Expanding GTRA development

Lowndes County has purchased 2,500 acres of property, dubbing it Golden Triangle Regional Global Industrial Aerospace Park, located west of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport. The property is being developed to attract future jobs in the automotive and aerospace businesses. It's an extension and rebranding of the Golden Triangle Industrial Park on the east side of the airport. The 3,500-plus acres east of the Columbus airport - third busiest in Mississippi - acquired before this last purchase already hosts heavyweight manufacturers such as Severstal and Airbus. The west-side lands are under rapid development and tentatively scheduled to be completed by late summer. Golden Triangle Development LINK CEO Joe Max Higgins says the new property has a $1 billion potential. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 06/28/14)

Cadets get SUPT’d at CAFB

Civil Air Patrol cadets from around the country – and Puerto Rico – were aboard Columbus (Miss.) Air Force Base for a first-hand view of piloting through a specialized undergraduate pilot training (SUPT) familiarization course June 23-27. The course is designed to have a lasting impression, inspire and plant a seed in cadets’ minds of wanting to be an Air Force pilot. The cadets learn the basics of emergency operation procedures using simulators and go through a rigorous academic setting giving them an “inkling” of training AF pilots receive. “I wanted to experience actually passing through SUPT training,” said Cadet Capt. Freddy Del Toro of the Puerto Rico CAP. “It has given me a good view on what to expect; and we started understanding how much stress real pilots go through during their 54 weeks of training." Nearly 90 percent from the cadet have indicated they want to pursue careers as a pilot. (Source: Columbus AFB 06/27/14) http://www.columbus.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123416073

MSU studying Ag-Drone apps

The application of drones – or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - above Mississippi is shifting from machines of war to revolutionizing the agricultural industry. Mississippi State University's research and economic development is on “the front end” of crop monitoring and early disease detection using eyes-in-the-sky technology to detect nitrogen deficiency; and potential sites for energy production companies. MSU has begun formulating how best to apply UAVs to its research capabilities. Yet, the great unknown for the UAV industry is what kind of regulations the Federal Aviation Administration will impose. Rules are due later this year. Today, the only restriction is that drones can't fly higher than 400 feet. (Source: Clarion Ledger 06/25/14)

AHI delivers helos to Philly police

Airbus Helicopters delivered a pair of AS350B2 AStar helicopters to the Philadelphia (Pa.) Police Department’s aviation unit June 26. The delivery is part of a growing list of AHI-built helicopters to American law enforcement agencies. Philadelphia police plan to utilize the new ‘helo’ for harbor and coastal patrols, rescue missions and SWAT-team insertions. With the additional power and capability of the AS350B2, the PPD will be able to perform hoist rescues, homeland and port security missions. AHI leads in U.S. market sales of new helicopters to federal, state and law enforcement agencies, maintaining a 56 percent market share throughout the last decade. AHI’s AS350 line of helos is the most widely-used helicopters by U.S. law enforcement agencies – 220 are currently in use across the nation. The helicopter was built and certified by AHI’s Columbus, Miss., manufacturing facility. AHI is the American affiliate of Airbus Helicopters, the largest helicopter manufacturer in the world, and a subsidiary of the Airbus Group. (Source: PR Web 06/26/14)

Air Methods acquires LifeFlight

Colorado-based Air Methods Corporation, an air medical transportation firm, announced June 24 it has acquired Baptist Health Care Pensacola, Fla.’s four bases of operations and aircraft for its aeromedical LifeFlight ambulance service. The change is effective immediately with continued service across three Gulf Coast states from southern Mississippi and Alabama, the Florida panhandle and north to Montgomery, Ala. The four operating bases are at Pensacola; Semmes, Ala., Greenville, Ala.; and Hattiesburg, Miss. As part of the acquisition, 43 clinical Baptist employees will join the Air Methods team. (Source: Global Newswire, 06/24/14) Central Mississippi note: Each of the operating sites have an EC-130 medevac aircraft built by Airbus Helicopters in Columbus, Miss. AMC-Baptist LifeFlight will continue to fly adult and pediatric critically-ill and injured patients to Pensacola’s Baptist and Sacred Heart hospitals; Baptist South in Montgomery; University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile; and Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg.

