Contract: EADS, $15.2M

EADS North America Inc., Herndon, Va., was awarded a $15,221,000 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure contractor logistic support. Work will be performed in Columbus, Miss., with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2016. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD, 07/09/12)

Union eyes Mobile plant

The International Association of Machinists will try to organize Airbus workers in Mobile, Ala., when the A320 assembly line opens. That's what IAM President Tom Buffenbarger told The Street. Airbus announced last week that it plans to build a new seven-building, 116-acre complex at Brookley Aeroplex to build A320 jetliners. Buffenbarger said the union has a good relationship with Airbus, and that he's surprised it's taken the company this long to establish an assembly line in the United States. (Source: The Street, 07/09/12)

Goldman leaving NASA for Aerojet

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Acting Marshall Space Flight Center Director Gene Goldman said Monday that he is retiring from the space agency in August to lead Aerojet's southeast regional operations. Taking over at MSFC will be current Marshall Associate Director Robin Henderson. Aerojet and Teledyne Brown Engineering will build a new rocket engine in Huntsville that will be marketed to NASA and the Air Force. Goldman is the former director of Stennis Space Center, Miss. (Sources: Huntsville Times, SpaceRef, Globe Newswire, 07/09/12) Gulf Coast note: Aerojet tests its AJ-26 engine at SSC.

Ng: Just a meeting

MOBILE, Ala. -- ST Aerospace Mobile President Joseph Ng said the rumor that the company is considering a move to Pensacola, Fla., is just that, a rumor. He confirmed meeting with Pensacola officials, but provided no details. Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward declined to comment. Ng also said his company, which has 1,500 workers, looks forward to opportunities with Airbus, which will build an A320 assembly line at Brookley Aeroplex, which is also the home of ST Aerospace Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/09/12) In Pensacola, a columnist wrote Sunday that sources said ST Aerospace initiated the contact. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, 07/08/12) Previous. Meanwhile, in an unrelated matter, Singapore Technologies Aerospace, parent of ST Aerospace Mobile, said it secured $370 million in new contracts in the second quarter of 2012, including contracts for aircraft maintenance and modification. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/09/12)

Fort Rucker getting new leader

FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- The Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker will be getting a new commander. It’s Maj. Gen. Kevin W. Mangum, who most recently served as commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. Mangum replaces Maj. Gen. Anthony G. Crutchfield, who is being assigned as chief of staff, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii. (Source: DoD, 07/09/12) Fort Rucker, near Dothan, Ala., is the primary flight training base for Army aviators.

AFFTC being renamed

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Air Force Flight Test Center will become the Air Force Test Center during a ceremony July 13. Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger, commander of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, will preside. The redesignation results from the command's consolidation of 12 centers to five. The Air Force Test Center will oversee work at Edwards as well as Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. The Arnold operation was redesigned the Arnold Engineering and Development Complex July 6. At Eglin, the 96th Air Base Wing will be re-designated the 96th Test Wing on July 18. Missions at each location will continue. (Source: AFNS, 07/08/12)

A320neo production begins

TOULOUSE, France -- Less than a week after the announcement that Airbus will build an A320 assembly line in Mobile, Ala., the first "cutting of metal" for the A320neo version has taken place in Toulouse. It marks the start of manufacturing of the fuel-efficient version of the popular A320. The event was the machining of the first component for the engine pylon, the structures that hold the engine to the wing. The pylon has much in common with the existing type, but incorporates more titanium and new features tailored for fuel-efficient engines. (Source: Airbus, 07/08/12)

Research gets NASA funding

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- A University of Southern Mississippi marine science professor is launching a year-long project to determine if life is possible on Mars. Scott Milroy will attempt to grow blue-green algae, cyanobacteria, in incubation chambers at Stennis Space Center, Miss., that mimic Mars' surface conditions. The experiment is one of five university projects nationwide that NASA is funding to provide science and engineering opportunities to university students. Experiments in two of the projects will eventually be flown on the International Space Station. (Source: Hattiesburg American, 07/07/12)

London reception draws 500

LONDON -- The Mobile Press-Register’s George Talbot, in London for the Farnborough International Air Show, reports about a reception that drew 500 dignitaries Sunday prior to the start of the air show. Airbus' decision to build an assembly line in Mobile, Ala., made the reception, hosted by the Aerospace Alliance, a must event. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/08/12) Meanwhile, Reuters reports that Boeing's new commercial planes chief downplayed Airbus' first U.S. assembly line. Ray Conner said airline customers don't care where planes are built, just the value they offer. (Source: Reuters, 07/08/12)

