Flight International 2015-10-13

7/23/2019 Flight International 2015-10-13

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Which aircraft

best combines

comfort with

efficiency?

airbus.com

AIRBUS, 2015. All rights reserved. Airbus, its logo and the product names are registered trademarks.


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Its undoubtedly the A350 XWB.

Offering 18wide seats as standard

in economy, along with a 25% step

change in fuel efficiency and a 25%

lower seat-mile cost, it has unrivalled

low operating costs. The best bit? Its

already in the air.

Airbus is the answer.


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flightglobal.com

CONTENTS

QUESTION OF THE WEEKTHE WEEK IN NUMBERS

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Vote at flightglobal.com

Flightglobals premium news and data service delivers breaking air transport stories with

profiles, schedules, and fleet, financial and traffic information flightglobal.com/dashboard

6 |Flight International|13-19 October 2015

This week, we ask: Will Bombardier Aerospace survive on its own?

Yes, CSeries will save it

Only making business jets No, merger is its only hope

Last week, we asked: If Boeing launches a 7M7,its design will be...?You said:

Boeing

Alcoa

NASA

The number of NASA-patented technologies now on offer to

US start-ups at no up-front cost, to encourage innovation

1,200

Alcoas potential revenue from a nine-year deal to supply

Lockheed Martin with airframe titanium for all F-35 variants

$1.1bn

With most of its commercial revenue coming from abroad,

Boeing boss Dennis Muilenburg likes the TPP trade deal

70%

Ma

rcusSchlaf/AirbusHelicopters

IMAGE OFTHE WEEKAirbus Helicopters hasunveiled a new Mercedes-Benz-styled version of itsH145, with the VIP modelfeaturing more comfortablepassenger seats, wi-ficonnectivity and an improvedinfotainment system. Themanufacturer has already soldfour examples, with deliveriesto start before year-end

View more great aviation shotsonline and in our weekly tabletedition:

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COMMENT

flightglobal.com 13-19 October 2015 |Flight International|7

See This Week P9

Until the late hours of 6 October, matters seemedrelatively under control in Montreal, where a new

leadership team at cash-strapped Bombardier seemedto have opened some financial breathing space.

With $3.1 billion in the bank and no major debt pay-ments due until 2018, the transformation plan lookedto be working, leaving management to focus on gettingthe CSeries through entry-into-service. Meanwhile, arevamped sales team redoubled efforts to secure elu-sive orders from marquee airlines and lessors.

Then came news that Airbus and Bombardier hadbroken off secret discussions a revelation all the more

stunning for showing that they had even met in the firstplace. After all, if Bombardier is not facing any immi-

nent technical or financial threat within the CSeriesprogramme, why did it now seek help from Airbus acompany that has spent the last several years bad-mouthing and conniving to defeat the CSeries?

And, if Airbus spurned an offer, what options doesBombardier have left?

But perhaps this is a case of smoke without fire. Aplanned stock market sale of a minority stake in the railtransportation division may save the day, financing theCSeries production ramp-up, paying off debt and, withluck, hauling in a new raft of major orders.

Or perhaps not. In either case, the next several

months look to be a very eventful period in Montreal.

Are Bombardiers woes getting CSerious?

USA

irFo

rce

See This Week P9

Take a bite out of that

There are only three USA companies still capable of developing a stealthy combat aircraft, and

the Department of Defense is worried that its bomber selection will neutralise one of them

Northrop Grummans status as the US militarysthird source of stealthy combat aircraft is doomed,

whether or not it wins the $55 billion long-range strikebomber (LRS-B) contract from the US Air Force. Atleast, thats an argument thats been making the roundsfor several months.

The reasoning goes, a victory for Boeing/Lockheed Martin leaves Northrop in an impossibleposition, forcing it to be swallowed by one of the LRS-Bvictors. If Northrop wins, on the other hand, Boeingscombat aircraft business is in jeopardy. Rather than

write-off a valuable hedge to a commercial marketdownturn, Boeing would most likely try to acquireNorthrop. Its an interesting theory, and it clearly hasthe US military brass worried.

Frank Kendall, head of acquisition, technology andlogistics at the Department of Defense (DoD), has nowasked Congress for new tools to prevent further top tierconsolidation of the aerospace and defence industry.

Kendall cited concerns over Lockheeds pending ac-quisition of Sikorsky as the source of his request, butthe timing suggests he also wants to send a message tothe LRS-B bidders and their shareholders.

On the surface, it seems a case of the DoD wanting itsstealthy bomber-shaped cake and eating it, too. If theDoD is funded to support only two stealthy aircraft pro-grammes Lockheeds F-35 and the still unclaimedLRS-B then it can hardly expect industry to sustainthree capable suppliers.

But the DoDs position is not so unreasonable. TheUSA has awarded only four contracts to develop newcombat aircraft over the last 30 years: the Northrop B-2,Lockheed F-22, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet andLockheed F-35. Its been more than 15 years since thelast B-2 was delivered, but Northrop has sustained thecapability to design and produce new aircraft. Its beennearly a decade since Boeing completed developmentof the last derivative variant of the F/A-18, yet it is stillcapable of producing combat aircraft.

This longevity hasnt come for free. Northrops skills,for example, have been sustained by involvement inthe X-47B programme and, perhaps, a reportedly clas-sified high-altitude intelligence-gathering aircraft.

The DoDs best tool to preserving competition is stillthe purse. If the department wants to keep three com-petitors in the combat aircraft business, it does have tomake it worth their while. But history has shown thatthese companies do not require deals as large as theF-35 and LRS-B to stay in the game.

If the DoD wants to keep three

rivals in business, it does have

to make it worth their while

Nothing good for free

To find more coverage about

military programmes, visit our

dedicated landing page:

flightglobal.com/defence


8/48

flightglobal.com

For more coverage of the burgeoning

unmanned air system sector log on to

flightglobal.com/UAV

8 |Flight International|13-19 October 2015

THIS WEEK

STAFF LOSSES LOOM AT AIR FRANCE-KLM

CUTSAir France-KLM plans to slash 2,900 jobs and retire its Airbus

A340 fleet by 2017 as part of its restructuring plan B, after it failedto reach an agreement with unions last month. The redundancies

will affect 1,700 ground staff, 900 flight attendants and 300 pilots,

the airline group confirms. Flightglobals Fleets Analyzer database

shows that Air France operates 13 A340-300s. It had planned to use

these until 2019, but will instead retire them to reduce long-haul ca-

pacity. Pilot union SNPL has condemned the proposed measures.

INDONESIAN TWIN OTTER CRASH KILLS 10

ACCIDENTA de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter operated

by Aviastar Mandiri crashed at Mount Latimojong in South Sulawesi,

Indonesia on 2 October, killing its seven passengers and three crew

members. The aircraft, registered PK-BRM, was operating flight

MV7503 from Masamba to Makassar when it lost contact 11min

after taking off. Built in 1981, the Twin Otter had been acquired bythe operator in February 2015.

JAPANESE F-35 ASSEMBLY DRAWS NEAR

MANUFACTURINGNorthrop Grumman has completed the centre

fuselage section for AX-5 the first Lockheed Martin F-35 which will

be completed at Japans final assembly and check-out plant in

Nagoya. Some 38 of Japans 42 F-35As will be assembled at the

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries-run plant, with the first expected to roll

off the line in 2017. Its first four will be completed in Fort Worth,

Texas, emerging from the second quarter of next year.

SUPERJETS COULD BE HEADING TO CITYJET

FLEETIrish regional carrier CityJet is close to finalising an order for

15 Sukhoi Superjets to replace BAE Systems Avro RJ85s, accordingto sources familiar with the proposal. A deal, also to include options

for additional Superjets, will be confirmed at the European Regions

Airline Association general assembly in Berlin between 13 and 15

October, they indicate. Flightglobals Fleets Analyzer database shows

CityJets current fleet as comprising 18 RJ85s and one Fokker 50.

THAILAND TO INCREASE AW139M FLEET

ROTORCRAFTThe Royal Thai Army is to increase its fleet of

AgustaWestland AW139M utility helicopters to 10 units, after award-

ing the manufacturer a follow-on order for eight of the intermediate

twins. Deliveries of the rotorcraft will be completed before the end of

2016, the company announced at the Helitech exhibition in London.

USAF LOSES C-130J IN AFGHANISTANCRASHEleven people died when a US Air Force-operated

Lockheed Martin C-130J crashed in Afghanistan on 2 October, in

what was the services first fatal accident involving the tactical trans-

port. Six crew members and five civilians were killed when the air-

craft crashed shortly after taking off from Jalalabad air base.

Flightglobals Fleets Analyzer database records there as being 323

C-130J and derivative aircraft in active use around the globe, with 15

nations operating the type. The USAF accounts for 160 of this total.

NEO ORDER FOR CROATIA AIRLINES

COMMITMENTCroatia Airlines is to acquire four Airbus A320neos,

the airframer disclosed in its September order and deliveries break-

down. The Star Alliance carriers commitment takes the combined

total of A320neo-series aircraft on order beyond 4,300.

BRIEFING

The UKs newly-announcedProtector unmanned air vehi-

cle programme will be deliveredusing a derivative of the GeneralAtomics Aeronautical SystemsMQ-9 Reaper already operated bythe Royal Air Force, the Ministryof Defence confirms.

