flight international - september 2 2014 uk

FLIGHTINTERNATIONAL

2-8 SEPTEMBER 2014

SAFETY

AVIATION VERSUS VOLCANOHow prepared are airlines for another eruption over Atlantic?

GALILEO IS GO EASA confident satellite navigation system will be operational by 2017 despite setback 20

CHANGING NATO Alliance looks to new roles for air power in the face of changing threats to members security 19

LIGHTER TOUCH THE QUEST FOR AN AIRSHIP THAT MAKES MONEY FEATURE P30

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2-8 September 2014 | Flight International | 3flightglobal.com

FLIGHTINTERNATIONAL

2-8 SEPTEMBER 2014

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Launch failure leaves two spacecraft in useless orbit, but Europe remains condent in 2017 plan for full operations P20. Wellingtons rst Texans arrive in New Zealand P17

FLIGHTINTERNATIONAL

2-8 SEPTEMBER 2014

SAFETY

AVIATION VERSUS VOLCANOHow prepared are airlines for another eruption over Atlantic?

GALILEO IS GO EASA confident satellite navigation system will be operational by 2017 despite setback 20

CHANGING NATO Alliance looks to new roles for air power in the face of changing threats to members security 19

LIGHTER TOUCH THE QUEST FOR AN AIRSHIP THAT MAKES MONEY FEATURE P30

9 7 7 0 0 1 5 3 7 1 2 6 6

3 63.40

Slump in passenger demand leads Aeroflot to ponder delivery deferral. American Airlines set to take delivery of first 787-8

DEFENCE 16 US Navy signs off on initial Australian

Poseidon acquisition. Improved HARM bang on target in weapons test

17 Saudi Sentry fleet awaiting upgrade. First Royal New Zealand Air Force T-6C Texan IIs flown in from Wichita

NEWS FOCUS 19 NATO leaders head to Wales summit in

atmosphere of new global threats20 Galileo shrugs off setback as Fregat

puts two satellites into wrong orbit

BUSINESS AVIATION 21 Gulfstream issues gust lock warning after

Bedford crash. CitationAir to cease flight operations

REGULARS5 Comment 33 Straight & Level36 Classied 39 Jobs 43 Working Week

NEWS THIS WEEK 6 Heathrow delays are getting worse7 Singapore air force may have up to 40

Boeing F-15SGs. Conflict zone task force to present initial findings

8 NTSB boots UPS and union from freighter crash inquiry. Disney ponders flying unmanned air vehicles at its theme parks

9 Northrop pitching UAVs to NATO pair

AIR TRANSPORT 12 GE designs leaner fan blades on GE9X.

MRJ in breakthrough as JAL also opts for E-Jets. Irkut wins state guarantees for MC-21 financing

13 C919 edges to assembly as mid fuselage rolls off line. Nok Air takes delivery of first high-capacity Q400

14 A330-800neo will offer real benefits for Hawaiian. Lessor BOC Aviation signs contract for 80 Boeing 737s. Aircraft efficiency study backs smart turboprop design

15 A380 sales have not reached peak.

COVER STORY10 Can we get around the ash? EASA has

a plan to deal with the latest threat from an Icelandic volcano

FEATURES22 G120TP COCKPIT A touch of glass

Grob Aircrafts full digital cockpit could set a new benchmark for pilot training

26 DRAKEN INTERNATIONAL Meet the enemy Draken has aspirations beyond simulating hostile aircraft for the USAF

28 AUTOMATION Rise of the robots Boeing turns to robotic assembly lines

VOLUME 186 NUMBER 5454

PIC OF THE WEEK This US Air Force image shows Capts Andrew Glowa (left) and William Piepenbring of the 74th Fighter Squadron launching ares from their Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt IIs on 18 August over southern Georgia. The twin-engine aircraft was the rst to be specially designed for close air support and can be used against heavy armour.

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COVER IMAGEAs in 2010, an Icelandic volcano is threatening European airspace. However, this time the authorities have a plan to avoid aviation chaos and EASA is busily warming up its new systems and procedures P10

NEXT WEEK SOUTH AFRICA Ahead of the continents big air show, Africa Aerospace and Defence, we profile defence firm Paramount and look at the shape of the South African air force.

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THE WEEK ON THE WEBightglobal.com

flightglobal.com

CONTENTS

Flightglobal reaches up to 1.3 million visitors from 220 countries viewing 7.1 million pages each month

BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Vote at ightglobal.com/poll

Find all these items at ightglobal.com/wotw

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

On the Airline Business blog, Edward Russell says it is about time United Airlines offered live in-ight streaming, following an October 2013 announcement that it would

provide the service on most of its Airbus A320 family and some its Boeing fleet. Arie Egozi on Ariel View discuss-es the threat of man-portable air defence systems, which armed groups in Syria have reportedly acquired. He says

although some flight restrictions have been put in place and countermeasures are being used, the world has been slow in understanding the threat. Our man in Tel Aviv also looks at Rafaels partnership with Northrop Grumman, to offer a fifth-generation variant of the formers Litening targeting pod for the US Navys Boeing F/A-18s (pictured). The pair are in advanced stages of development, and Egozi says the requirement is a key contract for Rafael.

Total votes: 2,638This week, we ask: Will the industry cope with a new Icelandic ash cloud? Yes, new technology will get us through More ready than 2010, but still concerns Hopelessly unprepared

For a full list of reader services, editorial and advertising contacts see P35

EDITORIAL +44 20 8652 3842 [email protected] DISPLAY ADVERTISING +44 20 8652 3315 [email protected] CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING +44 20 8652 4897 [email protected] RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING +44 20 8652 4900 [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS +44 1444 475 682 [email protected] REPRINTS +44 20 8652 [email protected] FLIGHT DAILY NEWS +44 20 8652 [email protected]

Last week, we asked: In a democracy, should air trafc controllers have right to strike? You said:

No

17%Only with strict

conditions

22%Yes

61%

HIGH FLIERSThe top ve stories for the week just gone:1 VIDEO Worlds largest aircraft, An-225, emerges to set new lift record2 FARNBOROUGH Airbus outlines A330neo engineering demands3 Etihad and Alitalia seal strategic partnership4 BAE Systems sees growing Avro MRO demand in Canada5 Massachusetts-based F-15 crashes in Virginia

Our London-based defence reporter Beth Stevenson went to see Hybrid Air Vehicles in Bedford, to find out about its mis-sion to bring the Airlander airship into service. The airship industry is facing challenges (P30), but the company is confident its air-craft will change the cargo indus-try. Meanwhile, Edward Russell and Ghim-Lay Yeo ventured from Washington DC to glamorous Las Vegas for the International Aviation Forecast Summit - where experts argued the relative merits of big twins and superjumbos, and reckoned the A380 isnt dead yet (P15).

IN THIS ISSUECompanies listedAeroflot ........................................................15Arospatiale Alouette ...................................17AeroVehicles ................................................31Aero Vodochody ...........................................26AgustaWestland ...........................................17Airbus ....................................8, 12, 14, 15, 19Air France ......................................................6Air One ..........................................................6AirTanker ......................................................19Alenia Aermacchi .........................................26Alitalia ...........................................................6All Nippon Airways .......................................12American Airlines .........................................15Arianespace ................................................20ATR ..............................................................13AVIC Xian Aircraft Industry ............................13Bank of China ..............................................14Beechcraft Defence Systems .......................17Bell Helicopter ...............................................6BOC Aviation ................................................14Boeing .........................8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19Bombardier ...........................................13, 15Boyd Group International .............................14CAE .............................................................17Cathay Pacific ..............................................15Comac .........................................................13Dassault ......................................................19Disney ...........................................................8Douglas .......................................................26Draken International ....................................26DVB .............................................................15EASA ...........................................................10Embraer ...................................................8, 12ESA ...............................................................6Eurofighter ...................................................19General Electric ...........................................12Grob Aircraft.................................................22Hawaiian Airlines .........................................14Hawker ........................................................26Hindustan Aeronautics .................................17Honeywell ....................................................27Hop ...............................................................6Hybrid Air Vehicles ........................................31IHI ...............................................................12International Aero Engines .............................8Irkut .......................................................13, 15Israel Aerospace Industries ..........................16Israel Aircraft Industries ................................26Japan Airlines ..............................................12Jiangxi Hongdu Aviation Industry ..................13Kuka Robotics USA ......................................28Kaman .........................................................17Lockheed Martin ..........................8, 16, 17, 19Malaysia Airlines ............................................6Mitsubishi Aircraft ........................................12MTU Aero Engines ........................................12NH Industries ...............................................17Nok Air .........................................................13Northrop Grumman ........................8, 9, 16, 19OHB-System ................................................20Oneworld .....................................................15Qatar Airways ...............................................12RAC MiG ......................................................16Raytheon .....................................................16Rolls-Royce ............................................12, 14Sberbank .....................................................13Shenyang .....................................................27Snecma .......................................................12Sukhoi ...................................................15, 16Techspace Aero ............................................12Thomas Cook Airlines ...................................19UPS ...............................................................8Varialift ........................................................31Westinghouse ..............................................26Worldwide Aeros ..........................................30

4 | Flight International | 2-8 September 2014

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Download The Engine Directory.ightglobal.com/ComEngDirectory

Download the new Commercial Engines Reportnow updated for 2014 with enhanced data and in-depth market analysis

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COMMENT


See News Focus P10

Ash costs cashWhen Icelandic volcanic ash visited Europes skies in April 2010, it cost the continents economy at least 5 billion ($7 billion) just by grounding most commercial aviation for a week. With seismic rum-blings beneath Icelands fragile crust gathering strength, how much is Europe set to lose this time?