Contract: EADS NA, $14.4M

EADS-NA, Herndon, Va., was awarded a $14,436,295 modification (P00811) to a firm-fixed-price contract (W58RGZ-06-C-1094) to exercise options for contractor logistics support for the Utility Helicopter 72A Lakota. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Army) funds for $14,436,295 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed at Columbus, Miss., with an estimated completion date of May 15, 2015. Army Contracting Command Redstone Arsenal - Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 06/26/14)

‘Communiversity’ training facility

East Mississippi Community College and the Golden Triangle Development LINK economic development agency are expected to approach Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties’ officials in July about securing 20-year funding commitments for a new workforce training facility near the Golden Triangle Regional Airport they are calling "Communiversity." Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders said with EMCC outgrowing its current workforce training facility, a new one is a must … and “absolutely a no-brainer." The state legislature has already agreed to an $8 million infusion this year for the project. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 06/23/14)

VT-7 fly-by change of command

Navy Cmdr. William Thames became the new commanding officer at Meridian Naval Air Station’s Training Squadron Seven (VT-7) on June 21 during a ceremony that included the base's first fly-by change of command. Cmdr. Michael G. Hritz relinquished command of VT-7 in the ceremonial fly-by in which he led Thames, who then in turn took the lead flight position and that of the squadron. "There was a lot of planning that went into preparing the fly-by ceremony," Thames said. "For us it was probably a lot more fun than for the observers." Thames had been executive officer of VT-7. He grew up in Wesson, Miss., and graduated from nearby Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. He was also a flight-student at VT-7. (Source: Meridian Star 06/22/14) CDR Pavao “Ponch” Huldisch is VT-7's new XO.

Tupelo airport seeking new carrier

The Sixel Consulting Group has recommended SeaPort Airlines as the future air carrier for Tupelo Regional Airport. Dozens of business leaders met June 21 to discuss the airport’s options as current-carrier Silver Airways ends its federally subsidized service. Four airlines have offered to provide service. SeaPort is offering 30 round-trip flights a week: 12 to Memphis and 18 to Nashville on 9-passenger aircraft. Sun Air is scheduled to make a pitch June 30; SeaPort will be coming within the next two weeks; and an invitation has been extended to Air Choice One. Air Choice has four options, either 30 or 36 round trips, to Memphis and Nashville. Sun Air is offering 31 round trips between Tupelo and Memphis using 8-passenger planes. Tupelo has until July 9 to recommend its preferred carrier to the Department of Transportation. (Source: Northeast Daily Journal 06/21/14)

Meridian recommends ExpressJet

Meridian Mayor Percy Bland wants Georgia-based ExpressJet to become Meridian Regional Airport’s new air carrier. ExpressJet was one of two airlines to submit bids to become the carrier for the east-central airport. Now, it’s up to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Silver Airways announced in April it was leaving Meridian. The second bid was from Aerodynamics Inc., which offers service to Atlanta. The mayor says ExpressJet, whose airliners carry 50 passengers, will have flights to Dallas-Fort Worth, but the full schedule has not been finalized. ExpressJet is also Defense Department-approved carrier for military personnel, which could allow service members coming to Meridian Naval Air Station to fly into the city instead of Jackson. (Source: Associated Press 06/19/14)

Eaton, Frisby resolve cases

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Eaton Corporation announced June 18 an agreement has been signed with Triumph Group – formerly Frisby Aerospace - resolving all litigation between the firms related to actions pending in Mississippi and North Carolina. Eaton will pay $147.5 million as part of the settlement; other settlement terms were confidential. Eaton filed suit in 2004 in Mississippi against Frisby alleging trade secret misappropriation. North Carolina-based Frisby denied the charges and counter-sued in both states alleging anti-competitive behavior. (Source: Business Wire 06/18/14) Central Mississippi Note: Eaton’s Jackson, Miss., facility is home to one of the most advanced aircraft hydraulic test labs in the world.

