Millsaps grad gets HII promotion

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Huntington Ingalls Industries announced Aug. 24 that 1991 Millsaps College (Miss.) graduate Karen Velkey was promoted to corporate VP of benefits and compensation. Velkey will be responsible for formulating and maintaining competitive benefit and compensation programs for HII. Velkey joined HII in April 2011 and has 20-plus years of experience in human resources. She previously worked at HII's Newport News (Va.) Shipbuilding division and Northrop Grumman. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Millsaps College, a private liberal arts college located in Jackson, Miss., and an MBA from the University of Montana. (Source: HII 08/24/15)

USM, Army helmet liners

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Continued success has been a challenge for Dr. Jeffrey Wiggins, director of University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Polymers and High Performance Materials. But, he and the USM faculty are reaching new levels after garnering positive results with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, who wore helmets incorporated with technology developed by USM’s research laboratories. USM and the Army recently announced a $4.9 million contract for development and evaluation of a new helmet liner designed to provide enhanced head protection for war-fighters - an extension of NFL helmet research. USM’s Pneumatic Cushion liner system is radically different from traditional foam pads used for decades. USM is also among an elite group of awardees of the inaugural National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program. The five-year $2.8 million award is designed to encourage development of potentially transformative models for science, technology, education and math (STEM) graduate training. USM’s polymer science education provides an opportunity to engage students with major corporations like GE Aviation, which has two plants in Mississippi, including at Ellisville. Teams have been working in polymer science labs at USM to create composite materials such as aviation fan blades for the global markets. These advanced materials are lightweight and durable, which translates to fuel savings, lower energy costs, and reduced maintenance for sophisticated jet engines. (Source: WDAM-TV 08/19/15)

MSU to open vet-biz center

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Entrepreneurial military veterans will soon have a new resource adjacent to Mississippi State University to help get their businesses up and running. MSU was recently selected to become one of five new locations for a Veterans Business Outreach Center designed to provide counseling, training, and other resources to former service members seeking to launch businesses. The center is designated to serve residents of Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee. It will be located next to campus in Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Park. The grand opening is set for 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 28. (Source: Mississippi State University 08/21/15)

GA pilots helping boost drone ops

The Defense Department has hired General Atomics to help boost its drone operations by 50 percent by 2019. GA’s Predator and Reaper drone-pilots have begun flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data missions for the Defense Department in August. It’s not unusual for DOD to hire drone-makers to fly them. But the Predator is a highly capable drone that can fly at 10,000 feet and armed with missiles. DOD doesn’t have plans to allow contractors to fire those missiles, but allowing them to feed targeting data to the military trigger-pullers is a step closer in that direction. ISR is 99 percent of drone pilot flight hours. GA officials wouldn’t disclose the location of the missions or details. Air Force drone pilots fly 60 Predator and Reaper combat air patrols. On CAP aircraft is up 24/7. The Pentagon is aiming for 90 flights by 2019. But the war-time drone patrols are wearing down those AF crews; and that fact has DOD leaders turning to the Army, U.S. Special Operations Command and the aerospace defense industry. Contractors could be hired to fly older non-strike Predators for around 10 flights per day. Some see it as the first step toward allowing civilian contractors being allowed to fire weapons on behalf of the military. (Source: Defense One 08/18/15) Central Mississippi Note: General Atomics operates an Electromagnetic Systems (EMS) manufacturing and test facility in Shannon, Miss., in the the suburbs of Tupelo.

