Airbus: May change A330 engine

Airbus Group will decide by the end of March whether to offer more efficient engines for its A330 wide-body jet. The A330 currently offers engines from GE, Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney. The A330 competes against Boeing's 787, powered by either GE or Rolls-Royce engines. (Source: Bloomberg, 01/29/14)
[Central Mississippi/Golden Triangle note: Airbus Group, the former EADS, proposed using the A330 MRTT platform for Air Force aerial tankers it hoped to build in Mobile, Ala. That project went to Boeing. Airbus is now building an A320 final assembly line in Mobile; GE Aviation builds engine parts at facilities in Ellisville and Batesville, Miss., and Auburn, Ala.; Rolls-Royce tests jetliner engines at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

NASM provides shelter for weather-stranded GIs

Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss., provided winter-weather sheltering for a stranded group of Army paratroopers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team overnight Jan. 29. The 703 personnel had been stranded on Interstate 20 on the way to Fort Bragg, N.C. The group had just completed training at Fort Polk, La., in preparation of an upcoming deployment. The team left Louisiana early Jan. 28 and was thwarted by a 5-hour traffic standstill on I-20. The Soldiers took refuge at NASM’s Regional Counterdrug Training Academy and Navy Gateway Inns. NAS Meridian’s commander, Capt. Charles C. Moore II, said the training base was proud to have had this opportunity to support forward-deployed war-fighters. Source: Naval Air Station Meridian, Jan. 30, 2014.

Airbus Helicopters initiates ’14 action plan

The grounding and crash of a pair of Airbus Helicopters last year are strengthening the resolve of the company to improve its safety measures, new CEO Guillaume Faury said at a company news conference Jan. 28. Those events have prompted the CEO to implement an action plan to recover sales and delivery numbers. Since he took the helm in May, helicopter deliveries increased (to 497) by 22 over 2012 numbers. But sales dropped over the same period; and one of the firm’s disappointments was its new 16-to-18 seat EC175 medium helicopter. The certification process for the EC175 has been completed and the aircraft should be certified in the coming days. Deliveries for its three main customers – NHV, UTAir and Heli-Union – are due to take place in the second or third quarter. Source: Aviation Week, Jan. 28, 2014.
[Central Mississippi/Golden Triangle note: Airbus Helicopters - formerly American Eurocopter - employs more than 900 individuals at its Columbus, Miss., and Texas facilities.]

Higgins: Triangle econ co-op announcement weeks away

The September 2012 announced, 2-phase plan to establish the Golden Triangle Regional Development Authority economic development agency across East Mississippi county lines appears to be gaining speed again. Group leader Joe Max Higgins confirmed that an announcement is weeks away. The agreement between Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties and then-known Columbus-Lowndes Development LINK was designed to utilize a team approach to attract business to the region. The group’s name change to GTRDA was the first phase. Phase 2 calls for the state legislature to officially establishment GTRDA this year. LINK CEO Higgins confirmed this week that there are plans to meet with elected leaders and civic organizations in all three communities and make a presentation on the development group’s plan of action. That specific has not been made public. A formal announcement is tentatively planned in the coming weeks, he said. Source: Columbus (Miss.) Dispatch, Jan. 29, 2014.

NAS Meridian shut down Wednesday: Includes L-3 Vertex contractors

NAS Meridian has shut down Wednesday due to wintry weather conditions. L-3 Vertex first, second and third shifts should "not report" to work on Wednesday. The regular schedule will resume Thursday morning. Only essential NASM base personnel should report to work on Wednesday. Source: NAS Meridian Facebook page, Jan. 29, 2014.

