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VOLUME 187 NUMBER 5476 17-23 FEBRUARY 2015 NEWS

BACK TO SCHOOL GOODBYE PAPER IAI’S SEA SENTRY TRANSASIA PILOTS British Airways becomes Israeli group reveals its TOLD TO RETRAIN first 787 operator to go maritime patrol concept AFTER ATR CRASH all-electronic for cabin based on Bombardier NEWS FOCUS P27 and technical logs 15 large business jet 21 THIS WEEK FLIGHT 10 Boeing kills talk of re-engined 757 INTERNATIONAL 11 Bellemare comes in as Bombardier fights to survive. 17-23 FEBRUARY 2015 Self-employment trend on rise for European pilots 12 Northrop makes clean sheet T-X pitch. ESA’s IXV brings hypersonic re-entry a stage closer 13 Bristow ponders major order. Mini-UAVs bring IAI and India’s Alpha together AIR TRANSPORT

AUSTRALIA SPECIAL 14 MAHINDRA EASA tells ATR pilots to take it easy on approach.

£3.50 UNHINDERED 08 First E175 for airline that saved Embraer in 1997 How Indian ownership freed once niche GA manufacturer to realise its global goals 9 770015 371273

Mahindra 15 BA logs paperless first on Dreamliner. COVER IMAGE Ryanair 737 crew took low approach. This shot of an Airvan 8 Asiana shows intent for A321neos was supplied by Mahindra 16 Supplier backs rapid revival of Il-114. Aerospace. The piston- Boeing brings more design and assembly engined utility aircraft is in-house

18 Discovery Aviation the Indian company’s AirTanker starts Thomas Cook A330 conversion. Mexican aerospace set for ‘explosion’ – analyst Discovery launches production of improved XL-2 P26 ﬂagship product P40 DEFENCE 20 UK evaluation of F-35B begins at Edwards. COVER STORY Saab boss confident of success with T-X partner. 32 Big changes for the big country On the eve of ‘Flaw’ grounds German NH90s the Australian air show, our biennial country 21 IAI reveals its Global vision for maritime patrol. special looks at the transformation of the nation’s US Army Hellfire successor gets back on target air defence fleet, with the addition of new fighters, reconnaissance aircraft and tanker-transports – as 23 Embraer outlines KC-390 test plan. well as the iconic Royal Flying Doctor Service. We Seoul renews KFX tender after lone bid frustrates also examine ructions within Australia’s formerly BUSINESS AVIATION fast-growing helicopter sector, while our cover story 24 Midsize jet demand helps power recovery focuses on Mahindra Aerospace, the one-time BEHIND THE HEADLINES GippsAero, now fast expanding into all continents Roving Air Transport Reporter 25 Falcon 8X flight test campaign begins Edward Russell paid a visit to GENERAL AVIATION São José dos Campos REGULARS in 26 Brazil, as Embraer handed New-generation XL-2 starts production under 9 Comment over its first of a possible Discovery. 48 Straight & Level 150 E175 regional jets to Patent progress for lightweight ejection seat. 49 Letters American Airlines. The NEWS FOCUS 51 Classiﬁed 76-seater will be operated by 27 TransAsia pilots fail in safety review 54 Jobs American Eagle (P14) 29 Can Predator prosper outside NATO? 59 Working Week Turbomeca NEXT WEEK HELICOPTERS Our pre-Heli-Expo special looks at Turbomeca, the Bell 525 and the much-anticipated

Airbus Helicopters X4 Bombardier Airbus Helicopters, German NH90s grounded by “design ﬂaw” P20. New Bombardier management seeks to restore ﬁnances P11

flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 5 CONTENTS

IMAGE OF THE WEEK Exercise Red Flag 15-01 – staged at Nellis AFB near Las Vegas, Nevada – provided an opportunity for the US military and some of its allies to hone their air warfare skills. Hardware on show included this quartet of F-22 Raptors, drawn from a US Air Force ﬂeet of 185

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flightglobal.com/ flight-international Crown Copyright THE WEEK IN NUMBERS QUESTION OF THE WEEK Last week, we asked: Are US airlines right to lobby to restrict $60 open skies with Gulf?: You said: 25% Flightglobal dashboard 71% No, stop Airline industry costs will fall by about 10% if the oil price whingeing Yes, and stays at this level, predicts Flightglobal consultancy Ascend subsidised improve Gulf service airlines TOTAL have VOTES: unfair 59% Flightglobal’s Ascend advantage 6,304 4% Increase in losses at SpiceJet, to Rs2.75bn ($44.2m), Relax, in an “extremely challenging” quarter to 31 December overlap in routes is not significant 964 This week, we ask: Can Bombardier turn things around? Flightglobal’s Innovata ❑ Yes, it’s on the right path ❑ Only with the help of a major new investor Number of scheduled return flights between London ❑ No, it is in too deep a mess Heathrow and JFK, February’s biggest transatlantic market Vote at flightglobal.com

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

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6 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com FROM 15 TO 21 JUNE, 2015 Where aerospace leaders get down to business

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PERFORMANCE | EXECUTION | TECHNOLOGY MORE TO BELIEVE IN COMMENT A disastrous bet

Had it held firm with developing the BRJ more than a decade ago, Canada’s now embattled aerospace champion could have been sitting pretty. It must be regretting its CSeries gamble

s Bombardier reshuffles its leadership and seeks to Acontain a financial crisis, it is time to consider how things could have gone so wrong for the Canadian manufacturer. Bombardier cancelled its BRJ-X project almost 14 years ago. That was an Embraer E-Jet-sized aircraft with engines mounted below the wings, which is an ideal configuration for stretching. Instead, it launched further stretches of the CRJ-700, in the -900 and-1000. Had it kept the BRJ going, the company would have had the option of launching an E2-style rewinging and re-enginging activity, rather than encroach on Airbus’s

and Boeing’s turf with the larger CSeries. Rex Features In 2008, it was also widely believed that Airbus and Bombardier also backed the wrong horse Boeing would launch clean-sheet aircraft to replace their A320 and 737. Ironically, Bombardier may have aerospace division’s research and development budget. inadvertently set in motion the demise of such designs Had Bombardier not launched the CSeries, the CRJ by launching the CSeries with Pratt & Whitney’s geared would likely still be winding down as Embraer’s E-Jet E2 family came into service. However, it would have been It should have been clear that able to launch a 90-seater to follow the Q400. Learjet also would have struggled with the extended the opportunity cost posed by sales depression in the light jet segment, but its owner the CSeries was too high would have had the capital to invest sooner in a response to the G650. Instead, Gulfstream will have the market to itself for at least five years until the Global turbofan engine. That helped convince Airbus in 2010 7000 enters service. to re-engine the A320 with the same technology, Boeing arguably made more expensive mistakes on triggering a re-engined response from Boeing. the 787, but it could afford to with ample cash flowing Retrospective vision is always perfect, but it should in from the 737 and 777 programmes. Bombarder’s have been clear even in 2008 that the opportunity cost products are not lucrative enough to offset climbing posed by the CSeries was too high for Bombardier. CSeries development costs. The 787 also enjoys being Since the early 1990s, Bombardier’s aerospace in a popular segment of the market, with more than division had prided itself on maintaining a balanced 1,000 aircraft already sold. portfolio in three major segments. But keeping that The CSeries was simply a mistake that Bombardier broad portfolio competitive and intact proved impossi- could not afford to make. ■ ble after the CSeries started absorbing the majority of the See This Week P11 Where have the steely-eyed pilots gone? espite the statistics suggesting that flying is as safe It is hard to imagine the Taiwan Aviation Safety Das it has ever been, it feels increasingly fragile with Council finding the TransAsia ATR 72-600 crash to every passing accident. have been caused by something other than the crew, Setting aside the violent shootdown of Malaysia Air- by mistake, shutting down the good engine when the lines flight MH17 and the surreal disappearance of other one failed. The nation’s civil aviation authority MH370 last year – which are enough on their own to has ordered pilot testing and retraining accordingly. unsettle many air travellers – the airlines’ fragility is Because the 112 years since the first powered flight showing up mostly in their pilots. is, in human evolutionary terms, of zero significance, According to another set of equally valid statistics, Charles Darwin might suggest the reason why modern these square-jawed, steely-eyed alpha males and fe- pilots often fail is related to a changing environment. males are increasingly unable to handle the routine up- He’d be half right: things are changing, mostly for the For up-to-the-minute air transport news on the CSeries sets they are there to deal with: events their forebears better, but it is today’s failure to train pilots to resilience and other programmes, visit managed without fuss in the days not so long ago when instead of to licence minimums that is the problem. ■ flightglobal.com/dashboard machinery was much less reliable. See News Focus P27 flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 9 THIS WEEK For up-to-the-minute air transport news, network and fleet information sign up at: flightglobal.com/dashboard BRIEFING

ENGINE SALES DRIVE PROFITS AT MTU PROPULSION Munich-based engine sub-assembly maker MTU has reported a 6.2% rise to €253 million ($289 million) in net profit for 2014, as revenue jumped by 9.5% to €3.91 billion. Engine sales drove the increase, outpacing the company’s more profitable spare- parts business. Civil sales climbed by nearly 12% to €2.12 billion, defence grew by 6% to €531 million and maintenance, repair and overhaul revenue increased by 7% to €1.3 billion. Ryan Douglas Ryan AIRBUS GRANTS WING RIB DESIGN RIGHTS TO KAI Delta Air Lines uses the type to fly between the USA and Europe MANUFACTURING Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has obtained STRATEGY STEPHEN TRIMBLE SEATTLE from Airbus broad design approval authority over the wing ribs for the A350-900. KAI says the rights will reduce the time needed to design Boeing kills talk and certificate changes to the carbonfibre ribs, adding that this is the first time an Asian company has obtained such a status.

INDIA UPS DO-228 BUY FOR AIR FORCE of re-engined 757 PURCHASE Hindustan Aeronautics has secured a contract worth Rs10.9 billion ($176 million) to provide the Indian air force with a Executive emphatically denies that a revival of mid-range further 14 Do-228 transports. HAL, which says the deal also covers single-aisle is under consideration, citing market economics additional equipment and a flight simulator, has so far produced 125 Do-228s under licence at its Kanpur factory. India’s air force already irlines looking for a direct conference in Seattle on 11 has 40 examples in operational use. A replacement for the Boeing February, had been looked at a 757 appear to be in for a long wait couple of times, but the econom- HYBRID AIR VEHICLES LIFTED BY UK FUNDING now that the airframer has closed ics did not make sense. “It just AIRSHIPS Hybrid Air Vehicles has received additional funding from the door on any revival of the doesn’t work,” he says. the UK government to further develop its Airlander hybrid airship, as mid-range, large-capacity single Boeing has concluded that the it moves towards an anticipated return to flight. Under the govern- aisle that has been out of produc- 757 market is too small to justify ment’s Regional Growth Fund, some £297 million ($455 million) was tion for a decade. investment. Tinseth says there awarded to 63 projects, including the Airlander development. Capable of carrying 240 are 550 passenger-carrying exam- passengers on routes of up to ples still in operation, but that NASA P-3C TO GET PROPULSION UPGRADE 3,700nm (6,850km), the 757 sits only about 50 to 80 of these fly AWARD UTC Aerospace Systems is to deliver NP2000 eight-bladed between the largest and longest- transatlantic routes. And, he propellers and control system equipment for integration with a NASA- range single aisles and the small- adds, the 757’s production sys- owned Lockheed P-3C scientific support aircraft by the end of 2017. est widebodies. American tem was very expensive, also The combination is already fitted on Northrop Grumman E-2C/Ds Airlines and Delta Air Lines use ruling it out for being revived via and C-2As for the US Navy, as well as Lockheed Martin C-130Hs 757s on routes between the USA a re-engining. flown by the US Air National Guard and the Royal Saudi Air Force. and western Europe – just Airbus in January launched outside the reach of the next-gen- the long-range version of its OSCE MISSION LOSES CAMCOPTER IN UKRAINE eration Airbus A321neo and A321neo, which will be capable CONFLICT The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Boeing 737 Max 9 – and have of carrying 206 passengers over (OSCE) lost contact with a Schiebel S-100 Camcopter unmanned air been pushing for a replacement. 4,000nm – surpassing the in- vehicle that was carrying out surveillance duties for its Special But earlier this year Boeing development 737 Max 9’s 180 Monitoring Mission to Ukraine near Mariupol on 3 February. Another scotched hopes of any short-term seats and 3,600nm range. of its four aircraft had returned from a mission the previous day with move to develop a new aircraft, But Boeing, says Tinseth, a hole in its rotorblade, believed to be the result of small arms fire. and last week declared that it will wants eventually to fill the space not be re-engining the existing between the 737 Max 9 and the TRANSAVIA COMMITS TO 737-800S 757 either. 787-8 widebody with a new AIRLINES Air France-KLM low-cost operator Transavia is ordering up Asked to respond to a Wall aircraft. This would be bigger to 20 Boeing 737-800s, comprising 17 firm and three optioned air- Street Journal report which cited than the 757, and have about craft. They will be delivered between 2016 and 2018. a source within Boeing as saying 20% more range. However, with that a re-engined 757 was one the 737 Max, 787-10, 777X and WALSH SAYS IAG WILL KEEP AER LINGUS LINKS option being considered as the 767-based KC-46 tanker all now BID IAG has stressed the company’s interest in maintaining Aer company’s answer to a recently in development, the company’s Lingus’s connectivity, including its franchise arrangements, as it launched long-range Airbus research and development re- seeks to convince the Irish government to part with its shareholding. A321neo, vice-president Randy sources will be occupied until at IAG chief executive Willie Walsh emphasised to a joint transport Tinseth was unequivocal, say- least 2022. committee in the Irish parliament that the aim of the proposed take- ing: “No, no.” “So we’ve got some time to do over was to capitalise on growth opportunities at Aer Lingus. Re-engining, he told the Pacific it, and we’ll take a real hard Northwest Aerospace Alliance look,” Tinseth says. ■

10 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com Northrop THIS WEEK makes clean sheet T-X pitch THIS WEEK P12 BellemareSTRATEGY STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON comes DC in as Bombardier ﬁghts to survive

New management to look at divestments or consolidation with Pierre Beaudoin stepping aside for new chief executive

reshufﬂed leadership team warned that its credit rating could

Ahas outlined a three-point be downgraded to junk status if the Bombardier plan for shoring up Bombardier’s cash balance falls below $2 billion. The CSeries has completed about 1,000 flight hours of testing finances as its CSeries develop- So far, Bombardier has raised ment activity continues, and cash by making relatively small banks would be willing to offer Bombardier also confirms for- opened the door to selling more divestitures, such as selling off loans on favourable terms, Bom- mer turboprops vice-president and of the company’s businesses. the Flexjet fractional business jet bardier officials are optimistic the general manager Simon Roberts Alain Bellemare will complete service and a military training debt can be issued successfully. has left. Control of Q400 turboprop a leadership change launched and simulation unit to CAE. But The final element in the financ- operations has passed to Alain last August by replacing Pierre it appears that the company is ing plan could be the most dramat- Dugas, chief operating officer of Beaudoin as chief executive. now looking at making bolder ic. Bombardier could “participate Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. Beaudoin will become corporate moves to raise cash. in industry consolidation”, said Meanwhile, the CSeries test pro- chairman, replacing his father Firstly, it will issue new shares Pierre Beaudoin, during a 12 Feb- gramme has completed about and 50-year veteran, Laurent, worth $600 million, if a two- ruary earnings call. He says this 1,000 flight hours – about 40% of who will remain on the board of thirds majority of shareholders phrase opens the door to both ac- the 2,400h planned when flight directors as chairman emeritus. approve the plan at a special quisitions and divestitures, but ac- testing began in September 2013. The sea change on the leader- meeting in March. Beaudoin fam- knowledges that the company’s The CS300 is within a “few weeks” ship team comes as analysts warn ily members control about 58% of overall goal is to reduce debt, rath- of first flight, Beaudoin says. that Bombardier faces a financial the company’s shares and already er than spend money. The new fi- Full-year earnings for 2014 be- crisis, with only $2.4 billion in approve the plan, it says. The next nancing plan also follows a deci- fore special items were up by cash and a $750 million bond cov- step will seek to raise up to $1.5 sion to pause the Learjet 85 12% to $437 million, while Bom- enant due next January. Ratings billion in loans, and although programme last month, and accept bardier Aerospace’s revenues rose agencies Fitch and Moody’s have some analysts are sceptical that a $1.3 billion impairment charge. by nearly 12%, to $10.5 billion. ■

STUDY DAVID LEARMOUNT LONDON Self-employment trend on rise for European pilots bout 14% of pilots ﬂying for their colleagues working for net- AEuropean airlines are self- work or regional airlines”. employed or work for temporary The university remarks that as work agencies (TWA), according a large proportion of self- to a European Commission-fund- employed pilots work only for ed study by the University of one company, this “could be con- Ghent, which notes that this pro- sidered as an indicator of bogus portion is growing. self-employment”, as their con- Carried out between September tracts require them to work exclu- and November 2014, the study re- sively for a single carrier. ceived responses from 6,633 “The majority of ﬂight crew pilots – around 10% of the known directly employed in a network European professional pilot popu- airline stem from another era:

lation. The largest group of re- Rex Features they have 20-25 years of experi- spondents were between 30 and 70% of pilots in “atypical employment” work for low-cost carriers ence and have witnessed the 40 years old and had more than 10 deregulation of the aviation mar- years’ flying experience. agency. “Many report being paid low-cost carriers, and the majori- ket. They were recruited in a Some 5.4% of those in what per hour without a minimum ty of those are at the younger end different time: a time where an Ghent terms “atypical employ- number of flights guaranteed,” of the age range. The study found open-ended labour agreement ment” have a contract with a says the study. that respondents working in concluded directly with the TWA, and 72% of those had a Among all the pilots in “atypi- business aviation also “tend to be airline was the typical employ- fixed-term contract with the cal employment”, 70% work for self-employed more often than ment relationship.” ■ flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 11 THIS WEEK To get more defence sector coverage, subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter: flightglobal.com/defencenewsletter NorthropREQUIREMENT DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON makes DC clean sheet T-X pitch

