FLUG REVUE update: Week ending 26 September 2004

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UPDATE
Week ending 26 September 2004

+++ ESA focuses its “Cosmic Vision” +++ New Jupiter probe ordered +++ Alitalia rescue nearer +++ Mars Rovers go to work again +++ News in brief +++

ESA focuses its “Cosmic Vision”
Europäische Weltraumforschungspläne

ESA's 'Cosmic Vision 2015-2025' workshop, held at UNESCO in Paris on 15-16 September 2004, showed that Europe is richer than ever in ideas for what should be done in space science in the coming years. Scientists from across Europe brought together their papers outlining what they thought should be the major issues of space exploration a decade from now, on topics such as 'Tracing the origin of the Solar System', 'The evolving violent Universe' and 'Other worlds and life in the Universe'. This workshop was a major step forward in developing the vision of the future for Europe's space science that will be presented by ESA's Science Directorate next spring. ESA's working groups are also working to identify the technology challenges, with the help of the ESA Advanced Concepts office.
Following endorsement by ESA's Science Programme Committee in February 2005, the 'Cosmic Vision 2015-2025' document will be produced, laying out the targets for European space science for the decade 2015-2025. Subsequently, once the financial framework is known, the European scientific community will be called upon to produce a plan, including concrete missions and mission scenarios, which will capture as much as possible of the range of scientific themes targeted. ESA's Director of Science, Prof. David Southwood, said: “Europe's funding for space science has always been substantially less than the US but there can be little doubt from the last two days that Europe can claim intellectual parity and, with the right funding, can push back any frontier.”

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New Jupiter probe ordered
NASA gibt neue Sonde zum Jupiter in Auftrag

Northrop Grumman Corp. has been selected to partner with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to develop a preliminary design for the Prometheus Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO), an electric propulsion vehicle powered by a nuclear fission reactor. The contract award is for approximately $400 million, covering work through mid-2008. JIMO would orbit Jupiter's three ice-covered Galilean moons -- Ganymede, Callisto and Europa -- gathering data to help scientists understand the moons' origin and evolution, potential for sustaining life, and radiation environment. These moons are thought to harbor vast oceans beneath their icy surfaces. The orbiter would have 100 times more usable onboard power than any previous probe, enabling its science instruments to gather more and higher quality data and to send it back to Earth at vastly higher data rates. The reactor would be developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Naval Reactors, in Washington, D.C.
Northrop Grumman's team is being led by its Space Technology sector and includes its Newport News, Electronic Systems, Integrated Systems and Information Technology sectors along with Hamilton Sunstrand and Alliance Space Systems Inc. “We look forward to partnering with JPL,” said Craig Staresinich, vice president, Project Prometheus at Northrop Grumman. “We are bringing together the best resources from our organizations to make this mission a success.” The company will develop systems requirements and a preliminary spacecraft design, building on trade studies and a system concept developed under an earlier phase of the program. Following that, the next phase of the contract calls for the full-scale design, fabrication, integration and test of the space system. JIMO is expected to launch no earlier than 2015 on its five-to-eight year interplanetary journey.

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Alitalia rescue nearer
Rettung von Alitalia kommt einen Schritt näher

On September 20, Alitalia's Board of Directors, chaired by Giancarlo Cimoli, formally acknowledged the outcome of talks with union representatives held at the Company's offices and approved the 2005-2008 Business Plan. This Plan calls for a series of far-reaching steps aimed at bringing about a substantial recovery in profitability via a structural reduction in the cost base and
an increase in revenue production. The Plan calls for an initial phase of recovery (2005-2006) in which the primary objectives are to ensure the Company's ongoing operations, to bring about economic equilibrium and to reach a EBITDAR margin comparable to that of other major airlines. This phase does not foresee investment in fleet expansion, but rather a significant increase in the use of aircraft and an across the-board rise in the productivity of all sectors, accompanied by a radical review of the cost of procuring goods and services. Greater efficiency will also be achieved via a marked recovery in workforce productivity. Indeed, the Plan calls for savings in labour costs of around 280 million euros by the end of 2006, involving around 3,700 redundancies.