Flowood native earns MoH

WASHINGTON – Retired Flowood, Miss., Marine Cpl. William “Kyle” Carpenter received the nation’s highest military honor from President Barack Obama June 19 at the White House. Carpenter received the Medal of Honor for his actions while deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. He is the third Marine and 15th overall recipient of the medal for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. (Source: Defense Media Activity 06/19/14)

AH delivers helo to law enforcement

Airbus Helicopters of Columbus delivered one of its AS350 B3e AStar helicopters Tuesday to the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The law enforcement-equipped, multi-mission helo is designed for patrol, drug eradication and hurricane support capabilities. Airbus has produced 220 AS350s that are operated by U.S. law enforcement agencies. Capt. Ron Kelly, commander of the Highway Patrol Air Wing, says the helicopter was chosen due to its functionality, value, performance and payload capability. (Source: Sun Herald 06/17/14)

CAFB change of command July 11

There will be a change of command at Columbus Air Force Base’s 14th Flying Training Wing on July 11. Current commanding officer, Col. Jim Sears, who was selected for re-assignment June 13 after two years at CAFB, will pass the reins of the 14th to Col. John Nichols. He will be coming from a forward deployment as an Operations Group Commander. Nichols, an Air Force Academy graduate, is a senior pilot with more than 2,000 flight hours, including 662 in combat. Col. Sears’ new assignment will be at the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph AFB, Texas. (CAFB, 06/13/14)

CAFB has new enlisted advisor

Chief Master Sgt. Rita Felton joined the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base on June 10. She is the adviser to the wing commander on mission effectiveness, professional development, and the readiness and training of 3,000 personnel, including 500-plus enlisted Airmen engaged in producing AF and allied-nation pilots. Felton will provide leadership and direction to base’s enlisted force and as functional manager for the wing’s superintendents and first sergeants that enable the 14th FTW’s specialized undergraduate pilot training mission. Felton entered active duty in May 1987. She has served in operations and project management, and instructor. She comes to CAFB from duty as First Sergeant with the Pacific Air Forces’ Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii; and served in a forward-deployed assignment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (Source: Silver Wings CAFB 06/13/14)

APAC earns award for CAFB work

Members of the APAC-Mississippi asphalt company were recognized for their work on the Columbus (Miss.) Air Force Base center runway reconstruction project at a luncheon June 12. APAC-MS staff received the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s National Quality Paving Award for the work. CAFB’s runway project was recognized with an NAPA award in the Airfield Pavement category in February. The project remodeled a 10,000 foot runway on-time and under-budget. APAC-MS is one of the largest asphalt paving companies in Mississippi with branch offices in Columbus, Meridian and Jackson. (Source: This Is Real Media 06/13/14)

Miss. Raytheon-Boeing re-partner

Boeing of St. Louis is being awarded $10,236,136 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (0200) against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-11-G-0001) to conduct an engineering change proposal for the 5th and 6th Receiver Channel Wiring in support of the AN/APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radio Detection and Ranging for the Navy. Thirty percent of the work will be done at Raytheon’s Forest, Miss., plant that produces APG-79 active electronically scanned array radars for F/A-18 Super Hornets. Other work sites include Andover, Mass (40%); El Segundo, Calif. (20%); and St. Louis (10%). Work is expected to be completed in January 2016. FY 2014 Navy aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $10,236,136 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity. Forest-Raytheon has been a multi-year contract partner with Boeing to produce and deliver APG-79 AESA radars. The APG-79 AESA radar hardware has 10-to-15 times greater reliability compared to mechanically scanned array radars, according to Raytheon’s website. (Source: DOD 06/12/14)

