July 19, 1999

View Full Issue Table of Contents

HEADLINE NEWS

Thomson Plans Commercial Acquisitions in ‘total Supplier' Bid

PARIS Thomson-CSF’s Avionics Group is planning an accelerated schedule of acquisitions and partnership ventures designed to enable the group to offer a complete package of on-board avionics and systems. The plan is driven by growing consolidation among secondand third-tier suppliers, reflected in AlliedSignal’s acquisition of Honeywell last month (AW&ST June 21, p. 42).

By MICHAEL A. TAVERNA6 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Delays Force Key Atlas Payload to Arianespace

CAPE CANAVERAL Space Systems Loral intends to pull its Telstar 7 communications spacecraft off the first flight of the new Russian-powered Lockheed Martin Atlas III and instead launch it on a European Ariane because of delays to U.S. schedules caused by the failure of an RL10 upper stage engine.

By CRAIG COVAULT5 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Launches Resume at Baikonur for Mir Resupply, Zenit Flights

CAPE CANAVERAL The governments of Russia and Kazakhstan reached at least a provisional agreement on reopening the Baikonur Cosmodrome to launches late last week, as engineers narrowed the cause of a Proton launch accident that started the dispute.

By CRAIG COVAULT4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Bfg, Coltec Conclude Merger; Alliedsignal Compensated

NEW YORK BFGoodrich and Coltec Industries—their merger finally consummated last week after months of delay—are now concentrating on what to call their newly combined enterprise and how to achieve the most efficient integration possible.

By ANTHONY L. VELOCCI4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Remembering Lunar Pioneer Pete Conrad

Members of the Apollo astronaut corps will gather at the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum July 20 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first manned lunar landing by Apollo 11. But everyone’s thoughts will be with Apollo 12 commander, retired Navy Capt. Charles (Pete) Conrad, Jr., who died July 8 affer a motorcycle accident near Ojai, Calif. He was 69.

By CRAIG COVAULT4 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Engen Dies in Sailplane Crash, Headed Air and Space Museum

WASHINGTON Donald D. Engen, director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, was killed in the crash of a sailplane on July 13 near Minden-Tahoe, Nev. Don Engen, who was a friend to all of us in aviation, will be greatly missed.

By DAVID M. NORTH3 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Sikorsky Reductions Aimed at Maintaining Profits

Washington Sikorsky’s decision to cut 13% of its Connecticut workforce and reduce 20% of its floor space is aimed at reducing production overhead costs and allowing the United Technologies division to maintain its profit margins despite a flat order book.

By Robert Wall2 min

HEADLINE NEWS

Suspension in Kashmir

New Delhi India said last week that it will suspend its six-week military campaign to drive Pakistan-based fighters from the Himalayan state of Jammu and Kashmir. The cease-fire was to be confirmed July 16. It came after several weeks of night attacks in the Kargil sector of Northern Kashmir.

HEADLINE NEWS

Boeing Makes Major Cuts to Its Wichita Workforce

Seattle Boeing is rapidly reducing employee numbers at its Wichita (Kan.) Div. with about 4,400 workers scheduled to depart through the end of this year. As of late June, about 2,300 workers had been laid off, retired, voluntarily left the company or ended temporary labor contracts, reducing employment totals at the plant to 18,900.

July 121999

July 261999

July 19, 1999

July 19, 1999

F-22’s Future Suddenly Clouded

By DAVID A. FULGHUM,ROBERT WALL7 min