ORDER SPIKE BRASOV BOOST SHORT-SIGHTED

SUPERSONIC AS2 Romania to host future Turkish Airlines mishap

GAINS THRUST AS Super Puma assembly in Kathmandu blamed
FLEXJET COMMITS line, as Airbus Helicopters on landing attempted
SHOW REPORT P12 spins up investment 9 with ‘zero’ visibility 18

FLIGHT
24-30 NOVEMBER 2015
INTERNATIONAL

WORLD AIRLINERS

BIG TWIN
APPROACH
How products like the A350 will maintain
market dominance of Airbus and Boeing

£3.50
4 8

9 770015 371273
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 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL
VOLUME 188 NUMBER 5515 24-30 NOVEMBER 2015

NEWS
ORDER SPIKE BRASOV BOOST SHORT-SIGHTED

THIS WEEK
SUPERSONIC AS2 Romania to host future Turkish Airlines mishap
GAINS THRUST AS Super Puma assembly in Kathmandu blamed
FLEXJET COMMITS line, as Airbus Helicopters on landing attempted
SHOW REPORT P12 spins up investment 9 with ‘zero’ visibility 18

FLIGHT 8
9
Cobalt’s Valkyrie set to ride again
Romanian base for Super Puma.
THE WIDTH OF THIS IMAGE
INTERNATIONAL
24-30 NOVEMBER 2015

Kremlin confirms bomb downed MetroJet A321

WORLD AIRLINERS

BIG TWIN 10 Ambitions climb at EasyJet. MUST REMAIN THE SAME

APPROACH
How products like the A350 will maintain
market dominance of Airbus and Boeing Russia bloods cruise missiles in Syrian combat BUT THE HEIGHT CAN CHANGE
11 Profits stall at sluggish Rolls-Royce. IF NEEDED
Partners update avionics for aged Citation V fleet
NBAA 2015 SHOW REPORT
12 Textron reworks its top-end offering
AirTeamImages

£3.50
4 8
13 Eclipse 550 cleared for landing again in Europe
9 770015 371273

14 Flexjet puts its faith in supersonic jet.

COVER IMAGE A year after becoming official, G500 makes debut
AirTeamImages’ Aleksi 15 Sluggish demand is driving retrofits.
Hamalainen captured this Textron goes with GE to power all-new turboprop
shot of a Finnair A350-900 16 Legacy 450 gets longer legs.
on approach to Helsinki Diamond looks at resurrecting D-Jet, shows DA62
Vantaa airport in 17 PC-12NG updated as second jet flies.
Approval for lithium-ion could lead to wider use

mid-October P30
AIR TRANSPORT
18 ‘Zero’ visibility in Kathmandu incident
19 Cathay plans growth as widebody fleet expands.
‘Prudent’ delay to operations from St Helena
20 Bagnato still keen on ATR 90-seater.
Ilyushin Finance recasts freighter as executive jet.
Revitalised TAP reveals ambitions with A321neos
22 Data entry errors led to 737 tailstrike.
BillyPix
BillyPix
Pilatus launches its updated PC-12NG at NBAA P17
COVER STORY
30 Building on successes In the first installment of
our World Airliner Directory, we look at the
programmes serving the 100-seat-plus sector.
Here, despite the advances being made in
Canada, China and Russia, Airbus and Boeing look

Ex-Transaero Tu-214s set to boost Red Wings fleet set to strengthen their sales duopoly – and target
BEHIND THE HEADLINES NEWS FOCUS a middle of the market gap
The smart money was on our 23 777 prices tumble on widebody glut
Flight Evening News team, as 29 Peake performer is ready for space REGULARS
they weighed the odds facing
the business aviation sector 7 Comment
DEFENCE
during the annual NBAA 41 Straight & Level
24 Dutch hopeful of finding Reaper cash.
convention – staged in Airbus lifted by latest US Army order for UH-72As 42 Letters
fabulous Las Vegas. Find out 44 Classified
25 Inverted scare for USAF Ghostrider.
who had the winning hand in 47 Jobs
Japan orders first Hawkeye in deal worth $151m
our Show Report (P12)
28 Call for hypersonic missile regulation 51 Working Week

James Darcy/Airbus Group, AirTeamImages

PA

NEXT WEEK REGIONALS

In the second part of our
World Airliner Directory, we
review the status of the
market’s regional projects
US Army orders a further 12 UH-72As Lakotas P24. Availability glut puts pressure on used 777 prices P23

Download the Military Simulator

Census online now.
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flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 3

CONTENTS

IMAGE OF
THE WEEK
Qantas has revived the livery
that adorned its Boeing 707s
between 1959 and 1961 on a
737-800 named the “Retro
Roo II”. The new-old colour
scheme was revealed on
VH-VXQ during an event in
Sydney, with the activity
performed as part of the
airline’s ongoing 95th
anniversary celebrations

View more great aviation shots

online and in our weekly tablet
edition:
flightglobal.com/
flight-international

Boeing
THE WEEK IN NUMBERS QUESTION OF THE WEEK

34.9%
Last week, we asked: The lack of mega-deals at the Dubai air show
is: You said:

Flightglobal dashboard 70% 24%

China Airlines’ Q3 operating profit rose to NT$2.29 billion No problem: Natural
($69.8 million), despite a 7.8% decline in revenue jetpacks are after
the future 2013’s

$39.4m
TOTAL largesse
VOTES:
Flightglobal dashboard 2,989
Indian carriers IndiGo, Jet Airways and SpiceJet were fined
Rs2.6bn for colluding to fix air cargo fuel surcharges
6%
A worrying
indication

1,000S
of an order
bubble
This week, we ask: With Flexjet’s AS2 order, supersonic business
Drone World Expo travel is:
❑ On a sure path to take-off ❑ Still many years from viability
The number of UAV professionals at last week’s Drone ❑ Just a marketing fantasy
World Expo commercial applications show in Silicon Valley Vote at flightglobal.com

Flightglobal’s premium news and data service delivers breaking air transport stories with
profiles, schedules, and fleet, financial and traffic information flightglobal.com/dashboard

Flight to the future: our forecast for

IN ASSOCIATION WITH long-haul air travel in the 2030s
www.flightglobal.com/vision2035
4 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015 flightglobal.com
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PERFORMANCE | EXECUTION | TECHNOLOGY MORE TO BELIEVE IN


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from the recent NBAA business
aviation show in Las Vegas:
flightglobal.com/nbaa
flightglobal.com
To boldly go
No-one was sure what the combination of Beechcraft and Cessna under the Textron Aviation
banner would bring, but recent announcements show the company has a clear direction
L ong before Textron Aviation there was Travel Air.
Travel Air launched in 1925 when Clyde Cessna
and Walter Beech – two Wichita-based aircraft design-
ers – teamed up with Lloyd Stearman to produce the
Model A biplane. When Curtiss-Wright acquired
Travel Air four years later, its value had risen by a factor
of 40. But Cessna was no longer around to enjoy the
spoils. He split from Travel Air in 1927 to focus on
developing a line of monoplane aircraft, leaving only
speculation about what might have been behind.
Those questions remained open when Textron
reunited Wichita’s two most enduring aviation brands
in early 2014, closing a $1.6 billion acquisition of
Hawker Beechcraft and merging the company with
Cessna into the new Textron Aviation division.
At that time, Cessna was still recovering from the same
financial crisis that had driven Hawker Beechcraft to seek
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors two
The unveiling of the large-cabin
Hemisphere is only the latest
sign of its bold new direction
years earlier. How the newly-paired rivals would
approach the market seemed uncertain, with still no sign
of full recovery in the market for light and midsize jets.
But Textron Aviation left no doubt about its strategy at
the NBAA convention in Las Vegas. In a weakened mar-
ket, its leaders are taking an aggressive approach, wield-
ing the combined clout of Cessna and Beechcraft to at-
tack competitors in a way neither could manage alone.
The unveiling of the large-cabin Citation Hemisphere
is only the latest – and also clearest – sign of the
company’s bold new direction. In July, Textron Aviation
Fatal attraction
O n the surface, the rule is deceptively simple: if the
runway can’t be seen, abandon the approach. But it
is a rule that doesn’t account for the spectre of tempta-
tion. Cloud is a visual siren, beckoning pilots to come a
little closer, promising them the comforting view of their
destination if they surrender their sense of caution.
Taking the path of least resistance is a human trait.
For crews to resist such a lure – at the point of greatest
vulnerability, when journey’s end is tantalisingly
within reach – takes extraordinary discipline.
That it snares experienced and inexperienced pilots
flying aircraft from presidential transports to flag-carri-
ers to budget operators, proves that no-one is complete-
ly immune to the risk – especially if the source of
COMMENT
Nils Jorgensen/Rex Shutterstock
The business jet of the future?
quietly revealed a new single-engined turboprop pro-
gramme. Cessna has also re-imagined the design of the
Citation Longitude, downgrading its performance to
make room for the even more ambitious Hemisphere.
As individual companies, neither Cessna nor
Beechcraft could successfully penetrate the large-cabin
business jet sector, where there is competition from a
potent market triumvirate of Bombardier, Dassault and
Gulfstream. But none of those firms have released a
successful, clean-sheet design into the bottom of the
large-cabin segment since the mid-1980s. There is no
timidity in Textron Aviation’s strategy, with the prom-
ised 2.59m-diameter fuselage of the Hemisphere a clear
shot across the narrower bows of the competition.
Boldness is no guarantee of success, of course.
Industry forecasts projecting flat or declining sales of
business jets offer a note of caution. But the entire
business aviation industry benefits if Wichita’s finest
engineers are busy, emboldened and united, whether
as Textron Aviation or Travel Air. ■
See Show Report P12
psychological pressure is external as well as internal.
The decision-altitude rule is maddening in its absolute
unambiguity. On the scale of automation feasibility,
discerning whether a runway is visible or not is a task far
better suited to the human pilot than a machine. The
irony is that, having made the correct determination, the
human is more likely to fail to act on it.
Solving this problem requires a mind-shift. Execut-
ing a missed approach at the decision height, and even
diverting, needs to become a more attractive option
than persisting with a bad approach. As the situation
stands, the possibility of avoiding a serious accident
simply isn’t attractive enough. ■
See Air Transport P18
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 7
THIS WEEK
For more show coverage, images and
Flight Evening News from NBAA, visit
flightglobal.com/nbaa

BRIEFING
CSERIES INCHES CLOSER TO CERTIFICATION
DEVELOPMENT Bombardier has completed certification flight
testing on its new CS100 narrowbody, with the airframer still aiming
to attain approval by year-end. Tests are finished subject to regulator
Transport Canada’s “final review and acceptance”, the company
says. It is also finalising the submission of remaining documentation
covering the CS100’s type certificate for approval. Meanwhile,
Bombardier is continuing its programme of function and reliability
testing for the twinjet, in an effort that began on 7 November.

Sabrina Bot/Rex Shutterstock

PARIS INTENSIFIES STRIKES ON ISLAMIC STATE
CONFLICT France has heightened its combat involvement in Syria,
with its strike aircraft targeting Islamic State infrastructure in Raqqa
from 15 November. The action – which has involved formations of
four Dassault Rafales and six Mirage 2000D/Ns deployed from The concept was developed with help from car maker Maserati
Jordan and the United Arab Emirates – was launched after multiple
RELAUNCH STEPHEN TRIMBLE LAS VEGAS
terrorist attacks killed 129 civilians in Paris on 13 November.

GREENLAND EXPRESS SIGNS SUPERJET PACT

FLEET Start-up operator Greenland Express has provisionally agreed
Cobalt’s Valkyrie
to acquire five Sukhoi Superjet 100s. The airline would take delivery
of the 98-seat jets through finance leases between 2016 and 2018.
Sukhoi’s civil aircraft division says a letter of intent refers to aircraft
set to ride again
fitted with an all-economy layout. Greenland Express had previously San Francisco start-up relaunches 10-year-old design for a
indicated plans to operate Airbus jets, before disclosing its interest winglet-equipped, piston-powered, five-passenger aircraft
in the Superjet during September.
San Francisco-based start-up ing the CO50 in the summer of
HERMES 900 BECOMES STAR PERFORMER
OPERATIONS Elbit Systems’ Hermes 900 unmanned air system
A has relaunched a decade-old
concept for a five-passenger, pis-
2017. Home-build kits for the
Valkyrie-X are expected to require
has become fully operational with the Israeli air force. Named ton-powered aircraft called the a six-month assembly period.
“Kochav” (Star), the UAS was employed on hundreds of operational CO50 Valkyrie and Valkyrie-X. The CO50 is available for pre-
missions during last year’s “Protective Edge” campaign over the The formal launch on 12 orders, after making a public
Gaza Strip, with Elbit providing maintenance services and ground November re-energises Cobalt debut in San Francisco ahead of
control station personnel. The medium-altitude, long-endurance type founder David Loury’s pursuit of the National Business Aviation
has now been fully integrated into the service’s inventory. the sleek aircraft design featuring Association convention in Las
distinctive V-style vertical stabi- Vegas.
MEGGITT PICKED FOR 777X SMOKE-DETECTION lisers and an aft-mounted pusher Loury is an aeronautics engi-
SUPPLY CHAIN UK aerospace firm Meggitt has been selected as propeller. neering graduate of Georgia Tech,
the supplier of cargo smoke-detection systems for the Boeing 777X “Ten years ago, I had a vision to with experience working at what
family. The company will provide the system, comprising detectors disrupt the aviation industry with was then EADS. Previous inves-
and controllers, to the new twinjet under a sole-source contract. an innovative private aircraft that tors have included Noël Forgeard,
Meggitt says the equipment, developed for cargo holds and avionics is not only technologically sound a former chief executive of Air-
bays, is already in service on a number of aircraft types. Production and safe but also design-centric bus, and Henri Seydoux, the
will start in 2017 at its facility in Simi Valley, California. and luxurious,” Loury says. founder of commercial drone
“Today, Cobalt is no longer just manufacturer Parrot.
LANDING INCIDENT DAMAGES LAO MA60 a prototype,” he adds. “It’s a The Valkyrie design, inspired
MISHAP A Xian Aircraft MA60 twin-turboprop operated by Lao world-class aircraft, complete by fighter aircraft, was shaped
Skyway veered off the runway after landing at Vientiane’s Wattay with advanced safety, technology with the help of car manufacturer
International airport on 13 November, coming to rest in a grass field. and modern design features.” Maserati. Cobalt has built four
Registered as RDPL-34226 and built in 2011, the aircraft had been The two models are identical prototypes of the aircraft over the
carrying 31 people on a service from Luang Prabang. in appearance and performance, past decade.
but are separated by certification The highly stylised design in-
GRAY EAGLE SOARS IN SOUTH KOREA and cost. cludes a cockpit door that opens
TRIAL A General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1C Gray Eagle The CO50 will be certificated by folding the top half towards
has demonstrated teaming between manned and unmanned aircraft as a private aircraft with a basic the nose. Forward canards are po-
during a demonstration conducted with a Boeing AH-64 Apache near price of $699,000. The Valkyrie- sitioned just behind the tip of the
Kunsan air base in South Korea. The unmanned air vehicle streamed X’s price tag begins at $595,000, nose, augmenting the lift provid-
video and other data to the attack helicopter’s crew, who were then and it comes with an experimen- ed by a low-mounted wing
able to relay the information to ground forces. tal type certificate. equipped with winglets. ■
Cobalt plans to begin deliver- See Show Report P12