Zoning groups tour NASM

Kemper and Lauderdale counties have appointed airport zoning commissions. The overall tasks of the commissions will be to establish aviation safety zones around McCain and Joe Williams airfields and protect the overall mission of Naval Air Station Meridian. Among their specific tasks will be to update counties’ zoning ordinances within at least a half-mile radius around the base. The groups were on base June 5 to gain a better perspective of air station operations; watching the T-45C Goshawks land in a carrier pattern; and the potential noise affects to nearby homeowners outside the fence line, said NAS Meridian Community Planning Liaison Officer Jim Copeland. Lauderdale County District 2 Supervisor Wyman Newell said the tour was a learning experience. “We’ve got to have the Navy here in Meridian,” Newell said, “so we have got to work together.” (Source: The Skyline 6/12/14) Gulf Coast Note: NAS Whiting Field, Fla., similar Navy aviation training base to NASM, has been recognized by the Navy as being among the best in the nation in establishing and rezoning properties around the primary training facility north of Pensacola.

VT-7 change of command

Meridian Naval Air Station’s Training Squadron Seven (VT-7) will have a change of command ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, June 20, inside the squadron’s hangar on base. Cmdr. Bill Thames will relieve Cmdr. Michael Hritz. (The Skyline 06/12/14)

Hypobaric training for AFB pilots

COLUMBUS, Miss. - One of a myriad of assets designed for training pilots about the dangers of hypoxia is the hypobaric chamber at Columbus Air Force Base’s 14th Flying Training Wing. The chamber is used as a training device for pilots to experience the symptoms of hypoxia (dizziness, mental confusion, fatigue and headaches) in a safe environment. Hypoxia is a condition in which a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen. Experiencing those symptoms is extremely important to AF pilots to gain a simulated experience of the symptoms so they can recognize and correct potential problems. “We have (pilots) take off their oxygen mask so they can safely experience (those) symptoms" in simulated altitude conditions, says Senior Airman Dawn Edwards, Aerospace Physiology Technician. “You should not be feeling any of the symptoms (of hypoxia while flying) unless something went wrong," said Lt. Col. Mark Harrison, a navigator student from Maxwell (Ala.) AFB. Harrison flies in C-130s. The hyperbaric chamber is essential to proper pilot and rated aircrew training as an every-five- year refresher course to assist them in executing their jobs safely and efficiently. (Source: Columbus AFB 06/12/14)

Miss. earns Silver Shovel

Area Development Magazine has bestowed its 2nd Quarter 2014 its Silver Shovel award to Mississippi for area development in the state’s with less than 3 million residents category. The state was noted for having one of the better-performing economies in the Southeast with the creation of 6,300 new jobs since 2012; and more than $1B in private sector investment. Important to many advanced manufacturing industries, especially aviation and aerospace, is the use of composite materials to improve specific material properties and reduce weight. Aurora Flight Sciences of Columbus designs and builds aerospace vehicles, and recently opened a new $17M composites manufacturing facility. Raytheon’s Forest, Miss., plant produces radars for fighter jets and was also among the top 10 projects of the year, noted by the magazine, and having created 150 jobs with a $100M investment. (Source: Area Development Online 06/10/14)

Aurora earns DAPRA mod pact

Aurora Flight Sciences of Manassas, Va., has been awarded a $10,457,663 modification (P00003) exercising the first option period on a seven-month base Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contract (HR0011-14-C-0014), with one 16-month option period. The contractor shall provide the personnel, equipment, materials, tools, facilities, and program management and technical effort to design, develop, integrate, test, and deliver the contractual requirements of the program for building two X-Plane aircraft. This is a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. Locations of performance are Manassas (81 percent); Indianapolis (13 percent); Tucson (1 percent); and Ventura, Calif. (5 percent), with an Oct. 10, 2015, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2015 research, development, test and evaluation in the amount of $10,457,663. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia. (Source: DOD 06/09/14) Central Mississippi Note: Aurora-Columbus, Miss., fabricates and performs final assembly of composite aerostructures for defense and commercial aerospace customers.