Alabama reps arrive for show

LONDON -- Alabama delegates are arriving in England looking to capitalize on the announcement that Airbus will build a $600 million A320 assembly line in Mobile. Leaders believe it gives the state momentum heading into the Farnborough International Air Show. A delegation of 80 Alabamians, including about two dozen from Mobile, is led by Gov. Robert Brantley. The group kicks off the week with a reception Sunday night hosted by the Aerospace Alliance, a trade association representing Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. "We're actually having to turn away guests because we don't have enough space," said Neal Wade, chairman of the group and director of the Bay County (Florida) Economic Development Alliance. He said the reception will draw many of the top Airbus suppliers that are expected to locate near the new plant, which is scheduled to begin production in 2016. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/07/12)

Airport sees boost from Airbus

FAIRHOPE, Ala. -- The H.L. "Sonny" Callahan Airport in Baldwin County may be in good position to benefit from Airbus' decision to build an A320 assembly line in nearby Mobile. For years the airport authority has worked to turn the airport into an economic development engine, including buying 250 acres adjacent to the runway in 2007. The runway itself was expanded a few years earlier to handle commercial or military aircraft. Airport Authority chairman Charles Zunk the Fairhope airport and the airport in Moss Point, Miss., are both well-positioned. He said Fairhope is qualified for secondary vendors for Airbus. Aviation entities already located at or near Fairhope include Continental Motors, Segers Aero, the Alabama Department of Public Safety, AMRO, PHI and John Ward Flight Training. About 50 aircraft are based at Fairhope. Also in the works is an aviation training facility. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/05/12)

Airbus good for USA students

MOBILE, Ala. -- The announcement that Airbus will build an assembly line for A320 jetliners in Mobile will mean University of South Alabama’s College of Engineering students will have a better chance staying in the area. A partnership between Airbus and USA was already in place prior to the announcement, but the latest news boosts the relationship, meaning more USA engineering graduates could be hired on by Airbus. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 07/06/12) Previous re announcement

Aerospace book updated

The second annual "Gulf Coast Aerospace Corridor 2012-2013," published early last month, has been updated to include details about the major announcement that Airbus will built an A320 assembly line in Mobile, Ala., a move that promises to be a watershed event for the Gulf Coast region. The book focuses on the considerable aerospace activities in the region between New Orleans and Northwest Florida, including space, pilot training, weapons development and more. It's available as a free PDF or as a printed book at cost. (Source: Gulf Coast Reporters’ League, 07/05/12)

World fleet to double in 20 years

Boeing is projecting a $4.5 trillion market for 34,000 new airplanes over the next 20 years as the current world fleet doubles in size, according to the Boeing 2012 Current Market Outlook released Tuesday. The company's annual forecast reflects the strength of the commercial aviation market. Airline traffic is forecasted to grow at a 5 percent annual rate over the next two decades, with cargo traffic projected to grow at an annual rate of 5.2 percent. The single-aisle market will continue its robust growth. (Source: Boeing, 07/03/12) Gulf Coast note: Boeing competitor Airbus is establishing an A320 assembly line in Mobile, Ala., to help it meet high demand for single-aisle jetliners. The A320 family of planes competes with Boeing’s 737 and its future 737 MAX.

PW welcomes Airbus plant

Among those congratulating Airbus for its decision to build an assembly line for A320s in Mobile, Ala., was Pratt & Whitney. The company, part of United Technologies, provides engines for the A320 family of aircraft: the PW1100G-JM and the V2500 engine made by the International Aero Engines collaboration. "Airbus' decision to open a new production facility and create high-tech jobs here in the United States is a very positive sign for the entire aerospace industry," said UTC Chairman and Chief Executive, Louis Chênevert. Pratt & Whitney President David Hess said his company "looks forward to building on our longstanding partnership with Airbus and powering many of the aircraft being assembled in Mobile." (Source: Pratt and Whitney, 07/02/12) In a related matter, Rolls-Royce late last month completed the restructuring of its participation in International Aero Engines Collaboration. The company sold its equity to Pratt & Whitney, though Rolls-Royce continues to manufacture high-pressure compressors, fan blades and discs as well as the provision of engineering support and final assembly of 50 per cent of V2500 engines. Other IAE shareholders are Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines Corp., and MTU Aero Engines GmbH. (Source: Rolls-Royce, 06/29/12) UT's Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne assembles and tests rocket engines at Stennis Space Center, Miss.