UK Prime Minister David

Cameron on 4 October revealedplans to replace its 10 Block 1Reapers with more than 20 newaircraft. The Protector activity suc-ceeds its previous Scavenger pro-gramme, which sought to field anew medium-altitude, long-en-durance type by 2020.

The future model will havegreater range and endurance,and be equipped to identify,track, deter and ultimately coun-ter potential threats, the MoDsaid, without elaborating.

Speaking at the RoyalAeronautical Societys remotelypiloted air systems conference inLondon on 7 October, Air CdrePeter Grinstead, the MoDs head ofUK unmanned air systems, re-vealed a new Reaper will be se-lected, with its exact configurationto be finalised after a Main Gateinvestment early next year.

A decision will not be madeuntil March, he says, butconfirms: it will be an upgradeof the Reaper Block 1 with

extra capability.The UK could choose to

acquire UAVs in General Atomicscurrent Block 5 configuration, orin a certifiable Predator B variantwhich is now in development.The latter will feature an integrat-ed sense and avoid system in thenose section, plus longer wingsand modified internal fuel tanksfor extended-range performance.

RAF Reaper operations beganin Afghanistan in 2007, and thearmed type is involved in coali-tion activity against Islamic Statemilitants in Iraq and Syria. Theservices older examples are al-ready approaching the end of theiroperational lifespan.

Meanwhile, BAE SystemsTaranis unmanned combat air sys-tem demonstrator will carry out athird phase of flight tests towardsthe end of this year, building onprevious work performed at the

Woomera test range in Australia.When we have these results,

we will assess the feasibility offurther work, says Sqn LdrArchie Brown, of the MoDs un-manned air system team.

An Anglo-French team of sixcompanies is almost halfwaythrough a two-year feasibilitystudy to assess requirements for apotential bilateral combat aircraft.We are assessing data collectedby the partners to downselect toone [aircraft] design. The downse-

lect will be made in the nextmonth, Brown says.

CrownCopyright

Configuration of the RAF model is due to be finalised in March

PROGRAMME BETH STEVENSON LONDON

Reaper the basis

for Protector planA new iteration of the General Atomics aircraft will havegreater range and endurance, according to UK ministry


9/48

THIS WEEK

flightglobal.com

F-35C finds its sealegs in fresh trialsTHIS WEEK P10

13-19 October 2015 |Flight International|9

The Pentagon has very few toolsin its arsenal to constrain

major mergers and acquisitionsbetween prime contractors a factthat has become all-too apparentto defence acquisition chief FrankKendall with Lockheed Martins$9 billion take-over of Sikorsky.

Kendall has re-affirmed hisconcerns about further consolida-tion of the US defence industrialbase, and cautions against endingup with just two or three massiveprime contractors supplying most

of Americas weapon systems asituation he says is bad for thegovernment, the military and, ulti-mately, the taxpayer.

Speaking at an event inWashington DC on 6 October,Kendall lamented the loss ofnames like McDonnell Douglas,Grumman, Martin and nowSikorsky to industry consolida-tion, but he stopped short oflambasting the Lockheed acqui-sition specifically.

I like competition; I like hav-

ing multiple sources and I dothink as I mentioned in mystatement last week size doesconfer a certain degree ofpower, says Kendall. Thats nota judgement, its just a fact. Heconcedes that corporations are

Troubled Bombardier has

come in for fresh scrutinyafter revealing it has been in talks since ended with Airbus re-garding business opportunitiesand industry consolidation.

No further details on the dia-logue have been released beyondthose in Bombardiers vaguestatement and both parties stresssuch discussions are no longerbeing pursued.

Bombardier attributes the talksto the companys broader strate-gic review, initiated when Alain

Bellemare became chief execu-tive this year, taking over as de-

US safety investigators haveconfirmed an uncontainedfailure of a GE Aviation GE90-85Bengine led to a fire and abortedtake-off for a British Airways Boe-ing 777-200 last month. The en-gine manufacturer is performingfocused inspections on otherGE90s, says the US NationalTransportation Safety Board,which on 6 October published thefirst update from the investigationin three weeks.

GE is inspecting 38 GE90s ofsimilar vintage to the engine in-volved in the 8 September inci-dent at McCarran Internationalairport in Las Vegas, Nevada. Theengines are in storage, says GE.The affected example was madein 1995, the year the 777 enteredservice, making it among the old-est in operation, it says. About176 engines are in service fromthe original series, featuring312cm (123in) fan diameters, ver-sus the 325cm of the later -115B.

An explosion in a section ofthe high pressure compressorcaused breaches in the enginecase and cowling, the NTSB says.A fracture began in the Stage 8disk web of the high-pressurecompressor section.

INVESTIGATION

STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC

NTSB confirmssource of 777

engine failure

Bombardier, Airbus confirm ending of secret talksSTRATEGYSTEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC

lays and weak sales of the

CSeries and other developmentprogrammes put the company ina financial crisis.

As previously mentioned,Bombardier will continue to ex-

plore initiatives such as a poten-

tial participation in industry con-solidation, Bombardier says.

Speculation has focused onwhether the aerospace businesswas being offered for sale, simply

the commercial aircraft portfolio,

or some or all of the CSeries pro-gramme which partly competeswith the A320neo family.

Bombardier had previouslycollaborated with Chinese manu-facturer Comac, attempting to in-crease the level of commonalitybetween the CSeries and the lat-ter firms C919.

Certification of the 110-seatCS100 is scheduled for later thisyear, and entry into service withSwiss International Air Linesshould follow in the first half of

2016. The larger CS300 shouldarrive around six months later.Certification of the 110-seat CS100 variant is due later this year

Bom

bardier

INDUSTRY JAMES DREW WASHINGTON DC

DoD challenged by mergersPentagon rues loss of contractors such as Sikorsky and warns against more consolidation

Lockheeds $9bn deal for Sikorsky has been cleared to proceedUSAirForce

driven to act in the interests oftheir shareholders, but says thegovernment has an interest inmaintaining a good competitiveenvironment and maintaining arange of suppliers.

Kendall fired a warning shot atmajor defence firms in late

September, saying that theDepartment of Defense will workwith US lawmakers to exploreadditional legal tools and policyto preserve diversity among theindustrial base, describing thecurrent trend as troubling.

This could include factoring innational security considerationsto the merger approval process.

His statement came less than aweek after the Department of Jus-tice approved Lockheedsacquisition of Sikorsky fromUnited Technologies, with the

deal potentially now closing inlate 2015.

Kendalls comments havereceived widespread rebuttalfrom industry groups, however,which blame budget uncertaintyfor the consolidation.


10/48

flightglobal.com10 |Flight International|13-19 October 2015

Lockheed Martin says it is already

exploring concepts for installing and

employing a high-power fibre laser

weapon on the F-35, which would

enable the stealthy type to shoot

down missiles and airborne threats.

A 60kW, ground vehicle-mounted

example that uses spectral beam

combining to channel energy from a

stack of individual fibre laser

modules into a single, high-power,

monolithic beam will enter produc-

tion for the US Army later this

month. An airborne derivative could

be offered to the US Air Force by the

end of this decade, Lockheed says.

Were looking at concepts for the

integration of a laser weapon onto

the F-35, says Lockheeds senior

fellow for laser and sensor systems,

Rob Afzal. Were also doing models

and calculations so you would

understand the utility of a laser

weapon system in the F-35.

The USAF is pursuing laser

weapon systems for installation on

types like the Lightning II, as well as

the Lockheed AC-130J Ghostrider

gunship being built for its special

operations command.

To get more defence sector coverage,

subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter:

flightglobal.com/defencenewsletter

THIS WEEK

Two US Navy Lockheed MartinF-35C test aircraft have beguna second round of developmentaltesting aboard the aircraft carrierUSS Dwight D Eisenhower, aimedat smoothing the aircrafts entryinto service in 2018.

The arrival of Air Test and Eval-uation Squadron 23s aircraftCF-03 and CF-05 on 2 Octobercame as the F-35 joint programmeoffice announced the first externalweapons release from an F-35.Four inert, laser-guided 227kg

(500lb) bombs were successfullyreleased from test aircraft CF-02 atthe navys Atlantic Test Range inMaryland in late September.

Marking the second time thatF-35Cs have conducted develop-mental testing aboard an aircraftcarrier, the Eisenhower deploy-ment will be followed by a thirdand final evaluation next year.

These sea trials will further ex-pand the F-35Cs flight envelope,says F-35 programme executiveofficer Lt Gen Christopher Bog-

dan. The testing will prepare usfor next years final at-sea develop-mental test and keep us on track tosupport the navys 2018 initial op-erational capability date.

A Nimitz-class aircraft carrier,the Eisenhower underwentmodification prior to acceptingthe F-35Cs. This included in-stalling rebuilt jet blast deflec-tors for its aircraft launch cata-

CONCEPT

High-powered laser weapon could help Lightning II strike

Finnair has become the firstEuropean operator to receive

the Airbus A350, taking deliveryof its first example on 7 October.

Three more of its 19 on-order-900s are due to be handed overby year-end, followed by sevenmore in 2016-2017 and the re-mainder by 2023.

