Ex-CAFB grad challenges pilots

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. - The deputy director of operations at the Hurlburt Field, Fla.-based headquarters of the Air Force Special Operations Command was guest speaker for the graduation of the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training course Nov. 18 at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Col. John Cline thanked audience members for their support to the new graduates; and congratulate to the pilots. “It is a monumental effort to make it through pilot training,” he said. To progress through the rigors of commissioning, medical and aptitude screenings, pilot selection, and flight training was a monumental challenge. Cline, who trained at CAFB, told the pilots: “Now, the work really begins.” But warned graduates that the path they chose is not an easy one and they would face much danger and challenges over the years, but it would be outweighed by the risk. (Source: Columbus AFB 11/23/16)

Paris Air Show delegation

The Mississippi Development Authority is seeking participates for a state-led trade delegation to the Paris (France) from June 19-25. The Paris Air Show draws nearly 150,000 trade visitors, 2,300-plus exhibitors and 296 official delegations from 91 countries. MDA and the Small Business Administration will provide financial and administrative support for two representatives from qualified state companies. Space is limited and available on a first-come basis. Deadline for register is March 31. For more information, call at 601-359-2952 or e-mail asikora@mississippi.org. (Source: Mississippi Minority Business Alliance 11/11/16)

Eaton contract for Army

Eaton Aerospace of Jackson, Miss., was awarded a maximum $11,191,231 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hydraulic motors for the Army. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. This was a sole-source acquisition. Location of performance is Mississippi, with a Nov. 21, 2020, performance completion date. Type of appropriation is FY 2017 through FY 2021 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Mich. (Source: DOD 11/18/16)

UM aero conference challenges

James B. Lackey, the Army’s director of aviation and missile research and development, was among guest speakers at the “Advanced Materials for Transformative Changes to the Defense, Aerospace and Civil Environments” conference at the University of Mississippi on Nov. 17. He spoke to the Army’s needs for research in the areas of lighter weight, stronger composite systems and materials for missile systems. The conference, in its second day at Ole Miss, was sponsored by the Mississippi Research Consortium, chaired by Gordon Cannon, VP for research at the University of Southern Mississippi. The consortium is made up of Mississippi’s four research universities: UM, USM, Mississippi State and Jackson State. Lackey’s presentation was a prime example of conference goals “to bring forward recent advances in materials science and mechanics in the various sectors (defense, aerospace and civil) and to bridge the gaps between them by increasing awareness of research needs and capabilities in order to create enabling technologies for various applications that have national impact.” Additional presentations were made by the National Science Foundation and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. (Source: Hotty Toddy 11/18/16)

MS joins Pan-Pacific UAS test range

Mississippi has joined the states of Alaska, Oregon, and Hawaii as full members of the University of Alaska Fairbanks-led Pan-Pacific UAS Test Range Complex (PPUTRC) on Nov. 8, one of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) seven Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Test Sites. The Mississippi program will be led by Mississippi State University, and multiple UAS test and evaluation sites throughout the state. MSU is also the lead for the FAA’s UAS Center of Excellence - the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence. PPUTRC is the largest and most diverse of the seven test site programs offering a range of geographic and climactic test conditions, including arctic, tropical, high-desert, mountainous, maritime, controlled urban, and many others. The addition of Mississippi to the program provides local test site capabilities to support UAS stakeholders in the Southeastern United States. (Mississippi State University 11/08/16)

FPC fee rescinded for more input

The Federal Aviation Administration officially announced in the Federal Register that it is rescinding a controversial draft Passenger Facility Charge order and will provide “for public review and comment.” Airports raised concerns that FAA's plan could have created more bureaucracy further slowed the PFC application and approval process. The PFC program allows the collection of fees up to $4.50 for every enplaned passenger at commercial airports controlled by public agencies. (Source: Aviation News Today 11/07/16)

Aurora joins ‘Great Whites’ search

NANTUCKET, Mass. - Aurora Flight Sciences recently partnered with OCEARCH, a world-leading marine conservation organization, to provide aerial support in locating and tracking great white sharks off the coast of Massachusetts. The Centaur optionally-piloted DA-42 aircraft flew above the expedition area in a pre-determined flight pattern to help scientists onboard the M/V OCEARCH ship to target, identify and track the location of the great white sharks in real time. Remotely piloted onboard OCEARCH's vessel, Centaur scanned the mission area with a FLIR 230 infrared sensor to pick up heat signatures and movements in the waters below. The live down-linked imagery allowed OCEARCH to enhance its mission by widening their search capabilities. Aurora's Centaur Optionally-Piloted Aircraft flies above the vessel providing assistance in locating the sharks. "We are thrilled about our new partnership with OCEARCH and Centaur's ability to expand on the process for identifying sharks," said Aurora CEO John Langford. "The expedition allowed us to demonstrate the technological and operational capabilities of Centaur, and more importantly, the value and benefits of utilizing optionally-piloted aircraft for a variety of missions which now includes maritime." (Source: PR News Wire 11/09/16) Gulf Coast Note: Aurora operates an aerial production plant in Columbus, Miss.