Lest we forget 2010, Europes then-director of air transport Daniel Calleja Crespo said airline direct loss-es were 1.7 billion, and 100,000 ights were cancelled with the loss of 10 million passenger journeys. Mean-while, 313 European airports were totally immobilised, and as a result suffered a 317 million loss of revenue.

However, Europe has become more organised for ash since then. The distribution of ash cloud information

and zoning will be co-ordinated and consistent this time, and the airlines will be left to make their own de-cisions provided they have convinced their national aviation authority they have completed a volcanic ash risk assessment tailored to their own eet.

This is a fearsome responsibility, as ash cloud advice is a guide to where it is likely to be but not precisely. Pilots can avoid visible ash in daylight when there is no cloud, because it tends to gather in patches and layers. Visible ash is the dangerous stuff. However, in cloud or at night it cannot be seen, and airborne detection sys-tems are not yet available. So, there will still be consider-able disruption, despite the lessons learned in 2010.

Read our archive of Flight International comments on editor Murdo Morrisons blog at ightglobal.com/comment

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See Feature P30

Still waiting for their moment

Lighter-than-air technology has scarcely advanced since the day of the Zeppelin. Yet there are those who have not given up on developing a viable product for the commercial cargo market

The age of the airship?

The ve decades from 1914 saw heavier-than-air aviation evolve from basic biplanes to the jet age. The subsequent 50 years welcomed stealth, supersonic airliners, huge advances in aerostructures and mass air travel. However, lighter-than-air technology has moved somewhat more hesitantly in the century since German Zeppelins rst terrorised Londoners.

Yet, despite a tainted history from the Hindenburg disaster to recent ill-fated commercial and military de-velopments the airship dream remains alive for a new generation of entrepreneurs and aviators. The trouble is, no-one has proven a genuine business case for powered lighter-than-air, beyond a tiny eet of sightseeing craft built by Zeppelins successor in Friedrichshafen.

In the security realm, aerostats tethered airships are in wide use. A Raytheon system will deploy over Washington DC with a radar suite in the not-too-distant future, while aerostats have also been used in Afghani-stan to provide persistent surveillance over bases.

However, attempts to develop powered airships for the military have ended in failure or stasis. Instead, the commercial market is the great hope but with air-ships carrying cargo rather than passengers.

Progress towards a viable programme has been slow, with numerous developments in the works for the best part of a decade but many lacking even a tangible prototype to justify the time spent. One problem is that the military is no longer supporting projects when once

All attempts to develop an airship for the military haveended in failure or stasis

it was primary nancial partner. With restricted budg-ets and an ever-expanding operational theatre, the mili-tary had to make tough choices and airships did not make the cut.

On paper, airships are ideal for a commercial mis-sion. Despite a vulnerability to adverse weather, they are long-endurance, low-fuel, heavy cargo-carrying sys-tems that can be unmanned to alleviate any burden to the operator, and get on with a mundane, essential task.

Rising fuel prices could provide the breakthrough. Slower than xed-wing aircraft, but faster than seaborne transport albeit with a smaller payload air-ships could serve a sweet spot between the two modes in an era of high propulsion costs.

To get to the stage where airships are a viable option for cargo will require a great deal of funds and risk. With the taxpayer out of the picture, this must come from corporations or start-ups. But whether big compa-nies have the appetite and investors the deep pockets to see the development through is far from certain.

THIS WEEK

flightglobal.com6 | Flight International | 2-8 September 2014

London Heathrow appears more than any other European airport on Eurocontrols list of the top 20 most delayed airport pairs.

The UK hub features ve times as the departure airport and six times as the arrival point.

Heathrow is second only to Lisbon for average delays to all its departures, and top of the list for delays on arrival. Flights from the Portuguese capital depart an av-erage of 14.6min late, and from Heathrow 13.1min.

However, Lisbon is improving its rate while Heathrows is get-ting worse, according to the Euro-control central ofce for delay analysis report for 2013.

London Gatwick is third in the list with an average ight depar-ture delayed by 12.8min, and its delays are also worsening.

When considering only de-layed departures, passengers de-parting Lisbon are off the ground 30.3min late on average, Heath-

row passengers 26.5min and Gat-wick passengers 27.8min.

Three more UK airports are also in the top 20: Manchester in fth, London Luton ninth and Birmingham 13th.

The top three European air-ports for average arrival delays are Heathrow, Lisbon and Gat-wick, at 14.6min, 13.1min and 12.8min, respectively. On any given delayed ight, passengers inbound to Gatwick can expect to touch down 36.7min late, to Heathrow 33.0min and to Lisbon 32.2min late. The UK features prominently in the arrival delays list, with Manchester fourth and Luton 14th.

The most delayed route is LisbonMadeira, with LisbonHeathrow coming second. How-ever, Heathrow appears in the next three entries: Rome Fiumicino- Heathrow, Heathrow-New York JFK and JFK-Heathrow. Malaga-Gatwick follows in sixth.

For up-to-the-minute air transport news, network and fleet information sign up at: ightglobal.com/dashboard

AIR FRANCE TAKES HOP TO NEW SHORT-HAUL PLANAIRLINES Air France is to present a short-haul network reorganisa-tion strategy to staff by the end of October, to clarify the scope of its mainline and regional Hop brands. Hop chief executive Lionel Gurin will be put in charge of defining and implementing the plan, which will group all of the carriers point-to-point activity.

MEXICO STARTS REGULATORY BODY OVERHAULREORGANISATION Mexico has started converting its civil aviation authority (DGAC) into a more autonomous and decentralised body. The government says all DGAC resources will be transferred to the new federal civil aviation agency.

IATA APPOINTS NEW SAFETY CHIEFOPERATIONS IATA has appointed Rodolfo Quevedo as its new direc-tor of safety. Quevedo will head up the associations safety and flight operations team in Montreal, taking responsibility for cabin safety, safety management systems and global aviation data management. Quevedo served as global programmes director for the Flight Safety Foundation and as safety director for North American Airlines.

BELL READIES LAFAYETTE PLANT FOR JET RANGER XROTORCRAFT Bell Helicopter has started construction of its new Lafayette, Louisiana production facility, which will house the final as-sembly line for its 505 Jet Ranger X. The 7,650m2, $26.3 million hangar will commence aircraft assembly in 2016. Bell has more than 200 purchase agreements for the light, single-engined 505, which should make its maiden flight in November this year.

DISASTERS WEIGH HEAVILY ON MASRESULTS Malaysia Airlines (MAS) almost doubled pre-tax losses to MYR303 million ($96 million), as revenue fell by 7% to MYR3.3 bil-lion in the three months to 30 June the first full quarter following the disappearance of flight MH370 on 8 March, en route to Beijing. MAS adds that the subsequent shooting down of flight MH17 over Ukraine on 17 July derailed its efforts just as sales were showing signs of recovery following MH370. MAS says average weekly book-ings fell by one-third in the wake of the MH17 crash, and the full im-pact of both losses will be felt over the second half of the year.

ESA NARROWS DOWN COMET LANDING SITESSPACEFLIGHT European Space Agency scientists have narrowed down the list of possible landing sites on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko to five, from 10. The comet is currently being closely tracked by its Rosetta spacecraft and lander, Philae. A landing on the comet nucleus is planned for November. Ten years after launch, Rosetta made the first-ever rendezvous with a comet in August, and will stay with the comet for about 18 months.

ALITALIA GROUNDS AIR ONEAIRLINES Alitalia will ground its low-cost short-haul subsidiary Air One this winter, with non-seasonal routes being taken over by the mainline unit. Alitalia stops short of saying the carrier is being closed, but adds: Some routes will go to Alitalia. The others are seasonal flights and would be closed for the winter anyway. We dont yet know what will happen in the summer [2015] season. Alitalia strongly rejects local media reports that Etihad demanded Air Ones closure as a condition of its recent 1.76 billion ($2.32 billion) investment in the Italian flag carrier.