8 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015 flightglobal.com


ROTORCRAFT DOMINIC PERRY BRASOV
Romanian base
for Super Puma
Airbus Helicopters invests in new manufacturing facility and
launches production of medium-weight H215 at Brasov site
omania’s aircraft manufactur-
R ing industry, dormant since
2004, is being revived by Airbus
Helicopters, which is to begin
production of its legacy Super
Puma models at a new facility
near Brasov.
The airframer currently assem-
bles the AS332 L1e and C1e vari-
ants – now redesignated as the
H215 – at its Marignane plant in
the south of France. But from
2017 production of the 8.6t maxi-
mum take-off weight helicopter
will begin at the new factory,
reaching full-rate production of
15-20 aircraft per year from 2019.
Initial deliveries in 2017 will be
STRATEGY DOMINIC PERRY LONDON
Manufacturer vows to spin up UK industrial footprint
Despite the substantial UK industrial
presence parts of the Airbus Group
have, its helicopter business is “un-
der-developed”, despite dominating
the nation’s civil rotorcraft market.
However, it is working to increase
its operation at Oxford airport in the
southeast of England, and has begun
receiving funding from the
Department for Business, Innovation
& Skills for two initiatives. This marks
INVESTIGATION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Kremlin confirms bomb downed MetroJet A321
xplosives brought down the
E Russian-operated Airbus
A321 over the Sinai, Russia’s fed-
eral security service chief has told
president Vladimir Putin.
Director of the FSB Alexander
Bortnikov met Putin and other
senior government figures on 16
November, the president’s office
has stated.
Bortnikov told Putin personal
belongings, baggage and debris
from the MetroJet A321 had been
studied by investigators.
flightglobal.com
Ambitions climb
at EasyJet
THIS WEEK P10
confined to the short fuselage
(C1e) model, before
76cm-longer variant from 2019.
the
Airbus is targeting the rotorcraft
at the utility, aerial work, humani-
tarian assistance, and basic troop
transport segments.
It faces competition from the
Mil Mi-8/17, but believes the
H215’s capability, plus the new
production system it is adopting
at Brasov – arranged around a
flow line – plus lower Romanian
labour costs and a simplified con-
figuration of the baseline helicop-
ter, will enable it to compete
against the Russian-built types.
“It brings to the market what
the first time it has participated in UK
government-led industrial research, it
says. The first project – a partnership
with Cranfield University, BHR Group
and SME Helitune – aims to develop
technologies to measure rotor blade
performance in flight.
Airbus Helicopters also will partner
with project lead NetComposites to
help produce lower-weight, lower-cost
helicopter armour at an increased
The examinations have “re-
vealed traces of foreign-produced
explosive”, he said.
The aircraft was transporting
an improvised device with an ex-
plosive capacity of up to 1kg
(2.2lb) of TNT, said Bortnikov,
leading to its destruction in the
air. “You can definitely say that
this is an act of terrorism.”
None of the 224 occupants of
the aircraft, which left Sharm
el-Sheikh for St Petersburg on 31
October, survived. Putin respond-
THIS WEEK
Anthony Pecchi/Airbus Helicopters
Updated rotorcraft features four-axis autopilot from larger H225
the market needs for this seg- the C1e being a step towards that
ment,” said Guillaume Faury, goal. It featured a stripped-down
Airbus Helicopters chief execu- baseline configuration and a re-
tive, speaking at an event to mark duction in the amount of
the start of construction at the site. factory-installed equipment
“Thanks to this new streamlined available, but gained the four-axis
industrial model, we will be able autopilot and avionics from the
to produce one of the most afford- heavier H225.
able heavy helicopters in the The same avionics and
world here in Brasov.” autopilot are available on the
The airframer had already H215, but thanks to the changes in
begun to simplify its Super Puma the assembly process and a further
models, with the 2010 launch of simplification of the baseline
configuration and options list,
Airbus Helicopters believes
production time can be cut to a
total of 11 months, down from 18
on the C1e.
rate and enable more flexibility in The airframer is investing
military helicopter design. €50 million ($53.2 million) in the
Colin James, managing director for purpose-built, 10,000m² facility,
Airbus Helicopters UK, says: “Unlike which will be operated by a new
the rest of Airbus Group, which has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Airbus
balance of core business activities in Helicopters Industries.
France, Germany, Spain and the UK, The manufacturer is hopeful of
Airbus Helicopters still has, by com- building up a Romanian supply
parison, an under-developed indus- chain for the H215, with a target of
trial presence in Britain and we mean 30-35% of local content by value
to change this.” ■ within five years. ■
ed by stating the attack was “not
the first time” the country had
faced such acts, noting the rail sta-
tion bombing in Volgograd at the
end of 2013.
He vowed Russia’s military avi-
ation operations in Syria would be
“strengthened”, so perpetrators of
such attacks would “realise retri-
Xinhua/Rex Shutterstock
bution is inevitable”. “We will
look for them wherever they are
hiding,” he said. “We will find
them and punish them.” ■
Explosive device was concealed See This Week P10
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 9
THIS WEEK
TESTING
DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW
LONDON
A320neos take
flight over the
UK for first time
irbus has conducted fuel sys-
A tems tests with two A320neo
prototypes at Cardiff airport, the
first time the re-engined type has
operated in the UK.
The airframer carried out test-
ing with A320neos fitted with
Pratt & Whitney PW1100G and
CFM International Leap-1A en-
gines. They were flown from Tou-
louse to Cardiff for the work over
10-12 November.
Airbus has a plant at Filton, 31
miles (50km) from Cardiff, which
specialises in fuel-system testing,
says the airframer. Filton had a
runway until the airport was
closed in 2012. The facility has
fuel-heating and storage capabili-
ties and supports pre-installation
testing of parts and software for
Airbus fuel systems.
Cardiff was the “best candi-
date” for the related flight tests,
says the airframer, adding the air-
port operator’s team was “helpful
and supportive”. Both A320neos
performed routine flights over the
Bristol Channel to demonstrate
fuel systems were functioning.
Airbus is aiming to secure certi-
fication of the re-engined type in
November, ahead of first deliver-
ies by the end of this year. ■
MUNITIONS ARIE EGOZI TEL AVIV
Russia bloods cruise missiles in Syrian combat
ussia’s aerial campaign in
R Syria is being used to test
weapon systems that have not
previously been employed under
combat conditions – including
the Raduga Kh-101 air-launched
cruise missile.
In Russian air force service
since 2013, the new air-to-sur-
face weapon is 7.45m (24.4ft)
long and has a launch weight of
2,300kg (5,060lb), including a
400kg warhead. Its range is esti-
mated as being in excess of
1,080nm (2,000km).
Moscow on 17 November
10 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
Airline’s new A320s will have a 186-seat capacity, with introduction scheduled from May 2016
FLEET DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Ambitions climb at EasyJet
Low-cost carrier advances plan to shift to higher-capacity models, with A321neo of interest
asyJet expects to generate
E £110 million ($167 million)
in savings by shifting to a higher-
capacity aircraft type over the
next five years.
It will move from a fleet pri-
marily based on Airbus A319s to
a majority-A320 fleet by 2021.
The airline is taking another 36
A320s – including 30 A320neos
– to meet projected demand. It
has opted to increase the seating
density of the type, and will
begin receiving A320s in a 186-
seat configuration from May.
EasyJet chief executive
A Tu-95 bomber has been pictured carrying eight Kh-101 weapons
stepped up the intensity of its
activity in Syria, for the first time
employing Tupolev Tu-95 and
For up-to-the-minute air transport news,
network and fleet information sign up at:
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Carolyn McCall, speaking during
a year-end results briefing on 17
November, signalled the airline
was looking at the larger A321.
But she points out the airline
would not be able to take the type
until 2018. “We don’t want an
old one, we want the [A321neo],”
she says. “It’s on the radar.”
McCall stresses, however, that
the possibility of taking A321ne-
os has not yet been taken to the
airline’s board.
EasyJet’s fleet stood at 241 air-
craft at 30 September. Its A320
fleet has increased by 20 aircraft,
AirTeamImages
Tu-160 strategic bombers. Israeli
sources confirmed on 18 Novem-
ber that the strike aircraft have
Airbus
to 93, over the past year, while
the number of A319s has reduced
by five, to 148.
McCall says the majority of the
additional 36 ordered aircraft
will be used to take advantage of
“low-risk” opportunities, with 10
allocated to replace A319s.
The new order gives the airline
commitments for 186 aircraft –
56 A320s and 130 A320neos –
plus 100 unexercised options.
Just over 70% of EasyJet’s fleet
in 2020 will comprise A320s,
with almost a quarter of its fleet
made up of A320neos. ■
deployed weapons not known to
have been used in combat
before, including the Kh-101.
Recent images taken at
Moscow’s Ramenskoye air base
show a Tu-95 carrying eight of
the weapons on external stores
pylons.
Increased Russian activity
against Islamic State follows
Moscow’s determination that a
MetroJet-operated Airbus A321
which crashed in Egypt’s Sinai
province on 31 October, killing
224 passengers and crew, was
brought down by a bomb. ■
flightglobal.com
 THIS WEEK
Show report
NBAA 2015 P12
Boeing

UPGRADE STEPHEN TRIMBLE LAS VEGAS

Partners update avionics

for aged Citation V fleet
fleet of ageing Cessna Citation
A Vs and two derivatives can
soon be revitalised with Bendix
King’s Aerovue avionics suite,
thanks to a new relationship with
completion and manufacturing
DELIVERY specialist Sabreliner.
Middle East debut for KLM’s first 787 The Honeywell subsidiary’s
Dutch carrier KLM will operate its first Boeing 787-9 to the Middle three-display cockpit system is
East after delivery of the aircraft through an AerCap lease. The twinjet being developed as a retrofit
will be deployed on the Amsterdam-Abu Dhabi-Bahrain route. option for the Citation V, Citation
Air France-KLM has 19 of the -9s on order, as well as six 787-10s. V Ultra and for the Citation V
Boeing says the carrier is also leasing 12 787s through AerCap. “This Encore, says Greg Fedele,
aircraft symbolises a new phase in the future of KLM,” says the car- Sabreliner president.
rier’s chief executive, Pieter Elbers. The system will replace
Parent Air France-KLM in 2011 placed an order for 25 787-9s with Primus 1000-based cockpits in
General Electric GEnx engines. KLM converted part of the deal to -10s the Ultra and Encore models, as
earlier this year. well as the original avionics in
the original V, he says.
Sabreliner expects the supple-
mental type certificate (STC) for
the modification to be approved
by the US Federal Aviation
Administration in the second or
third quarter of 2016.
A similar avionics retrofit
package with the Aerovue system
is being developed by Sabreliner
and Bendix King for the Beech-
craft King Air C90 turboprop.
That package is scheduled to
reach the market with an STC in
the fourth quarter of next year.
The C90 upgrade follows an ef-
fort to offer the Aerovue as a ret-
rofit option for the King Air 200
and B200 aircraft.
See Show Report P12

STRATEGY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON

Profits stall at sluggish Rolls-Royce

Engine maker bids to speed up decision-making processes as a failure to adapt to changing market hits 2016 forecast
olls-Royce believes that its but also to increase the ‘clock fre-
R decision-making processes
are too slow and that its planned
quency’, so we’re able to respond
more quickly within the business
restructuring will concentrate on to changes in the market.”
giving the company the ability to R-R is expecting a £650 million
respond more rapidly to changes ($990 million) impact on its 2016
in the market. profit forecast, more than double
The manufacturer will detail a the figure disclosed in July.
new restructuring initiative on 24 Around £100 million of that
November after another warning near-£300 million increase comes
over its 2016 profit outlook. from the business and regional
Chief executive Warren East, aviation segment of the market,
speaking to analysts after the where areas of lower demand in-
warning, said the company had clude “sharply lower volumes”
shown, over several months, that of business jets powered by R-R
it was “less able” to adapt to the engines – plus a consequent dip
market than it ought to be. in the need for aftermarket ser-
Rolls-Royce has doubled, since vices – “further significant de-
July, the scale of the negative im- clines” in demand for aftermarket
pact on its 2016 profits arising services on engines in the 50-70-
from shifting conditions. seat regional jet market, and re-
“These changes will happen vised assumptions “for some leg-
Airbus

and they do happen fast,” says acy programmes”.

East. While the pace of these mar-
ket effects have probably acceler-
ated since mid-year, he says, the
company has still demonstrated
an internal sluggishness.
“We have lots of people en-
gaged with customers, engaged
Growing widebody marketshare should ensure long-term stability Aftermarket revenue and profit
from the widebody market will
with the market. We pick up lots long, and the process by which have a £100-150 million impact,
of data, we turn that data into in- that data gets turned into infor- with its offshore marine business
formation, we make decisions mation is too complex. contributing a further £75-100
about it,” says East. “What we need to do is make million as this market continues
“The issue is that we take too the whole process more simple – to decline. ■

flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 11

SHOW For more show coverage, images and

REPORT news from NBAA 2015, visit

flightglobal.com/nbaa

NBAA 2015
The National Business Aviation Association convention
returned to Las Vegas with the industry enjoying mixed
fortunes. With emerging markets such as Brazil, China
and Russia – which have generated most orders in recent
years – faltering, manufacturers have been putting more
faith in recovering US and European economies.
However, there are signs growth there may be levelling
off again too. To this end, the focus was less on platform
launches – although Cessna was a high-profile exception
– and more on upgrades, cabin enhancement packages
and life-extension programmes.
There was a breakthrough order for supersonic jet
developer Aerion and a show debut for the Gulfstream
G500. James Drew, Kate Sarsfield, Murdo Morrison, Alan
Peaford, Dan Thisdell and Stephen Trimble report.
Photography by BillyPix.

PROGRAMMES

Textron reworks its top-end offering

New Cessna Hemisphere launched into large-cabin segment while smaller Longitude repositioned as super midsize
extron Aviation unveiled a
T two-pronged assault on the
super midsize and large-cabin jet
market segments with the all-
new Cessna Citation Hemisphere
and a revamp of its Citation Lon-
gitude.
The larger Hemisphere; with
4,500nm (8,330km) range, will
enter the large-cabin market in
about five years as the first clean-
sheet aircraft since the 1980s.
The smaller Longitude has
been repositioned to compete in
the super midsize segment after
2017 with 3,400nm range, com-
plementing the midsized Lati-
tude with 2,850nm.
Along with the super midsize,
high-speed Citation X+ with
3,460nm range and the Sovereign+
with 3,190nm range, Textron Avia-
tion now has a diverse, five-prod-
uct portfolio spanning the midsize,
super midsize and – finally – large-
cabin segments for the first time in
Cessna’s nearly 50 year presence in
the business jet market.
“We’re going to logically grow
into this space. We’re going to put
new technology, new products in
a space that hasn’t seen a lot of
new lately,” says Textron Avia-
tion chief executive Scott Ernest.
How Textron Aviation arrived at
The revamped Longitude is to have a 3,400nm operating range
this position is a long and twisting nancial crisis that began shortly
story, with many tough and costly after it was launched.
lessons. The all-composite Hawker The same downturn briefly ap-
4000 never found traction for peared to put Cessna’s entire jet
Hawker Beechcraft, which was ac- business in existential peril. Ernest
quired by Textron in 2013. Cess- arrived with a new leadership
na’s promising fly-by-wire Citation team in 2011 and immediately fo-
Columbus missed a chance to cused product development on
prove itself commercially, becom- meeting the challenge posed by a
ing a victim of the 2008 global fi- new entrant – Embraer – in the
light and midsize segments.
“You can expect to To thwart Embraer’s Legacy 450
and Legacy 500, Cessna proposed
see the same the Citation Latitude, which bor-
aggressive activities rows the wing, empennage and
Garmin cockpit of the Sovereign+,
going forward with all but adds a wider and taller cross-
of our product lines” section in the passenger cabin.
SCOTT ERNEST The original Longitude was in-
Chief executive, Textron Aviation troduced in 2012 as a successor to
the 4,000nm-range Columbus, but
it always seemed an awkward fit.
Sharing a fuselage cross section
with the Latitude despite nearly
25% greater range, the original
Longitude concept seemed too
small for such lofty performance
goals.
Within two years of the pro-
gramme’s launch, Textron Aviation
went back to the drawing board on
the Longitude. Behind closed
doors in Wichita, Kansas, Cessna’s
product planners reduced the Lon-
gitude’s promised range to
3,400nm, while assembly techni-
cians built a full-scale ground test
article, allowing the NBAA audi-
ence a vivid understanding of a
substantially new product.
The reduced range inadvertent-
ly solved a potential scheduling
problem for the Longitude’s origi-
nally selected engine – the now-
delayed 11,000lb-thrust (49kN)
Snecma Silvercrest. Cessna could
afford to downgrade the Longi-
tude’s power requirement to the
7,500lb-thrust Honeywell HT-
F7700L turbofan, which has quick-
ly emerged as a new standard in
the super midsize segment.
The new Longitude concept is
also revealed as a more technologi-
cally ambitious project for Textron

12 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015 flightglobal.com


Cessna’s Hemisphere should enter the market late this decade
Aviation. It includes Cessna’s first ameter fuselage for a large-cabin
application of partial fly-by-wire jet, which is roughly equivalent to
controls in a business jet, with the the super-large category Dassault
rudder and spoilers actuated elec- Falcon 5X.
tronically from pilot inputs to the With first flight scheduled in
flight control computer. 2019, Textron Aviation still has
An easy way to make Textron time to make major supplier deci-
Aviation officials bristle is to sug- sions, including for the Hemi-
gest the all-new Hemisphere is sphere’s engines. Candidates in-
just a rebranded Columbus. To a clude the Silvercrest, the Pratt &
great extent, Textron executives Whitney Canada PW800 and the
make a fair point. The $35 million GE Aviation Passport.
Hemisphere is a departure from The Hemisphere and revamped
the Columbus design. It features a Longitude come after a spurt of de-
jaw-dropping 2.59m-(102in) di- velopment, which already in-
cludes the Textron AirLand Scor-
pion, the Latitude and a
recently-launched single-engined
turboprop.
“You can expect to see the
same aggressive activities going
forward with all of our product
lines,” Ernest says, “refreshing
existing products and growing
NBAA debut for large cabin into new markets.” ■
flightglobal.com
CERTIFICATION
Eclipse 550 cleared for
landing again in Europe
ne Aviation secured Europe-
O an certification for its Eclipse
550 at the show and announced
two orders for the very light jet
(VLJ).
The first deal, for 20 aircraft,
was placed by the company’s
Chinese distributor Jinggong
General Aviation to feed the an-
ticipated demand for small busi-
ness jets in the country.
“It is currently believed that
China will need 10,000 light air-
craft within the next five to 10
years to accommodate general
aviation’s rapid expansion,”
says One Aviation chief execu-
tive Alan Klapmeier. “Jinggong
is taking a lead position in
that market.”
US shared ownership start-up
Ascension Air has selected the
EA550 for its new programme
called Contrails.
The first aircraft is scheduled
for delivery to the Atlanta, Geor-
gia-headquartered company this
month.
With European approval
now secured, Eclipse is step-
ping up its marketing effort
across the region.
It has its sights set on commer-
cial operators, which One Avia-
tion president Ken Ross “expects
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 13
NBAA 2015
SHOW REPORT
to eventually account for a con-
siderable share” of the fleet. “The
Eclipse is an ideal aircraft for
these missions,” he says. “It seats
four passengers and can fly up to
1,000nm [1,850km].”
The continent is already
home to around 20 Eclipse 500s
– the previous incarnation of
the VLJ, which was certificated
by EASA in 2007.
“We have made a number of
changes to the original air-
craft,” says Ross. “That’s why
the type certification needed to
be updated.”
The upgraded aircraft – intro-
duced in 2013 as the EA550 – fea-
tures a dual Avio integrated flight
management system, synthetic
vision, enhanced vision, auto-
throttles and anti-skid brakes.
Albuquerque, New Mexico-
based One Aviation has two dis-
tributors for the €2.3 million ($3
million) twinjet in Europe:
Guernsey-headquartered Aeris
Aviation and Schonhagen, Ger-
many-based JetLounge.
The company also has four
service centres throughout the
region. “We plan to expand
both our distributor and service
centre network to grow the
fleet,” says Ross. ■
NBAA 2015
SHOW REPORT
INNOVATION
Flexjet puts its faith in supersonic jet
Order for 20 still-unlaunched Aerion AS2s from fractional ownership provider gives developer big fleet breakthrough
upersonic start-up Aerion’s
S revamped AS2 aircraft has
gained a launch order and a cru-
cial endorsement from Flexjet
founder Kenn Ricci.
The fractional jet service en-
trepreneur not only placed a
partially non-refundable depos-
it for 20 AS2s worth $2.4 bil-
lion, but also made it clear that
his North American corporate
customers eagerly desire access
to a Mach 1.5-capable jet with
transatlantic range.
At the same time, Ricci is
aware that he is accepting the risk
of losing at least part of his depos-
it. He recalls that his only return
on a $1 million deposit placed in
the 1990s for the cancelled Fair-
child Dornier Envoy 7 business
jet was a Flexjet-liveried aircraft
model. Then he pointed at the
oversize AS2 trijet model painted
in Flexjet colours.
“I may be buying another
model,” Ricci says, perhaps only
half-jokingly.
But Ricci believes the AS2 is
LARGE CABIN
A year after becoming official, G500 makes debut
nly one year after confirming
O the programme’s existence,
Gulfstream flew the first test
G500 aircraft to Las Vegas’s Hen-
derson executive airport for the
NBAA static display, allowing
convention attendees to experi-
ence the company’s newest and
most advanced business jet.
The 4h 36min flight covering
1,630nm (3,018km) from Gulf-
stream’s factory in Savannah,
Georgia was intended to dramati-
cally highlight how far the pro-
gramme has come since flight
tests began last May.
“I think it’s a great opportuni-
ty to show the progress we’ve
been able to make in a very
short amount of time. We’re re-
ally excited to have our custom-
ers see it, feel it and touch it,”
says Mark Kohler, vice-presi-
14 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
An oversize model in Flexjet colours was on display at the show
worth the financial risk assumed
by his launch order. He expected
some corporate customers to re-
spond favourably to a recent sur-
vey of market interest in super-
sonic aircraft, but he was
overwhelmed by the positive re-
sponse. Flexjet originally
planned to place an initial order
for 10 AS2 jets, but the survey
results persuaded Ricci to dou-
ble his commitment.
Ricci decided to move now de-
dent of advanced aircraft pro-
grammes for Gulfstream.
Among the G500’s achieve-
ments so far are flight envelope
expansion tests up to 50,000ft
and speeds up to Mach 0.995.
The latter represents a certifica-
tion requirement for the G500,
which will share the G650’s max-
imum operating speed of M0.925.
The G500 is the first commer-
cial aircraft in flight test equipped
with active sidesticks, which elec-
tronically replicate the mechani-
cal coupling of both yokes in
aircraft lacking fly-by-wire tech-
nology.
Gulfstream says the active con-
trol inceptors should reduce the
risk of accidents caused by confu-
sion between pilots about what
flight control inputs the other
pilot is commanding.
For more show coverage, images and
news from NBAA 2015, visit
flightglobal.com/nbaa
spite what seems like peculiar
timing. Less than two years ago,
Aerion scrapped a decade-long
design calling for a twinjet with
4,000nm (7,400km) range. The
company is now focused on de-
veloping a trijet aircraft with
5,300nm range, but it remains
early days. A programme launch
is not expected until the middle of
next year. Aerion is still in the pro-
cess of selecting a supplier for the
AS2’s unique supersonic engine.
The new advanced business jet arrived from Savannah, Georgia
So far, the flight test pro-
gramme has mainly been limit-
ed to evaluating the aircraft in
the limited “first flight” mode of
the normal fly-by-wire system.
Test pilots also have reverted to
But Ricci says he wanted to
place the order now in order to
help Aerion bring the AS2 to
market as soon as possible.
Aerion needs to raise up to $4
billion to bring the AS2 through
certification and a production
ramp-up at a still-undetermined
final assembly plant in the USA.
Airbus Defence & Space has com-
mitted to support the project with
engineering and logistical re-
sources, but so far has disclosed
no financial commitment to the
programme. Aerion will likely
need to raise capital by securing
loans and financing support from
banks, too.
Large orders placed by estab-
lished corporate customers, such
as Flexjet, help Aerion make its
case when presenting a costly su-
personic business jet develop-
ment programme to potential fi-
nanciers, says Robert Bass, a
billionaire oil industry magnate
and founder of Aerion.
“It certainly is, I think, clearly
a validation,” Bass says. ■
an alternate mode a few times,
but only to check how the han-
dling qualities are affected by
mode changes, says vice-presi-
dent of sales and marketing
Scott Neal. ■
flightglobal.com