Rocket Mail, 1959 Style

In 1959, the U.S. Postal Service – not known as a bastion of innovation - tried something a little too different: Rocket Mail. It wasn’t intended to replace the neighborhood carrier, but tested as a way of getting large amounts of mail from point A to point B, then delivered the old-fashioned way. The test was on June 8, 1959, when an unmanned missile was launched from a submarine off the coast of Florida. Inside the missile were 3,000 pieces of mail to various VIPs around the country, including a letter from Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield to President Dwight Eisenhower. The missile took off without a hitch, landed as planned, and the mail delivered. Summerfield declared: "Before man reaches the moon, mail will be delivered within hours from New York to … Australia by guided missiles. The price of stamps at the time was eight cents to send a letter overseas. Although catchy in sound, that was the first and only rocket mail delivered via guided missile. (Source: Yahoo News, 06/09/2014)

MSU to offer HS engineering course

Mississippi State and Jackson State universities are teaming up to teach pre-engineering and science classes at Jackson (Miss.) Academy high school in the fall. MSU engineering alum Kenneth Hughey of Clinton, a recent Entergy Mississippi retiree, will lead the course with JSU professors providing guest lectures. Students can earn college-level credit that may be applied at either school or transferred to any other institution. (Source: The AP 06/09/14)

Alteg garners ‘Challenge’ win

Basham Johnson pitched the virtues of his new Olive Branch, Miss., company Alteg Systems, to potential business partners, clients and investors June 3 at this year's installment of the Mississippi New Venture Challenge. Alteg walked away as the winner in the pre-revenue division. Alteg will get $3,000, a host of free web hosting, legal and accounting assistance and perhaps the foundation to forge a slew of partnerships with companies like Boeing. The specialty firm provides low-emissions, energy-efficient, thermal electric generators for aircraft. (Source: Clarion Ledger 06/05/14)

Eaton on Bell’s FVL team

The Defense Department plans to acquire a “future vertical lift” family of helicopters remains in the air. DOD will continue to fund rotary-wing research and testing programs, but can’t predict whether there will be money in the ever-shrinking budget for new aircraft. FVP began in 2009. The new helos – which could be worth up to $100B in contracts - are designed to replace the current fleet of Black Hawks, Apaches and Chinooks by 2030. The Army has awarded technology investment agreements to build the next vertical-lift aircraft to Bell Helicopter, Sikorsky Aircraft, AVX Aircraft and Karem Aircraft. The firms are to begin refining initial designs for the Joint Multi-role Rotorcraft (JMR) demonstrator program, announced by the Army’s Aviation and Missile Research at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. Helicopter manufacturers consider FVL to be one of the few remaining opportunities in the military rotorcraft market. But there’s little money in DOD's five-year spending plan for it. DOD is aware of the industrial-base implications of FVL decisions and is studying the helicopter industry. (Source: National Defense 06/04/14) Textron's Bell Helicopter has put together a powerful team that includes Lockheed Martin, GE and Eaton [among others]. Eaton’s Jackson, Miss., facility is one of the world’s largest aerospace hydraulic pump manufacturing centers supplying components for commercial and military aircraft. Eaton design and developed the world’s first commercial higher-pressure hydraulic system for the Airbus A380; hydraulic system designer for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; and a key hydraulic components supplier to the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III flown by the Mississippi Air National Guard.

MSU 2nd in launch challenge

For the second year in a row, Vanderbilt University’s Aerospace Club, from Nashville, earned the $5K top prize in NASA's Student Launch challenge held May 17 at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. The educational project teams students to design, build and test-fly science payloads in reusable rockets to a certain altitude and return it to Earth safely. (Source: Space Ref, 95/29/14) Golden Triangle note: Mississippi State University in Starkville placed second. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., organized the event along with assistance from sponsor ATK Aerospace.