12-18 March 2019 I flightglobal.

com

TECHNOLOGY

Getting in
formation
Why Australia is teaming up with
Boeing for loyal wingman project

ISSN 0 0 1 5 - 3 7 1 0
£3.90 Powering ahead Blown away
1 1
Comac outlines plan to double UK waves off Tornados, as its
strength of C919 test fleet 11 last GR4s enter retirement 26
9 770015 371310
 Cargo: The Digital Revolution
Hilton Amsterdam, 2-3 July 2019

Digital innovations
to drive profitability,
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The air cargo market is massive. It is
currently valued at US$38.2bn and is just
one of the many modes of a much wider
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industry is fragmented and very inefficient.
Digitalization can radically improve this,
however, owing to resistance, a lot of the
industry is still paper-based.

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the opportunity to learn from those that
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and implement digitalization – improving
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Luxaviation plans VIP
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BEHIND THE HEADLINES
Jon Hemmerdinger and
Garrett Reim headed to
Atlanta for the Heli-Expo
show (P16). Mavis Toh was
with Comac near Shanghai
for an update on its C919
flight-test ambitions (P11)
Boeing
next week digital
In our third digital-only issue
of the year, we report from
Everett, as Boeing unveils
its new-generation 777-9
REgulars
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contents
volume 195 number 5677
12-18 March 2019
Luxaviation Starspeed Helicopters
news Cover story
30 Join the formation
12-18 March 2019 I flightglobal.com
this week Boeing and the
6 Farnborough calls off public displays Australian government’s
7 Delta pushes for NMA launch as lessor eyes Airpower Teaming
twin-track plan System concept aims to
8 Firebird blazes sales trail to Australia strengthen manned
aircraft in combat
TECHNOLOGY
Getting in
9 Talks launched on A380 staff transition against emerging formation
Why Australia is teaming up with
threats – and cut costs
Boeing for loyal wingman project
Air transport ISSN 0 0 1 5 - 3 7 1 0
£3.90
1 1
Powering ahead
Comac outlines plan to double
Blown away
UK waves off Tornados, as its
10 SAS will evaluate A321LR operations
strength of C919 test fleet 11 last GR4s enter retirement 26
9 770015 371310
FIN_120319_301.indd 1 06/03/2019 17:00
11 Three more C919s to join flight-test fleet
12 Flight limits ineffective against fatigue risk features
13 R-R stays upbeat on UltraFan prospects
26 Storming performer
news focus As the Royal Air Force’s last Panavia Tornado
15 MTU gears up for PW1100G rate rise strike aircraft retire, we look back at the type’s
23 Dassault navigates global market with prudence operational and technological contributions
heli-expo show report
16 Kopter touches down in USA with SH09
production facility
17 H145 lifted by five-blade rotor upgrade
18 Sikorsky makes B-line for S-92 modification
19 FARA need brings Swift response from MDHI
defence
20 Northrop pursues B-52 radar update
21 Trappier confident Rafale production secure
22 US Navy declares F-35C ready to fight
Crown Copyright
business aviation
24 Alice takes charge with Siemens motor
25 Dassault preparing future Falcon effort
analysis
30/10/2018 10:12
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 3
19/07/2012 17:51
contents

Image of
the week
Pictured during a recent
Middle East exercise, a
Boeing B-1B bomber from
the US Air Force and a
Qatari-operated Dassault
Mirage 2000 fighter fly in
formation to test command
and control procedures.
Both aircraft are due for
replacement in the coming
years with new models

View more great aviation

shots online and in our
weekly tablet edition:
flightglobal.com/

US Air Force
flight-international

The week in numbers Question of the week

75%
Last week, we asked: Commercial supersonic flight? You said:

Aeroflot Group
Total votes: 1,110
Profits at Aeroflot Group fell in 2018 to just Rb5.7bn despite
sharp rise in revenue – it blames the soaring cost of jet fuel

$41.6m
Gone with Concorde
530 votes
36%
Cirium Dashboard
48% Powering up afresh
400 votes
A 25% revenue boost helped South Korean budget carrier
T’way to match 2017’s full-year profit, overcoming a Q4 loss Environmental affront
16% 180 votes

1,000
Munich airport’s annual CO2 emission cut in tons, owing to
Munich airport
This week, we ask: Farnborough axing public days?
❑ Terrible loss ❑ Bettered by rivals ❑ No surprise
its world-first switch to using LED lighting in ramp areas Vote at flightglobal.com

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4 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com

 comment

Public interest
M any in the industry recall the first
time they visited an air show as a
formative experience that stirred their
passion for aviation and set them on
course for a career as a pilot, engineer, or
even aerospace journalist.
So the announcement that Farnborough
2020 will not include a public weekend for
the first time in more than 70 years may
seem like the end of an era, a symptom of
the decline of the world’s second largest
and second oldest air show.
However, Farnborough International’s

BAE Systems
decision had an inevitability about it. The
Saturday and Sunday element of the show
Into the sunset has struggled to attract the six-figure
crowds it once did, a victim of a changing

Last blast
industry, tougher air display rules follow-
ing the 2015 Shoreham crash, and evolving
consumer behaviour. The 2018 aerial dis-
play offered little new or exciting to lure
The UK’s final remaining Tornados have been powered down following an families from other weekend distractions.
astonishing service life, evolving from atomic strike platform to precision Even though 80,000 people still turned
up in 2018, pulling the plug now – and
attack specialist. What similar advances might its successors see over time? ­replacing the weekend with a charged-up
Friday that the public, and especially

O ut with the old, as the saying goes. This

week, we mark the Royal Air Force’s re-
tirement of its last Tornado strike aircraft, a
half-century after it was conceived by the
three-nation Panavia consortium, and 40
years after it entered UK service.
With the Cold War at its height, the Avro
Vulcan replacement packed a mighty punch,
with automatic terrain-following capability,
precision targeting and the supersonic speed
needed to deliver the WE177 atomic bomb
against targets within the Soviet Union. An
air-defence version also followed, to guard
British skies against Russian intrusion.
Scroll forward to January 2019, and the
RAF’s Tornado GR4 force was flying its final
combat missions over Iraq and Syria, armed
with precision-guided Paveway IV bombs
and Brimstone air-to-surface missiles capable
of making pinpoint attacks from the relative
safety of medium altitude. Its arsenal also
included the Storm Shadow cruise missile,
able to hit strategic targets when released
from beyond the reach of enemy air defences.
Technological and operational advances
made throughout the Tornado’s duty period
transformed what could have become a Cold
Martin F-35 Lightning is building its capabili-
ties, before being deployed for the first time.
Four decades hence, today’s cutting-edge
fighters, such as the Typhoon and F-35, will
also have been transformed in firepower
terms, perhaps with directed energy weapons,
but almost certainly by flying in formation
with autonomous unmanned systems.
What could have become a
Cold War relic was instead
transformed into the RAF’s
offensive weapon of choice
As we bid farewell to the UK’s long-serving
Tornados – continually deployed on overseas
operations since 1991 – our attention must
shift to a new generation of air power.
Elsewhere this issue, we report on the
F-35C hitting initial operational capability
with the US Navy, and Kratos’s unmanned
XQ-58A Valkyrie getting airborne for the US
Air Force Research Laboratory. Dassault is
school students curious about aerospace,
will be encouraged to attend – is the right
thing to do.
The show opened its doors to the public
in 1948 to demonstrate to ordinary Britons
where their taxes were going, as the
­cash-strapped country geared up for the
Cold War and an exciting new age of
­commercial aviation.
Exhibitors must now put their support
behind Farnborough International’s deci-
sion by not deserting the show when the
trade departs on Thursday, shutting stands
and shipping out aircraft.
Instead, they should take the opportuni-
ty to engage fully with Friday’s visitors.
After all, several of them will be designing,
building, or piloting their products in the
decades to come. ■
See This Week P6
What planes?
Andy Rain/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

War relic into the RAF’s offensive weapon of
choice. Eurofighter Typhoons have assumed
the GR4’s duties, in mid-February making
their first strike using Brimstone weapons,
against Islamic State militants inside Iraq. At
the same time, the UK’s first squadron to have
been equipped with the stealthy Lockheed
talking up its bold hopes for a Franco-German
Future Combat Air System project, while
Boeing has lifted the veil on its own “loyal
wingman” pact with the Australian military.
We will certainly miss you, mighty Tonka.
But in with the new… ■
See Feature P26

flightglobal.com 12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 5

This week

briefing
cathay eyes hong kong express purchase
ownership Cathay Pacific says it is “in active discussions”
about a potential acquisition of low-cost rival Hong Kong
Express. Talks are being held with China’s HNA Group, which
holds a 45% stake in the budget carrier. HK Express launched in

Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock
2005, connecting Hong Kong with secondary cities in China.
Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows that it has 24 aircraft in its all-
Airbus fleet: 11 A321s, eight A320ceos and five A320neos.

atlas transcript backs loss of control Red Arrows visited last show, but restricted aerobatic manoeuvres
investigation The US National Transportation Safety Board
has completed an initial review of the cockpit-voice recorder air show david kaminski-morrow london

Farnborough calls
from an Atlas Air Boeing 767-300ER Freighter which crashed
southeast of Houston on 23 February, killing all three crew
members. “Crew communications consistent with a loss of con-

off public displays

trol of the aircraft” began 18s prior to the end of the cockpit-
voice recording, the agency says.

nepal secures skytruck financing

procurement The USA is providing Foreign Military Weekend programme axed from 2020 event as organiser
Financing support worth $19 million for a pair of PZL Mielec focuses on trade exhibition and driving industry interest
M28 Block 50 utility transports, for delivery to Nepal. The
Skytrucks will be produced in Mielec, Poland, by the Sikorsky
subsidiary. Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows that the Nepal Army
Air Wing operates a single M28, aged just over 16 years.
O rganisers of the UK’s Farn-
borough air show are axing
the event’s public weekend dis-
play, reducing its week-long du-
great dane embarks on european journey ration to a five-day programme
routes Scandinavian start-up Great Dane Airlines plans to concentrating on trade aspects.
commence services on three routes from the second half of The event – held every two
June. The Aalborg, Denmark-based carrier indicates that flights years, alternating with the Paris
to Dublin will begin on 21 June, followed within less than a air show – has traditionally
week by connections to Edinburgh and Nice. The airline says it capped its five-day trade focus
has selected Embraer regional jets to operate its services. with two days of flying displays
that are open to the public. But
maine erj-145 overrun injures four organiser Farnborough Interna-
mishap Three passengers and a pilot sustained minor injuries tional confirms that it will be “re-
when a CommutAir Embraer ERJ-145 being operated for moving” the weekend public
United Express left the runway at Presque Isle airport in Maine days from its 2020 iteration, in-
on arrival from Newark Liberty on 5 March. The regional jet “slid stead allowing some public ac-
to the right of the runway” on landing, before ending up on its cess on its final trade day.
belly in snow. Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows that N14171 was Farnborough’s most recent pub-
built in 2004, and had been in use with CommutAir since 2016. lic days have attracted criticism
from enthusiasts, not least be-
aercap fuels flybosnia expansion cause many of the new aircraft
growth FlyBosnia has struck a deal with AerCap to lease displayed and demonstrated dur-
three additional Airbus A319s to be delivered later this year, as ing the trade days have departed
it prepares to begin commercial operations. Cirium’s Fleets from the Hampshire site before
Analyzer shows that the Sarajevo-based carrier already had the weekend event. On some oc-
committed to taking one example from the lessor. FlyBosnia casions the flying display has
intends to serve destinations in Europe and the Middle East. been sparse, with aircraft going up
twice to fill out the programme.
for your listening pleasure Attractions at the most recent
podcast Flight International sister magazine Airline Business event last July included the
is now producing a regular podcast where journalists from our Blades aerobatic display team
global team discuss the latest industry developments. The and a Spanish navy Boeing
podcast is initially monthly, coinciding with each new issue of AV-8B Harrier, with others – like
Airline Business. You can subscribe via Apple or Android apps, the Airbus A220, A330neo and
and it also available via web browsers using SoundCloud. Boeing 737 Max – having left
flightglobal.com/ABpodcast ­earlier in the week.
Another factor affecting the
show’s organisers has been the
tightening of operating guidelines
at UK events following the crash
of a Hawker Hunter during the
Shoreham air show in 2015, in
which 11 bystanders were killed.
The Farnborough airport site has
also seen a high level of residen-
tial property development around
its perimeter over the past decade.
Farnborough International
says it wants to focus on high-
lighting new technology and
manufacturing by allowing pub-
lic access to its exhibition halls.
While chief executive Gareth
Rogers says the axing of the
weekend show will “disap-
point”, he believes the change
will help exhibitors and trade
visitors to access valuable talent.
“Allowing the public to see
more of the people, products and
processes that underpin the global
aerospace, defence and space in-
dustries will help engage and in-
spire a new generation,” he adds.
The organiser believes the
show can attract young visitors
and encourage them to consider
careers in these sectors.
Farnborough International
adds that there will be a flight
display on each of the five days of
its next show, which will take
place from 20-24 July 2020. ■
Additional reporting by
Craig Hoyle

6 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com


strategy Edward Russell Washington DC & Sophie Segal New York
Delta pushes for NMA launch O’Leary favours
woman as new
as lessor eyes twin-track plan chief at Ryanair
US carrier’s chief executive provides clear signal to Boeing of interest in future widebody
B oeing has received fresh
­encouragement to launch its
proposed New Mid-market
­Airplane (NMA) from a key air-
line customer, although one les-
sor believes the airframer will
end up building not one, but two,
different models.
Although recent indications
are that Boeing will wait until
2020 to officially launch the
NMA, it could begin to offer the
new jet to airlines this year.
While its decision will depend
on deep market analysis, the air-
framer will have nonetheless been
heartened by the response of Delta
Air Lines chief executive Ed Bas-
tian to the proposal.
“We are still very interested in
it,” he told a JP Morgan confer-
ence on 5 March. “Boeing hasn’t
decided if it’s going to launch that
aircraft – we hope they will.”
Delta has upwards of 200 air-
craft that it could replace with the
NMA, says Bastian, citing both its
Boeing 757 and 767 fleets.
The airframer maintains that if
it launches the new aircraft, it
will debut in 2025.
The widebody NMA would
seat 200-270 passengers with a
range of 4,000-5,000nm (7,400-
flightglobal.com
Firebird blazes
sales trail to
Australia
This Week P8
9,300km), aiming directly at the
heart of the so-called middle-of-
the-market between Boeing’s
largest 737 Max and smallest 787.
Airbus argues that rather than
developing an all-new model, its
A321LR – a longer-range version
of the A321neo – and A330neo-
family aircraft can take on the
missions performed by the 757
and 767.
neo a rival
Delta has firm orders for 35 A330-
900s, with the first due in the
next few months. The airline
plans to introduce them on inter-
national flights from its Seattle
Tacoma hub in July.
United Airlines continues to
evaluate both the A330neo and
NMA proposal for its mid-market
needs, while American Airlines
has opted for additional 787-8s to
replace its 767s.
Bastian’s comments are not
the first time he has expressed
strong interest in the NMA. Last
June, he told an audience at the
US Chamber of Commerce that
Delta had held discussions with
the airframer on “being a
­potential launch customer” for
the aircraft.
But while the NMA has fre-
quently been thought of as a sin-
gle aircraft type, Steven Udvar-
Hazy, Air Lease executive
chairman, says that Boeing could
end up building two new aircraft:
one for range and another for op-
timal economics.
“The NMA programme is a
huge undertaking,” says Udvar-
Hazy, often credited with
redirecting Airbus’s original
­ same time, however, he suggests
plans for the A350, speaking at
the JP ­Morgan event.
“It will involve new ways of
producing airplanes. Boeing
knows it has a lot of work to do.
With the scars they have from the
787 programme – cost overruns,
delays, problems with subcon-
tractors, partners – they are tak-
ing a thoughtful approach.”
While some airlines are keen
on range, others are focused on
the lowest cost per seat kilometre.
“Some of the Asian airlines are
less interested in range and more
interested in a higher capacity
version, delivering the most opti-
mal economic performance,”
Udvar-Hazy says. “Ultimately, I
think it’s driving towards two dif-
ferent models. Boeing will have
to address which comes first.” ■
Airline could replace
its 757 and 767 fleets
with proposed twinjet
AirTeamImages
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 7
This week
management
Lewis Harper brussels
R yanair chief executive Mi-
chael O’Leary would like a
woman to take over as head of
the group’s mainline operation,
although his preference for an
internal candidate appears to
limit his options.
Explaining at the A4E Summit
in Brussels on 6 March that he
expected the new chief execu-
tive to be in place by year-end,
O’Leary expressed a desire to
“break from the past”. At the
that a current Ryanair employee
is the most likely appointee.
“If I had a choice, I’d have a
female, just because that would
be a very significant break with
the past in Ryanair,” he says,
adding that he thinks “it’s likely
to be an internal candidate,
because they understand the
­
business”.
Of the nine “senior execu-
tives” listed on Ryanair’s web-
site, just one is a woman: chief
risk officer Carol Sharkey.
“I would want somebody who
has the opposite of my limited
skillset,” says O’Leary. “So,
somebody female, empathetic,
caring, kind. As opposed to a ra-
pacious bastard like me for the
last 30 years. I think it would be
very good for the company.”
He clarifies that the process to
identify the new mainline chief
executive will not be started
until Ryanair has released its
full-year results.
“The plan is, we’ll advertise
internally and externally, do the
full-year results in May, we’ll
run the ads at that stage, we’ll
­recruit some time in September
and October and look to have
them in place by the end of the
year,” he says.
O’Leary suggests that an exter-
nal candidate is unlikely to take
up the role unless an “exception-
al” person applies.
As part of a restructuring at
Ryanair, O’Leary is stepping up
to a group chief executive role. ■
 This week

demonstration greg waldron Melbourne

Firebird blazes sales trail to Australia

Long-endurance, optionally-piloted type suitable for wide range of missions across country, says Northrop Grumman