BRIEFING EUROPES TOP 20 MOST-DELAYED AIRPORT PAIRSRank Departure airport Arrival airport Average delay per departure (min) Average delay per delayed departure 1 Lisbon Madeira 18.3 36.82 Lisbon London Heathrow 17.2 30.53 Rome Fiumicino London Heathrow 16.9 28.44 London Heathrow New York 15.8 27.65 New York London Heathrow 15.6 36.96 Malaga London Gatwick 15.5 33.57 Lisbon Porto 15.1 32.68 London Heathrow Lisbon 14.9 27.29 London Heathrow Madrid 14.4 23.910 London Heathrow Glasgow 14.3 27.511 London Heathrow Rome Fiumicino 13.5 24.112 Paris CDG Marseille 13.5 31.113 Geneva London Heathrow 13.1 29.914 Paris CDG London Heathrow 13.0 24.715 Glasgow London Heathrow 12.8 36.316 London Gatwick Malaga 12.5 24.117 Rome Fiumicino Catania 12.4 22.618 Rome Fiumicino Palermo 12.3 21.919 Madeira Lisbon 12.2 37.620 Paris CDG Dublin 12.2 24.3SOURCE: Eurocontrol

CONGESTION DAVID LEARMOUNT LONDON

Heathrow delays are getting worseEurocontrol data reveals UK hub second only to Lisbon for average late departures in 2013 and rate is not improving

THIS WEEK


NTSB boots UPS and union from crash inquiryTHIS WEEK P8

MILITARY ASSETS GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE

Singapore may have up to 40 F-15SGsDespite insisting its fleet is just 24-strong, evidence mounts that the nation-state may be operating far more Strike Eagles

EVALUATION

Airbus A400M aces tanker testingAn air-to-air refuelling test campaign using a Boeing F/A-18 Hornet has proven the capability of Airbus Defence & Spaces A400M transport aircraft to act as an in-flight refuelling tanker. The A400M performed 33 dry contacts over five flights. The transport also trans-ferred 18.6t of fuel to a Hornet during 35 wet contacts. The type has a basic fuel capacity of 50.8t, and in its standard configuration has refuelling provisions. However, this capacity can be increased using extra cargo hold tanks, so the aircraft can be used as a tanker.

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An ICAO taskforce formed fol-lowing the 17 July shoot down over Ukraine of Malaysia Airlines ight MH17 has deter-mined to nd better ways to share conict zone risk informa-tion via the notice to airmen sys-tem, and through establishing centralised procedures.

The task force on risk to civil aviation arising from conict zones will present its preliminary ndings at ICAOs council meet-ing in October, before meeting again in December.

We saw strong consensus around the two specic projects well be pursuing, and I am very

condent that well be submitting a mature and practical set of proposals to the ICAO council, says task force chairman David McMillan.

The dangers of ying over conict zones was brought into focus by the loss of the Boeing 777-200ER over eastern Ukraine, as the commercial ight was operating the Amsterdam-Kuala Lumpur route.

The aircraft is believed to have been hit by suspected separatist rebels armed with surface-to-air missiles. The intended target may have been Ukrainian military aircraft.

Evidence that Singapore has far more than the ofcially claimed 24 Boeing F-15SG ghter aircraft has emerged, although the precise number of airframes has yet to be ascertained.

The US Federal Aviation Ad-ministration registry shows eight F-15SG aircraft were registered to Boeing on 6 August 2014.

The aircraft bear registrations N361SG, N363SG, N366SG, N368SG, N373SG, N376SG, N378SG and N837SG.

Over the years some industry observers have come to share the belief that the true number of air-craft is probably 32, not 24 mainly owing to the range of reg-istration numbers on Singapore air force-registered F-15SGs.

MH17 MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE

Conflict zone task force to present initial findings

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The combat fighter is the most capable type in the region

Moreover, on a tour of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Sacheon factory in 2011, Flight International observed the for-ward fuselage assembly of an F-15 labelled SG28.

KAI is a key contractor in the F-15 programme.

Combined with aircraft sight-ings in recent years, it is feasible that the eight F-15SGs registered on 6 August push the size of Singapores eet of the combat ghter to 40 aircraft.

Both Singapore and Boeing maintain that the ofcial strength of Singapores F-15SG eet is 24 aircraft. However, at the recent Pitch Black exercises in Austral-ia, defence observers noted that some F-15SGs showed signs of registration numbers being paint-ed or taped over possibly a tactic to obfuscate the true size of the eet.

Further evidence is buried in the Federal Register from 17 April 2013, which indicates that Singa-pore may obtain additional exam-ples through the direct commer-cial sale route. The registry entry pertained to the acquisition of

additional Raytheon AIM-120C7 AMRAAM missiles, but refer-enced additional aircraft as well.

The Republic of Singapore re-quires these missiles to meet cur-rent and future threats of enemy aircraft, the entry states.

Singapore is procuring, via direct commercial sale, new F-15SG aircraft, it adds.

If Singapore has 40 F-15SGs, the countrys ghter eet num-bers about 126 aircraft.

Flight Internationals World Air Forces directory shows Sin-gapore also operates 60 Lockheed Martin F-16s and 26 Northrop Grumman F-5s. Seoul plans to

upgrade its F-16s, and replace the F-5s with the Lockheed Martin F-35. The government has indicated a preference for the short take-off vertical landing F-35B variant.

Singapores secrecy about its F-15SG eet could stem from the fact the type is the most effective combat aircraft in Southeast Asia.

Singapores F-15SGs are split between Singapore and the USAFs Mountain Home base in Idaho, where a training detach-ment is stationed.

At the Pitch Blackexercises, observers noted that F-15SGs showed signs of registration numbers being painted over

Follow more defence topics on our The DEW Line blog: ightglobal.com/dewline

THIS WEEK


David Learmount offers his succinct views on the complexities of aviation safety: ightglobal.com/Learmount

While Amazon is exploring the use of unmanned air ve-hicles to deliver parcels, Disney is hoping it can use the technolo-gy to spice up its theme park light shows.

The entertainment giant hopes to utilise UAVs with projection screens, through lifting payloads Disney calls oating pixels or ixels, and by ying with mari-onettes and puppets.

In a 21 August US patent ofce ling, Disney Enterprises says UAVs would improve choreogra-phy and allow for more repeated sequences and increased interac-tivity. The company also wants to exploit the mobility of UAV dis-plays, which could be easily transferred between its theme parks in California and Florida.

The introduction of UAVs at the parks would be subject to US Federal Aviation Administration airspace restrictions, which cur-rently do not allow UAVs to be own in controlled airspace. However, this is changing, and the FAA is mandated to open up air-space to commercial applications with UAVs by September 2015.

Since the process to open US airspace to unmanned aircraft of-cially began in 2012, many uses for UAVs have come to the fore including farming, Arctic research and parcel and food delivery.

The issue of the safety of UAVs traditionally a military technol-ogy in national airspace has been raised throughout the pro-cess, but Disney claims the safety of its displays is paramount. For this reason, UAVs may be re-quired to y over lagoons and playing elds, rather than over an audience, the applications state.

REPRIMAND JON HEMMERDINGER WASHINGTON DC

NTSB boots UPS and union from freighter crash inquiryBoard terminates airline and pilots associations involvement in probe after public spat

KC-390 engine bags FAA certificationPOWERPLANTS

The US National Transportation Safety Board has removed both UPS and the Independent Pilots Association (IPA) from its investigation into the August 2013 fatal crash of UPS ight 1354, after both organisations made public comments the board says under-mine its efforts.

In its 25 August letters to the IPA and UPS, the NTSB says dis-seminating information may re-ect bias and puts other parties at a disadvantage and makes them less willing to engage in the pro-cess, which can undercut the entire investigation.

Termination of UPS and the IPAs party status to the investi-gation followed a 13 August 2014 IPA press release declaring that cockpit voice recordings proved pilot fatigue played a role in the crash. The IPA also called for the elimination of a provision that exempts all-cargo airlines from pilot rest and operating rules.

International Aero Engines V2500-E5 powerplant for the developmental Embraer KC-390 tactical transport has been grant-ed US Federal Aviation Adminis-tration certication.

The entertainmentgiant hopes to utiliseUAVs by ying puppetsand marionettes

UNMANNED SYSTEMSBETH STEVENSON LONDON

Disney ponders flying UAVs at its theme parks

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The V2500-E5-powered type is on track for first flight by end-2014

The milestone is a key step to achieving the types rst ight by end-2014.

Embraer and the Brazilian air force launch customer for the KC-390 selected the V2500-E5

in 2011. The engine is rated at 31,300lb-thrust (139kN).

Unlike other military transport aircraft, the KC-390 will have no depot-level maintenance require-ments. Instead, its maintenance regime will be aligned to that of a civilian airliner, with a one-day A-check to take place every 600h, and more comprehensive C-checks due every 10 years. Achieving engine certication on schedule is a big win for the programme, says Jackson Schneider, president and chief executive of Embraer Defense & Security.

We have a high level of con-dence the engine will perform as reliably as its in-service counter-part, and we look forward to a successful rst ight.