Regular passenger flights weredue to begin on 9 October,

initially to support crewfamiliarisation on routes to Am-

PROGRAMME JAMES DREW WASHINGTON DC

F-35C finds its sea legs in fresh trialsDevelopmental testing aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier designed to evaluate Lightning IIs performance for the US Navy

Finnair starts long-haul transformation with A350FLEETMICHAEL GUBISCH LONDON

pults one and two. The navysays the deflectors were rede-signed to better withstand theexhaust from the types Pratt &Whitney F135 engine, and alsoto protect the crews andequipment on the flight deckduring take-offs.

Improvements were also made

to the carriers arresting ortrapping unit, with the installa-tion of an advance recovery con-trol (ARC) system.

When an aircraft lands, nomatter what cable it catches, theARC system will only allow thataircraft to travel a total of 183ft[55.8m] down the landing area,

the navy says.During the current DT-II ac-

tivity, the deployed F-35Cs willperform multiple take-offs andarrested landings. The navy willalso be assessing its ability tosupport the aircraft at sea by con-ducting live and simulated main-tenance operations, as well as fitchecks of the aircraft and itsmaintenance gear on the vessel.

The USN has not introduced anew combat aircraft since theBoeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

By 2025 the services carrier-based air wings will be com-prised of Super Hornets,electronic-attack-roled EA-18GGrowlers, and Lockheed F-35Cs,along with Northrop GrummanE-2D airborne early warning andcontrol system aircraft and BellBoeing V-22 tiltrotors tasked withdelivering logistics support.

Early destinations for the new twinjet are to include Shanghai

sterdam and Oslo. The One-world carrier, which will deploythe type on its first long-haulservice on 21 November to

Shanghai says the aircraft willprovide the backbone for itsnetwork expansion strategy toAsian destinations.

With the A350, we get thefleet that our strategy requires,and we can start building ourgrowth, says chief executivePekka Vauramo.

Finnair which follows QatarAirways and Vietnam Airlinesin introducing the A350 into ser-vice has configured the wide-body twinjet to accommodate297 passengers: 46 in business

class, 43 in premium economyand 208 in economy.

The type is set to achieve initial operational capability in 2018

USN

avy

Airb

us


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AIR TRANSPORT

13-19 October 2015 |Flight International|13flightglobal.com

The lifting of sanctions againstIran will create a home forused and older-generation aircrafttypes during a critical period be-fore airframers start to delivernew-technology variants, accord-ing to speakers at the ISTATEurope conference in Prague.

David Goodger, director forEurope at Oxford Economicstourism-focused subsidiary, notes

that while a similar thawing ofrelations with Cuba will have aminor aviation impact, Iran is amuch larger market with a muchhigher population, and that willadd international travel. Roughlyanother 30 million passengers peryear could come out of Iran, with

moderate GDP growth. Morecould happen with strong GDPgrowth, so the potential is higher.

Peter Morris, chief economist atFlightglobals Ascend consultan-cy, says a full spectrum of aircraftwill be needed in Iran, from usedto new, to regionals, narrowbodiesand widebodies.

Morris recalls, in 2000 hetalked about aircraft availability

with Iran Airs chief executive,whose reaction was: When canyou get it here? That was 15years ago things have gottenworse in terms of availability ofaircraft, he adds.

The opening up of Iran is awelcome move, says an

unnamed lessor: It creates ahome for a lot of these [Airbus]A330s and [Boeing] 777s that arecoming available, as well as the737s and A320s that will needhomes once the 737 Max andA320neo arrive.

The 160 passenger jets in ser-vice with Iranian airlines have anaverage age of 22.9 years,Flightglobals Fleets Analyzer da-

tabase shows. This compares withan average age of 10 years for the20,500 commercial jets in airlinepassenger service globally.

Iranian officials have said thecountry needs to spend $20 bil-lion on 400-500 aircraft in the nextdecade to rejuvenate the fleet.

Trigana crash crew

received no ground

proximity alerts

INVESTIGATION P14

Swiss-based IPR Conversionshas completed the acquisitionof supplemental type certificatesdeveloped by ATR parent AleniaAermacchi for two related freight-er conversion modifications to thetwin-turboprop.

Pending approval by regulatorsthe European Aviation SafetyAgency, the US Federal AviationAdministration and TransportCanada, the transaction will allowIPR to market the structural-tube

and large-cargo-door conversionson ATRs. The 116in x 71in(295cm x 180cm) door size allowsthe loading of very large pieces ofcargo and, in a containerised ver-sion, can accommodate five full-height 88in x 108in containers;or seven LD-3s. IPR says the cer-tificates also cover the addition ofwindow plugs.

ASI Maintenance, part of ASIInnovation based in Toulouse,will perform the conversions.

At the ISTAT Europe confer-

ence in Prague, IPR managing di-rector Christian Degouy said thecompany has secured first ordersfrom leasing companies WillisLease and ASL Aviation.

The first aircraft [MSN241] isundergoing a structural-tube con-version and is scheduled for rede-livery later this month, Degouysays. It will go to Canadian carrierSummit Air.

A second example, MSN387,will undergo a tube and large-car-go-door conversion for ASL, for

eventual delivery to DHL as anATR 72-200F in February 2016.

CONVERSIONS

OLIVIER BONNASSIES PRAGUE

Cargo doorapproval opens

market for ATR

AirT

eamImages

Passenger aircraft in the nation average 22.9 years old, according to our Fleets Analyzer database

DEMAND LAURA MUELLER PRAGUE

Airframers can anticipateorders bonanza from IranThawing of relations and sanctions removal will drive urgently-needed fleet rejuvenation

Passenger Convenience Shorten Aircraft TurnsSaving Non Productive Hour www.komy.com

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14/48


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AIR TRANSPORT

Preliminary investigations intothe fatal crash of a Trigana AirService ATR 42-300 on 16 Augustindicates that the crew receivedno ground proximity warningsystem alerts before crashing intoan 8,300ft ridge.

An initial report from Indone-sias National Transportation Safe-ty Committee (NTSC) into thecrash, which killed 49 passengers

and five crew, is based on datafrom the aircrafts cockpit voicerecorder (CVR). This indicates thecrew was not performing checklistprocedures at the time of its loss.

The crash occurred while theaircraft, PK-YRN, was operatingflight IL267 from Sentani toOksibil in Indonesias mountain-ous Papua province. The skieswere mostly clear, with brokenclouds at 8,000ft and moderatewinds blowing at 8kt (15km/h).

The aircraft had departed at

15:04 local time, and contactedthe Oksibil Aerodrome Flight In-formation Services (AFIS) at15:55, reporting that it was cruis-ing at 11,500ft over waypointABMISIBIL. The controller ac-

Indonesias Cardig Air has em-phasised the importance of sta-ble approaches to its crews follow-ing an accident involving a Boeing737-300 Freighter on 28 August.

Details were released byIndonesias National Transporta-tion Safety Committee (NTSC) ina preliminary report on theincident, which occurred onlanding at Wamena, Papua, aftera service from Jayapura.

The 737, PK-BBC, waspositioned for landing on runway15, and had received clearancefrom the airports control tower.

However, the freighter toucheddown 35m short of the runway,

Low levels of experience of thecaptain and poor weather con-tributed to a Xian Aircraft MA60landing accident at Caticlan near-ly seven years ago, investigatorsfrom the Civil Aviation Authorityof the Philippines have said.

The Zest Air turboprop, RP-C8893, had executed a go-aroundand was attempting a second ap-proach to runway 06, following aflight from Manila on 11 January2009. The aircraft undershot the

runway and struck an embank-ment. Its left-hand main landing-gear failed, causing it to veer to theleft and come to a halt on the air-port ramp. Three of the 22 passen-gers suffered serious injuries, andthe MA60 was written off.

The investigation authoritysays runway conditions werecritical, with gusting winds,950m (3,120ft) visibility and noprecision-approach path indicatorlighting. It also states that the cap-tain had a low level of experi-

ence, with fewer than 500h incommand from an overall 2,675h.

Zest Air was temporarilygrounded over safety concernsin 2013, before re-emerging asAirAsia Zest.

Unstable approach led to Cardig Air 737 mishapINCIDENTELLIS TAYLOR SINGAPORE

Indonesian operator will review training and operating practices

INVESTIGATION GREG WALDRONSINGAPORE

Trigana crash crew receivedno ground proximity alertsCVR data suggests warning system was not activated before ATR 42-300 crashed into ridge

The 49 passengers and five crew aboard the turboprop were killed

resulting in the collapse of its leftmain landing gear, and major

damage to the left wing and CFMInternational CFM56 engine.Both pilots escaped uninjured.

Data from the 737s flight-data

recorder shows a verticalacceleration of 3.68gon impact,

says the NTSC. It also showedthree further instances in the air-crafts previous 107h of flight timewhere landings exceeded 2.1g.

Cardig Air says it will reviewtraining and operating practices

for operating in Papua, and hasreaffirmed guidance to pilots tomake a go-around if their aircraftis unstable on final approach.

The NTSC recommends thatthe operator monitors flight crewperformance and maintenanceintervals on aircraft with fre-quent high vertical accelerationsduring landing.

It also made recommendationsto Wamena airport to develop anaerodrome maintenance pro-gramme, improve its runway in-

spection system, and install a vis-ual approach slope indicator.

AirTeamImages

knowledged the message, and thepilot said the aircraft would fly adirect base leg routing to runway11, which sits at an elevation of4,000ft in a valley.

Five minutes later, the AFIS of-ficer had yet to hear from the air-craft, which should have been onfinal to runway 11. He tried to

contact the aircraft but receivedno reply. Calls to airfields nearbyrevealed that PK-YRN had not di-verted. Search and rescue serviceswere activated, but the wreckagewas not located until the next day.