Expect more holiday air-travelers

More than 27 million passengers - a record for the Thanksgiving holiday - will likely be flying U.S. airlines worldwide from Nov. 18-29, according to the Airlines for America group. The expected increase will add an average 55,000 daily passengers, which is less than the space added. “U.S. passenger airlines are ready and saving you a spot,” said Jean Medina, a spokeswoman for the group. Airlines expect to carry an average 2.27 million passengers daily during the period. The busiest days will be Sunday, Nov. 27; Monday, Nov. 28; and Wednesday, Nov. 23. The lightest day will be Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24. The travel surge follows a 9.6% decline in fares during the second quarter of 2016, according to the Transportation Department’s bureau of statistics. The online travel agent Orbitz.com said the average airfare to the top 10 destinations for the Thanksgiving holiday is $409 this year, with hotel costs averaging $158 per night. (USA TODAY 11/02/16)

UM working on wonder material

There is a new material called Graphene lurking in research labs across the world that could change the way people live, and the University of Mississippi is at the forefront. Graphene has been hailed “the most exciting material of the 21st century,” according to an article in Time magazine, and scientists are just beginning to scratch its potential. Researchers at UM’s Nano Infrastructure Research Group within the School of Engineering are engaged with world scientists in research and development of the material and finding uses for defense, aerospace and civil environments. (Source: Hotty Totty.com 10/31/16)

Domestic airfare costs down

The average domestic airfare was $353 from April-through-June, down about 10 percent from the same period in 2015, according to the U.S. Transportation Department. The average is the lowest since the fourth quarter of 2010 (at $335). When adjusted for inflation, the $353 average is the lowest since the third quarter of 2009 (at $343). Critics of the airline industry point out that despite falling airfares, airlines continue to generate hefty revenues from passenger fees like back-checking and changing flights. Those fees add up quickly. The Airlines for America trade group for U.S. airlines contends that surveys show most passengers want a low fare and the choice of paying for extras. Also, competition from low-cost carriers – such as Spirit and Frontier - is helping keep prices down. (Source: LA Times 10/25/16)

Robotic surgery comes to Keesler

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Surgeons at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi are cutting a new path in military medicine by being the first AF medical facility to use one of the more advanced robotic surgery systems - da Vinci Xi - available today. Keesler Medical Center has acquired two of the surgical systems for surgeries, and the other for training. Additionally, Keesler’s Clinical Research Laboratory has set up a training facility, called the Institute for Defense Robotic Surgical Education, for surgeons to get robotic surgery credentials. The idea behind the training facility is to expand across the entire Defense Department. The training won’t be just for surgeons since nurses and technicians need robotic surgery training for their respective roles. (Source: Air Force Surgeon General 10/25/16) Gulf Coast Note: Naval Hospital Pensacola, Fla., general surgeons and urologists began training, under agreements with West Florida Hospital, several years ago in the use of da Vinci robotic surgeries.

Meridian may build trainer system

MCKINNEY, Texas - Raytheon plans to build the Ar Force's T-100 Integrated Air Training System in Meridian, Miss., pending service approval, the company said Oct. 25. A final assembly and check-out facility in Meridian would add to Raytheon's 30-year history of manufacturing in Mississippi. The Meridian facility would provide a mix of infrastructure, customer proximity, government support and a high-tech pool of workers, Raytheon said. The T-100 trainer is a next-generation system based on the Aermacchi M-346 aircraft and combines ground-based simulators with computerized classroom instruction. Raytheon has partnered with Leonardo-Finmeccanica, CAE USA and Honeywell Aerospace on this program. (Source: UPI 10/25/16)

Blue Angels to buzz Natchez

The Navy’s Blue Angels are scheduled to do a flyby over downtown Natchez, Miss., Thursday (Oct. 20) morning about 8:15 a.m. The Blues will be traveling from home in Pensacola, Fla., to an air show this weekend in Texas. The jets will likely fly over Main Street, dropping down to about 1,000 feet, and head toward the river. Tri-centennial Director Jennifer Ogden Combs said the Blue Angels are completing a flyover as a salute to Natchez during the city’s tri-centennial year. (Source: Natchez Democrat 10/18/16)