Hartzell’s five-bladed option for the Pilatus PC-12 was on display
UPGRADES
Sluggish demand
is driving retrofits
Strength in used aircraft market behind slew of innovations
in modifications from cabins to cockpits and powerplants
hile building evidence of a
W slowdown in business
aircraft sales may have put a
few clouds in the Las Vegas sky,
strength in the used market is
driving momentum for upgrades
and modifications.
Dassault Falcon Jet boss John
Rosanvallon summed up the situa-
tion by noting that where Falcon
sales were strong last year, neither
2015 or 2016 will match 2014’s
level. Winning orders is proving
difficult in Russia, India and
China, he says – noting that while
the latter was by 2011 behind half
of Falcon orders, this year it will
reach less than 15%. And, adds
Rosanvallon, a strong post-cri-
sis rebound in the all-important
US market has lost momentum.
Falcon’s experience is under-
scored by a Honeywell survey pub-
lished as NBAA opened. But
where Honeywell concludes that
“sluggish economic growth and
political tensions are driving a
more reserved approach to pur-
chasing”, the aftermarket outlook
is bullish.
flightglobal.com
Says Honeywell business and
general aviation president Brian
Sill: “We are seeing operators in-
vest in retrofits and upgrades for
their existing aircraft, especially
around connectivity.”
NBAA was packed with retrofit
and upgrade announcements.
Hartzell unveiled a new five-blad-
ed composite propeller for Pilatus
PC-12s, which promises more
speed and better fuel economy.
Bombardier’s WAVE high-
speed internet package will soon
be available for line-fit and retro-
fit on Global jets – and Inmarsat
says the Jet Connex system it is
built on will be available soon
from another manufacturer.
In avionics, Rockwell Collins
unveiled the Cessna CJ3 and Nex-
tant 400XTi as the latest fleets eli-
gible for retrofit with its Pro Line
Fusion cockpit system.
Engine offers included Black-
hawk Modifications’ announce-
ment of Federal Aviation Admin-
istration certification of its Pratt &
Whitney Canada PT6A power
upgrade for the Cessna 208/B. ■
ENGINES
Textron goes with GE to
power all-new turboprop
E Aviation has won a compe-
G tition to power the planned
Textron Aviation single-engined
turboprop with an advanced new
engine that will be designed and
built in the Czech Republic, the
company announced at NBAA.
The aircraft is expected to be un-
veiled next year.
The 850-1,650shp-class (633-
1,230kW) GE93 turboprop will
feature electronic engine and pro-
peller controls and a class-lead-
ing 16:1 pressure ratio, says Brad
Mottier, vice-president and gen-
eral manager, business and gen-
eral aviation, GE.
The engine selection is the first
significant aircraft detail released
since Textron Aviation confirmed
the existence of a single-engined
turboprop development pro-
gramme last July.
All Textron Aviation officials
said then was that the aircraft
would be a completely new de-
sign and unrelated to former pro-
jects by Cessna and Beechcraft.
Meanwhile, GE Aviation has
spent seven years looking to make
a dent in the dominance of the
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A en-
gine in the business and general
aviation market. GE first acquired
Czech engine manufacturer Wal-
STRATEGY
P&WC set to respond to rival’s challenge
Pratt & Whitney Canada is preparing a
counter-punch to GE Aviation’s incur-
sion into the 800-1,600shp (600-
1,200kW) turboprop engine market
that its PT6A has dominated for more
than 50 years – with a new product to
be revealed next year.
GE has been pushing into the seg-
ment since its acquisition of the
Czech Walter M601 turboprop in
2008, which it adapted into the H80
series with electronic engine controls
and other updates. Now, GE aims to
leap ahead of the PT6 by developing a
clean-sheet engine for Textron’s next-
generation turboprop (see above).
Speaking to Flight International,
P&WC president John Saabas said:
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 15
NBAA 2015
SHOW REPORT
ter’s M601 turboprop engine,
which led to several re-engining
projects. But GE still hoped to at-
tack the PT6A with an all-new tur-
boprop engine leveraging technol-
ogy from the company’s
commercial turbofan division.
When Textron Aviation issued
a request for proposals to power a
new 12-seat turboprop, GE exec-
utives sensed they had found the
right opportunity to launch a de-
velopment programme costing
up to $500 million.
“The beauty of
Textron is they are
the largest user of
these types of
engines”
BRAD MOTTIER
GE Aviation
“The beauty of Textron is they
are the largest user of these types
of engines,” Mottier says.
“If you win Textron, you can
justify a new programme invest-
ment. If you have to go and bet on
winning the other airframers one
at a time, it’s very difficult or per-
haps impossible to justify an ex-
pense of $400-500 million.” ■
“We know where the industry is go-
ing and where the trends are, so
we’re investing as well.”
Saabas says electronic engine
controls will eventually be available
across P&WC’s portfolio, and are
already available on higher-power
versions of the PT6.
P&WC announced two new PT6A
variants at the show, the -140A and
-140AG, which advertise 15% more
power and 5% better fuel consumption.
GE’s clean-sheet 800-1,650shp
design claims 10% more power and
15% better fuel burn at altitude than
its “nearest competitor” and will
have fully integrated electric engine
and propeller controls. ■
NBAA 2015
SHOW REPORT
PROGRAMMES
Boeing courting
ultra-long-range
market with BBJ
B oeing has started to focus on
an increased gross weight
(IGW) variant of the BBJ Max 8
after ruling out a similar range-
extending modification of the
737 Max 7.
The heavier version of the re-
engined VIP jet would fulfil the
BBJ organisation’s goal of offer-
ing a product with 7,000nm
(13,000km) range, matching the
new standard in the ultra-long-
range segment of the business
jet market. Boeing still has made
no decision to launch the BBJ
Max 8 IGW version, but the de-
tails of such a project are becom-
ing clear.
The basic idea involves three
major modifications of the com-
mercial 737 Max 8, says BBJ pres-
ident David Longridge.
First, the wing of the 737 Max 9
would replace the existing wing
on the BBJ Max 8, Longridge says.
A larger wing increases capacity
for adding fuel tanks. Finally, the
IGW version of the BBJ Max 8
would likely require a sturdier
landing gear.
A similar set of modifications
allowed Boeing to introduce the
BBJ1 with about 6,200nm range,
which is similar to the baseline
performance of the BBJ Max 2.
A heavier version of
the 737 Max 7 has
been considered by
Boeing officials, but
is now discarded
A heavier, VIP version of the
737 Max 7 has been considered by
Boeing officials, but is now dis-
carded. The smaller design does
not have the space to carry enough
auxiliary fuel tanks in the cargo
hold. There may also be issues
with the centre of gravity of an
IGW version of the 737 Max 7,
Longridge says.
Boeing plans to deliver the first
BBJ Max 2 with 6,200nm range to
a customer in 2018. ■
16 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
UPGRADES
Legacy 450 gets longer legs
Latest variant from Embraer opens up more city pairs in increasingly competitive sector
E mbraer is extending the range
of its Legacy 450 by over 10%.
The move is designed to strength-
en the Brazilian airframer’s posi-
tion in the crowded and increas-
ingly competitive superlight and
midsize sectors, and to exploit the
anticipated rebound in these seg-
ments.
The new Legacy 450 boasts a
range of 2,900nm (5,370km) –
325nm more than the current ver-
sion. This will enable the aircraft
to connect to many more city pairs
non-stop, including San Francisco
to Hawaii and Abu Dhabi to
Cannes, when it enters service as
the baseline model in the third
quarter of 2016.
Embraer says owners of the cur-
rent Legacy 450, which is being
readied for service entry this quar-
ter, will be offered a retrofit. This
involves minor structural changes
to the aircraft, such as modifying
one wing rib, to accommodate
VERY LIGHT JET
Diamond looks at resurrecting D-Jet
as it shows DA62 to corporate world
D iamond Aircraft Industries
Canada marked its return to
the air show circuit after a six-
year break with the North Ameri-
can debut of its DA62 piston-
twin – Diamond’s first model
targeted at the corporate sector.
The London, Ontario-based
Maurer, next to a DA62, is looking for D-Jet investment
For more show coverage, images and
news from NBAA 2015, visit
flightglobal.com/nbaa
Pellegrini: looking for ways to leapfrog the competition
extra fuel volume, and updating
the aircraft’s software. “This is a
very competitive environment,”
says Embraer Executive Jets chief
executive Marco Tulio Pellegrini,
describing the market for mid-
range business jets.
“We are constantly looking at a
way to leapfrog the competition
and attract new business.”
sister company of Austria’s Dia-
mond Aircraft also revealed to
Flight International that it is con-
tinuing to search for partners to
bring its D-Jet family to market.
“We have never given up on the
programme,” says Peter Maurer,
president of Diamond Aircraft In-
The Legacy 450’s enhanced
range exceeds that of its superlight
rivals, the Bombardier Learjet 75
and Cessna Citation XLS+, which
fly distances of 2,040nm and
2,100nm respectively.
It is now snapping at the heels of
the Textron Aviation-owned firm’s
latest midsize offerings – the Lati-
tude and the Sovereign+. ■
dustries Canada. “We still have
the same commitment and vision
for the jet family that we did in the
beginning and are continuing to
look for suitable partners to see it
all the way through.”
The D-Jet programme was sus-
pended in 2013 after it failed to
secure the funding to complete
development. Nearly $200 mil-
lion had been sunk into the pro-
ject since 2005, and three D-Jet
prototypes had amassed over 700
flying hours when it was shelved.
Maurer admits that in the cur-
rent economic climate it is proving
tough to find a funding partner
with a similar outlook to Diamond,
and he is keen not to relinquish
control of the project. “There are
plenty of people who are interested
in the programme, but this takes a
huge investment as well as a long-
term vision,” he says. ■
flightglobal.com
 NBAA 2015
SHOW REPORT

BATTERIES

Approval for lithium-ion

could lead to wider use
anadian regulators have ap- emphasise the safety design fea-
C proved a lithium-ion battery
for use in the Beechcraft A36 Bo-
tures of the TB17. It starts with
using a more benign nano-
nanza in a decision that could phospate lithium-ion chemistry.
open the door to the powerful en- In the “rare event” of an over-
ergy source on other aircraft. temperature or over-voltage, that
Wichita, Kansas-based True chemistry does not emit oxygen,
Blue Power can begin installing which can strengthen a fire, or
the 17 amp-hour TB17 battery in overheat, Slater says.
the Bonanza, based on a Part 23
supplemental type certificate Lithium-ion generally
awarded by Transport Canada.
The subsidiary of Mid-Conti-
provides more power
nent Avionics has also applied for for the same weight
approval of the TB17 from the US as lead-acid or nickel
Federal Aviation Administration,
based on the agency’s bilateral cadmium batteries
agreement with Transport Canada.
The Canadian approval “pro-
vides the baseline for subsequent “It’s a smart pack,” Slater
STC processes on a long list of adds. “Safety is addressed at
aircraft applications awaiting multiple levels including chem-
True Blue Power lithium-ion bat- istry, cell design, containment
teries”, says Rick Slater, division and the integration of electronic Type will feature greater range and speed, and a quieter cabin
manager of True Blue Power. protection systems.”
TURBOPROP
The FAA has increased scruti- Lithium-ion chemistries gener-
ny on lithium-ion power sources
on aircraft since the Boeing 787-8
experienced a series of battery fail-
ally provide more power for the
same weight as batteries based on
lead-acid or nickel cadmium.
PC-12NG updated
ures in 2013, which led to a four-
month fleet grounding and a rede-
sign of the battery installation.
The TB17, for example, is
45% lighter than comparable al-
ternatives, according to True
as second jet flies
True Blue Power is careful to Blue Power. ■ With PC-24 test aircraft two taking to the skies in Europe,
manufacturer announces refresh for its turboprop single
AND WEB
ilatus Aircraft marked a dou- tain its turboprop single’s posi-
DAY

P
IN PRINT C
COMPLETE COVERAGE
CO IN PRINT AND WEB COM
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COVERAGE COVERAGE
COMPLETE

1
DAY IN PRINT AND
WEB

ISSUE 1 MONDAY 16
NOVEMB ER 2015

Distribution
supported by
Distribution
supported
2
by

3
DAY
ble celebration at NBAA, tion in the market – with almost
lau
launching an upgraded version of 1,400 delivered to date – Pilatus
ISSUE 2 TUESDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2015
BillyPix

Distribution
supported
by Legacy legs
eg
egs
It’s wi-fi Jim but not as we know it
it at
ISSUE 3 WEDNES
DAY 18 NOVEMBE
CHAISE-LONGITUD
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Bombardier hosted James T Kirk – in the form WAVE’s ultra-high internet speeds allow Global
the R 2015

Textron CEO
Scott Ernest
and
double

its nine-year-old Pilatus PC-12NG has launched an upgraded ver-

of actor William Shatner – this morning to 5000 passengers to seek out new life and civi-
Citation Longitude
Pictures: BillyPix

the debutant explore the new world of wi-fi access from lizations – or join a video teleconference – no STEPPING
Flying transocean UP:
virtually anywhere while on board a Global matter where the aircraft is flying. ic, the Embraer Embraer’s
500 hasJet- Legacy
Le cy Casey
5000, boldly going where broadband internet The system is enabled by Honeywell’s set two speed Davis, Daniel
ian manufactur records, thee Braz
Brazil-
has rarely gone before. Wave hardware and Inmarsat’s Ku-band Jet- er announced zil- Matfaelli and
The fictional commander of the Starship Connex satellite communication network, The midsize
con- jet today.
y. Jeremy Schneider
flew from Burbank,
Enterprise beamed up Bombardier’s new quering the final frontier of internet fornia
access in
to Kahului, nk, Ca
n Cali-
Maui with five
WAVE system en route from his California most regions of airspace aroundgers the inworld.
6h. The segment passen-
ssen--
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– one of the

and announcing the first flight of sion featuring better take-off and
home to the NBAA convention on a Global Bombardier plans to introduce the new
world’s longest between e
5000 demonstration flight. WAVE service next year to a wide range
water of for- two points o over
– covered
Offered as a forward and retrofit option on ward fit and retrofit customers, with whether they 2,165nm (4,010km) m)
an average
Bombardier’s Global-series business jets, are on a 5,000nm leg or a five-year 680km/hmission. ground speed of
(367kt).
The easterly
return flight covered
2,470nm in
5h 30min at
ground speed an average
of 846km/h.
Embraer Executive

the second PC-24 jet test aircraft. climb performance, more cabin
now set a total Jets has
of six speed
cords this year, re-
as confirmed
the US National by
Aeronautic Associa-
tion and France’s
Federation Aeronau-
tique Internation
ale.
The Legacy 500
has a a maximum
range of 3,125nm.

T superlight jet – registra-

The comfort, greater range and speed,
The longest recorded
by a Legacy 500 operational flight
set a speed record
slightly exceeding while
the specified
mum. The flight range maxi-
from Düsseldorf,
to Dubai, UAE Germany
covered 3,268nm
benefiting from in 7h 3min,

Hemisphere
favourable tail
Embraer also winds.

gitude and
announced today
cy 500 is approved the Lega-

TOP OF
appeal of Lon
tio HB-VXB – took off from
tion and a quieter cabin. Aerodynam-
to operate steep
proaches into
London City airport. ap-

s out global

NG ONR
Textron map

SIT TIN
intends to
expand
DIAMOND’S
WO LD
ers. Cessna re system to other

SET ON JE Sta on 16 November at 10:06

Stans ic enhancements including a new
the fly-by-wi in the
control surfaces
additional
Hemisphere. Mothballed
E
benefits
e also

H projec
The Longitud d

T ect not dead

T
ns develope
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TRIMBLE e by from Cessna. An reborn as twin
exam-

ayss Canadia and may be

By STEPHEN ed Longitud recently withintransfer unit, which
today un-
extron Aviation d Cessna role originall
y veiled
the relaunch uilt, ground
g a secretly-b static dis- ple is
a power of a hy- , say
a
XJET ON FAST TRACK
the functions control-

T FLEXJET
Lon- displayin at the NBAA
LITTLE GEM:
veiled a revampee and all- pies the market combines and
n company By KATE SARSFIEL

loc time and flew across Swit-

local five-bladed Hartzell composite
for the smaller article for mid- motor Peter Maurer
Citation Longitud this space same test First flight is on track pump,
in draulic single device for the
first D
Hemisphere, planes into envisioned shares the
with
to put three different Ci- play. should begin ler into a don, Ontario-b
O
the new D-62
new Citation cover the gitude, which tion as the

D
 
old am- 2016 and deliveries aircraft. iamond’s D-Jet ased manufactu
g on a five-year- and really
we feel are competi- fuselage
cross-sec half of 2017. of time in a Cessna ion of the Lon- is says: “We
We
but the mothballenot dead – programm have never given up
rer, types
redoublin it considers second on the hours had amassed over
what ranges that brand new tation Latitude
. n- the time, the
launch The redefinit Cessna plans to me.
m e. We still
bition to conquer of the super and have is repositio At the same and the revamped engine jet may d single- have when it was 700 flying
tively priced all three of these Instead, Textron
means he Aerion Sil-
. The supersonic businessss ic, intercontinental flight capabilities access to Aerion’s proprietary superson- Group are moving forward impressive- commitm ent and vision the same