Apart from the CVR detail, thereport sheds little new light onthe causes of the crash. Indone-sian authorities were unable todownload information from theflight data recorder, and this willnow be attempted by French in-vestigation agency the BEA.

The NTSC, however, has is-

sued recommendations stressingthat Trigana flight crews mustcomply with procedures such asbriefings, checklists, approachprocedures and visual flight rulesminima, as well as monitoring.

XinhuaNewsAgency/RexShutterstock

INQUIRYDAVID KAMINSKI-MORROWLONDON

Zest Air MA60report highlights

inexperience


15/48

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Be there when we land


17/48

NEWS FOCUS


HELITECH 2015

SHOW REPORT P18

Ceramic matrix compositesdestined for use on theGeneral Electric GE9X enginehave passed the first phase of en-durance testing with no red flags,despite a surprise exposure to anunplanned engine surge.

Boeing expects the 777-9X toenter service in 2020 with twoGE9X engines offering 10% lowerspecific fuel consumption thanthe GE90-115B engines thatpower the 777-300ER. Part of thatfuel efficiency gain is achieved by

raising pressure levels inside theengines, which increases internaltemperatures beyond the practicalreach of metal alloys.

So GE is relying on CMCs inseveral key engine components,including the inner and outercombustor liners, the shroudsaround the Stage 1 high-pressureturbine (HPT) and the nozzles forthe Stage 1 and Stage 2 HPT. CMCsare lighter than metal and can sur-vive in hotter temperatures, buthave been rarely used because of

concerns about durability, thermalshock and the cost of production.

GE plans to start building thefirst GE9X core for testing nextyear, so the engine maker believedit was essential to verify that theCMC materials work as promised.

Testing began in March withcombustor liners and HPTshrouds and nozzles that GEscaled down for a GEnx demon-strator engine. The ground rig test-ing will run through a full servicelife of 20,000 cycles, but the man-

ufacturer paused the testing inAugust after completing 2,800 cy-cles to see how the componentshad fared. It was a big success forus, says Jonathan Blank, generalmanager of CMC and advancedpolymer matrix composite re-search at GE Aviation. It was avalidation of our design and man-ufacturing processes.

The testing pause allowed GEengineers to check for signs ofthermal damage or stress. CMCsare made with toughened resins

that make the material muchstronger than ceramics alone. The

R&D STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC

Advanced material proves its mettleCeramic matrix composites being developed by GE Aviation for the GE9X engine have passed initial endurance testing

Boeing

The GE9X for the 777X is targeted to deliver a 10% cut in specific fuel consumption over the GE90

material has been deployed as thecombustor liner and HPT Stage 2shrouds in the CFM InternationalLeap engine, in which GE has a

50% share, which will eventuallypower the Airbus A320neo,Boeing 737 Max and Comac C919.But the GE9X environmentincludes a 20% higher pressureratio than found inside the Leap,with elevated temperatures andstresses. The GEnx demonstratortesting offered the first chance toevaluate how the material wouldperform in such an environment.

GE is still analysing the test re-sults, but early checks and visual

inspections revealed no damage,Blank says. The engine provedout the technology in a similartemperature and stress engine en-

vironment for us, he says.One risk of ground-based dem-

onstrator testing is that the envi-ronment is so controlled it fallsshort of the random reality of op-erational service. But the recentseries of tests on the GEnx demon-strator provided a random ele-ment when the engine experi-enced a violent surge. The causewas traced back to what Blankvaguely describes as a lapse in thetesting environment.

But the event offered the testsrare early data on how the materi-al performs in such an incident.There were no issues whatsoev-

er, Blank says. The CMC compo-nents were inspected, but allowedto remain in the engine.

Meanwhile, GEs productionsystem is taking shape severalyears before the production ramp-up begins for the 777-9X.

The manufacturer created a ver-tically integrated supply chain forCMC components, Blank says.New ideas for components andproduction concepts are hatchedat GEs laboratory in Evendale,Ohio. As concepts mature into

products and production process-es, they are handed to a facility inNewark, Delaware. That facilityaccepts prototypes from Evendaleand turns them into productionhardware with tooling and jigs. Fi-nally, the Newark facility handsoff ideas to a full-rate productionfacility in Asheville, North Caroli-na, where the workforce is fo-cused solely on production.

The system is operating now tosupport the ramp-up of the Leapengine programme, which begins

in earnest next year as theA320neo enters service.

GE

Aviation

Demonstration testing is being conducted with an adapted GEnx


18/48


For more in-depth coverage of the

global rotorcraft sector, go online to

flightglobal.com/helicopters

AgustaWestland expects deliv-eries of its new AW169 to be

into double figures by the end of2015 as it works to add further ca-

pabilities to the 4.6t rotorcraft,including, potentially, full iceprotection.

Since gaining European Avia-tion Safety Agency certification inJuly, the airframer has deliveredone AW169 to an undisclosed cus-tomer, with an emergency medicalservices (EMS)-roled example tobe handed over next month.

Next steps include validation ofa rescue hoist and expansion ofthe flight envelope raising cruise

speed to around 150kt (278km/h)through tweaks to the enginemanagement software. This willbe followed in 2016 by dedicated

offshore approach procedures anda level D full flight simulator.

Future work is likely to includean increase in maximum take-offweight, says the manufacturer.

Certification of its Limited IceProtection System is provisionallytargeted for early next year, as-suming this winters tests go toplan, says the company.

It will consider the future inte-gration of the more comprehen-sive Full Ice Protection System.

If we have a launch customer,we will start this initiative, saysthe company.

Initially the Pratt & Whitney

Canada PW210A-powered heli-copters are being built at its site inVergiate, Italy, although once USFederal Aviation Administrationcertification is secured in 2016, asecond production line in Phila-delphia will come on stream inthe middle of next year.

AgustaWestland had a produc-tion AW169, destined for theDubai Air Wing, on display atHelitech, alongside a mock-up ofthe type in EMS configuration.

SHOWREPORT

Londons Excel exhibition centre was the venue for asubdued rotorcraft industrys annual European gatheringfrom 6 to 8 October. With the offshore oil and gas segment

in a crude price-driven slump, and other sectors stuttering,manufacturers are focusing on customer service. But witha number of new programmes under way notably the BellHelicopter 505 and Airbus Helicopters H160 airframerswere keen to emphasise that development activity has notstopped. Added to that was an increased focus on themedium segment, with AgustaWestland already working toadd new capabilities to its recently certificated AW169 andAirbus Helicopters announcing an avionics upgrade to itsH135 light twin. Lessors were out in force too, withWaypoint adding to its backlog. Dominic Perry reports

DominicPerry/Flightglobal

HELITECH 2015

Dom

inicPerry/Flightglobal

Bell Helicopter has confirmed athree-month delay to certifi-

cation for its developmental505 Jet Ranger X, with the mile-stone moving to the first quarter of2016. Initial handover to an undis-

closed customer will follow short-ly after, says Bell chief executiveJohn Garrison, conceding themanufacturers aggressive time-line had slightly slipped.

Garrison remains upbeat onthe 505 though, with the threeprototypes having accumulatedover 400 flight hours since themaiden sortie in November 2014.

If we are within 90 days of ouroriginal forecast from two yearsago, then Im happy, he says.

Bell has amassed over 340

orders for the Turbomeca Arrius2R-powered light single.

Work on the initial productionaircraft has begun at the airfram-ers new final assembly line inLafayette, Louisiana as Bell at-tempts a pretty significant ramp-up of the programme.

The challenge there is to en-sure that the supply chain is readyto go, Garrison says.

Turbomeca has already deliv-ered the first serial Arrius 2R tur-boshaft and wants engine certifi-

cation by year-end, says its chiefexecutive Bruno Even.

DEVELOPMENT

Garrison stayingpositive despiteminor 505 delay

AgustaWestland displayed a VIP-roled AW169 at Helitech, to be delivered to the Dubai Air Wing

PROGRAMME

AW169 in line for upgradesas deliveries get under wayManufacturer works to boost performance of newly certificated medium-twin helicopter


19/48


20/48


21/48


HammerHead on

track for new sale

DEFENCE P22

HELITECH 2015SHOW REPORT

The rotorcraft industrys trio ofbig lessors were out in force atHelitech each emphasising thatbusiness continues to be strongdespite the downturn in the oiland gas segment that is afflictingheavy helicopter operators.

All three companies point toan increasingly diverse assetportfolio as a sign that they havefocused on more than just the off-shore segment. Demonstratingthis trend, Waypoint Leasing an-nounced at the show a deal for up

to 20 Airbus Helicopters H135light twins the first commit-ment for the type from any lessor.

Deliveries of the helicoptersare previsioned for the period to2019, with an initial batch ofthree due to arrive next year.

No engine selection has beenmade yet, says Waypoint chiefexecutive Ed Washecka, with theexact balance between the Pratt &Whitney Canada PW206BB- andTurbomeca Arrius 2B2plus-powered variants ultimately

driven by the end user.Washecka points out that

Waypoint has had emergencymedical services and firefightinghelicopters in its portfolio sincethe first six months, and last

Airbus Helicopters is to furtherupgrade the H135 light twin

with the addition of its Helionixavionics suite which includes aglass cockpit and four-axis auto-pilot and has signed up Norwe-gian emergency medical servicesoperator Norsk Luftambulanse(NLF) as launch customer.