GTRA has what Havana doesn’t

The U.S. flag is flying over Havana, Cuba, once again – after almost 60 years. Havana is now the “hot ticket item” for airline jet-setters preparing to hit the tarmac’s pavement running. The U.S. estimates there will be 1.8 million potential fliers wanting to jet between Havana and America from chock-a-block sites from every decent-sized U.S. city. But, there likely going to have to wait as long as to the year 2050. The reality is two-fold: (1) Despite diplomatic relations, Cuba hasn’t decided when/if it will allow U.S. tourists and an expanded list of business people to travel to their island-nation; and (2) No U.S. airline is chomping at the bit to fly to Havana or any terribly impoverished island because there’s no existing demand to make it profitable. “There are a lot more lucrative places in the US” to fly,” says Colorado aviation consultant Michael Boyd. There are “significantly greater opportunities” for airlines to exploit … like adding service to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTRA) near Columbus, Miss. In a new commentary, Boyd wrote: “(T)here are much stronger airline revenue opportunities at (GTRA) than there are (in Havana) – or all of Cuba.” For that matter, Columbus has what Cuba doesn’t – a burgeoning manufacturing industry, trained workforce, and an major foundation of global businesses from Japan, Israel, France, and the Netherlands - all of which generate enormous levels of international aviation traffic. (Forbes 08/18/15)

State biz junket to Israel

JACKSON, Miss. - Gov. Phil Bryant will lead a delegation of Mississippi firms on a business development mission to Israel from Nov. 8-12. The trip is designed to connect state businesses wanting to expand trade and create new business relationships with qualified buyers in Israel. The trip will coincide with the UVID International Conference of Unmanned Vehicles, which will be held Nov. 9-10. The conference is a joint venture between AUVSI Israel Chapter and Israel Defense, the leading organizations in the Israeli Unmanned Systems industry. Space is limited. For information visit www.mississippi.org. (Source: Mississippi Development Authority 08/18/15) Central Mississippi Note: Stark Aeriospace is headquartered in Columbus, Miss. It’s Unmanned Aerial Systems Division produces the ArrowLite and Hunter MQ-5B UAS. Stark is a wholly owned subsidiary of IAI North America, the US subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries.

AFS to furlough 25 in Conn.

BRIDEPORT, Conn. - About 25 employees at Aurora Flight Sciences’ aerospace parts maker have been furloughed for two months, says company spokesman Chip Sheller. The 60-day furloughs at AFS were effective beginning Aug. 17. “We very recently learned of a major slowdown on a helicopter program that we support,” Sheller said. “It’s very, very unexpected, and it’s a significant loss in work for approximately one year for the Bridgeport facility,” he added. The Manassas, Va.-based firm employs 136 at its Bridgeport facility. Both production workers and middle management are included in the furloughs. (Source: The Exponent Telegram 08/17/15) Central Mississippi Note: Aurora Flight Services fabricates and performs final assembly of composite aerostructures for defense and commercial aerospace customers at its Aurora Mississippi facility located at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Columbus, Miss.

MSU designated Purple Heart U

STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Military Order of the Purple Heart has designated Mississippi State University as a “Purple Heart University” for outstanding service to military veterans, service members, dependents and survivors. A presentation of the proclamation will take place Nov. 14 at halftime of the Mississippi State-Alabama football game. There are some 450 veterans and service members that are students at MSU, and the veteran community, which includes dependents, comprises more than 2,100 students on campus. (Source: Mississippi State 08/15/15)

AIA joins fight: Enough EOs

An anticipated presidential executive order (EO) requiring federal contractors to offer up to 56 hours of annual paid sick leave, four major contractor groups – including the Aerospace Industries Association - wrote Aug. 11 to the White House asking for an easing off of EOs “for the foreseeable future.” With the WH issuing more contractor-specific orders, the “rapid growth in compliance requirements is becoming untenable,” said the letter, written to Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett. “The impacts, inefficiencies, and in many cases, unintended consequences are such that the interests of the American taxpayer are being significantly and negatively impacted.” The letter was signed by presidents of AIA, National Defense Industrial Association, Professional Services Council and the IT Alliance for Public Sector. Since 2009, the president has issued 12 contractor-focused executive orders that have led to 16 new regulations that have “added thousands of pages of new requirements to an already complex federal acquisition system …” The “net effect” has significantly increased the costs of doing business with the government by including “substantial investments in time and systems during a period of extreme budget pressure with very little benefit for the government.” There are hundreds of thousands of contractors nationwide. The Labor Department could not confirm such an EO was coming, but told Government Executive that the department will “continue to explore ways to expand access to paid leave” if Congress does not take action. (Source: Defense One 08/11/15)

