August 22, 2011

August 22, 2011

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

AviationWeek.com

First Turkish ATAK Helicopter Airborne

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23
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Workforce: Mixed Messages
67

AviationWeek.com

For the complete current issue, archives and more, go to: AviationWeek.com/awst Free to subscribers. HOT JOBS A series of articles on Aviation Week’s 15th annual Workforce study begins on p. 44, and many extras are available online. On AviationWeek.com/workforce, readers will find a slide show and a video highlighting young A&D professionals in “hot jobs.” And subscribers to the Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN) can view white papers on the workforce and young professionals studies, customized career information, a comprehensive view of compensation across the industry and detailed data on how young professionals view their employers and careers.
1213

First Turkish ATAK Helicopter Airborne

The first Turkish Aerospace Industries-built T129, or P6, has joined the flight-test activity for the country’s ATAK attack helicopter program. The Turkish army wants to field an initial batch of T129s-being codeveloped with AgustaWestland on the AW129 platform-by mid-2012.
1213

Twin Spacecraft Now Tracking Solar Storms

Three years of work with data generated by the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (Stereo) has given the space-weather field a tool for better accuracy in predicting the time and intensity for massive coronal mass ejections (CMEs) arriving at Earth.
1415
THE INSIDE TRACK

MULTITASKING

Companies discover process control is key

By MICHAEL MECHAM

2021
ASIA-PACIFIC AIRLINES

Asian Am bitions

Qantas targets new markets with startup airlines and record order

By ADRIAN SCHOFIELD

2223

Malaysia Shakeup

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is planning to establish a new full-service carrier and, in a separate development, to reposition its low-cost carrier, Firefly. Firefly Managing Director Eddy Leong is quoted in The Sun Daily newspaper as saying Firefly’s Boeing 737s will be transferred to Sapphire, the shorthaul, full-service carrier MAS is establishing, which will be managed by Firefly. He says Firefly will stop operating jets and become purely a full-service turboprop operator. Leong adds that the decision to establish Sapphire was made on Aug. 12 during a management meeting that included MAS Chairman Mohammed Nor Yusof and its newly appointed director, Tony Fernandes, who is Air Asia group CEO. When contacted by Aviation Week Aug. 18, Leong could not comment, as MAS has imposed a “gag order for now. You’ll need to channel your questions to MAS,” he added. But MAS’s top spokeswoman would only say: “Everything is very new and management is trying to sort out a lot of information. We don’t have permission yet to comment.” She did say that MAS’s newly appointed board is due to have its first meeting this week. Firefly, which was founded in 2007, was originally a full-service turboprop operator, but in January of this year it added 737s and started competing in the low-cost carrier segment head-to-head against Air Asia. This month, MAS and Air Asia signed a collaboration agreement in which each side promised to concentrate on their core segment. In other words, MAS would focus on the full-service segment, and Air Asia on the low-cost carrier segment. MAS’s decision to establish a fullservice short-haul carrier would seem to suggest that MAS mainline will stop operating narrowbodies in favor of widebodies, a similar strategy to that of Singapore Airlines (SIA). Thai Airways International also is about to embark on that path. SIA mainline only operates widebodies, leaving narrowbodies to its full-service subsidiary, SilkAir. Thai Airways, meanwhile, is planning to transfer its full-service narrowbody operation to Thai Wings, a new business unit that is being established. ©

By LEITHEN FRANCIS

2223
MISSILE DEFENSE

Missing Link

NATO eyes early BMD capability in April but lacks plans for upper-tier firepower ¡

By AMY BUTLER,ROBERT WALL

2425
MISSILE DEFENSE

Testy Times

GMD test suspension projected for another year as Thaad and SM-3 move forward

By AMY BUTLER

2425
MISSILE DEFENSE

Missile Boost

Domestic demands again set the priorities for Russia’s tactical missile efforts

By ROBERT WALL

AUGUST 152011 AUGUST 29/SEPTEMBER 52011