Subsequently, it will be possible to begin the actual re-launch of the Company (2007-2008) through the acquisition of new long-haul and narrow body aircraft. The availability of new aircraft will help to further increase capacity offered and will optimise production factors. Alitalia plans to establish itself as a “highly efficient network carrier”. Specifically: Increased production efficiency in the intercontinental sector will enable the Company to expand its destination portfolio and provide more flights to markets already served. In the domestic and international sectors, the pursuit of a drastically lower cost base will lead to significant reorganisation of the production model in order to sustain capacity levels and develop activities in line with the potential demand from targeted traffic areas. This new positioning will be accompanied by a change in the Company's organisational set up in order to make it more streamlined, more efficient and more strongly customer oriented. As far as realignment of the Company's financial position is concerned, the Business Plan envisages a drastic reduction in debt ratio (leverage) during its time span. In the period prior to full implementation of the measures and the planned recapitalisation, the Plan foresees the immediate use of a bridging loan of 400 million euros guaranteed by the Italian State in order to meet treasury needs during upcoming months. The recapitalisation, scheduled to take place during the first part of 2005, along with the Company's renewed capacity for self-financing and recourse to loan markets, will necessarily contribute during the 2005-2008 time span to meeting the needs set out in the Plan, and to obtaining adequate margins of economic flexibility leading to substantial improvement in the financial position.

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Mars Rovers go to work again
Neue Forschungsperiode auf dem Mars

As NASA's Spirit and Opportunity resumed reliable contact with Earth, after a period when Mars passed nearly behind the sun, the space agency extended funding for an additional six months of rover operations, as long as they keep working. Both rovers successfully completed their primary three-month missions on the surface of Mars in April and have already added about five months of bonus exploration during the first extension of their missions.
"Spirit and Opportunity appear ready to continue their remarkable adventures," said Andrew Dantzler, solar system division director at NASA Headquarters, Washington. "We're taking advantage of that good news by adding more support for the teamwork here on Earth that's necessary for operating the rovers." Neither rover drove during a 12-day period this month, while radio transmissions were unreliable because of the sun's position between the two planets. Daily planning and commanding of rover activities recommenced Monday for Opportunity and today for Spirit.
"Although Spirit and Opportunity are well past warranty, they are showing few signs of wearing out," Erickson said. "We really don't know how long they will keep working, whether days or months. We will do our best to continue getting the maximum possible benefit from these great national resources." Rovers' science team members will spend less time at JPL during the second mission extension. They are able to attend daily planning meetings by teleconferencing from their home institutions in several states and in Europe. "All 150 science team members and collaborators have been provided the tools to be able to participate remotely," said JPL's Dr. John Callas, science manager for the rover project.Workstations researchers used at JPL are at their home institutions. Planning tools include video feeds, workstation display remote viewing, and audio conferencing. Besides reducing costs, remote operations allow scientists to spend more time at home. "We get back to more normal lives, back to our families, and we still get to explore Mars every day," said Dr. Steve Squyres of Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., principal investigator.

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NEWS IN BRIEF / KURZMELDUNGEN

The European Commission has granted regulatory clearance, under the EU Merger Regulation, to plans by Finmeccanica S.p.A. to acquire sole control over helicopter maker AgustaWestland N.V., which is currently a 50/50 joint venture between Finmeccanica and GKN plc. The deal, which was notified on 16 August 2004, was examined under a simplified procedure.
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The first production Sikorsky S-92 helicopter was expected at its new home base in Lafayette, La., where it will open up a new age of offshore service on the Gulf of Mexico with Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. (PHI). “The S-92 is a revolutionary aircraft, the most technologically advanced and safest helicopter in the world. We are pleased with the S-92 because of its advanced safety features, range, payload, cabin size and cost effectiveness,” said Al A. Gonsoulin, chairman, president and CEO of PHI. A second S-92 for PHI is nearing delivery early next month. S-92 completion will increase through the end of 2004, with decreasing intervals between deliveries. The plan is to deliver 18 aircraft in 2005. Sikorsky has orders, including options, for 60 S-92 helicopters. "We are delivering this aircraft to a high-usage customer that will be flying the aircraft in demanding offshore missions in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Sikorsky President Steve Finger. “Under these conditions, this S-92, and the one we deliver in a few weeks, will build up flight hours of operation at an incredible rate.”
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The supervisory board of Lufthansa Technik AG reappointed executive-board chairman August Wilhelm Henningsen to continue serving in that capacity for another five years, until April 2010. With this decision the supervisory board availed itself of the earliest possible opportunity to set a course for continuity at thetop of Lufthansa Technik AG, one of the world's largest providers of aircraft MRO (maintenance, repair & overhaul) services.
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AirTV has signed a launch services agreement with Arianespace to orbit its first broadband spacecraft, which will deliver a new level of in-flight entertainment and connectivity for airlines worldwide. The AirTV system will provide 60+ channels of live television (in multiple languages) and 40Mbps of Internet, e-mail and data services to aircraft. The AirTV 1 satellite will be orbited by an Ariane 5 in 2007, and is to be positioned over the North Atlantic -- initiating AirTV's commercial operations with service for airline traffic flying between America, Europe and the Middle East. Additional spacecraft will follow to fill out the company's constellation, providing coverage for aircraft flying nearly all of the commercial airline routes around the globe. AirTV's purpose-built satellites will supply real-time television in multiple languages, with the ability to tailor the programming by individual aircraft and for the specific international route that it is flying.
