Army recruiters in Georgia say bad times for America are translating into good business for the military. While it may be too early to quantify the consequences of a dismal economy, recruiters say they are talking to more men and women who see the armed forces as a safe haven.

Boeing adds jobs in Colorado Springs (USA)

As other technology employers have been cutting jobs, Boeing Co. has been quietly adding positions in Colorado Springs to work on a new satellite system designed to detect and track objects orbiting the Earth as well as several other programs.

Cessna's cuts to total 4,600; 4,000 Wichita jobs slashed (USA)

Cessna plans to cut employment by about 30 percent -- approximately 4,600 companywide -- as it grapples with a deteriorating economy that has led to numerous order cancellations and deferrals.

NORDAM laying off 87 more people (USA)

The layoffs bring to 211 people, or 11.5 percent of the Tulsa work force, who have been cut by NORDAM in the last three months. The Tulsa-based company employs 1,630 people in Tulsa and about 2,500 workers worldwide.

Machinists fault Boeing for triggering '08 strike (USA)

"The strike was triggered by a Boeing strategy to create a separate and lower class of employees in its manufacturing facilities; one with lower pay, fewer benefits and a cut-rate retirement plan," said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger.

Boeing posts loss, announces 10,000 job cuts (USA)

Boeing Co., the world's second-largest airplane maker, swung to a surprise fourth-quarter loss, hurt by a labor strike that disrupted deliveries. It also announced job cuts totaling 10,000 and forecast lower-than-expected 2009 earnings.

Massive jobs boost for Rosyth dockyard (UK)

Rosyth dockyard was given a jobs boost with news of a campaign to bring over 1000 people in to help work on the multi-billion-pound aircraft carrier contract.

Regulatory and Safety

No move by FAA to downgrade India's airports (India)

There is no move by the US Federal Aviation Administration to downgrade India's airports, even though an action plan was being implemented to meet global aviation safety standards and regulations.

Crashes prompt search for safer ride to oil rigs (USA)

Three years ago, NTSB officials began to press for more safety technology on such flights. Progress has been made on some recommendations, but little action has been taken on others.

Birds cause emergency landings, aborted takeoffs (USA)

Commercial airline crews reported more than two dozen emergency landings, aborted takeoffs or other hair-raising incidents due to collisions with birds in the past two years, according to a confidential database managed by NASA.

Common European air operation rules in reach (EU)

EASA published on its website proposed implementing rules for air operations of community operators, including the corresponding acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM) as well as certification specifications (CS) for flight time limitations. Following the Agency's principles of broad consultation and transparency, interested persons worldwide now have the possibility to comment on this Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA 2009-02) by using the Agency's web-based Comment Response Tool (CRT). The comment period ends on May 30, 2009.

EASA hands over first approval to a CIS transport aircraft (EU)

The Tupolev TU 204-120 CE model received its Type Certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The approval was handed over by Patrick Goudou, EASA Executive Director, and Dr. Norbert Lohl, EASA Certification Director, at a ceremony in Moscow, Russia.

EASA's new rulemaker prepares for change (EU)

The European Aviation Safety Agency's new rulemaking director Jules Kneepkens has been in the job since September, when Claude Probst stood down, so he has gained a feel for what is needed.

Austro turbo-diesel engine certified by EASA (EU)

Diamond Aircraft Industries has received EASA Type Certification for its Austro E4 turbo-diesel airplane engine.

FAA sees little change in runway incursions for 2008 (USA)

The number of serious runway incursions was essentially flat in 2008, according to figures released by the FAA.

Flights to remote communities stopped over safety concerns (AUS)

A Northern Territory air service provider says it has been forced to suspended regular flights to two remote communities because their airstrips do not comply with Civil Aviation Safety Authority standards.

Report calls for new EU-wide flight time rules (EU)

A new report published today recommends that flight and duty times for airline cabin crews should be cut.

Reports show frequency of bird-airliner scrapes (USA)

Voluntary data from crews detail at least 26 since 2007. "Tip of the iceberg," an expert said.