Modified BAE Systems Hawk abandoned in favour of newly-designed aircraft for competition to meet USAF’s trainer needs

orthrop Grumman has de- A request for proposals is ex- Nsigned a new aircraft for the pected by the end of FY2016, US Air Force’s T-X trainer with an engineering and manu- programme, rather than offer a facturing development contract modiﬁed version of the BAE planned by FY2018. Service Systems Hawk that it had previ- entry is anticipated from around ously planned to pitch. 2023, with a likely requirement Design work on the new aircraft for around 350 aircraft. has been delegated to Northrop’s Northrop will face competition Scaled Composites subsidiary. from a Boeing/Saab team also Announcing the development on working on an all-new aircraft, 6 February, the company said: and from General Dynamics and “We’ll be ﬂying this year”. Alenia Aermacchi – who are pro-

“The Hawk is a tremendous air- US Air Force moting a T-100 version of the lat- plane,” says Northrop, responding T-38C Talons are not sufficient for fifth-generation fighter training ter’s M-346 – and Lockheed, of- to questions from Flightglobal. fering the T-50 developed jointly “However, we decided as a team as a result of its airframe deci- cient to train pilots for fifth- with Korea Aerospace Industries. to offer a new design as the US Air sion, and that discussions are generation fighters like the Separately, Israel Aerospace Force continued to mature their ongoing to determine whether Lockheed Martin F-22 and F-35 Industries earlier this month de- requirements.” BAE will provide the new air- Lightning II. livered the first replacement wing Last July, Northrop took the craft’s training system equip- A funding schedule for the for a T-38 from a contract which lead role in offering an advanced ment, including embedded simu- programme outlined in the could lead to it producing more version of BAE’s Hawk 128/T2 lation capabilities. USAF’s fiscal year 2016 budget than 200 shipsets for the USAF. now flown by the UK Royal Air “BAE remains a strategic part- request to Congress includes Flightglobal’s MiliCAS data- Force for T-X, with Rolls-Royce ner, as does L-3,” Northrop says. $11.4 million for T-X. That sum base records the service as oper- and training specialist L-3 Link The T-X project will provide should increase to $107 million ating a current 492 T-38A/Cs. ■ Simulation also on the team. replacements for the USAF’s in FY2018 and $262 million the Additional reporting by Northrop says those relation- roughly 45-year-old Northrop following year, before hitting Arie Egozi in Tel Aviv ships are not necessarily severed T-38C Talons, which are insuffi- $275 million in FY2020. See Defence P20

SPACEFLIGHT DAN THISDELL LONDON ESA’s IXV brings hypersonic re-entry a stage closer European Space Agency splashdown about 100min after build a seven-crew craft for A plan to master hypersonic launch, when it was recovered by NASA ended in late 2014 when re-entry got a boost on 11 Febru- a waiting ship. the agency opted not to select it ary, with the successful suborbi- Initial data from the flight will for its private sector crew trans- tal flight of a wingless testbed be available in about six weeks. port programme, but the compa- designed to validate heat shield- Apart from aerothermodynamics ny, ESA and Germany’s DLR are ing and control technologies that and heat shield performance, IXV exploring options for an iteration will feed into a follow-on was testing autonomous guid- that might fly on the Ariane 5. programme to develop a reusa- ance systems capable of manag- Significantly, Vega’s solid fuel ble, autonomous runway-landing a craft at hypersonic speeds. stages form the basis of ESA’s ing spaceplane. The results will feed the plan to replace Ariane 5 with a About 5m (16.4ft) long, Programme for Reusable In-orbit less costly modular rocket from weighing 2t and heavily wired up Demonstrator for Europe, which about 2020. Noting that Vega has with sensors, the Intermediate has been granted funding by recorded four successes in four eXperimental Vehicle (IXV) lift- ESA’s member states and could flights, ESA’s director general, ing body craft enjoyed an fly as early as 2018, also atop Jean-Jacques Dordain, says the apparently flawless launch from Vega. Ultimately, ESA’s objective IXV flight was “very encouraging Kourou, French Guiana atop is to be able to bring material back for Ariane 6”. ESA’s small rocket, Vega. from space, including possibly IXV’s prime contractor is Following an eastward and from asteroids or even Mars. Thales Alenia Space Italia, with

European Space Agency roughly equatorial trajectory to a IXV technology could also in- the programme costing €150 The testbed was taken 450km height of around 450km, IXV form a manned spaceplane. Sier- million ($170 million), excluding above earth by the Vega rocket carried on to a Paciﬁc Ocean ra Nevada’s Dream Chaser bid to the Vega launch. ■

12 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com EASA tells ATR THIS WEEK pilots to take it easy on approach TRANSPORT P14

ALLIANCE ROTORCRAFT DOMINIC PERRY LONDON Mini-UAVs bring Bristow ponders major order IAI and India’s Alpha together Operator eyes significant fleet investment to match demand as oil and gas downturn ends srael Aerospace Industries has lobal rotorcraft operator Bris- Isigned a teaming agreement Gtow Group is considering with India's Alpha Design Tech- placing an “airline-like” order for nologies to jointly market and a substantial number of new heli- produce mini-unmanned air ve- copters as it uses the downturn in hicles including the former's the oil and gas support sector to Bird-Eye 400 and 650 for Indian reshape its buying patterns. operators. Typically, the Texas-based ﬁrm Announced on 11 February, has ordered “in 10-batches”, says the agreement is in line with the president and chief executive Jona- requirements of New Delhi's than Baliff, but it is now re-evaluat- “Buy and make India” procure- ing the way it acquires helicopters. ment category, says Shaul Sha- Speaking during a results call har, general manager of IAI's Mili- on 6 February, Baliff said the

tary Aircraft Group. change had been under consider- Donald Douglas Potential Indian customers for ation for some time. “We really Bristow had orders for 37 helicopters pending at the end of 2014 mini-UAVs could include the do want to look at this downturn armed forces, coastguard, securi- as a way to really change the way last for “12 to 24 months”. take over search and rescue (SAR) ty agencies and police and border we at Bristow purchase our air- Meanwhile, says Akel, the lack activities using AgustaWestland security forces, IAI says. Systems craft into a much more airline- of near-term production availabil- AW189s and Sikorsky S-92s. covered by the pact would be like large aircraft order,” he says. ity at the major helicopter manu- The first bases – at Inverness in produced in India, with “integra- Baliff’s comments echoed facturers is beginning to ease. Scotland and Humberside, north- tion of additional applications those of chief operating officer However, he cautions that this east England – will go live on 1 and subsystems” to be performed Jeremy Akel, who says Bristow is may just be a “blip” and that the April, and Akel says Bristow is by Alpha with IAI’s support. ■ looking to “make a decision on a long-term demand for heavy air- “on schedule and on budget”. significant investment in our fleet craft will return to previous levels. Over its next financial year, seven Potential Indian future at an appropriate time dur- For now, there continue to be “in- bases will be completed, and 14 customers could ing this downturn”. cremental asks” from customers for aircraft will enter service. Although tumbling crude oil helicopters in the medium and su- Financial statements for the include the armed prices have led many customers per-medium categories, says Baliff. quarter to 31 December show Bris- forces, coastguard to cut back on their exploration Meanwhile, Bristow is working tow had 37 helicopters on order – and security agencies and production activities, Baliff towards the start of its 10-year con- 10 medium, 16 heavy and 11 SAR- believes the downturn will only tract with the UK government to configured – and 39 options. ■

flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 13 AIR TRANSPORT Visit our online air transport pages for more news and views from the sector: ﬂightglobal.com/airtransport EASASAFETY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW tells LONDON ATR pilots to take it easy on approach

European safety authority calls for added care on high-speed descents to avoid potential damage to propeller mechanism Embraer afety authorities are urging ing limit – known as VMO – then The E175 is the first of 60 set to be delivered to American Airlines SATR pilots to be cautious with any reduction of throttle to flight- DELIVERY EDWARD RUSSELL SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS their airspeed during descent idle should involve a “smooth after highlighting a risk of severe and progressive” retardation of propeller mechanism damage. the power levers, it adds. First E175 for airline that The advisory centres on sudden vibrations occurring during EASA says pilots saved Embraer in 1997 descent at speeds close to the should follow closely maximum operating limit, with merican Airlines has taken At a ceremony in São José dos the power levers in the flight- ATR’s recommendation Adelivery of its first owned Campos on 11 February, Embraer idle position. for a standard descent Embraer 175 aircraft, the first of Commercial Aviation president In a bulletin, EASA describes speed at up to 240kt 60 aircraft it will add to its region- Paulo Cesar da Silva highlighted the phenomenon as an “airwor- al fleet between now and 2017. the nearly two-decade relation- thiness concern”, although it has The 76-seat E175s are replac- ship between American and Em- not taken the step of producing a ing small regional aircraft in the braer, citing the order for 50 Em- formal directive. If the pilots should nevertheless Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier’s braer ERJ-145s that the carrier Onset of the vibrations has been encounter the vibration phenom- feeder fleet. placed in 1997 as having helped linked to damage to the propeller enon during descent, they should American plans to replace one to rejuvenate what he says was pitch-change mechanism. EASA try to identify, and shut down, the Bombardier Dash 8-100 and 21 then a “broken company”. wants to improve pilot awareness affected engine. Embraer ERJ-140s with 21 Bom- “We would not be here now if of such events to prompt adoption The crew should avoid using bardier CRJ900s and 29 E175s it was not for American in 1997,” of “conservative measures”. “reverse” mode on the engines if this year. he says. discrimination and shutdown This comes after American re- Meanwhile, American has ex- SPECIFICS proves difficult. moved two Dash 8-100s and 40 ercised options for 24 Bombardier Issued on 30 January, the bulletin EASA says there is evidence ERJ-140s from and added 25 CRJ900 NextGen aircraft, deliver- covers ATR 72-600s and ATR 42- that the mechanism damage was CRJ900s and 24 E175s to its re- ies of which are scheduled to 500s fitted with Hamilton Sund- preceded by crews’ experiencing gional fleet in 2014. begin in November of this year. strand propellers. unusual vibrations when retard- The carrier is also updating its The 76-seat regional jets will be EASA says pilots should fol- ing throttles to flight-idle during mainline fleet, which includes operated by the mainline carrier’s low closely the airframer’s rec- high-speed descent, and that pi- replacing older Boeing 767s and subsidiary PSA Airlines and take ommendation for a standard de- lots should report such phenom- Boeing MD-80s with new Airbus the regional carrier’s fleet of the scent speed at a maximum of ena to their operator’s mainte- A321s and 787s. type to 54 aircraft when deliveries 240kt (440km/h). If the speed ap- nance organisation. ■ American will place the first are complete in August 2016. proaches the maximum operat- See News Focus P27 20 E175s with Minneapolis- The aircraft are part of an order based unit Compass. The remain- for 30 CRJ900s and 40 options ing 40 will go to its Envoy sub- that American placed in Decem- sidiary, with deliveries beginning ber 2013. PSA took delivery of in November. the first aircraft in June 2014. ■

ORDER Korean Air loads on ﬁve 777Fs

orean Air has ordered ﬁve comprises eight 747-400ERFs, KBoeing 777-200 Freighters, nine 747-400Fs, ﬁve 747-8Fs, and which are likely to replace some four 777Fs. of its 747-400Fs, the average age The order brings its backlog of of which is 15 years. freighters to eight aircraft, as it Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets awaits delivery of two additional

AirTeamImages database shows that Korean Air 747-8Fs and one additional 777F The advisory relates to sudden vibrations at high speeds operates 26 freighters. The ﬂeet from previous orders. ■

14 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AIR TRANSPORT Hydromash backs rapid Il-114 revival TRANSPORT P16 BATECHNOLOGY logs DAVID LEARMOUNT paperless LONDON ﬁrst on Dreamliner

UK carrier will be only 787 operator to use electronic technical and cabin records after aviation authority gives approval

ritish Airways has received “The ELB will allow faster and Boperational approval from more detailed communication the UK Civil Aviation Authority between our crews and ground to use Boeing’s electronic log- teams,” says BA’s 787 fleet chief book (ELB) on its 787 fleet, mak- Steve Frewin. ing it the first Dreamliner opera- “We worked closely with Boe- tor to go paperless for technical ing and used our shared exper- and cabin logs. tise and knowledge of the 787’s Developed in partnership with full technology capabilities in Ultramain Systems, the ELB is in- order to receive this approval tended to enable improved – and from the CAA. more efficient – communication “This development represents between flightcrew, cabin crew our commitment to investment and ground-based maintenance in technology to further improve

and engineering staff. our customers’ flying experienc- AirTeamImages The ELB software runs on the es,” he says. BA says the electronic logbook will enable faster communication 787’s integrated electronic flight- Per Noren, vice-president for bag and onboard server system to customer solutions at Boeing’s BA also uses Boeing’s aircraft hensive analytics and prognos- gather both automatically collect- Digital Aviation unit, confirms health management (AHM) soft- tics capabilities, creating a more ed flight data and crew-observed BA to be “the first 787 customer ware. In-flight faults generated by complete picture of the aircraft’s fault input. Information is shared to eliminate paper technical and the aircraft and systems and auto- maintenance status”. with ground-based personnel and cabin logs”. matically recorded by AHM are “Equipped with this data-driv- maintenance systems while the Pilot-observed faults can now correlated and displayed side by en knowledge, airlines are able to aircraft is still airborne, enabling be entered in the ELB, whereas side with faults recorded by pilots. understand, diagnose and quick- ground crew to be ready at the gate previously they were handwritten Boeing says use of the ELB ly execute maintenance items,” with parts and documentation. by a pilot into a paper logbook. with AHM “provides compre- the airline says. ■

SAFETY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW LONDON Ryanair 737 crew took low approach Ryanair Boeing 737-800 trig- BEA says that the approach A gered a low-altitude warning controller’s minimum safe alti- while conducting an approach to tude warning system activated as Bergerac last month, says French the flight was being transferred to investigation authority BEA. the airport’s tower controller. The aircraft, operating from The crew also received a London Stansted on 29 January, ground-proximity warning and ex- was carrying out a non-directional ecuted a go-around, before landing beacon approach to runway 28. without further incident. ■ Airbus The narrowbodies will seat 180 passengers across two classes INCIDENT JON HEMMERDINGER WASHINGTON DC FLEET ELLIS TAYLOR SINGAPORE Asiana shows intent for A321neos E190 lands without nose gear US Airways Embraer 190 ger suffered an “injured left leg outh Korean carrier Asiana option of either Pratt & Whitney A made an emergency landing and ankle while deplaning”. SAirlines has signed a letter of PW1100G or CFM International with its nose gear retracted at Parent American Airlines says intent with Airbus for the pur- Leap-1A powerplants. Houston’s George Bush Intercon- no other serious injuries were re- chase of 25 A321neos. Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets tinental airport on 9 February. ported from the 52 passengers and Airbus says the aircraft will be database shows that Asiana op- Photographs posted by passen- four crew members on board. ■ configured to seat 180 passengers erates a fleet of 24 A321s, pow- gers on Twitter showed the air- in a two-class layout, for regional ered by International Aero En- craft, registration N953UW, rest- and domestic services. The type gines V2500 engines, as well as ing on its nose on the tarmac with is also expected to be operated by eight A320s. its main landing gear extended. low-cost affiliate Air Busan. Air Busan’s fleet includes The US Federal Aviation Ad-

Engine selection will be an- seven A321s, three A320s and ministration, which is investigat- Twitter nounced at a later date, with the ﬁve Boeing 737 Classics. ■ ing the incident, says one passen- The flight was from Philadelphia flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 15 AIR TRANSPORT Read the latest analysis of air transport news by our team of expert reporters at ﬂightglobal.com/airtransport SupplierSTRATEGY DAVID KAMINSKI-MORROW backs LONDON rapid revival of Il-114

President of landing gear manufacturer Hydromash says not resuming production of regional transport would be mistake

ussian landing-gear special- the problem of regional air trans- Rist Hydromash is urging a port, and adds that Hydromash quick revival of Ilyushin Il-114 has already developed an under- production to meet the country’s carriage modiﬁcation for serving regional transport demand. areas in the north of Russia. President Vladimir Luzyanin “We must put an end to the says he is “convinced” that delay- discussions,” he says.

ing the resumption of production Hydromash, located in Nizhny AirTeamImages would be a “strategic mistake”. Novgorod, had previously pro- The carrier has already withdrawn the narrowbodies from service He says that seeking develop- posed that the aircraft be pro- ment of a new aircraft type duced at the local Sokol aviation RESTRUCTURING TOM ZAITSEV MOSCOW would require eight to 10 years, plant, which specialises in work Downsizing UTair to return A321-200s whereas the Il-114 could be seri- on MiG ﬁghters. Russia’s govern- ally produced in two or three. ment, however, favours the Avia- UTair is set to slash its mainline fleet schedule under the agreement Luzyanin believes the turbo- kor plant in Samara. by disposing of 12 Airbus A321-200s. signed in 2012, Martirosov says. prop can “inexpensively” address Formerly produced in Tash- The Russian carrier has already A consultancy brought in after the kent, Uzbekistan, the Il-114 re- withdrawn the 2014-15-vintage nar- Russian airline group failed in ceived Russian certiﬁcation in rowbodies from revenue service. November to redeem two tranches of April 1997, followed by the Il- “These aircraft will be returned to domestic bonds advised UTair to 114-100 – powered by Pratt & the market,” says UTair general di- drastically cut its passenger fleet Whitney Canada PW127 engines rector Andrei Martirosov. “We’re in size. A tentative restructuring plan – in December 1999. talks with a prospective customer envisaged returning, disposing of or Uzbekistan Airways is the who is interested in taking them.” cancelling orders for 46 aircraft. only notable operator of the type, UTair still has eight A321s on or- Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets data- of which only 13 were built. der, with deliveries having been due base shows that UTair had 85

