More delays in tanker?

Defense industry sources told The Hill in recent weeks that the $35 billion contract to build Air Force tankers won't be awarded until mid-February. Now a defense insider says it may not come until March or later. That's because of a Senate probe into the inadvertent release of bidders' information to the competing bidders, Boeing and EADS. An initial hearing by the Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled for Jan. 27. (Source: The Hill, 01/23/11) Gulf Coast note: EADS North America wants to assemble the plans in Mobile, Ala.

Airport renovations target 2013

NEW ORLEANS - The new head of New Orleans' Louis Armstrong International Airport has scaled back a $755 million modernization plan that was put in place before his arrival. Instead, Aviation Director Iftikhar Ahmad is opting for a $200 million effort he expects will be done in time for New Orleans to host the Super Bowl in two years. (Source: New Orleans Times-Picayune, 01/23/11)

Week in review column

Creation of a hub at a Northwest Florida airport, an Airbus tanker boom problem, good news and bad for F-35 fighter and the launch of a year-long celebration of naval aviation highlighted aerospace stories for the Gulf Coast region during the week. (Source: Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor, 01/22/11)

McCain to see son get wings

MILTON, Fla. - Sen. John McCain will be at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla., next Friday to attend a winging ceremony. His son, Ensign John S. McCain, is one of more than a dozen graduates who will receive wings of gold at the ceremony. The Arizona senator will speak at the event, which is not open to the public. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 01/22/11)

Mobile MRO subject of PBS report

MOBILE, Ala. - ST Aerospace Mobile was the subject of a Public Broadcasting Service investigative report that aired Tuesday on "Frontline." The report alleged, among other things, that workers falsified records and failed to follow FAA rules to track parts. Company officials called the report shallow, biased and sensationalized, and later in the week responded point-by-point to questions posed by the Mobile Press-Register. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 01/22/11) PBS report

Celebration marks flight training birth

PENSACOLA, Fla. - About 500 people gathered at Naval Air Station Pensacola Thursday to mark the birthday of the establishment of the Navy's first flight school. The ceremony featured speeches by Navy officers and politicians, including Gov. Rick Scott. Pensacola, which launched its school with 32 aviators 97 years ago, has events spread throughout the year to celebrate 100 years of naval aviation. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, Naval Education and Training Command Public Affairs, 01/21/11)

Contract: Composite Engineering, $34.7M

Composite Engineering, Inc., of Sacramento, Calif. was awarded a $34,674,848 contract modification which will exercise the Lot 8 option to procure a quantity of 40 additional BQM-167As, also known as the Air Force Subscale Aerial Target. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. AAC/EBYK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/20/11)

Tanker boom breaks off

A large part of a refueling boom broke off from an Airbus tanker during an exercise Wednesday. Airbus said the cause of the accident off the coast of Portugal was not yet clear. Both the tanker, which was to be delivered to the Australian air force, and a Portuguese F-16 were damaged. The boom fell into the Atlantic Ocean. (Sources: New York Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, 01/20/11) Gulf Coast note: The U.S. Air Force is expected to pick Boeing or Airbus aircraft for its new tankers. If Airbus is chosen, EADS North America plans to assemble them in Mobile, Ala.

F-35 interest up; more problems unveiled

China's military buildup is apparently causing Japan, South Korea and Singapore to engage in bilateral talks with government officials to discuss the F-35. The immediate cause may be recently published images showing China's J-20 stealth aircraft. (Source: Wall Street Journal, (subscription) 01/18/11) Meanwhile, a report by the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test and Evaluation shows the F-35 has previously undisclosed problems with its handling, avionics, afterburner and helmet-mounted display. (Source: Defense News, 01/18/11) Gulf Coast note: Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is home of the F-35 training center

Vision Airlines adding flights

Atlanta-based Vision Airlines is growing its commercial passenger service with new flights beginning March 25. The airline on Monday said it would add flights between Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and cities including Asheville, N.C., Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Huntsville, Ala., Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss., and more. A company route map now shows 23 cities. (Sources: AP via Bloomberg, 01/16/11, St. Petersburg Times, 01/18/11, Huntsville Times, 01/17/11, company map)

Week in review column

The ongoing debate over the direction of NASA, some good news about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the arrival of F-16s at Florida's Eglin Air Force Base were among the aerospace news items that came down the pike during the week. There was even something about the tanker project: nobody can yet say when a winner will be announced. (Source: Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor, 01/15/11)

