roger.bacon@flightinternational.com
JDAM - man's best friend?
The US Department of Defence has unveiled the newest in weapons technology - a voice-activated, visually guided bomb with a finger cueing system. Dubbed JDAM (jolly amazing digitally aimed munition), the weapon is pictured here at the newly inaugurated "Barbara Woodhouse" JDAM Training School taking lessons from an instructor/bomb aimer. The new JDAM is apparently quick to learn and needs no food or drink. It does, however, require plenty of exercise and responds best to the commands "seek" and "down boy!". Budgie News defence specialist Stewart Sidewinder says keeping in trim will be vital for the instructors involved in the programme: "If you can't manage at least Mach 1 at 25,000ft you won't be able to keep up with your JDAM, which will leave you feeling like a right muppet!"
The Mounties always get their man...or do they?
A Megaplanes 737-700 armed with all the latest in nav goodies (GPS/INS/ FMS/EGWPS/HUD/VHF/UHF/LW/UFO/VAT/NATO/HELP, I'M LOSING IT!) was seen recently shooting precision approaches into the Canadian mountain airport of Kelowna, British Columbia.
To record data and pictures of the demonstration, the 737 was accompanied by a Megaplanes T-33 photo chase aircraft. According to Niece Elizabeth Abbott, Kelowna control tower was contacted by the RCMP and even Canadian Broadcasting during the demo flights. The police and news services had been bombarded with calls from concerned citizens demanding to know why an airliner was refusing to heed orders from a Canadian Forces jet that was obviously trying to force it down!
New role for Concorde?
As if her passing wasn't terrible enough, your very own Budgie News had to add to the blushes in our otherwise (although we say so ourselves) rather lovely farewell to Concorde special last week. In the Concorde timeline a few of the more sharp-eyed among you spotted: "1956-62 Independent studies into supersonic transplants by UK and French companies." Concorde sales veteran Nephew Mike "Eau" Savage asks: "May I urgently request a 'supersonic transplant' - preferably liver?"
In a hot spot
Overheard at the Arab Air Carriers Organisation annual general meeting in Muscat, Oman, the other week:
Royal Jordanian Airlines chief executive Samer Al-Majali, speaking about his country's location, with the occupied West Bank on one side and US/UK-occupied territory on the other: "We are between Iraq and a hard place."
Source: Flight International