UPSs response made in a posting on the aircargoworld website countered that the facts do not support changing rest rules for cargo crew members.

UPS ight 1354, an Airbus A300-600F, crashed on 14 August while on approach to Birming-ham-Shuttlesworth International airport, killing Capt Cerea Beal Jr and rst ofcer Shanda Fanning.

The NTSB says investigators found no evidence of mechanical malfunction on the aircraft, but the issue of fatigue was raised fol-lowing release of the cockpit voice

recorder transcript, on which the pilots discuss being tired.

UPS which accuses the IPA of distorting the facts for political gain, and says both pilots sched-ules would have met federal rest requirements has asked the NTSB to reconsider its decision.

The carrier told Flight Interna-tional it has been unfairly reprimanded for attempting to set the facts straight in line with NTSB rules.

It doesnt matter who started it, says the NTSB of the tussle. Neither action is acceptable.

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The companys MQ-4C Triton made its first flight in May 2013

Northrop Grumman has re-vealed it is in active dia-logue with two potential Euro-pean NATO customers for the companys family of high-alti-tude, long-endurance (HALE) un-manned air vehicles (UAVs).

The rm is already contracted to deliver ve RQ-4 Global Hawks to NATO under the Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme, and is now in discussions with the UK and Norway to help shape their re-quirements for a high-altitude surveillance system.

Fifteen nations are currently involved in the AGS develop-ment, although all 28 NATO members will benet from the use of the ve systems based out of Sigonella air force base in Sicily when required.

As a result, they will be ex-posed to the surveillance plat-form and the potential it has to meet sovereign requirements. Flight testing will begin next year while initial operational capabil-ity for AGS is expected in 2017.

This is not going to suit every nation, says Andrew Tyler, chief executive of Northrop Grumman UK and Europe. But I see NATO AGS as a stepping stone for a lot of them.

Tyler says there are no ofcial programmes of record for HALE UAVs in the UK or Norway. However, the nations relatively healthy defence budgets and the scope of land they have to moni-tor makes having this capability appealing. In addition, both na-tions were exposed to the system when a Global Hawk ew during NATOs Unied Vision exercise in Norway in May, during which the aircraft ew in UK airspace.

In our estimations [both na-tions] have a latent requirement for [HALE UAVs], Tyler says.

The UK has a maritime patrol capability gap following the re-tirement of its BAE Systems Nim-rod MRA4 programme in 2011. It is expected London will commit to the acquisition of a new capa-bility of some sort through its next Strategic Defence and Secu-rity Review, which concludes in May 2015. It is assumed the UK would like to utilise Boeings P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol air-craft, but it may balk at the cost.

Another option would be a mix of P-8s and the MQ-4C Triton a maritime UAV derived from the Global Hawk a low- and high-al-titude combination selected by both the US Navy and Australia. See News Focus P19

UNMANNED BETH STEVENSON LONDON

Northrop pitching UAVs to NATO pairAirframer courts UK and Norway with family of high-altitude long-endurance aircraft, after spotting latent requirement

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COVER STORYDavid Learmount offers his succinct views on the complexities of aviation safety: ightglobal.com/Learmount

As in 2010, an Icelandic volcano is threatening European airspace but now the authorities have a plan to avoid chaos

Can we get around the ash?SAFETY DAVID LEARMOUNT LONDON

When atmospheric volcanic ash from an eruption in Ice-land drifted over Europe in April 2010, Europes aviation system was caught like a rabbit in the headlamps.

EASA in particular simply froze, realising it had no exper-tise, no advice and no procedures for airlines to follow.

Admittedly, extensive ash in European airspace was a rst in the continents modern aviation history. But if volcanic ash drifts into European airspace again, EASA has no intention of being unprepared.

The agency has issued an infor-mation bulletin to all operators re-minding them of the systems and procedures devised since the 2010 ash event, with the intention of avoiding the paralysis that afict-ed almost all ying in European airspace for an entire week.

Today, atmospheric ash clouds can be better tracked and identi-ed, and the risks to aircraft asso-ciated with ash of varying con-centrations are better understood by both authorities and airlines.

Also, a special unit the Euro-pean Aviation Crisis Co-ordina-tion Cell (EACCC) was set up following the 2010 event.

The unit maintains an integrat-ed system for communicating ash data and advisories to air naviga-tion service providers (ANSP) and operators. Once the data and risk assessment has been sup-plied to the airlines, the y/no y decision rests with them, not with the authorities. The EACCC carries out regular exercises an-nually the last was in April.

These measures should all help overcome the major factors in 2010s systemic paralysis a result of ANSPs reacting nation-ally, while the ash cloud was hardly going to respect borders.

Now, however, not only are ANSPs and aviation authorities linked to the EACCC, but they all

have access to real-time ash cloud information and decision guidance. This is offered via Eu-rocontrols network operations portal, which includes a web tool dubbed EVITA European crisis visualisation interactive tool for air trafc ow control. ANSPs can use all these tools to best plan use of their airspace as a part of the whole European system.

CRITICALThe EACCC is critical to the suc-cess of the whole operation, and gets its authority and control from Eurocontrols Network Manager, under EU rules adopted following the 2010 incident.

The Network Manager is a version of the operation that used to be known as the Central Flow Management Unit.

EASA is also a permanent member of the EACCC team. As a result, the EACCC has the direct authority of the EU, which is im-portant when it demands co-op-eration from national ANSPs and aviation authorities a task

normally comparable with herd-ing cats. Indeed, in April 2010 in the absence of leadership from EASA and Eurocontrol, which simply had not foreseen such an event the member states avia-tion agencies reverted to looking after their own backyards, and there was a total lack of network co-operation.

Since then, EASA has also de-veloped detailed advice about operations in atmospheric vol-canic ash that was absent in 2010.

The simple answer is to avoid visible ash, and to be guided by an ash-risk zoning system that will be published by volcanic ash advisory centres in London and Toulouse.

EASA advises operators to avoid operations in visible vol-canic ash or in cloud or at night avoid operations where ash is forecast to be present.

The agency also says the fore-casted presence of volcanic ash should be presented graphically in the form of a zoning system, that depicts areas of low, medium and high concentrations in three altitude bands. The EACCC will do this using information from the advisory centres.

States are also asked not to close their airspace just because ash is forecast to be present in it although they may close airspace close to an active volcano. Air-lines are deemed fully responsible for what they do with the informa-tion provided. It is advisory, not compulsory but if they ignore it and things go wrong, they will not be well placed.

EASA recommends that an op-erator should only enter areas with medium or high forecast ash contamination if they have es-tablished a volcanic ash safety

Keili

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The Eyjafjallajkull eruption in 2010 paralysed almost all flying in European airspace for a week

Today, the risks toaircraft associatedwith ash of varying concentrations are better understood

NEWS FOCUS


GE designs leaner fan blades on GE9XAIR TRANSPORT P12

Clarifying the magnitude of Icelandic eruption risk is a tricky issue. Even volcanologists admit their helplessness although Iceland continuously monitors seismic activity in real time, given a certain level of activity it can take anything from 10s to several decades before the Earths crust fractures and millions of tonnes of magma, ash and gas are blast-ed into the skies.

Reacting to the recent increase in seismic activity beneath Iceland, on 21 August Eurocontrol raised the volcanic ash alert sta-tus for European airspace to or-ange defined as heightened or escalating seismic unrest with increased potential of eruption.

EASA also issued a safety in-formation bulletin detailing the administrative arrangements, communications channels, guid-ance and regulations applicable to managing an ash event in European airspace. Theoretically, everyone airlines, air navigation service providers (ANSP) and na-tional aviation authorities should already know these things, but the bulletin was sent out any-way as a reminder.

In 2010 it was Eyjafjallajkull that exploded but when it did, Icelandic volcanologists had been predicting the nearby volcano Katla would erupt. Katla was then and remains today overdue for an eruption, according to the

historic timetable of its activity. When it does erupt, volcanolo-gists predict, the event will dwarf the Eyjafjallajkull blast.

Right now, however, activity is taking place beneath the Brarbunga volcano and the Dyngjujkull glacier, in different parts of Iceland but it may not break ground there.

INTENSITYIceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which marks the fault line between two plates of the Earths crust the North American and Eurasian plates. These are mov-ing apart at a rate of a few centi-metres a year, and sub-crust seismic activity in Iceland is al-

most continuous, although the intensity varies.The Icelandic Metorological Office first put out warnings of extensive seismic activity beneath Brarbunga on 16 August.

When an eruption occurs, a variety of factors influence how much impact the event has on commercial air transport. These include the quantity of ash eject-ed into the atmosphere and the type of ash particles. If the parti-cles are heavy they fall to earth quickly if fine, they stay airborne longer and travel further.

Both types damage aircraft, but Icelandic ash especially if the eruption takes place sub- glacially tends to be fine.