AirTeamImages The last Il-114 to roll off the for completion by November. The Western-built aircraft in service and The last Il-114 arrived in 2012 line was handed over in 2012. ■ carrier will have to revise the delivery orders for 57 at the end of 2014. ■

PRODUCTION STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC Boeing brings more design and assembly in-house oeing has expanded its oper- ary while opening a new propul- 737NG and 777 nacelles but, after venture formed by Alenia and Bations in North Charleston, sion systems facility on the site. having suppliers assemble na- Vought (now Triumph AeroStruc- South Carolina, and brought Boeing had previously dis- celles for the past 10-15 years, tures). Boeing later expanded the more work in-house that was pre- closed that only the design of the Boeing says the company is now site to assemble the 787-8 and viously performed by a supplier. fan inlet for the 737 Max would “strategically” moving to bring 787-9. It will also be the exclusive The North Charleston complex be performed in North Charles- that work back in-house. ﬁnal assembly site for the 787-10. will also assemble the fan inlet ton. Now, that part will also be This follows Boeing’s decision Boeing’s new 20,800m2 for the 737 Max and design the assembled at the site, along with to take back centre fuselage assem- (225,000ft2) facility in North fan cowl for the same aircraft as the additional design work. bly for the 787. That work was Charleston will begin assembling well as the nacelle of the 777X, UTC Aerospace Systems has previously performed in Charles- nacelle inlets when 737 Max pro- Boeing announced on 11 Febru- been Boeing’s supplier for the ton by Global Aeronautica, a joint duction begins later this year. ■

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MANUFACTURING STEPHEN TRIMBLE SEATTLE Mexican aerospace set for ‘explosion’ – analyst n emerging aerospace cluster assembly of the composite wing Ain Mexico could double in for the 777X within the company. size in the next few years as While Boeing and other sup- manufacturers continue to of- pliers are bringing more work in- ﬂoad labour-intensive work to house that requires advanced as- low-cost factories. sembly skills, Michaels says, That is the view of Kevin Mi- other work that remains labour- chaels, a leading aviation con- intensive and requires lower

Crown Copyright sultant, who adds: “I think you’re skills will continue to be shipped The A330 arrived from Airbus Defence & Space’s Getafe plant going to see Mexico explode.” to lower-cost regions. The growth would expand the As a neighbour to the USA and MODIFICATIONS CRAIG HOYLE LONDON Mexican cluster’s annual aero- part of a free trade zone that also AirTanker starts space output from about $7-8 bil- includes Canada, Mexico stands lion to $15 billion, Michaels, glob- to be a prime beneficiary of the al managing director of aviation low-cost trend. A330 conversion consulting and services for ICF In- Mexico is also reaping the ben- ternational, told a meeting of the efits of a years-long pursuit of Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alli- aerospace production. As the for Thomas Cook ance in Seattle on 10 February. country became gradually less Such growth bucks an overall competitive in the consumer global trend within the aero- electronics and automotive in- Military modifications to be removed from Airbus refueller space industry of what Michaels dustries, government officials in in preparation for long-haul role at leisure carrier from May calls “rightsourcing”. Mexico selected the aerospace After a wave of dispersing industry as a prime candidate for irTanker is on schedule to de- “It will now go into a three- manufacturing and design to sup- attracting work and investment. Aliver an Airbus A330-200 to month in-house conversion,” pliers in the last decade, Michaels Honeywell was the first major Thomas Cook Airlines by May AirTanker says, with the process says, aerospace manufacturers are aerospace manufacturer to estab- under a lease arrangement, with to involve the removal of all mili- bringing more work in-house. lish a presence in Mexico in the aircraft having arrived at its tary modifications, such as the He cites as an example Boeing’s 1979, Michaels says. Since then, facility in Brize Norton, Oxford- two under-wing hose-and-drogue recent moves to re-assume work four major clusters have emerged, shire, for preparation to the lei- refuelling pods and self-protec- that it had distributed to suppliers centred in Queretaro, Guaymas, sure carrier's specification. tion equipment. The company on the 787 programme, and keep Chihuahua and Monterrey. ■ One of 14 A330s being acquired will also install 320 new seats via the UK military's Future Stra- and a seat-back in-flight enter- tegic Tanker Aircraft programme, tainment system to the aircraft, ORDERS OLIVER CLARK LONDON the widebody is the first of five which was completed with a sin- Widebodies in Ethiopian sights that could be called on to provide gle-class, 291-seat layout. a ‘surge’ capability for the Royal “Once complete, the aircraft thiopian Airlines is evaluat- Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets Air Force, beyond a core fleet of will be registered by AirTanker Eing an order for between 15 database shows that Ethiopian nine. The remainder will be deliv- on the Civil Aircraft Register as and 20 widebodies, for which the currently has on order 12 A350- ered by the fourth quarter of 2016. G-VYGK ahead of its scheduled Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 900s and four 777s: two -200s Already modified as a two- operation in support of Thomas 777X are both in contention, the and two -300s. point tanker in Spain, the aircraft Cook Airlines' UK long-haul pro- airline has confirmed. It already has 12 777s in ser- arrived at RAF Brize Norton from gramme from May,” it says. The Addis Ababa-based flag car- vice, along with 11 787s. Two Airbus Defence & Space's Getafe In June 2014, Thomas Cook en- rier says a final decision will be more Dreamliners are scheduled plant near Madrid on 5 February, tered into an initial three-year made in the next couple of months. for delivery to the carrier. ■ having previously been painted lease agreement with AirTanker in Manchester. for the aircraft, outlining plans to employ the asset on routes from “The delivery of the Glasgow, Manchester and Lon- aircraft at Brize don Stansted to locations including Cancun, Las Vegas and Or- Norton is a major lando from 1 May 2015. milestone for our civil “The delivery of the aircraft at Brize Norton is a major milestone leasing business” for our civil leasing business,”

TONY CARDER says Tony Carder, AirTanker Ser- AirTeamImages Director of aircraft leasing, AirTanker vices' director of aircraft leasing. ■ Ethiopian’s fleet includes 11 Dreamliners, with two more to come

18 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com Innovata joins Flightglobal

You may have read that Flightglobal has acquired the schedules data services company, Innovata. As a leading source of airline schedules data covering more than 800 carriers worldwide, Innovata builds, hosts and maintains a wide range of electronic timetable and route network mapping solutions.

Innovata powers timetable and mapping services for some of the best known names in air travel and transportation, from the global airline alliances through to airports and a host of online travel sites.

To find out more visit www.innovata-llc.com DEFENCE To get more defence sector coverage, subscribe to our fortnightly newsletter: ﬂightglobal.com/defencenewsletter UKFIGHTER BETH evaluation STEVENSON LONDON of F-35B gets off the mark at Edwards

Royal Air Force and Royal Navy personnel establish 17 Sqn Crown Copyright to test Joint Strike Fighter variant’s capabilities until 2018 BK-1 will be flown and maintained independently of US staff

he Royal Air Force’s 17 Sqn dently from their US colleagues and its other assets, ahead of the acquired to support US-led initial Thas assumed control of the – an important step towards the expected declaration of initial op- operational test and evaluation ac- test and evaluation of the UK’s UK developing its Joint Strike erational capability in 2018. The tivities arrived at Edwards AFB on ﬁrst Lockheed Martin F-35B Fighter capability,” the Ministry UK’s third of four test aircraft, 16 January from Eglin AFB in Lightning II, with lead aircraft of Defence says. BK-3, was also transferred to Ma- Florida. Four pilots, 20 techni- BK-1 having arrived at Edwards RAF and Royal Navy personnel rine Corps Air Station Beaufort in cians and 10 other staff from the AFB in California. will ensure that the short take-off South Carolina on 3 February. service’s 323 Sqn are being trained “Personnel from 17 Sqn will and vertical landing aircraft is in- Separately, the Royal Nether- to work with the conventional ﬂy and maintain the jets indepen- teroperable with UK regulations lands Air Force’s two F-35As take-off and landing type. ■

TRAINERS CRAIG HOYLE LONDON Saab boss confident of success with T-X partner

aab chief executive Håkan “We have for this year a fairly SBuskhe has given a bullish big sum of investment in self- assessment of the company’s funding in aeronautics,” Buskhe prospects in pursuing the US Air says of 2015. “The main part is Force’s future T-X trainer contract connected to our joint efforts in collaboration with Boeing. together with Boeing.” “I think we are strong The Boeing/Saab team is

Airbus Helicopters partners,” says Buskhe. “We have expected to face competition An engine fire extinguishing system can short circuit electrics set up criteria that we think we from a General Dynamics/Alenia need to achieve to have a great Aermacchi partnership offering SAFETY DOMINIC PERRY LONDON chance of winning. Breaking the a T-100 development of the ‘Flaw’ grounds German NH90s cost curve, increased perfor- latter’s M-346; Lockheed Martin, mance – that’s something we’re which is promoting Korea ermany has grounded its ar- Germany’s defence ministry working on. Aerospace Industries’ T-50; and Gmy-operated NH Industries says the flaw can cause a potential “The work together and the Northrop Grumman, which on 6 (NHI) NH90s, following the dis- electrical short circuit when the co-operation with the Boeing February announced its inten- covery of a “design flaw” with engine fire extinguishing system company is going tremendously tion to offer a new platform the helicopter’s electrical system. is used, and that the flight safety well,” he says, noting that “we which it expects to fly for the Berlin says all routine flights board of its aviation authority rec- have our team in St Louis, and first time later this year. with the 10.6t rotorcraft have been ommended a temporary suspen- they have people in Linköping”. Meanwhile, Buskhe says Saab “temporarily suspended” after sion of routine flights while the Speaking during a financial re- expects the financial element of Airbus Helicopters, which assem- manufacturer develops a fix. sults briefing in Stockholm on 10 Brazil’s 36-aircraft Gripen E/F bles the German troop transport “Industry has assessed there is February, Buskhe said: “We procurement to be finalised by variant at its Donauwörth facility, no short-term airworthiness haven’t changed our view on around mid-year. “Everyone is identified a fault with the type’s issue, and recommends [opera- both the price and the capability, working towards that target, and overhead control panel. tors] to continue flights,” Airbus and the possibility to win” in a there are no indications that we The development follows an Helicopters says. “NHI is launch- future T-X contest. have any stop in any process,” he incident involving a German air- ing a modification in order to im- “Additional investments were says. Sweden also plans to ac- craft in Termez, Uzbekistan last prove [the] design,” it adds. made in the development of quire 60 of the type, and he notes: June. This was forced to make an Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets trainers for the coming T-X “We see a great possibility to sell emergency landing after an engine database records the German procurement process in the Unit- around 400 to 450 of the new failure and shutdown of a number army as operating 37 NH90s, ed States,” Saab says in its year- Gripen E and F” over the life of of electrical systems. with a further 26 on order. ■ end report for last year. the programme. ■

20 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com DEFENCE Embraer outlines KC-390 test plan DEFENCE P23

TENDER DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC US Army Hellfire successor gets back on target he US Army has launched the Tbidding phase of a programme to replace the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellﬁre air-to-surface missile with a weapon featuring at least a dual-mode guidance system. A request for proposals released on 2 February for the joint air-to-ground missile (JAGM)

contract gives potential competi- Israel Aerospace Industries tors Lockheed and Raytheon up The heavily modified business jet will be adapted to carry torpedoes and anti-ship missiles to 60 days to submit bids. The US DESIGN ARIE EGOZI TEL AVIV Navy plans to also integrate the selected weapon onto the US Ma- IAI reveals its Global vision rine Corps’ Bell AH-1Z attack helicopters. The programme seeks an up- for maritime patrol market grade to the guidance section of the Hellfire’s backend, which comprises the motor, warhead and Company picks long-range Bombardier type for adaptation into multi-mission ELI-3360 electronics. Lockheed says it will offer a dual-mode seeker, while srael Aerospace Industries has weapon and stores management warfare mission. “The new plat- Raytheon has not confirmed its in- Irevealed its design for a mari- system for torpedoes and anti- form enables an operator to reach tention to compete. time patrol development of the ship missiles, with IAI to inte- the suspected area very fast and The JAGM effort began in 2003 Bombardier Global 5000 business grate such weapons. then use sonobuoys or a magnetic as the joint common missile (JCM), jet, dubbed the ELI-3360. Izhakian says that the ELI- anomaly detection system car- involving a contract to produce Avishai Izhakian, deputy gen- 3360’s capabilities are intended ried on the aircraft.” 77,000 weapons to replace the eral manager of IAI's Elta Systems to replace those offered by aged Stephane Villeneuve, Bom- Hellfire and Raytheon’s AGM-65 airborne systems and radars divi- aircraft types such as the Lock- bardier’s vice-president for spe- Maverick. The four-year develop- sion, says there are negotiations heed Martin P-3. cialised aircraft, says: “We are ment began with a 2004 contract with “some” potential customers delighted that IAI Elta continues award to Lockheed, but the army for the system, which incorpo- “The potential clients to put their confidence in the cancelled the process in 2007. rates the company’s ELM-2022 understand that the Global 5000, relying on the plat- Lockheed was in 2012 given a maritime search radar. form to host its integrated mis- continued technology develop- Other mission equipment in- speed of the platform sion solutions.” ment contract to complete design, cludes an electro-optical/infrared is crucial in current Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets test and demonstration of its sensor, an ELL-8385 electronic circumstances” database records the Indian air JAGM guidance section, which in- support measures/electronic in- force as operating an IAI-adapt- cludes an improved semi-active telligence suite, electronic war- AVISHAI IZHAKIAN ed Global 5000 in the signals laser sensor for precision-strike fare and self-protection equip- Deputy general manager, Elta Systems intelligence role, with a second and a fire-and-forget, millimetre- ment and a comprehensive Indian-owned aircraft currently wave radar. The company says it communications fit comprising also registered with the compa- plans to propose this in response radios, datalinks and satellite “The potential clients under- ny. The only other examples of to the recent request. communications, IAI says. stand that the speed of the plat- the business jet in active mili- If it bids, Raytheon says it will A multi-mission command form is crucial in the current cir- tary duty are four VIP transports offer a tri-mode seeker drawn from and control suite will include cumstances,” he adds, referring flown by the German air force, the Small Diameter Bomb II. ■ operator workstations and a especially to the anti-submarine says Ascend. ■

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Visit: www.flightsubs.com/1684 Call: Overseas +44 1444 475682 UK 0330 333 9533 quoting 1684 Email: [email protected] Midsize jets sector DEFENCE helps power recovery BUSINESS P24 EmbraerDEVELOPMENT DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON outlines DC KC-390 test plan

Manufacturer intends to gradually ramp-up the complexity of fly-by-wire system use over the course of next two years

razil’s Embraer has provided gressively,” Gastão Silva says. Bfurther details about the first “For first flight we were not using flight of its KC-390 transport and yet the full capability of the ac- tanker, and on its plans to put the tive sticks.”

type’s technologically ambitious Over the course of the initial Embraer fly-by-wire flight control system part of its two-year test campaign, First flight results have not dampened company’s expectations to the test. Embraer will gradually enable For its 3 February debut, the more complex aspects of the fly- the aircraft or performing overly prototype for envelope opening aircraft’s flight-control system by-wire system, he adds. “During aggressive manoeuvres. or to fly specific conditions. We was fully operational, but set to the first phase we complete test Embraer’s first of two proto- can do it with either one.” direct-law mode, says Paulo points needed to freeze the dy- types will continue flying until The KC-390’s cargo handling Gastão Silva, vice-president of namic definition of the aircraft. the second example – which is in system was also installed but not the KC-390 programme. We will cover the initial envelope the final stages of structural as- operational during the first flight. Its BAE Systems-supplied ac- with direct mode and then start sembly – comes online in a few The full fuel system for the aircraft tive control sidesticks were also adding the other functions going months, Gastão Silva says. The was installed, but not the under- not fully operational during the to higher modes for the system.” lead asset also will continue to wing refuelling pods and internal 2h flight, he says. The KC-390 will eventually be undergo ground testing to inform tanks that will be required for the “The active control sticks are flown in “normal” mode, where future test flights, he adds. tanker duty. This left the aircraft’s part of the flight controls, so they its fly-by-wire controls will im- “Both prototypes will be fully take-off weight “in the middle of were there, but we start flying in prove efficiency and provide representative of the aircraft’s the envelope”, which Gastão Silva basic modes and then authorise flight-envelope protections that final configuration,” he says. “We says was “well within the weight the function of higher modes pro- prevent the crew from stalling don’t need to wait for the second expected from our calculations”. ■

