Week in review (10/2 to 10/8)

If you haven't had a chance to look at it, you might want to check out the latest Gulf Coast Aerospace Newsletter. The October edition was published Tuesday, and includes stories that are bound to be of interest to those who follow the region’s aerospace activities.

There's a story about the upcoming Aerospace Alliance Summit in Gulfport, Miss., and a story about areas that are attractive to aerospace manufacturers. There are also stories about NASA's unique camera that captures detail never before seen, and about new collaborative opportunities at the Mobile Aeroplex. (Post)

Unmanned

The Navy awarded Bell Helicopter a $3.3 million contract to investigate the potential for future flight strain, fatigue, and tail boom might cracking on the Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter.

The concern is whether those issues might arise because the Naval Air Systems Command is flying the MQ-8C at higher weights and altitudes than those for the civilian version of the Bell 407. Final assembly of the MQ-8C is done in Moss Point, Miss. (Post)

Corporate

Star Aviation has been acquired by Carlisle Companies Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz. A Carlisle executive said Star will add "significant engineering resources and technology" to Carlisle's portfolio.

Carlisle designs, manufactures and markets a range of products to a range of niche markets, according to the company’s website. That includes commercial roofing, agriculture and mining to aerospace and defense electronics.

Star, which specializes in in-flight entertainment, was founded in 1999 and has an operation in Seattle. The company says it anticipates continued growth in Mobile. (Post)

Contracts

The COLSA Corp., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $44.8 million modification to exercise the option on a previously awarded contract for technical and management advisory services including command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR); and cyber support. Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is one of the work locations, and the work is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2017. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. … Bevilacqua Research Corp., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $25.9 million modification to exercise an option on a previously awarded contract for technical and management advisory services. Work locations include Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. … QuantiTech Inc., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $25.7 million modification to exercise an option on a previously awarded contract for technical and management advisory services for range support. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and other locations and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2017. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. … The Torch Technologies Inc., Huntsville, Ala., was awarded a $24.3 million modification to exercise an option on a previously awarded contract for technical and management advisory services for armament support. Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., and Kirkland AFB, N.M., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2017. Air Force Test Center, Eglin Air Force Base, is the contracting activity. … M1 Support Services, Denton, Texas, was awarded a $10.5 million modification to exercise an option on a previously awarded contract for ground instructional training aircraft, historical static display aircraft, trainers, support equipment, aerospace ground equipment, and munitions trainer maintenance services. Work will be performed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, and Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2017.