N orthrop Grumman sees po-

tential for its Firebird op-
tionally piloted intelligence, sur-
c­ontinent with lots of water
veillance and reconnaissance
(ISR) aircraft in Australia, as the
type prepares for service entry in
the USA.
A “US government customer”
will receive its first example “be-
fore mid-year,” says Northrop
vice-president Brian Chappel. He
declines to disclose further de-
tails, but confirms that the same
around it,” Chappel notes.
“There are some upcoming activ-
Aircraft can fly as medium-altitude
platform for more than 30h
ities for missions that the Border
Force, for example, would be
very interested in. We’re looking
and seeing how this might fit
those requirements.”
The Firebird’s ability to be
flown as a manned aircraft allows
it to either transit through or op-
erate in civilian airspace. When
unmanned operations are prefer-

Alan Radecki/Northrop Grumman

buyer has placed multiple orders.
The company plans to deploy a
Firebird to Australia during the
second half of this year, to allow
potential customers to get a feel
for it. Chappel says possible mis-
sions include overland and littoral
ISR, homeland security, commu-
nications, environmental moni-
toring, and maritime surveillance.
“[Firebird offers] endurance,
and range – Australia is a big
able, the aircraft can be converted
within 4h, and pilots also can
continue to operate it when in
this configuration.
Northrop says mission pay-
loads can be swapped within
30min, with the aircraft able to
carry up to five simultaneously. The company claims that its greater payload flexibility versus a
When operating as a medium-al- product has advantages over both manned type, along with the abil-
titude, long-endurance platform, manned and autonomous aircraft. ity to conduct manned operations
the Firebird’s endurance is more These include lower operating in controlled airspace, unlike
than 30h. costs, increased persistence and purely autonomous assets. ■

requirement Garrett Reim Atlanta

Crown Copyright

Airbus spins up trainer

bid with P&WC engine
A irbus Helicopters has select-
ed the Pratt & Whitney Cana-
da PW206B3 engine to power the
H135 light-twin it is proposing
for the US Navy’s helicopter
trainer replacement programme.
The 640shp (477kW)-rated tur-
boshaft is built in Longueuil,
milestone ­Quebec. P&WC already supplies
RAF’s Tornados fly into retirement engines for other trainer aircraft
in the US inventory, including
The UK Royal Air Force has ended 40 years of service by its the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II and
Panavia Tornado strike aircraft, with a final formation flight of T-44A Pegasus.
nine GR4-model examples conducted from the RAF’s Marham The H135 is also offered with
base on 28 February. Entering UK service as the GR1 in 1979, Safran Helicopter Engines Arrius
the Tornado was first used in combat in the 1990-1991 Gulf War, 2B2+ powerplants.
and saw further use during campaigns over Afghanistan, Kosovo, “Pratt & Whitney [Canada] en-
Libya and Syria. The RAF says its Tornado force logged a com- gines power a large portion of the
bined 185,603h on deployed operations between 1990 and the H135 fleet flying in North Ameri-
end of January, when its role in the UK’s Operation Shader com- ca, and we feel this choice rein-
mitment over Iraq and Syria passed to the Eurofighter Typhoon. forces the H135 as the best-value
See Feature P26 solution for the navy’s initial
entry rotary-wing pilot training
requirement,” said Chris Emerson,
head of Airbus Helicopters Inc,
announcing the selection at the
HAI Heli-Expo show in Atlanta.
Scott Tumpak, head of govern-
mental programs and contracts at
Airbus Helicopters Inc, says that
“based on the overall selection
criteria, Pratt & Whitney came
out on top”.
Airbus Helicopters is compet-
ing against Leonardo with its
TH-119 light-single, which is
powered by P&WC’s 1,000shp
PT6B-37A engine. The other
likely contender in the competi-
tion, the Bell 407, uses a single
Rolls-Royce M250 turboshaft.
The USN intends to procure
130 helicopters to replace its fleet
of Bell TH-57 Sea Rangers, with a
decision due later this year. ■
See Show Report P16

8 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com


programme mavis toh singapore
Mitsubishi hails MRJ90
validation flight success
M
itsubishi Aircraft has start-
ed certification flight tests
for its MRJ90 regional jet,
launching the activity using its
FTA-4 asset.
The company declines to give
further details about the trials,
which are ongoing at a flight-test
facility in Moses Lake, Washing-
ton, but says that it is “getting
good results”.
Only the Japan Civil Aviation
Bureau (JCAB) is involved for the
time being, although Mitsubishi
Aircraft’s earlier plans had called
for US Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration (FAA) personnel to be on
board at the same time.
“Communications were slowed
during the US government shut-
down and we are now finalising
employment david kaminski-morrow london
Talks launched on A380 staff transition
Manufacturer says its twinjet programmes could provide internal transfer opportunities after cancelling superjumbo
A irbus has commenced dis-
cussions on personnel re-
structuring following its decision
to terminate the A380 pro-
gramme – some 3,000-3,500 jobs
are likely to be affected over the
next three years.
The airframer last month an-
nounced that it is to halt produc-
tion of the superjumbo, with last
deliveries to occur during 2021.
Seventeen are still to be delivered,
with 14 of these to go to leading op-
erator Emirates, along with a fur-
ther three for All Nippon Airways.
Airbus says it has started talks
over the “redeployment” of staff
with labour representatives and
social partners across its facilities
during a European works council
meeting. It indicates that the
A380 jobs affected include 1,100-
1,200 each in France and Germa-
ny, 500-600 in the UK and 400-
500 in Spain. The total includes
2,100 white-collar staff and 1,300
flightglobal.com
SAS will evaluate
A321LR operations
Air Transport P10
the schedule with the FAA,” the
airframer says.
The company’s fleet of MRJ
prototypes have so far logged
more than 2,500 flight hours.
The Japanese manufacturer re-
ceived type inspection authorisa-
tion from the JCAB last Decem-
ber, paving the way for it to
launch its certification campaign.
Mitsubishi Aircraft is working
towards a mid-2020 delivery of
its first aircraft to launch custom-
er All Nippon Airways.
Meanwhile, the company has
promoted Hiroyuki Tatsuoka
to head its programme manage-
ment division, taking over the
portfolio from Alex Bellamy,
who continues to serve as chief
development officer. ■
Japanese carrier ANA will receive three of 17 remaining deliveries
blue-collar workers.
Airbus presented its direction
plan for the A380 programme
which, it says, features a “smooth
transition” of serial production
and future in-service support for
the operational fleet. The airfram-
er insists that it is “dedicated to
managing industrial adaptations
responsibly and successfully”.
Subsonic vehicle completed first 76min airborne trial on 5 March
unmanned systems greg waldron singapore
USAF lauds ride of the Valkyrie
K ratos Defense & Security Solu-
tions’ XQ-58A Valkyrie dem-
onstrator has conducted its first
sortie, launching a planned five-
flight test campaign.
Performed from the Yuma
Proving Grounds in Arizona on 5
March, the debut lasted 76min,
the US Air Force says, adding
that the unmanned air vehicle
performed as expected.
“This joint effort falls within the
Air Force Research Laboratory’s
Airbus
It points out that the long-haul
twinjet backlog – referring to its
A330neo and A350 programmes –
plus the ramp-up of single-aisle
production on the A320 family of
narrowbodies means that a “signif-
icant number” of opportunities are
available for internal staff transfer.
Airbus says it intends to estab-
lish services centred on compe-
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 9
This week
US Air Force
Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Tech-
nology [LCAAT] portfolio, which
has the objective to break the esca-
lating cost trajectory of tactically
relevant aircraft,” the USAF says.
Also referred to as a Loyal
Wingman, the Valkyrie travels at
high subsonic speeds. Flight test-
ing will fall into two phases,
spanning functionality, aerody-
namic performance and launch
and recovery. ■
See Cover Story P30
tence conversion to enable per-
sonnel to switch between tasks
and programmes, supporting the
redeployment.
Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce has in
its full-year results for 2018 re-
corded an exceptional item of
£186 million ($247 million) relat-
ing to Airbus’s decision to axe the
A380, for which the Trent 900
engine was an option.
The charge reflects “onerous
contracts, tooling write-offs and
the acceleration of depreciation
and amortisation on associated
Trent 900 programme assets”,
says R-R.
Its civil aerospace division in-
curred a £162 million loss last year,
halving 2017’s £343 million re-
verse, on revenue up 12% at £7.38
billion, driven by improved wide-
body engine pricing and higher
sales volumes of spare engines. ■
Additional reporting by Niall
O’Keeffe
 AIR TRANSPORT

trial david kaminski-morrow london

SAS will evaluate A321LR operations

Long-range narrowbody variant can complement Scandinavian carrier’s twin-aisle operation, indicates chief executive

S candinavia’s SAS has out-

lined the strategic options for
deploying its new long-range Air-
the region to primary destina-
tions on its network.
While Gustafson says routes
bus A321LRs, stating that it will have yet to be determined, he
use the aircraft as a small-scale points to the examples of serving
test platform. New York from Aarhus, Denmark
SAS is intending to introduce or Bergen, Norway.
three of the variant from summer He adds that the A321LR can
2020. Chief executive Rickard also help the carrier “adapt long-
Gustafson says the airline intends haul operations to seasonality”,
to use them as a “starting point” citing its US route to Boston.
to “see what type of response we “We can operate Boston with a

get from the market”.
He says SAS views the
A321LR as a complement to its
widebody long-haul operation,
and that the aircraft should be ca-
Airbus
widebody [aircraft] during sum-
Airline currently operates 15 examples of re-engined A320neo jet mer,” he says. “But it’s not eco-
nomical to do that during winter.”
American east coast, as well as craft to provide more direct long- Combining a twin-aisle
India and the Middle East. haul connectivity from Scandina- operation for the peak season
­

pable of reaching the North
operations lewis harper brussels
Aer Lingus cites handover hold-up in Montreal service delay
Aer Lingus has blamed “aircraft
delivery delays” relating to its in-
coming Airbus A321LRs for its
decision to push back the launch
of Dublin-Montreal service.
The Irish carrier is still expect-
ing to take delivery of four
A321LRs in 2019, as previously
announced, but the Canadian
route will now launch in summer
2020, rather than 8 August this
year as originally planned.
Aer Lingus has not provided a
detailed explanation of the deliv-
ery delays, nor any reasons, but
It is considering using the air-
says the late arrival of aircraft is
also causing a “temporary reduc-
tion in frequency on four transat-
lantic routes” during July. Those
routes are: Dublin to Bradley,
Connecticut, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, and Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; and Shannon to
New York JFK.
“We’re expecting all four deliv-
eries of the A321LR to take place
in 2019,” Aer Lingus says. “The
first two aircraft will be ready for
commercial operation in late
summer, with the other two
via, linking secondary cities in
­ ircraft scheduled to arrive later
a class cabin, including lie-flat
in 2019.”
This also indicates the carrier
has made a revision to its previ-
ously stated plan for its first
A321LR to go into service on its
Dublin-Hartford, Connecticut
route from 1 July.
The operator currently serves
Hartford with Boeing 757-200s,
while the Montreal service is new.
Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows
that the Irish flag carrier has a to-
tal of eight A321LRs on order, all
via Air Lease. ■
with the A321LR during the
low-demand periods would en-
able the airline to continue offer-
ing year-round service.
Gustafson says the A321LR
will be configured with a three-
seats in premium.
He stresses that the conserva-
tive introduction of the A321LR
is in line with SAS’s strategy of
seeking profitable expansion,
“rather than growth for the sake
of growth”.
SAS will carry out an evaluation
of the performance of the initial
few aircraft and, says Gustafson,
“either scale up or scale down”.
The carrier presently has 15
A320neos in service, records
­Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer. ■

interiors
Alaska cabins are Virgin on complete
Alaska Airlines will begin operating Airbus aircraft with interior
­upgrades including new premium seats this year, with the goal of
updating 36% of its cabins by early 2020. “Just two years after ac-
quiring Virgin America, we’re thrilled to introduce a modern cabin
that aligns the onboard experience across our fleet,” Alaska presi-
dent Ben Minicucci states. Cabins will be modified with brand
­elements from Virgin America following customer feedback.
Minicucci describes it as a “premium experience at an affordable
price”. The first of Alaska’s fleet to be upgraded this year will be
A320-family aircraft, while Boeing 737-700s will be adapted by
2020. Alaska’s new 737 Max 9s, including three due to arrive this
Alaska Airlines

year, are also to have the updated interiors.

