AHI delivers 6 helos to Cali

Airbus Helicopters Inc. has delivered six H125 AStar helicopters to law enforcement agencies in California, including two each to the California Highway Patrol and Riverside County Sheriff’s Office; and one each to the Los Angeles and Ontario police departments. H125 AStars (formerly the AS350 B3e) are the best-selling helicopter - more than 225 in use nationwide - for airborne crime-fighting and rescue work. (Source: PR Web 01/18/16) (Central Mississippi Note: AHI headquarters is in Grand Prairie, Texas, with a large manufacturing and production facility at Columbus, Miss.

L-3 mod AF option worth $42M

L-3 Communications-Vertex Aerospace of Madison, Miss., was awarded an estimated $42,017,407 modification option to a previously awarded contract for support to the T-1, T-6, and T-38 undergraduate pilot training at Vance AFB, Okla. Work will be performed at Vance AFB, with Option 1 completion by Sept. 30. There are five additional option periods under the contract. The estimated completion date after all options is Sept. 30, 2021. (DOD 01/15/16)

OSG aerospace seminar

GLENDALE HEIGHTS, Ill. - OSG-USA officials announced regional training sites for its 2016 Aerospace Seminars. The seminars are to focus on composite materials and high-temp alloys. OSG’s aerospace industry experts will introduce the latest in cutting tool geometries, substrates, specialized coating, and machining challenges. One of the closet training seminars to the Gulf Coast will be April 19 in Dallas, Texas. (Source: Aerospace Manufacturing and Design 01/18/16) OSG-USA is a manufacturer of taps, end mills, drills, fasteners and indexable cutting-tool products used in aerospace and automotive businesses. It is a subsidiary of the publicly-held OSG Corp. with HQs in Japan.

Marines’ SAR efforts

MARINE CORPS BASE KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii – The commanding general of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Brig. Gen. Russell A.C. Sanborn, will deliver remarks in a press conference (Sunday at 3 p.m. CT) on the ongoing search and rescue (SAR) efforts for 12 Marines after their two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters crashed into the water off the coast of Oahu’s Waimea Bay on Jan. 14. (Source: III Marine Expeditionary Force 01/17/16) Central Mississippi Note: Brig. Gen. Sanborn was commissioned in May 1986 after graduating from the University of Florida on an NROTC scholarship. Upon completion of The Basic School, he reported to NAS Pensacola, Fla. for primary flight instruction; and earned his Wings of Gold in October 1988 from NAS Meridian, Miss.

ATK-Iuka work on EELV pact

DULLES, Va. - Orbital ATK’s aerospace and defense technologies division announced Jan. 14 it had been awarded a $47 million Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center Launch Systems Directorate contract for the development of a solid rocket propulsion system prototype to support the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program. The award includes options for additional scope, valued at up to $133 million. Orbital ATK’s award is designed to advance proven domestic propulsion technologies and includes prototype development. Work on the program will take place at Orbital ATK’s facilities in Iuka, Miss.; Magna, Utah; and Chandler, Ariz., from 2016-19. (Source: Business Wire 01/14/16)

LINK to unveil biz park plan

The Golden Triangle Development LINK will unveil plans for a new industrial park at a Jan. 14 public meeting at East Mississippi Community College. The meeting is at 10:30 a.m. in EMCC’s CMTE seminar room on the Mayhew campus. The location of the proposed industrial park has not been publicly disclosed. The meeting is solely informational. Funds for the proposed industrial park would be provided through bonds from Oktibbeha County and the city of Starkville. LINK plans to present the plan to the Board of Alderman’s Jan. 19 meeting; and Board of Supervisors’ meeting Feb. 1. (Source: Starkville Daily News 01/07/16)

C-17 tail cone lands in Pearl yard

PEARL, Miss. - The tail cone of a Mississippi Army National Guard C-17 Globemaster III aircraft fell off during a training mission, and landed in the yard of a home in Pearl, less than 10 miles southwest of the Jackson-Evers International Airport. No one on the ground was injured in the Jan. 6 incident. The Boeing C-17 landed safely at the airport. Lt. Col. Christian Patterson of the Mississippi Army National Guard said the plane lost its tail cone at about in the evening of Jan. 6. The aircraft is assigned to Flowood, Miss.'s 172nd Airlift Wing based at Jackson-Evers airport. The C-17 is a huge military transport used to move troops and cargo around the world. (Source: The Associated Press 01/07/16)

Small biz networking event

Small businesses looking to expand through increased contracting opportunities may want to make plans to join the Mississippi Development Authority’s networking event that can put you face-to-face with representatives from some of the state’s leading firms and government agencies. The contracting event will be held Feb. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Clyde Muse Center at Hinds Community College in Pearl. For more information, contact Joycie Lenoir at jlenoir@mississippi.org or call (601) 359--2904. (Mississippi Development Authority 01/06)

New bus route from MSU to GTRA

STARKVILLE, Miss. - A new bus route from the Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit (SMART) system aims to connect the public to global destinations via the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Lowndes County. The route was christened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 4 in the airport terminal. The new route offers free shuttle rides to the regional airport from The Mill at MSU Conference Center. Partnership-funding was between Mississippi State University, the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the City of Starkville. (Source: Mississippi State University 01/04/16)

Raytheon-Forest radar work

Raytheon of Goleta, Calif., was awarded $41,926,566 order against a previously issued basic agreement to manufacture, test and deliver full rate production of Lot 15 AN/ALR-67(V)3 Radar Warning Receivers for the Marines (30), and weapon replaceable assemblies for the government of Switzerland. Seventy-five percent of the work will be performed in Forest, Miss., and is expected to be completed in December 2017. Fiscal 2014 and 2015 aircraft procurement (Navy) and foreign military sales funds in the amount of $41,926,566 will be obligated on this award; $24,266,800 of which will expire on Sept. 30. The contract combines purchases for the Navy ($36,113,146; 86 percent) and Switzerland ($5,813,420; 14 percent). (Source: Defense Department 01/03/06)