T
le sector range of gitude By MURDO MORRISON re-emerge ment
m Maurer admits shelved.
a vulnerab y in e with a top Hemisphere new level suppliers a
with thetwin.
as family
segment. is technolog says Textron Aviation the Longitud places the reveal a switch engine the Hem-got off to a flying
jet programme ng to our owners.” ic natural laminar flow wing technolo- ly That AS2’s development.” that
haat we did for the jet that in the
midsize market ere ” ing That e Wichita- only power was the message in the beginning economic current
million Hemisph markets, Scott Ernest. to 3,400nm. the Longitud ical ambition at vercrest will Cessna start
has not yet
at NBAA st
today with its first Flexjet chairman Kenn Ricci ssaid at a The trijet, which has a top speed of gy. It came one year after the European fromAerion expects to make
the Canadian- an engine and are continue
this morning ontinue to
o climate
to find a funding it is proving tough
The $30-35 to 4,300nm st- limited product between ere, technolog look for suitable
fly routes up fu- chief
executive
Snecma Silvercrethe the midsize
and
fea- isphere, the new engine
firm fleetchoice
order – for 20 exam-- press conference today that the RRichard- Mach 1.5, carries eight to 12 passen- group launched its collaboration with which Austrian
selection in the first half of next year. partners to
airframer, o see it all the partner with
designed to Hemisph Cessna. is back NBAA outlook to a similar

zer
zerland for 1h 22min. propeller to deliver better perfor-
(102in)-diameter When the enters and the ti- based e itself now revealed ples from blue-chip fractional Flexjet. son, Texas-based company was “proud gers over 4,750nm (8,790km) and is the Reno, Nevada-based developer. An originalattwin-jet
a long version
this week of the jet The D-Jet way
eet was programm through.” Diamond,
with 2.59m ion and
several Hemisphere the Latitude g US transcon The Longitud re rudder and e. absence to after not to relinquish and he is
keen
powered it will be preservin range for the LongitudAerion has spent 13 years develop- to be at the forefront of the next revolu- expected to make its first flight in 2021 Ricci says: “We have examined Aeri- pingwas to have beenunveil
powered by low-by- pended in 2013
its range-top- 2 e was sus- control of the
selage cross-sect ies for Cessna, market in
late 2019, ed while intercontinental tures a fly-by-wi trolled spoil- ing the AS2 since unveiling its first tion in business jets, supersonic ttravel”. before entering service in 2023. on’s technology and the AS2’s remark-targeted
DA62 piston twin,
pass Pratt & Whitney JT8D the necessary after it failed
to secure
“There are
plenty of people project.
technolog product introduc nental and its firstengines. ary funding
ar
advanced partially fly- first all-new the mid- electronically-con at the
Flexjet’scorporate
model
Bombardiervelopment. Nearly to complete interested
in the programm who are
an at least point since performance. g coup, Cessna un- supersonic concept in 2002, but to He added: “We are pleased to be Yesterday, Airbus’s North American able performance capabilities, and see Peter fleet includes
Maurer, president market.
$200
de- takes
a e, but
including at that price huge investmen this
control system. In a marketin date its sales have been restricted the first fleet purchaser of the Aerion unit confirmed that it was taking a larger them as potential game-changers for Learjet 75s, Embraer Legacy of the 500s andbeen sunk intoi
million had
t as well as
by-wire flight two planes in this 1980s. occu- largely to prospective owner-fliers. AS2 and to be able to offer supsuperson- role in the programme in exchange for business travel. Aerion and Airbus Gulfstream G450s.
Lon- genesis the project
since its
long-term vision,”
a Emirati
“Instead
of thought ere now in 2005
005 and three
0 Attempts he says. investor and
we originally ability The Hemisph D-Jet proto- to secure
funding two of Ontario fell the governme
nt
space which got the years
y ago to relaunch through. 2007, the market
do, we’ve the D-Jet from “These are was receptive
we would very different gle-engined

P joins the first prototype,

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an When jets. to sin-
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SHOW
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WELL RED: DELIVERING THE FASTEST NEWS TO NBAA craft will join the programme The new NG will have a top
Our distinctive red flight-suited distribution team – sponsored by Gogo late next year. “We are over- speed of 285kt (530km/h) – 5kt
– handed out three editions of Flight Evening News to attendees on the whelmed by the success for more than the current model –
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the show. The only evening daily at the programme so far,” says chief thanks to “an aerodynamic opti-
NBAA, the newspaper prides itself on its same-day news coverage. You executive Markus Bucher. Pila- misation effort which analysed
can read digital versions of Flight Evening News and catch up with all our tus’s first business jet remains on every square inch of the exterior
coverage on our landing page: flightglobal.com/nbaa track for certification in 2017. of the PC-12 to come up with en-
Meanwhile, in order to main- hancements to reduce drag”. ■

flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 17

AIR TRANSPORT
INQUIRY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
‘Zero’ visibility in Kathmandu incident
Turkish Airbus A330-300 damaged after runway excursion following landing attempt in below minimum weather conditions
ilots of a Turkish Airlines
P Airbus A330-300 attempted
to land at Kathmandu below min-
imum weather conditions and
without adequate visual referenc-
es before a runway excursion that
badly damaged the twinjet.
Nepalese investigators have
determined that the A330 (TC-
JOC) touched down with its left-
hand main gear already in the
grass off the left side of runway 02.
The aircraft continued veering
to the left, and completely depart-
ed the runway some 872m past
the threshold. Its nose-gear col-
lapsed and both GE Aviation CF6
engines were seriously damaged
on contact with the ground.
Nepal’s aircraft accident inves-
tigation commission states that
the A330, which was written off,
also suffered extensive damage to
its forward fuselage and main
landing-gear, with additional
damage to its wing, slats and avi-
onics bay. None of the 235 occu-
pants were seriously injured.
MISSED APPROACH
The jet – operating flight TK726
from Istanbul on 4 March – had
already executed a missed ap-
proach, owing to poor visibility
in fog, before the crew was
cleared for a second attempt,
using an area navigation (RNAV)
non-precision approach.
Investigators found that the
weather had deteriorated during
this second approach and, by the
time of the landing, visibility was
“well below” prescribed minima
of around 200m. Kathmandu
tower controllers did not give this
information to the A330 crew.
Kathmandu tower controllers
asked the crew whether the run-
way was in sight when the A330
was at 880ft. The crew responded
that they were unable to see the
runway but were proceeding
with the approach, and subse-
quently asked if the runway
lights were set to full intensity.
Analysis of the cockpit-voice
recorder shows that, after the
automatic ‘minimum’ call-out,
18 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
The twinjet’s nose-gear collapsed and its forward fuselage and engines were extensively damaged
the captain did not give the
standard “visual and continue”
response, but instead said:
“Continue until 300ft.”
Although the captain told in-
vestigators that he had visual con-
tact at the decision altitude, the
inquiry casts doubt on this.
“The aircraft remained
on autopilot and there
was no attempt by the
flight crew to correct
the flight path”
Nepalese aircraft accident investigation
commission
It says the non-standard re-
sponse, and the absence of a “vis-
ual” call-out from the first officer,
suggests the captain did not have
visual contact with the approach
lights at the decision altitude and
chose to continue below this min-
imum – in breach of standard pro-
cedures – with the expectation of
acquiring a visual reference.
Just 5s before touchdown the
first officer stated “appearing” –
the first mention of the runway
being visible. The aircraft landed
hard, with an impact of 2.7g and a
nose-up pitch of just 1.8°.
For up-to-the-minute air transport news,
network and fleet information sign up at:
flightglobal.com/dashboard
At the time of the accident the
crew of a taxiing aircraft had re-
ported visibility to be almost zero.
The investigation commission
indicates that, because the A330
pilots were unable to see the run-
way, they were caught out by a
navigation database anomaly.
Nepal’s aeronautical informa-
tion service had proposed
displacing the runway 02 thresh-
old, in relation to construction
work. The displacement co-
ordinates, however, were not
aligned with the runway centre-
line but shifted slightly to the
left. This mismatch was not cor-
rected in the aircraft’s flight-
management system.
The A330 crew would normal-
ly have disengaged the autopilot
at the decision altitude. But upon
reaching this minimum, and hav-
ing no visual contact with the
runway, they left the autopilot
active, and the aircraft dutifully
continued to fly towards the off-
set threshold co-ordinates.
“Had the flightcrew been
visual with the runway they
should have noticed this offset,”
says the inquiry. “The aircraft re-
mained coupled to the autopilot
and there was no attempt by the
flightcrew to correct the flight
path of the aircraft.”
Zuma/Rex Features
Investigators state the autopilot
was only disengaged at a height of
14ft, when the crew attempted to
flare the aircraft. They add that the
approach was not designed to be
flown on autopilot all the way to
the threshold, and obtaining the
necessary visual reference at the
decision altitude would have
given the crew “every opportuni-
ty” to align with the runway, re-
gardless of the co-ordinates in the
flight-management system.
SPECIAL TRAINING
Although the captain had
accumulated nearly 15,000h, in-
cluding over 1,450h on A330s, he
had never flown into Kathman-
du. He had been given special
training on the RNAV approach
in a simulator about five weeks
before the accident.
The inquiry points out that the
crew might have been fatigued, as
a result of having to endure a long
holding period at Kathmandu,
and could have been “discour-
aged” from diverting to an alter-
nate airport. Investigators note
that cockpit conversations in-
volving the cabin crew suggested
a desire to avoid an inconvenient
diversion to Delhi, and that these
remarks indicated a “fixation”
with landing at Kathmandu. ■
flightglobal.com

Boeing widebody twins will remain a core part of the carrier’s fleet, with 777Xs to arrive from 2021
STRATEGY MAVIS TOH SINGAPORE
Cathay specific on growth
as widebody fleet expands
Hong Kong flag carrier to operate over 230 passenger aircraft by 2025, including A350s
athay Pacific says all of its
C incoming widebody jets
will be directed at growth, and
that the group will expand to a
fleet of over 230 passenger
aircraft by 2025.
Speaking to Flight Internation-
al, chief operating officer Rupert
Hogg says Cathay will add 22
Airbus A350-900s to its fleet over
the next two years, followed by
26 A350-1000s in the 2018-2020
period. From 2021, it will also
take the first of the 21 Boeing
777-9s it has on order.
The mainline carrier now has a
fleet of 124 passenger aircraft,
comprised largely of A330s and
777-300ERs, along with smaller
numbers of 777-200s, 777-300s,
747s and A340s. Regional unit
Dragonair has a fleet of 41 A320-
family aircraft and A330 jets.
“The 777s, we don’t have to re-
tire any of those in the next 10
years. The key takeaway is that
everything we’re buying at the
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Bagnato still keen
on ATR 90-seater
AIR TRANSPORT P20
moment is for growth,” says
Hogg. “We want to grow about
4-5% in [Available Seat Kilome-
tres] yearly.”
Under Cathay’s strategy, the
-900s will primarily be targeted at
helping the airline open new
routes to Europe, and to add a
second or third frequency to ex-
isting destinations such as Milan
and Amsterdam, says Hogg.
The -1000s will allow the
Hong Kong flag carrier to fly ad-
ditional frequencies “more cost
effectively” to destinations in
North America, and for upgaug-
ing on services where airport ca-
pacity is constrained.
“We see a combination of
-900s, -1000s and existing 777s in
Europe, North America and in-
creasingly in Australia,” he says.
In the longer term, when the
777Xs arrive, the big twins will
mainly be put on routes to North
America and Europe – particu-
larly those with high volumes of
Directory
Directory.
market
analysis
Cathay Pacific
both passengers and cargo.
The three incoming aircraft
types, together with the relatively
young 777-300ER fleet, will form
the core of Cathay’s long-haul
operations. The 777-9 is expected
to fill the role now served by the
747s and 777-300ERs, effectively
replacing both types over the
longer term.
The A350-900 should eventu-
ally replace Cathay’s 777-200s
and older A330-300s, while the
-1000s will likely replace both
the A340s and 777-300s. “That is
a lot of aircraft we have coming in
a relatively short period of time.
But we need it because the
growth is there,” says Hogg.
“We have the unique advan-
tage to North America and we’re
keen to keep selling that market,
and we’re joining the number one
and two economies in the world.
We see China’s outbound tourism
particularly as being a long-term
big volume, big growth story.” ■
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 19
AIR TRANSPORT
INFRASTRUCTURE
DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
‘Prudent’ delay
to operations
from St Helena
tlantic Star Airlines expects
A to postpone its first flights to
the new St Helena airport after
the project’s oversight board
sought additional time to prepare
the facility for operations.
The company – which had re-
cently been forced to delay ticket
sales over a procedural hitch –
says that its first flights are “un-
likely” to take place during the
Easter 2016 holiday period.
Atlantic Star had been aiming
to commence services on 20
March. But the St Helena airport
programme board says a short ad-
ditional period to “fine-tune” the
facility is “necessary and pru-
dent”. The extra time will allow
conclusion of calibration work
and other operational matters.
The board says it does not ex-
pect a “significant” revision to the
February 2016 date originally
fixed for the acceptance of initial
flights. It adds that regulators will
conduct an inspection in January
2016, and services should still
begin before the airport’s official
opening, scheduled for May 2016.
Comair, which has been
selected as a scheduled operator
to St Helena, has been notified of
the delay. ■
Marc Lavaud/Rex Shutterstock
First flights to the island were
due to begin in Easter 2016
AIR TRANSPORT
An Il-96-400T has been converted for a government customer
CONVERSION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW DUBAI
Ilyushin Finance recasts
freighter as executive jet
ussian lessor Ilyushin
R Finance has overseen an un-
usual conversion to provide an
executive Ilyushin Il-96 to a gov-
ernment customer.
The aircraft involved – an
Il-96-400T – was originally manu-
factured as a freighter.
Ilyushin Finance chief execu-
tive Alexander Rubtsov told Flight
International at the recent Dubai
air show that the conversion has
taken around two-and-a-half years.
“We’ve had to completely re-do
the fuselage,” he says. The aircraft’s
main cargo door has been replaced
CONFIGURATION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Revitalised TAP reveals ambitions with A321neos
AP Portugal has detailed the
T configuration of its new Air-
bus fleet, stating that it will equip
its A321neos with lie-flat busi-
ness-class seats.
The airline has ordered 39
A320neo-family jets, of which 24
will be A321neos, as well as 14
A330-900neos.
TAP says it intends to acquire
the long-range version of the
A321neo, which it will configure
with 175 seats. These will include
16 lie-flat seats in the business-
class cabin, says JetBlue Airways
and Azul entrepreneur David
Neeleman – a participant in pri-
20 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
AirTeamImages
with a specially-developed panel,
and windows, a VIP interior and
communications systems added.
Rubtsov says the aircraft was
delivered in early November, but
declines to identify the recipient
– or the overall cost of the pro-
gramme. However, he says a simi-
lar modification is being carried
out for another customer.
Aeroflot’s former cargo divi-
sion had originally planned to
acquire a batch of Il-96-400Ts, but
the aircraft were subsequently ac-
quired by now-defunct freight
specialist Polet. ■
vate consortium Atlantic Gateway
that completed its acquisition of
TAP on 13 November. The layout
of the aircraft will also feature 42
premium-economy and 117 econ-
omy seats, he adds.
TAP had previously indicated
that it would use the aircraft to op-
erate transatlantic routes currently
served by larger jets.
Neeleman says the range of the
A321neo potentially opens mar-
kets from Lisbon as distant as Chi-
cago and Manaus, Brazil.
Under a new strategic plan,
which involves developing Lisbon
as a “super-hub”, TAP would ex-
For up-to-the-minute air transport news,
network and fleet information sign up at:
flightglobal.com/dashboard
PROGRAMME DOMINIC PERRY DUBAI
Bagnato still keen
on ATR 90-seater
Former CEO of turboprop joint venture retains belief in need
for higher-capacity variant, but Airbus remains unconvinced
TR’s former chief executive,
A Filippo Bagnato, remains
committed to the concept of a
higher-capacity turboprop, de-
spite no longer being at the helm
of the joint venture.
Bagnato, who now heads
Alenia Aermacchi – which has a
50% stake in ATR, along with
partner Airbus Group – has long
championed a 90-seat, turboprop-
powered regional airliner.
Speaking at the Dubai air show
earlier this month, Bagnato said it
was clear what customers wanted,
“but it is up to us to invest in the
direction required”.
Pressed over what operators are
demanding, Bagnato says he is
“convinced” that a 90-seater is
“what the market is asking for”.
Changes to the 72-600 have raised accommodation to 78 seats
pand to additional North Ameri-
can destinations, including Bos-
ton, Hartford, Montreal, Toronto
and Washington DC, says Neele-
man. He also points to additional
future Brazilian routes including
Aracaju, Joâo Pessoa and Parnaíba.
TAP has formally abandoned
its order for 12 A350-900s in fa-
vour of taking 14 A330-900neos –
confirming Airbus chief operating
officer for customers John Leahy’s
recent indication of a forthcoming
A330neo order.
The airline is to fit its A330s for
304 passengers, with a configura-
tion comprising 32 lie-flat busi-
He adds: “I have changed my
job, but not my brain.”
Any future development hinges
on approval from both partners,
however, and Airbus has shown
scant enthusiasm for yet another
demand on its engineering re-
sources. Instead, ATR has devel-
oped a high-density, 78-seat vari-
ant of the ATR 72-600, with an
ambition to eventually increase
this to 80 seats.
Admitting that Airbus’s posi-
tion is “well known”, Bagnato
says “time will tell” if Alenia
Aermacchi’s partner can be con-
vinced. He would like a decision
on any launch “yesterday”, he
quips, but notes: “we need to
leave the time for maturation” of
new engines and other systems. ■
ATR
ness seats, plus 96 premium-econ-
omy and 176 economy seats. TAP
will also equip the aircraft with
the ‘Skycouch’ economy-class
sleeper product, Neeleman says.
Neeleman says the A350
would have cost more than the
A330neo and A321neo for long-
haul routes. On the Lisbon-Bos-
ton sector, he says, the A330n-
eo’s cost-per-seat is 4% lower
than the A350’s, and the long-
range A321neo’s is 11% lower.
TAP plans to start phasing in
the new aircraft in 2018, and ex-
pects to take its overall fleet from
the current 75 to 87 by 2022. ■
flightglobal.com
AIR TRANSPORT
INCIDENT ELLIS TAYLOR SINGAPORE
Data entry errors led to 737 tailstrike
Incorrect take-off weight input to Qantas twinjet’s flight management system caused tailskid to contact runway on take-off
ata entry errors were behind
D a 2014 tailstrike incident in-
volving a Qantas Boeing 737-800
at Sydney, Australian safety
investigators have concluded.
The 737 (VH-VZR), was
operating a scheduled flight
from Sydney to Darwin on 1
August 2014 and had departed
from Sydney’s runway 34L with
rotation at the calculated speed
of 146kt (270km/h), says the
Australian Transport Safety
Bureau (ATSB).
As the aircraft climbed to
cruise altitude a member of cabin
staff told the flightdeck they had
heard a “squeak” during the
aircraft’s take-off rotation.
Flightcrew suspected that this
may have been due to a tailstrike
and conducted the relevant
checks as well as contacting
Qantas’s maintenance division.
Finding no indication of a
strike, and with the aircraft
LEASING TOM ZAITSEV MOSCOW
Ex-Transaero Tu-214s set to boost Red Wings fleet
ussian carrier Red Wings has
R emerged as a potential
recipient of Tupolev Tu-214s
formerly used by Transaero.
General manager Yevgeny
Klyucharev reveals that Red
Wings is putting the finishing
touches to an agreement with
Ilyushin Finance covering the
lease of three ex-Transaero
passenger Tu-214s. Ilyushin
Finance told Flight International
recently that it was finding new
operators for ex-Transaero
Tu-214s and Tu-204 freighters.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
22 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
Missing paint and scrapes were noticed after the aircraft landed
pressurising correctly, the crew
made the decision to continue to
Darwin, where the narrowbody
landed uneventfully.
Following the flight, however,
the captain inspected the 737’s
tailskid, and noticed missing
paint and scrape marks. The
tailstrike warning sensor had
remained intact, indicating that
the tail “had only just contacted”
the runway.
The Tu-214s would comple-
ment Red Wings’ eight in-service
Tu-204s and add longer-range ca-
pability ahead of a planned dou-
bling of its Sukhoi Superjet fleet.
The Moscow-based carrier currently has eight Tu-204s in service
Theory of evolution: how four top-selling
airliners changed for the better
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AirTeamImages
During a follow-up call with
the duty captain, the crew
checked the take-off performance
figures calculated using an iPad.
The first officer found that the
take-off weight entered was 10t
lower than the actual weight of
76.4t.
As a result, a lower set of
take-off speeds – including the
reference speed for flaps 40
(Vref40) – and higher tempera-
“We’re looking to take a further
five Superjets in 2016,” Klyucha-
rev says. “The delivery schedule
will depend on the airframer and
component suppliers.”
AirTeamImages
tures were inputted into the air-
craft’s flight management system
for take-off from Sydney.
This led to a rotation speed
around 10kt lower than required,
causing the aircraft to overpitch
and the tail to contact the runway.
The ATSB found that Qantas’s
flight crew operations manual
(FCOM) called for Vref40 speeds
to be “verified and compared”,
but without specifying a method.
The crew reported that they con-
ducted individual checks of the
speed, but did not discuss it.
Qantas has subsequently
added to its FCOM a procedure
for checking and verifying the
Vref40 speed, so that data entry
errors can be identified.
The carrier also has modified
the pre-flight procedure for the
737’s central display unit to en-
sure the Vref40 speed is checked
once entered into the aircraft’s
systems. ■
Klyucharev suggests that state-
owned lessor GTLK will broker a
follow-up deal between Sukhoi
and Red Wings.
In light of the proposed fleet
expansion, the carrier is also
planning to create a designated
in-house engineering unit to
support and maintain its domes-
tically-built aircraft.
“First, this division will cater
to the Tu-204/214s,” says Kly-
ucharev. “Once we have 10
Superjets, we’ll get it certified for
maintaining them too.” ■
flightglobal.com
 NEWS FOCUS
Dutch hopeful of
finding Reaper cash
DEFENCE P24

VALUES LAURA MUELLER LONDON

777 prices tumble on widebody glut

Weak market for used Boeing twin-aisles could worsen on back of Transaero collapse and airline defleeting initiatives

ressure on used Boeing 777s

P could intensify if Transaero
-200s and -300s are placed on the
open market, following the Rus-
sian carrier’s collapse last month.
Transaero has 14 777s on lease
mainly from Russian lessors, in-
cluding eight from VEB-Leasing
and three from VTB-Leasing,
Flightglobal’s Fleets Analyzer da-
tabase shows.
The examples fielded via VEB-
Leasing include a 1995-built Pratt
& Whitney PW4090-equipped
-200, four 200ERs powered by
Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines
and three R-R-powered -300s. All
of the -200ERs were built in 1998
and 1999.
Two further aircraft are owned
by Transaero: both Trent 800-pow-
ered -300s. ALAFCO also had
leased a single, P&W-engined
-200ER to the airline.