10 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com


programme mavis toh shanghai
Comac prepares three more
C919s to join flight-test fleet
Manufacturer still targeting 2020 type certification goal for domestically built twinjet
C omac aims to have three
more C919 prototypes air-
borne this year, raising to six its
fleet of flight-test aircraft, as it
works towards type certification
in 2020.
The jets, which are in various
stages of final assembly, are
scheduled to roll out at a rate of
one every three months, begin-
ning in the second quarter.
During a visit to Comac’s C919
production line near Shanghai
Pudong International airport in
late February, a number of its
flight-test vehicles were present.
Aircraft 102, which first flew
in late 2017, had its engines re-
moved. Comac tells FlightGlobal
the jet is primarily tasked with
propulsion system activities.
“Part of the test modules re-
quire the engines to undergo
modifications. According to plan,
[the engines on] aircraft 102 will
be replaced with engines that
have had their configuration
marketing david kaminski-morrow london
A319 retro livery leaves original red wings behind
W hile British Airways prede-
cessor BEA’s aircraft fea-
tured distinctive all-red wing sur-
faces, technical considerations
have prevented the same colour
Modern regulations mean only highly reflective colours can be used
flightglobal.com
747 flap loss probe
highlights previous
AIR TRANSPORT
occurrences
Air Transport P12
incident
david kaminski-morrow
london
Engine door fell
from Q400 after
a ‘false’ closure
P oor adherence to procedures
during maintenance resulted
in the loss of an engine cowl door
from an Aurora Bombardier
Q400 departing Vladivostok, in-
vestigators in Russia have found.
The aircraft (RA-67260) had
taken off for a service to Yuzhno-
Sakhalinsk on 18 September last
year but, within 3min, air traffic
control advised the crew that part
of the airframe had separated.
Bryan van der Beek/Comac
Federal air transport regulator
Rosaviatsia states that a door
from the right-hand engine was
found to be missing after the
Design changes on rudder have required structural modifications Q400 returned to Vladivostok.
It says the door was not closed
modified for flight tests,” says Meanwhile, aircraft 104 is un- properly after maintenance on the
Comac. The original powerplants dergoing cabling works and the aircraft at night in low-light condi-
from aircraft 102 will, in turn, be nose cone, wing-tips, landing- tions. Neither the ground person-
installed on aircraft 104, it says. gear and engines are not yet at- nel nor the crew, during pre-flight
Aircraft 103 has had its rudder tached. Power-on is due at the checks, noticed the “false” closure
removed after some design chang- end of March, with flight testing of the door’s latches, it says.
es, FlightGlobal understands. The to commence in the first half. Quality control was not carried
aircraft, which took its first flight Comac says aircraft 105 is un- out, and preparation of the aircraft
in December 2018, is due to return dergoing fuselage join, while 106 was conducted “poorly” with “de-
to operations in March. is in sub-assembly. ■ viations” from requirements. ■
scheme being applied to the flag
carrier’s retro-livery Airbus A319.
The UK airline states that com-
ultra-violet radiation.
Solar absorptivity of colours is
such that only schemes with
tion to prevent cracks and peel-
ings, and to protect the metal
underneath,” the airline tells
posites used for the upper wing higher-reflectivity shades “lighter FlightGlobal.
structure are “very sensitive” to than grey” are usually permitted, “This left a very small part of
it adds. the wing that could be painted
BEA’s fleet – which included red and it was decided that this
such types as the Vickers Viscount would look wrong.”
and Vanguard, the De Havilland The underside of the A319’s
Comet and the Hawker Siddeley wings, however, do carry a red
Trident – were painted with red surface.
wings as part of the “Red Square” BA showed off the A319, one
livery replicated on the A319. of four aircraft to be painted in
BA says consideration of the retro schemes for the carrier’s
Max Kingsley-Jones/FlightGlobal
materials used in the production 100th anniversary, during an
of the Airbus wings prevented a event at London Heathrow air-
faithful reproduction. port on 4 March. ■
“Manufacturer recommenda- Watch our interview with BA’s
tion is to use a flexible wing retrojet first officer Holly Sims:
coating on the metallic wing sec- flightglobal.com/bearetrojet
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 11
AIR TRANSPORT
RESEARCH DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
Survey flags flight
limits as ineffective
against fatigue risk
Study reports similar impacts from 10h or shorter duties
and recommends strategies going beyond scheduling
P rescriptive flight-duty limits
are not sufficient, by them-
selves, to prevent the risk of high
fatigue levels during night flights,
investigation by a European avia-
tion consortium has found.
The conclusion emerged from
research led by the Dutch aero-
space centre NLR and Stockholm
University, which commenced
two years ago as part of the moni-
toring process for European
flight-duty legislation.
It ranked six duty periods ac-
cording to severity of fatigue, and
initially focused on the two high-
est-placed candidates – those ex-
ceeding 10h at less-favoured
times, and those involving dis-
ruptive schedules.
Crews experience disruptive
schedules when their roster inter-
feres with the sleep opportunity
– through early starts, late finish-
INVESTIGATION DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON
747 flap loss probe highlights previous occurrences
Starboard wing control surface became detached during landing
12 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019
es or night duty – during the opti-
mum sleep interval. A total of 24
airlines and 381 crew members
contributed to the collation of
field data as part of the analysis.
The field study showed an
“increased probability” of high
fatigue levels at top-of-descent
during night and late-finish
flight-duty periods.
There was also “no significant
difference” in fatigue at top-of-
descent between night duties
longer than 10h and shorter duty
periods at night. Both were af-
fected, says the study, a finding
which is “not fully reflected” in
current duty-time regulations.
While regulations explicitly
note the need for fatigue risk man-
agement with night duties longer
than 10h, there is no similar re-
quirement for shorter periods.
The study also identifies three
AirTeamImages
Crew alertness levels are most affected by window of circadian low
subgroups of high-fatigue night
duty periods, occurring at specif-
ic times, which are not recog-
nised in the regulations.
“Distinguishing these subtypes
could help operators to design ef-
fective fatigue risk management
strategies,” it says.
For disruptive schedules
classed as early-start duty periods,
no significant increase in the prob-
ability of high fatigue at top-of-de-
scent was found.
Simply adjusting the flight-duty
period duration might not serve as
a sufficient defence against fatigue
during longer night duties, the
study says, pointing out that there
are other strategies – unrelated to
scheduling – that could be used.
G erman investigators probing
the loss of a Boeing 747-
400ER freighter’s flap on landing
at Frankfurt Main have indicated
that previous incidents on the
type resulted from corrosion and
inadequate lubrication of parts.
The Turkish-registered MyCar-
go Airlines aircraft (TC-ACM) had
been operating from Dammam on
behalf of Saudia’s cargo division.
Investigation authority BFU
says an alert on 16 September 2018
indicated that an aircraft parked at
stand S506 had substantial damage
to the leading edge of its vertical fin
as well as punctures and scratches
to the right side of its fuselage.
Extension of the flaps showed
Nick Ut/AP/REX/Shutterstock
Six recommendations have
emerged from the research, in-
cluding advice to take into account
the subgroups of night duty peri-
ods and to apply measures to miti-
gate the fatigue effect of late-finish
periods, regardless of duration.
But it adds that the specific
night duty ending at 06:00 or later,
combined with a pre-02:00 start,
shows the greatest probability of
fatigue – a period which coincides
with a window of circadian low.
Operators should be required to
pay “specific attention” to these
periods in their risk-management
strategies, and guidance material
should emphasise crews’ obtain-
ing sufficient sleep before all night
duties, independent of duration. ■
that an inboard fore flap from the
starboard wing was missing.
This flap is around 8m (26ft)
long and was later found along
with guide and mounting compo-
nents, hours later, near the touch-
down zone of runway 07R, where
the aircraft had arrived at 05:07.
Two pilots and a mechanic had
been on board the jet. The pilots
told the inquiry that the landing
had appeared normal and that, in
the darkness, no damage to the jet
had been noticed. The alert over
the damage came some 3h later.
BFU says “several” events have
occurred involving the loss of such
flaps on the 747, including two at
Frankfurt, in 2009 and 2014. ■
flightglobal.com

propulsion michael gubisch london
R-R stays upbeat on UltraFan prospects
Powerplant producer “optimistic” scalability will help keep programme in play with big two despite NMA withdrawal
R olls-Royce sees a range of po-
tential applications for its Ul-
traFan future engine programme,
despite the manufacturer’s with-
drawal of its bid to power Boe-
ing’s proposed New Mid-market
Airplane (NMA).
Chief executive Warren East
acknowledged during a 28 Febru-
ary results briefing that GE Avia-
tion has become a dominant en-
gine supplier to Boeing, while
R-R holds a similar position on
Airbus long-haul aircraft.
He says, however, that R-R has
no intention to further “accentu-
ate” that situation.
GE is the sole engine supplier
for the Boeing 777, 747-8 and in-
development 777X, and provides
strategy
Boss insists his firm will waste no more time planning for Brexit
UK engine maker Rolls-Royce be-
lieves it has sufficient contingencies
in place for a no-deal Brexit and
says it will not “waste” any more
time or resources on the scenario.
“Brexit has wasted a huge
amount of a lot of people’s time
over the last several months. And
it is not going to waste any more
of our time,” says chief executive
Warren East.
He says R-R has spent a “long
time” making no-deal prepara-
development david kaminski-morrow london
First serial MC-21 ready to fly under PD-14 power
R ussian airframer Irkut is to in-
stall domestically-built Avi-
advigatel PD-14 engines on the
first serial production MC-21.
The company disclosed its in-
tention after a visit to its Irkutsk as-
sembly line by Russian deputy
prime minister Yuri Borisov.
Borisov observed progress on
assembling the fourth flight-test
MC-21-300, which is set to join
the certification campaign fleet
flightglobal.com
MTU gears up for
PW1100G rate rise
News Focus P15
First likely candidate that could take new engine is A350, says East
the majority of engines for the
787 – the only in-production
Boeing type on which a R-R pow-
tions and that the company is now
as “ready as we can be” for that
eventuality on 29 March.
R-R has built up “necessary”
buffer inventories to ensure mate-
rial supplies in the event of cus-
toms-related hold-ups, and
transferred job functions – albeit
no actual jobs – relating to regula-
tory approvals over to its German
site at Dahlewitz, near Berlin.
In 2018, R-R disclosed that it
was considering a move of its de-
later this year.
The twinjets in the test fleet
have so far been fitted with Pratt
& Whitney PW1400G engines.
But Irkut disclosed, following
Borisov’s visit, that the first serial-
production MC-21-300 will be
powered by the Russian-made
­PD-14, which gained local certifi-
cation last year. Irkut says this PD-
14-equipped airframe will be “in-
volved in flight tests”.
Rolls-Royce
erplant is offered as an option.
In addition, all 737s since the
Classic series have been powered
sign approval processes for large
engines from its Derby headquar-
ters to Dahlewitz in order to keep
regulatory activities within the
jurisdiction of the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
EASA type approval documen-
tation recently showed a large
number of engine type
­certificates – including those for
all its in-production Trent-series
powerplants – transferred to the
German operation. ■
Irkut stresses that it is “not
abandoning” its partnership with
P&W, or taking any action to
“worsen” its relationship with
the firm, following the US gov-
ernment’s extension of sanctions
to a number of aerospace firms.
Aviadvigatel was among the
entities added to an export ad-
ministration regulations list last
year by the US Bureau of Indus-
try and Security.
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 13
AIR TRANSPORT
by engines from CFM Interna-
tional, a joint venture between
GE and Safran.
R-R, for its part, is Airbus’s
sole engine supplier for the
A350 and A330neo, and will
provide its Trent 900 engine for
the small number of remaining
A380 orders.
East says the UltraFan pro-
gramme – which involves a new
engine core and geared fan archi-
tecture – is scalable to provide
25,000-100,000lb-plus (111-
446kN) of thrust, making it capa-
ble of powering short- or long-
haul aircraft.
The first opportunity to pro-
vide an UltraFan variant will
probably be on a widebody, with
the A350 being a likely candidate
for a potential re-engining effort,
East says.
But he says that R-R has a
“very rich and very healthy”
relationship with Boeing, and
­
that he is “quite optimistic” that
the UltraFan will find an
application with both the big
­
two airframers.
East says that while participa-
tion in the NMA programme
would have been “very good” for
R-R, the UK manufacturer con-
sidered it unfeasible to develop
an UltraFan derivative with suffi-
cient maturity within Boeing’s
timeframe. ■
MC-21 development has been
affected by the sanctions, largely
due to restrictions on the supply
of composite material, with serial
production put back to 2021.
Aeroflot had been due to start
taking delivery of 50 MC-21-300s
in the first quarter of 2020, the
first 25 of which are supposed to
be PW1400G-powered. The car-
rier has an option to fit PD-14s to
the remainder. ■
Announcing the Schools
Aerospace Challenge 2019
Schools Aerospace Challenge helps 16-18
year olds enter the real world of aviation
and engineering, with the chance to attend
a residential summer school at Cranfield
University packed with exclusive events and
experiences, and prizes of up to £3,000.
The Challenge
Technology has supported the proliferation of
UAVs that have brought many benefits both
commercially and militarily. This growth is
however, not without its challenges.
The RAF, the CAA and the Security Services are So, what are you waiting for?
keen to keep in front of the technology bow wave. Teams from schools, Air Training Corps and
other youth organisations can enter. Have you
Your challenge is to explore the nature of the
got what it takes? Get started on the Schools
potential threats posed particularly by small UAVs
Aerospace Challenge 2019.
and to conceive and develop a range of practical
solutions or countermeasures to each of these For registration and competition details
threats. go to
www.schools-aerospace-challenge.com
The solutions should be both practical to produce
or email
and economically sensible to employ. They should
info@schools-aerospace-challenge.com
be designed to ensure that the RAF and the CAA
remain ahead of the potential threat.

propulsion michael gubisch munich
MTU gears up for PW1100G rate rise
German manufacturer aims to hit 250 units a year by 2020 and is cutting costs using advanced production techniques
W hen MTU Aero Engines es-
tablished an assembly line
for the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G
at its Munich headquarters, the
German engine manufacturer
opted to develop a bespoke pro-
duction system, rather than copy-
ing the US firm’s process for build-
ing the geared turbofan (GTF).
MTU installed the production
line for the PW1100G – an option
on the Airbus A320neo family –
within its existing assembly hall,
on the second floor of an industrial
building previously used to manu-
facture engines for the Airbus De-
fence & Space A400M military air-
lifter, Airbus Helicopters Tiger
attack rotorcraft, Eurofighter Ty-
phoon and Panavia Tornado.
Production of the Eurofighter’s
Eurojet EJ200 and the MTR390 tur-
boshaft for the Tiger has been trans-
ferred to a different site, in Erding,
outside Munich. But the A400M’s
Europrop International TP400 tur-
boprop is still assembled on a line
next to that for the PW1100G.
For the geared turbofan, MTU
developed a floor-based transport
system with remote-controlled
carriers to move engines through
the different assembly stations.
The engine cores are horizontally
assembled on top of the carriers,
and can be adjusted in height and
fully rotated around the engine’s
main shaft for ease of access.
Each carrier consists of two
motorised units, supporting the
core’s fore and aft ends, connect-
ed by a removable, rigid link.
When the fan module is in-
stalled, the front-end carrier will be
removed – the core is temporarily
supported by a separate stand –
and replaced with another carrier
fitted with the fan section, using a
laser-guided alignment procedure.
The entire engine assembly
process is designed to last eight
working days, with a target of
producing one completed engine
every 24h.
MTU says it needed to demon-
strate to P&W that the floor-based
production system works as reli-
flightglobal.com
Kopter touches
down in USA
with SH09 facility
Show Report P16
New assembly line featuring motorised carriers has targeted completion of each engine in eight days
ably as processes employed at the
US company’s own GTF assem-
bly facilities in Middletown, near
Hartford in Connecticut, and
West Palm Beach, in Florida.
The PW1500G variant for the
A220 – the former Bombardier
CSeries – is assembled at a Pratt &
Whitney Canada facility in Mira-
bel, near Montreal, while Mitsub-
ishi Heavy Industries Aero En-
gines produces PW1200Gs in
Nagoya for Mitsubishi Aircraft’s
in-development MRJ. The series
also includes the PW1700G and
PW1900G for Embraer’s E-Jet E2
family, and the PW1400G as the
initial engine on Russia’s in-­
development Irkut MC-21.
DEDICATED PROCESS
MTU’s assembly line is focused
solely on the PW1100G, and rep-
resents about one-third of GTF
output for that model, the com-
pany says.
Having delivered about 125 ex-
amples in 2018, MTU plans to as-
semble around 200 of the engines
this year, and further raise pro-
duction to 250 in 2020.
Engine-testing capacity is a lim-
iting factor for MTU’s production
plan: there is only a single test cell
at the Munich site capable of han-
dling the PW1100G, and each en-
gine must undergo 20-24h of eval-
uations, according to P&W’s
specifications. By comparison, an
International Aero Engines
V2500, an option on the A320ceo,
needs 8-10h of testing, MTU says.
Two additional test cells are lo-
cated at MTU’s overhaul shop in
Hannover, although availability is
dependent on the maintenance,
repair and overhaul operation.
P&W’s endurance requirements
mean there is little scope to trim
test times in the short term, but
MTU expects these to become less
stringent over time, as the engine
matures. The manufacturer has no
plans to build additional test cell
capacity in Munich.
Elsewhere at the Munich
plant, a few minutes’ walk from
the assembly hall, MTU is work-
ing on new production processes
for GTF components and has es-
tablished an additive manufac-
turing centre. The main purpose
of this site – which hosts nine 3D-
printing machines – is to further
develop and industrialise the
technology for application in the
production of engines.
MTU began experimenting with
3D printing in 2010 and today rou-
tinely produces borescope eye-
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 15
NEWS FOCUS
MTU
pieces for PW1100G engines,
alongside a number of other, non-
critical parts as a first step in the
industrialisation process.
The eyepieces are printed in
an automated laser-melting pro-
cess and require about 30h of pro-
cessing time per 16-unit batch.
NECESSARY EXPENSE
MTU acknowledges that relative-
ly high production costs com-
pared with traditional manufac-
turing techniques have been an
obstacle for the adoption of 3D
printing. But the company says it
has achieved double-digit sav-
ings on the borescope eyepiece
and that its current production
costs are “very close” to target.
Traditional subtractive produc-
tion techniques – in this case
milling borescope eyepieces from
solid nickel-chromium alloy –
incur cost penalties from tool
wear and material waste, and
MTU is confident that any re-
maining cost premium for 3D
printing will be eradicated in the
foreseeable future.
The manufacturer is now in the
process of certificating 3D printing
to produce more complex parts,
such as compressor seals featuring
honeycomb structures. ■
SHOW
REPORT
HAI HELI-EXPO 2019
According to many exhibitors at this year’s Heli-Expo,
the future of the helicopter industry begins with the
letter “e”, as electric propulsion and eVTOL designs
and strategies abounded at the event, held from 5-7
March in Atlanta. But with the market for new helicopters
still becalmed, airframers also looked to the short
term, unveiling incremental upgrades for their existing

