kilogram (690-pound) GALEX scientific satellite, which Orbital designed and built at its Dulles, Virginia satellite manufacturing facility, was accurately delivered into its targeted orbit approximately 690 kilometers (420 miles) above the Earth, inclined at 29 degrees to the equator. The powered flight sequence for the GALEX mission took about 11 minutes, from the time the Pegasus rocket was released from its L-1011 carrier aircraft at approximately 8:00 a.m. (EDT) to the time that the satellite was deployed into orbit. Preliminary information indicates that the GALEX satellite is working as planned in the early stages of its mission.
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On March 21, 2003, DARPA's first entirely fuel cell-powered micro air vehicle, the Hornet, conducted a successful maiden flight in Simi Valley, Calif. The Hornet flew three times for a total endurance of 15 minutes. DARPA believes the Hornet to be the first air vehicle ever to be entirely powered from a fuel cell. The Hornet uses absolutely no batteries, capacitors, or other sources of energy. The air vehicle's radio system, servos, motor, pumps, and other systems were all powered by the fuel cell, which also acts as the wing structural member. DARPA believes that fuel cell-powered flight may offer the potential for very high endurance missions. The Hornet is a radio-controlled vehicle with a flying-wing design. The wingspan is 15 inches and the total weight of the fueled vehicle is six ounces. The vehicle uses a combination of off-the-shelf components and a custom fuel cell system, which produces an energy density higher than all similarly sized battery-based systems. During the flight, the average power output of the fuel cell was over 10 watts.
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South Korea has become one of the world's few aircraft exporters by providing trainer airplanes to Indonesia, the Korea Aerospace Industry (KAI) said. KAI said an official ceremony for the first export of the KT-1B plane was held Friday morning. Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Chappi Hakim and Korean officials from the Defense Ministry attended the ceremony. It is the first time for the country to export airplanes. The KT-1B, a modified version of the KT-1, enables air force pilots to prepare for supersonic fighter jets and can be equipped with light arms for combat.
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Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, announced a four-week shut-down of its initial phase of manufacturing operations in Savannah, placing more than 1,000 employees on furlough from June 30 through July 27. Management and non-management employees in direct manufacturing departments and designated employees in support departments will be affected. Customer deliveries and customer service will not be affected. "With sales at a level well below prior years, we don't need to build as many planes as originally planned," said Bryan Moss, president, Gulfstream. "We determined that a shut-down and furlough was the best way to reduce the number of planes to match market demands."
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Operation Northern Watch officially stood down May 1 in a formal ceremony, having defending the no-fly zone over Northern Iraq for more than one decade. Senior leaders from coalition partner countries - the United States, United Kingdom and host nation Turkey - will join together to commemorate the partnership and teamwork that spanned the 12 years between Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Operation Northern Watch began Jan. 1, 1997, and succeeded another coalition effort, Operation Provide Comfort, which began in April 1991 and delivered more than 12,400 tons of food, supplies, medical aid and fuel to more than a million Kurdish refugees along the Turkish and Iraqi border. For more than a decade, more than 100,000 U.S., United Kingdom, Turkish and French airmen rotated through Incirlik Air Base to support the operations. The last Operation Northern Watch combat patrol was flown on March 17 prior to the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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