Delivery of the first of threeexamples equipped with the en-hanced avionics package andwhich also gain a modification to

the aft cabin roof to Drbak-based NLF will take place in2017, the manufacturer says.

Initial flight tests of the upgrad-ed helicopter have already begunat its Donauwrth, Germany fa-

cility, says programme head AxelHumpert, with the modified ro-torcraft currently having the four-axis autopilot installed.

Certification is targeted for theend of 2016, with deliveries start-ing the following year.

The avionics upgrade bringsthe H135 in line with other mem-bers of the Airbus Helicoptersrange that are already fitted withHelionix, including the H145,H175 and developmental H160.

Production of rotorcraft to theprevious standard will continueinto 2017 or even 2018 if there issufficient demand, says Humpert to allow customers fleet com-monality. Eventually, however,Helionix will be the only option.

A previous upgrade to thetype, raising it to the P3/T3 stand-ard, focused on their respectivePratt & Whitney Canada andTurbomeca engines. However,earlier P2+/T2+ models are stillbeing produced, although these

will be phased out in a similar2018 timeframe, says Humpert.

Bond Air Services has hand-ed over the first of an even-

tual seven upgraded AirbusHelicopters EC135 T2+ rotor-craft to the UKs National PoliceAir Service (NPAS) .

Featuring a custom missionsystem including an L-3 WescamMX-10 electro-optical/infraredcamera, upgraded communica-tions suite and new digital map-ping featuring augmented reality,the modification work has beenperformed at Bonds Stavertonfacility in the west of England.

The initial example (G-POLB),

handed over at Helitech, is a for-mer Surrey-based police helicop-

ENHANCEMENT

Helionix avionicsupgrade due forH135 light twin

Initial flight tests of

the upgraded H135

have already begunAXEL HUMPERTHead of H135 programme, AirbusHelicopters

Bond delivers upgrade for UK NPASMODIFICATION

The first enhanced rotorcraft

was handed over at Helitech

year placed an order for the largerH145. We have been focussedon the EMS and parapublic mar-kets for some time, he says.

Waypoint has also signed ajoint agreement with AirbusHelicopters to promote leasingsolutions for the latters products.

Additionally, Waypoint un-veiled a separate deal at Helitechwith AgustaWestland for the ac-quisition of 18 helicopters cov-ering the AW139, AW169 andAW189 for delivery in the

period from 2016-2019.Neither of the other two big

lessors in the space Lease CorpInternational (LCI) and GECAS-owned Milestone Aviation placed new orders, however.

Daniel Rosenthal, president ofMilestone, points to its existingstrong framework agreementswith the helicopter manufactur-ers, including those signed at theParis air show in June, as fulfillingwhat our customers need.

It has recently focussed on cus-tomer relations, opening five newoffices across the globe and bol-stering its team.

LCI, meanwhile, announcedthe placement of an AW169 withGerman offshore services provid-

er Heliservice International, fordelivery in the second half of2016. Two further examples ofthe medium twin will enter ser-vice before year-end, says LCIchief executive Mike Platt.

MARKET

Lessors tout diversificationSectors big three leasing firms emphasise breadth of portfolios in face of oil and gas woes

Waypoint intends to take up to 20 units of the H135 light twinAirbusHelicopters

DominicPerry/Flightglobal

ter that will now be operatedfrom Boreham airfield in Essex.

Excess weight has also beenstripped from the airframe,which along with an engine soft-

ware update has increased itsuseful load by 145kg (320lb).

With three crew on board anda full fuel load, it now boasts en-durance of over 2h, says DavidCrisall, senior pilot at Boreham.

NPAS will eventually operate atotal of seven Turbomeca Arrius2B2-powered T2+ EC135s, along-side eight Pratt & Whitney CanadaPW206-engined P2+ examples, allwith a common mission system.

In addition, Bond will laterthis month place into service thefirst emergency medical services-roled H135 in the UK (G-TVAL),

operated on behalf of ThamesValley Air Ambulance.


22/48





DEFENCE

Bidders are lining up to re-spond to a nascent require-

ment to eventually replace theCzech Republics air force fleet ofMil Mi-24 attack helicopters.

Pragues defence ministry is-sued a request for information inmid-June to governments/manu-facturers of multipurpose helicop-ters from Italy, the USA andFrance, and has received re-sponses from all three coun-tries, it says.

The defence ministry plans toacquire an initial batch of 12 me-dium or intermediate-class rotor-

craft for combat support tasks, itsays. The type also will be re-quired to perform troop transportand medical evacuation missions.AgustaWestland is offering the upto 6.8t AW139M, and has signed amemorandum of understanding

with local firm LOM Praha for theprovision of in-country mainte-

nance support.Bell Helicopter is to pitch its

8.3t UH-1Y via the US ForeignMilitary Sales mechanism, with aUS Marine Corps example havingbeen displayed at a NATO eventin Ostrava in late September.

No details have yet emergedfrom the other two likely bidders:

Airbus Helicopters and Sikorsky.Airbus Helicopters declines to

comment, but is likely to proposeeither the 9t-class AS532 ALe orthe 11t H225M Caracal. The latterhas already been selected by Po-land, in a deal which includes an

element of local assembly. Sikor-sky is almost certain to bid with

either US-built UH-60M or Polish-assembled S-70i Black Hawks.Slovakia in February announcedplans to acquire UH-60Ms via agovernment-to-government sale.

The Czech defence ministrysays its Mi-24 replacement pro-cess is cautiously scheduled forthe 2016-2021 period. Bidders areanticipating a downselect deci-sion in early 2016, with deliveriesprovisionally to start around 2017-2018. Armaments are included inthe request, with industry sources

indicating these will include un-guided rockets, machine guns andair-to-surface missiles.

Flightglobals Fleets Analyzerdatabase records the Czech airforce as having an active invento-ry of 15 Mi-24s.

GaryDawson/RexShutterstock

Prague wants new model to succeed its current 15-strong fleet

Czech Republic guns for Mi-24 replacement dealROTORCRAFT DOMINIC PERRY LONDON

two competitors to theHammerHead on the market:General Atomics AeronauticalSystems MQ-9 Reaper and theIsrael Aerospace IndustriesHeron.

This is a market that is explod-ing, but there is no one else serv-ing it, he told Flight Internationalduring an interview at the compa-nys Villanova DAlbenga produc-tion site. We have two engines, ahigher [operating] ceiling and canfly in any conditions. This makes

me optimistic.Piaggio is also completing the

development of its P180-basedMultirole Patrol Aircraft (MPA)with Abu Dhabi AutonomousSystems Investments (ADASI).Piaggio aims to fly the aircraft bythe end of this year, and to delivertwo examples to ADASI in 2016.

The MPA has two additionalfuel tanks in the rear of the cabin,as well as strengthened wings, ca-nards and tail to double the P180sendurance to 8h. Programme par-ticipants include FLIR Systems,Saab and Telephonics, with Piag-

gio planning to debut a demon-strator at the Dubai air show.

Piaggio Aerospace is commit-ted to securing a second

European customer for its P.1HHHammerHead unmanned air ve-hicle by next Julys Farnboroughair show, following launch cus-tomer Italys commitment earlierthis year to purchase six aircraftand three ground stations.

Our aim is to announce a sec-ond customer by then, says chiefexecutive Carlo Logli, who identi-fies Germany, Portugal, Spain andSweden as being among the fewcountries that still have to make adecision on a MALE [medium-al-titude, long-endurance UAV].

Piaggio had to wait 18 monthsfor a first order after unveiling theHammerHead at the 2013 Paris airshow. However, Logli is con-vinced that once the UAV goesinto service with Italy early next

year, it will persuade other poten-tial customers to commit.

What we are missing is deliv-ery, says Logli. Until there is anaircraft flying, the market will becautious. The UAV world is full ofprototypes, but to take it to thenext stage [certification and pro-duction] takes hundreds of mil-lions of euros.

He adds: Italy is a small order

but of extreme importance as it issuch a prestigious customer. Theydidnt buy it just because it was anational product. They believedin it from the beginning.

The P.1HH, developed withSelex ES, is derived from the P180Avanti business aircraft, whichPiaggio has been producing since1990. Sluggish sales of the eight-seat twin-pusher prompted theGenoa-based company, owned byAbu Dhabi investment fundMubadala, to branch into the mili-

tary and special missions market.Logli maintains there are only

UNMANNED SYSTEMS MURDO MORRISON VILLANOVA DALBENGA

HammerHead on

track for new saleSecond European customer targeted by Piaggio Aerospace,as MPA derivative of P180 is readied for Dubai show debut

PiaggioAerospace

Italy has ordered six of the Avanti-based surveillance aircraft


23/48

DEFENCE


BAE secures $4bnF-15 systems dealDEFENCE P24

General Atomics AeronauticalSystems has received US

State Department approval to sellfour MQ-9 unmanned air systemsto Spain. The total programmecost is estimated as $243 million,including at least two years of

contractor logistics support.The Spanish air force selected

the MQ-9 in August, following acompetition also involving IsraelAerospace Industries Heron TP.It plans to use the type mainly toconduct homeland security,counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

Equipment covered by the dealwill include General AtomicsLynx synthetic aperture radarsand Raytheon MTS-B multi-spec-tral targeting system sensors, but

no weapons. A related offsetagreement is being discussed.

