A major management shake-up at McDonnell Douglas' (MDC) Long Beach site in California has seen Walt Orlowski promoted to president of Douglas Aircraft (DAC), replacing Mike Sears, who has been recalled to St Louis, where he has become president of McDonnell Douglas Aerospace.
Orlowski was senior vice-president of the MD-11, MD-80 and MD-90 programmes and recently led the MD-XX study before being responsible for implementing the strategic collaboration agreement with Boeing.
Sears, who was appointed to head DAC in April 1996 after managing the F-18 programme, will now head the corporation's tactical-aircraft, missiles and space businesses.
MDC president and chief executive officer, Harry Stonecipher has served as acting president of the military business since late October 1996 when Herb Lanese left the company.
In other moves, Grace Robertson, former general manager of development programmes at DAC, will head the Advanced Transport Aircraft Systems group of MDC Military Transport Aircraft. She replaces John King, who has retired after 41 years with the company.
Robertson will take responsibility for several current projects, including the BWB-1-1 blended-wing-body airliner and the high-speed commercial transport. Other projects include a proposed military version of the MD-90 for the US Navy, an advanced short take-off and landing military transport study for a C-130 replacement and continuing work with NASA on composite-wing technology for airliners.
David Spong, former deputy programme manager of the C-17, has been appointed to become vice-president and general manager of the airlifter programme. Spong will report to senior vice-president Don Kozlowski who remains head of the company's Military Transport Aircraft division until he retires later this year.
Source: Flight International