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Team US101 has responded to the U.S. Navy's request for an updated proposal offering executive transport variants of its American-built US101 medium-lift helicopters for the Presidential Helicopter Replacement (VXX) program. Team US101 is competing to provide the president of the United States with a state-of-the-art fleet of next-generation helicopters better known by the call sign: "Marine One." "We are confident that the US101 provides the government with the best, lowest-risk, most mature and world-proven solution to the White House's need for new Marine One helicopters," said Stephen D. Ramsey, Lockheed Martin's US101 vice president and general manager. "Our helicopter will fly the president more safely and more securely than with what the competition is offering - a twin-engine, one-third-smaller-cabined aircraft that is not yet operational with a paying customer." The updated proposal contains information reflective of the ongoing risk reduction efforts the Navy has funded during the past few months. Details of the proposal cannot be disclosed because of competition-sensitive and proprietary information contained within the submission. The Navy's VXX program award announcement is expected to occur during December. Meanwhile, Britain's Royal Air Force has successfully air-transported an EH101 Merlin Mk.3 helicopter to the United States aboard a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft. The deployment marks the first C-17 flight for an EH101 medium-lift helicopter, demonstrating rapid worldwide deployability. This event marks the first time an EH101 helicopter has been loaded into a C-17, flown thousands of miles, been offloaded, and then returned to flight operations. Previously, an EH101 air transportability demonstration was successfully conducted, but that demonstration did not include an actual flight aboard a C-17 aircraft. By comparison, the US101 helicopter - which, unlike the EH101 Mk3, is equipped with a folding tail - can be prepared for flight aboard a C-17 faster and more easily. As a result, the US101 is readily air transportable in support of the Marine One and other U.S. Government missions.
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Philippe Camus, CEO of EADS, has announced the creation of the EADS Corporate Research Foundation in France. Global leader in aerospace, defence and related services, in 2003 EADS spent 17% of its annual revenues in R&D and self-financed almost half. The Foundation marks a new step in its commitment to Knowledge and Research. With an allocation of Euro 24 million over 5 years, the foundation is intended to nurture talent, ideas and knowledge by strengthening ties between the public and private research and education, industrial and technical communities. In his opening speech, Philippe Camus declared, “Research is the salvation of our enterprises. Today we cannot fail to acknowledge the alarming fact that efforts in Research and Development are greatly dominated by the United States and significantly escalating in Asia, putting France and Europe at a disadvantage. Fierce, international competition is emerging to attract and keep both foreign researchers and engineers as well as investments. Action must be taken to build a Europe of Research. The most talented actors are still in Europe; we must do our utmost to keep them here and give them the means to fulfil their potential. Otherwise, our scientific and technical resources will move to other areas outside Europe, followed by the companies who need them”. He went on to add, “The lack of research dynamics is greatly due to the under-optimisation of the education/research centre/business triangle. We must stimulate the movement of information, skills and people, and above all develop joint projects to pool knowledge and put it to work. This is what the creation of an EADS Corporate Foundation aspires to do. It is the first illustration in France of the priority given by EADS to Research and Technology called 'Advanced Technology Initiative' that plans for instance a much higher interaction between EADS and the best research centres in the world. With this Foundation, we will be trying to initiate a virtuous cycle”.
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Raytheon's unitary/penetration variant of Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW-C) has completed operational test (OT) firings with nine of 10 shots successful against a wide range of targets. JSOW-C was developed by a team that includes the U.S. Navy, Raytheon, BAE Systems and Thales Missile Electronics. JSOW-C incorporates a Raytheon-developed uncooled, long-wave infrared seeker with automatic target acquisition algorithms, providing the Navy a launch-and-leave weapon with a long-range standoff precision strike capability. JSOW-C will be the first U.S. weapon to incorporate the two stage broach blast fragmentation/penetration warhead, developed by the United Kingdom's BAE Systems. Thales provides the fuze. JSOW-C has a unique capability for a glide weapon in its ability to attack a hardened target in a near-horizontal mode.
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Agusta, an AgustaWestland company, announced the delivery to the Nigerian Navy of two A109 Power helicopters. These two aircraft are in addition to the first two A109 Power delivered in July 2004. The wide range of mission equipment and systems make the A109 Power a true maritime multi-role helicopter able to satisfy a wide range of missions including maritime patrol, armed interdiction, search and rescue, emergency medical services and passenger transport. The maritime version of the A109 Power is already in service with the Nigerian Navy, Italian Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. It has also been selected by the Swedish Armed Forces for a range of naval roles.