Garrett Reim/FlightGlobal
products. Jon Hemmerdinger and Garrett Reim report.
Additional contributions by Dominic Perry

development manufacturing

Nexus fans Bell’s

ambition to lead
future of air taxis
H elicopter stalwart Bell has
left the industry in no doubt
that it aims to lead the sector in
developing autonomous urban
air taxis.
A mock-up of its in-develop-
ment Nexus vehicle took centre
stage on Bell’s Heli-Expo stand,
highlighting the manufacturer’s
interest in a product wholly dif-
ferent from its traditional line-up.
“Our industry is changing like
never since the jet age,” says Bell
vice-president of innovation Scott
Drennan. “It’s becoming a ‘when’
question, not an ‘if’ question.”
Bell unveiled Nexus in January
at the CES International technol-
ogy show in Las Vegas, with Heli-
Expo marking the mock-up’s
debut at an aerospace event.
It has six tilting, ducted fans
powered by a hybrid-electric sys-
tem using a Safran Helicopter En-
gines gas-turbine engine, a genera-
tor, electric motors and a battery.
That architecture will give the
aircraft about 1h of flight duration
before refuelling is required, says
Drennan; it will be able to carry
four passengers and one pilot.
The ducted fans will provide
lift during hover, forward propul-
sion and lift during forward flight,
Kopter touches down in USA
with SH09 production facility
Swiss airframer reveals developmental light-single will be assembled at Louisiana site
S wiss helicopter developer
Kopter plans to open an as-
sembly site for its developmental
SH09 light-single at a former Bell
factory in Lafayette, Louisiana.
“We found the ideal facility,”
says Kopter chief executive An-
dreas Lowenstein of the Lafay-
ette Regional airport site, from
which the company expects to
supply US customers.
Kopter has already acquired
the 7,870sq m (84,700sq ft) site
and expects to begin deliveries
of the SH09 from there in 2021.
Bell in 2015 opened the
state-bankrolled Lafayette plant
­ ramp up slowly to maintain
– but before the first JetRanger X
rolled off the line the airframer
switched 505 production to
“This is the ideal facility
Mirabel, Canada. Although it
­
– Lafayette is one of
promised to replace that work the best places for
with 525 cabin assembly and
modifications to 407-based helicopters in the US”
Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Andreas Lowenstein
Scout unmanned helicopters, Chief executive, Kopter
that plan was ditched last year.
Lowenstein calls Lafayette quality, reaching about 100 units
“one of the best places for heli- annually by 2025, Lowenstein
copters in the US”, noting an es- says. Kopter has also said it in-
tablished aerospace presence and tends to unveil an Asia-Pacific
proximity to potential customers. assembly line.
Lafayette’s SH09 output will Kopter’s third SH09 proto-
type, aircraft “P3”, recently
­arrived in Sicily to begin tests at
altitudes of up to 5,000ft and
speeds in excess of 120kt
(222km/h) – higher and faster
than previous sorties, says
Lowenstein. Kopter moved P3 to
Sicily to escape poor seasonal
weather at its Mollis, Switzer-
land flight-test centre.
Lowenstein insists the SH09 is
tracking to receive certification in
the first half of 2020, with deliv-
eries to begin later that year. The
Honeywell HTS900-powered
single has logged some 100h.
Garrett Reim/FlightGlobal

says Drennan. That forward lift
will not come from the fans being
tilted slightly down, but from the
ducts, which act as aerofoils – in
effect, circular wings. ■
Two more test assets – “pre-
series” or “PS” aircraft – will
join the fleet, with PS4 coming
on line by late summer and PS5
Programme has amassed 100 flight hours across three prototypes to join the fleet by year-end. ■

16 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com


enhancement
H145 lifted by five-blade rotor upgrade
Bearingless design validated on Bluecopter demonstrator increases maximum take-off limit and aids weight saving
A irbus Helicopters is to insti-
tute a series of modifications
on the H145 that will increase the
payload of the light-twin by
150kg (330lb).
Key to the upgrade is a new
bearingless five-blade main rotor
– the first commercial application
of technology tested on the manu-
facturer’s H135-based Bluecopter
environmental demonstrator.
The improved rotor – which
gains an additional blade over the
current iteration – helps lift maxi-
mum take-off weight by 100kg, to
3.8t. Although the extra blade
adds weight, savings elsewhere
enabled by its performance result
in a net reduction of the helicop-
ter’s empty weight by 50kg.
The removal of the rotor head
saves 53kg alone, while the lower
vibration levels from the new de-
sign also enable two damping
systems to be taken off: the light
anti-vibration system that sits
below the floor, and four cross-
tube mounted 3hz dampers.
These changes save 28kg and
60kg, respectively.
“It shows that during the last
decade technology has evolved
and research has enabled us to
certify this lighter-weight de-
sign,” says Axel Humpert, head
of the H145 programme.
That design leans heavily on
the rotor system of the H135. The
blades no longer attach to a rotor
head, but are mounted straight
onto the mast and feature the lat-
est aerofoil design.
In addition, the new blades are
shorter than those on the current
model, cutting rotor diameter by
20cm (7.8in), to 10.8m.
Aerodynamic improvements
have also enabled drag to be kept
to the same level as the four-blad-
ed version, says Humpert.
Initial trials of the Bluecopter
took place in 2015, with the same
rotor design then transferred to
the H145 in 2017.
“We tested it and the results
were so positive that we ran the
business case, and it showed we
flightglobal.com
Sikorsky makes
B-line for S-92
upgrade
Show Report P18
Three test campaigns have so far been conducted, with flight evaluations expected to run until October
could achieve this goal with sim-
ple modifications,” says Humpert.
Blade folding has also been
simplified. The new design is es-
sentially a two-piece blade, with
the 1m-long inner portion – the
“cuff” containing a flex-beam – at-
tached to the outer part by a single
bolt. Once that is removed the
blades can fold, reducing the over-
all width of the helicopter to about
that of the horizontal stabiliser.
certification target
European certification is targeted
for the first quarter of 2020, says
Humpert, and US approval three
months later. By mid-February
Airbus Helicopters had accumu-
lated around 20h with its single
test aircraft (D-HADW), or around
35-40% of the total required.
Three test campaigns have so
far been conducted, in Spain and
southern France last year, with
cold weather trials completed in
Finland in 2019. Flight evalua-
tions are expected to run until
around October.
Other tweaks include retuning
of the crossbeam and horizontal
stabiliser to avoid any dynamic
responses, plus the addition of an
electro-hydraulic actuator to
allow the pilot to more effectively
check the rotor controls without
the engine running, particularly
in subzero conditions.
Prices will be kept at the same
level as the current model, says
Humpert: “We want to keep the
competitiveness of the aircraft.”
Airbus Helicopters also pro-
duces the H145M military vari-
ant, with certification anticipated
around 12 months after the base-
line model.
The upgrade will also be
­retrofittable to the existing H145
fleet, although not to older ver-
sions of the predecessor EC145,
such as the C1 or C2 variants.
Although such a modification
was considered, says Humpert,
the limiting performance factors
are the tail rotor and engines,
rather than the main rotor.
Development activities on the
new five-blade design began last
year with a memorandum of un-
derstanding between Airbus Heli-
copters and Kawasaki, its long-
term partner on the H145 since its
initial guise as the BK117.
Workshare on the new variant
– which for certification purposes
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 17
HAI 2019
Show report
Eric Raz/Airbus Helicopters
will be the BK117 D3 – will re-
main broadly similar, says
Humpert. Kawasaki will contin-
ue to produce the centre fuselage
and main gearbox, along with
several other systems, but for
manufacturing simplicity will
now also build the rotor mast.
Humpert expects production of
the current D2 model to continue
until 2020, if there is demand.
new customers
Airbus Helicopters scored several
commitments at Heli-Expo for the
upgraded model. Customers the
Norwegian Air Ambulance Fed-
eration and New Zealand VIP and
charter operator Advanced Flight
will each take a single example,
while Ukraine’s interior ministry
has switched eight of its 10 exist-
ing orders for the H145 to the new
variant. Swiss air rescue operator
Rega will also retrofit seven in-
service H145s with the five-blade
rotor system.
Entering service in July 2014,
the H145 gained a fenestron
shrouded tail rotor and uprated
Safran Helicopter Engines Arriel
2E powerplants over the
­previous iteration. ■
SHOW
REPORT
development
Sikorsky makes B-line for S-92 upgrade
Improved levels of cockpit automation, plus other modifications, are designed to boost sales appeal of heavy-twin
A new B-model variant of the
Sikorsky S-92 heavy-twin
has been launched, featuring
improved levels of cockpit auto-
mation and a cabin capable of
serving multiple missions.
Manufacturing efficiencies and
revised supplier agreements
mean Sikorsky can reduce the
new model’s cost below that of
the current S-92A, it says, al-
though no specific prices have
been disclosed.
The upgrades will also be
available as a retrofit package,
raising in-service helicopters to
an A+ designation.
unmanned systems
Matrix technology helps underpin urban air taxi partnership
Despite having no concept air-
craft to show at Heli-Expo,
Sikorsky unveiled a partnership
with Otis Elevators and The
Spaceship Company aimed at
developing and maturing the
technologies and infrastructure
required for the deployment of
urban air taxis.
Rather than building its own
demonstrator aircraft, Sikorsky
programme
AW609 flies full tilt towards US certification target
L eonardo Helicopters is making
steady progress with its
AW609 tiltrotor, stressing that it
expects to achieve US Federal
Aviation Administration certifi-
cation this year, with first deliv-
ery following in 2020.
“We’ve made a lot of progress,
says Gian Piero Cutillo, managing
director of Leonardo Helicopters.
“We are now focusing on deliv-
ery next year of the first 609.”
If all goes to plan, military certi-
fication for the tiltrotor is possible
by 2021, though the date could
slip should issues arise, he says.
“In the road map, there is civil cer-
18 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019
Optional engine enhancement increases hot and high performance
“We really have an opportuni-
ty here to standardise the config-
uration of a lot of the basic equip-
instead is building a foundation of
autonomous systems and passen-
ger-vehicle interface technology,
says vice-president of innovations
Chris Van Buiten. “For now, it’s
not about a vehicle,” he says.
Sikorsky has disclosed few de-
tails about how the partnership
will operate or what role each
company will perform.
But the manufacturer notes
tification and then military certifi-
cation right after this.”
That validation will help the
AW609 build on the interest it is
gaining from the Italian military
and undisclosed armed forces in
the Middle East, says Cutillo.
Leonardo plans to deliver its
first production AW609 to an uni-
dentified operator next year, with
Era Group taking the second.
At HAI, Leonardo Helicopters
signed a memorandum of under-
standing with Nakanihon Air
Service of Japan with a view to
introducing AW609s to the
country. ■
Sikorsky
ment in the aircraft… and bring
more multimission capability,”
Sikorsky oil and gas market seg-
that it brings to the partnership
both expertise with conventional
helicopters and the Matrix au-
tonomy technology that it has
been developing for several years
with the US Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency.
The Spaceship Company has
expertise in designing and testing
composite air vehicles, says com-
pany president Enrico Palermo. ■
Pact with Japanese firm will explore potential operations in country
ment leader David Martin says.
“This is really shaping up to be a
great next step in the lifecycle of
the S-92.”
The new variants reflect an ef-
fort to spark S-92 demand amid a
continued oil and gas industry
slump. Sikorsky aims for the B
model to be available in 2022, but
has not set a firm timeline for de-
velopment or certification, saying
“market interest” will determine
scheduling.
Both variants will be offered
with optional GE Aviation CT7-
8A6 engines, improving hot-and-
high performance.
The aircraft will also have
“phase one” of its Matrix autono-
my technology, including the 2.0
iteration of its Rig Approach sys-
tem and a new facility called Su-
perSearch, which helps crews lo-
cate missing objects faster,
Sikorsky says.
“That’s the initial foray into the
infrastructure of a more-automat-
ed cockpit,” Martin says.
The updated S-92s will have
new aluminium “Phase IV” main
gearboxes, with better resistance
to corrosion than the current
magnesium part, Martin says. ■
Leonardo Helicopters
flightglobal.com