CONTRACT GREG WALDRON SINGAPORE Seoul renews KFX tender after lone bid frustrates eoul has been forced to re- will replace aged types in the Re- Local media indicate that the South Korea – which also reject- Slaunch its process for award- public of Korea Air Force’s inven- other likely bidder would be Ko- ed Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle – ing a developmental contract re- tory, namely the McDonnell Doug- rean Air, through a partnership plans to acquire 60 Lightning IIs lated to the KFX fighter las F-4 Phantom and Northrop F-5, with Airbus Defence & Space – in the conventional take-off and programme, after Korea Aero- with an expected 120-unit buy. which has a 46% shareholding in landing configuration. space Industries (KAI) was the KAI would like to partner with the Eurofighter consortium. Both KAI and Korean Air have only company to submit a bid for Lockheed on the project, in The Eurofighter Typhoon was strong defence backgrounds, but the requirement on 9 February. which the Indonesian govern- a failed bidder for Seoul’s earlier the former has more experience in Under South Korea’s procurement also has a 20% share. Jakar- F-X III fighter competition, which developing and manufacturing ment laws, the sole-bidder situa- ta plans to buy 80 of the type. was won by the F-35 in late 2013. fighters. Apart from collaborating tion has forced a retendering of with Lockheed to develop the the programme, says a report by T-50 family of trainer/light attack state news agency Yonhap. The jets, it also produces the forward country’s Defense Acquisition fuselage of the F-15, and has been Program Administration on 10 involved in the manufacturing February posted a new tender for and re-manufacturing of other the 8.5 trillion won ($8.3 billion) military types. programme, which is to run from Korean Air, for its part, provides 2015 to 2025, seeking responses extensive maintenance, repair and within two weeks. overhaul services for military air- The future KFX is envisaged as craft at its Pusan facility. being a twin-engined fighter that Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets will be more advanced than Lock- database records South Korea’s heed Martin’s F-16, but not up to air force as still operating 71

the standard of types such as the US Air Force F-4Es, as well as a combined total manufacturer’s F-35 Lightning II. It South Korea needs to replace its aged fleet of 71 F-4E Phantoms of 194 F-5E/Fs. ■ flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 23 BUSINESS AVIATION Keep up with the latest news and read in-depth analysis from the business aviation sector: ﬂightglobal.com/bizav Cessna Cessna’s Citation X+ is one of the upgraded business jets that registered improved sales in 2014, manufacturer’s association says MidsizeSHIPMENTS KATE SARSFIELD jetLONDON demand helps power recovery

A strengthening US economy and new aircraft models boosted deliveries last year – but long-range models saw 10% drop

eliveries of business and year – the highest level since mand for these transcontinental shipped 117 large-cabin, long- D general aviation aircraft 2011 – with all the major airfram- types, particularly in the USA, the range business jets in 2014, in- continued their resurgence last ers recording a hike in deliveries. largest business aircraft market. cluding the first G650ER, versus year thanks to rising demand for Business jets also fared well. The strengthening US economy 121 in 2013. Shipments of midsize jets and piston-engined Deliveries climbed from 678 air- coupled with the introduction of Embraer’s Legacy 600/650 and types, according to the latest craft in 2013 to 722 units between fresh designs such as the Citation Lineage 1000 fell by four units to statistics from the General Avia- January and December 2014 – a M2 also helped the light business 25 in the same period. tion Manufacturers Association hike of 6.5%. Although this is jet sector to record its strongest Bombardier, in contrast, saw (GAMA), released on 11 February. well below the 1,145 shipments growth since 2009. Deliveries of deliveries of its Challenger 605 Worldwide shipments between recorded during the market’s 2008 both superlight and light jets and Global family nudge forward January and December rose by peak, the midsize sector recorded climbed from 185 in 2013 to 220 from 94 in 2013 to 96 last year. over 4% to 2,454 units, compared its strongest growth for five years. last year – a 19% hike. with 2,353 units in 2013. Last With the service entry of a num- VARIANTS year’s deliveries also yielded a UPGRADES ber of much-anticipated aircraft The turboprop sector will be hop- $24.5 billion book value versus Deliveries of both midsize and su- expected this year – the HondaJet, ing for a recovery this year after $23.4 billion in 2013 – and the per-midsize business jets climbed the SyberJet SJ30, the Citation experiencing its first annual fall second-largest billings tally since from 140 units in 2013 to 159 last Latitude and the Embraer Legacy in shipments since 2009. Deliver- 2008, when it hit $24.8 billion. year. This was due in part to the 450 – this sector will be hoping to ies of single- and twin-engined The piston-engined sector was introduction of a slew of new and sustain the positive growth trend. designs fell from 645 units in the top performer. Thanks to the upgraded models throughout “Light and midsize business jet 2013 to 603 units last year. This growing global market for flight 2014 – notably the Embraer owners are now feeling more con- 6.5% decline, however, is almost training piston aircraft, ship- Legacy 500, the Bombardier fident in business aviation’s recov- entirely due to the fall in sales of ments were propelled from 1,030 Challenger 350 and the Cessna ery, surpassing the sentiment of agricultural variants. units in 2013 to 1,129 units last Citation X+ – and a surge in de- large jet owners for the first time Thrush Aircraft, for example, in several years,” says aviation saw deliveries of its S2R series ANNUAL BUSINESS JET, TURBOPROP AND PISTON AIRCRAFT SHIPMENTS 2008-2014 analyst Rolland Vincent. fall from 174 units in 2013 to 146 Number of aircraft The other end of the spectrum, last year. Air Tractor too recorded 2,500 however, did not fare as well. a drop in shipments of its AT- Jets Turboprops Piston After a banner year in 2013, large- family from 51 to 36 aircraft dur- 2,000 cabin, long-range shipments fell ing the same time frame. by over 10% to 269. This tally is If the agricultural segment is ex- 1,500 still the second-highest on record cluded, the core business turbo- for the sector, but airframers have prop market has remained flat, al- 1,000 been hit by the waning appetite though the introduction of new for big, long-legged business jets and upgraded models has helped 500 from the previously lucrative Chi- to stimulate sales. For example, nese and Russian markets. following the introduction of the 0 Dassault, for example, saw TBM 900 in January 2014, Daher- 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 shipments of its 7X fall from 33 in Socata saw its annual shipment SOURCE: GAMA 2013 to 27 last year. Gulfstream tally jump from 40 to 51 aircraft. ■

24 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com New-generation BUSINESS AVIATION XL-2 starts production AVIATION P26 FalconPROGRAMME KATE SARSFIELD 8X LONDON ﬂight test campaign begins

Ultra-long-range business jet meets performance objectives for debut sortie, with deliveries on track for second half of 2016

assault Aviation has kicked [39,400ft], accelerating to Mach Doff the flight test campaign 0.80. The aircraft subsequently for its Falcon 8X ultra-long-range descended to 5,000ft for ap- business jet, less than nine proach and landing at 15:45.” months after unveiling the Throughout the flight “the 8X 19-seater at the European Busi- demonstrated excellent handling ness Aviation Convention and qualities”, says Gérard. “We Exhibition in Geneva. reached each of the performance The aircraft – serial number objectives set for the first mission one – lifted off for its maiden and, in a few cases, surpassed tar-

flight from Dassault’s plant at get goals.” Dassault Aviation Bordeaux Merignac airport at Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation The 8X is the largest and longest-range model in Dassault’s range 14:00 local time on 6 February chairman and chief executive, with test pilots Eric Gérard and says the trijet is on track for certifi- performance. A third fully con- launched in 2007 and is poised to Hervé Laverne at the controls. cation in mid-2016 and first deliv- forming 8X will help with cabin hit its 250th delivery milestone. “The 8X levelled off at 5,000ft eries in the second half of the year. systems and preparation for entry The aircraft has a range of and raised its landing gear before Serial number one will be dedi- into service. The trio are expected 6,450nm (12,000km) – 500nm beginning flight handling ma- cated to flight envelope expansion, to fly around 500h in total. more than the 7X – which will noeuvres and system tests at while a second test aircraft – now The $57 million 8X is a allow it to connect Paris with 15,000ft,” says Dassault. “It later assembled and scheduled to fly in stretched and longer-range ver- Beijing and Sao Paolo with Los climbed to flight level 400 the second quarter – will focus on sion of the 7X, which was Angeles and Moscow. ■

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flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 25 GENERAL AVIATION Find out more about the general aviation sector by visiting ﬂightglobal.com/ga

UPGRADE KATE SARSFIELD LONDON SAFETY DAVID LEARMOUNT LONDON New-generation XL-2 starts Patent progress for lightweight production under Discovery ejection seat PP Zvezda, a Russian com- Ex-Liberty model gets interior redesign as manufacturer eyes US approval for twin-engined 201 Npany well known for aviation and space life support systems in iscovery Aviation has its homeland, has patented a Dlaunched production of its lightweight ejection seat for gen- new, improved XL-2, nine months eral aviation aircraft. after the three-year-old company In-flight escape from light air- acquired the rights to the instru- craft is difficult, slow and risky, ment flight rules-certificated pis- and as a result most do not rou- ton single from Liberty Aerospace. tinely carry parachutes, relying The two-seat, low-wing type, instead on the pilot making a suc- which is based on the British-de- cessful forced landing. The rea- signed Europa kit plane, is being son the ejection seat is not used in manufactured at Liberty’s former general aviation is the unit’s com- base in Melbourne, Florida. “So plexity, high price and weight. far we have around 20 orders for The NPP Zvezda unit, however, the XL-2,” says Discovery Avia- weighs only 16kg (35lb), claims the tion’s co-founder and chief exec- company. Unlike military seats, utive, Rick Cunliffe. “We plan to most of which rely on an initial ac-

deliver the first aircraft in May.” Discovery Aviation celeration provided by explosive The new-generation XL-2 fea- Modifications to the type include a choice of Garmin flightdecks cartridges, followed by rocket tures a redesigned interior and thrust to continue acceleration out- choice of Garmin flightdecks. It is its model 201 twin-engined utili- “With its rugged, versatile de- side the aircraft, its device is accel- powered by a Continental IOF- ty aircraft in the second quarter. sign, short field capability, a erated by high pressure air from a 240B engine with full authority “We are almost there,” Cun- price tag of under $1 million and cylinder directed into a metal tele- digital engine control. liffe says. “We just have to com- seating for up to seven people, it scopic ram integrated with the seat. Cunliffe says the XL-2 is “prov- plete dynamic seat testing. Once will have widespread appeal The pneumatic system releases ing popular” with flying schools we have approval we will open across a range of markets, in- catches to eject the cockpit cano- and private owners. The key bene- the orderbook.” cluding passenger and cargo py, then pushes the seat upward, fits, he says, “remain its low cost of Production of the high-wing transport and parachute jump- the ram extending out into the acquisition [at around $240,000], type – an upgraded version of the ing,” he adds. slipstream, until the seat and its operation and maintenance”. 18-year-old Russian-designed The Garmin glass cockpit- occupant is clear of the tailplane. “It is also one of the most tech- Avia Accord 201 – will run along- equipped, Continental IO- Then a drogue chute automatical- nologically advanced training side the XL-2 in Melbourne, but a 360ES7-powered 201 can be ly deploys and pulls the parachute aircraft available,” Cunliffe adds. second facility will be built if de- equipped with fixed landing gear out into the passing air. The whole Meanwhile, Discovery is hop- mand for both types is strong or retractable floats, allowing it to sequence, says the company, takes ing to secure US certification for enough, Cunliffe adds. operate from land or water. ■ “less than a second”. ■

PISTON TWINS KATE SARSFIELD LONDON Russian clearance allows P2006T to go commercial raining provider ChelAvia has the four-seat P2006T for air taxi Tbecome the ﬁrst company in and charter operations, having Russia to get approval to operate ﬁrmly established the light twin

the Tecnam P2006T commercially. as the multi-engine choice of ae- Tecnam Italy-based Tecnam is hoping ro-clubs, flying schools, syndi- The Tecnam type is powered by two Rotax 912S3 engines the endorsement will help drive cates and private aircraft owners up sales of its only in-production around the world”. Czech Republic and South Amer- ChelAvia – already one of Tec- piston twin and convince existing Some P2006 customers in ica are looking to follow suit, Tec- nam’s largest customers with owners and operators of the high- Malta and Indonesia have al- nam adds. nearly 90 of the airframer’s sin- wing type to consider other uses or ready secured an aircraft opera- The P2006T entered service in gle- and twin-engined types in its revenue streams for their aircraft. tor’s certificate to fly their aircraft 2010 and the majority of the 160 fleet – plans to use some of its This approval, Tecnam says, commercially, while other own- aircraft in service today are used dozen P2006s for passenger and “supports our goal of promoting ers of the type in Poland, the for private flying and training. freight transportation. ■

26 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com Can Predator NEWS FOCUS prosper outside NATO NEWS FOCUS P29 TransAsiaINVESTIGATION DAVID LEARMOUNT LONDON pilots fail in safety review

Taiwan’s aviation safety council presses airline to raise competency after skills assessment exposes serious shortcomings

ince the 4 February fatal Scrash in Taipei of a TransAsia Airways ATR 72-600, 49 pilots in the carrier’s ATR fleet have taken part in an examination of cockpit emergency drills, at the orders of Taiwan’s civil aviation authority – which has since stated that the competency of some of them needed to be “strengthened”. Taiwan’s Aviation Safety Coun- cil (ASC) is investigating whether after TransAsia flight GE235 had suffered a No 2 (right-hand) engine flameout during the early climb its crew mistakenly shut down the good No 1 engine, leaving the aircraft effectively a glider. The ASC says it is reviewing the carrier’s training syllabus, crew re-

source management records and Rex Features engine-failure checklist. The re- Of the 58 passengers and crew on board the ATR 72-600, 40 are known to have died cent accident, in which 40 of the 58 people on board are known to line, with barometric altitude also been retarded almost to idle set- procedures following tests, and as have died, was the airline’s second displayed. The graphs provide ting, the fuel was shut off and the Flight International went to press fatal ATR 72 accident in less than a numerical values for some param- left engine also feathered. Just be- there were another 19 who had yet year. The other incident, a 23 July eters, while others just show fore they shut off fuel to No 1, the to be tested. The crew evaluations 2014 non-precision bad-weather whether a switch was on or off – crew advanced the throttle of the have forced TransAsia to reduce approach at night to Magong air- such as the fuel shut-off valve. failed No 2 engine as far as they capacity on routes served by its report in the Penghu Islands, saw the This data tells the investigators, in could, as if it would provide them maining 11 ATRs at a time of high aircraft hit trees and crash during great detail, what happened, but with additional power. demand due to the impending an attempted go-around, killing 48 still not at this stage why. Chinese new year holiday, and the of its 58 passengers and crew. The total airborne time for The airline is planning carrier is deploying Airbus A320s flight GE235 was only 2min 40s a “comprehensive” to cope with the shortfall. EVIDENCE after it took off from runway 01 at The airline says it is also plan- After the Taipei crash, the ASC Taipei’s Songshan airport, bound programme to ning a “comprehensive” pro- took the unusual step of publish- for Kinmen. All was going well for improve its safety gramme, lasting from six to 12 ing part of the flight data recorder 45s after take-off, but as the air- management systems months, to improve its safety (FDR) printout for the crashed craft was climbing through about management systems, assisted by ATR 72-600 almost as soon as it 1,200ft (pressure altitude) the tur- US and European specialists. This had been downloaded. The print- bine temperature for the No 2 en- process will start in early March. out it released concerned only the gine dropped and the engine auto- From that time onwards, the Perhaps the most famous case in data for the aircraft’s engines, and feathered. This confirms that the crew had 1min 15s of gliding time which a disaster occurred because is a series of graphical lines de- crew had suffered the engine before coming down in the Kee- an engine failed and then the crew scribing the state of 12 different “flame-out” they reported in a lung river. Describing information mistakenly shut down the good engine parameters against a time- Mayday call to air traffic control- from the cockpit voice recorder, engine rather than the damaged lers – without specifying which the ASC says that, with 27s to go one was the British Midland Boe- engine. The aircraft continued to before impact, “the crew began ing 737-400 crash at Kegworth, climb on the power from the re- shouting to ‘restart the car’”. In UK, in 1989. In that case 47 of the maining No 1 engine, reaching a widely broadcast videos of the 126 people on board died. maximum height of about 1,650ft. final seconds before the crash, The investigation into the latest The FDR graph shows the crew both the previously feathered pro- TransAsia accident continues, allowed the power lever (throttle) pellers were turning, probably in with the work being led by the of the failed No 2 engine to stay the process of an attempted restart. ASC with co-operation from China where it was, and started slowly The ASC says 10 TransAsia and French investigation authority

Rex Features pulling back the power lever of en- ATR pilots were to undergo in- BEA, as well as technical advisers A 2014 crash killed 48 people gine No 1. When the lever had tensive retraining on emergency from manufacturer ATR. ■ flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 27 In association with:

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Book now at www.ﬂ ightglobalevents.com/airlinedistribution2015 Big changes NEWS FOCUS for the Big Country AUSTRALIA P32 CanEXPORTS BETH STEVENSONPredator LONDON STEPHEN TRIMBLE prosper WASHINGTON, DC outside NATO?