Car crusher demilitarizes bombs

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Environmental restoration officials are using a commercial car crusher to "demilitarize" practice bombs prior to recycling. So far, they’ve recycled more than one million pounds of metal from the BDU 33 and Mark 106 bombs. The crushing operation is part of an agreement between the crushing company, the recyclers and Eglin Air Force Base's contractors, and has resulted in savings of more than $1 million. (Source: 96th Air Base Wing Environmental PA, 01/13/11)

Contract: McDonnell Douglas, $88M

McDonnell Douglas Corp., a subsidiary of the Boeing Co. of St. Louis, Mo., was awarded an $87,996,491 contract which will procure 3,500 guided vehicle kits for Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) purposes. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. AAC/EDBK, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/14/11)

Amos sure F-35B can be fixed

Marine Corps Gen. James Amos said he's confident Lockheed Martin will solve problems with the service's version of the F-35 and save it from cancellation. The short takeoff, vertical landing model of the F-35 has been put on probation for two years to fix significant problems, with cancelation possible. "I completely support that," Amos told the annual conference of the Surface Navy Association. Amos said he intends to keep a close eye on the F-35B because of its importance to the Marine Corps. (Source: Reuters, 01/13/11)

JSF training center gets F-16s

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Four F-16s on loan from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., arrive at Eglin today to support the F-35 training mission. The planes, from the 56th Fighter Wing, will be used by the Joint Strike Fighter Integrated Training Center. Col. David Hlatky, commander of the 33rd at Eglin, said the aircraft are needed for training before the arrival of F-35s. Eglin has 17 F-16 Falcons, 10 assigned to the 46th Test Wing and seven to the 53rd. (Sources: Eglin Air Force Base media advisory, 01/10/11, Destin Log, 01/12/11)

Tanker award date unclear

When will the aerial tanker award be announced? Depends on who you ask. EADS North America Chief Executive Officer Sean O'Keefe expects it next month, but Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh said he's not expecting the decision soon. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley declined to give a firm date for the contract award, saying only that the source selection is moving toward completion. Boeing and EADS are competing for the $35 billion deal to build jets for the U.S. Air Force. Boeing would build them in Washington and Kansas, and EADS would assemble them in Mobile, Ala. (Source: Air Force Times, SeattlePI, Reuters, 01/12/11)

Blade Dynamics begins hiring

NEW ORLEANS - Blade Dynamics, the wind turbine manufacturer at the Michoud Assembly Facility, plans to hire 40 salaried, technical operator positions. The positions require a minimum of one-year manufacturing or production experience, performance of industrial math and the ability to work rotating shifts. By 2015 Blade Dynamics plans to have some 600 employees on its payroll with an annual salary of about $48,000. (Source: The Advocate, 01/12/11)

Hunter unmanned system hits milestone

Northrop Grumman's Hunter unmanned aircraft, in use with the Army since 1996, recently surpassed 100,000 flight hours in service, with more than 72,000 hours in combat. The MQ-5B Hunter is currently deployed supporting contingency operations across the globe, provides warfighters with reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, communications relay and weapons delivery. The RQ-5A Hunter was the Army's first fielded UAS. The next generation MQ-5B is outfitted with updated equipment. (Source: Northrop Grumman via Globe Newswire, 01/12/11) Gulf Coast note: The Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Center, Moss Point, Miss., has done refurbishing work on Hunter aircraft.

NASA names deputy chief technologist

WASHINGTON - NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun has announced the appointment of Michael J. Gazarik as the agency's deputy chief technologist. Gazarik, who was deputy director for programs in the Engineering Directorate at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., will be a key member of the office responsible for coordination, integration and tracking of all technology investments across the agency, as well as management of NASA's Space Technology programs. (Source: NASA, 01/12/11) Gulf Coast note: NASA has facilities at Stennis Space Center, Miss., and Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.

Web site highlights naval aviation

Florida's Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and Naval Air Station Pensacola have launched a new Web site highlighting the history of naval aviation in Pensacola. It features a list of local events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of naval aviation. Visitors can log on and share stories and photographs. Centennial events include a Blue Angles demonstration and visit by the USS Iwo Jima. (Sources: WEAR-TV, Pensacola News Journal, the site, 01/11/10)