modification
Airbus light-singles receive fuel tank safety boost
A irbus Helicopters will boost
the safety of its H125 and
H130 with several initiatives de-
signed to improve uptake of crash
resistant fuel systems (CRFS).
From 2020, all H125s built at
the airframer’s Marignane facility
in France will be fitted with a
CRFS – designed to prevent fire in
the event of accidents – unless op-
erators specify otherwise. That
will bring France-built H125s in
line with those assembled at its
US production line in Columbus,
Mississippi. The H130 is also fit-
ted with a CRFS as standard.
“We already have a very safe
aircraft, but we believe we can do
concept
US Army’s FARA need brings
a Swift response from MDHI
Wing-equipped rotorcraft addresses service’s high-speed armed scout requirement
M D Helicopters (MDHI) has a
new model in the pipeline:
the Swift, which will be a wing-
equipped variant of its tail-rotor-
less, twin-engined MD902 Ex-
plorer designed to meet the speed
requirements of the US Army’s
Future Attack Reconnaissance
Aircraft (FARA) programme.
As a first step, MDHI aims to
gain US Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration type certification by
year-end for the Genesys Aero-
systems glass cockpit in the
MD969 Combat Explorer, a
militarised variant of the
­ MD969 is to serve as technology testbed ahead of new prototype
MD902, which was shown on its
Heli-Expo stand.
That helicopter’s systems, in-
cluding its NOTAR anti-torque
technology, will serve as a partial
test-bed for many of the concepts
the company wants to incorpo-
rate on the Swift.
A prototype Swift should be
built by year-end, with ground
and flight testing to begin quickly
in the months after, says MDHI
chief executive Lynn Tilton. The
flightglobal.com
Northrop pursues
B-52 radar update
Defence P20
more,” says Axel Aloccio, head of
intermediate single programmes
at Airbus Helicopters.
The airframer will also extend
its existing supplementary type
certificates (STC) for the CRFS to
the AS350 B3 and EC130 B4 –
earlier variants of the current
models – to “accelerate the retro-
fit” of the in-service fleet.
Modifications will be done at
cost – about €35,000 ($39,600).
That price will also apply to retro-
fit work on operational H125s.
European and US approvals for
the STC extension should be
achieved later this year, with de-
liveries of the kits from 2020. ■
manufacturer believes the aircraft
will be capable of flying at speeds
of at least 205kt (380km/h).
“We are just starting to build
the prototype and we will be
doing a lot of the testing this year
on this aircraft,” says Tilton.
The Swift will use the winning
powerplant from the US Army’s
Improved Turbine Engine Pro-
gramme – currently GE Aviation’s
T901-900, but subject to chal-
HAI 2019
Show report
Airbus Helicopters
CRFS will be installed on all H125s as factory-standard equipment
engine
Robinson Raven
about benefits
of diesel power
R obinson Helicopter contin-
ues to study a diesel-engined
variant of its four-seat R44 Raven
II, currently powered by a
Lycoming IO-540 fuel-injected
­
piston powerplant.
California-based Robinson
sees performance benefits and
practical uses for diesel power,
says president Kurt Robinson.
“It allows a couple thousand
feet of altitude performance,” he
says. “We are pushing forward on
Garrett Reim/FlightGlobal
it. We are still in R&D.”
Diesel engines perform better
than gasoline-fuelled powerplants
at higher altitudes because they
need less oxygen for combustion.
Efficiency also improves: “Right
lenge – and will have a compos- now, on a Raven II you are burn-
ite airframe. ing about 16 gallons an hour of
The company’s NOTAR fuel, and a diesel you are talking
­system, which uses jet fan thrust like 12 gallons an hour.”
to prevent torque rotation, will Diesel is also a plentiful and
also be redesigned with a much common fuel. “There are lots of
larger fan and a new thruster, places in the world where… gas
says Tilton. is hard to get,” says Robinson.
The wing will have control Robinson only has performed
surfaces and act as a weapons ground runs with a diesel config-
pylon as well as providing sub- uration, and it declines to name
stantial lift, she says. ■ the engines being tested. ■
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 19
DEFENCE

offer garrett reim los angeles

Northrop pursues B-52 radar update

Company promoting adapted version of AESA product for use in Boeing-led modernisation of strategic bomber fleet

T he Northrop Grumman
­APG-83 active electronically
scanned array (AESA) radar is
president and general manager,
airborne C4ISR systems. “Our
hot production and sustainment
being considered by Boeing for a lines are already in place to
future enhancement of the US ­support our current and future
Air Force’s B-52 fleet. customers’ needs for decades to
The company says it is pitch- come.”
ing the design to the airframer as The APG-83 was selected in
part of the B-52 bomber modern- 2017 to modernise 72 Lockheed
isation radar system initiative, Martin F-16s operated by the US
which would include engineer- Air National Guard.
ing, manufacturing, develop- Northrop says the sensor is in
ment and delivery of an initial full-rate production in support
seven units. of this programme, as well as for

A version of the scalable agile
beam radar (SABR) has also been
developed for the Boeing B-1B
fleet, according to Northrop, and
the manufacturer has also previ-
ously performed a fit check on
the Boeing F/A-18C/D for the US
US Air Force
international F-16 upgrade
­customers.
Initiative would involve manufacturing new sensors for aged type Its system borrows some capa-
bilities from the APG-77 used on
Marine Corps. differentiating capability for air the US Air Force’s Lockheed
“The SABR and SABR-Global dominance and strike missions,” F-22 and the F-35 Lightning II’s
Strike family of radars provides says Tom Jones, Northrop’s vice- APG-81. ■

procurement greg waldron singapore

David Crosling/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Singaporean F-35 plan

to launch with a dozen
S ingapore plans to place a firm
order for four Lockheed Mar-
tin F-35s, with options for an ad-
ditional eight.
“We have announced our plans
to replace our [Lockheed] F-16s,
which will face obsolescence post-
2030, with the F-35s,” says defence
minister Ng Eng Hen. “This will
mean the RSAF [Republic of Sin-
gapore Air Force] fighter fleet will
equipment
consist of F-35 and [Boeing]
F-15SGs if plans come to fruition a
PC-9s make last spin with Roulettes decade or so from now.”
The Royal Australian Air Force’s Roulettes aerobatic display Ng confirms that Singapore
team has performed for the last time with its Pilatus PC-9/A will issue a letter of request for
­turboprops, prior to transitioning to the Swiss manufacturer’s four aircraft, plus eight options,
more capable PC-21. A final display was conducted during the but notes that the US Congress
26 February-3 March Avalon air show near Melbourne, Victoria. must still approve the sale. How-
“The PC-9/A has provided excellent service to the Australian ever, the proposal already has the
Defence Force for the past 30 years, training thousands of blessing of both US President
­aircrew from the navy, army and air force,” notes minister for Donald Trump and the US De-
defence personnel Darren Chester. Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer partment of Defense.
shows that the air force has 30 PC-21s in active use, with Speaking before Singapore’s
­another 19 on order. The type is replacing its PC-9/As, 18 of parliament, Ng did not mention
which still remain in use. which version of the fighter Sin-
gapore will obtain, although the
country is believed to be interest-
ed in the short take-off and verti-
cal landing F-35B. He also did
not specify when it could receive
its first aircraft.
If finalised, the acquisition will
see Singapore follow other Asia-
Pacific nations Australia, Japan
and South Korea in introducing
the F-35, and represent its first
use of a stealth aircraft.
Ng also tweeted a presentation
slide of Singapore’s planned equip-
ment for “2030 and beyond”, with
the F-35 and F-15SG as its only
fixed-wing combat types.
Also included were its air
force’s already aged Lockheed
C-130H tactical transports and
Fokker 50 maritime patrol aircraft.
Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows
that Singapore has five C-130Hs
and five KC-130B/H tankers in
use, with an average age of 45
years. Its five Fokker 50 surveil-
lance aircraft have an average age
of almost 25 years. ■

20 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com


ORDERS DOMINIC PERRY PARIS
Trappier confident
Rafale production
secure into 2030s
Further business expected for fourth-generation fighter,
with Dassault chief seeking additional European customers
D assault believes it can secure
sufficient additional orders
for the Rafale to continue produc-
ing the fighter until at least 2030,
and is unconcerned about any
potential future production gap
with the next-generation combat
aircraft it is developing alongside
Airbus Defence & Space.
In 2018, the airframer took in
an additional 12-unit export
order from Qatar, raising its year-
end backlog to 101. Of that total,
73 are for export customers
Egypt, India and Qatar, and Das-
sault chief executive Eric Trappi-
er believes more will come.
“Nobody expected us to sell to
Egypt, including ourselves; the
deal was done in two months,”
he says. “I think in the coming
years, new countries will come to
the Rafale.”
Current campaigns include Fin-
land, a further Indian requirement,
and Switzerland, where in each
case Dassault faces competition
from its European and US rivals.
But a loss against the Lockheed
programme GARRETT REIM lOS ANGELES
Pegasus deliveries halted by FOD
A fter foreign object debris
(FOD), including forgotten
tools, were found inside an un-
disclosed number of KC-46As
delivered to the US Air Force,
the service on 20 February sus-
pended its acceptance of addi-
tional tankers from Boeing.
The USAF says it will not take
deliveries again until all produc-
tion aircraft have been cleared of
debris and Boeing has formulated
a plan to resolve the issue. The
discovery prompted the manu-
facturer to temporarily ground
flightglobal.com
US Navy declares
F-35C ready to fight
Defence P22
Martin F-35 for a Belgian require-
ment last year again raised the
issue of European countries not
supporting industry within the
bloc. While respecting the deci-
sion by Brussels, Trappier says:
“Each country not buying Euro-
pean is not contributing to the
development of Europe.”
With the current level of orders,
plus another commitment from
PROJECT
Lean team regarded as most effective in FCAS development
More partners could be brought
into an effort to develop a future
European fighter, but lead com-
pany Dassault has warned against
over-complicating the project.
France and Germany last year
agreed to jointly develop a Future
Combat Air System (FCAS), com-
prising both manned and un-
manned assets, with Dassault and
Airbus Defence & Space as indus-
trial champions. Spain also joined
the project last month, with Airbus
undelivered aircraft at its Wash-
ington state facilities for inspec-
tions, before it resumed flight
­activities on 28 February.
“We are doing whatever we
need to do to make sure the air
force is happy with their jets,”
Boeing says. “Safety and quality
are obviously the highest priority
for us.” The company and the US
Defense Contract Management
Agency are undertaking addi-
tional quality assurance inspec-
tions and FOD sweeps of KC-
46As, it adds.
Airframer will deliver 26 jets this year, including first Indian example
France for 30 aircraft due to be for-
malised in 2023, Trappier says the
Rafale’s production line “looks to
be alive for the next 10 years”.
However, with a Franco-Ger-
man-Spanish Future Combat Air
System not expected to arrive for
another two decades, Trappier
acknowledges that “there is still a
almost certain to be its industry
representative.
But Dassault chief executive Eric
Trappier warns against complicat-
ing the project’s make-up, noting
that a “twosome is hard and a
threesome is even harder”.
He says a small, “flexible” set-
up would allow the project to be
“effective”, and that under those
circumstances “maybe we can
challenge the Americans”.
However, he cautions: “If we are
Disruption followed discovery of forgotten tools inside KC-46As
Boeing still plans to deliver the
767-based Pegasus tankers at a
rate of three per month in 2019,
but says efforts to hand over four
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 21
DEFENCE
Dassault
question of what we will do be-
tween 2030 and 2040”.
Should more Rafale orders not
arrive, “this is life, we will have a
plan B”, he says.
Dassault plans to deliver
around 26 Rafales in 2019, in-
cluding a first example for India
around the middle of the year. ■
working together in a big team of
co-operation, I don’t feel that this is
going to be effective. I don’t want
to start again something which
should look like the Eurofighter
[consortium]. We need to organise
the job in the same way as if we
were one country or company. ”
Trappier says the stealthy aircraft
“will potentially be larger than the
[Dassault] Rafale, so it will have bet-
ter range”, and will also be capable
of operating from aircraft carriers. ■
US Air Force
or more each month during the
first part of the year will depend
on the outcome of discussions
with the USAF. ■
DEFENCE

MILESTONE GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES

US Navy declares F-35C ready to fight

Carrier-based variant achieves initial operational capability with first squadron following successful test campaign

L ockheed Martin’s carrier-­

variant F-35C achieved initial
operational capability (IOC) sta-
tus with the US Navy (USN) on
28 February.
The declaration came shortly
after the service’s first frontline
unit to have been equipped with
the stealthy type – its Strike
Fighter Squadron 147 – complet-
ed aircraft carrier qualifications
aboard the USS Carl Vinson and
received safe-for-flight operations
certification.
In order to enable the IOC dec-

US Navy
laration, the first operational
F-35C squadron had to be Deck-based operations require the use of a wider wing, strengthened landing gear and increased fuel
manned, trained and equipped to
conduct assigned missions in of our carrier strike groups that engine repairs. that the USN has a current active
support of fleet operations, the significantly enhances the capa- The F-35C’s wingspan is 2.4m inventory of 22 F-35Cs, with the
navy says. This included having bility of the joint force.” (7.9ft) wider than the F-35 pro- Marines operating a further 11.
10 Block 3F-standard aircraft, NAS Lemoore, in California, is gramme’s other variants, which The navy is the last US service
along with associated spare parts the home base for the USN’s Joint allows it to approach an aircraft to achieve IOC status with its new
and support equipment, and a Strike Fighter Wing, F-35C fleet carrier’s deck at a lower speed. A combat aircraft. The USMC intro-
functional Autonomic Logistic squadrons and the Fleet Replace- more robust landing gear design duced its short take-off and vertical
Information System. ment Squadron 125, responsible was also required, to handle the landing F-35B to operational use in
“The F-35C is ready for opera- for training pilots for the navy and stress of catapult launches and 2015, with the US Air Force’s con-
tions, ready for combat and ready US Marine Corps (USMC). arrested-recovery landings. The ventional take-off and landing
to win,” says Commander Naval Several facilities at the site USN model’s 8,960kg (19,800lb) F-35A following a year later.
Air Forces, Vice Admiral DeWolfe have been remodelled or built to fuel capacity is also 46% greater The IOC milestone has also
Miller. “We are adding an incredi- support use of the new type, in- than that of its siblings. been achieved by Israel, Italy and
ble weapon system into the arsenal cluding for Pratt & Whitney F135 Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows the UK. ■

UNMANNED SYSTEMS GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES

Kratos subsonic drone cleared for target practice

T he US Navy’s next-generation
subsonic aerial target, the
Kratos BQM-177A, reached ini-
tial operational capability on 27
February, and will soon start
being employed from NAS Point
Mugu in California.
“BQM-177A represents the
current threats to our forces and
delivers improvements in speed
and manoeuvrability to the sub-
sonic target inventory,” says Capt
Molly Boron, Navy Aerial Targets
programme manager.
The jet-powered, recoverable
target drone is designed to simu-
late the performance of sea-skim-
ming anti-ship missiles. Acquired
as a replacement for the legacy
BQM-74E, it is capable of speeds
in excess of 667kt (1,230km/h);
just short of Mach 1, and can fly as
low as 6.6ft above sea level, ac-
cording to Kratos.
The manufacturer says its prod-
uct can carry a variety of payloads,
including proximity scoring, iden-
tification friend or foe, infrared and
radar augmentation equipment,
plus electronic countermeasures,
chaff and flare dispensers, and
towed target hardware. ■