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ESA's Earth Observation Programme Board met at the Eden Project in Cornwall on 21 and 22 September. An agreement was reached at this meeting among ESA's Member States to release a total of Euro 80m to fund the next stage of the ESA component of the European GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) initiative. Part of this funding will cover a socioeconomic assessment of the benefits of GMES and the follow-on to the work already done by ESA on definition and demonstration of the services to be provided by GMES. More importantly, the Board gave the green light to the start of work on the space component of GMES by approving Euro30m for preparatory activities comprising architecture studies, ground segment design and initial definition studies for the five "sentinels" which will be the backbone of the future European Earth Observation System to monitor the environment. These activities will pave the way to the decision to be taken at the next ESA Council meeting at ministerial level, in late 2005 or early 2006, on full implementation of GMES. Professor José Achache, Director of Earth Observation at ESA, said: "Natural disasters, such as the hurricanes in the Caribbean this year and the floods which devastated Eastern Europe in 2002, are becoming increasingly frequent and violent. In order to understand their connection with man-induced global changes and mitigate their impact, there is an increasing need for better global monitoring and forecasting capabilities. That is what GMES will provide. I am particularly pleased at this decision, which comes at the end of my term at ESA, where I have worked hard to build the foundations of this programme".
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The A160 Hummingbird unmanned aerial vehicle made its first test flight as a Boeing aircraft from an airfield near Victorville, Calif. The successful 80-minute test included both hovering and forward flight. The A160 joined Boeing's line of UAVs with the acquisition of Frontiers Systems Inc. in May. Being developed under a DARPA contract, the A160 is an unmanned helicopter designed to fly 2,500 nautical miles with endurance in excess of 24 hours and a payload of more than 300 pounds.The autonomously-flown helicopter is 35 feet long with a 36-foot rotor diameter and will fly at an estimated top speed of 140 knots at ceilings of up to 30,000 feet. The A160 will provide reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, communication relay and precision re-supply. Also, the A160's unique characteristics address current and emerging requirements of the U.S. armed forces, Department of Homeland Security, and international military and security organizations.
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Agusta, an AgustaWestland company, is announced that in a ceremony at Africa Aerospace and Defence 2004 exhibition the first Denel Aviation assembled A109 LUH was shown publicly for the first time. The helicopter, with South African Air Force tail number 4006, successfully completed a series of acceptance test flights at Denel's Kempton Park facilities earlier this month, before being flown to the exhibition. It is the first one of the 25 A109 LUHs Denel would be manufacturing for the South African Air Force. Denel's production of these helicopters is scheduled to run over the next three years. Once in service, the A109 LUHs will initially be based at Bloemfontein to be used in various roles, including humanitarian operations and disaster relief. The A109 LUH is the best selling light-twin multirole helicopter for military requirements and it has been already sold to South Africa, Sweden and Malaysia.
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Northrop Grumman has selected Aerosystems International, Ltd. and QinetiQ, Ltd. as core U.K. partners in its team for Project Helix, an upgrade to the Nimrod R1 aircraft electronic reconnaissance mission capabilities. As prime integrator, Northrop Grumman's Electronic Systems sector leads one of three teams selected by the U.K. Ministry of Defence to focus on the program's "problem-understanding" phase. One of the company's European divisions is also partnering with the Electronic Systems sector. The three teams will then be down-selected to two for the "program-definition" phase in 2005 and then to one team for the "risk-reduction" phase in 2006. This will be followed by a system demonstration and ultimately a production contract for the electronic reconnaissance equipment starting in 2007.
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The structural model of the first of two experimental Galileo satellites to be launched in 2005, is currently being tested at the European Space Agency's European Space Research and Technology Centre (NL). Over the coming weeks ESA will assess the design worthiness of this satellite model from Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. The Galileo Development and Validation phase started in December 2003. This phase aims at implementing a space and ground infrastructure that will enable the Galileo System validation prior to the full deployment of the Galileo system. A mini constellation of four satellites will constitute the space segment of this infrastructure. Prior to this phase, ESA will manage the launch of an experimental satellite and related ground segment (GSTB-V2). In July 2003, ESA set up two contracts to procure two experimental satellites in parallel. This was to minimize risks such as delays in satellite manufacture or launch/satellite failure. One test satellite (GSTB-V2-A) is from Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) UK; the other satellite (GSTB-V2-B) is from Galileo Industries (GaIn), a consortium of major European satellite primes. These satellite primes are leading teams of sub-contractors from companies located all-over Europe. The first of these two launches will occur before the end of 2005 from the Cosmodrome of Baïkonour with a Soyuz Launcher. One satellite must be in orbit to secure the signal frequencies allocated to Galileo with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). These signals must be received by June 2006.