MSU space grad students INSPIRE teens

Thirteen Mississippi State University earth and space graduate students are partnering with middle and high schools within the Golden Triangle area to assist young people a better understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills. The partnership is through the INSPIRE (Initiating New Science Partnerships in Rural Education) program. This year’s INSPIRE fellows from MSU are working with Columbus middle and high school, and Starkville High School aiming to rid the idea that math and science is boring. Program directors are gathering valuable data for researching students’ interest in STEM subjects. The graduate students gain experience in communicating complicated scientific theories to general audiences; and teachers discover innovative ways to tie real-world lessons into their classrooms. INSPIRE is a 5-year National Science Foundation K-12 grant. INSPIRE is currently taking applications for fall semester participants (at www.gk12.msstate.edu). Only graduates majoring in the STEM field and in their second year or later are encouraged to apply. The application deadline is Feb. 5. Source: MSU’s The Reflector, Jan. 28, 2014.

UTC ponder's Sikorskey's future

United Technologies is pondering the future of helicopter maker Sikorsky, according to Defense News. Sikorsky, maker of Black Hawk, could emerge as a tempting target for European firms eager to crack a U.S. market that remains lucrative. Sikorsky and UTC, which also owns aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney and UTC Aerospace Systems, declined comment. Sikorsky is the Pentagon's leading helicopter supplier, Boeing is second, the Bell-Boeing joint venture is No. 3, Textron's Bell Helicopter is fourth and Airbus Helicopters is fifth. (Source: Defense News, 01/27/14)
[Central Mississippi/Golden Triangle note: Sikorsky has multiple support operations in the Gulf Coast; Sikorsky's Schweizer 333 is the airframe for the Fire Scout MQ-8B, built in part in Moss Point, Miss.; Airbus Helicopters builds helicopters in Columbus, Miss.; Bell plans to build a helicopter plant in Lafayette, La.; UTC has a nacelles and service center in facility in Foley, Ala.

DoD contractor-crackdown to include General Atomics

The Pentagon is withholding monies from some of its largest contractors – with plans ahead for General Atomics, with manufacturing facilities in Tupelo, Miss. – that includes $19 million from BAE Systems. The DoD action signals a regulations-crackdown that began in 2011 which require contractors to meet five internal-systems standards including showing progress in meeting cost and schedule goals for their defense-awarded contracts. The rule is designed to protect the government against firms overbilling. Among other defense firms affected is Boeing (at $5.2 M) and Northrop Grumman ($1.4M). Source: Bloomberg, Jan. 27, 2014.

GA relocating product lines to Tupelo

General Atomics has announced its Electromagnetic Systems Group is investing $11 million to relocate a production-components line, from a former GA Electronic Systems facility, to its manufacturing site at the Tupelo/Lee (County) Industrial Park at Shannon, Miss. The relocating product line - and services to the defense and other industries – is to be located in GA’s vacant 87,650 square foot facility in the Heritage Bag building at the industrial park. “There is significant upward potential in many of these products which we are adding to our manufacturing base in Mississippi,” said EMS senior VP Scott Forney. “We have much work to do to ensure a successful start-up” … but “have the confidence to say that continued growth is expected.” GA, based in San Diego, is an advanced technology company developing real-world systems for defense and energy applications. Source: Area Development, Jan. 27, 2014.
[Central Mississippi/Golden Triangle Note: In 2005, GA-EMS opened the test and manufacturing facility in Lee County and has since invested more than $50 million in it. The Lee County project is expected to create 80 jobs bringing GA’s Lee County employment numbers to 150.]

Contract: L-3 Vertex, $13.8M

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Miss., is being awarded a $13,764,771 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-09-D-0007) to exercise an option for organizational, selected intermediate and limited depot level maintenance for F-16, F-18, H-60 and E-2C aircraft operated by the adversary squadrons based at Naval Air Station, Fallon, Nev. Work will be performed in Fallon and is expected to be completed in October 2014. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy Reserve funds in the amount of $13,764,771 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/27/14)

Contract: L-3, $129M

L-3 Communications, Madison, Miss., was awarded a $129,000,000 modification to contract W58RGZ-10-C-0107 for maintenance and modification of the Army C-12/RC-12/UC-35 fixed wing aircraft fleet. Estimated completion date is Jan. 31, 2015. Work will be performed in Madison. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 01/22/14)