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22 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com

finance Dominic Perry Paris
Dassault navigates
global market with
prudent captaincy
French airframer reveals positive 2018 performance, and
future strategy should help to keep company on even keel
A lthough it has a manufactur-
ing presence throughout
France, Dassault’s headquarters is
in the Parisian suburb of Saint-
Cloud, its heavy black gates a
stone’s throw from the river Seine.
Journalists attending the air-
framer’s annual results press con-
ference have grown used to the
event being held on the compa-
ny’s boat, Le Talisman, moored
opposite the main office building.
The name is a nod towards
Dassault’s logo – which features a
four-leafed clover inside the styl-
ised outline of an aircraft.
But one could be forgiven for
thinking that a reliance on
chance is part of the company’s
DNA: during a discussion on
what would happen if there were
no more orders for its Falcon
business jets or Rafale fighters,
chief executive Eric Trappier said
the company would be fine as
“we trust a lot in luck”.
Although Napoleon may have
declared that he “would rather
have lucky generals than good
ones”, there is a sense that Trap-
pier’s answer is largely posturing.
In some ways, Dassault is a cu-
riosity: its focus is spread across
two unrelated sectors, and it is
smaller than its rivals in either
space, particularly in fighters.
Balancing the competing
needs – as well as the market dy-
namics – of business and military
aviation, allied to a prudent ap-
proach, are key to the company’s
success, it seems, rather than
trusting in fate.
As for its modest size – sales
were around €5.1 billion ($5.7
billion) in 2018 – Trappier argues
that this is actually a major plus
point for the company.
“We have a big advantage in
Dassault to be a small company
flightglobal.com
Alice takes charge
with Siemens motor
Business Aviation P24
– compared to the big ones in the
US or even in the UK – small
means flexibility,” he says.
“We are small but can design a
fighter or a business jet from A to
Z; nobody else worldwide can do
that with this size of company.”
Although last year was tinged
with sadness for Dassault with
the death of patriarch Serge
Dassault – son of company
­ units handed over in 2018.
founder Marcel – in financial
terms, 2018 was a positive one.
Turnover rose by nearly €200
million on the previous year,
order intake was markedly up –
€5 billion versus €3.2 billion in
2017 – and adjusted net income
hit €681 million, against €410
million 12 months earlier.
“We are small but
can design a jet from
A to Z; nobody else
can do that with this
size of company”
Eric Trappier
Chief executive, Dassault
There were also hints last year
that both divisions of the busi-
ness are now pointing in the
right direction.
In business aviation, the linger-
ing embarrassment of the 5X –
perpetually delayed thanks to its
underperforming Safran Silver-
crest engines – has been excised,
replaced with the 6X programme.
The 6X is scheduled to enter
service in 2022, just five years
after its launch. In the meantime,
the airframer is gearing up to
launch another new business jet,
although it is staying tight-lipped
on details like cabin size or range.
Chief executive Eric Trappier is “optimistic” about competitive ability
Output of Falcon jets in 2019
will be 45 aircraft, a “prudent”
increase, based on continued
market uncertainty, on the 41
On the military side, Dassault
scored further incremental ex-
port success, with Qatar exercis-
ing an option for 12 additional
Rafales, adding to a previous
commitment for 24. Egypt has
already received 23 of its eventual
24-strong fleet, while deliveries
of the first of 36 jets for India will
begin by mid-year.
In 2018, the company deliv-
ered 12 of the fourth-generation
fighters. That figure will more
than double this year, to 26.
Backlog for the Rafale at
­year-end stood at 101 aircraft, in-
cluding a further 28 aircraft for
France that will be handed over
from 2022, and Trappier is
­confident that it can secure addi-
tional export deals.
He believes that the Rafale
presents a genuine and more
flexible alternative to US-built
combat aircraft: “If you buy
American, then you buy what
the Americans want you to buy,”
he says.
Further out, Dassault is
­working with Airbus Defence &
Space – and engine providers
Safran and MTU – to deliver on
an i­ nitially Franco-German
­project for a Future Combat Air
System (FCAS).
To arrive in around 2040, the
system will feature both manned
and unmanned assets, with Das-
sault leading on the former.
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 23
NEWS FOCUS
V Almansa/Dassault
The partnership with Germany
should help to ease the “disap-
pointment” felt by Trappier that
work with the British and BAE
Systems on an Anglo-French un-
manned combat air vehicle dem-
onstrator has now ended.
While Trappier can guess at
some of the reasons for the cessa-
tion of that effort – Brexit and
­finance among them – he sug-
gests that “misunderstandings”
between the two countries
“when it was really the time to
launch” were also a factor.
political will
Now that the “political wish and
will” of the French and G ­ erman
governments is to work together,
he says, there is an opportunity
for Dassault to use its “more flex-
ible” a­ pproach to “maybe chal-
lenge the Americans”.
There seems little left to
chance, in fact. When faced with
a question on the daunting
nature of the FCAS project,
­
Trappier initially replies flip-
­
pantly that things will be fine be-
cause “we are optimistic”.
But seemingly conscious that
this may be too glib an answer,
he adds: “We do not say we can
do things just because we are op-
timistic, we say that because we
can do them.”
Le Talisman’s gentle rise and
fall as it rides the waves from
passing river traffic is noticeable
– and perhaps a more than apt
metaphor for Trappier’s ap-
proach to keeping Dassault on
an even keel. ■
BUSINESS AVIATION
programme KATE SARSFIELD london
Alice takes charge with Siemens motor
Start-up selects first of at least two engine suppliers for all-electric composite design, ahead of planned debut in June
I sraeli start-up Eviation Aircraft
has selected Siemens as the first
of at least two suppliers of mo-
tors for its Alice all-electric
­business and commuter aircraft,
which is scheduled to make its
debut sortie in early June. A
second provider could be an-
­ the flight-test campaign – two
nounced later this year.
Eviation co-founder and chief
executive Omer Bar-Yohay says
the decision to use more than
one provider “will not only ease
potential supply chain issues
later down the line” but also give
the company’s customers a
much “broader choice of price
points and maintenance sched-
ules for their aircraft”.
Siemens 260kW electric
motors on the Alice will be
­ configuration”, and is projected to
­powered by a 900kWh lithium-
ion battery pack, driving the
all-composite aircraft’s three
­ take-off weight of 5,900kg. Honey-
five-bladed Hartzell pusher pro-
pellers – located at the tail and
on each wing-tip.
network KATE SARSFIELD london
Luxaviation rotorcraft alliance targets VIP charters
L uxaviation, one of the world’s
largest fixed-wing charter and
management companies, is seek-
ing to become a dominant player
in the international VIP helicop-
ter charter market through a
­newly-formed alliance with other
rotorcraft operators.
Operator aims to provide “seamless” access to charter helicopters
24 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019
Eviation Aircraft
11-seat type is scheduled to achieve FAA type certification in 2021
Alice will have a range of Assembly of the first Alice
540nm (1,000km) and a cruise ­ rototype is currently under way
p expected in 2021, followed by
speed of 240kt (440km/h). It will in Vannes, northwest France –
be priced between $3.5 million home to the model’s composite
and $4 million, “depending on fuselage supplier, Multiplast –
and ground testing is planned
have a maximum payload of for April.
1,250kg (2,750lb) and a maximum “Systems integration will take
time, but we hope to fly the air-
well will supply the Beechcraft craft ahead of the Paris air show
King Air-sized Alice with a fly-by- in June, where it will make its
wire system and flightdeck. debut,” says Bar-Yohay. He ad-
Launched on 4 March by its
Luxaviation Helicopters subsidi-
ary, the alliance is described as
Heli Austria, HeliFlite in the
USA – which became a Luxavia-
tion operating partner in 2018 –
an “industry first”, and provides Philippines-based PhilJets, and
a “world-class standard in luxury Luxaviation-owned ExecuJet,
rotorcraft travel”. which operates helicopters in
The operator line-up consists Mexico and South Africa, and
of Azur Helicoptere of France, Starspeed of the UK.
The network gives brokers and
clients “seamless” access to 70
VIP helicopters globally, Luxavia-
tion says, with each provider
meeting the “same stringent safety
practices and customer service
levels”. Other operators are set to
be added to the network soon.
Luxaviation Starspeed Helicopters
Since its launch in 2017, Luxa-
viation Helicopters has “sought
ways to partner and work with
rotorcraft operators in different
regions to provide a truly global
service”, says chief executive
Charlotte Pedersen.
mits, however, that the timing is
dependent on securing a permit
to fly before the end of May.
The aircraft will be shipped to
Prescott, Arizona after the show
for flight testing, he adds.
Three aircraft are planned for
prototypes and a production-­
conforming example. Parts for
the second Alice are now under
construction, and the aircraft is
scheduled to join the certification
effort in the fourth quarter. The
third aircraft will arrive in mid-
2020, with US type certification
service entry in 2022.
Bar-Yohay describes North
America as the “main market” for
the 11-seat Alice, and its sole
focus initially. “We will concen-
trate on building our customer
base, ground support and charg-
ing infrastructure in this region
before moving on to other parts of
the world,” he says. ■
“The launch of the Luxavia-
tion Helicopters Charter Alliance
takes this a step further, as ap-
proved members can call upon
each other to unlock more of the
world’s regions and open them
up to their clients,” she adds.
Pedersen’s outlook is echoed
by Azur Helicoptere chief
­executive Michel de Rohozinski,
who describes the alliance as an
opportunity for his VIP clients to
access “assured and reliable”
­
rotorcraft connections in other
­
parts of the world.
The alliance also comple-
ments Luxaviation’s wider VIP
offering, Pedersen notes, and
helps to keep customers within
its business aviation services
network, which also includes
200 jets and turboprops and 25
fixed-base operations. ■
flightglobal.com

achievement KATE SARSFIELD london
Global 7500 sets range record for nonstop flight
B ombardier’s Global 7500 has
completed an 8,152nm
(15,100km) nonstop flight,
which the manufacturer bills as
the world’s “longest mission
ever flown by a purpose-built
business jet”.
The aircraft (C-FXAI) – the in-
itial production example – de-
parted Singapore at 07:12 local
time on 4 March carrying three
pilots, three passengers and lug-
gage with a combined weight of
360kg (800lb). Taking a transpa-
cific route, it arrived in Tucson,
Arizona just over 16h later at
08:19 local time, which also set a
new speed record for this city-
pair, says Bombardier.
results DOMINIC PERRY paris
Dassault preparing future Falcon effort
French airframer says modest increase in orders show sector recovery is “progressing”, despite economic uncertainty
D assault plans to deliver
around 45 Falcon business
jets this year – up slightly on the
41 aircraft the airframer handed
over in 2018, as the sector begins
a tentative recovery.
Chief executive Eric Trappier
says he sees “a slight increase in
the market”, but adds that the
manufacturer will continue to
“remain p ­ rudent”, given the un-
certain global outlook.
Dassault received 42 net orders
in 2018 for its five high-end
­models – 7X and 8X trijets, twin-
engined 2000LXS, 900LX and
­in-development 6X – yielding a
total backlog of 53 aircraft.
As an indicator of sector recov-
ery, the airframer managed to sell
off “a certain number” of the used
Falcons it had acquired, retaining
a handful for client services.
“We have more or less done
away with the inventory of
­pre-owned aircraft that we had
built up over a number of years,”
said Trappier, speaking in Paris
on 28 February. That shows a
“stabilisation” of the pre-owned
market, he says.
flightglobal.com
Storming
performer
Tornado GR4 P26
The GE Aviation Passport
20-powered aircraft landed with
1,950kg of fuel remaining –
­representing 90min of additional
flight time, which is “well
above” i­ndustry requirements,
the ­airframer adds.
The previous record for the
longest, official nonstop flight by
a business jets was achieved by
the Gulfstream G650ER in 2015.
That aircraft flew 8,010nm from
Singapore to Las Vegas with four
passengers and crew.
C-FXAI was handed over to its
unnamed customer on 14
December 2018 and has since
­ aircraft has logged over 170h.
been operated as a demonstrator
by Bombardier under a lease-
Trappier stresses that the mar-
ket for new jets is “not booming”,
but notes that “in general it is pro-
gressing compared with the other
years where it was very low”.
Meanwhile, development of
the 6X remains on track for ser-
vice entry in 2022. Trappier says
the aircraft is “totally in-line with
schedule”, although he does not
specify a date for first flight.
Parts for the initial prototype
are being made, and four Pratt &
Whitney Canada PW812D en-
gines are in test, with 120h so far
on a Boeing 747 flying testbed.
Latest addition
is due for 2022
service entry
BUSINESS AVIATION
Aircraft took just over 16h to fly from Singapore to Tuscon, Arizona
back arrangement. To date, the
The Global 7500 has an adver-
tised range of 7,700nm and a
Launched in 2018 following
the cancellation of the ultra-
wide-cabin 5X due to persistent
problems with its Safran Silver-
crest powerplants, the 6X is
designed to take that concept
­ on where the jet will be posi-
­forward, while increasing range
to 5,500nm (10,200km).
Dassault is also continuing to
study the market for its next Fal-
con business jet programme and
will ramp up internal activities
this year, says Trappier.
“It is already launched in a cer-
tain way: the studies, the design is
already launched, what is not yet
Dassault
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 25
Bombardier
maximum speed of Mach 0.925.
Bombardier has a backlog of
more than 110 aircraft and pro-
duction is sold out to 2022. ■
launched is what are we going to
do facing the market – I didn’t talk
to the market yet. But behind that
the work is done to start.”
Trappier declines to elaborate
tioned, or when it will be
­officially launched, noting that
“we are still in the phase where
we can change the project”, de-
pending on performance, price
or market evaluations.
Dassault may choose to take on
Bombardier’s Global 7500 in the
ultra-long-range segment, but
with Gulfstream also likely to
launch a new aircraft in that
space there may be little room for
a third participant.
However, without confirming
Dassault’s interest in an
­ultra-long-range aircraft, Trappi-
er says he believes multiple plat-
forms can co-exist: “In some seg-
ments there are at least three
[manufacturers], sometimes
more,” he says.
He points to the “success” of
the 7X, despite facing competing
products from both Bombardier
and Gulfstream at launch. ■
retirement
Storming
performer
As the Royal Air Force’s last Panavia Tornado strike aircraft
head into retirement, we look back at the versatile type’s
considerable operational and technological contributions
craig hoyle london
F
orty years after the type’s introduction
to service with the UK, the Royal Air
Force’s last Panavia Tornado strike air-
craft have made their final operational
flights and headed for retirement.
A milestone sortie conducted from the
RAF’s Marham base in Norfolk on 28 Febru-
ary marked the last outing for the Cold
­War-era stalwart, which had until a month
earlier been involved in deployed combat
duties almost continually since 1991.
For the farewell flight, a “diamond nine”
formation of Tornado GR4s performed a
number of local flypasts. A week earlier, a
broader s­ eries of three-ship flights had been
conducted around the UK, as part of the re-
tirement preparations.
How we covered first British flight of MRCA – and got under the skin of its Tornado GR1
26 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019
Bidding farewell to its venerable assets, the
RAF noted that since making an offensive
debut during the first Gulf War of 1990-1991,
its Tornado force had accumulated some
185,603 flight hours on operations. In addi-
tion to duties over Iraq, the type was also
­involved in active duty in Afghanistan, Koso-
vo, Libya and Syria throughout its service life
as a ground-attack platform, with air defence
variant (ADV) fighters also having protected
the UK and the Falkland Islands and served
in enforcing a “no-fly zone” over Iraq between
1999 and 2003.
A final eight combat-tasked GR4s returned
to the UK from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in early
February, with their duties over Iraq and Syria
having been assumed by the service’s Eu-
rofighter Typhoons. On 19 February, the latter
type for the first time engaged an Islamic State
FlightGlobal
Farewell sortie from Marham
home on 28 February involved
nine remaining examples
target in Iraq with MBDA’s Brimstone air-to-
surface missile, destroying a boat being used
by militants. Longer term, the UK’s Lockheed
Martin F-35Bs will also become available for
such tasks, having achieved initial operational
capability for land-based operations with Mar-
ham-based 617 Sqn towards the end of 2018.
terrain-following
Through the course of its operating life, the
two-seat Tornado evolved from an original
GR1 version, optimised for Cold War duties
including night-time terrain-following flight
for the delivery of WE177 atomic bombs, and
later JP233 runway-denial weapons, to an en-
hanced GR4 model equipped for precision
strikes using modern weapons. In its latter
years, the aircraft was employed for the deliv-
ery of Brimstone and MBDA’s Storm Shadow
cruise missile, and Raytheon Systems’ 250kg
(500lb) Paveway IV precision-guided bomb,
while carrying the Rafael Litening III targeting
pod and advanced countermeasures equip-
ment for self-protection.
Such weaponry could only have been
dreamed of at the time of the Tornado’s con-
ception as the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft
(MRCA) programme – Italy, the UK and the
flightglobal.com