Predicting the next Big One in Iceland

risk assessment [VA SRA] for such operations. This means air-lines must obtain damage resist-ance information from the air-frame and engine manufacturer which may be reluctant to pro-vide it. In addition, for European operators, a VA SRA should be developed and agreed with the re-spective [national aviation author-ity], in accordance with the guid-ance provided.

Non-European operators, EASA says, should establish their VA SRA in accordance with ICAO Document 9974, Risk man-agement of ight operations with known or forecast volcanic ash contamination.

EASA says it will compile a list of operators known to have developed an acceptable VA SRA in association with their national aviation authority.

LAST RESORTKeeping the 2010 event in mind, EASA adds: Airspace closure should be an action of last resort, contemplated only in situations in which the VA SRA approach can no longer be relied upon to secure safe operations.

Operators will naturally want to know the reliability of the ash distribution forecasts from vol-canic ash advisory centres, which are based on computer models of

known eruption output and the winds that distribute the ash at various levels.

Measurements can be taken by aircraft equipped with special sensors to validate the models. These are often piston-powered aircraft, which have a much lower vulnerability to ash dam-age than turbine engines.

Meanwhile, horizontal ash drift can also be tracked by satel-lite under certain conditions.

Since the Eyjafjallajkull erup-tion in 2010, the UK has equipped a special aircraft to back up the Dornier 228 it previously used for atmospheric measurements. This aircraft the Met Ofce civil con-tingencies aircraft (MOCCA) is a

Cessna 421C. A high-performance piston twin, the aircraft bristles with external sensors and internal computing power.

Several European countries also have research aircraft simi-larly equipped, and these will be capable of gathering data about the nature and behaviour of the ash clouds both for tactical op-erational use and to extend scien-tic knowledge of the phenome-non. The ash distribution models published by volcanic ash advi-sory centres following the Eyjafjallajkull eruption were found to be remarkably accurate in lateral distribution, but the height of ash cloud layers was more difcult to predict.

However, if clouds can be seen as a pilot can see storm clouds on weather radar aircraft could y not only around them, but also above or below them.

Even before 2010, Dr Fred Prata of the Norwegian Institute of Air Research was studying systems for tracking and detect-ing atmospheric volcanic ash.

Since then, working with EasyJet and Airbus, this research has resulted in an airborne ash detection system dubbed AVOID airborne volcanic object identi-cation and detection.

Basically a smart infrared de-tector, an AVOID prototype has been validated in airborne trials with real volcanic ash, and a company called Nicarnica Avia-tion has been set up to market it.

Nicarnica has linked up with Israeli manufacturer Elbit Sys-tems to put AVOID into produc-tion, and EasyJet hopes to be able to t it to some of its eet next year. In the early models, EasyJet says its pilots will see the ash pic-ture on the displays of their class 2 tablet electronic ightbags, but Airbus says it would ultimately like to be able to integrate the vis-ual information into its main avi-onic display.

The need for systems like AVOID is beginning to look in-creasingly urgent.

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The UKs Cessna 421C-derived MOCCA bristles with sensors

AIR TRANSPORT


Catch up with our 2013 commercial engines special at ightglobal.com/engines

General Electric has rede-signed the engines that will power the Boeing 777X to have thinner and stronger blades than any GE engine in service, and to power the aircraft more efcient-ly with fewer of them.

GE has designed advanced car-bonbre composite fan blades for its GE9X engine, which will power the 777X. The type is scheduled to begin production in 2017 and had by July secured 300 orders and commitments from six customers.

The engine component rede-sign comprises carbonbre and improved epoxy resin fan blades. The blades leading-edge material will also be made from a steel alloy, rather than titanium to in-crease strength.

It has been a decade since GE designed a new composite fan blade for the GEnx engine, says Bill Millhaem, general manager of GE90/GE9X engine programmes. Carbonbre composite material has advanced in those 10 years, and the advancements enable GE engineers to design a thinner GE9X blade, which is just as

PROPULSION DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC

GE designs leaner fan blades on GE9XEngine manufacturer says powerplant for Boeing 777X will benefit from advances in carbonfibre materials over 10 years

Japan Airlines (JAL) has placed a rm order for 15 Embraer E-Jets and inked a letter of intent with Mitsubishi Aircraft for 32 MRJ regional jets.

Its Embraer order comprises both the E170 E1 and E190 E1 variants, with options for an ad-ditional 12 of the aircraft. The jets are scheduled to be delivered from 2015.

JAL put out a statement on the Embraer order on its website, at the same time as it held a joint press conference with Mitsubishi for the MRJs.

Mitsubishi has long been try-ing to woo the countrys ag car-

rier, which has been cool towards the MRJ, despite the fact that its rival All Nippon Airways signed in 2008 for 15 of the regional jets with options for 10. JAL had pre-viously said that it is not keen to add a new aircraft type to its eet and that the E-Jets especially the re-engined variants could be the solution for the airline.

The Oneworld carrier has 15 E170s, all operated by its subsidi-ary J-AIR. It also ies nine Bom-bardier CRJ200s.

Mitsubishi has accumulated 171 rm orders for the MRJ and set a second-quarter 2015 rst-ight target.

DELIVERIES

Qatar A350 shows its true coloursQatar Airways first Airbus A350-900 has broken cover with its full livery, although the aircraft has yet to have its powerplants installed. The Doha-based airline will be the initial recipient of the A350 when it takes delivery of the jet by the end of the year. The aircraft sports the carriers distinctive grey and maroon livery but its Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines are absent. Qatar Airways has 80 A350s on or-der. The airline is also preparing to take delivery of its first A380.

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sORDERS MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE

MRJ in breakthrough as JAL also opts for E-Jets

Boei

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GE9X will power new widebody and is due for certification in 2018

strong as our current composite fan blades. Fewer, thinner blades will enhance the airow and make for a lighter, more efcient fan that will help with the GE9X engines overall performance and fuel burn, he adds.

Company engineers last year successfully tested full-sized modied blades on the GEnx, which along with the GE90-94B and GE90-11B are precursors to

the GE9X blades. The new materi-als will be tested on the GE9X blades in 2015, GE says. IHI, Snec-ma and Techspace Aero and MTU Aero Engines have also joined the effort to develop the GE9X.

Plans are to spend $300 mil-lion in 2014 on development of the GE9X, including universal propulsion simulator fan testing. The engines new ceramic com-posite combustor and turbine

designed to withstand the ex-treme heat of heavily pressurised air within the engines core will also undergo testing this year.

The GE9X will feature a 3.38m (133in) composite fan case housing

16 blades, a 27:1 pressure ratio, 11-stage compressor and a third-gen-eration twin annular pre-swirl combustor (TAPS) for greater ef-ciency and low emissions, GE says.

The rst full core test is sched-uled for 2015. The rst engine will be tested in 2016 with ight testing on the engine manufac-turers ying test bed anticipated in 2017. Engine certication is scheduled for 2018.

Fewer, thinnerblades will enhancethe airow and makefor a lighter, moreefcient fanBILL MILLHAEM General manager, GE90/GE9X programmes, General Electric

AIR TRANSPORT

flightglobal.com

Neo offers real benefit for HawaiianAIR TRANSPORT P14

2-8 September 2014 | Flight International | 13

Comacs C919 narrowbody continues to make progress with the mid fuselage of the rst aircraft coming off AVIC Xian Aircraft Industrys production line, as the airframer works to-wards nal assembly of the nar-rowbody by the end of 2014.

The successful roll-out of the mid fuselage is an important achievement of the whole fuselage work package, and at this point, the C919 aircraft has taken a solid step towards structure roll-off, says the Chinese manufacturer.

Following a delivery ceremo-ny, the part will be delivered to Comacs Shanghai facility in Sep-tember. The airframer took deliv-ery of the C919s rst forward fu-selage section on 24 August. This part, manufactured by Jiangxi Hongdu Aviation Industry, is the rst major C919 structure to be delivered to Comac.

In July, the nose section of the rst C919 aircraft also rolled out of AVIC CAC Commercial Air-crafts facility. The 6.7m (22ft)long section is expected to be de-livered to Comac in September.

The Chinese airframer is work-ing towards an end 2015 rst ight target for the C919.

Meanwhile, Xian Aircrafts

Rex

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AVIC CAC Commercial Aircraft delivered the nose section in July

MA60 has been given an export boost with type certication from Bolivias general directorate of civil aviation (DGCA), clearing the way for the Chinese-made turboprop to start operating in the country.

The MA60 has in the past year received type certication from Eritrea, Cameroon, Nepal and Tonga. The latest approval from Bolivia opens up further opportu-nities for the type in the interna-tional market, says AVIC Xian Aircraft Industry.

It adds that the DGCA had sent

a team to China in July to con-duct an on-site review of the MA60. In May, Bolivia signed an order for four MA60s, marking the types rst international sale for the year.

Flightglobals Ascend Fleets database shows that state-owned carrier Boliviana de Aviacin has four MA60s on order, while the Bolivian Air Force has an addi-tional two of the type on order.