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At the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) conference and exhibition, Rockwell Collins introduced its new line of moving map and in-flight information products for commercial aircraft. The new Airshow 4200 is a distributed video-based product, and Airshow 4200i is an in-seat interactive product. Both products seamlessly integrate with the leading IFE systems to provide content that is highly customizable and tailored to meet the needs of each airline customer. “The new Airshow 4200 continues the heritage of the Airshow 420 and 210, but dramatically raises the bar for visually compelling in-flight information,” said Tim Rayl, senior director, Airshow Systems. “The new 3-D maps in the Airshow 4200 generated a lot of excitement with early customers, and the interactive Airshow 4200i map product positions us for the next generation of digital, in-seat IFE systems. ”The Airshow 4200 has been developed with a major advancement in features, functionality, and look-and-feel over previous map products. It is a full-featured multimedia platform, incorporating a wide variety of capabilities, including 3-D route maps, real-time news feeds, connecting gate information, and point-of-interest media libraries. For the first time, the Airshow 4200 can be used for full-motion MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 video displays, such as safety briefings, short subjects, advertising, duty-free, and other non-encrypted content. The Airshow 4200 outputs two channels of NTSC video in a distributed mode to overhead or in-seat monitors. This allows the distribution of map and flight information on one channel and connecting gate information, news feeds and similar content on the second channel.
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SpaceDev has begun designing a reuseable, piloted, sub-orbital space ship that could be scaled up to safely and economically transport passengers to and from low earth orbit, including the International Space Station. The name of the vehicle is the “SpaceDev Dream Chaser.” SpaceDev's founding chairman and CEO, Jim Benson, recently signed a Space Act Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NASA Ames Research Center director, Dr. Scott Hubbard. This non-binding MOU confirms the intention of the two parties to explore novel, hybrid propulsion based hypersonic test beds for routine human space access. The parties will explore collaborative partnerships to investigate the potential of using SpaceDev's proven hybrid propulsion and other technologies, and a low cost, private space program development approach, to establish and design new piloted small launch vehicles and flight test platforms to enable near-term, low-cost routine space access for NASA and the United States. One possibility for collaboration is the SpaceDev Dream Chaser project, which is currently being discussed with NASA Ames. Unlike the more complex SpaceShipOne, for which SpaceDev provides critical proprietary hybrid rocket motor propulsion technologies, the SpaceDev Dream Chaser would be crewed and take-off vertically, like most launch vehicles, and will glide back for a normal horizontal runway landing. “This project is one small step for SpaceDev, but could evolve into one giant leap for affordable, commercial human space flight,” said Jim Benson. “I have been waiting for almost fifty years for commercial space flight, and have concluded that SpaceDev, through our unbroken string of successful space technology developments, now has the technical capability and know-how, along with our partners, and when fully funded, to quickly develop a safe and affordable human space flight program, beginning with sub-orbital flights in the near future, and building up to reliable orbital public space transportation hopefully by the end of this decade.”
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Boeing has delivered on-time and on-budget the first U.S. AH-64A Apache combat helicopter refurbished under the new Reset Support program. Working with the U.S. Army customer, Boeing developed the program to speed the time it takes to return heavily used Apache helicopters to active service, while ensuring the work is cost effective. The aircraft, which had sustained damage and wear after operating in the harsh environments of Iraq , Afghanistan and Kosovo, was delivered two days ahead of schedule. Boeing is repairing 15 aircraft, both AH-64A Apaches and next-generation AH-64D Apache Longbows, under the Reset program. Work is performed at the Boeing Williams Gateway modification facility in Mesa, Ariz., with support from the nearby Boeing Mesa site, where the Apache is built.
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Delta Air Lines announced that it has entered into an agreement with FedEx Express for the sale of eight McDonnell Douglas MD11 aircraft and four spare engines for delivery in 2004 subject to certain conditions. “The contemplated sale furthers Delta's fleet simplification plans and is part of the airline's overall transformation plan announced earlier this month,” said Michael J. Palumbo, Delta's executive vice president and chief financial officer.
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Officials from McGuire Air Force Base received their first new aircraft in nearly four decades, during a delivery ceremony for a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III airlifter at the company's award-winning Long Beach, Calif., assembly facility. This is the U.S. Air Force's 125 th operational C-17, and the first of 13 scheduled for delivery to McGuire. Named "The Spirit of New Jersey," the newly delivered C-17 will be flown and maintained by the Air Force's 305th Air Mobility Wing and the Air Force Reserve Command's 514th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire. The remaining 12 C-17's for the New Jersey base are now in various stages of production at the Long Beach factory. These aircraft will be delivered, one approximately every three to four weeks, between now and June 2005.