UK acquired both
ground-attack and
air-defence variants
then-West Germany signed a memorandum of
understanding in May 1969. After studying a
variety of designs, the n­ ations settled on a
variable geometry configuration, which was
intended to meld low-speed handling charac-
teristics with supersonic performance vital for
strategic missions.
Power came from a pair of Turbo-Union
RB199 turbofan engines, produced by a
­consortium formed by Fiat Avio, MTU and
Rolls-Royce.
flightglobal.com
Crown Copyright
BAE Systems
In a major overview of the MRCA pro-
gramme published by Flight International on
28 March 1974 – five months before the type’s
debut – our reporters noted: “The first flight is
judged to be a psychological watershed which
has to be negotiated before the three countries
feel that they can go on to the next phase, with
its long-term commitments to prototype fly-
ing, and the build-up of production invest-
ment.” Pointing to challenges including de-
velopment problems with the RB199,
tornado gr4
“I will be very sad to see the
Tornado retire, but it is time
to pass the baton to our next-
generation combat aircraft”
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier
Chief of the air staff, Royal Air Force
industrial disquiet over the selection of a US-
sourced attack radar from Texas Instruments,
and uncertainty over the strength of order
commitments from Germany and Italy, our
editorial noted: “Europe is everywhere com-
mitted to increasing interdependence. In the
field of high technology it is aviation which is
making the running.”
A 30min first flight took place on 14 August
1974, from MBB’s Manching plant near Mu-
nich, involving the programme’s first of nine
development aircraft. The first of four British-
built examples, P.02, took to the air for the first
time on 30 October the same year from the
BAC plant at Warton, Lancashire. The UK
company’s chief test pilot, Paul Millett, was at
the controls for both first flight events.
Flight International reported the MRCA’s
UK debut as having been delayed by a week
due to bad weather, which still played a part
in the historic event. “The aircraft was air-
borne at 0812hr and landed 1hr later as the
weather began to close in again. The initial
flight plan called for a climb to 20,000ft… but
it was revised to keep P.02 below 8,000ft and
in clear air for its initial trials.” During the sor-
tie, “the wings were cycled through their
maximum travel and the handling with high-
lift devices checked. Transient manoeuvres
such as Dutch rolls, sudden pitch changes
and wind-up turns were also made”.
wilson’s wonderbird
With the MRCA programme making advances
after the cancellation of the UK’s BAC TSR-2
strike and reconnaissance aircraft a decade ear-
lier and the abandonment in 1968 of a planned
purchase of the General Dynamics F-111K,
prime minister Harold Wilson described the
multinational effort’s product as “one of the
wonderbirds of aviation” and “cheaper and
better for us than any alternative plane”.
In our pre-flight review, we noted another
challenge that the Tornado’s developers faced
during testing: “With increasing resistance to
noise and loss of amenity, the problems of
r­
econciling low-altitude supersonic flying
and weapons trials with local interests get in-
creasingly harder to solve in the skies above a
populous Europe.”
As such, our writers summarised, “The
onus for verifying performance above Mach 1
will largely reside with Britain.” ❯❯
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 27
retirement

❯❯ Looking to the performance required of

the type’s avionics, our writers noted: “The
system’s most demanding mission is certainly
high-speed, all-weather penetration at ex-
treme low level, culminating in a single-pass
delivery on a point target.”
The type entered operational use in 1979,
and over the life of the programme, just shy of
1,000 examples were produced for the three
partner nations and Saudi Arabia; the type’s
lone export operator. Via its Al Yamamah arms
deals with the UK government, it acquired
both the IDS and ADV models. In 1998, BAE
Systems handed over Riyadh’s last Tornado –
the final example to be built, 19 years after the
programme’s first production aircraft, BT001,
had emerged from its Warton site.

improved standard
The RAF introduced the GR1 as a successor to
its Avro Vulcans, and later also fielded the F2
fighter, as a replacement for the McDonnell
Douglas F-4 Phantom. The air-defence version
was later modernised to the improved F3
standard, with operations of this type – latterly
armed with Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAM
and MBDA ASRAAM air-to-air missiles –
coming to an end in 2011, after a 25-year ser-
vice life in which it never fired a shot in anger.
Cirium’s Fleets Analyzer shows that the
UK’s total commitment to the Panavia pro-
gramme was for 403 examples, including de-
velopment aircraft. This made it the largest
recipient of the type, followed by Germany
(367), Saudi Arabia (120) and Italy (102).
A first offensive use by the RAF came dur-
ing the first Gulf War, when 60 of its Tornados
were forward-deployed for missions flown
from bases in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. out the conflict, during which time six aircraft As in the opening hours of the 2003 Iraq
These logged more than 1,500 sorties through- were lost, and five crew members killed. War, RAF GR4s also released multiple Storm
­Armaments used included ALARM anti-radi- Shadows against air defence targets at the
ation missiles and runway-disabling JP233s. start of the NATO-led campaign over Libya in
A handful of GR1s also gained the TIALD March 2011. This involved several aircraft
thermal imaging and laser designation pod, completing 2,600nm sorties mounted from
while others operated alongside RAF Black- Marham, receiving in-flight refuelling support
burn Buccaneers, which provided target des- from Lockheed TriStar and Vickers VC10
ignation support during releases of Paveway- tankers. These strikes represented the longest-
series laser-guided bombs. range offensive tasks conducted by the service
Aside from the use of so-called “Show of since its “Black Buck”-series flights with
force” tactics against the Taliban in Afghani- Vulcans during the Falklands War almost 30
stan almost two decades later, the UK’s Opera- years earlier.
tion Granby marked the last time that RAF
strike aircraft employed low-level tactics, fa- coalition stalwart
vouring instead the relative safety of medium- Seven RAF squadrons operated GR4s from
altitude operations, afforded by the increased Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan between June
accuracy and range of modern weaponry. 2009 and November 2014, logging a combined
By then upgraded to the GR4 standard, the total of 33,500 flight hours. This was followed
UK’s ground-attack aircraft played a part in the almost immediately by participation in the
opening salvoes of the second conflict with UK’s ongoing Operation Shader contribution
First Gulf War Saddam Hussein’s forces in Iraq. This was a to coalition activities over Iraq and Syria.
marked last time spectacular debut for its Storm Shadow weap- The considerable political and industrial
RAF aircraft were ons, which allowed pinpoint strikes to be con- aspects of the Tornado programme navigated
used in low-level ducted against key infrastructure targets from a by the Panavia organisation, meanwhile, also
strike missions launch distance of more than 135nm (250km). cleared a path for future multinational devel-

28 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com


Storm Shadow missiles
enabled long-range
precision strikes
BAE Systems
opments such as the four-nation Eurofighter,
which added Spain to its earlier partner na-
tions. In-service experience with the type also
shaped emerging requirements.
In RAF use, the GR4 – along with the BAE
Harrier GR9/A and other, non-strike platforms
– represented an opportunity for the military
and its industrial suppliers to develop part-
nering arrangements to reduce maintenance
and spare parts demands and boost availabil-
ity on the frontline. Dubbed ATTAC, the Min-
istry of Defence’s arrangement with BAE cov-
ered maintenance, repair and upgrade
activities on the GR4, while a separate deal
covered engine support by R-R. The last
RB199 to have been serviced under the
“ROCET 2” availability-based support deal
was returned by R-R to the RAF last July.
“Over the last 10 years, almost every system
has become more reliable, and availability has
gone up,” notes an RAF official involved with
the Tornado force until its conclusion. “Our
understanding of the jet and teamwork with
BAE and industry partners has climbed.”
As the service drew down its squadron
numbers, it adopted a “spare to repair”
flightglobal.com
Operation Granby saw Buccaneer (left) provide targeting support for Paveway-armed GR1
GR4’s final combat missions were flown in support of coalition campaign over Iraq and Syria
model, where retiring aircraft were used as a
source of parts prior to being scrapped. This
successfully supported operations down to a
two-squadron strength of 22 GR4s by the time
deployed operations ended in late January.
careful planning
A decision to extend a third squadron’s opera-
tional activities longer than planned, until
into 2018, also required careful planning to
meet crew requirements, since the RAF
stopped training rear-seat weapon system op-
erators for the GR4 earlier this decade. Under
one initiative, some personnel who had previ-
ously left the Tornado force were recruited
back to support operations until its departure
from service, including some with experience
dating back to the Gulf Wars.
The UK’s last two Tornado units will be dis-
banded in mid-March. 9 Sqn will swiftly re-
turn, re-equipped with the Typhoon, while 31
Sqn will commence duties with the General
Atomics Aeronautical Systems Protector RG1
remotely piloted air system early next decade.
While the RAF will not fly another opera-
tional sortie with a Tornado, the type is set to
tornado gr4
Crown Copyright
Crown Copyright
remain in frontline use for several more years
with the air forces of Germany, Italy and Saudi
Arabia. Fleets Analyzer shows around 270 ex-
amples remain in use, across the IDS and elec-
tronic combat and reconnaissance models.
Saudi Arabia is in the process of acquiring
spare parts from the UK following the GR4’s
retirement, to support its 81-strong IDS fleet.
One source describes Riyadh’s deal as includ-
ing a “huge amount of kit”, ranging from en-
gines to a wide variety of other components.
After flying the type for the last time late
last month, chief of the air staff Air Chief Mar-
shal Sir Stephen Hillier – a former GR4 pilot
– said: “I will personally be very sad to see the
Tornado retire, but it is time now to pass the
baton to our next-generation combat aircraft.
The F-35B Lightning is now operational and
the Typhoon is now fully multi-role capable
and able to take on the Tornado’s missions.”
From its inception as the multinational
MRCA 50 years ago, the Tornado evolved into
a versatile, adaptable and dependable asset,
­capable of supporting a wide range of tasks for
the UK – traits its successors will be hard-
pressed to match in the coming decades. ■
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 29
COVER STORY

GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELES

Design is result of

A
a Boeing study with
mass market for loyal wingman
Australian military
unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) is
rapidly forming as Boeing, in a
development partnership with the
Australian government, unveiled a mock-up
of its Airpower Teaming System aircraft at the
Avalon air show near Melbourne, Victoria, on
26 February.
Boeing’s step adds to Kratos Defense & Se-
curity Solutions’ efforts to engineer drones
capable of teaming with fast-moving manned
aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-35 and
Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Aerospace
analysts say General Atomics Aeronautical
Systems, Lockheed and Northrop Grumman
could also soon join the fray.
The vision is to have dozens of cheap and
expendable tactical UAVs flying and fighting
alongside manned aircraft. The new air force
structure is intended to greatly expand the le-
thality of the US and allied air forces, but at a
fraction of the cost of buying and operating
expensive fifth-generation stealth aircraft.
Prior to news of the Boeing-Australia deal,
the USA had been the only country to explic-
itly fund and outline an interest in such sys-
tems, with the US Air Force Research Labora-
tory (AFRL) “Loyal Wingman” programme.
However, Boeing says growing threats from
potential adversaries – namely China and
Russia – are making this sort of technology
more appetising to militaries worldwide.
China and Russia have invested billions of
dollars in upgrading their surface-to-air mis-
sile defence networks, making it more diffi- director of Boeing Phantom Works Interna- UAV propulsion, having acquired Florida
cult for the USA and allies to penetrate their tional, the unit helping to develop the new Turbine Technologies, a manufacturer of
airspace in the event of war, even with UAV with Australia. small turbine engines, for $60 million on 28
stealthy fifth-generation fighters such as the Boeing declines to comment on overcom- February.
F-35, say defence analysts. ing possible Missile Technology Control Re- Kratos has eight UAVs under development,
What is more, by investing in long-range gime (MTCR) regulatory hurdles around ex- including six that are funded by customers,
cruise missiles – and more recently, hyper- porting such an aircraft. However, US the firm said in its fiscal year 2019 earnings
sonic weapons – Beijing and Moscow have President Donald Trump’s administration is call. The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit
the potential to push US aircraft carriers far lobbying MTCR member states to relax re- has contracted Kratos to integrate unspecified
back from their shores and thus reduce the strictions around so-called “category 1” sensors on board the Mako UTAP-22, and the
strike potential of manned aircraft. Some de- UAVs – those that can carry a minimum pay- AFRL has contracted it to demonstrate its
fence analysts worry that adversaries could load of 500kg (1,100lb) and have a range of at Loyal Wingman concept with the XQ-58A
even destroy expensive stealth aircraft sitting least 162nm (300km). Valkyrie. Kratos’s other four development
on the ground in the US mainland via mis- Export regulations aside, there are already partners are undisclosed. The company says
siles from aircraft, submarines or launchers signs that the teaming UAV market is quickly it expects several more programmes to be
hidden on board civilian container ships. expanding. For example, Kratos has more under contract by the end of this year.
than doubled its number of drone develop- So-called loyal wingman drones are an idea
GLOBAL MARKET ment programmes in the past 12 months and whose time has come, believes Ken Herbert, a
Against such threats, the USAF and now the has added manufacturing facilities while stock analyst with Canaccord Genuity.
Royal Australian Air Force expect there may making a significant acquisition. “I think the business case is very strong,”
be strength in numbers. For its part, Boeing To accommodate its increased workload, he says. “AI and autonomous technology has
believes such a concept would appeal to air last year Kratos opened a 9,300sq m reached the point where this market is really
forces the world over. (100,000sq ft) production plant in Oklahoma starting to take off, whether it be for force pro-
“There are a number of shots on goal with- City, Oklahoma. It has also disclosed plans tection, for intelligence, surveillance and re-
in this capability area that have been identi- to sign a lease agreement on another manu- connaissance, or for strike capability.”
fied by a number of different governments, facturing facility at an undisclosed location, Boeing’s product is conceptually similar
not just the US government with the Loyal in addition to its Sacramento, California, to the AFRL’s Loyal Wingman concept and is
Wingman programme,” says Shane Arnott, production site. It also is investing to improve a demonstrator aircraft. Formally called the