The MA60 and its newer sta-blemate, the MA600, have mostly been sold to airline customers in developing countries.

Russian airframer Irkut has secured government backing for a crucial borrowing scheme to nance development of the MC-21 twinjet.

In 2011, Sberbank opened a 10-year, $1 billion line of credit to cover 30-40% of funding required for the production programme.

A directive signed by Russian prime minister Dmitry Medve-dev authorises the national treasury to extend state guaran-tees to Sberbank to ensure repay-ment of $400 million from that facility and allocate necessary funds in the federal budget.

Irkut says it is progressing with assembly of several MC-21 static and ight-test aircraft at its plant in Irkutsk, aiming to roll out the rst example next year. The types development programme involves investment of $3.95 bil-lion in total.

PRODUCTION TOM ZAITSEV MOSCOW

Irkut wins state guarantees for MC-21 financing

Bombardier has delivered its rst 86-seat Dash 8 Q400 air-craft to launch customer Nok Air.

Nok has said that its new Q400s will replace two ATR 72s in the airlines eet and allow it to grow its network domestically and on regional routes.

Chief executive Patee Sarasin has previously said Nok Air switched from ATR to Bombar-dier because of the Q400s higher

TURBOPROPS MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE

Nok Air takes delivery of first high-capacity Q400

Bom

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New arrivals will allow Thai low-cost carrier to grow its network

PROGRAMME MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE

C919 edges to assembly as mid fuselage rolls off lineChinese airframer lauds key milestone on path to completion of first example by year end

capacity and speed. Bombardier is seeking to pitch

its high-density Q400 as the ready answer to market demand for a larger turboprop.

The latest aircraft is part of the Thai low-cost carriers order in November 2013 for up to eight Q400 turboprops. Nok now has rm orders for six Q400s, with purchase rights for two addition-al aircraft.

A directiveauthorises thenational treasury toextend guaranteesto Sberbank

AIR TRANSPORT


For up-to-the-minute air transport news, network and fleet information sign up at: ightglobal.com/dashboard

Researchers looking to increase medium-haul aircraft ef-ciency favour an advanced turbo-prop over box-wing concepts.

In co-operation with Airbus, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences embarked on a study to explore a possible successor to the A320, as part of a project known as Airport 2030.

Singapore-headquartered BOC Aviation has boosted pros-pects for Boeings 737 Max with an order for 80 737s 50 of which are for the re-engined variant.

The aircraft will be delivered between 2016 and 2021.

The lessor also ordered two additional 777-300ERs, which have already been placed with an existing customer.

Prior to the latest order, Flight-globals Ascend Online database shows BOC as having 253 aircraft in service and 132 on backlog.

The company is a subsidiary of the Bank of China.

ORDER ELLIS TAYLOR SINGAPORE

New boost for Max as BOC buys 80 737s

Study backs smart turboprop designRESEARCH DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

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The project aims to explore a possible successor to the A320

As well as an optimised con-ventional jet conguration, the study examines various box-wing designs, as well as the option of a turboprop. The team aims to con-sider high-efciency aircraft de-signs which would avoid chang-ing ground infrastructure.

The project involves studying families of single- and twin-aisle

box-winged aircraft of 126-218 seats. However, while box-wing concepts offer a reduction in drag, this economic advantage is countered by the increased weight of the wing.

The direct operating costs of box-wing models are calculated to be some 20% higher than those of the A320.

However, the smart turbo-prop designs economics prove more promising, the study says, with a 17% lower operating cost and a 36% cut in fuel burn.

This is based on a twin-en-gined aircraft with a high wing braced by struts, and a T-tail con-guration featuring technologies including laminar ow.

FLEET STRATEGY EDWARD RUSSELL LAS VEGAS

Neo offers real benet for HawaiianUS airline explains reasons behind decision to opt for re-engined A330 in place of A350-800 or other widebody types

Hawaiian Airlines which helped seal the fate of the Airbus A350-800 by switching al-legiance to the new A330-800neo at Julys Farnborough air show has further explained the ration-ale behind its decision.

The lower operating costs of the re-engined A330 will deliver real benet over the next generation of Airbus and Boeing widebodies, according to the carriers chief commercial ofcer Peter Ingram.

For a smaller capital cost in-crement than the [Airbus] A350 or the [Boeing] 787, you get a good size chunk of operating ef-ciencies in terms of fuel costs, primarily, and engine costs to a lesser extent, Ingram said on the sidelines of the Boyd Group In-ternational Aviation Summit in Las Vegas.

Hawaiian committed to six rm A330-800neos and six purchase rights for the aircraft when Airbus launched the type at the air show, replacing its order for up to 12 A350-800s.

At the time, the carriers chief executive Mark Dunkerley cited the A330neos fuel efciency, ad-

Airb

us

Commonality with the carriers current fleet of A330-200s was also a factor in the decision

ditional range and commonality with its existing eet of A330-200s for its decision to order the type.

Compared to the current gener-ation aircraft, the A330-800neo will be able to y 400nm (740km) further, with a range of 7,450nm, and will burn about 14% less fuel per seat using Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines.

Ingram says it is too early to know the specics of how much of Asia the additional range will open up for Hawaiian. However, he adds that the range benets could increase when the aircraft design is nalised in 2015.

Airbus plans to deliver the rst A330-800neo in early 2018, with Hawaiian taking its rst aircraft

in 2019. Hawaiians conversion to the A330neo leaves Airbus with just 28 rm orders for the A350-800. The airframer is wide-ly expected to cancel the pro-gramme in favour of the larger A350-900 and -1000.

Get the latest information on fleet movements and purchases at ightglobal.com/ascend

AIR TRANSPORT

flightglobal.com

US Navy signs off on initial Australian P-8A acquisitionDEFENCE P16


TOP 10 FLEETS MAINLINE AIRCRAFT

In-service eetManufacturer and aircraft family 2014 2013 Change

Airbus A320 family 5,632 5,180 8.7%Boeing 737-600/700/800/900 4,693 4,265 10.0%Boeing 777 1,188 1,095 8.5%Boeing 737-200/300/400/500 1,089 1,164 -6.4%Airbus A330 1,020 927 10.0%Boeing 757 812 849 -4.4%Boeing 767 795 818 -2.8%Boeing 717/MD-80/MD-90/DC-9 744 776 -4.1%Boeing 747 585 623 -6.1%Airbus A340 266 298 -10.7%SOURCE: Ascend Fleets. Data for 24 July 2014 vs 24 July 2013

Correction In our World Airliner Census, published last week, figures for the Boeing 737NG in the Top 10 Fleets table were incorrect. We are happy to print a correct listing.

AIRLINE FINANCES

Slump leads Aeroflot to ponder delivery deferralRussian ag carrier Aeroot has indicated it may seek to defer some aircraft deliveries due to weakening passenger demand.

Flightglobals Ascend Online database shows the airline has a total of 188 aircraft 150 narrow-bodies and 38 widebodies on order from foreign and domestic manufacturers.

However, general manager Vit-aly Saveliev says Aeroot may have to review delivery sched-ules because of a slowdown in trafc growth. I saw a similar fall in demand for travel in 2009, he told an international forum in

Russia. The airline plans to de-crease capacity by deferring some deliveries until a bit later. De-clining to elaborate, Saveliev stresses the airline is only consid-ering this option.

Were waiting for our third-quarter operational results, he says. If the slump continues, well make a denitive decision.

Aeroots on-order narrowbod-ies comprise 50 Irkut MC-21s, 46 Boeing 737s, 20 Sukhoi Superjets and 14 Airbus A320-family jets.

For its widebody eet, the airline has ordered 26 787s and 22 A350s.

An upbeat forecast for Airbuss A380 has been presented by a leading aviation consultancy, which says demand for the super-jumbo has not yet peaked.

Speaking at its International Aviation Forecast Summit in Las Vegas, Boyd Group International chief executive Michael Boyd sug-gested airport congestion could boost the case for the 550-seater. Airbus has taken just 318 orders and delivered 138 A380s since the type entered service with Singa-pore Airlines in 2007.

Boyd cited the Bombardier CRJ and Dash 8 Q400 as other types that struggled before gaining market acceptance.

However, despite this opti-mism, one of Airbuss target air-lines for the type Oneworld carrier Cathay Pacic has reiter-ated it has no intention to change its stance on the A380.

Operating ve 777s a day is better than two A380s, said Ca-thays vice-president of sales and marketing for the Americas Eric Odone, speaking at the same con-ference. He says operating more 777 ights offers customers better exibility in ight scheduling. Ca-thay studied the A380, but chose to order the A350 instead. It also holds orders for Boeings 777X.

Meanwhile, a top nancier has played down fears that the indus-try is facing an over-ordering bub-ble. DVB believes Airbus and Boe-

ing are well equipped to deal with the potential oversupply of air-craft resulting from signicant orderbooks from certain airlines.