New Miss. manufacturing officers

Michael Thomas, manager of Land, Government and Public Affairs of the North American Coal Corp. in Ackerman, has been named the 2015-16 Chairman of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association Board of Directors. Andrew Mallinson, CEO/Owner of Multicraft International in Pelahatchie, was named Secretary-Treasurer. Among some of the other members of the Executive Committee are Chairman-Elect Jim McIngvale, Government & Community Affairs Director, Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula; and Vice Chairman Earl Walker, Senior Director/Site General Manager-Mississippi of Airbus Helicopters, Inc., Columbus. (Source: Mississippi Business Journal 01/04/16)

L-3 TH-57 mod helo pact

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC of Madison, Miss., was awarded a $25,493,729 modification to a previously awarded Navy contract for logistics and depot level services for TH-57 aircraft. The service work is in support of undergraduate helicopter pilot training at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla. Work is expected to be completed in May 2016. (Source: DOD 12/29/15)

AIAA aviation conference in DC

AIAA AVIATION 2016 will combine the aspects of technical conferences with insight from aviation leaderships to provide a forum for navigating key challenges and opportunities affecting the future of global aviation policy, planning, Research & Development, security, environmental issues, and international markets. The technical program will contain more than 1,500 technical presentations regarding aviation and aerodynamic research, and offering opportunities for collaboration and discussion on high-impact topics. The conference is June 13-17 in Washington, DC. (Source: AAIA 12/15)

FAA changes for AMT schools

The Federal Aviation Administration has extended its comment period for a proposed change to Part 147 regulations governing the curriculum and operations of FAA-certified aviation maintenance technician (AMT) schools. The new comment period closes Feb. 1. According to the FAA, existing curriculum is “outdated, does not meet current industry needs and can be changed only through Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) and comment rulemaking.” In addition, the proposed amendments would clarify existing requirements, remove gender-specific references and eliminate duplication found in some sections of the current rules. (Source: AIN Online 12/29/15)

Some 38M holiday air travelers

DALLAS - Airlines are shifting thousands of flight times, and adding dozens of red-eyes, as they try to avoid delays while hauling millions of passengers through the Christmas weekend. Success or failure could all depend on the weather. Airlines are expecting some 38 million passengers over a 17-day period spanning Christmas and New Year’s, an increase of about 3 percent, according to the trade group Airlines for America. (Source: The AP 12/23/15)

FAA drone registry online

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) drone registry began operation Dec. 21. By the end of this week, more than 45,000 people had used the online service to register their drones. If you own a drone, or any model aircraft, that weighs between 0.55 pounds and 55 pounds - including payloads - you have to register with the FAA. Registration is free until Jan. 21. 2016. Afterwards, it’ll cost $5. Registration is valid for three years. If you don’t register, there is a risk for penalties up to $27,500 and/or jail time. (Source: Tech Crunch 12/24/15)

Miss. is ANG cyber protect team

The Mississippi National Guard will be part of a 39-member Cyber Protection Team that includes the states of Louisiana and Texas. Mississippi will be one of 10 Army National Guard cyber protection team sites expected to be activated by the end of FY 2019, according to Col. Lee Smithson, director of military support for the MNG. Cyber team goals are to protect military networks, and safeguard the public from potential criminal or terroristic cyber-attacks. Smithson believes Mississippi was chosen in part due to the strength of the Mississippi State University’s computer science department and its Distributed Analytics and Security Institute, which will help train guardsmen to protect critical infrastructure, and respond to potential incidents. (Source: Mississippi Public Broadcasting 12/21/15)

MDA has new marketing leader

Pamela Weaver has been named chief marketing officer of the state’s lead economic development agency, the Mississippi Development Authority. As CMO, Weaver will lead MDA’s Marketing and Communications team’s efforts to promote investment and job creation throughout the state. Weaver has served the past eight years as communications director for the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office. Weaver, an Ocean Springs native, is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with degrees in mass communication and political science. She is also a former news anchor and reporter at WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg. Weaver replaces Marlo Dorsey, who resigned in November. (Source: Mississippi Business Journal 12/21/15)

AHI delivers another H125 AStar

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Airbus Helicopters Inc. has delivered a new H125 AStar to the Lee County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office in Fort Myers. The H125 will be an addition to the county’s AStar fleet to three helicopters. The LCSO performs a wide variety of missions including law enforcement patrol and searches for missing persons. The agency will have a hoist installed to perform additional search and rescue missions along its coastal region. AHI’s H125 (formerly AS350 B3e) is the latest version of the company’s AStar series that are built in Columbus, Miss. (Airbus Helicopter Inc. 12/18/15)

ATK-Iuka to build rocket structures

DULLES, Va. - Orbital ATK Inc.  an aerospace and defense technologies company, announced Dec. 17 it had been awarded a contract from United Launch Alliance (ULA) for large-size composite structures to be used for the Atlas V and Delta IV vehicles in support of the current Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles programs. Orbital ATK will produce large composite structures for ULA with deliveries from 2016 to early 2019. Hardware from the order will support both Atlas V and Delta IV launches through 2021. (Source: WCBI 12/17/15) Central Mississippi Note: All of the structures will be fabricated at Orbital ATK’s Large Structures Center of Excellence in Iuka, Miss., employing advanced fiber placement and hand lay-up processes, automated machining and ultrasonic inspection techniques.