AVAILABILITY GLUT
Additional 777s in the market-
place could exacerbate an already-
challenging widebody situation,
with carriers like Emirates, Malay-
sia Airlines and Singapore Airlines
all returning aircraft to lessors.
In June, Aeroflot came to mar-
ket with a request for proposals to
sell or lease 21 long-haul and 22
short-haul aircraft. The widebod-
ies listed include 13 GE Aviation
GE90-equipped 777-300ERs, in-
cluding three to be delivered be-
tween March and June 2016.
Last month, Delta Air Lines
chief executive Richard Anderson
warned of a “bubble” in the used
aircraft market, referring to a glut
of used widebodies up for sale.
This means that a 10-year-old 777-
200 could be purchased for as lit-
tle as $10 million.
“We do think the aircraft mar-
ket is going to be ripe for Delta
over the next 12 to 18 months,” he
said on a third-quarter earnings
call. “Prices are going to get lower:
you wouldn’t strike a deal now.”
He adds that he hopes the weak-
ness in the used widebody market
will extend to the narrowbody
market as well.
Lessors could look to remarket up to 14 777s previously operated by now-defunct Russian carrier
“We do think the
aircraft market is
going to be ripe for
Delta over the next
12 to 18 months”
RICHARD ANDERSON
Chief executive, Delta Air Lines
Rob Morris, head of Flightglob-
al’s Ascend consultancy, says the
-200ER is the 777 variant which
has seen the greatest impact on its
values over the last 12 months.
“With 27 aircraft currently
parked, representing over 7% of
the fleet, which is above typical
average, and around 40 aircraft
available on the market immi-
nently or within the next 12
months, availability has increased
while demand is weak,” he says.
Engine values have continued
to decrease on all three 777 vari-
ants, says Morris, as a result of the
growing number of part-outs. He
says airframe values are also fall-
ing, because “more used servicea-
ble material” is coming to market.
“As a consequence, we have seen
significant pressure on 777-200ER
values, and generally they are
down by more than 20% over the
past 12 months.”
CHINESE DEMAND
Excess supply in the used wide-
body market is more of a concern
for 777s than for Airbus A330s,
says Avolon’s chief executive,
Domhnal Slattery.
“The used 777 and A330 mar-
kets are not good, but I think all of
the bad news is factored into the
A330,” says Slattery. “The good
news is that the A330 production
rate is down and, also, Airbus has
solved its production bridge to
the Neo with the large Chinese
transaction.”
He adds: “Airbus couldn’t re-
ally sell the Neo until they
solved the Ceo bridge, which
they’ve done now. I suspect we
are probably plateauing in the
A330 market; I can’t see it get-
ting much worse.”
Slattery believes the used 777
AirTeamImages
market is dependent on what
Emirates decides to do with its
fleet. The Dubai-based airline has
30 -200ER/LRF/LRs and 119
-300/300ERs, powered by R-R and
GE engines, with five currently up
for remarketing.
Malaysia Airlines, meanwhile,
has or will soon return at least five
777-200ERs to lessors.
“You’ve seen a veritable explo-
sion of assets available,” Edmund
Tatar, a senior managing director
at GMT Global Republic Aviation,
told the Ascend West Coast Fi-
nance Forum in San Francisco on
12 November.
Prior to the confirmation of
Transaero’s grounding, several an-
alysts questioned Anderson’s
reading of the used market. Wells
Fargo’s Gary Liebowitz said in an
October report that the general ap-
praised value of 10-year old 777-
200ERs is about $45 million, with
a part-out value of the engines and
airframe alone worth between $25
million and $30 million. ■
Additional reporting by Edward
Russell in San Francisco

flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 23

DEFENCE
UNMANNED SYSTEMS BETH STEVENSON LONDON
Dutch hopeful of finding Reaper cash
Plans in place to finalise purchase of four General Atomics MQ-9s, as air force chief pursues funding resolution for 2016
oyal Netherlands Air Force
R commander Lt Gen
Alexander Schnitger hopes to re-
solve a funding issue which has
delayed the service’s planned
purchase of General Atomics
Aeronautical Systems MQ-9
Reaper unmanned air vehicles.
A request for the $339 million
deal was authorised by the US
State Department in February
2015, and Schnitger tells Flight In-
ternational he is confident that
funds will be found in the defence
budget for 2016, with the air force
exploring a number of options to
finance the acquisition.
“We have firm plans. Every-
thing is in place, but we had to
“Once I get the
[Reaper] systems, we
will be able to rapidly
grow into an initial
operating capability”
LT GEN ALEXANDER SCHNITGER
Commander, Royal Netherlands Air Force
ROTORCRAFT JAMES DREW WASHINGTON DC
Airbus lifted by latest US Army order for UH-72As
he US Army has ordered an-
T other 12 Airbus Helicopters
UH-72As, as it stands up initial-
entry rotary-wing training at Fort
Rucker, Alabama.
Valued at $66 million, the
contract options will be delivered
from the company’s final
assembly plant in Columbus,
Mississippi, starting in August
2017. The additional order is
welcome news for Airbus
Helicopters’ US business unit,
which has been trying – with
some success – to expand its La-
kota customer base, as well as
shoring up production output in
Columbus.
Adding the new order brings
the army’s total UH-72A pur-
chase to 412 units, and secures
production through the end of
2017, with a funded backlog of an
24 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
NATO ally Italy already operates the type as an unarmed asset
slam the brakes on because we
could not allocate the money at
the time when we needed it,” he
says, adding: “I hope to get a reso-
lution on the money.”
Schnitger says the air force
looked at “the whole offering of
medium-altitude, long-endur-
ance UAVs” before selecting the
Reaper. “We are already involved
in UAV operations in various
ways, shapes and forms, so it is
not completely new to us,” he
additional 74 aircraft. To date,
Airbus has delivered 338 Lakotas
to the US Army, plus five ordered
by the US Navy, and is on con-
tract to produce six for the Royal
Thai Army.
As a result of an army aviation
restructuring initiative, the US
service is outfitting 187 new and
existing UH-72As as primary
The twin-engined Lakota is ready to assume its pilot training role
To get more defence sector coverage,
subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter:
flightglobal.com/defencenewsletter
start with one [system] and learn
the ropes with it,” he says. “Some
of the technological advances
and innovation is developing
very rapidly, and I have become a
firm believer in small, rapid pro-
grammes that will provide a ca-
pability quickly, and then a quick
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
evaluation on if it works.
“Buying large numbers of any-
thing and then being stuck with
them is very rapidly becoming an
obsolete model of capability ac-
quisition. We have to be flexible,
agile and quick to use the latest
and the greatest.”
notes. “Once I get the [Reaper] Schnitger says talks on con-
systems, I think we will be able to ducting training at the US Air
quite rapidly grow into an initial Force’s Holloman AFB in New
operating capability, at least, that Mexico will resume with the US
we can push out and put to some government once a contract is
good use.” signed. “That is the plan, but it
The Netherlands is initially slides a little bit to the right,” he
seeking one system, with four says. “At the right moment we
MQ-9 aircraft configured for sur- will have to revisit our talks with
veillance-only tasks. NATO ally the US Air Force to see whether
Italy currently operates the type they have slots for us in specific
as an unarmed asset. time periods, but I suspect that it
“We always had the [plan] to will happen.” ■
trainers, to replace a fleet of Bell gramme, and indicated that it
Helicopter 206-based TH-67s.
Airbus says more than 50
would procure 100 new aircraft,
and transfer aircraft from other
Lakotas are already stationed at units,” the company says.
Fort Rucker, ready to assume the The army’s initial requirement
new UH-72A-based training cur- in 2006 was for 322 of the light,
riculum starting early in 2016. twin-engined utility helicopters,
“The army has said it intends with the USN joining the pro-
to station 187 Lakotas at Fort gramme in 2012 with an order to
Rucker for the training pro- support test pilot training at NAS
Patuxent River in Maryland.
“Time and again the UH-72A
has proven to be the most cost-ef-
fective solution to meet a variety
of needs for the US military and
our allies,” says Airbus Group Inc
chief executive Allan McArtor.
Based on the Turbomeca Arriel
James Darcy/Airbus Group
1E2-powered commercial EC145,
the UH-72A is designed to carry
two pilots and six passengers
370nm (680km), and has a hover
ceiling of 11,300ft. ■
flightglobal.com

INCIDENT CRAIG HOYLE LONDON
Inverted scare for
USAF Ghostrider
Flight-test crew escaped injury after losing control during
handling assessment of new-generation Hercules gunship
he US Air Force scrapped one
T of its new Lockheed Martin
AC-130J Ghostrider gunships
after a training mishap earlier this
year, the service has revealed.
In an Accident Investigation
Board report released this month,
the Air Force Materiel Command
says the adapted Hercules re-
ceived damage estimated at more
than $115 million after a flight-
test crew lost control.
Conducted by 413th Flight
Test Squadron personnel from
Eglin AFB in Florida over the
ACQUISITION JAMES DREW WASHINGTON DC
French air force C-130J purchase approved for completion
France has been cleared by the US
State Department to acquire two
C-130J tactical transports and two
KC-130J tankers from Lockheed
Martin. Valued at $650 million and
budgeted by Paris for 2016, the pur-
chase will supplement the French air
force’s tactical transport fleet.
Flightglobal’s Fleets Analyzer data-
base records this including seven
Airbus Defence & Space A400Ms
and 27 of the manufacturer’s
SURVEILLANCE BETH STEVENSON LONDON
Japan orders first Hawkeye in deal worth $151m
apan has ordered its first
J Northrop Grumman E-2D
Advanced Hawkeye airborne
early warning and control system
aircraft, through a Foreign
Military Sales deal valued at
$151 million.
Confirmed on 12 November,
the order will be contained in the
US Navy’s 25-aircraft, $3.6 billion
multi-year contract for the E-2D
that was signed in June 2014.
At that time, the US Defense
Security Cooperation Agency no-
tified Congress of state depart-
ment approval for a potential sale
flightglobal.com
Call for hypersonic
missile regulation
DEFENCE P28
Gulf of Mexico on 21 April, the
sortie involved what the USAF
describes as an assessment of the
AC-130J’s “medium-risk flying
qualities”. While being operated
at roughly 15,000ft, “the aircraft
exceeded the targeted angle of
sideslip until it departed con-
trolled flight,” the report states. It
“momentarily inverted, before
being recovered after losing ap-
proximately 5,000ft.” The air-
craft’s crew – who escaped injury
– returned to base and landed
safely, but the Ghostrider was
CN235, plus 14 Lockheed C-130Hs
and 36 C160 Transalls. It also oper-
ates 14 Boeing C/KC-135 in-flight
refuelling aircraft, and is to acquire
12 Airbus A330 multi-role tanker
transports as replacements.
The French air force had evalu-
ated the feasibility of using the
A400M as a tanker to support its
Airbus Helicopters H225M combat
search and rescue rotorcraft, but the
manufacturer recently confirmed
Contract is part of a $3.6 billion, multi-year US Navy agreement
of four E-2Ds to Tokyo, under a
$1.7 billion deal. Its request in-
cluded the airframes and
Lockheed Martin APY-9 radars,
AC-130J was written off, with damage estimated at $115 million
rendered a total loss, having ex-
ceeded its operating g limits and
design load.
Investigators have attributed
the incident to the pilot’s “exces-
sive rudder input during the test
point, followed by inadequate
rudder input to initiate a timely
tests have showed this to be “nearly
impossible”, due to the aerodyamic
effects of the transport’s wing.
According to the US Defense
Security Cooperation Agency, a
French C-130J purchase will include
the provision of secure communica-
tions and countermeasures equip-
ment, plus in-service support. ■
See our 8-14 December issue
for Flight International’s annual
World Air Forces directory
US Navy
10 engines, plus associated spare
parts, logistics and support.
Funding for its first example had
been included in a defence budg-
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 25
DEFENCE
US Air Force
recovery from high angle of side-
slip due to over-controlled/un-
der-controlled aircraft,” along
with the “wrong choice of action
during an operation”.
Contributing factors included:
instrumentation and warning
system issues; spatial disorienta-
tion; confusion; and inadequate
provision of procedural guidance
or publications to the team, the
report states.
The US Air Force Special
Operations Command received
its first AC-130J at Hurlburt Field
AFB in Florida in July 2015, to
support testing. In frontline use
the type will be equipped with
weapons including a 30mm and
105mm cannon and precision-
guided air-to-surface munitions.
The service plans to have an op-
erational fleet of 32 of the type by
fiscal year 2021, with initial capa-
bility slated for FY2017. ■
et announced in January. Con-
tracted via the US Naval Air
Systems Command, work on the
lead aircraft is due to be complete
by 2018.
The Japan Air Self-Defence
Force has 13 E-2C-model
Hawkeyes in service, ranging be-
tween 22 and 34 years in age,
Flightglobal’s Fleets Analyzer da-
tabase shows. The USN has 16
E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes in op-
erational use, with another 33 on
order, and Tokyo becomes the
first confirmed export customer
for the new-generation variant. ■
 FROM SHARED VISION TO SHARED
A BETTER WAY TO FLY.

boeing.com/commercial
VALUE

Built into every Boeing airplane is a relationship that transcends route maps and data points. It’s a personal
commitment to share your vision and understand your business like no one else can. A commitment that

continually delivers products, technologies and services that create bigger opportunities for you today and

tomorrow. It’s a nonstop commitment to superior value. That’s a better way to fly.
DEFENCE
NON-PROLIFERATION BETH STEVENSON BRUSSELS
Call for hypersonic missile regulation
Concerns raised over guidelines for use as countries advance development of sophisticated boost-glide systems
ypersonic missile-delivery
H systems being developed by
China, Russia and the USA have
raised concerns about what war-
head types the high-speed, long-
range delivery systems would
use, and how regulations about
their use could be agreed.
“There are benefits and risks of
boost-glide technology,” James
Acton, co-director of nuclear pol-
icy programmes at the Carnegie
Endowment for International
Peace, told the EU’s
Non-Proliferation Consortium
conference in Brussels earlier this
month. China is reported to have
tested such a system in 2014,
while the USA has its advanced
hypersonic weapon and conven-
tional prompt global strike pro-
grammes under way. The latter of
these aims to develop a capability
that can deploy a missile any-
where in the world within a one-
hour period. It also has previous-
ly tested the Boeing X-51A
hypersonic demonstrator from a
B-52 bomber.
“The big potential difference
between Russia and China and
UNMANNED SYSTEMS BETH STEVENSON BRUSSELS
Weapons control regime weighs Chinese, Indian bids
he potential signing of India
T into the international Missile
Technology Control Regime
(MTCR) has shed light on China’s
failed bid to enter the export con-
trol scheme, as questions remain
over its trading in unmanned air
vehicles and missiles.
The MTCR aims to regulate the
export of unmanned weapons of
mass destruction, with members
volunteering to not trade in such
technology. China has still not
been accepted for an application
that was submitted more than a
decade ago, but recent develop-
ments suggest India’s addition
will soon be approved.
“China has had an application
to MTCR tabled since 2002, and a
couple of weeks ago in
28 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
the US is that Russia and China
may be interested in delivering
nuclear weapons,” Acton notes.
This raises “very complex risks”,
he adds, as there is no credible
way of distinguishing between a
boost-glide weapon and a guided
ballistic missile.
“A ballistic missile is entirely
predictable: when it’s launched,
you know exactly where it’s
going to land,” he says. “A boost-
glide weapon is not predictable,
because it can manoeuvre mid-
course. That creates the possibili-
ty that a weapon fired at, say,
North Korea, could be misinter-
preted by China. Or a weapon
fired at Iran could be interpreted
as heading towards Russia. This
is destination ambiguity.”
However, seeking to halt de-
velopment in this area would ef-
fectively rule out the use of some
systems that are already in opera-
tion, he cautions, adding: “I think
that’s a non-starter.”
Hypersonic developments
may instead require the develop-
ment of politically-guided agree-
ments that would enforce regula-
Rotterdam, the Indian applica-
tion was considered,” Ian
Stewart, senior research fellow
for science and security at King’s
College London, told the EU
Non-Proliferation Consortium
conference in Brussels.
China supplied unmanned CH-4Bs to the government of Baghdad
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US Air Force
US testing has included B-52 launches of the X-51A demonstrator
tions, such as sharing launch nying a new proliferator – such as
notifications among states that Iran or North Korea – the ability
posess such technologies. to use nuclear, biological or
Nations also could be made trea- chemical weapons; or attacking
ty-accountable, to ensure that anti-satellite capabilities – a po-
warhead options are convention- tential reference to China. Other
al, and not nuclear. targets could include anti-access,
“Technologists think that once area-denial systems that would
it is built they will work out what prevent US forces moving around
to do with it,” Acton says. “That a theatre of operations, plus ter-
is not to say that these things rorist threats. “I think the chances
won’t be useful, but they have of a huge number of countries
been driven by technology today, starting boost-glide weapons pro-
not by strategy.” grammes tomorrow is pretty
The US Department of Defense slim, but within the next decade
has outlined uses including de- is fairly likely,” Acton says. ■
India’s application appears rival nation like India could hold
likely to be accepted in the next
year, he believes, although pro-
back Chinese momentum,
Stewart says: “I see a need to en-
gress is being blocked by Rome gage countries outside the regime
due to a dispute over the arrest of into the regime in some way; this
Italian nationals. has been done with India, and it
Noting the acceptance of a needs to be done with Pakistan.”
China’s recent arms deals have
included CASC’s provision of
armed CH-4B “Rainbow” un-
manned air vehicles to the Iraqi
defence ministry.
Stewart is sceptical of Beijing’s
trade in dual-use technology,
claiming a high percentage of
Iran’s nuclear components have
either come from or passed
Iraqi Defence Ministry
through China. “There is scope
and a need to engage China in im-
proving the expectations of ex-
port controls,” he says. ■
flightglobal.com
 Mid-market is NEWS FOCUS
the prize
WORLD AIRLINER
DIRECTORY P30

