Miss.-Israel biz meetings

JACKSON, Miss. - Leaders of Mississippi and Israel want to increase their small trade arrangements in an effort to build on that economic relationship amidst international politics. Gov. Phil Bryant and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, hosted a trade meeting here April 28. The ambassador said Mississippi businesses can benefit from access to Israel's technological innovations. Bryant said he wants the state to enhance its economy by trading with the American ally – despite fractured relations between the White House and Israel’s prime minister. "That's what it's about, doing business with our friends ...” Bryant said. Mississippi has a tiny trade relationship with Israel – with the state’s chief exports being transportation equipment, chemicals, electronic products and appliances. In meetings April 28, Israeli businesses were meeting with Mississippi companies. The governor said he hoped Raytheon Corp. could sell radars to the Israeli military. "There's nothing better than the most advanced radar helping protect Israel, unless it's made in Forest, Mississippi," he said while pushing the state-based Raytheon Corp. (Source: Biloxi Sun Herald 04/28/15) Central Mississippi Note: Among the speakers at the meeting was Robert Fogelsong, a former Mississippi State University president, the current CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries North America - that includes Stark Aerospace, a Columbus-based maker of unmanned aerial vehicles.

MDA to shutter regional offices

The Mississippi Development Authority is closing its eight regional offices across the state in an effort to streamline operations. The move will close offices in Senatobia, Tupelo, Greenwood, Meridian, Jackson, Summit, Hattiesburg and Gulfport; and eliminate 11 positions, 10 of which are currently filled. MDA has operated regional offices to assist local economic development agencies, chambers of commerce and Main Street programs. The closure will be effective June 30. (Source: Clarion-Ledger 04/23/15)

CAFB contractor named tops

DynCorp International of McLean, Va., has been recognized as a top veteran employer by the Military Times website for the fourth consecutive year. "Veterans are critical to our success,” said Jim Geisler, DI’s chief executive officer, and “bring skills … and values” that give DI “a competitive advantage." The contractor maintains T-6 aircraft at Columbus AFB, Miss. (Source: Business Wire 04/14/15)

T-6As' temp-grounding at CAFB

The Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command has temporarily grounded more than 440 training aircraft – including all T-6A Texan IIs - because of potential malfunctions in the engines' oil line, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, officials confirmed April 14. The groundings include 445 aircraft to be inspected at five bases including Columbus AFB, Miss. CAFB uses the T-6A Texan II single-engine turboprop to train pilots in basic flying. AETC temporarily ground the fleet last Friday "following indications of an engine oil line malfunction." Inspectors would determine if any follow-up action is required. The T-6A was first put into use as the AF's primary trainer in 2000. (Source: Biloxi Sun Herald 04/14/15)

AHI & Columbus’ strong economy

Columbus, Miss., is the Golden Triangle’s strongest micropolitan economy in the state and one of the strongest in the U.S. Columbus ranked in the Top 10 of 576 cities evaluated nationwide by the Florida-based independent economic firm Policom Corp. Its closest in-state competitors: Oxford (17th) and Tupelo (71st); and Jackson (92nd) in a list of 381 metropolitan areas. Starkville’s ranking among national micropolitan cities dropped to 216. Twenty-three factors were used to measure economic behavior: monetary flow, growth and elements that negate growth, including wages, job availability and government welfare dependency. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 04/14/2015) Central Mississippi Note: Airbus Helicopters is among the largest employers in Columbus with some 300 workers. AHI was awarded a $220.5 million contract in February for the production of 41 UH-72A Lakota helicopters for the Army at its plant in Columbus. The work order has an estimated July 2017 completion date.

Aviation partners for farmers

A new partnership between Hinds Community College and Mississippi State University will change the role of aviation for local farming practices. Precision Agriculture 2 Plus 2 is a joint effort between the schools to bring data in real time to farmers, officials announced April 9 at a hangar at Joe Bell Williams Airport in Raymond, Miss. The program will offer classes this fall in commercial aviation, aviation maintenance and aviation technology. (Source: Clarion Ledger 04/09/15)

Raytheon Space ground-breaks

JACKSON, Miss. - Gov. Phil Bryant and Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems' officials ribbon-cut the company’s new 20,000-square-foot Far Field Test Facility in Forest, Miss. The facility will created 150 new jobs. The expansion at Raytheon’s Forest Consolidated Manufacturing Center was announced in Noveber 2013 in conjunction with Veteran’s Day and the facility’s 30th anniversary. (Source: Mississippi Development Authority 04/08/15)

Emerson: New AHI prez

Airbus Helicopters Inc. has named Chris Emerson its president/CEO effective June 1, Airbus Group announced April 10. Emerson, a veteran Airbus executive, will also serve as the head of Airbus Helicopters North America Region and will oversee both the U.S. subsidiary and Airbus Helicopters Canada. Emerson replaces Marc Paganini, who has taken a new assignment with Airbus Group as head of Special Projects. (Source: Dallas Business News 04/10/15)

$9.4M contract to Airbus D&S

Airbus Defense & Space Inc., Herndon, Va., was awarded a $9,360,135 firm-fixed-price foreign military sales contract for UH-72A "Lakota" helicopter support, hardware, and services for the Royal Thai Army. Work will be performed in Thailand with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2017. One bid was solicited with one received. Fiscal 2015 other procurement funds in the amount of $9,360,135 are being obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-15-C-0027). (Source: DoD, 04/03/15) UH-72A helicopters are built at Airbus Helicopter Inc.'s Columbus, Miss., plant.

Columbus AFB scores ‘effective’

The Columbus Air Force Base’s 14th Flying Training Wing received an “effective” rating on its first-ever unit effectiveness inspection (UEI) that concluded March 30. The 14th FTW’s inspector general office demonstrated an exceptional inspection program and was selected as the ‘Major General Junius W. Jones Award’ winner for the Air Education and Training Command. Capt. Nicholas L. Powers, the wing’s IG, received the ‘Lt. Gen. Howard W. Leaf Award’ for AETC. Feedback from the lead inspector was “extremely positive," said Col. John Nichols, 14th FTW’s commander. "We still have challenges … but our wing is doing an exceptional job of producing pilots, advancing airmen, and feeding the fight." (Source: Columbus AFB 04/02/15)

Air development grant gets $750K

The Mississippi Legislature passed a bill March 29 that contains $750,000 for the Mississippi Air Service Development Program. The grant is designed to enhance air service at commercial airports in Mississippi by marketing and advertising a new air carrier, service and frequencies of flights. The grant program will be administered by the Mississippi Development Authority and communities that are required to provide a 40 percent match. Communities and states are very aggressive when recruiting air service, said Mike Hainsey, director of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in East-Central Mississippi; and the program should help the state become more competitive. (Source: Sun Herald 03/31/15)