30 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019 flightglobal.com


Join the
formation
Airpower Teaming System concept aims
to strengthen manned aircraft in combat
against emerging threats – and cut costs
Surprise unveiling took place during Avalon air show, with investment worth A$40 million
Loyal Wingman Advanced Development
Programme, Boeing’s initiative is partially
funded by the Australian government – to
the tune of A$10 million ($7.1 million) per
year, for a potential total of A$40 million –
and is intended to provide key learnings to-
wards production of the eventual Airpower
Teaming System, the company says.
Speaking during the mock-up’s unveiling
at the Avalon show, defence minister
flightglobal.com
Boeing
Boeing
­Christopher Pyne said: “It’s not just a protec-
tor for the F-35A, but can also be used with
the Wedgetail, Poseidon and other plat-
forms,” pointing to a potential application as
a “shield” for such manned surveillance
platforms.
“They want to experience by doing, by get-
ting some systems flying and having to play
with them,” says Arnott of the Australian gov-
ernment’s plan.
LOYAL WINGMAN
Initial prototypes will not differ much in
appearance from an eventual production
model of the aircraft, although the guts of the
UAV will be highly modifiable, says Boeing.
That would allow different military operators
to swap payloads such as intelligence, sur-
veillance and reconnaissance (ISR) sensors,
says the company.
“We really approached this very similarly
to our commercial side of the business,” says
Kristin Robertson, vice-president and general
manager of Boeing Autonomous Systems.
“Really to pivot off not a specific set of re-
quirements, but rather more of a global market
and set of capabilities.”
Boeing expects the UAV to make its first
flight in 2020. The company has committed to
building three prototypes at an undisclosed
location in Australia, and declines to reveal
where production examples of the aircraft
would be manufactured. The Airpower Team-
ing System is the first unmanned aircraft de-
signed and built by Boeing outside the USA,
the company says.
“Australia presents a unique opportunity
for unmanned, because it’s a large country
[with] low population density,” says Arnott.
“There are lots of wide-open spaces, for us to
go and try. Fly, fail, you know – get the suc-
cess quicker.”
AFFORDABILITY
Boeing is also building the demonstrator with
large-scale production in mind. “We are actu-
ally working the manufacturing system,” says
Arnott. “Every part about the affordability
here is making sure we know we can hit the
price point at mass.”
As part of the effort to keep costs low, the
Airpower Teaming System will be powered
by a commercial turbofan engine, although
the company declines to identify the type se-
lected. Boeing also will not say how much
each UAV would cost, but Kratos has claimed
that it will be able to produce its air vehicles
for as little as $2 million each.
“It is a real disruptive price point,” says
Robertson. The aircraft will have “fighter-like
capability, at a fraction of the cost,” she says.
Some analysts doubt that Boeing will price
its UAV at as low as $2 million apiece, given
its larger overheads, and expect an aircraft
that is significantly more expensive.
“Just knowing the cost structure differences
between Boeing and Kratos, I’d be surprised if
Boeing is doing this for that cheap – although
it is possible,” Herbert says.
Nonetheless, purchase price is just the tip
of the iceberg when it comes to the total cost
of any aircraft, notes T X Hammes, a research
fellow at the US National Defense University.
He points to the F-35’s operating costs of
$35,000 per flying hour, and its bulky, expen-
sive and currently dysfunctional diagnostics ❯❯
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 31
COVER STORY
❯❯ infrastructure, the Autonomic Logistics
Information System. By contrast, a loyal
wingman drone has the potential to be cheap
and simple, through the elimination of parts,
maintenance costs and personnel.
“Essentially, it’s the difference between a
1962 Volkswagen Bug with four cylinders…
and a modern engine in a Ferrari,” he says.
“The maintenance between the two: the one
you can do in your back yard with a set of six
wrenches. The other requires computers and
everything else.”
FAST-JET PERFORMANCE
The Airpower Teaming System drone will
measure 11.7m (38ft) long and have a range of
more than 2,000nm, says Boeing. The compa-
ny declines to say whether the aircraft’s shape
or skin would give it a stealthy radar cross
section, although that would appear to be the
case, given its configuration. The company
Kratos is developing XQ-58A Valkyrie
for US Air Force Research Laboratory
32 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019
has also declined to disclose an expected top
speed for the product, but says the UAV
would keep pace with modern fighters.
“As you are screaming along at 600kt
(1,110km/h) in your Super Hornet, then you
have these systems flying around you,” says
Arnott. “You’ll have four to six systems that
are a logical extension of your fighting capa-
bility; they are under your command.” The
UAVs will use artificial intelligence software
to fly independently or in support of manned
aircraft, while maintaining a safe distance be-
tween others in the formation, says Boeing.
Proving the aircraft’s autonomous capabili-
ties may be the key to its adoption, says Jia
Xu, senior engineer and associate director of
the Acquisition and Technology Policy Center
at the Rand Corporation.
“There’s definitely issues of trust,” he
says. “Will my wingmen run into me? Will
they do what I intended them to do? Will I be
US Air Force
Autonomous outriders could support
types including F/A-18F Super Hornet
Boeing
able to manage the workload of not only
managing my own sophisticated airborne
platform, while being able to care for these
autonomous wingmen?”
If issues around manned-unmanned team-
ing are resolved, loyal wingman UAVs could
profoundly change air battles of the future.
Commanders could, for example, offload
risky missions in hostile airspace, such as
strikes on radar installations, missile sites and
surface-to-air missile batteries.
“If you could put up a flight of four fourth-
generation aircraft accompanied by eight of
these [UAVs], if nothing else, it confuses the
enemy radar signature or attack signature.
He’s got to address these guys,” says Hammes.
“You can’t afford to let one of these things
go by if he’s got two air-to-air missiles on it or
two small-diameter bombs. Obviously, it mas-
sively complicates the defence.”
Boeing declines to say if its aircraft would be
capable of carrying weapons internally or ex-
ternally. However, beyond lethal missions,
such UAVs could also conduct ISR duties, plus
electronic warfare tasks, the company says.
“It’s a configurable system,” says Arnott.
“The nose has a very significant payload area
that is built to enable that sort of multi-­
mission nature.”
Unlike some of Kratos’s UAVs, which are
based on target drones with rocket-assisted
take-off abilities, Boeing’s Airpower Teaming
System will take off and land conventionally
using landing gear.
The aircraft is not designed to land on air-
craft carriers, but Robertson says there is noth-
ing in its design stopping the addition of that
capability. ■
flightglobal.com
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 STRAIGHT&LEVEL

From yuckspeak to tales of yore, send your offcuts to murdo.morrison@flightglobal.com

Concorde –

Greg Waldron/FlightGlobal
Matters in Madrid
Jumbo killer Monkeying about by the
British Airways’ repainting of a authorities in regard to flying
Boeing 747-400 in BOAC some of our
colours and the anniversary of planes to Madrid
Concorde’s maiden flight revive for commercial
memories of a parliamentary “missionary“
discussion in 1970. work cannot but have an
With a row keeping three effect upon the susceptible
newly-shipped BOAC 747s on Spaniards. Matters are not
the ground at Heathrow, MP so revolutionary in Spain as
Cranley Onslow took the chance to warrant such vacillation.
to big up Concorde and put the
boot into the US aircraft. Peace of the world
“We hear it said that the Mr. Bowles spoke in favour
distinctive noise of the 747 is of the internationalisation of
made by the people inside it, civil aviation, as
screaming for drinks,” he said, the Labour
suggesting that passengers on Australians, as we know, can be rather direct at times. Party’s solution.
this “flying omnibus” would This sign, at the entrance to the recent “Air Show Down They believed it
suffer from discomfort and Under” at Avalon, and next to an empty chair, does little was the only scheme to save
dehydration as a result of the to dispel the stereotype. The country’s chief bean- the peace of the world.
journey time. counter – the auditor general – warned late last year Mr. Hughes intimated that
“When the Concorde is in about the unknown and likely mounting costs of the others’ arguments were
service, we shall get back to real country’s Lockheed Martin F-35 acquisition programme. inspired by the urge for
first-class air travel,” Onslow power, and thus led to war.
declared. “As soon as BOAC
and Air France put the out all the stops to mark Concorde cruises
Concorde into general airline Concorde’s golden jubilee. Less than a week after its
service, I believe that we shall As part of a lunch to mark 50 Max Kingsley-Jones/FlightGlobal first flight, Concorde was
find the first-class lounges of the years since the delta dart flew, airborne again
747s empty.” attended by luminaries from the on March 8.
BA’s premium passengers, of airliner’s flying career, the Andre Turcat was
course, are still enjoying first- museum lowered and raised the in command as
class travel on the 747-400 famous droop-nose that has before. The flight lasted
while Concorde has been idle been lovingly restored on its She droops to conquer 61min, during which the
on the ground at Heathrow Concorde, G-BBDG. aircraft was flown at speeds
since… well, considerably A lucky raffle winner got to under the aptly named Nancy- of up to 300kt and altitudes
longer than BOAC’s Jumbos ever move the cockpit lever, first Bird Walton initiative, has of 15,000ft. Concorde is
were. lowering the glass visor and then pledged to ensure that women expected to make two more
the nose through its 5° taxi/take- make up half the airline’s cadet flights this week.
off setting to the 12.5° fully-down intake by the late 2020s.
What a conk position that gave the aircraft its Walton, the youngest Record keeping
Meanwhile, on 2 March, the distinctive birdlike appearance Australian woman to gain a The UK Department of
Brooklands Museum at on final approach. pilot’s licence and an Transport (DTp) will shortly
Weybridge near London pulled The nose – and more international aviation celebrity tell Government
importantly the visor – were in the 1930s, died 10 years ago, ministers that
returned to the up position, aged 93. it has now
much to the delight and relief of Western Sydney Airport, due found a way of
museum staff and volunteers. to open in 2026, will perhaps privatising the nation’s ­air-
serve as a longer-lasting traffic-control service. The
memorial to Walton than the Conservative Government
Nancy’s legacy Qantas Airbus A380 that also has a long record of
The decision to name Sydney’s bears her name. privatising public utilities.
Wong May-E/AP/REX/Shutterstock

new airport after pioneering It gained fame as VH-OQA,

aviator Nancy-Bird Walton
should do no harm to the
industry’s efforts to get more
women into the cockpit. This is
a cause close to the heart of
Hats off to Nancy-Bird Qantas boss Alan Joyce, who
the superjumbo steered back 100-year archive
safely to Singapore by Capt Every issue of Flight
Richard de Crespigny and his from 1909 onwards
crew after an uncontained can be viewed online at
engine failure, before being flightglobal.com/archive
repaired and returned to the air.

flightglobal.com 12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 35

letters
We welcome your letters on any
aspect of the aerospace industry.
Please write to:
The Editor, Flight International,
Quadrant House, The Quadrant,
Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5AS, UK
Or email:
flight.international@flightglobal.com
The opinions on this page do not
necessarily represent those of the editor.
Letters without a full postal address sup-
plied may not be published. Letters may
also be published on flightglobal.com
and must be no longer than 250 words.
Four engines are
better than two
The demise of the Airbus A380
and the gradual retirement of the
Boeing 747 is regrettable.
In future we will circumnavi-
gate the globe on two engines. Reg-
ulatory influences, complacency
and economics play their part.
I recall an incident involving a
passenger liner in 1912. As tech-
nology had moved on to such a
degree, it was assumed that if an-
ything happened to the Titanic, it
would just shrug it off. Who
would need lifeboats?
We now have a situation
whereby aircraft systems and en-
gines are so reliable we can build
in a bit of complacency and alter
the regulations to suit.
I have flown regularly for
many decades in an amazing va-
riety of aircraft and am not a
nervous passenger.
However, if I took a long jour-
ney across water, say, I would be
more comfortable with four en-
gines rather than two.
Single-engined airliners in 25
years? You know it makes
­economic sense.
Tim Mear
Uckfield, East Sussex, UK
PlaneCutaway.indd 1
36 | Flight International | 12-18 March 2019
flight.international@flightglobal.com
­ ecause of the country’s popula-
b
production tion size and geography, but they
Travellers to settle for tin tubes are not reaping the rewards they
should be.
Most of these carriers’ fleets
consist of Boeing 737s and Air-
bus A320s – and considerable
numbers of each. So would it not
be a better move financially to
employ larger aircraft such as
787s, A330s, or even second-
hand 747s in the interim until
they can afford newer airliners?
They are cheaper to operate in
the long run, given the high
­passenger volumes.
Japan does this on its short-
haul routes, so this should not
Airbus
present any difficulty for India.
The A380: popular with passengers but beaten by economics New airports are being
planned so the country could ac-
The slow – if inevitable – closing of the Airbus A380 production commodate the larger aircraft –
line saddens me (Flight International, 19-25 February). and land is plentiful.
I have never flown in the aircraft, but I have yet to read or Peter Carey
hear any unfavourable comments regarding passengers’ via email
­experience.
So, do we have to settle for tin tubes and plastic pipes in the
sole interest of operating economics? Environmental
On a happier note, I love the new-look Flight International
– strong, modern and persuasive. considerations
David Stevens It is unfortunate that Airbus is to
via email cancel the A380 (Flight
International, 19-25 February).
Depending on your environ-
the two countries even if London mental viewpoint, this aircraft
Swiss pleas opts to leave the EU without could be considered an ideal
We Swiss love the British, and as striking a deal. Nothing is going platform for the current climate.
a non-EU member, we follow to change between us. Stay If we had any concern for our
closely what happens in your strong. environment, we would agree to
country. Capt Fabio Schulthess build no new runways or air-
I have my doubts that Brexit Ascona, Switzerland ports until existing capacity was
insecurities had anything to do used to full effect.
with the collapse of UK airline The A380 has a maximum
BMI Regional (Flight Internation-
al, 26 February-4 March). Planning ahead ­capacity of 853 passengers and is
specifically designed to be used
Switzerland was told more Having read your article at slot-constrained airports and
than 25 years ago that if it does “Growth Area” on the Indian from hubs.
not join the EU, it will go down aviation sector (Flight Interna- If airlines knew that airports
the drain. In fact, the opposite tional, 12-18 February), I would not be expanded and that
happened. It may interest your ­venture to suggest that this existing slots had to be fully
readers to learn that the Swiss ­lovely country might be the ­utilised, then the A380 would
and UK governments formalised ­victim of its own success. be sustainable.
a bilateral deal in February to Four large airlines are ­enjoying Rev Craig Smith
­preserve trade relations between high utilisation of their fleets Manchester, UK
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12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 37

WORK EXPERIENCE SHANICE WOODMAN
Keeping the airspace under control
Shanice Woodman is an air traffic controller at London Biggin Hill airport, a role she relishes because
of the “balancing act” required by the wide variety of aircraft types that use the facility on a daily basis
How did you get into aviation?
My journey to becoming an air
traffic controller at London Big-
gin Hill airport began when I
was 13. I joined the RAF Air
Training Corps, staying with
them for eight years. That was
where my love for aviation was
born. When I later saw an advert
for a role at my local airport for
an air traffic control assistant, I
took the opportunity. I was in
that role for seven years, and the
airport kindly offered to help
fund my studies.
How has your career
progressed?
To get to where I am now, I com-
pleted five months’ study at an
aviation training college in
Gloucestershire, where you
learn the theory behind air traf-
fic control and complete a cer-
tain number of hours on a very
realistic 3D simulator.  I’ve now
started on-the-job training with
a mentor at London Biggin Hill,
where I’ll build up hours to be-
come solo controller.
What have been the highlights?
The first time I interacted with a
pilot and aircraft in a live situa-
tion was a real highlight for me.
I don’t think I’ll ever forget that
experience or the nerves that
came with it. I could tell you the
type, registration and destina-
tion right now!
What does your current job
entail?
As an air traffic controller I use
surveillance technology to track
planes “en route” to London
Biggin Hill and keep in touch
with pilots. With the wide varie-
flightglobal.com
Woodman loves her job, but says shift work can impact family life
“London Biggin Hill’s
air traffic varies from
light aircraft to private
jets, helicopters and
even Spitfires”
ty of business, leisure and herit-
age aircraft that fly in and out of
the airport every day, it’s a real
balancing act – especially
­because there aren’t any slot
­restrictions, meaning there are
no set daily flight arrivals or
­departures. Each day I arrive at
the control tower and check for
any notices and weather reports,
or any closures to parts of the
WORKING WEEK
and even heritage aircraft such as
Spitfires. There are very few
­airports left in the c­ountry that
serve such a variety of aircraft,
and as a controller it really does
make you think on your feet. The
annual Festival of Flight air
show in August is also every
plane spotter’s dream.
What are the challenges?
I’m one of those lucky people
who wakes up to a job they love
every day, but I would say the
toughest element of it is being a
shift worker, when most of my
friends and family work
­Monday to Friday jobs. I have to
try just that bit harder to make
my social and home life fit in
London Biggin Hill Airport
around my job.
Where do you see yourself five
years from now?
I’d like to continue my career
progression and work towards
one day becoming a senior air
aerodrome. I will then receive a traffic controller. I was inspired
handover from a controller who by the example of women like
is already plugged in, telling me Yvonne Sintes, the first female
what the current traffic situation air traffic controller, and I’d like
is. Once I agree to the handover, to give something back, encour-
my mentor and I take over from aging more young people to
where the last controller left off. ­consider science, technology en-
Controllers can only legally gineering and maths, or STEM,
work for a maximum of two subjects and a career in air traf-
hours at a time before having to fic control. n
take a break, to prevent fatigue. Looking for a job in aerospace?
In these breaks I receive a de- Check out our listings online at
brief on my performance, study flightglobal.com/jobs
manuals and enjoy a well-
earned coffee. If you would like to feature in
What do you enjoy most? Working Week, or you know
No two days are the same – and I someone who would, email
love that London Biggin Hill’s air your pitch to kate.sarsfield@
traffic varies so much, from light flightglobal.com
aircraft to private jets, helicopters
12-18 March 2019 | Flight International | 43
 IT’S A LOGISTICAL
D AY D R E A M
K N O W I N G M O R E P U T S Y O U A B O V E T H E C L O U D S.
I N T R O D U C I N G C I R I U M. B R I N G I N G TO G E T H E R P O W E R F U L DATA
A N D A N A LY T I C S T O K E E P T H E W O R L D I N M O T I O N .

A s m a r t e r wa y.

CIRIUM.COM