SPACEFLIGHT DAN THISDELL LONDON

Peake performer is ready for space

As the UK’s first astronaut in 24 years prepares for launch, British Army Major has scientific advancement as inspiration

hen Tim Peake blasts off for

W the International Space
Station (ISS) on 15 December, the
first British astronaut since Helen
Sharman in 1991 will be flying
more flags than the Union Jack.
Aviators of all nations will see,
roaring into orbit, affirmation of
their own version of the “Right
Stuff”. The British Army Major,
like so many astronauts, is – per-
haps first and foremost – a flyer;
helicopters in his case, since 1994
and including stints as an instruc-
tor and test pilot.
Yuri Gagarin and the USA’s
original Mercury contingent were

elite military flyers. Neil
Armstrong was among the first to
fight in jets, in Korea, before tack-
ling the Bell X-15. This month, Originally a helicopter pilot, Tim Peake will spend six months in orbit during ESA’s Principia mission
NASA put out a call for applica-
tions from aspiring astronauts, astronaut’s work. Pilots, he says,
specifying “candidates must have are long on valuable skills in op-
at least three years of related, pro- erational environments, crew
working, co-ordinating multiple
tasks and communications.
Also, work in space calls on the
skills that come naturally to pilots
when it involves operating com-
plex equipment, such as the ISS’s
robotic arm, or the often-experi-
mental equipment evaluated in
space. In any case, Peake notes,
European Space Agency
46S accompanied by NASA col-
league Tim Kopra and Roscosmos
cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.
RIGHT STUFF
Fit, charming, outgoing and gra-
ciously fielding questions from an
eager UK press corps, Peake looks
every inch the astronaut. But how-
ever deeply he may be infused
with the “Right Stuff”, he is very
clear about one thing. The ISS is,
Bill Stafford/NASA
Newton’s “Philosophiæ Naturalis
Principia Mathematica”; the mis-
sion logo features a falling apple
and rising rocket. The mission is,
as universities and science minis-
ter Jo Johnson told the Science
Museum audience, the UK’s
“moonshot moment” for driving
youngsters to pursue STEM sub-
jects – science, technology, engi-
neering and mathematics.

the next generation of US space- above all, a laboratory uniquely SCIENCE AMBASSADOR
craft – the Boeing CST-100 and placed to carry out medical, phys- The UK government is spending
SpaceX Dragon capsules being de- ical and chemical science experi- £1.5 million ($2.3 million) to push
veloped for flight from 2017 as ments that can only be conducted that message to every school, with
part of NASA’s Commercial Crew in the unique environment that is the help of 1,000 “science ambas-
gressively responsible profession- programme – will need pilots. microgravity. sadors” and projects tied to
al experience, or at least 1,000h of Peake will journey from Peake’s mission has been Principia. Peake used the oppor-
pilot-in-command time in jets”. Baikonur on ISS Soyuz launch named “Principia”, as in Isaac tunity to announce he has become
Is the emphasis on pilots really an ambassador for the Prince’s
necessary? Rockets and aircraft Trust; the charity started by Prince
are very different beasts, and the Charles to bring opportunity to
space station does not have a disadvantaged young people.
cockpit. True, says Peake, who de- Peake admits that he is where he
scribes his route to the astronaut is because of many advantages –
corps as “traditional” and empha- much skill, hard work and a huge
sises that among his colleagues are dollop of good luck along the way.
scientists and engineers with very As a legacy of his opportunity, he
different career paths. wants to help every young person
Speaking at London’s Science in Britain enjoy the same.
European Space Agency

Museum on 6 November, before Flying, then, is a useful if not

heading to Kazakhstan and final indispensable skill.
preparations for his six-month But today’s astronaut, it seems,
“Principia” mission, Peake said is first and foremost a scientist and
pilot skills underpin much of an Training has included instruction at Moscow’s Star City facilities a communicator. ■

flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 29

WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT

Airbus has built a strong order book for its A350 twinjet, which challenges the 787, but new customers for the A380 remain elusive

BUILDING ON
Boeing has been addressing developments
for what it has described as the “white space”
in the middle of the market sandwiched by its
757 and 767 models. The so-called 7M7, if

SUCCESSES
launched, would be a widebody, but the mar-
ket demands narrowbody economics on a per-
seat basis, which would probably require a
radical departure in fuselage design, with an
elliptical cross-section one suggestion. It
would feature seating for 220-270 passengers
Despite the advances being made in Canada, China and and have a range of about 5,000nm (9,250km).
Russia, Airbus and Boeing look set to strengthen their DELAYS
sales duopoly – and target a middle of the market gap The Bombardier CSeries continues to be mired
in delays and financial difficulties at corpora-
tion level. Hitherto secret talks with Airbus for
GUNTER ENDRES LONDON facturer has also stolen a march by racing some sort of strategic collaboration have bro-
ahead of the 737 Max in the order stakes with ken down, and it is difficult to fathom why the

D
espite attempts to break into the mar-
ket for new single-aisle passenger
jets, Airbus and Boeing continue to
hold a virtual monopoly for new and
upgraded aircraft. Airbus is boosting its com-
petitiveness against the mid-range Boeing 787
by launching the A330neo, offering a further
reduction in fuel burn and a slight increase in
capacity. Its A350, challenging the 777 and
787, entered service in January, and its largest
variant will be delivered in 2017, before Boe-
ing’s larger offerings. The 787 order book has
stretched well past the 1,000 mark, but the
its A320neo family.
The very large-aircraft segment has entered a
stall, from which it is difficult to foresee either
manufacturer extricating itself. While Airbus is
bullish about the prospects for its A380, con-
sidering a re-engining and “mini-stretch” of the
-800 for another 36-54 seats, Boeing has virtu-
ally discounted the sector, forecasting a re-
quirement of only 420 such aircraft in the next
20 years. The passenger variant of its own 747-
8I has received no orders in the last two years,
although its prospects look much brighter as a
freighter. Airbus’s orderbook for the A380 has
Canadian manufacturer found itself in discus-
sions with a competitor. The Comac C919 and
Irkut MC-21 have yet to fly, and both are com-
peting for the same market as Bombardier.
Antonov is suffering badly from the continued
conflict with Russia, but while sales of its
An-148 and An-158 remain sluggish, the new
An-178 freighter development, debuted at the
Paris air show in June, offers better prospects.
So, for some time yet, the single-aisle market
is to remain firmly divided between Airbus
and Boeing. The forecast for new deliveries
over the next 20 years will provide much en-
Airbus

A350 is catching up fast. The European manu- also dried up. couragement to both. ■

30 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015 flightglobal.com

 WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT

Airbus 450kg (1,100lb). An optional performance-

enhancement package will be available for
the Neo to increase its performance on short
10.5 containers, while the A321P2F will be
able to take 13.5. The modifications include a
3.6 x 2.2m (11.8 x 7.2ft) main-deck floor, rein-

A320 family runways. Designated as SHARP, the package

hile the order book for its highly
W successful single-aisle airliner continues
to outstrip its chief competitor, Airbus suffered
a three-month setback in the flight-testing
programme for the next-generation Neo devel-
opment as a result of a technical fault in a snap
ring deep in the heart of the Pratt & Whitney
PW1100G engine. Tests with the CFM Interna-
tional Leap-1A engines were also halted for a
short time for an upgrade to the powerplants
and on-board equipment, and to prepare the
single test aircraft for the hot-weather and high-
altitude test phase. Testing with both engines
was restarted in July and, according to Airbus,
the programme remains on schedule for deliv-
ery to launch customer Qatar Airways by the
end of the year. In June, initial assembly work
was completed on the first Airbus A321neo,
which was made ready for the installation of
flight-test equipment and the engines, but no
first-flight date has been given. A second test
aircraft is to be fitted with the Leap-1A engines.
Airbus expects the A321neo to enter service
towards the end of 2016.
includes a composite panel modification to
the wing-root fairing that optimises airflow
and enables slower approach speeds. Airbus
has received approval to increase maximum
seating capacity in the A320 to 189, and to
236 in the A321.
FREIGHTERS
Airbus is reviving the A320P2F and
A321P2F freighter conversion programme,
which it had abandoned in 2011 due to lack
of demand. However, the availability of plen-
ty of airframes with an age of 15-20 years, ex-
pected to treble to some 1,700 A320s and 450
A321s between 2017 and 2028, would pro-
vide a rich source of potential jets for modifi-
cation, Airbus has said. In its latest global
market forecast, it predicts no market for
new-build, single-aisle freighters, but de-
mand for 600 converted A320 family aircraft.
Fitted with a Class E cargo compartment, the
A320P2F will have a main-deck capacity for
forcement of the floor, fitting of a 9g cargo bar-
rier and deactivation of the rear passenger
doors. Airbus is partnered with EFW and
Singapore’s ST Aerospace, and the first con-
versions will be available for customer deliv-
ery in 2018.
The first A320neo, MSN6101, powered by
PW1100G engines, made its maiden flight on
25 September 2014, starting a 3,000h flight-test
programme, which is to culminate in service
entry with Qatar Airways in the fourth quarter
of 2015. The Neo flight-test fleet is to comprise
eight aircraft, including two A320neo, one
A319neo and one A321neo, for each of the two
engine choices. The A320 family is produced
on four production lines: Toulouse and Ham-
burg; Tianjin in China – in a joint venture with
a Chinese consortium comprising the Tianjin
Free Trade Zone and China Aviation Industry
Corporation – and, since September 2015, Mo-
bile, Alabama. In November, Airbus an-
nounced a plan to increase production to 60
aircraft per month from 2019. ■

SHARKLETS
The European manufacturer has opted for
minimum change of the existing family
members, in preference to an entirely new
design, taking advantage of the availability of
the two new engine types. The A320neo fam-
ily is set to share 95% commonality with the
present Airbus A320ceo. Together with the
use of its large sharklet wing-tip devices, the
stated improvements are said to translate into
a 15% reduction in fuel consumption, to in-
crease to 20% by 2020 – at which time the
aircraft would also provide nearly 2t of addi-
tional payload, up to 500nm (925km) of ad-
ditional range, reductions in engine noise
and emissions, and 8% lower operating
The jet family is manufactured in Toulouse, Hamburg, Tianjin and Mobile, Alabama
Airbus

costs. Sharklets are an option on new-build

Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft pow-
ered by the CFM International CFM56 or the SPEC CHECK
International Aero Engines V2500, and are A318 A319 A320 A321
available as a retrofit for in-service A319s and
MTOW (t) 68 75.5 78 93.5
A320s. The sharklets generate a 4% saving in
Seats (two-class) 107 124 150 185
overall fuel consumption on long sectors for
Max high-density seating 132 156 180 (189) 236
A320 aircraft, while also improving take-off
performance and increasing payload by up to Range (km) 5,750 6,850 6,100 5,950

DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)

A318 A319 A320 A321 A319neo A320neo A321neo
First flight 15/01/2002 25/08/1995 22/02/1987 11/03/1993 25/09/2014
Net orders (total/2015) 60/0 1,402/3 4,750/31 1,612/37 49/2 3,277/487 976/221
Deliveries (total/2015) 60/0 1,380/21 4,032/198 1,154/128 0 0 0
Backlog 0 22 718 458 49 3,277 976

flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 31

WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT
Airbus
A330
he announcement at the Farnborough air
T show on 14 June 2014 to proceed with de-
velopment of the Airbus A330neo marked a
step-up in the company’s competitiveness
with the Boeing 787 on mid-range routes, but
also ensured the continuation of a highly-suc-
cessful programme. Apart from the new Rolls-
Royce Trent 7000 – the sole engine available
for the new variants – Airbus will focus on
aerodynamics and cabin improvements, aim-
ing to reduce per-seat fuel burn by 14%, while
promising 95% commonality with present
models. The Trent 7000, based on the Trent
1000, has an increased fan size and electroni-
cally-controlled bleed-air system, and is to gen-
erate a thrust of 72,000lb (320kN) and provide
11% lower fuel burn. Aerodynamic modifica-
tions will include a re-twisted and strength-
ened wing, with optimised slats and fairings,
and new sharklets to increase the span by 3.7m
(12ft), to 64m. Space-saving cabin reconfigura-
tion will see another six to 10 seats.
UPGRADED
Two versions are being offered: the
A330-800neo, with the same fuselage length as
the A330-200ceo; and the A330-900neo,
which equates in length to the A330-300ceo.
Airbus projects a development period of just
42 months, with the -900neo to enter service in
the fourth quarter of 2017, and the -800neo fol-
lowing early in 2018. Airbus is also planning to
offer head-up display options on all A330
models.
Airbus has upgraded its production line
with an increased maximum take-off weight of
242t, enabling customers to carry additional
payloads over longer ranges. The first en-
hanced A330-300 was delivered to Delta Air
Lines in May 2015, with the first enhanced
A330-200 to enter service early in 2016. Airbus
has also launched a new lower-weight
DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)
A330-200 A330-200F
First flight 13/08/1997 05/11/2009
Net orders (total/2015) 633/17 67/0
Deliveries (total/2015) 540/20 32/2
Backlog 93
SPEC CHECK
A330-200 A330-200F
MTOW (t) 242 233
Seats (two-class/max) 247/406
Payload (t) 70
Range (km) 13,450 7,400
32 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
A330-300 Regional, optimised for domestic
and regional routes in high growth markets, es-
pecially China. The new variant will be opti-
mised to seat 400 passengers on flights up to
3,000nm (5,550km), offering cost savings
through a reduced weight of around 200t. Cost
reduction compared with the long-range A330-
300 will be up to 26%, says Airbus. The vari-
ant will benefit from the latest technologies in
the A350 and A380s. Saudia became the
launch customer with an order in June for 20
aircraft. Deliveries are expected to start in
2016.
Airbus has closed a long-awaited deal with
China, which will help bridge the production
gap as it shifts from current models to the
new Neo variant, at the end of 2017 and con-
solidate its industrial operations in the mar-
ket. On a visit to Toulouse in June 2015, Li
Keqiang, China’s prime minister, signed a
contract for 45 A330ceo, with options for a
further 30, while a deal was also concluded
to set up a cabin-completion facility for
A330s alongside the existing A320 site in
Tianjin. In August, China Eastern Airlines
disclosed a purchase agreement for 15 A330s
for delivery in 2017 and 2018, but it is not
known if this order forms part of the overall
deal. The order from China will enable Air-
bus to maintain a monthly production rate of
six aircraft and ensure that production con-
tinues for at least another 10 years, says the
company. There is to be some overlap with
the A350, which will begin to gradually re-
place the A330s. ■
Production is assured for next decade
Airbus
A330-300 A330-800neo A330-900neo
02/11/1992
658/44 10/0 135/25
616/44 0 0
35 42 10 135
A330-300 A330-800neo A330-900neo A330-300R
242 242 242 200
295/400 247/406 295/440 400
11,750 13,800 11,500 5,550
DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)
A350-800
First flight
Net orders (total/2015) 16/0
Deliveries (total/2015) 0
16
Backlog
SPEC CHECK
A350-800
MTOW (t) 248
Seats (two-class/max) 280/440
Payload (t) 15.2
Range (km) 15,200
Airbus
A350
irbus’s new mid-size twin-jet competitor to
A the larger Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner
models entered revenue service with Qatar
Airways in January 2015, after an intense test
programme, which led to European Aviation
Safety Agency type certification on 30 Septem-
ber 2014. In late June, Vietnam Airlines be-
came the second airline to take delivery of its
first aircraft, followed by Finnair.
The order book indicates airlines’ preference
is for the A350-900, the central plank of the
family which has gained the greatest order
share, but demand appears to be moving to-
wards the -1000 model. The smaller -800 has
not had any orders for five years, as customers
migrate to the larger -900, but Airbus insists it
will build the -800, although demand has been
low and the programme has all but been super-
seded by the re-engining of the A330. Airbus is
evaluating demand for an aircraft larger than
the A350-1000, but the possibility of a ‘double
stretch’ is unlikely, with only an additional 40
seats available. Airbus has projects aimed at
finding ways to raise capacity on the A350
family by up to 20 seats within five years.
EXTENDED
In August, assembly was started at Broughton,
North Wales, on the wing for the A350-1000,
which has the same span as the -900, but the
trailing edge has been extended to resize the
wing for additional payload and range. Airbus
has started work on all three development air-
craft for the A350-1000 test campaign, with
final assembly to begin in the first quarter of
2016 and certification and first deliveries ex-
pected in 2017. Airbus has yet to launch a
mooted regional A350-900. This would be
structurally identical to the baseline aircraft,
but its engines will be de-rated to 74,800lb-
thrust (333kN), matching the -800, and the
maximum take-off weight will be limited to
flightglobal.com
 WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT

A350-900 A350-1000 Airbus figuration has been suspended, as has the pro-
posed A380 freighter. Studies are ongoing for a
possible re-engining of the A380, driven large-