GTRA arrests related to ISIS

JACKSON, Miss. – Two former Mississippi State University students were arrested over the weekend at the Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTRA) in Columbus on charges they were attempting to travel abroad and join the Islamic State militant organization. A criminal charge filed Aug. 8 indicated Jaelyn Delshaun Young, 19, and Muhammad Oda Dakhlalla, 22, were arrested at GTRA and both charged with attempting and conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist group. A hearing on their detention began Monday in Oxford. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Lamar said it will continue Aug. 11. Young and Dakhlalla are U.S. citizens. MSU’s Sid Salter said records indicate Dakhlalla graduated in May; and Young was enrolled until May as a sophomore. Charges indicate the pair had planned to fly to Greece and then take a bus to Turkey, but the couple later bought tickets on Delta leaving GTRA bound for Atlanta, Amsterdam and to Istanbul. MSU had cooperated with the investigation and provided background information on the students. GTRA Executive Director Mike Hainsey has confirmed the FBI arrested a man and woman prior to their boarding a flight Aug. 8. (Source: Fox News 08/11/15)
UPDATE 10 A.M AUGUST 11: A federal judge has denied bail to the couple pending grand jury action.

Drone crash-avoidance add-on

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Commercial drones are emerging as a mainstream venture for everyday consumers. With dozens of options on the market, finding affordable drones is fairly simple, but replacing damaged ones can be costly. Panoptes Systems, a spinoff from Aurora Flight Sciences, exists to accelerate the introduction of unmanned aircraft into American airspaces by enabling safe and efficient operation. They’ve developed eBumper4 which can automatically avoid collisions. The eBumper4 is the first obstacle avoidance product for consumer drones, said Elena Micich, Panoptes’ products VP. It has the capability to protect and control a drone in tight spaces. Designed as a retrofit kit, eBumper4 is an add-on for some of the more popular consumer drones – like DJI Phantom 2 and the 3D Robotics Iris+. It works like an automatic braking system for a car; and protects drones against collisions with objects. Central Mississippi Note: Aurora Flight Sciences is a developer and manufacturer of advanced aerospace vehicles with its HQ in Manassas, Va., and operates a production plant in Columbus, Miss. (Intelligent Aerospace 07/29/15)

Burns Dirt earns CAFB pact

Burns Dirt Construction of Columbus, Miss., was awarded a $35,000,000 contract for repair and construction of asphalt and concrete pavements base-wide, and the painting of runways, taxiways, and aprons at Columbus Air Force Base. Work will be performed at Columbus AFB and its Auxiliary Field at Shuqualak, Miss. It is expected to be complete by July 30, 2020. (Source: DOD 07/30/15)

MDOT grants to 17 airports

Grants from the Mississippi Department of Transportation have been awarded for more than $3 million to 17 statewide airports, including $31,300 to Columbus’ Golden Triangle Regional and Starkville’s Bryan Field. The Columbus grant will help lay groundwork for expansion of Mississippi State University's SMART bus system to a waiting area at GTR; and $45,485 to George M. Bryan Field in Starkville for two pieces of ground support equipment. GTR Executive Director Mike Hainsey said the funding will pay for a bus shelter similar to the ones SMART uses in Starkville. The Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit is a public transit system operated by MSU. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 07/29/15) Central Mississippi Note: One recipient of a 2015 MDOT grant, Stennis International Airport in Bay St. Louis, received an additional grant matched by the FAA to acquire an aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicle.