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Lockheed Martin announced that its Theatre Airborne Reconnaissance System (TARS) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) successfully performed, for the first time, aboard an operational F-16 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. TARS SAR is the first all weather, day and night, precision radar capability developed for tactical aircraft. The test proved that TARS SAR could effectively receive, process and disseminate critical targeting information in real-time, utilizing a solid-state digital system to record imagery, an airborne data-link to electronically relay information to ground stations, and a SAR capable of accurately locating targets anytime day or night in all weather conditions. "We are delighted with this successful test. TARS SAR will provide the U.S. Air Force with onboard targeting as well as real-time bomb damage assessment capabilities, regardless of weather conditions," said Jerry Lindfelt, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Surveillance & Reconnaissance Systems. Lockheed Martin's TARS SAR is a high-resolution sensor system that accurately locates targets in all weather conditions, in addition to providing real-time capabilities for targeting, real-time bomb damage assessment and real-time reconnaissance capabilities. The existing TARS system is a podded reconnaissance sensor suite designed for under the weather flying and medium-to-high threat, daytime imagery collection. Adding TARS SAR radar and targeting capabilities (which are largely unaffected by the presence of dense cloud cover) delivers flexibility over weather constraints and introduces the ability for night operations, which will provide the U.S. Air Force (USAF) with an all-weather, man-in-the-loop fighter reconnaissance capability.
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Representatives of President George W. Bush and challenger Sen. John Kerry said the aerospace industry is vital to the nation's economic health and security and must be supported in any future president's administration. Speaking to the Aviation and Space Stakeholders Coalition meeting at the Aerospace Industries Association headquarters Monday, the campaign representatives agreed on the pressing need to ensure the future competitiveness of aerospace businesses. Association President and CEO John Douglass said it was heartening to hear the candidate representatives recognize the importance of aviation and aerospace to the country. “It's good to see both campaigns recognize the significance of the aerospace industry,'' Douglass said. “We only hope they back this up with investments of both time and money to support critical programs and improvements.” Douglass also urged both campaigns to recognize the importance of upgrading the nation's civil aviation system to ensure the security and reliability of air travel. Former Congressman Bob Walker represented the Bush campaign while former NASA Associate Administrator Lori Garver spoke on Kerry's behalf. They addressed more than 80 members of the coalition, which brings together the leaders of the associations that represent the manufacturers, operators, distributors and labor unions of the aerospace industry. Several questions from members concerned efforts to improve an air traffic control system that is becoming outdated. An AIA priority this campaign season is to secure commitments from the candidates for an accelerated program to develop and deploy a new air traffic control system based on modern technology. The situation is made worse by forecasts of dramatic increases in air traffic demand in the near future, Douglass said. “We think the candidates need to set some clear and unambiguous goals on modernization,'' Douglass said.
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Environmental Tectonics Corporation announced that a major subcontract award was made by L-3 Communications, Arlington, TX ("L-3") to its subsidiary, ETC-PZL Aerospace Industries ("ETC-PZL") in Warsaw, Poland. Under the contract, valued at approximately $6.6 million, ETC-PZL will assemble, test and deliver several L-3-designed simulators, as well as furnish ETC-PZL's own commercial cockpit simulators; additionally, long-term maintenance and support services for all of the trainers will be provided. The entire effort is expected to extend over a period of five years, including the support period. The project stems from L3's prime contract with the U.S. Air Force to provide training devices/simulators in support of Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Company's multi-billion dollar contract with the Polish Air Force (PAF), awarded in December 2002, for F-16 fighter aircraft.
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Sea Launch has been selected to launch PanAmSat's Galaxy 16 communication satellite from its equatorial launch site on the Equator. The agreement provides for Sea Launch to lift the 4700-kg spacecraft to geosynchronous transfer orbit in 2006. Built by Space Systems/Loral, the 1300-series hybrid satellite will carry 24 C-band and 24 Ku-band transponders, covering the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and Canada. It will be the fourth spacecraft Sea Launch will orbit for PanAmSat Corporation, based in Wilton, Conn. While it is designed for a 15-year lifespan, Sea Launch's direct insertion into equatorial orbit is expected to yield additional years of fuel life.
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Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) has been awarded $8M by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and U.S. Air Force to demonstrate highly responsive, affordable launch capability. This supports broader interest by the Defense Department and Air Force in a launch capability that can rapidly add satellite coverage when needed. The demonstration will take place next summer with the objective of cutting on pad processing time by a factor of two from the standard commercial Falcon I launcher, which was developed with private funding. The SpaceX Falcon I rocket, whose name precedes the DARPA FALCON program, was named after the Star Wars Millennium Falcon.