US government backs Dutch and French MQ-9 requests, but barriers stand in way of potential sales to India and Jordan

ith requested purchases of WGeneral Atomics Aeronauti- cal Systems Predator/Reaper-series unmanned air vehicles by France and the Netherlands made in recent weeks, the USA’s backing of an export license for India but a rejection for Jordan have raised questions over how much potential the UAVs really have outside of NATO. Later this year, General Atomics is expected to take an MQ-9 Reap- er out of storage and deliver it to the French air force, Flightglobal understands. On 5 February, the US Air Force announced a plan to award the company $3.8 million

to return the aircraft to flying sta- General Atomics Aeronautical Systems tus and modify it into the un- Full approval to sell the unarmed XP has so far only been secured for the United Arab Emirates armed French configuration. Paris ordered an initial two MQ-9s in port-specific Predator XP variant nology Control Regime’s restric- ing a $279 million contract to the June 2013, with a follow-on deal – effectively an unarmed, surveil- tions are likely to play a part in the type’s manufacturer to deliver 24 for 16 more announced two lance-only version of the MQ-1 US government’s decision to veto MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and related months later. that has become synonymous certain aircraft sales. Washington equipment. That leaves only 77 The US Defense Security Coop- with unmanned air strikes in the would not be allowed to sell mili- aircraft remaining in the USAF’s eration Agency (DSCA) said on 6 USA’s areas of operation – only the tary technology to a nation if it plan to acquire 361 Reapers, with February that the Netherlands has United Arab Emirates to date has could end up in the hands of an a final order expected in fiscal year requested a Foreign Military Sales been permitted to purchase the insurgent group, for example. 2019. deal for four MQ-9 Block 5 sys- aircraft. There may be additional de- tems and associated equipment, When US President Barack “It is vital to assist mand in the US intelligence com- worth $339 million. Still requiring Obama visited India in January, a the Netherlands to munity’s classified budgets, how- Congressional approval, a sale to request for a Predator XP purchase develop and maintain ever. Last April, a senior company the NATO nation has been in the was expected, with New Delhi official told Flightglobal that it is pipeline for some time. “It is vital seeking an array of unmanned a strong and ready delivering one Avenger – a jet- to assist the Netherlands to devel- technologies. self-defense” powered, armed UAV with radar op and maintain a strong and General Atomics confirms that stealth characteristics – every nine DSCA ready self-defence capability,” the the US government has granted it months to a classified customer, DSCA says. a DSP-5 export license, enabling it and that there could be additional “to engage in discussions with the Sales to Jordan and India would Reapers in the pipeline as well. INTEROPERABILITY government of India, as well as also rock the boat between the But the unclassified budget has An MQ-9 NATO users group was local industry, for the potential USA and Israel. Jordanian sales formed the backbone of General established during the Alliance sale of Predator XP”. would politically upset Israel, Atomics’ order backlog since the summit in Newport, Wales last Jordan, meanwhile, is seeming- while India is a significant market late-1990s, and it is going away September. Officials from France, ly focusing all of its military power for Israel’s UAV industry, and one with no known requirement in the Italy, the UK and USA are be- on the fight against Islamic State that it would be hesitant to lose. acquisition pipeline to replace the lieved to have met in January to militants, following the killing of a As the export market sharpens inventory. At the same time, the discuss the group’s terms, in a bid captured air force pilot. General focus, the outlook on the US mili- US Navy is deferring by three to enhance interoperability. Atomics is understood to have re- tary side appears bleak. General years to 2023 a plan to field an un- But where such NATO custom quested export licence applica- Atomics has delivered all 164 manned carrier-launched surveil- will take General Atomics is large- tions earlier in 2014 for a possible MQ-1s that the USAF requires, lance and strike aircraft, for which ly speculative. As it attempts to sale to Amman, but the US state while the US Army plans to order the Avenger is competing against break beyond this market and into department rejected this. “We a final batch of 17 MQ-1C Gray Ea- rival bids from Boeing, Lockheed other promising areas, the US gov- defer to the two governments for gles in the next fiscal year, com- Martin and Northrop Grumman. ■ ernment and restrictions on UAV comment on this issue,” says the pleting a need for 158 aircraft. sales present a barrier to the com- firm, which is “ready to support Even demand for the MQ-9 Reaper Read more news from the pany. whichever decision is made”. is nearly exhausted. On 4 Febru- unmanned air system sector: While it has invested in an ex- The international Missile Tech- ary, the USAF announced award- flightglobal.com/UAV flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 29

AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT BIG CHANGES FOR THE BIG COUNTRY On the eve of the Australian air show, our biennial country special looks at the transformation of the nation’s air defence ﬂeet, with the addition of new ﬁghters, reconnaissance aircraft and tanker-transports – as well as the iconic Royal Flying Doctor Service, which has been providing vital airborne medical support to isolated communities for nigh on a century. We also examine ructions within Australia’s formerly fast-growing helicopter sector, while our cover story focuses on Mahindra Aerospace, the one-time GippsAero, now fast expanding its footprint into all continents.

CONTENTS 34 Power down under Military aircraft 36 Transports transition Heavylifters 36 Doctor’s orders RFDS looks to its fleet 40 Taking on the world Mahindra Aerospace 43 Regulating a regulator Rotor rumblings 45 Scanning the waves MQ-4C Triton

32 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

Australia will become the first export customer for the Nortrhop Grumman MQ-4C Triton

Pilots have begun training on Australia’s first two F-35As, the changing shape of the flying doctors, and Mahindra spreads its wings Northrop Grumman, Commonwealth of Australia, RFDS, Mahindra RFDS, Northrop of Australia, Commonwealth Grumman, flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 33 AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT PoweringMILITARY AVIATION down under

The Royal Australian Air Force is renewing its air combat and ISR capabilities with a series of acquisitions and upgrades ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN SYDNEY

he Royal Australian Air Force’s air combat Tand intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities will be substantially increased over the next decade as new fifth generation capabilities are introduced. The current RAAF air combat fleet comprises 71 Boeing F/A-18A/B Hornets in three fi ghter squadrons and one operational conversion unit based at Williamtown near Newcas- tle and Tindal in the Northern Territory, and 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets in a single squadron based at Amberley near Brisbane. Australia’s ‘Classic’ Hornets have been substantially upgraded over the past decade, However, the youngest Classic Hornet Six RAAF Super Hornets receiving AN/APG-73 radars in place of the entered service in 1990 and the fleet is show- original APG-65 sets, substantially upgraded ing its age structurally. A plan to replace the deployed against Islamic communications including MIDS/Link 16 main fuselage centre barrels (CBs) of up to 49 State forces have flown datalinks, the Boeing/VSI Joint Helmet of the aircraft was cut short in 2009, partly be- 3,000h with 98% availability Mounted Cueing System, new AN/ALR- cause of emerging structural and fatigue is- 67(V)3 radar warning receivers, Saab BOL sues that could not be addressed by a CB re- countermeasures dispensers and the Elta placement. Instead, a multi-staged Structural EL/8222 jammer pod. Refurbishment Program is expected to con- RAAF to increase levels of security within US tinue until the type is retired in 2022. International Traffic in Arms Regulations REFURBISHMENT Acquired in 2007 as a decade-long bridging (ITARS) requirements, and gain experience in Other enhancements include the integration capability between the retirement of the the maintenance of low observable coatings of the Northrop Grumman Litening AT EO/IR General Dynamics F-111C and the service and networked combat aircraft. targeting pod, and new weapons including entry of the Lockheed Martin F-35A, the 24 Six RAAF Super Hornets were deployed to the MDBA ASRAAM infrared guided AAM Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets operated by 1 the UAE in October 2014 to participate in and precision GPS guided JDAM bombs, and Sqn will likely now be retained until at least combat operations against Islamic State forces the stand-off Lockheed Martin AGM-158 2030. More than just providing airframes on in Iraq, where they have flown nearly 3,000h JASSM air-to-surface missile. the ramp, the Super Hornets have allowed the with a better than 98% availability rate. These aircraft are expected to be swapped out for a deployment of RAAF Classic Hornets in March, and it is planned for Supers and Clas- sics to complete alternating six-month de- ployments for the duration of that campaign.

ENHANCEMENTS There is much interest within the RAAF in the proposed enhancements to the Super Hornets, particularly the GE F414 engines and upper fuselage conformal fuel tanks. Howev- er, the RAAF is wary of deviating from its industry support model, which parallels that of the US Navy, and thus will likely adopt these enhancements only if the US Navy does. The Super Hornets will be joined at Amber- ley by 12 Boeing EA-18G Growlers from 2017.

Commonwealth of Australia Commonwealth A number of RAAF crews are already based at A recent Boeing E-7A Wedgetail surveillance operation over Iraq lasted more than 17h the US Navy’s NAS Whidbey Island in Wash-

34 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

are expected to be contracted in low rate initial performance specifications. A further soft- production (LRIP) lots 10 and 11 for delivery in ware upgrade to the radar is scheduled for 2017 and 2018. In April 2014 the Australian later this year, and FOC for the six-strong fleet government approved funding for an addition- is expected to be declared once additional al 58 F-35As to take Australia’s order to 72, and crews are trained in 2016. these will be ordered in LRIP 11 and the ex- Meanwhile the RAAF’s fleet of Lockheed pected follow-on multiyear procurement for AP-3C Orion maritime reconnaissance air- delivery in the 2019-2023 timeframe. craft is being drawn down as major services Australia’s first F-35A unit will be 3 Sqn become due and in preparation for the intro- based at RAAF Williamtown, which currently duction of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon. Three flies F/A-18A Hornets, and the first four F-35As are expected to arrive in Australia in Australia’s first F-35A unit 2019 to support local operational test and will be 3 Sqn based at RAAF evaluation activities before IOC is declared in 2020-2021. The Williamtown-based 2 Williamtown, which currently Operational Conversion Unit and 77 Sqn, and flies F/A-18A Hornets Tindal’s 75 Sqn, are expected to replace their Classic Hornets with F-35As in time for final operational capability in 2023. The first two Lockheed RAAF Williamtown will also see the estab- AP-3Cs were withdrawn from service in 2013 Martin F-35As bound for lishment of new squadron headquarters and and 2014, leaving 15 active aircraft available the RAAF were delivered maintenance facilities, and a 610m (2,000ft) for service with 10 and 11 Sqns at RAAF Ed- to Luke AFB in Arizona in runway extension to 3,050m (10,000ft) to sup- inburgh near Adelaide. December 2014, allowing port the F-35A in service, while some of the The Orions were acquired in two batches of pilot training to begin existing Classic Hornet base facilities will be 10 aircraft in 1978 and 1986, and were substan-

Commonwealth of Australia Commonwealth retained and refurbished for visiting units. tially upgraded in the late 1990s. Until late 2012 two AP-3Cs had been continuously de- ington state to convert to the jets and to be em- DEVELOPMENT ployed for over a decade in the Middle East in bedded with US Navy land-based Growler There has been no further word since mid- support of Australian and coalition operations fleet squadrons. These crews will form the core 2014 on government suggestions that Australia in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Indian Ocean. of the RAAF’s first cadre of Growler pilot and acquires up to 28 of the short take-off and verti- Australia has long favoured the 737-800- EWO instructors within 6 Sqn. cal landing F-35B variant of the JSF for opera- based P-8A to replace its Orions, having joined As part of the Growler project, the RAAF tion aboard the Royal Australian Navy’s two the US Navy’s P-8 development programme in will establish a mobile tactical emitter system new Canberra-class landing helicopter dock 2007 as a minor partner and having staff in at Amberley and on the vast Delamere range in vessels. This proposal is expected to be consid- place in the P-8 project office since that time. the Northern Territory to support electronic ered as part of the 2015 Force Structure Review Funding has been approved for eight P-8As, warfare training, and there are longer term and Defence White Paper (FSR/DWP) process. while Australia retains options for, and will plans to establish a permanent EW range at On the ISR side of the capability spectrum, likely acquire, at least four additional aircraft. Delamere. RAAF Growlers will initially be de- the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C operated RAAF P-8A crew training commenced at livered with the Northrop Grumman AN/ALQ- by 2 Sqn at Williamtown debuted operation- NAS Jacksonville in late 2014, and these 99 jammer pods, but it is expected the RAAF ally over Iraq in October, and is providing crews will be embedded with US Navy will integrate the Next Generation Jammer cur- command and control coverage and availabil- squadrons until the first RAAF aircraft are de- rently under development by Raytheon and ity in that theatre. Indeed, one E-7A mission livered in early 2016. RAAF P-8As will arrive the US Navy from 2023 onwards. over Iraq recently lasted more than 17h, a at Edinburgh in late 2016, with IOC planned The Growler is expected to achieve an ini- world record for any 737-based airframe. for January 2018. tial operational capability with the RAAF in After a prolonged development, the The other part of Australia’s maritime 2018. Full operational capability will likely Wedgetail’s Northrop Grumman multirole reconnaissance requirement will likely be follow once the EW range is activated, and the electronically scanned array (MESA) radar is fulfilled by about seven Northrop Grumman F-35A and other complementary capabilities now achieving much greater stability with MQ-4C Triton UASs, which are expected to are introduced after 2023. each new software load, and in many param- be acquired from 2020 and will be operated Meanwhile the first two RAAF Lockheed eters is said to be exceeding the original by a new squadron from Edinburgh. Martin F-35As were delivered to the USAF Currently under development for the US F-35 training school at Luke AFB in Arizona Navy, a decision on an Australian Triton in December 2014. The RAAF has had a lead buy, project timings, and the allocation of engineer stationed there since June to induct funding is expected to be made as part of the the aircraft and to establish Australia’s detach- 2015 FSR/DWP process. ment within the centre. The first RAAF F-35 In the meantime, the RAAF has retained pilot commenced his conversion to the jet at the IAI Heron RPV capability it has built up in Eglin AFB in Florida on 26 January, and he operations over Afghanistan and which was and a second pilot are expected to arrive at recently returned to Australia. The RAAF is Luke in May. also seeking approval from government to So far Australia has just two F-35As on con- acquire a new middle tier armed UAS in the

tract. Long-lead production funding for anoth- of Australia Commonwealth General Atomics MQ-9B Predator Reaper er 12 F-35As has been committed, and these 24 Super Hornets were acquired in 2007 class from 2017. ■ flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 35 AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT TransportsAIRLIFT transition

The RAAF’s role as lead customer for the Airbus MRTT is an example of how Australia is reshaping its military airlift ﬂeet ANDREW MCLAUGHLIN SYDNEY

he Royal Australian Air Force’s air T transport capability is midway through a massive transformation that is revolutionising how it conducts operations.

Following the retirement of the DHC-4 of Australia Commonwealth Caribou in 2009 and Lockheed Martin C-130H The KC-30A multi-role tanker has had its operational debut with deployment to the UAE Hercules in 2011, the oldest type in the RAAF’s transport fleet is the Lockheed Martin Two RAAF C-130J-30s remain deployed to The C-17 is a major leap C-130J-30 Super Hercules, 12 of which entered the United Arab Emirates in support of ongo- service in 1999 and are operated by 37 ing Australian Defence Force operations in forward for Australia’s ability Squadron at RAAF Richmond near Sydney. Afghanistan, Iraq and the wider region. to carry out military and The C-130J has been extensively upgraded Soon to arrive in Australia will be the first humanitarian missions in recent years with new electronic warfare two of 10 new Alenia Aermacchi/L-3 COM and advanced communications systems, and C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifters. The the amalgamation of planned Block 7 and RAAF’s C-27J is the same as the now-retired Block 8.1 upgrades. Also planned is the ac- US Air National Guard/US Army-specified With the divestment of the JCA by the Air quisition of a high-fidelity fuselage trainer, the Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) configuration. The National Guard, L-3 last year established its addition of MIDS/Link-16 and SATCOM aircraft starts life as a “green” C-27J at Alenia own training centre at Waco using civilian communications to enable dynamic re-task- Aermacchi in Italy before ferrying to L-3 COM staff and utilises a full flight simulator and ing, new airdrop load validation work and the at Waco in Texas for the installation of cockpit cargo hold trainer located at Arlington in addition of a high-speed airdrop ramp, as well and cargo hold ballistic protection matting, an Texas. RAAF C-27J engineering staff com- as a revised flight training programme to pro- electronic warfare self-protection system, and menced training on the C-27J in December, duce seat-agile combat-efficient crews sooner. a comprehensive communications suite. while aircrew began in January.

AEROMEDICAL In remote areas, the RFDS is the sole provider of healthcare services Doctor’s orders

The Royal Flying Doctor service, which provides medical support in Australia’s vast outback, has undergone many changes EMMA KELLY PERTH

he Royal Flying Doctor Service is as T Australian as they come. The world’s ﬁrst and largest civilian aeromedical service started life in May 1928, when the Reverend John Flynn launched his Aerial Medical Service to provide vital healthcare to the people of rural and remote Australia. In its ﬁrst year of operation, the service provided care to 255 people. Today’s RFDS is very different, with 60-plus

RFDS aircraft operating from 22 bases throughout the

36 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

The aircraft will be operated by 35 Squadron The current fleet of six initially at Richmond, before moving north to C-17A Globemaster III RAAF Amberley near Brisbane in 2018. military transports is Initial operational capability for the C-27J is expected to be increased planned for December 2016, with ﬁnal opera- by two to four aircraft tional capability to follow a year later. Sched- uled to coincide with FOC is the addition of a dynamic re-tasking communications capability, while there is also reported to be interest within the ADF in the palletised gunship capabilities currently being developed by Alenia Aermacchi for the MC-27J Praetorian.

MISSIONS In the meantime, the RAAF’s current ﬂeet of six Boeing C-17A Globemaster IIIs operated by 36 Squadron at Amberley will soon be aug- mented with two to four more examples. Funding for two additional aircraft has already been approved for delivery in the next

12 months, while two more C-17s will be con- of Australia Commonwealth sidered as part of the Australian government’s current Force Structure Review and 2015 De- The Airbus Military KC-30A (A330 MRTT) be incorporated into the RAAF’s fleet and fence White Paper (FSR/DWP) process. has seen its operational debut in recent cleared for operational use from mid-2015. The C-17 is a major leap forward for months, with the deployment of an aircraft In the meantime, the upgraded Cobham Australia’s ability to respond to military and from 33 Sqn, also based at Amberley, to the 905E wingtip hose-and-drogue pods will soon humanitarian missions at a strategic level. UAE to provide air refuelling support to coali- be cleared for the full refuelling envelope after Compared with a C-130, a C-17 can be em- tion hose-and-drogue-equipped aircraft. the conclusion of a successful test program ployed twice as fast while carrying up to four Australia was the lead customer for the last November, while the KC-30A will also be times the amount of cargo. Southeast Asia is MRTT and the aircraft’s introduction was a equipped with MIDS/Link-16 for improved a full day’s flight away from Australia for a difficult and prolonged one due to develop- voiceless situational awareness. C-130, but a C-17 can be in the Middle East mental issues with the advanced refuelling Former defence minister David Johnston or Eastern Europe in the same time. Up- boom system (ARBS) and other systems. But suggested in August that government was grades currently planned include a secure ongoing development work by Airbus using considering the acquisition of an additional beyond-line-of-sight communications suite, one of the RAAF’s five aircraft as a testbed has KC-30, and this is anticipated as part of the as well as a dynamic retasking communica- resulted in new software and hardware for the FSR/DWP process around the middle of the tions capability. ARBS and other systems that are expected to year, possibly with a VIP interior fitted. ■

country. In 2013/14 the ﬂeet ﬂew 54,700 patients 14.3 million nm (26.4 million km) – an average of 39,100nm and 206 landings per day. Today, the service attends to 290,000 patients a year – or one person every 2min.

