L-3 Vertex: $21.3M Navy pact

L-3 Vertex Aerospace LLC of Madison, Miss., was awarded a $21,371,269 Navy contract for the procurement of business jet training services in support of contracted air services’ basic training; and national and single-unit training mission exercises. Work will be performed in Virginia (51 percent) and California (49 percent); and expected to be completed in August 2016. (Source: DOD 08/28/15)

MSU to host UAS public hearing

The Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, one of six FAA-designated test sites for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), held the first of seven public meetings Aug. 24. The Virginia Tech University-managed partnership announced testing of 338 flights of 13 different platforms. Mississippi State University, which leads an FAA-selected consortium, will host its public meeting Sept. 15 in Starkville. (Source: AIN Online 08/25/15) Additional info via MSU link http://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2015/08/mississippi-state-host-faa-public-meeting/

Alternative energy for Navy MS

With a one-of-a-kind renewable energy agreement signed, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus traveled to California Aug. 21 to celebrate the goal of using that solar power pact to provide half the energy to 14 West Coast Navy and Marine bases. The solar agreement is the biggest in a growing portfolio of renewable energy projects the Navy is counting on to reach Mabus’ goal of generating 1 gigawatt of renewable power. That’s enough to fill half its shore facilities’ electricity needs by late 2016 and ahead, by several years, of the Air Force and Army. On Sept. 10, the Navy will break ground on a 42-mega watt (mw) solar farm – set for operation in late 2016 - at the Kings Bay (Ga.) Submarine Base built on 258 acres by Georgia Power – a subsidiary of The Southern Company. The Navy will also be doing renewable energy projects at bases in Pensacola, Fla.; and NAS Meridian and Gulfport, Miss., said Dennis McGinn, retired vice admiral and the Navy’s assistant secretary for energy, installations and environment. Since becoming SECNAV, Mabus – a former Mississippi governor - has been pressing for clean energy, conservation and alternate renewable energy sources. (US Naval Institute News 08/21/15)

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)