In aviation we still have Air-bus and Boeing providing approx-imately 95% of the total capacity. Even if those two manufacturers are ghting head-to-head, they ul-timately show rational behav-iour, says DVB member of the board Bertrand Grabowski. In a duopoly nobody makes any big mistakes, he says.

While the ratio of backlog to number of aircraft in operation 45% has never been so high, he argues, orders for delivery be-yond three years are only worth the paper it was signed on. What matters, he adds, is the number of aircraft that will be ready for de-livery within the next 36 months. Beyond that period, the contract is just a free option offered to the airline or lessor, he says.

Grabowski argues that Boeing and Airbus have adopted dy-namic orderbook management to ensure all aircraft ordered can be delivered and nanced.

Whether or not the ultimate recipient is identical to the initial contracting party is of little im-portance for the manufacturers, he says. Both manufacturers are screening the nature of the order-books, and are well prepared and equipped to effectively react to stress in the market.

OUTLOOK GHIM-LAY YEO LAS VEGAS LAURA MUELLER LONDON

A380 sales have not reached peakConsultancy upbeat on superjumbos prospects, while finance house plays down fears of airliner order bubble

Airbus has taken 318 A380 orders and delivered 138

Airb

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FLEET

American to receive rst 787-8The chief operating ofcer of American Airlines, Robert Isom, has conrmed that the air-line expects to receive its rst Boeing 787-8 in November.

The aircraft is one of two that the Fort Worth, Texas-based car-rier plans to take delivery of this year, and the rst of a rm order for 42 787-8s and -9s. Entry-into-service is unlikely before 2015, said Isom at the Boyd Group International Aviation Summit in Las Vegas on 26 August.

American will operate the 787 on domestic routes initially be-

fore shifting the ying to interna-tional routes following a brief breaking in period.

You need to spend some time with a new aircraft type ying it around until you can actually do an international route, said Doug Parker, chairman and chief executive of American, in an in-terview with Flightglobal in July. You need more than one air-plane to y international routes.

Isom declined to provide any additional details on the 787 entry-into-service or what routes it could y.

DEFENCE


To get more defence sector coverage, subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter:ightglobal.com/defencenewsletter

The US Air Force and Raytheon have successfully tested an up-graded anti-radar missile designed to accurately destroy enemy air defence early-warning systems.

In the 22 August test, a USAF Lockheed Martin F-16 red an AGM-88 HARM (high-speed anti-radiation missile), which scored a direct hit on a specic radar emit-ter outside a zone of exclusion that included a decoy emitter.

The AGM-88 is designed to locate and destroy surface-to-air missile radars, early-warning radars and radar-directed air defence artillery systems, to allow safe battleeld overight of conict zones by US and allied aircraft. The missile identies and homes in on electronic transmissions emitted by radar installations.

More than 4,000 HARMs have been red in combat by the eight nations that operate the advanced munition.

Improvements to the missile in the recent test include a HARM control section modication (HCSM) that increases accuracy and precision, reducing collateral damage, Raytheon says.

The missile is also specially designed to destroy modern sur-face-to-air missile installations, and to resist jamming and other counter-HARM systems.

According to Raytheon which manufactures HARMs under a 2012 contract with the air force, and is currently at full-rate production more testing is needed to determine if the HCSM is ready for deployment.

EVALUATION DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC

Improved HARM bang on target in weapons test

More than 4,000HARMs have been red in combat by the eight nations that operate the advanced munition

CONTRACT BETH STEVENSON LONDON

US Navy signs off on initial Australian P-8A acquisitionCanberra lauds agreement after service inks contract for first four of up to 12 Poseidons

An advanced acquisition con-tract for the rst four of up to 12 Boeing P-8A Poseidon mari-time patrol aircraft to be pur-chased by Australia has been agreed with the US Navy, and de-liveries are expected from 2017.

The Australian government ap-proved the A$4 billion ($3.7 bil-lion) acquisition of eight of the 737-derived aircraft plus options for four more in February. This allowed Boeing to place lead time orders for the rst four aircraft. The jets are being purchased from the US government under the For-eign Military Sales programme.

The P-8As will replace the Royal Australian Air Forces eet of Lockheed Martin AP-3C Orions, and a decision on the four options is expected after a government White Paper is re-leased in 2015.

All eight agreed aircraft are ex-pected to be delivered by 2018, and to be fully operational by 2021. Canberra is following the

Israel Aerospace Industries is of-fering a converted Boeing 767 in-ight refuelling tanker tted with a new y-by-wire boom for a Polish air force requirement.

Warsaw operates a eet of 48 Lockheed Martin F-16C/Ds, and needs a boom-equipped tanker to full its obligations to NATO. Currently, Poland relies on Boeing

US

Nav

y

The maritime patrol type was on display at Farnborough air show

Isra

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eros

pace

Indu

strie

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The aircraft is adapted from a pre-owned 767 passenger airliner

IAI offers converted tanker for PolandREQUIREMENT ARIE EGOZI TEL AVIV

C-17s operated by the NATO Stra-tegic Airlift Capability consortium to meet its aerial refuelling needs.

IAIs offer includes a version of the tanker with a probe and drogue system that is also com-patible with the air forces com-bined inventory of 67 Russian-built RAC MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-22 ghters.

IAI is offering the latest version of the tanker in co-operation with Polish defence contractor PGZ.

The Israeli rm recently per-formed successful test ights on a converted 767-300ER equipped with the new y-by-wire boom.

Based on a conversion of pre-owned 767 passenger aircraft, IAI claims the type offers a lower life-cycle cost than a bespoke tanker.

As part of the enhancement process, IAI replaces or upgrades key parts, including the aerostruc-ture, wiring and other systems.

New engines, avionics in-cluding a state-of-the-art glass cockpit and self-protection sys-tems can also be offered, tailored to the customers specic require-ments, IAI adds.

USNs example in its maritime patrol acquisitions, as it has pledged to acquire a mixture of the manned P-8A alongside the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Tri-ton unmanned air vehicle (UAV).

Together with high-altitude [UAVs], these aircraft will replace the Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orions that have served Australia so well for over four decades, the nations defence minister David Johnston says.

Negotiations between Boeing and the US government to inte-

grate the AGM-84 Harpoon Block 1G anti-ship missile with Austral-ias P-8As began in July. A Penta-gon notication says work on the Harpoon mainly relates to inte-grating the weapon with the air-crafts combat system software.

The navy, meanwhile, took de-livery of its 15th Poseidon on 31 July, which is now being used to train navy crews in the lead up to deployment. Boeing is currently on contract to build and support 53 P-8As for the navy, of the total 117 it plans to acquire.

DEFENCE


The changing threat for NATONEWS FOCUS P19

The US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) has notied Congress of its approval of a potential $2 billion mission system upgrade sale for the King-dom of Saudi Arabias airborne warning and control system (AWACS) eet.

The proposal for the upgrade was delivered on 12 August to Congress, which will now decide whether or not to authorise the sale. The modications to the Royal Saudi Air Forces ve-strong Boeing 707-derived E-3A Sentry eet would be provided as a Foreign Military Sale.

Saudi Arabia has requested ve Block 40/45 mission comput-ing upgrade systems and 20 UPX-40 next-generation identi-cation friend-or-foe (IFF) systems.

Communication equipment, a mission planning system and spares would also be provided, as well as US government and

Boeing logistics and technical support services.

Saudi Arabia has operated its AWACS eet since the mid-1980s. During that time the eet has received several upgrades, including radar and Link 16 data-link modications.

The proposed mission com-puting upgrades are a continua-tion of efforts to maintain inter-operability with US and coalition forces, the DSCA says.

The modernisation effort would extend the life of the air-craft for the foreseeable future, while expanding the operational scope of the eet, including the ability to identify friendly aircraft earlier with the next-generation IFF system.

This proposed upgrade fol-lows an 8 August announcement that Boeing has been contracted to provide a $250 million ightdeck upgrade to NATOs AWACS eet.

Engineering, manufacturing and development work for the upgrade had been carried out on one NATO aircraft at the time of the contract award, and ight testing with the modications is due to commence in the fourth quarter of this year.

The asset is to be returned to use in December 2015.

PROPOSAL BETH STEVENSON LONDON

Saudi Sentry eet awaiting upgradeCongress to debate approving $2bn contract to enhance Kingdoms E-3A AWACS aircraft mission system package

Boei

ng

The modifications would be provided as a Foreign Military Sale

The proposed missioncomputing upgradesare a continuation of efforts to maintaininteroperability with US forces

TRAINERS GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE

First RNZAF Texans flown in from WichitaBeechcraft Defence Systems has own two T-6C Texan II aircraft from Wichita, Kansas to New Zealand, ahead of entry into service with the Royal New Zea-land Air Force (RNZAF).

The pair arrived at RNZAF Ohakea on 22 August, as the rst tranche of Wellingtons NZ$154 million ($129 million) order of 11 T-6Cs, placed in January.