Safran buys Eaton units

Defense and aeronautics engineering group Safran will buy aerospace businesses from Eaton Corp. for $270 million in cash. Safran will acquire Eaton's Aerospace Power Distribution Management Solutions, which makes key contactor and circuit breakers for jets. It will also acquire Eaton's Cockpit Solutions, which manufactures plane panels and displays in cockpits. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2014. Safran is 2013 acquired Goodrich Electrical Power Systems. (Source: Wall Street Journal, Reuters, 01/20/14). Central Mississippi/Golden Triangle note: Eaton has a hydraulic systems center in Jackson, Miss. Related

Columbus firm gets order for 20 Army helos

The Defense Department’s recently passed FY-14 budget will included funding for the Army to procure 20 Lakota (UH-72A) helicopters from Airbus Helicopter – formerly American Eurocopter. The helicopters will be built at AH’s facilities in Lowndes County, Miss. In the initial budget request, the Army had requested 31 of the helicopters, but mandated sequestration budget cuts reduced that number to 10. However, Congress' final allocations doubled it allowing the military to continue using the helicopters in domestic emergencies and training. Source: WVTA-Tupelo, Jan. 21, 2014.

MSU aerospace senior competing for TBS’ top nerd

Mississippi State University aerospace engineering senior Mary Kate Smith will go head-to-head for the tile of top nerd with 10 other egg-heads on TBS television’s Thursday 9 p.m. broadcast of the reality show, King of the Nerds. Smith, whose academic concentration is astronautics, will be competing for the $100,000 grand prize and greatest nerd designation. The MSU senior is a 2008 Madison (Miss.) Central High School - 20 miles north of Jackson. Source: Clarion-Ledger, Jan. 21, 2014.

Columbus, Keesler AFB med teams with ANG

A team of active duty military medical personnel from Keesler and Columbus air force bases in Mississippi participated in a tailor-made training exercise with the Air National Guard at Jackson through mid-December. "Southern Strike 14" was hailed as the Mississippi ANG 172nd Airlift Wing’s premier southern training exercise. It took place Dec. 2-13 at the Trent Lott Combat Readiness Training Center and Camp Shelby. The exercise demonstrated how Mississippi’s active duty, reserve and ANG medical team personnel can work together to achieve and bring to the table when needed, said Brig. Gen. Kory Cornum, Keesler Medical Center commander. Source: Keesler 81st Medical Group, Jan. 19, 2014.

Pearl River CC working with Rolls Royce

Pearl River Community College at Poplarville, Miss., has received a $50,000 grant from the Mississippi Development Authority to support Rolls-Royce at Stennis Space Center. The funds are used to send new employees to a training center in Columbus, Ohio; the company's main test facility in Derby, England; or to training at Stennis, said Troy Teadt, PRCC workforce liaison. Rolls-Royce North America opened its first engine test site outside of the United Kingdom at SSC in 2007 and completed a second test stand in the fall of 2013. The site conducts noise, crosswind, endurance and other tests on the latest Rolls-Royce civil aircraft engines. The engines include the Trent 1000 that powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Trent XWB that powers the Airbus A350 XWB. (Source: PRCC, 01/10/14)

Cost of flying up 4th straight year

The cost of commercial airline tickets for American passengers has risen by more than $7 in 2013 – averaging $363.42. It is the fourth year in a round passengers have been hit with higher prices; and a 12 percent rise since 2009, according to an analysis of fare data from the Airlines Reporting Corp. Prices have risen despite airlines cutting unprofitable routes and mergers, giving flying-customers fewer options. The world’s largest air carrier, American Airlines, will halt year-round, daily non-stop service from Washington’s Reagan National Airport to 17 cities including to the Gulf Coast’s Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, both in NW Florida. The American Airlines Group announcement was the result of a Department of Justice mandate to settle an antitrust lawsuit allowing the merger of American with US Airways. Source: The Associated Press, Jan. 16, 2014, and Washington Business Journal, Jan. 16, 2014.