PREVENTION But the not-for-proﬁt organisation is not just about emergency medical retrieval, but also conducts vital health clinics –16,100 health clinics treated over 145,000 patients in 2013/14. In many remote areas, the RFDS is the only provider of healthcare services.

“It’s not enough to fly patients to hospital RFDS when they reach a critical health event – we Aircraft need to be able to operate from short and unimproved surfaces like dirt airstrips want to prevent these issues from occurring in the first place,” says chief executive Martin tions. It has a federated structure with each “Each section has different needs relating Laverty. “That’s why the Flying Doctor pro- division having its own management, with fi- to the services they provide and the patients vides preventative healthcare services, includ- nancial and operational independence. This they help, so at this stage we are placing or- ing mental health, dental health and chronic independence includes fleet decisions. Today’s ders separately,” says RFDS Queensland disease prevention and management.” fleet of 60-plus aircraft largely comprises Section, which operates 15 King Airs, three Today the RFDS comprises Central Opera- Beechcraft King Airs (B200, B200SE, B200C PC-12s and two Cessna 208s from nine operations, Queensland Section, South Eastern Sec- and B350C) and Pilatus PC-12s, with two tional bases. Like all RFDS divisions, the ❯❯ tion, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Opera- Cessna 208s and a sole jet – a Hawker 800XP. Queensland Section puts its aircraft through flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 37 AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

❯❯ its paces, recording 23,200 landings and COMMUNITY EMMA KELLY PERTH carrying 11,400 patients over 4.3 million nm VOLUNTEERS THREATENED BY NEW GUIDELINES in the 2013/14 financial year. Late last year, Queensland ordered two CHANGES COULD be ahead ing aviation organisation latory strategy that properly new King Air 350C Heavy Weight aircraft, for Australia’s community ser- (ASAAO); and conduct of balances consideration of the which have a built-in air stair, large cargo vices flight operators following operations under an Air safety risks inherent in a par- door, increased payload of 636kb (1,400lbs) a Civil Aviation Safety Authority Operator’s Certificate. Other ticular activity with rational ap- and long-range capability. The first is due for discussion paper on safety options involve operational proaches to the mitigation of delivery in April. standards for such flights op- requirements, including flight- those risks”. The authority erated on a voluntary basis. crew licensing requirements; also says it does not believe SELECTION Operators affected include aircraft operational limitations; the status quo “to be sound “Costs and efficiency are the driving force be- Angel Flight, which has con- aircraft certification and main- safety regulation”. hind our aircraft selection. We are particularly ducted more than 16,900 tenance requirements; and a Angel Flight chief executive interested in payload and range, which is why flights transporting people in public education programme. and founder Bill Bristow says we upgraded to the B350C,” says Queensland rural and remote Australia to CASA’s preferred option is Section, adding that it will most likely pur- medical treatment. Some “CASA’s crippling “crippling red tape” that could chase similar aircraft in the next few years. 2,800-plus volunteer pilots red tape could force the charity to shut down. RFDS Queensland, as well as Western Op- conduct the flights in their own Bristow says Angel Flight’s erations, have previously evaluated the Piaggio aircraft, with more than 2,600 force Angel Flights operational guidelines already P180 Avanti II as a potential platform, with the patients transferred since its to shut down” exceed the requirements of speed and cabin space of the high-speed turbo- launch in 2003. BILL BRISTOW private flight, with pilots re- prop of particular interest. Piaggio Aero has Last year, CASA released a Chief executive, Angel Flights quired to have a minimum of brought the aircraft to Australia a number of discussion paper proposing 250h in command, fly a VH times. RFDS Queensland does not confirm 10 options for future safety registered aircraft and provide whether it has discounted the Avanti, saying: management of the sector. CASA’s preferred option is proof of licence, ratings and “We will continue to consider all aircraft op- The options comprise adminis- an ASAAO, followed by a pilot medical currency. tions.” This could also include jets. trative ones, namely do noth- registration system, with spe- CASA says it received 65 Central Operations has stuck with the ing; status quo with passenger cific pilot experience and train- responses to the DP, which it is PC-12, currently operating 14, with a fifteenth safety briefing; additional pilot ing requirements, operational analysing. Once the analysis is to be delivered in May. “The PC-12 satisfacto- training and checking require- limitations and minimum air- completed, CASA will again rily meets all of our current needs and no ments; implementation of a craft standards. consult with the community wider evaluation is deemed necessary,” it says. volunteer community service It acknowledges the vital service flight operators to The fleet operates from three bases – Ade- pilot registration system; use role performed by operators, decide what changes, if any, laide and Port Augusta, in South Australia, and of an approved self-administer- but says it must adopt a “regu- are appropriate.” ■ Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Last year, Central Operations transferred almost 4,500 patients through Adelaide – a 12% in- RFDS Western operates 18 PC-12s and one Rio Tinto Life Flight Jet, with the support of crease on a decade ago. It is set to benefit from a Hawker 800XP, from Western Australia bases mining company Rio Tinto. The aircraft can new A$13 million ($10 million) aeromedical at Jandakot (Perth), Kalgoorlie, Derby, Port carry three stretcher patients and up to three base at Adelaide Airport, with construction to Hedland and Meekatharra. Construction on a clinical staff, and has transported more than start this year. new base in Broome is due to start soon, fol- 1,000 patients. It has a customised Lifeport In 2013/14, Central Operations flew 2.96 lowing a 236% increase in demand for its ser- PLUS aeromedical configuration and can fly million nm; completed 15,600 landings at 176 vices in northern Western Australia over the from any location in Western Australia to state locations; transported 8,920 patients; and con- past five years. In 2013/14, the fleet made more capital Perth within 3h. ducted 3,360 remote primary health clinics. than 16,000 landings, flew 4 million nm and While the nature and profiles of the different carried almost 9,000 patients. VERSATILE operations results in different operational Western Operations, which serves the coun- Western Operations is set to expand its jet fleet needs, Central Operations says it does work try’s largest state, is the only existing RFDS op- with the new Pilatus PC-24 twinjet, which jointly with Western Operations in their deal- erator of a jet. The 800XP has operated on criti- combines the versatility of a turboprop with ings with Pilatus, as both operate PC-12s. cal care missions for the past three years as the the cabin size and performance of a medium- light jet. It will have dual main wheels landing gear with an anti-skid braking system, a separate cargo door and an optimised wing for short-field performance. RFDS Western is reluctant to talk about the PC-24 as deliveries are not scheduled until 2017 and it has yet to finalise interiors and details. It is “very excited about the aircraft”, however, says Nick Harvey, executive general manager of corporate affairs. Western Operations signed a fleet sales contract with Pilatus for the PC-24, dubbed the

RFDS “super versatile jet”, at EBACE in 2014, com- Beechcraft King Airs are favoured by many sections of Australia’s aeromedical service mitting to three and one option.

38 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

a RFDS aircraft ﬁtted with communications and medical equipment to schools to highlight the important role the RFDS plays. Before an aircraft enters service with the RFDS it requires an extensive medical ﬁt-out – costing over A$1 million.

EQUIPMENT Central Operations says medical equipment is installed in Australia by its own engineers. “This includes installation of a speciﬁc medi- Central Operations cal oxygen supply and electrical power. Fol- relies on the PC-12, lowing aircraft delivery, the cabin is ﬁtted out with 14 currently in with purpose-designed and constructed cabi- its fleet and a further netry and shelving. Installation of the mount- example on order ing system that provides for location and re-

RFDS straint of stretchers is also completed, along with fitment of the purpose-designed and built “The challenge for us was RFDS South Eastern Section, meanwhile, Stretcher Loading Device [SLD],” it explains. favours the King Air, with 19 of the type flying The SLD is an electrically-driven lifting device to combine a turboprop’s from seven bases, including Tasmania, per- to raise and lower stretchers. strengths with a jet’s speed” forming more than 16,500 landings in 2013/14 Additional equipment is also required, in- GRAHAME MARSHALL and covering 2.6 million nm. Three older air- cluding satellite phone, intercom and dedicat- Chief executive, Western Operations craft will be retired by the end of this year. ed communication radios. The two stretchers Victoria RFDS undertakes non-emergency inside each aircraft fit directly into an ambu- patient transport using a King Air B200 based lance, allowing seamless transfer of patients. Western Operations chief executive at Melbourne’s Essendon Airport and a fleet of The RFDS has developed its own equip- Grahame Marshall said: “With the vast distanc- 47 road ambulances, transporting 377 patients ment to serve the needs of a changing popula- es we serve across WA, covering some 2.5 mil- by air in 2013/14 – a 41% increase on the pre- tion. Western Operations, for example, devel- lion square km, the challenge for us has been vious year. “In Victoria, RFDS is working in oped a bariatric stretcher for patients who are how to combine a turboprop’s strengths, like partnership with community health organisa- too tall or too heavy for a regular stretcher. The its dependability and its ability to operate from tions to improve the health and wellbeing of retrofitted stretcher is one metre long, two me- short and unimproved surfaces, with a jet’s our rural communities,” says Jacqui deKievit, tres wide and can hold up to 300kg, and in- speed – and that is exactly what the PC-24 will general manager marketing and fundraising. cludes a retrofit system that allows a PC-12 to now deliver.” Enhanced accessibility through The RFDS is filling in the gaps in the health be fitted within half an hour. its huge aft cargo door is another bonus, said system with innovative programmes, includ- Western Operations currently has one bari- Marshall. The RFDS worked closely with ing mobile dental care, women’s services, dia- atric stretcher in operation, with plans to have Pilatus in the definition phase of the PC-24. betes and cardiovascular programmes and ed- at least another two built for the Derby and Port The PC-24, which was rolled out last Au- ucation programmes, including the Look! Up Hedland bases. “The bariatric stretcher is a ❯❯ gust, is due to make its first flight in the next programme, which takes a life-sized replica of world first,” it says. few months, with certification and deliveries scheduled for the second half of 2017. Central Operations is also showing interest in the PC-24, although it stresses any acquisition “must be driven by an identified and sup- portable operational need”. It says: “The PC-24 is emerging as a unique small jet that should work well in the aeromedical role.” Central Operations is attracted by its single pilot operation, approval for gravel runways and standard large, rear cargo door and flat floor. RFDS RFDS Medical equipment is installed in Australia Purpose-designed technology includes the electrically-driven Stretcher Loading Device flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 39 TakingCOVER STORY on the world RFDS Central Operations transferred almost 4,500 patients through Adelaide last year Ownership by India’s Mahindra ❯❯ has seen the former Gippsland Western Operations conducts medical fit- vice levels were maintained, says Laverty. The evolve from a niche, local GA outs at its Jandakot base. The job takes 760h and service’s next four-year Commonwealth fund- includes modifications to the aircraft landing ing agreement will commence this year. manufacturer to a global player gear to allow for take-off and landing on dirt air- Sections conduct their own fundraising. “To EMMA KELLY PERTH strips, along with a custom-built stretcher sys- continue to meet the needs of West Australians tem with a hydraulic lifting device. The interior around our vast state, our team at the RFDS ith a manufacturing base in Australia, a is equipped with a full range of medical devic- must be increasingly innovative and efficient Wmarketing and assembly operation in es, including a defibrillator, ventilator, oxygen in its approach and thinking and continually the USA, a growing global sales and support and suction system. look for new ways to ensure we can improve network and ownership by an Indian our capability and build a strong and sustaina- conglomerate, Mahindra Aerospace is truly a FUNDING ble foundation,” says Western Operations. global company. South Eastern Section spends A$1.25 million Demand for services drives the high hours Mahindra, formerly Gippsland Aeronaut- on its specialised interior, including the patient aircraft operate and the huge distances they ics (and later GippsAero), was once a small, handling system, interior coverings that can be cover, meaning aircraft need to be replaced Australian niche manufacturer of utility air- sterilised after each mission, and a range of about every 10 years. “We need to purchase up craft, having started out as an aircraft mainte- communications, including VHF, UHF, HF, sat- to two new aircraft every year, which is a huge nance and modification business. But since phone and GSM mobile. The section has con- financial challenge,” says Western Operations, its acquisition by Indian automotive and in- verted some of its aircraft to a multirole config- which has established an Aeromedical Fund to formation technology group Mahindra in uration, allowing them to perform air make it easier for people to donate. 2009, the company, now Mahindra ambulance, specialised transfer and clinic Aerospace, has been spreading its wings. transport missions. “This will enable us to use “Fuel costs, maintenance As a small, Australian company, Gippsland aircraft much more efficiently,” says chief ex- costs and exchange rates was successful in getting its flagship product, ecutive Greg Sam. South Eastern Section has the Airvan 8 (formerly the GA8 Airvan) into also incorporated an increased gross weight affect our aviation running international markets. The high-wing, eight- modification – from the standard 12,500lbs to and capital acquisition costs” seat, piston-powered utility aircraft, certificat- 13,500lbs to carry more fuel. RFDS QUEENSLAND SECTION ed by the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Au- Funding is an ongoing issue for all sections thority in 2000, is now operating in more than and probably its greatest challenge as demand 34 countries, in roles ranging from air taxi, for services increases. In total, 48% of RFDS In the resource-rich state of Western Aus- freight, tourism, missionary work, skydiving funding comes from state and territory govern- tralia, Western Operations has secured consid- and law enforcement, thanks to its low operat- ments, 27% from federal government, 15% erable corporate support from resources coming costs and versatility. Numerous versions from fundraising activities and 10% from other panies. Last year Rio Tinto renewed its funding and upgrades have followed. sources such as private contracts. commitment – A$6 million – for the Life Flight During the 2013/14 financial year, demand jet for another four years, while BHP Billiton GEOGRAPHY for RFDS aeromedical services grew by 5.9%. contributed A$4.5 million to the section’s air- In January, Mahindra was assembling Airvan 8 Since 2006/7, the RFDS has seen a 30% in- craft replacement programme, which was put number 209 at its Latrobe Valley, Victoria, crease in demand for its Commonwealth-fund- towards four new PC-12s. Grain growers co- manufacturing facility, which has a produced traditional services. At the start of 2014, the operative CBH Group committed A$300,000 to tion capacity of two to three aircraft per month. service received an additional A$6 million the RFDS Airstrip Survey and Evaluation pro- Following its manufacture in Australia, the air- from the Federal Budget, which ensured ser- gramme, which is assessing more than 700 aircraft, destined for American customer Spectra strips across the state. Energy, was due to be disassembled and “Funding and efficiency of operations is a shipped to the USA, where it will be reassem- constant challenge,” says the Queensland Sec- bled by Soloy Aviation Solutions. Soloy was tion. “Fuel costs, maintenance costs and for- appointed in 2012 to conduct assembly of the eign exchange rates affect our aviation running Airvan 8 for the North American market in an and capital acquisition costs.” effort to boost sales of the type there. Central Operations agrees: “Funding is al- The arrangement seems to be paying off, as ways a challenge as it is dependent upon gov- Mahindra has gained a foothold in a market ernments of all persuasions, as well as the with 43 now in operation. Jon Dauplaise, Ma- economic climate. Foreign exchange rates are hindra’s US-based vice-president global sales also significant as aircraft and major over- and marketing, says Soloy assembles the air- hauls are in US dollars. Fuel is the other mat- craft whenever it makes “geographical sense”. ter than can vary and to that end we are now Recent changes in regulations regarding

RFDS all with one fuel provider, bringing savings seating for piston-powered aircraft by the In- Two new aircraft are required every year via aggregated usage.” ■ dian government mean the manufacturer will

40 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

Mahindra’s flagship product, the eight-seat piston-powered Airvan 8, is now operating in more than 34 countries soon be able to sell its aircraft there, with port,” says Dauplaise. “You have to get sales Alaska, for example, where the Airvan 8 has

Mahindra Mahindra having “aggressive plans in India”, first and once you’ve established a foothold in secured recent sales, a version with says Dauplaise. the market, put the support in place. It’s very retractable skis will be available early this In addition, certification of the type was re- hard to support from Australia,” he adds. year. An intelligence, surveillance and recon- cently received in China – where Mahindra is Following the appointment of dealers in naissance version, developed with Summit “very optimistic” about sales. Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and North Amer- Aviation, is also planned. Over the past couple of years, Mahindra ica, South America and particularly Brazil are has been concentrating on establishing a glob- the next focus, says Dauplaise. The Airvan 8 CUSTOMISATION al sales and support network for its aircraft received Brazilian certification last October Development also continues of a float version, and this effort is set to continue. “Our focus and the rugged environment makes the coun- which the manufacturer has been working on this year and next is on building an eco-sys- try an ideal market for the type. with US float specialist Wipaire since 2011. tem and support network. You don’t want to Further development of the Airvan 8 is Dauplaise says he prefers not to put a timeline just pump aircraft into a market without sup- under way. For the cold weather market, in on that programme, which has been held up by the northern hemisphere winter, as frozen lakes have halted the flight-test programme. Last year, Mahindra launched an executive interior for the Airvan 8 as an option in a bid to compete with its primary competitor, the Cessna 206, in the private owner-flown market. The Airvan 8 has always performed strongly in the utility market but underperformed in the private owner market – and the customised interior, which would be installed in the USA, is an attempt to address this, he says. When Mahindra first acquired Gippsland, it had ambitions of growing the Airvan family with two more members – the Airvan 10 and Airvan 18 (the former Nomad) within two years. While that ambition has not been fulfilled, work on new family members continues, with certification of the Airvan 10 pro- gressing, according to Dauplaise. The Airvan 10 is a stretch of the Airvan 8, featuring 10 seats, and is based on the same