New rules sought for news copters (USA)

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), having completed its investigation of last year's four-fatality mid-air crash over Phoenix, has proposed new rules for news helicopters.

Civil Aviation

Hunan launched successful flight of manned light aircraft (China)

It was informed from Science and Technology Department of Hunan Province that the provincial grand science and technology special project which is entitled as "the development and industrialization of light aircraft" headed by Hunan Sunward had made breakthroughs that the 2-seats light aircraft achieved successful first flight

Yet another lawsuit flies over Travis Barker-DJ AM plane crash (USA)

This time around it's the owner and operator of the charter who, in a new $12 million lawsuit, is pointing fingers at South Carolina's Columbia Metropolitan Airport, the plane's namesake manufacturer and Goodyear Tires.

Delta reinstates pilot aviation safety action program (USA)

Delta has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and FAA to reinstate its Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) covering pre-merger Delta pilots.

Life raft concerns force American Airlines to downsize flights (USA)

In memo's sent to employees, American Airlines said it will immediately cut the number of passengers on some flights, because of questions about the size of the life rafts on board those planes.

Collision risks rise with bird populations (USA)

Populations of large bird species like the one that struck US Airways Flight 1549 last month have grown dramatically in recent decades, prompting aviation experts to warn that the risk of catastrophic collisions with planes is rising.

Maritime

Boaters urged to buy new beacons (USA)

The U.S. Coast Guard ceases monitoring analog emergency frequency signals as rescuers move to digital beacons.

Japan to deploy ships to fight piracy in Somalia (Japan)

Japan announced plans to deploy members from the maritime division of its Self-Defense Force (SDF) to help fight piracy off of the coast of Somalia.

Defense

How safe is the U.S. Army's body armor? (USA)

The U.S. Army has ordered a recall of more than 16,000 sets of body armor after an audit by the inspector general of the Defense Department concluded that they failed tests to meet Army specifications.

Electric shocks came often at U.S. bases in Iraq, report finds (USA)

Improper wiring by military contractor KBR at U.S. bases in Iraq led to electrical shocks about once every three days for nearly two years, according to Defense Department documents obtained by CNN.

PN to acquire UAVs, early warning aircraft (Pakistan)

Pakistan Navy will soon acquire Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to strengthen its air fleet, according to Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir.

Beretta U.S.A. Corp. Wins Largest U.S. Military Handgun Contract Since World War II (USA)

Beretta U.S.A. Corp. recently announced its receipt of a U.S. Army contract to provide up to 450,000 Beretta Model 92FS pistols to U.S. military customers throughout the world. The total value of the contract, if all pistol quantities and associated spare parts are ordered, is $220 million.

Type 45 Daring class destroyer (UK)

It has been hailed by its creators as the most powerful and advanced vessel of its kind.

Boeing spins quality line (USA)

Boeing's plant in Philadelphia rolled out the first CH-47 Chinook in 1961, overcame a business crisis four decades later and today stands among the most mature production lines in the aerospace industry.

Space

Addendum to final report on more stringent entrance criteria needed for project life-cycle reviews (USA)

"NASA Systems Engineering Processes and Requirements," March 26, 2007, they did not satisfy the intent of our recommendation. However, we subsequently worked with the Chief Engineer, who proposed a corrective action that adequately addresses our intent and resolves the recommendation.

NASA wants lunar lander concept studies (USA)

NASA has given prospective bidders until Feb. 27 to deliver proposals for conceptual design work on the Altair lunar lander the agency will use to return astronauts to the moon by 2020.

Chinese threat to Indian space assets (China-India)

With all the three wings of the Chinese defence set up going through a process of massive modernization and augmentation, India has every reason to get worried over the possibility of a "Chinese threat" to the territorial integrity of the country.

Materials/Methods

Alternative jet fuels put to the test (USA)

The tests, being run through Feb. 3 at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California, are measuring the performance and emissions of two synthetic fuels derived from coal and natural gas using the Fischer-Tropsch process.