A380
14/06/2013 ly by its biggest customer Emirates, and discus-
597/3 169/0 sions have been held with both engine manu-
6/5 0 facturers, but neither Rolls-Royce nor Engine
591 169 rders for the flagship aircraft have dried up Alliance have expressed a willingness to make
O as the European manufacturer toils to con-
vince the market the A380 is the right aircraft
major improvements to their Trent 900 and
GP7000, respectively. However, a re-engining
A350-900 A350-900R* A350-1000
for high-capacity routes into and out of slot- has not been ruled out, nor has a “mini-
constrained hubs. But Airbus is confident of stretch” of the -800, currently being floated to
268 250 308
the aircraft’s prospects, indicating it will secure potential customers. This could involve add-
325/440 350 366/440
more orders from existing and new customers. ing four fuselage frames to increase seating ca-
14.3 12.6 14.8
In its latest 20-year forecast, Airbus predicts a pacity by 36-54 seats, depending on the upper-
14,075 11,500 14,600 need for 1,550 very large passenger aircraft, and lower-deck configuration. Airbus says that
largely in aviation mega-cities, a much more the timeframe for such a development would
optimistic outlook than that of Boeing, which be around 2020, and it would probably desig-
projects demand for only 420. Very large air- nate the new variant as the A380-900. ■
craft are projected to account for 5% of the unit
total, but 12% in value. However, before Air- DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)
bus can claim real success with the A380, it A380-800
would have to break into the North and Latin
First flight 27/04/2005
American markets. Africa and the Indian sub-
Net orders (total/2015) 317/0
continent are also still without the A380.
Deliveries (total/2015) 171/19
The A380 is the world’s largest and quietest
widebody and the only one with two full- Backlog 146
length decks. The current model is the
A380-800, improved in 2013 with a strength- SPEC CHECK
ened airframe and 1.5˚ increase in wing twist,
An A350-900 Regional has yet to appear A380-800
Airbus

and Airbus is offering a small, 4t increase in

MTOW (t) 575
maximum take-off weight for better payload/
Seats (two-class/max) 544/853
250t. Airbus claims the aircraft would be able range performance. Development of an en-
to cover most long-haul flights, typical of intra- larged -900 for 650 passengers in standard con- Range (km) 15,200
Asian routes. First deliveries are expected in
2016. In October, Singapore Airlines became
the launch customer for the longer-range
A350-900ULR, which will have a modified
fuel system, higher maximum take-off weight
and aerodynamic changes to stretch its range.
Airbus has yet to disclose a range figure.
Airbus’s most advanced airliner is taking the
technologies for its flagship A380 to a new
level, providing, says the manufacturer, 25%
lower fuel consumption compared with com-
petitors, due to new Rolls-Royce XWB engines
and aerodynamics. Airbus projects 10% lower
maintenance costs. The new fuselage, built
with carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP),
generates lower fuel burn and easier mainte-
nance. The CFRP content of the A350 is 53%.
The high-performance wing, built primarily
from carbon composites, includes droop-nose
The European airframer remains bullish
leading edge devices and new adaptive
about the very large-aircraft sector
Airbus

dropped hinge-flaps. ■

IN ASSOCIATION WITH
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flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 33
WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT
AirTeamImages
Airframer was hit by Russia-Crimea crisis
Antonov
An-148
he collapse in Ukraine’s relations with
T Russia following the annexation of
Crimea and Russia’s apparent support for the
rebels in the east of the country has had a
marked effect on sales of this high-wing twin-
jet, powered by Ivchenko-Progress D-436-148
turbofan engines, which first entered service
with Ukrainian airline Aerosvit in June 2009.
Although the aircraft is capable of operat-
ing from poorly-equipped runways and its
contemporary flight and navigation equip-
ment enables it to operate day and night in all
types of weather, sales of the An-148 and
An-158 have already been sluggish, and the
only orders placed so far in 2015 were from
an unidentified customer in Iraq.
This has been attributed to poor produc-
tion rates from Antonov’s two Ukranian as-
sembly sites in Kiev, and especially by
Russia’s Voronezh Aircraft Production
Association (VASO) – whose continuation of
production is in doubt. Negotiations between
Ukraine and Iran for the licence-production
of the An-148 and An-158 models appear to
DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)
An-148
First flight 17/12/2004
Net orders (total/2015) 33/0
Deliveries (total/2015) 20/1
Backlog 13
SPEC CHECK
An-148B
MTOW (t) 41.9
Seats (two-class/max) 68/85
Payload (t)
Range (km) 3,500
34 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
have been abandoned. Antonov also relied
heavily on Russian systems and equipment,
and the deteriorating political situation con-
Boeing
tinues to dog the Kiev manufacturer.
Reliability problems have also contributed
to the slow progress.
737
On a more positive note, the An-178 ssembly of the wings for the first 737 Max 8
freighter, a direct development of the An-158,
made its first flight on 7 May and was demon-
A flight test aircraft was started at Renton,
Washington in June with the wings attached to
strated at the Paris air show. Designed to re- the fuselage in September. The first flight is
place the ageing An-12, An-26 and An-32 scheduled for 2016 and first delivery in the
transports in military service, Antonov is also third quarter of 2017, when the new aircraft is
targeting the civil market, estimating a total to deliver 20% lower fuel costs than the first
requirement at 200 aircraft up to 2032. The Next Generation 737s. First delivery of the Max
high-wing aircraft would also be powered by 9, launched by Lion Air in February 2012, is
the D-436-148 engines and is equipped with a
cargo-door rear-loading ramp. It is said to be
capable of carrying all existing packaged
freight, including pallets and high-capacity
2.4 x 2.4m (8 x 8ft) 1C containers.
A first order for 10 aircraft has been placed
by Silk Way Airlines of Azerbaijan, but
Antonov has also confirmed what it calls a
“protocol of intent” with Beijing A-Star
Airspace and Technology.
The An-148 is available in several variants,
including the standard An-148-100A, the
1,890nm (3,500km) extended-range An-148-
Boeing
100B, with the An-148-100E offering a still
longer range of up to 2,380nm. A ski- The 737-800 is flying out the factory gates
equipped An-148-300 is under consideration
for operation in the Arctic. In April 2010, An-
tonov took the An-158 into the air for the first
time. Previously designated the An-148-200,
the An-158 has been stretched to provide ac-
commodation for 99 passengers in a high-
Boeing
density configuration. The aircraft provides a
high commonality with the An-148, but in-
cludes larger overhead baggage bins, im-
747
proved wing design with wing-tip fences, and ales of the 747-8 remain sluggish, with the
modified fuselage tail section, all adding up to
a 12% decrease in direct operating costs and a
S freighter version, which has no direct
competitor, proving the more popular. No net
9% cut in fuel burn per passenger. All vari- orders were placed in 2014, and the only sale
ants are powered by the D-436 turbofan with a to a commercial carrier was recorded in
maximum thrust of 14,100-15,000lb (63- March 2015, with three freighters contracted
67kN), but Ivchenko-Progress has revealed it by Azerbaijan’s Silk Way West Airlines. A
is working on a new engine, the AI-28, which memorandum of understanding signed in
would have greater fuel economy. ■ June with Russia’s Volga-Dnepr for the acqui-
sition of 20 747-8F freighters provided a time-
ly boost for the manufacturer, as did an order
An-158 An-178
from the US Air Force for three 747-8s to re-
place the current presidential aircraft. Deliv-
28/04/2010 07/05/2015
ery will take place in 2018 and, after a five-
32/3 10/0
year programme of modifications, will enter
6/1 0
service in 2023. An unidentified customer has
26 10 ordered a single VIP version. Talks with sev-
eral other potential customers have yet to
achieve any positive results and Boeing’s plan
An-158 An-178
to cut the production rate to one aircraft a
month from next March is likely to be imple-
43.7 52.4
mented. In August 2015, Korean Air took de-
86/99
livery of the first of its 10 747-8
18
Intercontinentals on order, in the process be-
2,500 4,000 coming the first airline to operate both pas-
flightglobal.com
 WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT

planned for 2018, followed by the Max 7 –
launched in May 2013 with an order for 30 air-
craft from Southwest Airlines, launch customer
for the Max 8 in December 2011 – in 2019. In
July 2014, Boeing launched the BBJ Max, based
on the Max 8, with an order from an undis-
closed customer. The BBJ Max will be deliv-
ered without a finished interior in 2018. De-
mand has persuaded Boeing to increase the
monthly 737 production rate from 42 to 47 per
month by 2017, rising to 52 in 2018 or 2019. In
May 2014, the Max programme surpassed
2,000 orders, making it the fastest-selling Boe-
ing ever.
The company claims 8% lower operating
SPEC CHECK
737-700 737-800 737-900ER
MTOW (t) 70.1 79
Seats (two-class/max) 126 162
Range (km) 5,575 5,435
costs than the nearest competitor, and a 40%
smaller community noise footprint. The Max 8
includes new CFM International Leap-1B en-
gines optimised for the Max, a redesigned tail
cone, Boeing-designed Avanced Technology
winglets (increasing fuel efficiency by 1.8%),
upgrades to flight-deck displays, an electronic
bleed air system, and fly-by-wire spoiler flight
controls. In response to Airbus increasing the
seating capacity of its A320neo to 189, Boeing
announced it would offer 199 seats on its Max
8; the maximum allowed without a fifth flight
attendant. Designated Max 200, the new minor
model would require an extra exit door and be
the same as that on the larger 737 Max 9, which
Max 7 Max 8 Max 200 Max 9
85.1 72.3 82.2 82.2 88.3
178 126/149 162/189 162/200 178/220
5,464 6,204 6,510 5,000 6,510
enabled capacity to increase from 189 to 215.
The Max 200 will make its maiden flight after
the Max 7 in 2019. In September 2014, Ryanair
placed an order for 100, plus options for 100,
with a capacity of 197 seats. A large order for
100 Max 8s was placed by lessor Aercap in June
2015. In July, China Eastern Airlines committed
to buy another 50 aircraft, but has not disclosed
which variants of the 737 are involved.
In the period before service entry of the 737
Max, Boeing is fulfilling a large order backlog,
with the 737-800 most popular, followed by
the larger 737-900ER, the latest model to enter
service, and the smaller 737-700. The 737-800
has attracted by far the most orders, with 116
signed for in 2015 to end September, while
only 14 -900ERs were sold. Although not
launched, Boeing claims a tentative order for a
converted freighter version of the 737-800, re-
ferred to as the 737-800BCF. In September,
Boeing announced it would open a 737 com-
pletion and delivery centre in China. ■

DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)

737-700 737-800 737-900/ER Max 7 Max 8 Max 9 Max TBA
First flight 09/02/1997 31/07/1997 03/08/2000
Net orders (total/2015) 1,173/0 4,926/97 552/5 60/0 1,679/116 223/0 902/89
Deliveries (total/2015) 1,132/6 3,769/286 402/63 0 0 0 0
Backlog 41 1,157 150 60 1,679 223 902

senger and freighter versions of the 747-8. The

747-8I will enable Korean Air to phase out its
747-400s by 2017.
The 747-8 is the fourth-generation and larg-
est 747 version and was first announced in
2005. The 747-8F freighter was the first to fly
on 8 February 2010, followed by the 747-8 In-
tercontinental on 20 March 2011. The princi-
pal differences from the 747-400, which it re-
placed, are a lengthened fuselage, redesigned
wings and improved efficiency, also using the
same GE Aviation GEnx turbofans and partial
fly-by-wire of the 787. Since 2013, Boeing has
implemented a performance improvement
Freighter version of the 747-8 is more popular than the passenger aircraft
Boeing

package (PIP), which included GEnx-2B en-

DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015) gines and enhanced flight management com- high g-load manoeuvre in combination with
puter software and provided an additional certain system failures.
747-8I 747-8F 2% improvement in fuel efficiency. A further This requires replacing lateral control elec-
First flight 20/03/11 08/02/10 improvement programme, Project Ozark, is tronic modules and inboard elevator power
Net orders (total/2015) 42/0 72/4 being gradually added, with the aim of in- control packages (PCPs), installing new exter-
Deliveries (total/2015) 28/9 60/4 creasing range and still-lower fuel burn. nal compensators for the PCPs and revising
Backlog 14 12 the maintenance or inspection program. GE
DIRECTIVE Aviation will roll out a new software upgrade,
SPEC CHECK With effect from 20 August, the US Federal which should make it possible to remove the
747-8I 747-8F
Aviation Administration issued an airworthi- last operating restrictions imposed two years
ness directive for some 747-8 and 747-8F-se- ago on the Genx-2B engine.
MTOW (t) 448 448
ries aircraft on the US register. This was The 747-8 experienced power loss after in-
Seats (two-class/max) 410/605
prompted by an analysis which indicated in a gesting tiny ice crystals when an aircraft flew
Payload (t) 137
limited flight envelope with specific condi- into strong tropical thunderstorms at high al-
Range (km) 14,315 7,630 tions, divergent flutter could occur during a titude. ■

flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 35

WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT
Existing operators include All Nippon Airways, which has 40 of the type in service
Boeing
767
aving previously sold more than 1,100 ex-
H amples, Boeing secured a major boost for
its 767 programme in July 2015, when FedEx
announced a firm order for 50 767-300F
freighters, plus an option for another 50. De-
liveries of the former will take place between
2018 and 2023. This deal has contributed to a
DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)
First flight
Net orders (total/2015)
Deliveries (total/2015)
Backlog
SPEC CHECK
MTOW (t)
Seats (two-class/max)
Payload (t)
Range (km)
Boeing
777
n August, Boeing announced the completion
I of the firm configuration milestone for the
777-9 – the first member of the 777X family –
setting the aircraft’s capability and basic design
to meet a planned start of production in 2017.
The lead variant is the 777-9, to seat 407 pas-
sengers in a four-frame stretch of the
777-300ER fuselage to 76.48m (250ft 11in) and
be powered by two GE Aviation GE9X turbofan
36 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
Boeing
Boeing decision to increase the production
rate for the 767 to two aircraft per month from
the fourth quarter of 2017, with a further rise
to 2.5 a month planned two years later. This
development also stems from a US Air Force
commitment to acquire a fleet of 767-based
KC-46A Pegasus tankers, also now selected by
Japan. The 767 made its first flight on 26 Sep-
tember 1981 and entered service with United
Airlines on 8 September 1982. Currently of-
fered are the passenger 767-300ER and the
767-300F freighter, which is based on the
767-300ER fuselage. ■
767-300ER 767-300F
09/12/1986 20/06/1995
579/0 180/48
579/0 107/14
0 73
767-300ER 767-300F
186.9 185
218/351
52.5
11,070 6,025
engines, each producing a thrust of 99,500lb
(443kN). Maximum take-off weight would be
344 tonnes. The smaller 353-seat, 69.5m 777-8,
a 10-frame stretch of the 777-200ER, will be
powered by the GE9X engine, although de-rat-
ed to 88,000lb. Maximum take-off weight will
be 315t.
Both models will have new composite
wings and superior aerodynamics which, says
Boeing, will provide 20% lower fuel consump-
tion and 15% lower operating costs than to-
day’s 777, and 12% lower fuel consumption
and 10% lower operating costs than rivals. A
folding wing-tip enables a 7m increase in span
to maximise fuel efficiency.
Boeing
787
oeing’s mid-size, twin-engined airliner –
B the first of which, the 787-8, entered ser-
vice on 26 November 2011 – has been
plagued by a number of issues, all of which
contributed initially to below-acceptable reli-
ability. The most recent high-profile problem
to have affected the 787 was a ground fire,
which originated in the transmitter in an Ethi-
opian Airlines aircraft at London Heathrow
airport in July 2013. Boeing has started build-
ing an airflow model to examine how envi-
ronmental control systems might carry parti-
cles and gas from a fire in the emergency
locator transmitter situated in the aft fuselage.
Yet, in spite of continuing minor problems,
the order book remains strong. Boeing was
given a boost in August this year when Israeli
flag-carrier El Al decided to buy and lease a
mix of 15 787-8s and 787-9s, maintaining the
monopoly of Boeing aircraft in its fleet. Also
in August, Qantas Airways placed an order
for eight 787-9s, to replace five of its 747-400s.
Qantas has also taken 15 options and 30 pur-
chase rights for additional 787s. The previous
month, Boeing delivered the 300th aircraft –
less than four years after the type entered ser-
vice. A further fillip was provided in October,
when Taiwanese carrier Eva Air committed to
up to 24 787-10s, and Norwegian opted for
another 29 787-9s. As a result of a healthy
order book, Boeing is preparing to increase
the monthly production rate to 12 in 2016,
with a further increase to 14 per month by the
end of the decade.
The second family member, the 787-9,
made its first flight on 17 September 2013,
and the first of this variant was delivered to
Air New Zealand in July 2014. The 787-9 ex-
tends both capacity and range, with an extra
40 passengers and an additional 297nm
After the official launch in November 2013,
Lufthansa was the first airline to select the
777-9, with an order for 20 aircraft, to replace
its Airbus A340 and 747-400 long-haul fleets,
777-9 deliveries will start during 2020
Boeing
flightglobal.com
 WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT

(550km) range. The 787-9 is the first Boeing DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)
airliner with drag-reducing hybrid laminar-
flow control, which features on the fin and 787-8 787-9 787-10

tailplane. It is also to be introduced on the First flight 15/12/2009 17/09/2013 2017

787-10 and the 777X models – but, according
to the company, there are no firm plans to fit it
on the 787-8. Another feature of the 787-9 is
the high-lift system, adapted from the 787-8,
to cater for higher weights. A 787 freighter
version remains under consideration.
LAUNCH
Boeing announced the launch of the 787-10,
the third member of the family, at Paris in
June 2013, with 90 firm orders from four cus-
tomers. With a range of 7,000nm, the -10 can
carry up to 330 passengers on more than 90%
of the world’s twin-aisle routes, says Boeing,
also claiming unmatched operating econom-
ics, said to be 25% more efficient than aircraft
of its size today and “more than 10% better
than anything being offered by the competi-
tion for the future”. Although longer by 5.5m
(17ft 1in), the 787-10 maintains the 251t max-
imum take-off weight of the 787-9, and also
787 Dreamliner customers can choose between Rolls-Royce and GE powerplants
Net orders (total/2015) 449/8 485/10 146/3
Deliveries (total/2015) 269/54 53/43 0
Backlog 180 432 146
SPEC CHECK
787-8 787-9 787-10
MTOW (t) 227.9 250.8 250.8
Seats (two-class/max) 242 290 330
Payload (t) 13.6 14.1 11.9
Range (km) 17,395 13,650 14,075
preserves the size of the 787-9 horizontal sta- of three aircraft from All Nippon Airways, no
biliser design for the -10 through software ad- new orders have been placed for this largest
justments. Detailed design has already start- model to date in 2015. The 787 Dreamliner is
ed, and the critical design review was passed said to use 20% less fuel than any other air-
in June 2015. Final assembly – exclusively in craft of its size. Advances in engine technolo-
North Charleston, South Carolina – and flight gy are the biggest contributor to the overall
tests are set to begin in 2017, with first deliv- fuel-efficiency improvements.
ery targeted for 2018. A slightly worrying as-
pect for Boeing is that apart from a conversion ENGINES
Customers have a choice between the
Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 and GE Aviation
GEnx turbofan engines. Both have continu-
ously upgraded their engines since first fitted
on the 787. A further upgrade, the Trent
1000-TEN (Thrust, Efficiency and New tech-
nology), to be certified to 78,000lb (347kN),
will enter service in 2016 and is intended for
all variants. The other major feature impact-
ing fuel efficiency is its light weight, with
50% of the primary structure, including fuse-
lage and wings, made from composite materi-
als. Boeing launched the 787 in April 2004,
with a record order from Japan’s All Nippon
Airways. The final assembly plant was
opened at Everett, Washington, in May 2007
and followed by another in North Charleston
in July 2011. The first flight of the 787-8 took
place on 15 December 2009, after an 18-
AirTeamImages

month delay, and was followed by service

entry with ANA on 26 October 2011. ■

but also hedged its bets by ordering 25 A350- DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)
900s. Etihad Airways ordered 25 777-9s and
Cathay Pacific 21 that month. In the first nine 777-200LR 777-300ER 777F 777-8 777-9

months of 2015, 10 orders were placed by uni- First flight 08/03/2005 24/02/2003 14/07/2008
dentified customer(s), bringing the total for Net orders (total/2015) 57/0 723/18 166/16 53/10 253/0
both versions to 306. First deliveries of the Deliveries (total/2015) 57/0 594/60 115/16 0 0
777-9 will be in 2020, with the 777-8 following Backlog 0 129 51 53 253
nine months to a year later. Orders for the cur-
rent 777-300ER are also still coming in, with SPEC CHECK
net 2015 orders totalling 18. Together with the 777-200LR 777-300ER 777F 777-8 777-9
initial versions, which included the 777-200,
MTOW (t) 347.5 351.5 347.8
-200ER and -300, Boeing has logged more than
Seats (two-class/max) 301 336/550 350 406
1,500 orders since the first flight of the 777-200
Payload (t) 102
on 12 June 1994. United Airlines operated the
very first 777 service on 7 June 1995. ■ Range (km) 17,395 13,650 9,070 16,112 14,075

flightglobal.com 24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 37

WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
SPECIAL REPORT

Bombardier offer a 15% reduction in operating costs and a

20% fuel burn advantage. With the extra seat-
ing capacity of the CS300, customers can ex-

