IAM approves new pact

Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers approved a new three-year contract with Boeing on Sept. 29.

The contract ratification immediately ended a four-week strike by more than 18,000 Boeing employees in the Puget Sound area of Washington state, Portland, Ore., and Wichita, Kan.

In announcing a tentative settlement on Sept. 25, Alan Mulally, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said, "The new agreement supports our business plan and addresses the key issues raised by IAM-represented employees and the union."

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Start up eyes rocket pacts

An entrepreneur who said he's ready to spend $200 million of his personal funds to create a family of low-cost rockets recently signed a launch contract with a notable customer: the U.S. government.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, inked a contract for a single launch. A company press release mentioning the launch didn't specify the government-agency customer or the specific type of satellite. According to the Wall Street Journal, the contract envisions construction of a rocket that's slated to be comparable to the largest, most powerful models built by industry leaders Boeing and Lockheed Martin, but at a fraction of the cost.

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IN BRIEF

It's official: Northrop to team with EADS for USAF tanker bid

Northrop Grumman and European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co.(EADS), the main parent of Airbus, officially said last month they will jointly compete to replace U.S. aerial-refueling tanker planes.

Northrop Grumman and EADS said that the two companies would field a tanker based on the A330 airframe from Airbus, which is 80 percent owned by EADS, in any U.S. Air Force competition for new tankers. In a press release announcing the teaming, Northrop Grumman said it would be prime contractor for the aircraft and that EADS would be "a principal subcontractor and teammate."

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737, A320 supplies tighten in leasing market

Airbus said it wants to construct more airplane parts in China to help spur sales in that nation, which is one of the fastest-growing commercial jetliner markets.

By increasing the sourcing of parts—especially for the A380, its new superjumbo jet—Airbus hopes to better integrate the mainland market into its supply chain, an AFX Asia news service report said.

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