The aircraft will be formerly handed over on 31 October, after RNZAF personnel undergo main-tenance and pilot training in the USA. The T-6s meet a require-

ment New Zealand has for an intermediate trainer with a glass cockpit.

The aircraft will take students from the Pacic Aerospace CT-4E Airtrainer to the Lockheed Mar-tin P-3K2 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, Boeing 757 and upgrad-ed Lockheed C-130H transports, plus the AgustaWestland AW109, NH Industries NH90 and future Kaman SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite helicopters.

The order includes CAE ight simulators, classroom and com-puter-based training.

Beec

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ft

The T-6 is an intermediate trainer with glass cockpit

ACQUISITIONS ATUL CHANDRA BENGALURU

HAL to deliver Afghan CheetalsIndian state-owned airframer Hindustan Aeronautics is to de-liver three Cheetal light helicop-ters to Afghanistans air force next month.

The unarmed helicopters will be transferred via commercial cargo plane to Kabul airport, from the companys Bengaluru-based helicopter division.

The Cheetal is a re-engined variant of the Cheetah a licence-produced version of the Arospa-tiale Alouette II-based SA-315.

HAL

The type can reach 23,000ft

The Cheetal is powered by a Turbomeca TM 333 2M2 tur-boshaft, which generates 1,100shp (820kW). This is double the 550shp generated by the Ar-touste III B that originally pow-ered the Chetak HALs licence-produced version of the Alouette III, or SA-316.

The Indian air force last year received its last Cheetal from a 10-strong order placed in 2006.

The Indian army placed an order for 20 of the type in Febru-ary 2013, with deliveries expect-ed to be complete by 2017.

HAL says it has manufactured more than 347 Chetak and 275 Cheetah helicopters since licence production rst began in Bengaluru 45 years ago more than the light helicopters origi-nal manufacturer.

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One result of the Chicago sum-mit in 2012 was the signing of a contract for ve Northrop Grum-man Global Hawk Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) sys-tems. Fifteen nations are current-ly involved in the unmanned AGS development, although all 28 NATO members will benet from the use of the ve systems based out of Sigonella air force base in Sicily when required. Flight testing will begin next year, with initial operational ca-pability is expected in 2017.

Whether new aircraft orders will be made during the Newport summit remains to be seen, but the role of aircraft in support of NATOs ability to react to interna-tional crises is paramount. This was demonstrated in April, when a eet of aircraft from the alli-ances nations was part of NATOs Baltic air policing mission over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The deployment was bolstered by a variety of types, supporting Polands four-month quick reac-tion response to rising tensions in Russia and Ukraine. This includ-ed four UK Royal Air Force Eu-


CitationAir to cease flight operationsBUSINESS AVIATION P21

NEWS FOCUS

World leaders gathering in Wales must respond to a very different global security environment since last meeting in 2012

The changing threat for NATO SUMMIT BETH STEVENSON LONDON

World leaders are ocking to Newport this week, as the Welsh town plays host to a NATO summit on 4-5 September and the event is shaping up to be any-thing but routine.

The 26th summit comes at a time when many nations are fac-ing territorial disputes, civil wars and the rise of insurgency. All eyes will surely be on the leaders to shape a response to events in the Middle East, eastern Europe and the South China Sea.

The UKs National Defence Association (NDA) has written to prime minister David Camer-on, calling on him not to underestimate the summits im-portance in shaping NATOs role in international peacekeeping.

The letter states: At the time of the last NATO summit in Chicago the world looked very different; there was hope that risks to world peace were containable and that actions put in hand would assist in this regard. In 2014, NATO and the West face an increasing num-ber of threats whose seriousness is as great as has been seen since the end of the Cold War.

INSTABILITYThe NDA adds that Middle East is in turmoil, and the UKs withdrawal from Afghanistan is likely to open up further instabil-ity in the region. Also, in South-east Asia, it says China is exing her muscles in the China Seas, consolidating the nations hold on raw materials in Africa and possibly moving closer to Russia.

Nearer home, Russia seems resolved to secure her interests through military means, and by doing so threatens the security of NATOs newer members, it says.

Despite reports that Russia had not been invited to attend the summit as a result of its meddling in Ukraine, at time of press NATO claimed that a decision has not yet been made.

roghter Typhoon FGR4 combat jets, four Polish air force RAC MiG-29s, four French air force Dassault Rafale C ghters and four Royal Danish Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16AMs.

Separately, six Royal Canadian Air Force Boeing CF-18A ghters left Quebec for Romania on 29 April, accompanied by an Airbus A310 tanker/transport.

UPGRADESNATO also announced in August a $250 million investment to up-grade its Boeing E-3A airborne warning and control system (AWACS) eet. The 17 Boeing 707-derived aircraft will receive digital ightdeck upgrades under the effort, which has so far seen one AWACS aircraft undergo work in an engineering, manufac-turing and development phase.

Flight testing with this aircraft is to commence in the fourth quarter of 2014, and the jet will enter operational use in Decem-ber 2015. Modications to a fur-ther 13 of the eet will begin in 2016, with the programme sched-uled for completion in 2018.

Boeing will perform an identi-cal avionics update on one of the US Air Forces AWACS aircraft from November, as part of the same contract placed by NATO.

Meanwhile, AirTanker the consortium that manages the UKs Airbus A330 Voyager tanker/transport eet has proposed al-lowing NATO nations to dip into its spare capacity. This would allow NATO to use part of a surge eet of ve Voyagers, which will be supplied between next year and mid-2016. These will follow a core inventory of eight aircraft in use with the RAF, and another operated by AirTank-er crews on the civilian register.

AirTanker hopes to see the offer of spare capacity raised by the UK during the NATO summit. The proposal would help ll an air-to-air refuelling capability shortfall that exists outside of the US.

One of the programmes spare aircraft has already been placed with Thomas Cook Airlines from May 2015 under a three-year agreement, but the remaining four have yet to be placed.

The Baltic air policing mission in April featured Polish MiG-29s,

US F-15s and RAF Typhoons

NAT

O

NEWS FOCUS


Read all the news and analysis from the cutting edge of human space exploration: ightglobal.com/spaceight

Europes bid to establish its own satellite navigation system has suffered a setback when a launch failure stranded the fth and sixth satellites of what is to be a 30-strong Galileo constellation in a useless orbit.

However, both the European Space Agency and European Commission are condent the programme remains on track to provide essentially full services from 2017 using 24 satellites, and to have the complete, 30-satellite constellation including six orbiting spares ying by 2020.

Initial indications showed the 22 August launch from Kourou, French Guiana (pictured) to be a success but ongoing telemetry following separation of the satel-lites from their Soyuz rockets Fregat upper stage revealed them to be in the wrong orbit.

Launch operator Arianespace which has appointed an inde-pendent commission to evaluate this major anomaly says the spacecraft should have been placed in a 29,900km circular orbit inclined at 55. However, the pair are instead in an elliptical orbit, with eccentricity of 0.23, a semi major axis of 26,200km and inclined at just 49.8.

According to ESA, the satel-lites are not useful for navigation in their current orbit. They are, however, pointing at the Sun and safely under the control of the European Space Operations Cen-tre (ESOC) at Darmstadt, which is working day and night to as-sess its options.

In principle, the spacecraft could use their own propulsion to achieve the correct orbit. However, Franco Bonacina, spokesman for ESA director general Jean-Jacques Dordain, says it is unlikely that course of action will be deemed worth-while. The satellites each carry 70kg of propellant intended for station-keeping during their 12-

Launch failure leaves two satellites in useless orbit, but ESA and EC confident in 2017 plan for full operations

Galileo shrugs off setbackSATELLITE NAVIGATION DAN THISDELL LONDON

ESA

So far, so good

year lifespan, and using it up for a major change of orbit is proba-bly pointless.

Another possibility is that ESOC may be able to devise some tricks to be played by ground stations to recover navi-gational functions.

RESOLUTIONA nal option, says Bonacina, would be to take advantage of a rare opportunity to conduct what ESA calls a technology mission. This would involve using the two Galileo satellites for the sort of extreme, in-orbit stress testing that would never be done with an operational spacecraft but which can give insights into system perfor-mance beyond what can be achieved in ground testing.

In any case, all parties are looking for a quick resolution to Arianespaces inquiry, in order to keep the next Soyuz Galileo mission scheduled to orbit two more satellites on track for a December launch.

The push to get Galileo in ac-tion will step up next year, with the rst of three ights of a modi-

ed Ariane 5 ES launcher, capa-ble of orbiting four of the naviga-tion satellites at once. Including Decembers mission, four more two-satellite Soyuz ight are also scheduled.

The satellites are supplied by Germanys OHB-System, with navigation payloads built by Airbus Defence & Spaces Surrey Satellite Technology unit. ESAs Bonacina notes that a decision had been taken to extend serial production to include six spares for 30 units in total as this was cheaper than buying insurance against failures.

Meanwhile, Eu

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