L-3 wins aircraft mod pact

L-3 Communications Corp.’s Systems Field Support of Madison, Miss., was awarded a $274,596,000 Army modification to contract for continued logistic support for about 235 military aircraft (40 RC-12s, 167 C-12s, 28 UC-35s). Work will be performed in Madison with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2016. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting authority. (Source: DOD, 07/27/15)

Iuka enables satellite launches

DULLES, Va. - Orbital ATK supplied products from multiple company locations across the United States – including its Iuka, Miss., manufacturing plant - that helped enable the successful launch of both the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V vehicle and the GPS satellite that was deployed July 15 from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The 10th GPS IIF satellite will replace first-generation GPS satellites and provide improved accuracy, signal strength and quality to U.S. war-fighters, allies and civilian users worldwide. Boeing designed and built the GPS IIF satellite for the Air Force. The Orbital ATK components were used on both the Atlas V launch vehicle and GPS satellite. These include large composite structures, retro motors, and state-of-the art solar arrays and other critical components on the GPS IIF satellite. Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies. (Source: Business Wire 07/15/15) Central Mississippi Note: For the ULA Atlas V rocket, Orbital ATK produced the 10-foot diameter composite heat shield. Orbital ATK fabricated the assembly using advanced fiber placement manufacturing techniques at the company’s Iuka, Miss., facility. It was the 55th Atlas V launch using Orbital ATK-built composite structures.

Improving the AF’s RPA mission

WASHINGTON - In response to a critical shortage of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) pilots, the Air Force has rolled out more information about plans to alleviate the problem in the short and long term. Recent initiatives include creating bonuses for RPA pilots ($15K/year) starting October 1; placing newly trained pilots in RPA squadrons in August; and investing $100 million-plus to buy more ground control stations, simulators and contract instructors. (Source: Air Force News Service 07/16/15) Central Mississippi Note: One of the solutions is for about 80 Undergraduate Pilot Training graduates to be added over the next 12 months, and who will be assigned to RPA positions for one assignment tour to help alleviate growing pressure on overtaxed RPA crews. AF pilot training bases are at Columbus AFB, Miss.; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Vance AFB, Okla.; and Sheppard AFB, Texas.

OSHP orders AHI-Columbus helo

The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) has ordered the first H125 AStar produced on the new final assembly line of Airbus Helicopters Inc.’ production facility in Columbus, Miss. The AStar is America's most popular single-engine turbine helicopter that is now built in the United States by American workers. AHI will recognize the OSHP an Airborne Law Enforcement Association ALEA Expo 2015 ceremony in Houston on July 17. OSHP operates two AS350B2 AStars to conduct a wide variety of law enforcement missions; and have been operating AStars for more than 20 years. The helicopter was the first H125 produced from the Columbus assembly line and certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. (Source: Street Insider 07/14/15) Central Mississippi Note: AHI installed the Columbus final assembly line to allow shorter delivery times, increased aircraft customization and the ability for customers to see their aircraft being manufactured, and to offer enhanced customer support. AHI-Columbus also produces UH-72A Lakota helicopters for the Army; and has delivered more than 340 to date.

Meridian's McGrevey to join MDA

Mississippi Development Authority announced that Mike McGrevey will join the agency as deputy director beginning July 6. McGrevey comes to MDA from the City of Meridian, Miss., where he served as chief administrative officer responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the city, including economic development and working to improve the city’s infrastructure. (Source: MDA 06/29/15)

MSU, AU prosperity recognition

WASHINGTON, DC – Auburn (Ala.) University and Mississippi State University were among 18 institutions to earn recognition as the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ class of 2015 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities. The designation acknowledges the universities with working with public and private sector partners in their regions to support economic development. (APLU 06/24/15) AU’s self-study revealed the school has a $5.1 billion economic impact on the state’s economy; alongside side its engagement with GE Aviation, which makes jet-engine fuel nozzles and among the nation’s first to mass produce additive components for the jet propulsion industry. (Tallassee (Ala.) Tribune 06/23/15)

CAFB’s new vice wing commander

The 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base will welcome its new vice wing commander, Colonel James Fisher, on June 22. As vice commander, Fisher is responsible for day-to-day operations of base support functions and mission activities for more than 3,600 people with capital assets and equipment exceeding $2.3 billion. Fisher, who entered the AF in 1991 as an Air Force ROTC graduate from Mississippi State University, is no stranger to CAFB. He was selected for pilot training and earned his wings at CAFB. Additionally, he served as a T-1A Jayhawk specialized undergraduate pilot training instructor at CAFB. His previous duty was as Director of Safety for the Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. (Source: Columbus AFB 06/19/15)