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Lockheed Martin has received $11.7 million in funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Air Force for the second phase of the Falcon Small Launch Vehicle (SLV) program. The goal of the Falcon SLV program is to develop and demonstrate an affordable and responsive space lift capability. Under the award agreement, Lockheed Martin will conduct a 10-month phase IIa preliminary design and development effort to mature its Hybrid launch vehicle design. In 2005, DARPA and the Air Force will select one or more teams to conduct detailed design and launch vehicle fabrication. Phase IIb will conclude in 2007 with flight tests to launch a small satellite to verify vehicle performance.
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Data Link Solutions (DLS), a BAE Systems/Rockwell Collins company, recently presented the first MIDS-On-Ship (MOS) Production System to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) at a delivery ceremony in Wayne, N.J. DLS is under contract to SPAWAR to deliver 58 MOS systems at a value of $80 million. The MOS is the first 1 kilowatt MIDS terminal to be integrated on a command and control platform. It will provide real-time secure, high capacity, jam resistant digital Link 16 data and voice communications capabilities for U.S. Navy ships, increasing situational awareness for these forces. The system will be employed by U.S. Navy and coalition navies.
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Alcatel announced the signature of a new contract with the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) to develop and deliver the payloads for the Express AM33 and AM44 communications satellites. The two payloads - electronic equipment which specifies the satellite mission - will be manufactured in Alcatel Space's Toulouse plant and then integrated into "Express-AM" platforms produced by NPO- PM in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. The contract has been signed today in Russia in the presence of the French Minister of Finance, Nicolas Sarkozy, Alcatel's President and Chief Executive Officer, Serge Tchuruk and the General Director of RSCC, Youri D. Ismaïlov. The new Russian Express AM33 and AM44 communications satellites will carry C-band transponders, Ku-band transponders and L-band transponders. The spacecraft are designed to provide digital TV and radio broadcasting, telephony, data transmission channels, videoconferencing services and Internet access. The satellites will be also used to deploy communication networks by applying VSAT technology across the territory of Russia, CIS countries, Europe, Asia and Africa.
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Boeing and IBM announced a strategic alliance today in New York City to address an estimated $200 billion market for ground and space-based systems to enhance the nation's military communications, intelligence operations and homeland security. Through a 10-year alliance, the companies will develop advanced digital communications and information technologies for current and future Department of Defense and intelligence systems. These technologies will be critical for network-centric operations where satellites, aircraft, ships and submarines - as well as tanks, radios and even handheld computers - share information using the same interfaces, standards or protocols.
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Bell Helicopter has named Michael Blake Senior Vice President of its Commercial Business Unit effective immediately. He comes to Bell after a 27-year career with the United Technologies Corporation. Most recently he was Vice President and Program Director of the Comanche Helicopter Program at Sikorsky Aircraft. Mr. Blake will be responsible for Bell's worldwide commercial business operations with responsibility for Bell's commercial helicopter business strategy, program management, product development, after sale strategy and customer support and services worldwide.
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DRF (Deutsche Rettungsflugwacht e.V./German Air Rescue) has been saving lives on its air rescue missions, both with helicopters and ambulance aircraft for over 30 years. In late August, the non-profit air rescue organization flew its 300,000th mission. The intensive care transport helicopter with the call sign „Christoph 51“ , stationed at Stuttgart Airport, flew the anniversary mission. The crew transported a six-months-old baby, who was born premature, from a hospital in Göppingen to a special children's hospital in Munich. A pediatrician and a special child nurse from Göppingen hospital accompanied the incubator flight and provided for the little patient's need. After a 39 minutes helicopter flight from Göppingen to Munich, the medical DRF crew handed the baby over to the children's specialists. In 1972, the non-profit organization DRF (German Air Rescue) started to operate with a helicopter and a HEMS base. Today, DRF and its partners in Germany, Austria and Italy form Europe's leading air rescue alliance TEAM DRF. DRF and its TEAM DRF partners operate 43 HEMS bases with a total of 53 helicopters. At nine HEMS bases, the aircraft operate on a 24-hours standby. In addition, DRF and its TEAM DRF partners operate three JAR 145 aircraft maintenance facilities.
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NASA selected a federally funded research and development center, sponsored by the U.S. Air Force, to provide independent engineering assessment support. The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, Calif., will provide NASA management with timely, objective, non-advocacy assessments of the health and status of agency current and potential programs. The assessments will be in key technical programmatic areas including safety, design, engineering process, manufacturing, assembly, operational mission capabilities, cost, scheduling and risk. The value of the Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) cost-plus-fixed-fee, task order contract is $49 million over five years. Administered at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC) in Hampton, Va., the principal work locations are the contractor's facility in El Segundo and LaRC. Types of assessments provided by the Aerospace Corporation may include technical, management, cost, risk, environmental impact, mission trajectory, resource use, analyses of instruments, spacecraft and launch vehicle designs, systems engineering, fabrication, assembly, test and launch operations. The contract will also provide services to conduct management, scientific and technical studies.