CSeries pect a further 4% reduction in operating costs

series of delays, which extended the flight-
A test programme by more than a year and
led to corporate restructuring and leadership
change at Bombardier, has slowed CSeries pro-
gramme momentum – as reflected in a lack of
orders so far in 2015. Sanctions imposed by
Canada have also threatened a 39-aircraft order
– the programme’s third largest – from Russia’s
Ilyushin Finance, but negotiations may yet re-
solve these issues. A first show appearance at
Paris in June included a static CS100 and a
CS300 in the flying display, which may have
generated renewed interest in the aircraft.
However, this may not result in more orders
until Bombardier wins type certification from
Transport Canada, hopefully by the end of this
year, and makes a first delivery of the 108-seat
CS100 to launch customer Swiss International
Air Lines, scheduled for early in 2016. In June
this year, Swiss converted 10 of its CS100 or-
ders to the larger CS300, which is expected to
enter service six months after the CS100. The
120min ETOPS certification is expected to be
achieved 12 months after type certification of
per seat. Its clean-sheet design, combining ad-
vanced materials and leading-edge technology,
is said to give greatly reduced noise and emis-
sions. P&W is developing a new version of its
PW1500G engine, the PW1525G, which will
offer up to 5% higher thrust.
TESTING
Bombardier has built five CS100 flight test air-
craft for the 2,400h certification programme,
with FTV-5 – the last to fly, on 18 March – the
first to be equipped with a finished cabin. The
first (FTV-6) of two of the larger CS300 model
made its maiden flight on 27 February. FTV-7
is to follow later this year.
In its latest 20-year forecast, Bombardier pre-
dicts that the 100-150-seat segment will wit-
ness a major transformation with the entry into
service of new clean-sheet aircraft designs, in-
cluding its own CSeries. This segment is ex-
pected to generate 7,000 aircraft deliveries be-
tween 2015 and 2034, with North America,
Comac
Greater China and Europe accounting for some
65% of the total. ■

DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)

the CS100.
The all-new CS100 twin jet made a success-
First flight
ful maiden flight on 16 September 2013. The
Net orders (total/2015)
CSeries represents the Canadian manufactur-
Deliveries (total/2015)
er’s boldest foray into the commercial sector. In
addition to introducing Pratt & Whitney’s Backlog
geared turbofan engines, the CSeries was also
designed with a composite wing and an alu- SPEC CHECK
minium-lithium fuselage, both representing
firsts in the narrowbody segment. The CSeries
MTOW (t)
is also the first Bombardier design to have a full
Seats (two-class/max)
three-axis fly-by-wire system. According to the
manufacturer, the CSeries aircraft family will Range (km)
C919 omac’s first foray into the narrowbody
CS100 CS300
C segment, the C919, was rolled out at its
Shanghai Pudong airport facility on 2 Novem-
16/09/13 27/02/15
ber, with its CFM International Leap-1C en-
48/0 190/0
gines attached. However, the Chinese con-
0 0
tender for the market is still behind schedule
53 190 as the inexperienced airframer battles unex-
pected programme hiccups. After roll-out,
aircraft 101 needs to undergo a series of pre-
flight preparations, including engine tests,
CS100 CS300
lightning tests and taxi tests, which would
60.8 67.6
take about four months, suggesting a first
108/133 130/160
flight no earlier than next April or May. As-
5,741 6,112 sembly has started of aircraft 102, the second
of six flight-test aircraft and two ground-test
structures for its C919 programme. After Chi-
nese certification by the Civil Administration
of China, Comac will seek foreign approval,
but has not yet decided whether to pursue
certification first from the US Federal Avia-
tion Administration or the European Aviation
Safety Agency. The earliest feasible customer
delivery is 2017, provided there are no further
delays, with 2018 the more likely service
entry.

AIRFRAME
The 158- to 174-seat narrowbody twinjet,
which mirrors the A320 in appearance, is to
be powered by the new CFM International
Leap-1C turbofan engine, but may eventually
be replaced by an engine to be produced in
Bombardier

China. The airframe is produced largely in

aluminium alloy, while carbon-fibre compos-
The 108-seat CS100 should enter service with Swiss International Air Lines early in 2016 ites are used in the centre wing-box. The air-

38 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015 flightglobal.com


A Chinese engine may replace the
CFM International Leap-1C
Comac
craft incorporates equipment and systems
from many Western suppliers. State-owned
Comac has stated that it would produce six
different variants of the C919, including busi-
ness jet and freighter models. Initially, the
company intends to produce two variants, a
standard version with a 2,200nm (4,075km)
range and an enhanced extended-range ver-
sion with a range of 3,000nm. A very long-
term plan exists for twin-aisle C929 and C939
models, offering 300 and 400 seats respec-
tively. The noticeable lack of interest from
foreign airlines has to be reversed if Comac’s
ambition to become a force in the aerospace
industry is to be realised. Of a total commit-
ment of 507 aircraft, as stated at the Paris air
show in June, only 20 (from GECAS) are from
outside China. The latest announcements in-
clude a letter of intent for 50 from Ping An
Leasing, and an order for seven from the
Puren Group, which also announced an
order for seven ARJ21s at the same time, with
both types to be operated by start-up Puren
Airlines. Comac plans to produce between
five and 10 aircraft in 2018 and 2019, later
ramping up to 150. ■
DATA CHECK
C919
First flight (projected) 2016
Net orders (total/2015) 282/7
Deliveries (total/2015) 0
Backlog 282
SPEC CHECK
C919 basic C919 enhanced
MTOW (t) 77.3 77.3
Seats (two-class/max) 156/174 156/174
Range (km) 4,075 5,555
flightglobal.com
WORLD AIRLINER DIRECTORY
Irkut
MC-21
ussia’s first contemporary mid-range nar-
R rowbody, the MC-21, is progressing to-
wards first take-off, now expected between
April and July 2016. The first pair of Pratt &
Whitney PW1400G engines has been deliv-
ered, and the composite wing, built at Irkut’s
new AeroComposit centre at Ulyanovsk, is
about to be mated to the fuselage. This is ex-
pected to lead to the completion of the first
flight-test aircraft by the end of the year. Irkut is
building four prototypes, three for flight tests
and one for static tests. Development work is
continuing on the alternative Aviadvigatel
PD-14 turbofan, whose flight trial aboard an Il-
yushin Il-76 testbed is imminent, with planned
certification in 2017. Aviadvigatel is leading a
programme that also includes Russian aero-
engine manufacturers Perm, UMPO, NPO Sat-
urn and Salyut.
PLAN
Irkut’s plan is to build two versions, the 150-
seat MC-21-200, targeted for first flight in 2017,
and the 181-seat MC-21-300, with the latter the
first of the family to fly in 2016 and accounting
for 90% of orders. Under consideration was a
lengthened MS-21-400, but no orders and com-
mitments have been placed for the stretch and
DATA CHECK (AT 30 SEPTEMBER 2015)
First flight (projected)
Net orders (total/2015)
Deliveries (total/2015)
Backlog
SPEC CHECK
MC-21-200
MTOW (t) 72.4
Seats (two-class/max) 135/176
Range (km) 6,000
A first example
should take to the
air by mid-2016
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 39
SPECIAL REPORT
the model has been shelved, at least for the mo-
ment. Irkut intends to offer extended-range
(ER) variants for all models, and an even long-
er-range is being developed for the MC-21-200.
The MC-21 draws extensively on Western
expertise, with Rockwell Collins-integrated
avionics and, most notably, PW1400G geared
turbofan engines. Irkut is promising to beat the
Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max fuel effi-
ciency by 10%. Half of the MC-21’s structure
will comprise composite materials, used main-
ly for the wings and empennage. The wing is
being made using a new composite fabrication
for a commercial transport aircraft, with out-of-
autoclave technology to lower costs and boost
productivity.
Irkut is planning to produce seven aircraft
per month at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. Firm
orders have been received for 175 aircraft, with
commitments for another 75. The largest cus-
tomer, AviaCapital Service, the leasing arm of
the Russian Technologies state corporation,
has ordered 50 aircraft with PD-14 turbofans,
which it hopes to place with Aeroflot. Ilyushin
Finance has also ordered 50 aircraft, with VEB
Leasing and Sberbank Leasing having signed
for 30 and 20, respectively. The remaining 25
have been committed by various government
bodies. Irkut is targeting sales of 1,000 aircraft
between now and 2030, some 70% expected
from outside Russia. The aircraft will be mar-
keted as the MS-21 within Russia, but may yet
be renamed as the Yak-242, to better reflect the
design bureau behind the new twinjet. ■
MC-21-200 MC-21-300
2017 2016
33/0 142/0
0 0
33 142
MC-21-300 MC-21-400
79.2 87.2
163/211 178/230
5,900 5,500
Irkut
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Illustration shows conceptual data only


From yuckspeak to tales of yore, send your offcuts to murdo.morrison@flightglobal.com
Feline a bit sad
about Transaero
Farewell, then, Transaero,
grounded on 26 October after
becoming one of the first
successful private airlines in
post-Soviet Russia.
A wistful press chief signs off
with the reminder that over its
24 years of operation, Transaero
carried 86 million passengers
and operated 11 types of aircraft,
including the Boeing 747.
“Transaero and its
personnel,” she notes, “had a
great history of firsts, in terms of
operational, social and charity
programmes. Transaero is the
airline with the human face.”
Or, judging by this
stunningly-decorated jumbo,
the tiger face.
What a gas
Thanks to UK magazine Private
Eye for this spot. A press release
for the recent Aerodays event in
London maintained that
aviation is focused on several
goals for 2050, including the
aim of seeing “nitrous oxide
emissions cut by 90%”.
What we think they meant
was nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Nitrous oxide (N20) is, of course,
laughing gas.
Screen test
One of our snappers was
distraught when the video-
screen in his BA business class
seat refused to play ball on the
flight to Vegas.
Never mind: staff were on
hand to create this quick Heath
Robinson-ish contraption
involving rubber bands, which
held the wayward screen in
BillyPix
Complicated business
flightglobal.com
“Let’s all just paws for a moment”
place for the duration of the
journey. British innovation: we
salute you.
Huerta feelings
Country superstar and pilot
Dierks Bentley’s “Drunk On A
Plane” music video might have
featured violations of every rule
in the US Federal Aviation
Administration handbook, but
that didn’t prevent him
appearing as a celebrity guest
speaker at last week’s NBAA
convention in Las Vegas,
alongside FAA administrator
Michael Huerta.
The 2014 song that
reinvigorated his career “got this
737 rockin’ like a G6,” with the
“Riser Air” pilot giving up his
controls to two party girls while
he drank with passengers. “I just
want to say to the FAA
administrator, it’s just a song,”
said a sheepish Bentley to
laughter and cheers.
Meanwhile, Nevada
STRAIGHT&LEVEL
Steamer bombed
In the “Wireless” news sent
out from Berlin on Monday
there was the
following:
“The English
steamer ‘Cotterel’
was fired at and bombarded
by two German aeroplanes
near the Noordhinder
Lightship. The steamer was
damaged.”
Splendid success
Act Flt Lt A W A Bayne, 17 Sqn
– In November, 1940, this
officer led his
squadron against
25 heavily
escorted enemy
dive bombers attacking two
destroyers. His magnificent
leadership and quick
judgment largely contributed
to the splendid success of the
squadron, which destroyed 15
and damaged several more
enemy bombers without loss.
Plan has legs
Goodyear Aerospace, under
contract to General Dynamics,
is developing
inflatable vertical
“legs” to assist
flying boats to ride
rough water. From 17ft to 35ft
long, the legs will retract into
Jim Smeal/Rex Shutterstock
the fuselage and wings.
Korea thinks twice
South Korea is reconsidering
buying 120 McDonnell
Bentley: apologetic drunk Douglas F-18s,
and may reopen
congresswoman Dina Titus, who the original F-X
keeps a cardboard cut-out of competition to
Liberace in her office, offered General Dynamics.
colourful travel tips to those South Korea’s new defence
attending NBAA. minister, Lee Jong-Koo, said
“If you fall in love here you last week that his ministry is
can get married at a drive- planning a “complete
through wedding chapel with a reassessment” of the F-18
mechanical arm that throws rice fighter deal.
on your windshield,” she said at
the opening session. 100-YEAR ARCHIVE
“There’s more. According to Every issue of Flight
Nevada law, you can breast-feed from 1909 onwards
your baby in public while can be viewed online at
carrying not one, but two flightglobal.com/archive
concealed weapons.”
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 41
 LETTERS
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL
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Start sharing
threat warnings
Our condolences and thoughts
are with the families and friends
of those who lost their lives in
the crash of MetroJet flight 9268,
caused by what is now being
widely reported as a bomb.
This tragedy has placed
airport security under the
spotlight again, and acts as a re-
minder of the risks of operating
in some parts of the world.
Risks exist everywhere, but
the important thing is the steps
taken to mitigate them, and
whether or not they are robust
enough to defeat terrorists. No
system is infallible, but some are
better than others.
Whether flights should
continue to operate in and out of
particular airports or over
certain areas must be kept under
constant review, in light of
information and intelligence. It
is nation states that hold the
most relevant intelligence, and
sometimes there may be a
reluctance to make it public.
There needs to be better
policing of security standards at
airports around the world, and
perhaps a new international
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
42 | Flight International | 24-30 November 2015
flight.international@flightglobal.com
This way up?
CABIN SAFETY
Carry-on regardless Christian Hollyer makes some
The discussion about safe very valid points in his letter
emergency evacuations being (Flight International, 10-16
jeopardised by passengers November). However, unless
taking “hand baggage” with things have changed in the time
Gavin Rodgers/Rex Shutterstock
them always fails to mention since I was involved in aviation
why this problem has recently he perhaps misses one crucial
become so prevalent. point: any flight-critical compo-
I can remember when hand nent dismounted or disconnect-
baggage meant just that; not ed when remounted or recon-
the items the size of a small Any room for a small one too? nected requires dual inspection.
car that are now permitted on One person did the work, and
board, in spite of the bag templates which sit completely ignored at then a second qualified person
check-in and at the gate. was required to inspect and cer-
The new “hand baggage-only” fares have also introduced the tify the correct execution.
anomaly whereby the passenger paying the lowest fare now is given I assume this requirement
priority in the locker space. I recently spent five hours airborne with still holds, which means that
our national carrier with my coat on my knee and with my legroom
impaired because the cabin crew forbade me to use the lockers for
two separate individuals – one
of whom is supposed to be
my small backpack. Even on a 12-hour sector to Los Angeles, I looking for mistakes – have
would have been similarly inconvenienced and discomfited. fallen into the same trap. If this
My letters in the past to the carrier complaining about the size of is so there is clearly a need for
carry-on baggage have merely been met with anodyne replies, which action, perhaps tightening up
do not address the growing problem of safety. the quality of the second
Out of interest, has anyone from the UK Civil Aviation Authority inspection, or at least making it
actually tried to adopt the “brace” position on any British-operated, clearer which way around parts
high-density-configured tourist aircraft? should be fitted.
Mike Pitman If the dual-inspection practice
St Helier, Jersey is no longer called for, recent
events scream for its restitution.
Richard Chandless
inspection and licensing system Being partisan with potential- Crêches-sur-Saône, France
to ensure high standards are ly lifesaving information is
maintained and safety ensured wrong. It cannot be beyond the
as far as is possible. It would not wit of man to set in place Jet set fret
guarantee safety, but would be a systems that respect and protect Could someone please explain to
step in the right direction and intelligence and enable it to be me exactly under what criteria a
lead to the better sharing of best used quickly. business jet is categorised as
practice and intelligence. We now call for the establish- being entry level, light, super
If there was intelligence of an ment of a truly independent, light, midsize, super midsize,
increased risk of attack before International Aviation Security large cabin, etc?
the downing of flight 9268, why Intelligence unit, perhaps under As an example, how can the
was it apparently not shared? It the UN, to receive, collate and Dassault Falcon 2000EX be a
does not matter which way the disseminate information on all large-cabin jet, while the Falcon
intelligence is to flow: there is a known threats to aviation, wher- 2000S – which shares exactly the
moral duty on us all to do some- ever and whatever they may be. same fuselage and passenger
thing if a threat is known of. By using such a unit the sources cabin – be classified as a super
Countries are naturally very need never be revealed and peo- midsize jet?
protective of their intelligence ple may be just a little bit safer. Range has nothing to do with
and sources, but what use is Philip Flower size, no?
intelligence if it cannot be used General secretary, Independent Stamatis Vellis
to protect human life? Pilots Association, UK Via email
Keep track of the latest developments in
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WORK EXPERIENCE PUSELETSO MATLALA
Making progress in a man’s world
Managing male colleagues with greater industry experience is among the challenges facing young engineer
Puseletso Matlala, who has delighted in aviation since childhood and values her role in protecting South Africa
How did you get started in
aviation?
When I was a child, my father
used to take me to the airport to
watch aircraft taking off. The fas-
cination with aircraft grew with-
in me. The thought of a big
chunk of metal floating in the air
just boggled my mind. I knew I
had to find out what made it pos-
sible, because it was not magic.
The aeronautical engineering de-
gree just made it official.
What was your first aviation
job?
I started as a student engineer de-
signing a de-icing system for a
composite main rotor blade for
an attack helicopter. I had to en-
sure ice did not form on the
blades. This involved creating a
model to simulate the condi-
tions. That gave me insight into
future exciting projects I would
be involved in. My career started
at Advanced Technologies and
Engineering (ATE), now
Paramount Advanced
Technologies (PAT). I was a stu-
dent engineer and when I gradu-
ated, I became a junior engineer.
And then Denel hired you?
I was given the opportunity to
manage research and develop-
ment projects in addition to my
engineering duties at Denel
Aviation, a division of the state-
owned Denel Group – manufac-
turer and supplier of defence and
aerospace solutions. Managing
design and development projects
has been stimulating because I
get to see a design transform to a
tangible product and see it in ac-
flightglobal.com
After starting out with the former ATE, Matlala was taken on by Denel
tion. One can never know what
challenge will pop up to be
solved, and this has an impact on
the dynamics of the project. The
achievements that I will be
proudest of are yet to come.
How large is your team?
The teams differ from project to
project. They range from 15 to 50
people, depending on the com-
plexity and the amount of work
involved in the project. The pro-
jects that consume most of my
time are the design of a rotary-
wing unmanned air vehicle and
managing a development project
that involves designing and de-
veloping a replacement system
on an aircraft.
What is the most challenging
part of your job?
The most challenging and amaz-
TIME FOR
YOUR CAREER
TO TAKE FLIGHT
Denel Aviation
“I get to see a design
transform to a
tangible product and
see it in action. One
can never know what
challenge will pop up”
ing part of my job is being given
requirements and turning that
into a design model. The wonder
is to start off with merely an idea
and end up with a tangible usa-
ble structure. As a young female
engineer and project manager,
being developed for the pro-
gramme manager position, the
reality of having to manage engi-
neers, mostly men, with more
Start your job search today
flightglobal.com/jobs
AVIATION |AIRLINES |AEROSPACE
24-30 November 2015 | Flight International | 43
WORKING WEEK
than 15 years of experience is
daunting, yet exciting, as I con-
tinuously need to demonstrate
my capabilities at the highest
level and deliver to expectations.
The other challenge is managing
costs and the project schedule –
ensuring costs are minimised by
designing only to the require-
ment specification and trying to
complete the project within the
allocated time.
What’s rewarding for you?
My involvement in defence-re-
lated products has made me ap-
preciate the country’s ability to
protect its sovereignty while also
contributing to peacekeeping
and the stability of the institu-
tional, social and economic de-
velopment of the African conti-
nent. The aviation industry plays
a pivotal role in the protection of
the country’s borders and, there-
fore, its people and economy.
Moreover, in South Africa today,
air travel is on a continual rise
and the ease with which these
travels are carried lies largely in
the hands of the aviation indus-
try. This allows easy and effi-
cient business transactions
which contribute to the growth
of our economy. Q
Looking for a job in aerospace?
Check out our listings online at
flightglobal.com/jobs
If you would like to feature in
Working Week, or you know
someone who does, email your
pitch to kate.sarsfield@
flightglobal.com
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