Mahindra concept as its eight-seat cousin, namely sim- ❯❯ The type’s roles range from air taxi to freight, tourism, skydiving and law enforcement plicity at low operating costs. The programme flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 41 AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

MANUFACTURING EMMA KELLY PERTH ACQUISITION AND AUTHORITIES TAKE THEIR TOLL ON AUSTRALIA’S INDUSTRY

TWO OF Australia’s other niche visual flight rules, require aircraft to aviation market,” says Sue Woods, ard of maintenance and is continu- manufacturers, Jabiru Aircraft and be flown so they can at all times business manager. ing research and development to Seabird Aviation had their own glide clear of a populous area, The industry body representing make the engines more robust. developments in 2014. require passengers and trainee Australia’s ultralight, recreational Meanwhile, former Australian In December, Australian regula- pilots flying solo to sign a state- and light sport aircraft sectors, manufacturer Seabird Aviation was tor CASA imposed precautionary ment saying they are aware of and Recreational Aviation Australia acquired last year by Seeker operating restrictions on aircraft accept the risk of an engine failure (RA-Aus) expressed “serious con- America, subsidiary of US aero- equipped with Jabiru Aircraft and require trainee pilots to have cern” and accused CASA of space company CSI Aviation. The engines due to reliability issues. “ misconduct” over the issue. former Hervey Bay, Queensland Privately-owned Bundaberg, “Irreparable damage “While we concede that the manufacturer had spent 30-plus Queensland-based Jabiru has been caused to actions taken are in relation to the years developing and establishing manufactures four-cylinder 2200cc reliability of Jabiru engines and a global market for its fixed-wing and six-cylinder 3300cc engines the already fragile agree that said engines display Seeker patrol and surveillance air- which are fitted to about 1,300 Australian aviation markedly lower reliability figures craft. The aircraft was manufac- aircraft operating in Australia, industry by the than competitor engines, it is our tured in Hervey Bay, with licensed including its own light aircraft. belief that irreparable damage has production in Jordan at Seabird The move followed “a high num- regulator’s actions” been caused to the already fragile Aviation Jordan (which has since ber of Jabiru engine failures and RA-AUS Australian aviation industry as a closed), and sold 12 aircraft in power loss incidents, some of result of the regulator’s actions,” Australia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Jordan, which resulted in aircraft forced RA-Aus says. the United Arab Emirates, the landings”, CASA said. The regulator recently and successfully complet- United States, South Africa and says more than 45 Jabiru engine ed engine failure exercises before MAINTENANCE Tanzania, under founder Don failures or in-flight engine incidents solo flights. The manufacturer says data Adams and then son Peter. were reported in 2014. Issues Jabiru has disputed CASA’s provided to CASA indicates 40 en- The family company spent dec- include failures of through bolts, findings and says the action has gine incidents in 2014, including ades trying to grow the business, flywheel bolts and valve train as- “severely damaged” its reputation 12 stoppages in-flight which re- but sold it last year, recognising semblies, as well as cylinder crack- internationally. “It will change quired forced landings, with no seri- that new investment was needed to ing – encountered primarily by recreational aviation in Australia ous injuries or fatalities, out of make it successful. At the time of aircraft used for flying training. long-term. It is a clear sign that nearly 41,800 flying hours and the purchase, Albuquerque-based CASA now wants to take control of 92,700 flights in Australia. Seeker America said production STAKEHOLDERS this segment of aviation. This extra Woods says it will run more train- would eventually move to North CASA says it is currently working oversight by CASA has already de- ing courses for Jabiru owners and America. Seeker Aircraft America with Jabiru and other stakeholders terred many from the recreational maintainers to try to lift the stand- president and chief executive of- to identify the causes and to imple- ficer David Pohlman now says: ment appropriate solutions, investi- “Manufacture of the Seeker aircraft gating design and mechanical will be done in Australia for the im- issues, how aircraft are flown and mediate future. When demand ex- maintenance-related issues. ceeds the capacity of the Australian CASA imposed the limitations in facility, we will grow capacity else- late December, having released a where. In this scenario, Seabird will draft consultation in November, to produce parts and major sub-as- which it received 630 responses. semblies for the aircraft at the facil- The regulator modified its origi- ity in Hervey Bay.” nal proposal but the limitations, The company will focus sales

which remain in place up to June, Seabird activities on North and Latin restrict flights to day time under The Seeker patrol type is now owned by an American company America, he adds. ■

❯❯ was launched in 2011, with first flight in Dauplaise says there is “tremendous inter- Mahindra is less forthcoming about the May 2012 and originally aiming for 2013 cer- est” in the aircraft, especially in North Ameri- former Nomad programme. GippsAero tification. The aircraft is still in development ca. As a result, the manufacturer has high purchased the type certificate for the former and “well on track”, says Dauplaise, adding hopes of the Airvan 10 exceeding the success Australian government aircraft from Boeing that the aircraft is “stable and predictable”, of the Airvan 8, with 30-40 aircraft deliveries Australia in May 2008, with the intention of but declining to put a date on certification. a year forecast. Just as GippsAero/Mahindra upgrading it with new engines, propellers, “The certification process is lengthy,” he says, did with the Airvan 8, the Airvan 10 will un- empennage and a glass cockpit and conceding that the programme is not on its dergo constant development. relaunching it as the 18-seat GA18. When original schedule. The Airvan 10, along with the Airvan 8, Mahindra purchased the Australian The aircraft will receive Australian certifi- will be flying and on display in the static park manufacturer, it confirmed its intention to cation first, but the manufacturer is trying to at this year’s Australian International Air- continue with the programme, planning to do as much work as possible for US Federal show to be held at Avalon Airport, Victoria, bring it to market within two years. The Aviation Administration certification as well. from 24 February-1 March. manufacturer has since focused develop-

42 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

ROTORCRAFT Rich. “However, the AHIA is concerned at the slump of growth during the first six months of Regulating the current fiscal year – July to December,” he points out. During this period, the fleet has a regulator only grown by six helicopters. “Some industry observers claim the falling dollar, drought in Northern Australia and un- Australia’s helicopter sector is certainty about the final regulatory restructure struggling to maintain momentum by CASA may be the culprits,” says Rich. as relations between the industry Last year was “one of the most frustrating and confusing years in the history of the [Aus- and CASA spiral downwards tralian] aviation industry”, he says. In the case EMMA KELLY PERTH of the helicopter sector, this involved “widespread misunderstandings between the regu- rowth in Australia’s once-booming lator [CASA] and industry, frustrated by in- G helicopter sector is slowing down at a creased costs, complexity of new rules, time when the industry is grappling with a non-conformity within the ranks of the regu- series of obstacles. lator and lack of communication regarding Over the past decade, the Australian heli- proposed changes”. copter sector has grown by 6-8% a year – at

Mahindra least twice the rate of the nation’s GDP and RESIGNATION A 10-seat version of the Airvan is planned three to four times faster than the general avia- The year saw significant changes at CASA, with tion sector, according to Rob Rich, secretary of the resignation of director of aviation safety John ment on the Airvan 10. Of the Airvan 18, the Australian Helicopter Industry Associa- McCormick at the beginning of the year, depart- Dauplaise says: “It has not been shelved per tion, which was established two years ago to ing at the end of August, and a lengthy search se, but until the Airvan 10 is certificated we represent the growing sector. for his replacement. His successor, retired air are not working on it.” In 1997, Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety vice marshall Mark Skidmore, was named in The manufacturer is still evaluating the Authority register listed 650 helicopters. October and took over the reins in January. Airvan 18 and will conduct proper research Today, there are 2,110: 1,314 single-engine pis- In the meantime, the Aviation Safety Regu- once the Airvan 10 programme is completed, ton helicopters (63% of the total fleet), 554 sin- lation Review, commonly known as the Dauplaise adds. gle-engine turbines (26%) and 242 multi-en- Forsyth Review was published. Following gine helicopters (11%). The majority of the years of growing animosity between the local “You can’t pump aircraft into fleet (767) is based in Queensland, followed by industry and the regulator and concerns over a market without support. It’s New South Wales (437), Western Australia the regulatory reform process, in November (341), Victoria (271), the Northern Territory 2013 the Australian government launched the hard to support from Australia (192), South Australia (48), Tasmania (46) and independent review of Australia’s aviation JON DAUPLAISE the Australian Capital Territory (eight), with safety regulatory system. VP global sales and marketing, Mahindra the fleet employed in roles and industries rang- The report was issued in May 2014, making ing from mustering, resources, tourism, execu- 37 recommendations and criticising CASA’s tive transport, medical emergency and rescue. “hard-line” approach. It states: “The current Since becoming foreign owned, questions In fiscal 2013/14, helicopter registrations relationship between industry and the regula- over whether Australian production will increased by 153 aircraft from 1,951 to 2,104 tor is cause for concern. In recent years, the ❯❯ continue have hung over Mahindra or 7.8%, which was a “good result”, says regulator has adopted an across the board Aerospace. A restructure of the Australian operation in 2013, which involved the loss of 39 jobs because of the tough conditions in the utility aircraft market and the strong Aus- tralian dollar, intensified concerns that work would be transferred to India. The parent has a growing component manufacturing facility in Bangalore. The company employs 152 at its Australian facility, with a further 26 employed at Aerostaff in Australia, which was acquired at the same time as GippsAero, and four employed in North America. The market has picked up since the restructure and “things are generally better”, according to Dauplaise. Mahindra has “every intention” that the Airvan 10 will roll down Heliflite is the Australian the production line in Australia, he says. distributor for Robinson Mahindra is a $16 billion global company rotorcraft, as well as and “fully intends to maintain and grow the AugustaWestland [aerospace] business”. ■ flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 43 AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

❯❯ hard-line philosophy, which in the Pan- el’s view, is not appropriate for an advanced aviation nation such as Australia. As a result, relationships between industry and CASA have, in many cases, become adversarial.”

CRITICISM The report also criticised the regulatory reform programme – which “has been ongoing for over two decades and has changed direc- tion several times”, resulting in “widespread ‘reform fatigue’ within the industry”. Australian helicopter operators are facing a “tsunami of new rules”, explains Rich, which are often completely different from previous versions in both content and language, “sup- posedly to align with International Civil Avia- tion Organisation procedures”, although the result is often regulations that are “overly com- plicated, verbose legalese and in some cases far from clear intent”. Rich says: “Operators are angry that workers at the ‘coal face’ have to try and understand thousands of pages of difficult- Coax Helicopters is expected to present at Avalon this year to-understand rules. All major aviation associations are promoting the simple and plain Eng- The AHIA is also concerned about the lish legislation used by New Zealand.” Australian Air Transport Operators – Rotor- STATE OF THE INDUSTRY craft (Part 133) rules. Rich says that in October The regulator has adopted a 2014, Europe switched to similar “restrictive The AHIA is aiming for a significant hard-line philosophy, which rules” introducing a single standard when helicopter presence at this year’s using helicopters for passenger-carrying air Australian International Airshow, which is not appropriate for an transport operations. “Pushing the helicopter will take place at Avalon Airport, Victoria, advanced aviation nation industry up into the compliance levels used from 27 February to 1 March. The AHIA will run a technical AVIATION SAFETY REGULATION REVIEW by airlines has resulted in much angst,” says Rich, adding that amended multi-engine per- conference at the show, with presenta- formance standards under development in tions from Airservices Australia CASA on Rich says a number regulatory issues are Australia are causing “considerable debate”. regulatory changes affecting the sector, causing high workloads for commercial heli- Aerial Work Operations – Rotorcraft (Part AHIA working groups and companies copter operators, including new rules concern- 138) rules are also causing concern, especially including Australian coaxial helicopter ing fatigue management for flight crew, which in aircrew licensing matters, he says. design company Coax Helicopters. came into effect in April 2013 and which op- The AHIA has been particularly vocal in its Local operators will be able to display erators have until 30 April 2016 to implement. criticisms of new Flight Crew Licensing (Part their helicopters at no cost during the Integrated and multi-crew pilot flight train- 61) requirements, which it believes include show in an AHIA heli-park. ing and contracted recurrent training and complex requirements for flying schools that it checking (Part 142) rules are also causing expects will have a negative effect on that sec- problems. Rich says they are a set of complex tor, says Rich. “Current trends show a retrac- rules providing structured flight training action in the training market – fewer students – flying schools could drop from 30 to below 20. tivities that lead to the issue of multi-crew li- as industry awaits the final rewrite of CASR The AHIA last year called on the government cences and integrated courses for the issue of Part 61 [instrument and manual of standards],” to delay the planned September 2014 imple- a private or commercial pilot licence. he says, predicting the number of helicopter mentation of Part 61, believing the regulations would add further costs to industry, are too complex, offer no perceived safety benefits and could adversely impact the helicopter industry. However, Part 61 became effective on 1 September, with a four-year transition period. The AHIA was established precisely to give the sector a voice when it comes to issues such as regulatory changes. The sector had been without a representative body since the demise of the Helicopter Association of Aus- tralasia in 2007 during the global financial crisis. “Since then, continuing steady growth and increasing pressure from the regulator in-

Heliwest troducing more complex, costly and poorly Heliwest operates a rotorcraft fleet including the Bell 427 and Bell 212/412 helicopters understood Civil Aviation Safety Regulations

44 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

UNMANNED SYSTEMS aligned with European protocols has resulted “There is a lot of interest from our allies, in a very concerned industry wanting better especially maritime nations,” Mackey tells representation,” says Rich. Scanning Flightglobal. “Triton can provide an unblink- The association currently has 100-plus ing eye where a 24-hour mission can cover corporate members and a similar number of the waves 2.7 million square miles, which is perfect for individual members. protecting fisheries, oil assets, monitoring When it was established, Rich says the steer- boat people, not to mention protecting mari- ing committee of the AHIA “carefully investi- Several nations are interested in time borders. They are all watching us as we gated the needs of our industry which had un- the US Navy’s latest UAV, the go forward.” dergone steady growth over several decades. It MQ-4C Triton – and Australia Australia will become the first export cus- was obvious the industry was misjudging tomer for the MQ-4C, Prime Minister Tony some of the goalposts looming across the hori- will be the first export customer Abbott announced in March. The Royal Aus- zon. The need for more multi-engine IFR crews DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC tralian Air Force plans to base them at Edin- and highly qualified maintenance technicians burgh alongside its fleet of 18 Lockheed was often debated, but little action was taken.” ne by one in late 2014, the US Navy’s AP-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft. The AHIA set to work with the formation of Othree newest unmanned surveillance air- Tritons there will perform high-altitude numerous working groups to provide feedback craft left Edwards AFB in California, skirted broad-area surveillance of the nation’s north- to the regulator on proposed regulatory chang- the nation’s southern border, and landed safe- ern maritime interests and littorals. As with es. It also worked to get the industry together to ly at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Vir- US Navy operational plans, Triton will play address its issues, including re-establishing the ginia, where each will have its brain rewired. spotter for other aircraft like the P-8 Poseidon Rotortech conference and exhibition, held in Relocating the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C on anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare May 2014 on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. It Tritons to the East Coast is in preparation for and search and rescue missions. is also working with international bodies, such an operational assessment of the aircraft later as the US-based Helicopter Association Inter- this year to demonstrate whether the un- “Triton can provide an eye national, on international issues. manned air vehicles can keep persistent where a 24h mission covers watch over the world’s oceans. 2.7 million square miles” MORATORIUM The navy paid $548 million to procure the The AHIA has teamed up with other sectors three systems and set aside another $378 mil- MIKE MACKEY of the country’s aviation industry in an effort lion in research, development, test and evalu- Programme manager, Northrop MQ-4C to tackle issues facing it. It is a member of the ation funding in its fiscal year 2016 budget. Australian Aviation Associations’ Forum, for The ferry flights were made with a software example, which met in November 2014 to configuration called integrated functional ca- The US Navy has plans for five global discuss a range of “urgent aviation issues”. pability (IFC) 2.1 installed on the aircraft and Triton orbits, one of which will be based in The TAAAF complained that the Australi- ground station. That included a wideband sat- Guam. Sean Burke, MQ-4C programme man- an government had only delivered about 40% ellite communications capability that allowed ager for Naval Air Systems Command, will of its 12 key aviation election commitments. long-range control of the aircraft. It was an in- not shed light on other basing possibilities Of particular concern was a perceived “lack of cremental improvement on IFC 1, which was but an orbit is expected to be positioned near drive and commitment to act urgently on avi- used for initial envelope expansion at Edwards the Indian Ocean, he says. Each Triton bas- ation”, including its failure at that time to AFB and was completed spring 2014. ing decision will be made in co-ordination respond to the Forsyth report. Successful completion of the flights has in- with positioning of the navy’s deployed The TAAAF also called on the government trigued potential international customers, fleets, Burke says. to establish a moratorium on all CASA regula- who are closely monitoring progression of While Australia intends to purchase the tory development work until the new CASA testing towards operational assessment this Triton, no date has been set for it to enter ser- chief was fully operational, the board had been summer, says Mike Mackey, Northrop’s vice, though 2020 is thought to be the target. ❯❯ appointed and it had made a clear response to MQ-4C programme manager. That decision will be made following an Aus- the Forsyth report. The forum said the new Part 61 regulations that “should immediately be suspended to prevent further damage to the industry”. Part 61 is not acceptable to the industry in its current form and is a threat to the viability of some sectors of the industry, it said, and a joint industry/CASA taskforce should be appointed to apply the principles of “sound regulatory development.” The government finally tabled its response to the Forsyth Review in December and said it has fully agreed to, or agreed to undertake a more detailed examination of, 36 of the report’s 37 recommendations – rejecting one proposing the Australian Transport Safety Bureau pass its safety education function to CASA. The government has also expanded the CASA board

and appointed new board members, as well as US Navy the new CASA director of aviation safety. ■ Australia’s examples of the surveillance type are expected to enter service around 2020 flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 45 AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

The nation is likely to need between six and eight Tritons to be bought through the foreign military sales process tralian ministry of defence white paper sched- Australia and other potential “Ground and lab testing of system com- uled for release within months. Australia is munications and datalink architectures are likely to need between six and eight Tritons to customers are waiting for producing early deficiency reports in sup- be bought through the foreign military sales Northrop Grumman to work port of efforts to improve system maturity Northrop Grumman process. kinks out of the development before mission system flight testing begin,” the report says. SYSTEMS DOT&E calls for the navy to complete op- Mackey also mentions the UK and Norway as erational assessment before fiscal year 2015 watching the Triton programme as it moves customers are also waiting for the navy and ends in October to prevent further LRIP de- from testing to operational assessment. That Northrop Grumman to continue working kinks lays. By the end of fiscal year 2015, the navy process began in January with a software up- out of the development schedule, which was should “demonstrate tactics and procedures grade to all three systems. Additions of de-ic- re-baselined in December 2013. The shift af- that will enable Triton to descend and operate ing mechanisms and eventually an aerial fected overall programme scheduling and in medium- and low-altitude environments,” sense-and-avoid radar might allow Germany pushed back the deadline to begin low-rate ini- the report says. to resurrect the defunct Euro Hawk pro- tial production (LRIP), according to a report To accomplish those goals, all three gramme using Triton. Global Hawk was from the Pentagon’s director of operational test MQ-4Cs have now been outfitted with IFC dropped as a possibility because it lacked and evaluation (DOT&E). Re-baselining also 2.2, which allows sensor functionality on the those systems, which are required to fly in provided additional time for risk-reduction aircraft and transmission of operational European commercial airspace. testing prior to operational assessment, the re- sensor data to the ground control station, Australia and other potential international port says. Burke says. Ground testing began in the week of 26 January and will run for about six weeks, during which time engineers will check the sensors and software and recheck the systems that have already been validated prior to the ferry flights.

