Checking In

Advisory Board for AKIA
To broaden their resources, Aircraft Kit Industry Association (AKIA), officials are appointing three prominent figures in aviation to an advisory board in order to provide guidance and counsel on select key issues affecting the industry.

“In accepting our invitation to participate on an Advisory Board, Tom Poberezny, Frank Christensen, and Dale Klapmeier bring a level of credibility, knowledge, and experience that not only contributes instant recognition to AKIA, but which will be invaluable in addressing the issues currently confronting all of us in the EAB movement,” says Dick VanGrunsven, president, AKIA. “We are pleased to have them with us and believe they add significant power to the voice of AKIA.”
 

Boeing Marks 50 Years of Chinook Helicopters
The 50th anniversary of Boeing’s first delivery of a H-47 Chinook military helicopter, occurs as a $130 million renovation of its production line near Philadelphia, PA, nears completion, looking to help meet the global demand for the latest model, the CH-47F.

Having delivered more than 1,200 Chinooks to 18 operators around the world since delivering the first Chinook to the U.S. Army on August 16, 1962, Boeing still has more than 800 still in operation today.

“Chinook is Boeing’s longest continuously running production program, and it is in greater demand today than ever before,” says Leanne Caret, vice president, Vertical Lift and H-47 programs.

www.boeing.com
 

Williams Joins University of North Texas Faculty
Dr. Jim Williams, one of the world’s leading authorities on titanium alloys and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, joins the College of Engineering faculty at the University of North Texas, Denton, TX.

Most recently, Williams served on the faculty and previously as the Dean of Engineering at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. He also served on the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, for 13 years, including six years as the dean of the College of Engineering.

In addition to his extensive experience in academia, Williams possesses an impressive career in the aerospace industry, having worked for Boeing, Rockwell, and GE’s aviation division.

www.eng.unt.edu
 

Lockheed Martin Marks 100th Anniversary
August 16, 1912, commemorated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Glenn L. Martin Co., in Los Angeles, CA, now know as Lockheed Martin Co.

“Glenn L. Martin’s story is one of achievement, purpose, and integrity,” says Bob Stevens, chairman and CEO, Lockheed Martin. “The guiding principles he instilled in his company from day one – imagination, innovation, and integrity – are the same principles that guide the 120,000 men and women of Lockheed Martin today.”

Among his many pioneering accomplishments, Martin invented the first packed parachute in 1913 and his MB-2 bomber was the first to sink a battleship in 1921.

www.lockheedmartin.com
 

Another NASA Robot Going to Mars in 2016
Another robot from NASA will go to the Red Planet in 2016 to drill into the planet’s crust and, for the first time, piece together a picture of Mar’s interior.

Built and operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, is the $425 million robotic lander named InSIGHT.

Aboard the InSIGHT, a German-built drill will pound 30ft into the crust of Mars, taking the temperature of the planet, while a sensitive French-built seismometer will detect any quakes.

www.nasa.gov, www.jpl.nasa.gov