ACQUISITION

Spanish MQ-9purchase getskey approvalP

olands defence ministry willsoon start technical dialogue

with the four attack helicoptermanufacturers pursuing itsProject Kruk requirement toreplace its Mil Mi-24 fleet.

In September, the nationsarmament inspectorate sent anadditional request for informa-tion, linked to technical data, to

the contenders: AirbusHelicopters (Tiger), BellHelicopter (AH-1Z), Boeing(AH-64E) and Turkish AerospaceIndustries (T129).

Talks are planned to begin on26 October, and will last for oneweek per company. The inspec-torate should then determine theprice and number of attack heli-copters to be acquired.

Warsaws initial plan was toacquire between 16 and 32 rotor-craft, to equip two squadrons. It

could, however, consider buyingan initial batch and including

Warsaw to start Kruk bidder dialogueCONTEST BARTOSZ GLOWACKIWARSAW

others as options. Supportingdocumentation from the biddersshould be ready by the end ofMarch 2016, by which time thepreferred tender process poten-tially mandating the acquisitionof helicopters via the US govern-ments Foreign Military Salesmechanism should be deter-mined. An agreement should be

signed with a bidder during thethird or fourth quarters of 2017,

with deliveries to the Polish LandForces aviation command tostart in 2019.

The armament inspectoratealso revealed the price of the mil-itarys programme to acquire 50Airbus Helicopters H225MCaracal multirole helicopters asjust over PLN13.3 billion($3.5 billion). Some 40% of this

sum will be for training and logis-tics support packages.

Bell

Helicopter

Bell Helicopters AH-1Z is among the types under consideration

Norway has used a strategicdefence review to underlineits commitment to acquiring 52Lockheed Martin F-35s, and tooutline plans to introduce newmanned and unmanned surveil-lance aircraft and transport heli-copters within the next 10 years.

We remain dependent on thetimely introduction of new capa-bilities into our armed forces,such as the F-35, defence chiefAdm Haakon Bruun-Hanssen saidon 1 October, describing the type

as the future backbone of itsmilitary. Only by completing theacquisition of 52 combat aircraftwith the [Kongsberg] Joint StrikeMissile will we be able to providethe full spectrum of capabilitiesthat we need to address our futuresecurity challenges.

Lockheed on 23 September un-veiled the first F-35A for the RoyalNorwegian Air Force, with AM-1to be based in the USA for train-

TorgeirHaugaard/RoyalNorwegianAirForce

Oslo is committed to acquiring 52 of the fighters over 10 years

PROCUREMENT BETH STEVENSON LONDON

Review underlines Norway F-35 planStealthy type and Joint Strike Missile to form backbone of nations military, with new surveillance aircraft also sought

ing. The service will have 28 air-craft operational by 2020, with theremainder to follow by 2024.

The review will help to informa new long-term plan for theNorwegian armed forces, whichshould be released next year.

My advice to the governmentis to strengthen our ability to con-duct surveillance and intelli-gence, to improve the responsetimes of our forces, and strengthen

the manning of key structural ele-ments, while also improving ourability to protect key infrastruc-ture, Bruun-Hanssen says.

Oslo plans to commence thephased retirement of its sixLockheed P-3C/N maritime patrolaircraft starting between 2017 and2020, with the type to be com-pletely removed from service inthe 2021-2028 period.

The P-3 Orion is a capable

structural element which pro-vides important information, butthe system requires significant up-dates, and for economic reasonscannot be given priority, the re-view says. Two almost 50-year-oldDassault Falcon 20s used for elec-tronic warfare operations will alsobe replaced by 2024.

A combination of satellite-based sensors plus manned andunmanned surveillance assetswill replace these types, the re-view says. Four new manned sur-

veillance aircraft should be opera-tional by 2024, along with sixmedium-altitude, long-enduranceunmanned air vehicles and sixtactical UAVs.

The review also confirms plansto acquire nine new rotorcraft toreplace 18 Bell Helicopter 412s insupporting special forces opera-tions by 2024. Likely candidatesare the AgustaWestland AW101and NH Industries NH90.


24/48

DEFENCE





Northrop Grumman has beenawarded $3.2 billion to sup-

port all variants of the US AirForces RQ-4 Global Hawk un-manned air vehicle for 10 years.

Announced by the USDepartment of Defense, the ar-rangement covers the develop-ment, modernisation, retrofit andsustainment of all of the USAFs

RQ-4s until 30 September 2025,including unspecified equipmentto be ordered by September 2020.

The USAF has extended itsplanned retirement date for theLockheed Martin U-2 surveillanceaircraft from 2016 until 2019 togive it more time to upgrade thecapabilities of its Global Hawks. Itis unclear, however, which mod-ernisation activities will be cov-ered under the latest award.

Among proposed enhance-ments for the high-altitude, long-endurance UAV are the integra-tion of a universal payloadadaptor, which would enable thetype to carry various sensors cur-

rently employed by the mannedU-2. Northrop and the USAFsigned a co-operative research anddevelopment agreement in July todemonstrate the modification,most likely using a UnitedTechnologies Aerospace SystemsMS-177 multispectral sensor.

The USAFs Scientific Adviso-ry Board has suggested the RQ-4could in the future be upgradedwith threat detection and counter-

measures equipment, additionalsensors and potentially also weap-ons. Northrop notes that sustain-ment costs for the Global Hawkhave dropped by 40% over thelast three years.

USA

irForce

The RQ-4 will be able to carry similar sensors to the manned U-2

Ten-year support deal will enhance Global Hawk

UNMANNED SYSTEMS BETH STEVENSON LONDON

CONTRACT STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC

BAE secures $4bnF-15 systems dealReplacement electronic warfare suite to protect more than400 US Air Force combat aircraft until retirement in 2040

BAE Systems will replace anageing Northrop Grumman

electronic warfare suite on morethan 400 US Air Force F-15 com-bat aircraft. Boeing announcedthe decision on 1 October, withthe programme worth around$4 billion.

The selection continues BAEssweep of recent electronic warfare

contracts for F-15s, which beganwith Saudi Arabias choice of thecompanys digital electronic war-fare system for new-buildF-15SAs, and the same equipmentto retrofit its in-service F-15S fleet.

The USAF launched the EaglePassive Active WarningSurvivability System (EPAWSS)to replace the ALQ-135 tactical

electronic warfare suite on its fleetof F-15s.

Due to delays with the develop-ment and fielding of the LockheedMartin F-35 Lightning II, theUSAF has extended the servicelife of the F-15 fleet beyond 2040.It is upgrading the twin-enginedfighter and ground-attack aircraftwith new active electronically

scanned array radars, electronicwarfare sensors and processors,and replacement cockpit displays,which will present the new datato the pilot.

EPAWSS will ensure the F-15is relevant and dominant through2040 and beyond, says MikeGibbons, Boeings vice-presidentof F-15 programmes.

Boeing selected BAE over a bidfrom Northrop, which had offeredtechnologies from the electronicattack pod upgrade programmefor the Fairchild-Republic A-10

and Lockheed C-130.BAE can draw on its experience

in developing electronic warfaresuites including the ALR-94 forthe Lockheed F-22 and the ASQ-239 Barracuda for the F-35. Suchsystems allow fighter pilots to de-tect and engage or avoid hostileradar systems on the ground andin the air.

The EPAWSS includes an abili-ty to detect and circumvent detec-tion from infrared-based sensors,according to USAF budget docu-ments.

Brian Walters, BAEs vice-presi-dent and general manager of elec-tronic combat solutions, describesthe selected system as an execut-able, affordable and low-risk solu-tion for the F-15 fleet.

Flightglobals Fleets Analyzerdatabase records the USAF as cur-rently operating 200 F-15C fight-ers and 219 multi-role F-15Es.

USA

irForce

Enhancements will be made to the services 200 F-15C fighters

Downlo ad t he 2 015Wor ld A i r Forces Repor t

www.f l ightg lobal .com/waf

IN ASSOCIATION WITH


25/48

2015 Raytheon Company. All rights reserved.Customer Success Is Our Mission is a registered trademark of Raytheon Company.

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of integrated solutions provides complete platform capabilities.

AIR DOMINANCE


26/48


Piaggio Aerospace has se-cured European and US cer-tification for the new landinggear on its Avanti Evo twin-engined turboprop, following anintensive flight-test programme.

The system, designed andmanufactured by Italian compa-ny Magnaghi, replaces theDowty landing gear that hasbeen a feature on all Avanti mod-els including the first Evo, de-livered in April to GreecesSuperior Air since Piaggio

launched the P180 programmein the mid-1980s.

Piaggio says the Magnaghisystem which includes themain and nose landing gear,along with the nose wheel steer-ing system is more efficientthan its predecessor. To illustratethis, it cites its 10,000-cycle/15-year overhaul interval, com-pared with the Dowty designs6,000-cycle/12-year schedule.

The new landing gear is nowready to be installed as standard

on all the Avanti Evos to be de-livered from now on, Piaggiosays. It is planning to ship itsnext aircraft by late October or

early November at the latest.Up to a dozen Evos are sched-uled for delivery by the end ofnext year.

The $7.4 million Evo is thethird iteration of the P180.

It was launched in May 2014as an upgraded and higher per-

formance version of the 10-year-old Avanti II.