AirCare to base 3rd helo at Grenada

Jackson’s University of Mississippi Medical Center AirCare medical transport helicopter service plans to base a third aircraft in the state at Grenada, northwest of Starkville, beginning in the spring. AirCare currently operates medical-transport helicopters from the main UMMC campus in Jackson and Key Field in Meridian. UMMC partners to lease the helicopter, pilots and maintenance personnel from PHI Air Medicine of Lafayette, La. The new helo will carry four flight crews and include a nurse, paramedic and pilot. The transport copter is to primarily service north Mississippi. The aircraft is an American Eurocopter 135, the same model based in Meridian. AE’s assembly plant at Columbus is now known as Airbus Helicopters. Source: The Associated Press, Jan. 14, 2014.

Military's Tricare centers to shut down

One hundred eighty-nine (189) Tricare Service Centers across the country – which provide administrative walk-in services for eligible members of the military health care system - will shutdown beginning April 1 in efforts to save the Defense Department about $250 million over the next five years. The shutdown does not affect Tricare medical benefits or health services. Among the TSCs to close in Mississippi: Meridian Naval Air Station and Columbus Air Force Base; in Louisiana at NAS/JRB New Orleans in Belle Chasse, Coast Guard Clinic New Orleans, and Fort Polk near Alexandria. Tricare beneficiaries can still accomplish administrative tasks online (tricare.mil/tsc) or by calling the system’s toll-free (800-444-5445). TSCs in Florida to close: Pensacola Naval Hospital, Eglin Air Force Base hospital, Tyndall AFB’s 325th Medical Group, and Hurlburt Field’s 16th Medical Group; and nearby in Alabama at Fort Rucker’s Lyster Army hospital, Coast Guard Clinic Mobile, Fox Army hospital at Redstone near Huntsville and at Maxwell AFB near Montgomery. Source: Armed Forces Press Service, Jan. 13, 2014.

Tougaloo junior earns STEM scholarship

Economic experts agree that America needs to boost its tech-savvy workforce in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in order to maintain a competitive edge in today’s global business climate. One of the drawbacks to achieving that goal is the cost of higher education. The non-profit AFCEA Educational Foundation is helping bridge that gap by offering STEM-discipline scholarships. The foundation recently announced winners of its Intelligence and Afghanistan and Iraq War Veterans scholarships. Among those receiving the AFCEA Intelligence merit scholarship is Marcus I. Brumfield of Terry, Miss., a junior studying computer science at Tougaloo (Miss.) College. Among those receiving the AFCEA Afghanistan and Iraq War Veterans scholarships, co-sponsored by the AFCEA Educational Foundation and the AFCEA NOVA chapter, are Army CWO4 Kenneth G. Biddulph of Enterprise, Ala., a junior studying aeronautics at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla.; and Navy veteran Antonio R. Moore of Huntsville, Ala., a junior studying electrical engineering at the University of Alabama-Huntsville. Source: PRNewswire, Jan. 14, 2014.

AF seeks commercial expertise for T-1A upgrades

The Air Force announced a “Request For Information” (RFI) document Jan. 9 to the commercial aerospace industry for expertise in upgrading the avionics systems of its T-1A trainer jets used to train AF pilots and Combat Systems Officers. The trainer is a commercial derivative of the Hawker Beechcraft 400A (Jayhawk). The AF has 178 total active T-1A jets. Twenty-one T-1As have been modified for CSO training. The T-1A currently utilizes a nearly-obsolete ProLine 2/4 avionics suite. The AF is conducting market research to interface the T-1As with a modern replacement. Interested commercial aviation firms should send company literature and responses to the contract officers at Tinker AFB, Okla., by Feb. 14. Source: DC Aviation News Examiner, Jan. 10, 2014.


[Central Mississippi/Golden Triangle Note: Some of the T-1A aircraft – and simulators - are based along the Gulf Coast at Columbus AFB, Miss., and Pensacola, Fla., Naval Air Station.]