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Almost two weeks of troubleshooting is paying off for the two Expedition 9 crewmembers. On 17 September they restarted the International Space Station's primary oxygen generating unit. Work with the Elektron, a device that recycles wastewater into oxygen, was one of several maintenance activities completed by Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA Station Science Officer Mike Fincke this week. With guidance from Russian ground controllers, Padalka replaced the Elektron's liquid unit today with one he had refurbished last week using spare components. The Elektron is operating without a gas analyzer that was removed during troubleshooting. The absence of the gas analyzer does not affect the Elektron's ability to generate oxygen, although it may mean the crew will be required to closely monitor the unit's operations. Ground controllers requested the Elektron be turned off before the crew goes to sleep tonight to allow data gathered during its operations to be evaluated.
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Avions de Transport Régional (ATR) has obtained the Design Organisation Approval (DOA) on the European level from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). This is another step for the regional aircraft manufacturer which already obtained the French DOA in December 2002.
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The Langkawi Aerospace Training Centre (LATC), has signed a contract for the purchase of 4 units of TB 10 Tobago GT aircraft in training configuration at Eurocopter Malaysia facility in Terminal 2, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, 47200 Subang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Likewise Air France, China Airlines, Thai Airways, Qantas and more than 50 flight training schools around the world, the Langkawi-based flight training centre will operate these aircraft for the use of basic and advanced training for their students whom will graduate as aerospace engineers or airline pilots.
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Lufthansa's check-in systems were operating normally again after the temporary computer fault earlier on 23 September which resulted in delays and cancellations on European routes. The check-in systems have been up and running since 12.30 hrs. Self-service check-in terminals and boarding pass printers will soon be functioning again. Lufthansa expects operations to return to normal in the course of the day.
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Nippon Express (Deutschland) GmbH will inaugurate its new €8.5 million European logistics and airfreight terminal tomorrow at Frankfurt Airport's CargoCity South development area. One of the world's largest logistics service providers, Nippon Express of Japan, will use the 14,500 square-meter site as the new base for its European and Frankfurt branch operations – employing a total of more than 100 people. Featuring about 6,000 square meters of storage and handling space and 2,200 square meters of office space (over two levels), the facility is strategically located on-airport and in the heart of the European market. Handling approximately 1.7 million metric tons of airfreight and airmail in 2003, FRA is Europe's leading air cargo gateway and ranks number eight worldwide (ACI figures).
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easyJet announced five new routes from London Gatwick to three new destinations in the Republic of Ireland as well as increased services to Almeria and Valencia in Spain. The new Irish destinations - which are a first for easyJet - are to Cork, Knock and Shannon. easyJet is also adding services to Valencia and Almeria in Spain from Gatwick. This brings to 29 the number of routes easyJet flies from Gatwick - more than from any of its other airports, including London Luton and Stansted The three Irish services will commence on 28 January 2005 and the Spanish services on 1 March 2005. Ray Webster, easyJet Chief Executive, said: "These are our first services to the Republic of Ireland, where air fares, in many cases, have remained stubbornly high and have generated consistently strong year-round returns for the incumbent airline. We are bringing easyJet's well-established brand to Ireland and will be flying to the right places at the right prices for hundreds of thousands of passengers. The great news for consumers is that all of these routes will be offered from Gatwick Airport in south London which will attract thousands of new passengers and give a new low-cost option for those who prefer to fly from Gatwick."
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The negotiators of Virgin Express Holdings PLC, the majority shareholder of Virgin Express NV/SA, and the negotiators of SN Airholding II, the majority shareholder of SN Brussels Airlines, have finalised an agreement which contemplates placing Virgin Express NV/SA and SN Brussels Airlines under the common ownership of SN Airholding II. The negotiators will now submit the agreement to the respective Boards of Directors for discussions and approval. The agreement follows the framework of a Letter of Intent of 16th March 2004 with certain agreed alterations to valuation reflecting current circumstances in the market. Upon approval by the parties and the competent authorities, Virgin Express NV/SA and SN Brussels Airlines will be placed under the common ownership of SN Airholding II. In exchange Virgin Express Holdings PLC will own 29.9 % of the shares of SN Airholding II. SN Airholding II will own 100 % of the shares of Virgin Express NV/SA and nearly 92% of the shares of SN Brussels Airlines. Further announcements with more detailed information on this transaction will be made as soon as it has been approved by all the parties concerned. This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities referred to herein may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. Any offering of the securities to be made in the United States will be made by means of a prospectus that may be obtained from the Company and will contain detailed information about the Company and its management, as well as financial statements.
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