Student-team rocketry contest

Registration is now open for the world's largest annual student rocketry contest. Registration for the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is open to teams of 7-to-12th graders through December 4. (Source: AIA 09/01/15)

MDA temp replacements

In the wake of two departures this week, Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Glenn McCullough Jr., has named two members of the agency as temporary replacements. Daron Wilson is the interim director of Visit Mississippi, and Jeff Rent has taken the role of interim chief marketing officer. Both will assume their duties on Nov. 23. (Mississippi Business Journal 11/20/15)

L-3: New MS division HQ

MADISON, Miss. - L-3 Communications is re-establishing a division headquarters here and naming long-time Mississippian John “Ed” Boyington Jr. to lead it. Boyington will become president of L-3 Logistics Solutions, which should dispel rumors that the NY-based L-3 would be closing the Mississippi office that overhauls and distributes parts for military aircraft. Boyington worked for L-3 from 2003-09 including serving as president of L-3 Vertex Aerospace in Madison. Boyington is a retired Navy rear admiral. (Washington Times 11/20/15)

Aircraft laser pointing indictment

Landon Albritton, a 20-year-old Terry, Miss., man was charged in a federal indictment Nov. 18, and could face five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, for pointing a laser at an aircraft. U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate will hear the trial on Jan. 4. (Source: Clarion-Ledger 11/18/15) Central Mississippi Note: Thomas Hannigan, information systems manager at the Mississippi State University’s aerospace engineering department, and a flight instructor, said pointing a laser at an aircraft could instantly render a pilot’s night vision completely ineffective.

‘Lux’ named ASSURE associate

STARKVILLE, Miss. - Stephen “Lux” Luxion has been named associate director of the Mississippi State University-led Alliance for System Safety of Research Excellence (ASSURE) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. In May, the Federal Aviation Administration designated ASSURE as the national Center of Excellence for UAS. He is a graduate of the Air Force Academy, and retired from service as a colonel in 2014. Luxion has experience in UAS research, development, testing, operations and integration. He also established the AF’s first armed UAS squadron in the wake of 9/11, and assisted NATO with its first aerospace center of excellence. At his final duty station, he was professor of aerospace studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, an ASSURE partner institution. He helped test unmanned vehicles off the coast of Florida at Embry-Riddle. (Source: Mississippi State University 11/19/15)

Key Field energy competition

Meridian’s Key Field Air National Guard Base began an energy conservation competition this summer that runs through Dec. 31. The goal is to create energy conservation awareness and reduce usage by 7 percent. To date, there has been a 4.3 percent base-wide energy reduction resulting in about $7,500 in savings for the Air Force and base. Winners are announced monthly. The overall winner will be announced in January. This quarter’s winner was the Aerospace Ground Equipment shop. (Source: Meridian Star 11/15/15)

MSU among top schools for vets

STARKVILLE, Miss - Mississippi State University was named No. 44 among the 2016 ‘Military Times Best for Vets’ college rankings. The project evaluates many factors that help make colleges a good fit for service members, military veterans and their families. More than 600 colleges took part in a detailed survey and assessment of veteran and military student services and rates of academic achievement. (Source: Mississippi State University 11/13/15) Central Mississippi Note: There are about 450 students who are veterans and service members at MSU; and another 2,100 students are dependents. A new facility at the G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans currently is under construction. It is to open in 2016. The building features a computer lab, study rooms and a day room.

Army opts for 12 Columbus-Lakotas

The Army has exercised $65.8 million in contract options for 12 UH-72A Lakota helicopters and mission equipment packages from Airbus Helicopters Inc. of Columbus, Miss. Since 2006, AHI has delivered nearly 350 Lakotas to the Army, Navy and Royal Thai Army. The dozen UH-72As for this contract option will be delivered in August 2017, and as the Army’s initial entry rotary-wing trainer. The Army has fielded more than 50 Lakotas to Fort Rucker, Ala., in preparation for its FY-2016 formal introduction into its training curriculum. The Army plans for 187 Lakotas to be delivered for initial-entry rotary wing training. The Navy operates UH-72As in training at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. (Clarion-Ledger 11/13/15) Central Mississippi Note: AHI’s Columbus plant opened in 2004. It also produces the AS350 B2/B3 AStar commercial helicopter.

3D Aurora Flight Services’ UAV

Stratasys Ltd., a 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions company, has announced it is teaming with Aurora Flight Sciences to deliver what is believed to be the largest, fastest, and most complex 3D printed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ever produced. Unveiled for the first time at the Dubai Airshow, the high-speed aircraft is built using lightweight materials to achieve speeds in excess of 150 mph. The final 3D printed UAV design has a 9-foot wingspan and weighs 33 lbs. and built on the expertise of AFS’ aerospace and Stratasys’ additive manufacturing. “A primary goal for us was to show the aerospace industry just how quickly you can go from designing to building to flying a 3D printed jet-powered aircraft,” said Dan Campbell, aerospace research engineer at AFS. (Source: MFRTECH 11/10/15) Central Mississippi Note: Aurora Flight Sciences is a leader in the development and manufacturing of advanced aerospace vehicles. It operates a production plant in Columbus, Miss. Stratasys Ltd. has offices in Minneapolis, Minn., and Rehovot, Israel.

Silicon facility opens in North Miss.

The first silicon metal manufacturing facility built in the U.S. in more than 40 years is up and running in the North Mississippi town of Burnsville, about 100 miles from Memphis. The $200 million Mississippi Silicon plant began startup operations in late September on a 94-acre site in Tishomingo County. The plant is a joint venture between the Vicitin family of Brazil and CleanTech LLC. The largest single use of Silicon is as an alloy material in various grades of aluminum, mostly aluminum used for things like automotive components and aerospace products. (Source: Memphis Daily News 11/01/15)