As well as the new landinggear, the Evo also boasts a

revamped and quieter interior,winglets, redesigned engine na-celles, a reshaped front wing,five-blade composite scimitarpropellers and anti-skid brakes.Designed and manufactured byMeggitt Aircraft BrakingSystems, the latter feature is set

for approval by year-end. Piaggiosays in-service Evos will be of-fered a free retrofit, via a servicecentre bulletin.

CERTIFICATIONKATE SARSFIELD LONDON

Evo landing gear validatedMagnaghi system has secured US and European approval for Avanti twin-turboprop

Piaggio

Aerospace

In-service Evos will be offered a free anti-skid braking update

Chinese aircraft manufacturerAVIC has expanded into the

seaplane market, ordering 100 setsof floats to convert 19-seat HarbinY-12s into amphibious transports,says a US supplier. Seattle-basedKenmore Air said AVIC is acquir-ing Y-12 floats from its subsidiaryEDO Floats.

The two-year conversion pro-gramme includes a plan to certifi-cate seaplane capability with the

US Federal Aviation Administra-tion and Chinese civil aviationauthority.

EDO designed the floats withcarbonfibre material, says Ken-more Air, the largest seaplane op-erator in the USA. The deal cre-ates competition for the deHavilland Canada DHC-6 TwinOtter and its Viking Air reincarna-tion, the Twin Otter Series 400.

With FAA certification, AVICcan market the aircraft beyondChina. It plans to grow seaplane

activity in China, from the southeast coast to the Pearl River Deltaand Yunnan province, says Ken-more Air.

AVIC launchesY-12 seaplane

conversion

AMPHIBIANS

STEPHEN TRIMBLEWASHINGTON DC

Keep up with the latest news and read

in-depth analysis from the business

aviation sector: flightglobal.com/bizav

BUSINESS AVIATION

Cessna is preparing to deliverthe 2,500th Caravan this

quarter, to an Alaskan charter op-erator which was its original

launch customer for the single-engined turboprop Bering Air.

The Caravan EX rolled offCessnas Wichita production linein Kansas in late September, a lit-tle over 30 years after the first it-eration of the high-wing utilityaircraft entered service withBering. The Nome, northwestAlaska-based company operateseight Caravans for freight andpassenger transport, serving theregions remote communities.

Bering embarked on a fleet re-

newal programme earlier thisyear to replace its older genera-

Caravan on right Bering with 2,500th shipmentPRODUCTION KATE SARSFIELD LONDON

The Caravan is the largestsingle-engined aircraft producedby the Textron Aviation subsidi-ary. Assembled in Wichita and

Shijiazhuang, China through ajoint venture with AVIC the

Cessna

The Nome, Alaska-based company was the types first customer

tion Caravans with the new EX.Launched in 2012, the aircraftfeatures a Garmin G1000 glasscockpit and a more powerful and

efficient Pratt & Whitney CanadaPT6A-140 engine.

fleet has notched up 13 millionflight hours in a variety of mis-sions, from owner operator andVIP charter to medical evacua-

tion and surveillance.Flightglobals Fleets Analyzer

database records 40% of thein-service Caravan fleet as beingoperated in North America, 19%in Latin America and the Carib-bean, 17% in the Asia Pacific and6% in Europe. Textron will behoping to repeat the Caravanssuccess with its next single-engined turboprop, due in 2016.Little is known about the project,although the company has re-vealed it will be a clean-sheet de-

sign and not a derivative or vari-ant of any existing product.


27/48

BUSINESS AVIATION


Fighting to winin AsiaCOUNTRY SPECIAL

P29

Fledgling business aircraftfinancing company Global Jet

Capital is beefing up its portfolioof high-end jets with the acquisi-tion of GE Capital CorporateAircrafts lease and loan businessin the Americas.

The deal, which representsaround $2.5 billion of net assets,is scheduled for completion bythe end of the year.

We are investing heavily in ex-

panding the business both organi-cally and through strategic acqui-

sitions, such as this one with GE,says Global Jet Capitals executivedirector, Shawn Vick.

The Boca Raton, Florida-basedcompany was launched a yearago by global investment firmsGSO Capital Partners, the CarlyleGroup and AE Industrial Part-ners, with the aim of providingfinance and leasing options toowners of large-cabin and long-range business jets.

GE Capitals portfolio of high-end corporate aircraft which are

priced within the $25-$75 millionrange will help to strengthen itsfoothold in this small, yet lucra-tive arm of the finance industry.

This niche sector is driven bywealthy individuals and corpora-tions, which are turning to com-petitive financing solutions tofund their aircraft purchases rath-er than using their cash resourc-es, says Vick, a business aircraftindustry veteran and former sen-

ior executive with Gulfstreamand Hawker Beechcraft.

Dassault will, on 16 October,break ground on a heavymaintenance, repair and over-haul (MRO) facility in Bordeaux-Mrignac, southwest France, toserve its expanding fleet ofFalcon high-end business jets.

The 7,200m2(77,500ft2) build-ing will be located next to the air-framers Falcon final assemblyhangar, and will accommodateup to six business jets at a time.

The centre will allow Das-sault Falcon Service to keep up

with the growth in the Falconfleet, already more than 2,000 air-craft worldwide, says Dassault.

This will be the fourth compa-ny-owned service centre to offerheavy maintenance. The othersare located in Le Bourget, France;Little Rock, Arkansas; and Wilm-ington, Delaware.

The new facility is scheduledto open in the third quarter of2016, ahead of initial deliveriesof the 8X ultra-long-range tri-jet,and planned ramp-up of sched-

uled heavy maintenance work C-checks on early 7X models.

UK investigators are examin-ing how a Beechcraft King

Air 200 crashed after taking offfrom Stapleford airport in Essexon 3 October, killing its two crew.

The turboprop, G-BYCP, wasowned and operated by the UKslargest charter and managementcompany, London Executive Avi-ation (LEA). According to the op-erator, the King Air 200 lifted offfrom its Stapleford base at around10:20 local time. Almost imme-diately after take-off, the aircraftcame down in a field close to Sta-pleford airport, says LEA.

The twin was one of the threeKing Air 200s in LEAs 24-strongfleet. It was manufactured in

1981 and had its last mainte-nance inspection on 12 June.

Global Jet buys GEs leasing portfolio

FINANCE KATE SARSFIELDLONDON

GROWTHKATE SARSFIELDLONDON

Dassault Falconboosts its heavymaintenance

INCIDENTKATE SARSFIELDLONDON

Fatal King Aircrash inquiry

ImagineA

ir

fering to an increasing dissatis-faction with airline travel.

Light aircraft like the SR22provide a cost- and time-efficientalternative to regional airlinetravel, he says.

Small types can also fly point-to-point, due to their ability tooperate from hundreds of airportsand aerodromes, he continues, so

customers can avoid the congest-ed airline hub-and-spoke system.

We now need to grow the fleetquickly in order to satisfy thegrowing demand for our service.This latest strategy will help us todo that, says Hamilton.

Platinum Membership is tar-geted at ImagineAir customerswho fly at least two regional

trips per month. They willpurchase the SR22 [at a cost of$677,000] from Cirrus and thenlease it back to us for a four-yearterm, says Hamilton.

The aircraft will be absorbedinto the ImagineAir fleet andpainted, at its expense, in the op-erators blue and white livery.

In exchange, these owners will

receive more than $200,000 offree, unlimited travel equivalent to about 200 one-wayflights. ImagineAir will alsocover the crew, hangar, insuranceand fuel costs, Hamilton says.

Our Platinum members get ahassle-free, maintenance-freetravel and ownership experi-ence, he adds.

US air taxi companyImagineAir is planning to

double its Cirrus SR22 fleet overthe next 12 months through theintroduction of an ownershipprogramme targeted at regularusers of its on-demand service.

The Lawrenceville, Georgia-headquartered company is al-ready the largest commercial op-erator of the four-seat

piston-single, with 11 of the typein its line-up. It is hoping the newinitiative dubbed PlatinumMembership will boost the in-ventory to more than 20 by theend of 2016.

Demand for our service isgrowing, says ImagineAir co-founder and chief executive BenHamilton. The 10-year oldcompany operates more than5,000 flights per year, servingcustomers on the US East Coast.Hamilton attributes the growing

appetite for its niche charter of-

AIR TAXI KATE SARSFIELDLONDON

ImagineAir to grow its SR22fleet via ownership scheme

Air taxi company planning to meet increasing demand through buy-and-lease-back strategy

The four-seat piston-single is attractive to a niche charter market

We now need to

grow the fleet quickly

in order to satisfy the

growing demandBEN HAMILTONChief executive, Imaginair


28/48


29/48


SOUTH KOREASPECIAL REPORT

While domestic and international politics have so farthwarted South Koreas ambitious plans to develop ahome-grown stealth fighter, the countrys aerospaceindustry is proving to be a resilient competitor in themilitary and civil sectors. Report by Greg Waldron

FIGHTING TOWIN IN ASIA

CONTENTS

30 Fighter: KFX hits technology barrier

33Trainer: T-50 racks up foreign sales

34 Civil fleet: South Korea by numbers36 MRO: Korean Air eyes structures work

Politics has kept the ambitious KFX (top)

stuck in the concept phase; Korean Airs

MRO unit sees Boeing and Airbus types

Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 has been an export success story

KoreaAerospaceIndustries


GregWaldron/Flightglobal


30/48



Four years ago, at the 2011 instalment ofthe Seoul Air Show, South Korean offi-

cials predicted that 2013 would see the startof development for the countrys long-planned indigenous KFX fighter aircraft. Afirst flight was likely in 2015, and full scaleproduction in 2021. Seoul would have a 60%

share in the project, while prospective part-ners Indonesia and Turkey would each have20%. They would provide funds and a degreeof participation, but there was no questionthat Seoul would sit in the cockpit.