Plane crashes in Afghanistan / 1st MC-12 was assigned to Key Field

A U.S. Air Force MC-12 twin-prop, multi-mission Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft crashed Friday morning (Jan. 10) in eastern Afghanistan killing three Americans – part of the International Security Assistance Force service members and an ISAF civilian, according to a statement released by NATO. There is no indication the MC-12 was downed by enemy fire, a Defense Department official indicated. News of the tragedy follows two earlier-week American helicopter crashes. The MC-12 supports all aspects of the Air Force’s Irregular Warfare mission. Source: ABC News, Jan. 9, 2014.

[Central Mississippi/Golden Triangle Note: The first MC-12 on active duty was assigned to the Air Force’s Key Field in Meridian, Miss., on April 28, 2009.]

Hattiesburg firm gains Defense contract

The Merchants Co. of Hattiesburg, Miss., was awarded a maximum $12,316,254 fixed-price bridge contract for prime vendor food and beverage support through July 12, 2014. This contract was a sole-source acquisition. The using military services will be Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air National Guard. Contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa. Source: Defense Department, Jan. 9, 2014.

Columbus’ AE changes name to Airbus Helicopters

European Aeronautic Defence and Space [EADS] has changed its name to Airbus Group and will integrate its Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military businesses. The name change also affects its American Eurocopter assembly facility at Columbus, Miss. It is now know as Airbus Helicopters. Additionally, Allan McArtor, chairman of Airbus Americas, will replace Sean O'Keefe as CEO of Airbus Group Inc., the company's North American unit on March 1. McArtor will be a member of the Airbus Group Executive Committee, the company's top decision-making body. (Source: Airbus Group, Jan. 7, 2014. Previous McArtor.) [Gulf Coast Note: Airbus is building an A320 final assembly line in Mobile, Ala., where it also has an engineering center.]

Naval Air Station Meridian to get new dining facility

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast has awarded six award design-build construction contracts valued at $95 million - including an initial $8.7 million task order for the design and construction of a dining facility at Naval Air Station Meridian, Miss. JCON Group of Miami was awarded that initial task order. Among Gulf Coast regional contractors selected for additional, but unspecified contracts, are Orocon-Carother Joint Venture 1 of Oxford, Miss.; and Gorrie LLC of Madison, Ala. Each firm was awarded multiple design-build construction project-contracts within the Southeast. Ninety-six percent of the work will be in Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle. All task orders are expected to be completed by December 2018. The 21,500 square foot Meridian project will represent a “great step forward” for the base’s reduction footprint and energy saving efficiencies, said Capt. Charles C. Moore II, commanding officer. It also replaces a deteriorated galley with a down-sized galley (7,000 sf) that is designed to allow immediate energy savings and efficiencies. The low-rise dining facility will be designed to serve about 1,100 meals a day. The existing galley (Bldg. 207) and a vacant barracks will be demolished as part of the project, which is expected to be complete by October 2015. Source: Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jan. 2, 2014.

Nabors takes command at Key Field

Colonel Mike Nabors took command in mid-December of the 186th Air Refueling Wing at Key Field in Meridian, Miss. Nabors, a 30-year veteran of the Air Force and Air National Guard, was commander of flight operations for the 186th ARW and a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot before being tapped by Mississippi National Guard Adjutant General to command. Among his responsibilities will be overseeing the wing’s mission, recruiting new Guard members and all operations – from logistics, training and personnel - at Key Field. Source: The Meridian Star, Dec. 16, 2013.

Lowndes to grant tax exemption to Aurora

Lowndes County, Miss., has granted Aurora Flight Sciences a 10-year ad valorem tax exemption beginning next year for its investment in the third expansion of its plant adjacent to the Golden Triangle Regional Airport at Columbus. Without the exemption, the unmanned aircraft manufacturer would have paid $9 million in taxes through the next decade to the county or equal to what Aurora invested in building the 30,000-square-foot addition and for new equipment. Aurora missed the deadline for filing for the ad valorem tax exemption which means the firm will pay its accrued taxes – which was not disclosed - this year. Aurora received 10-year agreements from Lowndes for each of the other expansion projects since 2007 after moving from temporary spaces at Mississippi State University property. Aurora employees about 250 workers. Source: Columbus Dispatch, Dec. 31, 2013.