SENSORS The navy was aiming to conduct the first mission with operational sensors under IFC 2.2 configuration by 1 February, but the target date has been pushed back to late February or early March. That flight will allow a functional test of all the aircraft’s systems and sensors, Burke says. There should be few surprises, as the navy has two years of flight test of the multifunction active sensor (MFAS) aboard a Northrop Grumman-owned Gulfstream GII surrogate aircraft. The first several flights of the MQ-4C with operational MFAS will mirror the envelope and mission profiles of sorties already completed aboard the GII. Triton carries an AN/ZPY-3 MFAS that includes an active electronically scanned

Northrop Grumman array mounted on a mechanically rotated The multifunction active sensor aboard the UAS has already been extensively tested 360˚ pedestal.

46 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com AUSTRALIA SPECIAL REPORT

“That entire assembly we took and mounted it on the Gulfstream and over the past three years completed 42 test ﬂight events,” Burke says. “The entire purpose was to mature the radar performance and identify problem areas that we needed to ﬁx in a testbed environment prior to putting it on the Triton.” Problems did arise with sensor stability, maritime target surveillance and tracking performance, and synthetic aperture radar image quality, according to the Pentagon’s 2014 annual operational test and evaluation report. The programme implemented radar software changes to correct those issues prior to installing the hardware on Triton, the report says. “Other UAS platforms have experienced degradation in performance when sensors move from surrogate platforms to the devel-

opmental aircraft,” the report says. “It is likely Northrop Grumman that some degradation is possible with Triton Since arriving on the US East Coast the aircraft have had sensors and software installed as well, but the continuing MFAS test flights on the surrogate have reduced the risk of ini- “So we then will carry that on through a “[The Triton] will be ready tial integration.” total seven flights that will lead us to be ready Triton’s sensors therefore will be tested on for operational assessment in mid- to late for operational assessment the ground before its first fully operational May,” Mackey says. in mid- to late May” flight with IFC 2.2, Burke says. Since arriving MIKE MACKEY DE-ICING on the East Coast the aircraft have had sensor Programme manager, Northrop MQ-4C hardware and software installed and received In order to operate at sea, the Triton must be routine maintenance. They also underwent a able to swoop low through clouds to peer at series of electromagnetic interference tests to the ocean surface. Unlike its cousin the “When you are looking at the ground build- ensure emissions from the aircraft will not in- Global Hawk, Triton has wing de-icing capa- ings aren’t moving and you can build an algo- terfere with data transmission and other on- bilities to deal with such environmental ex- rithm to look for things that are in motion, but board systems, he says. tremes. The aircraft are equipped with the sea is in a constant state of flux,” he says. All three prototypes will be available for thumpers that break ice that accumulates “We had to figure out how to remove the clut- flight testing, but two are likely to be put into along the leading edge of the wings, but they ter that’s out there because there are wave tops a one-flight-week rotation in the run-up to are not yet functional. IFC 3 will integrate the and all sorts of things moving. The software is OA, while the third will undergo ground- software to control the de-icing equipment, he what is able to differentiate that from other based electromagnetic testing and non-sensor says. That configuration is set to fly before the signal returns. We also have to take into con- envelope-expansion, he says. end of the year. sideration different sea states and from different altitudes, angles and ranges.” Triton will also have to spy on littoral areas that encompass shallow water, crowded ports and heavy surface vessel traffic, another unique challenge for a maritime optimised ISR platform with a limited payload capability. “The littorals are a very intense environment compared to what you would do over a land environment,” he says. The navy plans to install air traffic de- confliction and collision avoidance radar that will operate under a future software configuration, but has scrapped plans for an air-to-air radar subsystem (AARSS) as a sense-and-avoid system, the DOT&E report says. Triton will have to operate from bases with ground-based radar until an AARSS solution can be found. Software configuration IFC 4, which is scheduled to come online around 2018, will include operational capability for a sense-

US Navy and-avoid radar being developed in co-opera- Ground testing began in the week of 26 January and is expected to run for six weeks tion with Excelis, Mackey says. ■ flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 47 STRAIGHT&LEVEL

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

Biman DC-10... Know your enemy rest in pieces Rex Features The public are advised to So, a final farewell then to Biman familiarise themselves with the Bangladesh’s McDonnell Douglas appearance of DC-10, which made its last flight British and last year. German Airships The 1979-built trijet, now in and Aeroplanes. storage in Dhaka and originally Should hostile aircraft be seen, operated by Singapore Airlines, is take shelter immediately in the being offered in bits, with tenders nearest available house and being issued for its airframe and remain there until the aircraft separate landing gears. Responses have left the vicinity. are due by 3 March. Weather eye open The private citizen often jeers at Carpet bombs Last year it departed from service. Now it’s being de-parted our weather forecasts because Ever considered the idea of they do not tell him brightening up your house or if it will be safe for office with an authentic hand- created them. Boeing south him to leave his woven Afghan rug depicting Later, says WarRug.com, strict umbrella at home unmanned air vehicles, F-16s Taliban rules about depicting Awkward moment at last week’s today. But that is a matter of or Kalashnikovs? people or even animals in art Pacific Northwest Aerospace local forecasting, which is very It might seem the ultimate in encouraged weavers to seek Alliance conference in Seattle different from the weather poor taste, but the floor- other Sharia-compatible subjects. when attendees had to endure plotting which has to be studied coverings are considered an infomercial about Charleston. before large-scale military collectors’ items and important The city, of course, tempted operations can be undertaken. historical artefacts, according to Acro-nimble local hero Boeing to build its WarRug.com, which says it Ever wondered why futuristic new, non-union factory in South Joining forces began selling the rugs in flea engineering studies are always Carolina, to the fury of The Minister of Aviation markets in New York, and known by rather cheesy Washington State politicians, announced on Tuesday, nowadays offers them for sale names, where the snappy labour organisations and February 9, that on its website. abbreviation appears to have suppliers. Britain and the Although rug weaving is a been thought of first, before the To an audience of Boeing-in- USA were planning tradition going back thousands full title was tortuously the-blood northwesterners, that to develop jointly of years in central Asia, the worked out around it: Next-gen must have been like serving an advanced lift engine for practice of creating war rugs Intelligent Civil aircraft Engine Coca-Cola at a convention of V/STOL aircraft, and to co- began in Afghanistan around – Optimising New Pepsi salesmen. operate in other research and 1980 – at the time of the Soviet Environmental thinking (Nice- development projects. invasion of the country – when One), or whatever? the images depicted, such as “If you don’t have a decent Nancy Cox German victory grenades, tank columns and acronym you don’t get any Nancy Cox, activist for aviation Airbus Industrie has agreed in anti-aircraft batteries, were grant money,” confides one safety and better crew working principle to assemble the A321 becoming part of everyday life boffin at an unnamed East conditions, and prolific in West Germany. for the village women who Midlands engine maker. correspondent to Flight in the After a protracted 1960s, has died aged 94. An ex- political and stewardess and married to an industrial wrangle airline pilot, she was in 1964 a over West German efforts to founder of the Air Safety Group, break the French monopoly on which campaigned for flight time Airbus assembly, the four-nation limitations, among other things. consortium has asked for a In her nineties, she was still management report on the writing to newspapers. One of her financial implications of the missives supporting the British proposed assembly of the Airline Pilots Association campaign A321 in Hamburg. against bringing UK flight time limitations into line with Europe 100-YEAR ARCHIVE was published in The Sunday Times Every issue of Flight in 2012. She called the proposal “a from 1909 onwards truly backward step geared in favour can be viewed online at

warrugs.com of operators rather than the safety of ﬂightglobal.com/archive Weaving a lasting impression airline passengers”.

48 | Flight International | 17-23 February 2015 flightglobal.com [email protected] LETTERS

FLIGHT SAFETY In awe of F-35 INTERNATIONAL Ill-informed comments on AF447 We welcome your letters on It has been interesting to observe the breadth of understandable Congratulations on Stephen any aspect of the aerospace but sometimes ill-informed ongoing commentary regarding the Trimble and Dan Parsons’ out- industry. AF447 crash. Two under-appreciated problems have been touched- Please write to: The Editor, standing article on the F-35 man- Flight International, Quadrant on but must be addressed immediately. ufacture (Flight International, 27 House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Firstly, like it or not, an increasing majority of pilots come from January-2 February). I am in awe Surrey SM2 5AS, UK. backgrounds where interaction with things mechanical was never part of Lockheed’s breadth of vision Or email flight.international@ of their upbringing. When operations are normal, it’s great, but even and technical and management flightglobal.com when relatively small abnormalities occur, their training can be insuf- capability. More! ficient and the potential for difficulties escalates disproportionately. I’m sure I’m not the only one The opinions on this page do not necessarily represent those of the editor. This is exacerbated by outdated check routines in flight simulators to be amazed that “structural LettersFlight International without a full cannot postal publish address letters sup- where failure scenarios are often known, rehearsed prior and thus misalignment wider than a few pliedwithout may name not beand published. address. Letters mustmay flown “well”. Regulators’ decades-old mindsets mean these failures human hairs is enough to make alsobe no be more published than 250 on flightglobal.comwords in length. and are tested and exact accuracy standards required. Constrained air- an aircraft shine like a light- must be no longer than 250 words. line training departments thus administer “tick-the-box” programmes, house in the electro-magnetic using simulators as instruments of pain rather than relaxed educa- spectrum”. I had no idea it was tional tools. Consequently, inherent “common sense” thought pro- that critical. And want to know The need for cesses become under-valued and this skill is thus either non-existent more detail about the EMAS as- hands-on ability or atrophied. Minimum accuracy levels must be achieved but simula- sembly concept. tors should now be used as non-jeopardy training instruments to pre- I have long since given up on Peter Gray’s comments (Flight In- pare for the many and varied permutations of potential failures. the shallow technophobic jour- ternational, 27 January-2 Febru- Secondly, aircraft manufacturers have much to answer for. After nalism of the current round of ary) are misleading. the AF447 crash, Airbus issued difficult-to-understand Operational automotive magazines and, after Loss of control of an airworthy Engineering Bulletins and Quick Reference Handbook amendments some years in the air force a aircraft can only result from mis- that were band-aid fixes for bigger problems. These problems con- while back, re-discovering Flight handling by the pilot. There can tinue today. The A330 has a complex procedure for Unreliable has been a tonic. be no other cause. Speed Indication that almost guarantees nobody will complete it Tom Sheppard The Air France Habsheim ac- accurately in the time required. Hitchin, UK cident was a regular flight au- What is clear from AF447 – and potentially other recent incidents thorised to take part in a presen- – is that confusion caused by pitot-static system icing/failure is a Stick to jokes tation by a pilot bereft of flight fact. Airbus needs enhanced alternative systems and simpler proce- demonstration experience and dures to enable crews to retain/regain attitude control. Re your Straight & Level piece with limited type experience. If Having replicated AF447 type scenarios in simulators with crews Not Mikoyan Well (Flight Inter- the aircraft is over-rotated, cen- for whom English is not their first language, I can assure Chris national, 3-9 February) and the trifugal force can cause at least Skillern (Flight International, 13-19 January) that the apparent in- line “…the world’s most danger- some of the air to “spin” off the competence he refers to is not as simple as he depicts and also ous mode of transport – a Mikoy- rotor disc starving the engines of the final manifestation of a multifaceted problem. an fighter…”, would you like to air. This may well have contrib- Paul Lucas explain the blatant propaganda uted in this accident. The pilot Melbourne, Australia and back it up with some facts? did not lose control, but perhaps It’s ironic to publish that in- through lack of experience he flamatory story, in which no one simply got it wrong. their passengers paid the ulti- difficult task of removing or edu- died, in the same edition as a AF447 was utterly different: a mate price. Neither of these acci- cating the damn fools. news article on how a US-made routine flight, it encountered dents was loss of control. The solution is a crew compe- F-16 killed 11 people and injured what in truth was a minor nui- Try as aircraft and avionics tent in hands-on flying, and alert many more. The Cold War fin- sance, the crew did not “lose manufacturers may, the old say- and situationally aware through- ished long ago. We have enough control”, they reacted incorrect- ing: “You can make a thing fool- out – using automated systems as problems that politicians are stir- ly, and counter to all good air- proof but you can’t make it aid and backup, not as a primary ring up. We don’t need aviation manship. Worse yet, they failed damn-fool proof” holds good. flight system. Surely that is what journalists adding fuel to the fire. over several minutes to seek to The secret lies not in more they are paid for? Stick to jokes, not propaganda. react properly or think things complex avionics and smarter Richard Chandless Ivo Pentchev through. As a result they and aircraft; it lies simply in the more Crêches sur Saône, France By email

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WORK EXPERIENCE SCOTT HILL Houston: we don’t have a problem A four-year stint in the US Air Force helped Scott Hill gain the qualifications and skills to launch his career as a management analyst with the airports authority in his home city in Texas

Have you always been energy saving totalling $499,550 interested in aviation? per year. That retro-report has the My father was in the US Air implementation cost of Force and he was also a private $780,247, which would give pilot. He deﬁnitely helped stir HAS a 1.56 year simple payback. my interest in aeronautics. Also, We are now working with Texas when I was nearing the end of A&M Energy Systems Laboratory high school, I was not totally pre- to implement this through their pared to go straight to college. continuous commissioning. It is That was when I made the best worth mentioning that this effort decision of my life, which was to is also being heavily supported follow in my father’s footsteps by our operations and mainte- and join the air force. It was there nance staff at HOU. that I had the honour of being a It must be hard to keep track of part of the best aviation organisa- everything tion in the world. I was able to Another big project is infrastruc- serve my country and also gain ture condition assessment. This technical and leadership skills initiative is helping us to under- that have certainly helped in my stand the condition of our infra- career thus far. structure so that we can plan And the USAF helped you and prioritise what projects we become ready for college need to focus on. We are cur-

While in the air force I was able Houston airport rently building an up-to-date in- to finish my associates degree Identifying cost savings is a key part of Hill’s day to day responsiblities ventory of our assets through the from the Community College of use of geographic information the Air Force. After my four-year What are your daily duties? “This initiative is system technology. It has been a enlistment, I decided to move I am a management analyst IV. helping us to great honour to be able to serve back to my home town of Hou- My job is to coordinate the devel- my city and country throughout ston and be closer to family. I im- opment of effective programmes understand… our my aviation career. I encourage mediately enrolled at Embry- and computerised databases that infrastructure so that any young person who is debat- Riddle Aeronautical University measure the success of the asset ing career paths to consider one to pursue a Bachelor of Science management projects. These ini- we can plan and in aviation. It is a global indus- degree. It was during that time tiatives ensure efficiencies prioritise… projects” try that connects people, creates that I was looking for my next ca- throughout the HAS’s physical innovation and strengthens reer. I was fortunate enough to infrastructure at all three air- economies. Q land a job with the Houston Air- ports: George Bush Interconti- Looking for a job in aerospace? port System (HAS). I work for the nental (IAH), William P Hobby year was a retro-commissioning Check out our listings online at infrastructure division in asset (HOU) and Ellington. I am the programme at both IAH and flightglobal.com/jobs management. I was born and primary liaison and lead for all HOU. The retro-commissioning raised in Houston, so I found it to asset management financial mat- focused mostly on heating, venti- If you would like to feature in be a great opportunity to come ters including budget, monitor- lating and air conditioning and it Working Week, or you know back home and work for the city ing and execution. identified energy savings oppor- someone who does, email your that I love. I have since earned a What key projects are you tunities. For example, once im- pitch to kate.sarsfield@ masters in Aeronautical Science working on? plemented, at HOU’s main termi- flightglobal.com at Embry-Riddle. One of our projects last fiscal nal, we could see an annual

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flightglobal.com 17-23 February 2015 | Flight International | 59 “The Dreamliner is a perfect“ ﬁt for THAI in terms of its range, size and fuel efﬁciency.”

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THE DREAMLINER EFFECT. THAI SUCCESS.