The aircraft envisaged was ambitious, farmore advanced than any aircraft developed inSouth Korea. It would vault the nation from asecond tier player in the global aerospace sup-ply chain to a leading systems integrator.Seouls Defense Acquisition ProgrammeAdministration (DAPA) gave a long list of re-quirements: fly-by-wire flight controls, hands-on-throttle-and-stick pilot controls, a helmet-

mounted display and a night vision imagingsystem. Low-observable technologies wouldreduce the jets radar cross section (RCS). KFXwould have an active electronically scannedarray (AESA) radar and an infrared searchand track (IRST) sensor.

As is all too common in the world of fighterdevelopment, things have not gone to plan.Turkey ended up not joining KFX, decidinginstead to build its own indigenous fighter,the TFX. By the 2013 Seoul Air Show, offi-cials were still in talks with various suppliers,but no prototype was on the drawing board.

Indeed, it was still some way from decidingwhether Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI),the countrys leading airframer, or KAL-ASD,a unit of Korean Air, would develop KFX.

Perhaps the single biggest element in thedelays was Seouls torturous F-X III fighter

competition, the technology transfer offsets ofwhich are earmarked for KFX work.

DEVELOPMENT

KFX hits UStech bufferSeouls bid to supercharge itsaerospace industry by designinga home-grown stealth fighter has

been shot down at least for now

Contenders for the bitterly-fought F-X III dealincluded the Lockheed Martin F-35, Boeingsproposed F-15 Silent Eagle, and theEurofighter Typhoon. Eurofighter was alwaysdeemed an outsider for the competition, butin a nod to KFX, it apparently offered an ex-

tremely lucrative technology transfer package.In 2013, after a last minute scare from the

F-15SE, the F-35 emerged as the winner ofF-X III, although Seoul cut the airframe re-quirement from 60 to 40 examples, citingbudgetary issues.

At the 2013 show, KAI had models of bothsingle-engined and twin-engined KFX pro-posals. KAIs engineers favoured a single-engined jet as this would simplify productionand keep costs down.

They also felt it would have better exportpotential, a crucial consideration for a suc-cessful programme. Seouls Agency of

Defense Development (ADD) disagreed. Itpreferred a twin-engined design resembling

the F-35, although not as capable as the UStype. South Koreas air force also wanted twoengines. Officers reckoned that the KFX willneed to carry bigger, heavier missiles over itsservice life, and one day possibly accommo-date power-hungry directed-energy weapons.

RE-TENDERING

Finally, in May 2015 it emerged that SouthKoreas DAPA had awarded KAI preferredbidder status for the programme, withLockheed tapped as the foreign technical as-sistance company. KAIs success followed aforced re-tendering of the contract in Febru-ary, when KAL-ASD (partnered with AirbusDefence & Space) apparently decided not tosubmit a bid.

The benefits for South Korea from theKFX programme involve providing a modernreplacement for the air forces fleet of ageing

[McDonnell Douglas] F-4 Phantoms andNorthrop F-5s, says Forecast International

The benefits involvereplacing ageing F-4

Phantoms and Northrop F-5sDANIEL DARLINGAnalyst, Forecast International


31/48




analyst Daniel Darling. [It is also intended to]add to local aerospace industry innovationand competency through knowhow gleanedfrom KAI teaming with Lockheed Martin onthe aircrafts development and reducingwhat would otherwise be even more signifi-

cant costs to the procurement portion ofSouth Koreas defence budget by spreadingthe cost burden of the project, with 20% to befronted by the KAI-Lockheed team, with an-other 20% by Indonesia.

Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafiaagrees the KFX programme has the potentialto advance South Koreas aerospace sector.

KFX would help South Korean industryachieve a new level of capability and autono-my, he says. If they designed it with the ex-port market in mind, it would potentially es-tablish South Korean industry as a player inthe global defence market.

KFXs export potential, however, gets toone of the programmes main stumbling

blocks how much taxpayer-funded technol-ogy will foreign partners, namely WashingtonDC, be willing to part with?

KFX underlines the paradox inherent indefence offset arrangements. To win the busi-ness in developing nations, western defence

contractors must assist programmes intendedto create competitive products.

South Korean defence experts have longfretted about US willingness to part with sen-sitive technologies. Sources close to the pro-gramme say the biggest challenge is obtainingexport licences from the US government re-lated to AESA technology, engines, system

integration and other areas. So prominent isthis factor in their minds that they refer to it inshorthand as the The E.L. issue.

To get some sense about how prickly theUSA can be about technology, it is useful tolook at the KAI T-50 programme, in whichLockheed provided indispensable assistance.A source familiar with the T-50 says thatWashington placed substantial restrictions onJakartas acquisition of 16 T-50s, particularlyaround the aircrafts radar and mission com-

puter. In late 2014, South Koreas Black Eaglesdisplay team, which flies the aerobatic T-50Bvariant of the trainer, cancelled its appearanceat Airshow China in Zhuhai. It gave no reasonfor the cancellation, but media reports sug-gested that the USA was displeased that theaircraft, with its large amount of proprietary

American content, would attend a show inmainland China.

South Korean export licence fears were re-alised in late September 2015, when DAPAdropped a bomb.

TECHNOLOGIES DECLINEDIt announced that the USA had declined toprovide export licences for four technologiesdeemed fundamental to KFX: AESA radars,IRST, electro-optical target tracking devicesand jammers.

The news created a furore in the SouthKorean media, with reports saying the coun-trys leadership will conduct an investigationinto the programme. The reports suggest thatDAPA failed to keep the nations leadershipup to speed on progress with export licences.

A key theme in local media coverage of theissue is that technologies for the KFX pro-

gramme were to have been derived from off-sets related to the F-35 buy. Some questionDAPAs wisdom in selecting the F-35 whentechnology transfer was apparently not as-sured. In addition to the four core technolo-gies that have been denied, 21 others havebeen approved by the US Department of De-fense, but still await State Department ap-proval. Although DAPA made no mention of

KFX would help South

Korean industry attain a

new level of autonomyRICHARD ABOULAFIA

Analyst, Teal Group

KFX PROPOSED SPECIFICATIONS

Length 15.6m

Wingspan 10.7m

MTOW 24,500kg

Max speed M1.9

Thrust* 40,000lb/178kN

Fuel capacity 5,400kg

Armaments 7,300kg

Systems AESA radar, IRST sensor*twin-engined SOURCE: Korea Aerospace Industries

The ambitious KFX fighter

project has fallen foul of US

government export rules

The Eurofighter Typhoon was always an outsider to land the F-X III fighter contract

Austrianairforce/Eurofighter


32/48



radar absorbent materials (RAM) in itsSeptember statement, this will be anotherarea where KFX will face stiff headwinds.

In 2011, South Korean officials said theywould deploy the aircraft in 2020 (a target thathas long since been missed) with a basic

stealth capability, although they declined toclarify what this meant. They contended thatshaping an airframe to reduce its RCS is nogreat secret. All well and good, but it is un-likely that Seouls F-35 acquisition throughthe US Foreign Military Sales mechanism in-cludes provisions for export licences relatedto the secret formulas used in RAM.

INDONESIAN ROLE

Meanwhile, through all the twists and turnsaround KFX, one constant has beenIndonesia. There can be little doubt aboutJakartas interest in KFX, with its defence

ministry periodically issuing statements reaf-firming its commitment to the programme.

Most recently, it announced the laying ofthe first brick of a KFX facility at theIndonesian Aerospace production centre inBandung. Another apparent constant is theplanned production run for KFX, which fore-sees 120 examples going to South Korea and80 to Indonesia.

Unfortunately, however attractive Jakartascash may be for developing KFX, theSoutheast Asian nation is not the sort of part-ner Washington is likely to trust with sensitivetechnologies, let alone tightly guarded secrets

such as RAM. Indeed, only in 2006 did Wash-ington lift an arms embargo targeting Indone-sia. Several South Korean sources blameIndonesias involvement in the programme forUS reluctance to issue export licences. Theyclaim that Jakarta is a lightweight in the globalaerospace industry, and question how muchvalue it can bring to the table. One expert saysthat jettisoning Indonesia would be a goodway to placate Washington.

In an apparent bow to Washingtons likelyconcerns about Indonesian involvement, it iscurrently planned to provide Jakarta with jetsin a Block I configuration. Block I would in-

corporate no stealth coatings although itmay employ some RCS shaping. It would in-clude conformal fuel tanks, but no internalcarriage of weapons.

Block II, which would go to the SouthKorean air force, would see conformal fueltanks in addition to internal weapons car-riage, as well as the possible introduction ofstealth coatings.

If the Block I idea is not sufficient to satisfyWashington, another way to keep Indonesiain the programme and gain export licencescould be developing two broadly differentvariants of the jet, the KFX and IFX. This pro-

posal would see the latter produced withgreatly reduced capabilities. This twin track

approach, however, would drive up costs andcomplexity. One expert says that the curr

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