MS selects 1st ever military judge

JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi National Guard appointed Col. Lee Thaggard as its first ever permanent military judge on Oct. 15. Thaggard has a private practice with a Meridian law firm. “I’m honored and humbled to be selected to represent the National Guard in this capacity as a military trial judge,” Thaggard said. Mississippi has had military judges appointed for brief periods or to preside over a specific case, but Thaggard is the first appointed to the position permanently. A military judge presides over the courtroom and determines sentences for service members accused of a crime under the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. They cannot preside over civilian proceedings. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1987 through the AROTC at Mississippi State University, and was assigned to 1st Battalion, 185th Aviation Regiment, in Tupelo upon graduation. He earned a Juris Doctor cum laude from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1992 and was appointed as a major in the JAG Corps in 2003. (Source: 102nd Public Affairs Det Q 10/15/16)

GEA-Ellisville coatings work

DANBURY, Conn. – Praxair Surface Technologies Inc. and GE Aviation announced the formal creation of PG Technologies LLC, a joint venture. PST and its subsidiary will hold the majority interest with GEA and its subsidiary holding the remainder. PGT will focus on development, support and application of specialized coatings tailored for GEA’s and CFM International’s current and future engine models, including the GE9X and LEAP engines. CFMI is a 50-50 joint venture firm between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines of France. Coating operations for PGT will be based in Ellisville, Miss., Indianapolis, Ind., and Singapore. (Source: Business Wire 10/17/16)

Aero defense chain conference

The 2nd Annual Aerospace Defense Chain conference Oct. 28-29 in Arizona will focus on key components affecting the AD industry and future programs in seeking balance between customer demands, global market conditions, macroeconomic challenges and industry consolidation. The conference’s emphasis will be on forecasts and pursuing sustainable growth opportunities and new initiatives. Key issues include programs, market trends, innovation and technology. From the supply chain view, the conference will look at forecast, planning, consolidation, and productivity. The conference is supported by decision leaders within equipment manufacturers and suppliers that support the supply chain for the defense industry, program managers, business and corporate development and marketing executives, market analysts, investment bankers and financial institutions. (Source: Speed News 10/16)

AHI to exhibit at Cali conference

Airbus Helicopters Inc., the North American sales leader in law enforcement helicopters for more than a decade, will exhibit a California Highway Patrol H125 AStar at the 2016 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Conference in San Diego on Oct. 16-18. The CHP operates 11 H125/AS350-series AStar aircraft. AHI produces the H125 at its facility in Columbus, Miss. (Source: Market Wired 10/12/16)

L-3 Vertex cleared for KC-10 work

L-3 Communication’s Vertex Aerospace unit at Madison, Miss., began providing logistics support services Sept. 27 for the Air Force’s KC-10 aerial refueling aircraft under a potential nine-year, $1.9 billion contract. Vertex Aerospace commenced work after the Government Accountability Office rejected a competitor’s protest. The Mississippi-based division will maintain and operate base supply, provide field service representatives and support maintenance for 59 KC-10s. The unit will also provide supply and field service representation to the aerial refueling system for the Netherland’s two KDC-10 aircraft. (Source: Executive Biz blog 10/12/16)

Robots invade Starkville

STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Humphrey Coliseum at Mississippi State University was filled with robots Oct. 1 for the Best Robotics Competition. High school teams from across the state and parts of Tennessee came to show off their best work. Winners were to be rewarded for the best engineering notebook, best robot, and best overall award for their marketing presentations, said event coordinator, Dr. Vermitra White. The event was sponsored by MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering. Finalists will advance to the national competition hosted in Auburn, Ala. (Source: WCBI 10/01/16)

Reno project collaborates with MSU

Two novel research projects underway at the University of Nevada-Reno are designed to improve materials used in manufacturing and enhance fuel efficiency for airplanes and automobiles. Bin Li, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, has received two National Science Foundation grants to support his work in computational materials science. Li’s combining of computer simulation and experimental work to better understand advanced high-strength steels and lightweight magnesium alloys may be used for aerospace and automotive manufacturing. Li's grant, which he is leading in collaboration with Mississippi State University, will investigate how zinc coating interacts with steel. (Source: University of Nevada-Reno 09/29/16) Mississippi Note: Mississippi State University leads a consortium of 13 universities in operating a national center for research on unmanned aircraft systems, encompassing a wide range of applications, from agriculture to homeland security.