MAF-built Orion at KSC

Lockheed Martin photo

The first space-bound Orion spacecraft crew module has been delivered to the Operations and Checkout Building on NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The crew module structure recently underwent its final friction stir weld at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, and was transported to KSC to be readied for its Exploration Flight Test in 2014. Over the next year and a half the crew module will undergo final assembly, integration and testing at KSC in preparation for the Exploration Flight Test. Additional subsystems will be installed, including propulsion, thermal protection, environmental control, avionics, power, mechanisms, and landing and recovery systems. The EFT-1 flight, using a Delta IV rocket, will be NASA's first orbital flight test beyond low Earth orbit since the 1960s. (Source: Lockheed Martin, 07/02/12) Stennis Space Center, Miss., tests the rocket engines that will be used in the massive Space Launch System that will launch future Orion flights.

46th tests alcohol fuel in A-10

A-10 tests alcohol fuel. Air Force photo

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 40th Flight Test Squadron made history June 28 flying the first aircraft to use a new fuel blend derived from alcohol. The fuel, ATJ (Alcohol-to-Jet), is the third alternative fuel to be evaluated by the Air Force as a replacement for standard petroleum-derived JP-8 aviation fuel. "The A-10 is the first aircraft ever to fly on this fuel," said Jeff Braun, Chief for the Air Force Alternative Fuel Certification Division, at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. It flew without any issues. ATJ is a cellulousic-based fuel that can be derived using wood, paper, grass, anything that is a cell-based material. The sugars extracted from these materials are fermented into alcohols, which are then hydro-processed into the aviation-grade kerosenes used for aviation fuel. (Source: Team Eglin Public Affairs, 07/02/12)

Mobile welcomes Airbus

MOBILE, Ala. -- In an announcement that sounded at times like a pep rally and patriotic celebration, Europe's Airbus and Alabama dignitaries today made it official: Mobile is getting a $600 million A320 assembly plant. It will eventually make 40 to 50 aircraft a year. Building the Airbus complex at Brookley Aeroplex will create 3,200 construction jobs alone, and the plant will eventually employ 1,000 people, but official said the ripple effect will mean 5,000 jobs in the region. The Airbus complex will include seven buildings on 116 acres. Sections of the aircraft built in Europe will be shipped to the Alabama State Docks in Mobile and fabricated at Brookley. The project, which includes state and local incentives, puts Mobile, Alabama and the Gulf Coast region in a select club of locations producing commercial airliners. The arrival of the world's largest aircraft manufacturer on to the home turf of its chief rival, Boeing, is likely to change the dynamics of the aerospace industry for years to come. Airbus opted to build the U.S. plant to satisfy the growing need of airliners for fuel-efficient short to medium-haul replacement jets. (Source: GCAC, 07/02/12)

Airbus chief toasts Mobile

MOBILE, Ala. – After days of official silence, Airbus and Alabama dignitaries today (10 a.m. CDT) will confirm what everyone already knows: Mobile is getting a $600 million A320 assembly plant that will make up to 40 aircraft a year by 2017. Late Sunday European business executives and Alabama politicians gathered in the historic Battle House Hotel in Mobile, where Airbus President Fabrice Bregier toasted his hosts, according to the Mobile Press-Register. The project will put Mobile, Alabama and the Gulf Coast region in a select club of locations producing single-aisle commercial jetliners. An airliner plant owned by the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer on to the home turf of its chief rival, Boeing, is expected to change the dynamics of the aerospace industry. (Source: GCAC, Mobile Press-Register, 07/02/12)

Mobile to build A319, A320, A321

MOBILE, Ala. – The Mobile Press-Register reports that Airbus has approved plans for a plant at Mobile's Brookley Aeroplex that will assemble A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. The formal announcement will be Monday. The $600 million plant will employ 1,000 workers at full capacity, according to an internal briefing document obtained by the Press-Register, producing up to 50 aircraft per year by 2017. Construction will begin in 2013, creating 2,500 jobs over two years, with aircraft assembly beginning in 2015 and the first deliveries in 2016. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 06/30/12)